Tourdust Blog

What is the world's ugliest capital city?

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:14:00 +0000

Few people have heard of Belmopan. In fact, ask most folk to name the capital of Belize and the chances are that they will say Belize City. There is an irony here in that if Belize City was indeed the capital of the country (as it was for many years) it would probably win the title of Ugliest Capital in the World without question, not so much for its aesthetic qualities (it does have some nice buildings) but for the rough and seedy welcome that anyone who has been there will be familiar with...

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A day in Addis Ababa

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:45:00 +0000

I landed in Ethiopia yesterday. The view coming off the airplane is text book Africa, grass savannah broken up by hazy mountains in the distance, but Addis feels anything but African. Addis the de facto the diplomatic capital of Africa and is a surprisingly calm place to wonder around. The big draws in Addis are the museums, with the highlight being Lucy, the oldest and most complete hominid found. Unfortunately she is on loan to the States so we had to make do with a model and very good...

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Travelling light: what would make you feel naked?

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:35:00 +0000

There are many great resources that help a traveller decide on the the right gear for their big travel adventure. Packing lists help ensure that the most important little items are not forgotten in those chaotic pre-departure days (a good list was recently featured on the RTW Flights blog). But what about those things that we never question; the items that are either the first in pack for all of us, or that for some of us are precious home comforts that we wouldn't want to venture far...

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Is the world as black and white as we like to think?

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:40:00 +0000

I read an excellent article this week about encountering behaviour or opinions on the road that we might find objectionable. In the post on his Finding the Universe blog the author, Laurence Norah tells of his campfire conversation with an Australian couple who casually made an overtly offensive racist remark relating to the Aborigine people. In this case the author was so stunned that he did not know how to react and chose, as most of us would, to leave the conversation and the company of the...

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How Should We Travel?

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 13:14:00 +0000

In the second of a series of articles looking at the ethics of travel, David Jobanputra argues that we need not worry about rights and wrongs so long as we are properly ‘immersed’. He goes on to suggest how we might engage in immersive travel experiences and why they can benefit both the traveller and their host. In last week’s piece, we began looking at the normative ethics of travel, or what I otherwise called ‘should questions’. ‘Should...

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Responsible Travel: Where should we travel? Where should we avoid? Why?

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:59:00 +0000

In the latest in his series of articles exploring why we travel, David Jobanputra asks what impact our travelling has on the places we visit, and by extension what factors we should take into account when deciding where to travel. Government advice warns us against going to certain countries on grounds of safety; but should we base our final decisions on considerations framed more around the deeper implications of our visit? If you enjoyed this article, you can subscribe to the rest of the...

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10 countries where you won't find a McDonald's

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:52:00 +0000

Love it or loathe it, the big golden arches provide an instantly recognisable landmark on the most unfamiliar of skylines around the world. For many travellers McDonald's represents a safe and often cheap meal, even if a highly unimaginative one. For others it may be considered a useful stop as the cleanest free public toilets in town. Either way when passing through many parts of the world it's easy to believe that the red and yellow American fast-food giant has conquered the world. It...

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Hiking the Inca Trail - 5 star service at 4000 metres

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:36:00 +0000

It's an alarm clock with a difference. Compared to the high pitched electronic squeaks that drag me from my dreams at home, the gentle tap on the tarpaulin and the cheery "Buenos dias!" made a pleasant change. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee further compensated for the early wake-up. It is 5 o'clock in the mountains of Peru and it's time to get started. Welcome to another day on the Inca Trail. For those who have completed this world-famous trek this will probably sound very familiar. When...

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Camel Trekking in the Sahara Desert in Morocco - Photo Gallery

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:25:00 +0000

Deep in South East Morocco, lie two sets of Saharan Ergs, or sand dunes. Measuring around 22km by 5km, the Erg Chebbi dunes form an intriguing island in the otherwise flat and rocky desert that marks out the Moroccan portion of the Sahara Desert. The journey to the Sahara Desert from Marrakech is long and in the summer months, hot as well. However, the trip is more than worth it. Sleeping under the stars in traditional (and very basic) Berber camps, the rest of the world feels like a lifetime...

