Advice

Floodlit by twinkling constellations, a midnight marathon has started on the beaches of Morro Peixe in Sao Tome, with competitors frantically racing for the surf. Spectating from side-lines like an anxious coach, Hipolito Lima wills his batch of baby turtle hatchlings to safely reach the sea, nervously checking there are no predatory gulls swooping overhead.

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Wales is known for its castles with many, such as Conwy and Caernarfon, built by King Edward I in the 13th century and now listed as Unesco

These four city hotels are the perfect places to curl up with a mulled wine after a hard day of Christmas shopping Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, London Best for… pretending you’re an A-lister for a day After a recent top-to-toe renovation, this iconic Knightsbridge hotel has a new vibrant incarnation. Think bold art, fabrics

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. This unique gem of a city is best known for its watery landscapes and exquisite architecture, but beyond its immediate charms it’s surprisingly multi-faceted. It’s hugely attractive

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. This gloriously green tropical isle has something for everyone – and that includes families. Children of all ages are catered for, from action-packed activities for teenagers –

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Brazil has 4,655 miles of coast, and a lot of it is beach. The best country in South America for silky sand and warm seas, it’s also

Cradling a pangolin bigger than a basketball, as it unfurls its scaly rudder of a tail, Amos Gwema is enjoying a special moment. Historically revered in Zimbabwe, the prehistoric mammal is too superior to be considered a totem animal, and finding one is a sign of prosperity. But today any good fortunes are in the

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Many of Bangkok’s huge downtown hotels are excellent bases from which to explore the city with children. Safe, clean and calm worlds of their own, some offer

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Somerset is storied land, often overlooked by travellers rushing through to Devon or Cornwall. Tales waiting to be told include that of King Arthur, King Alfred, medieval

On November 15, Ugandan ranger Scot Guma was killed by elephant while responding to calls from a community struggling with animals crossing over from Murchison Falls National Park. It’s a sad story, which, alarmingly, could become more common across Africa as human settlements expand and wilderness habitats decline. It’s also one of the biggest conundrums

Ambling silently through chartreuse-green reeds, an elephant and her calf have crossed to one of many islands anchored in the Zambezi River. Hot and thirsty, herds are scattered across Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park – some feeding on the pods of winter thorn trees arching over dusty banks; others wading through pools of ruby evening light.   It’s

This year has seen the return of the fly-and-flop holiday. According to Skyscanner, 33 per cent of trips booked from June to August were for longer stays (up to 21 days), followed by mid-length stays (four to six days) at 13 per cent. Only 10 per cent of customers booked trips of three days or

Standing on an escarpment, John Kamanga surveys the tangled, brittle grasslands rolled out like a thread-bare, yellowed rug all the way to the foot of Shompole Mountain. Twenty years ago, his Maasai homeland looked very different. “We called this area ‘the dustiest place’,” he recollects, describing a landscape so dry and barren, it was frequently

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writer visited pre-pandemic. Nourishment for the body and soul A marvellous medieval centre, piles of perfect pasta and a thriving university, which is Europe’s oldest, dating from 1088. Bologna ticks

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey, and note that our writers visited these hotels prior to the coronavirus pandemic One of the best bits of advice about visiting Bruges is to stay a few nights. It’s a tiny historic

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey, and note that our writers visited these hotels prior to the coronavirus pandemic Flanked on three sides by water, Kent boasts some 150 miles of coastline, ranging from the white sand beaches of

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey, and note that our writers visited these hotels prior to the coronavirus pandemic Is your idea of the perfect romantic weekend in Scotland snugly seductive or outrageously opulent? More ‘Sex in the City’

The Prime Minister has today confirmed a return to the regional ‘tiered’ system from December 2, meaning holidays will be back on the cards for people living in the lower tiers. For anyone falling in the higher tiers, however, hotels will remain closed, group holidays with multiple households will be banned, and non-essential travel in and

For 50 years, the grande dame of health spas has welcomed stressed-out actors, the rich and famous, and locals, through its heavy Gothic doors to rest, relax and recharge. So the sudden announcement on Nov 20 of its permanent closure must be a kick in the guts for its loyal guests – something of an irony

Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writers visited these hotels prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Rich in outdoorsy attractions, thought-provoking history and natural diversity, Sri Lanka is an inspiring destination for families seeking a well-rounded tropical adventure. Their locations – near sandy beaches and ruined palaces, deep within