The Road Less Travelled: A Holiday in Namibia

by Travelbag on 19 February 2020, 09:02AM

Namibia is a mood board of magnificently arid deserts, sweeping dunes and animal-packed salt pans. On a recent holiday to Namibia, Mike MacEacheran discovered a new side to sub-Saharan Africa. Here’s what he found. Sossusvlei, Namib Naukluft National Park Up too early, I’m barefoot on a blood-red dune primed in pink dawn light. It would have been so easy to stay in bed under canvas, but if the advice from our guide is anything to go by, a speedy get-up-and-go is non-negotiable when visiting Sossusvlei in Namib Naukluft National Park. You crawl, mole-like, out of your sleeping bag and climb a 170-metre-high ridge. The going is slow (two steps forward, one step back), the light wind whipping sand against your legs. A scimitar-horned oryx trots by. On the horizon, the sun flo...

Carnival Time: A guide to Rio de Janeiro

Every year, in the lead up to Lent, Brazil’s former capital transforms into one giant party. The Rio de Janeiro Carnival is the largest carnival in the world, with two million people per day taking to the streets. This year’s official celebration will happen across five days, from 21st to 26th February, culminating on Fat Tuesday. Although, in reality, the festivities usually last fa...

by Travelbag on 13 February 2020, 16:02PM

The Best Road Trips in Victoria, Australia

Besides being home to Australia’s cultural capital – Melbourne – Victoria also has stunning countryside and one of the most iconic coastlines in the world. What’s more, its compact size makes it perfect for a self-drive road trip. According to James Litston, these are the best places to go in the Garden State. Yarra Valley I’d always thought the Spice Girls invented...

by Travelbag on 11 February 2020, 17:02PM

Florida: The Under-Discovered State

Florida has long been a popular holiday destination for those seeking some fun in the sun. As the theme park capital of the world, it draws visitors from around the globe, keen to experience the fantasy realms of Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Busch Gardens. But at almost one and a half times the size of England – and with over 4,500 islands – there’s so much more to ...

by Travelbag on 05 February 2020, 09:02AM

Australian Bushfires: A Down Under Travel Guide

Record-breaking temperatures and severe drought have caused fires to spread across parts of Australia over the past few months. While it’s not unusual for significant acreage to burn during the hot summer months, the Australian bushfires this year have been unprecedented. Devastatingly, they’ve destroyed more than 2,600 homes and burned over 100,000 square kilometres of land. It’...

by Travelbag on 31 January 2020, 15:01PM

10 Reasons to Book a Long Weekend in Dubai

At this time of year, a lot of us start to crave a few days of sunshine. But all the hot destinations are too far away for a long weekend, right? Wrong! If you want to escape your everyday routine and soak up some much-needed vitamin D – without using too much annual leave – we have the solution. A long weekend in Dubai is the perfect antidote to the winter blues. You’l...

by Travelbag on 28 January 2020, 17:01PM

6 Places to Celebrate Lunar New Year

This weekend is the Lunar New Year – also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival. Based on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, the celebration begins on the new moon, which can be anytime between 21st January and 20th February. In 2020, the first day of the New Year falls on 25th January, and it will usher in the Year of the Rat – an animal which symbolises wealth and t...

by Travelbag on 22 January 2020, 17:01PM

A Hop Around the World’s Beers

These are boom times for brewers and drinkers alike. Changes in taste, techniques and ingredients have left us with a bewildering choice at the bar. There are more breweries in Britain today than at any time since the Thirties – and it’s proving the same around the world. America is leading the way but, all over Europe, craft beers are becoming more popular than wine. Further afield,...

by Travelbag on 20 January 2020, 10:01AM