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A Guide to Marrakech

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 10:40:00 +0000

Marrakech, a heady blend of labryinthal souks, mysterious snake charmers and acrobats performing at the Djemma El Fna and the enchanting sound of the call to prayer echoing around the medina. So much to see, so much to do, but it can all seem a little intimidating at first glance, especially when you first get off a plane. Just a 3 hour flight from the UK, Marrakech is an ideal week or weekend break destination, offering a tantalisingly different experience to visitors. Even...

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Experiencing a local Christmas

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:15:00 +0000

In the UK, we complain about the commercialisation of Christmas and the two-month build-up, but, oddly, you can’t help missing Noddy Holder and the smug TV adverts when they are gone. Here in Argentina, there are no cheesy Christmas songs on repeat in the shops; decorations are minimal; and there seems to be little excitement about festive TV programming. A lucky escape? Probably, but Christmas in another hemisphere still takes some getting used to, not least for the change in...

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Imlil Valley in The Atlas Mountains - Photo Gallery

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:57:00 +0000

I'm always fascinated by hub towns, where travellers and tourists congregate before heading out on their own adventures. There is usually a very distinctive atmosphere, with a polarised transient community split evenly between the newly arrived and those resting up from their exertions. It is the same feel you get in Queenstown, Sapa, Chiang Mai, Chamonix and countless other mountain towns and it was no different in Imlil. The small town of Imlil acts as the hub for anyone attempting anything...

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Travel as Development

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:07:00 +0000

Tourism can be presented as a force for good, but is it really helping to develop its host nations? Is the idea of development itself flawed? David Jobanputra looks at the history of aid to help understand the role modern travellers are playing in the world around them. In last week’s piece I looked at the idea that travel ‘damages’ cultures, and showed how, perhaps counter-intuitively, this is in fact a meaningless assertion; culture...

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Travel changes cultures: what matters is how

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:48:00 +0000

Continuing our debate on how tourism affects culture, Ethan Gelber focuses on how travellers and travel companies should handle inevitable changes. The case study: his own experiences living in Sri Lanka just after the devastating tsunami. Cultural change, whether through tourism or any other force, is a foregone conclusion. People change. Communities change. Countries change. Losing sleep over whether and how to stop it is time wasted, as is getting all wistful about cultural authenticity...

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Travel as Cultural Perversion

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 12:33:00 +0000

"Real" or "authentic" must be among some of the most over-used terms in travel marketing and travel writing. Below tourism expert David Jobanputra takes a fascinating look at the the myth that cultures have an underlying "true" core which should be protected from change. Does tourism damage culture? In last week’s piece, I looked at the idea that international travel is a neo-colonial venture founded on domination and dependence. This expansionist regime, it was argued, restructures...

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Choosing your accommodation in Marrakech

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 14:47:00 +0000

Choosing accommodation in Marrakech can be quite a bewildering experience. With hundreds of options to choose from, it is difficult to know where to even start. This is a short guide to your accommodation options in Marrakech and will hopefully help you along your way. Costs The first thing to consider when trying to arrange your accommodation, is budget. For clean, but basic accommodation within the medina, you can find accommodation for as little as £25 - £35 per room per night....

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Global tastes: recreating world food at home

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:27:00 +0000

Earlier this week, Tourdust writer David Jobanputra looked at how tourism pushes Western tastes and habits on to other parts of the world. In a provocative piece on 'travel as imperalism', he referred - among other more complex issues - to those who want/expect hamburgers in India and banana pancakes in Asia. But surely travel is not always such a one-way flow? Many independent travellers want the exchange of taste and ideas to run both ways, and this is especially true with food. Among the...

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Travel as Imperialism

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:08:00 +0000

This week's travel essay is a controversional one, painting travellers as modern-day imperialists. Below tourism expert David Jobanputra explores the relationship between tourists and their host nations. Are tourists just "capitalist parasites"? Now there is subject ripe for discussion. Please do leave your thoughts. If you enjoyed this article, you can subscribe to the rest of the series via our RSS feed. "I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be...

