Trip Reviews
Baqueira Beret. Seductive Spanish ski gem.
Baqueira Beret is a Spanish ski gem in the heart of some of Europe’s most snow sure mountains and Isabel Conway reviews Spain’s premier ski resort.
Read the full story hereGoing back to County Clare
It’s easy to become nostalgic and here I am 40 plus years later going back to County Clare on a return journey re-exploring those childhood landmarks
Read the full story hereHa Long Bay Cruise review
It’s almost midnight, and Ha Long Bay is ink-black and still. Her ancient limestone pillars have me surrounded. I can’t see them now, but I can feel them, watching me like silent sentinels. All I can hear is the boat creaking, singing its nautical lullaby as gentle waves lap at the wooded hull. This is beautiful. Perfect. Just how a Ha Long Bay cruise should be.
Read the full story hereWalking the Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites
The immense cathedral-like spires of the Northern Dolomites are the perfect venue for tackling one of Europe’s classic long distance treks. Forget about luxury hotels, the only accommodation is in mountain huts, known as Rifugios and I’ll have to carry everything on my back. Walking the Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites runs for around 140 km and my eight day walk will involve daily distances of between 9 and 16.5 km, with ascents of up to 900 m and descents of up to 1,300 m. Will I be tough enough?
Read the full story hereHa Long Bay by Seaplane
“My background is flying sea planes in Canada but this one has so many bells and toys I couldn’t turn it down” says pilot Mike at the wheel of Hai Au Aviation’s impressive Cessna Grand Caravan Amphibian, as we make our way from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay by seaplane in north east Vietnam.
Read the full story hereCaravelle Saigon Hotel. The Perfect Stopover
Saigon Saigon the rooftop bar of the legendary Caravelle Saigon Hotel is buzzing with the early evening cocktail crowd, a far cry from its former life during the Vietnam war as the war correspondents’ briefing room. Back then, it was the hotel of choice for all the war media and today, the photos lining the walls are a reminder of those heady days. I’m here en-route to Australia and with ten hours to kill before my next flight, I’m enjoying a few hours hospitality at Caravelle Saigon Hotel the perfect Saigon stopover.
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