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How do you turn a bad trip around?

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:04:00 +0000

Had you asked me what I thought of Carmelo in Uruguay at around 4pm on Sunday, I would not have been able to answer without a tirade of expletives. Everything was closed for siesta, there was nothing to do, and, worse, there was no way out. The bus I was supposed to get never came and I was one step away from getting the return ferry straight back to Buenos Aires. This godforsaken place wasn't just sleepy, it had a full onset of rigor mortis. So how come just a couple of hours later, I was...

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Latest News - Introducing Vicky Baker as our new guest editor

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:56:00 +0000

For the last month Andy Jarosz from the 501 Places travel blog has been editing and curating our blog. Andy has written a number of fantastic posts but is now heading out of the country for an extended trip to Central America. In his place (don't worry he'll be back fingers crossed!) we have invited Vicky Baker to take over the reins for December. Vicky is a travel writer for among others, The Guardian and Time Out Guides and specialises in writing about local life in South America, local...

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Azzaden Valley in the Atlas Mountains - Photo Gallery

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 16:30:00 +0000

I recently spent a week trekking in the Atlas Mountains and it was a fantastic time to visit. Whilst the weather back home was beginning to get bitingly cold, just a few hours flight away in Morocco it was still warm and sunny. One of the highlights of the trek, which I'll write about at greater length later, was the Azzaden Valley (also sometimes spelt the Azzanane Valley). Whilst the Ourika Valley grabs most day visitors from Marrakech and the neighbouring Imlil Valley attracts the hoardes of...

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10 Travel experiences that are truly priceless

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:33:00 +0000

In David Jobanputra's latest article in the 'Why we travel' series, he looked at how travel has become commoditised and how many of the must-do experiences on a traveller's list are no longer priceless, but in fact can be quite easily given a monetary value. This makes for sobering reading for those passionate travellers who enthuse about the life-changing experiences that money can't buy - it seems, according to this argument, that money can indeed buy any travel memory. As an antidote to...

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Travel: the ultimate must-have possession?

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:12:00 +0000

In the third of a series of articles exploring why we travel, David Jobanputra asks if our travels are anything more than an act of consumption through which we can define ourselves as we wish. Sophisticated, trendy, caring; we choose a personal brand identity to which we aspire and the travel industry supplies us with the right product to match. If you enjoyed this article, you can subscribe to the rest of the series via our RSS feed. The Apple iPad, Reebok Classics,...

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10 foreign language phrases that every traveller should know

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 18:24:00 +0000

One of my favourite sections of any Lonely Planet guidebook is found at the very back. Just before the index are several pages of words and phrases in the local language, aimed at providing the reader with a basic grounding in the language. Armed with these selected phrases the traveller can confidently ask for a room, inform a member of the public that they have a headache or ask for lamb chop and chips in a local restaurant. But how many of these nuggets of information do we actually end up...

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Travel as Epic Adventure

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 09:30:00 +0000

In the second of a series of articles exploring why we travel, David Jobanputra looks at the idea of travel as an adventure and asks what it is that drives us to seek the unknown and the unexpected. He discusses the different possible motives that might lurk behind our desire to experience adventures, and how our travel lust may be as much about looking after our personal brand as it is about satisfying a curiosity in the world around us. If you enjoyed this article, you can subscribe to the...

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Magical Travel Moments: can we have them in our home town?

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:18:00 +0000

On Monday we featured a thought-provoking post by David Jobanputra that considered the reasons why we travel and drew analogies between our travel experiences and religious and spiritual rituals. David suggested that for some people, travel and its associated trappings may serve as a substitute for religion. This got me thinking about some of those 'deep and meaningful moments' that many people experience while on the road. Is there an element of delusion in how we tend to view these magical...

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Travel as Religious Experience

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:17:00 +0000

In the first of a series of articles exploring why we travel, David Jobanputra looks at the rituals that are associated with modern long-term travel and asks whether they are in some way a parallel to the religious and spiritual rituals that people have followed for countless generations. A thought-provoking article that should conjure familiar images to anyone who has experienced the backpacker trail. If you enjoyed this article, you can subscribe to the rest of the series via...

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Going local: are we driven by selfish motives?

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:10:00 +0000

If anyone mentions that they're travelling to Ushuaia in Argentina I instinctively want to tell them about the guest house in which we spent 3 memorable nights. The two young owners were on hand for anything we wanted but otherwise left us in peace to enjoy their beautiful property and its outstanding views. It's a simple formula that is so rarely applied elsewhere. As a result we felt relaxed and have never more at home in a foreign land. Once home we joined the legions of satisfied people and...

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Introducing Andy Jarosz as Guest Editor and our Travel Essay Series

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:18:00 +0000

November marks the start of a new project on the Tourdust blog, we’ve invited Andy Jarosz from the acclaimed 501 Places blog to take the reins as guest editor of the blog and the @tourdust twitter account. During Andy’s reign as guest editor we will be publishing a series of thought provoking articles questioning why we travel, how it effects the places we visit and ultimately how we can improve the impact we have on local communities. We’ll be asking if travel is a rite of...

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Tourdust finalist in Travolution Awards

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:53:00 +0000

Tourdust has been nominated for two awards at the prestigious Travolution Industry Awards tomorrow night. 1. Best B2C Travel Blog 2. Best Tickets/Attractions/Excursions Website So a big thanks is due to everyone who has commented and helped build this blog over the first year of its existence. More details of the awards are available at http://www.travolutionawards.co.uk/travolutionawards2010/2010-finalists

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Why holidays are good for the soul

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:55:00 +0000

Is it just me, or do you spend a lot of time at work, on the train, on the school run dreaming about escaping the hum drum of every day life? Possibly your day dreams take you to living a self-sustaining life in an eco-lodge in the jungle, running your own vineyard in southern France, or relocating to Australia to become a surf dude? Perhaps you're not as extreme as me.. maybe it's just a week in the sun that you crave, or a weekend alone without the kids. The point is, escapism is...

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We've joined ABTA

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:50:00 +0000

I'm proud to announce that Tourdust is now a bonded member of ABTA. Tourdust was found to make booking with smaller local operators easier and more accessible and this is the latest development to support that aim. Why has Tourdust joined ABTA? There is a growing demand from independent travellers to book with responsible, quality local operators in advance. Unfortunately, until now, it has not been possible to do this with any kind of financial protection. Our goal at Tourdust has always been...

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Guide books - a love affair.

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:35:00 +0000

There is a lot of discussion in the media at the moment about the future of the non-digital industry, with digital channels becoming increasingly dominant in the music and film industries and the same trend set to become reality in the print-publishing world. Opinion is split between traditionalists, who prefer the tactile experience of reading a book and modernisers who argue that e-books and i-pads offer instant availability and wider publication, giving more choice for consumers and more...

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Travelling Irresponsibly - The Impact of the Package Travel Regulations

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:11:00 +0000

Do you like to travel independently? Maybe you have done a little backpacking or taken time out and enjoyed the pleasure of exploring, discovering local gems and getting off the beaten track. Maybe you try to book locally and pay a fair price (and make sure as much of your money as possible goes to the local economy). So when you need to book ahead and can't rely on sorting it out on the ground, how do you book with a local company and make sure your holiday is protected? It is a tricky...

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Travel Music: A Playlist for Travellers

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:06:00 +0000

Travelling always seems to be accompanied by a rich soundtrack, a background playlist that plays through the cafes, the hostels, the bus journeys and of course the bars we pass through. Much of it consists of a terrible pastiche of traditional music (think of the souvenir shop) and often hashed reworkings of western popular music. Likewise your Ipod is subject to whatever is the flavour of the day - so for me Australia will always remind me of Fat Boy Slim (yes, it was that long ago). More...

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Amazon Tours

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:15:00 +0000

The Amazon Rainforest needs no introduction, but how to experience it? An area covering a fifth of the South American continent is pretty hard to encapsulate as a travel experience. And excepting biology and anthropology PHDs, in reality most of us are going to be looking at a fairly short encounter. Our collection of Amazon tours covers Ecuador and Peru, offering an opportunity to stay at sustainable lodges that support and are often owned by indigenous tribes, paddle deep into the...

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Mount Toubkal

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:15:00 +0000

At 4,167m, Toubkal is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains and with this accessible non-technical climb being only a 90 minute drive from Marrakesh, it has become a magnet for trekkers heading to the Atlas Mountains. So the big question is, should you attempt it? The lure of tackling the highest peak is ever present, but with so much trekking on offer in the High Atlas, is Toubkal right for you? The route up Toubkal The Jebel Toubkal trek is typically done in two days. The first day begins...

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The Atlas Mountains

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:43:00 +0000

The Atlas Mountains are simply a mecca for trekkers, offering year-round trekking, dramatic scenery, crowd free trails and of course an insight into the intriguing Berber cultures in the countless delightful villages in the valleys. To cap it off, guides and mules (for porting luggage) are reasonably priced for the budget traveller. Trekking in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco The Toubkal National Park in the High Atlas is only a couple of hours drive from Marrakech and offers more than a...

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A Round-up of a year of blogging

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:36:00 +0000

Our blog is approaching a year in age, and it seems a suitably apt occassion to warrant a round-up of some of our favourite posts from the year, if you missed them the first time round then I hope you enjoy! Zeke's Magical Mystery Tour or Why the web is ruining travel. Zeke travels to an unknown destination to figure out if it is better to travel without the copious reams of information available on the web. Cheap Destinations for the travelling stomach. We all know about Rome, Paris, San...

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Trekking the Inca Trail

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:49:00 +0000

The Inca Trail has to be the most iconic trek in the world encompassing dense sub-tropical vegetation, stunning mountain scenery and finally building towards the first glimpse of Machu Picchu through Intipunku, the Gateway of the Sun. Our guide to trekking the Inca Trail covers everything you need to know to begin planning your trip. When is the best time of year to trek the Inca Trail? Peak season on the Inca Trail is May to September, coinciding with the western hemisphere's summer holidays....

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Tour the Movies

Fri, 21 May 2010 11:19:00 +0000

Everyone likes a good film. Box office figures for Love Actually suggest that loads of people like a bad film, too. But do you ever wonder where your favourite movies are shot? Apparently, I'm informed that directors other than George Lucas actually use real-world locations rather than CGI and green screen. Fancy that! 1. Robin Hood - England Robin Hood is the film everyone’s ta… no wait, not that one. That’s better. Robin Hood is an ingrained British legend and part...

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Luxury Camping & Glamping - Warts'n'all

Tue, 18 May 2010 09:23:00 +0000

Luxury camping hit the buzz-word happy travel press like a rushing pounding wave three years ago. Cue saccharine sweet write ups in the travel sections and D-list celebrities rushed out on freebies to give their half baked verdicts. At its peak the term glamping was coined and the movement had a name, a home, nay a bandwagon! So once you peer past the soft focus photographs, overly-matey language, outsized fonts, faux birdsong and media hype is luxury camping actually any good? Is a family...

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Le Marche Holiday Guide

Fri, 14 May 2010 08:36:00 +0000

Located in Central Italy, Le Marche is a relatively undiscovered region of Italy. With the Adriatic to the East and the Apennine mountains to the west, the area has plenty to offer the traveller looking to experience a different side of Italy. Culture Urbino, the region's capital, is a walled city situated on the side of a hill and its historic centre is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. A beautiful city, with some great examples of renaissance architecture, its highlights...

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Photo Essay: 12 Astonishingly Beautiful Mountain Treks

Wed, 12 May 2010 11:00:00 +0000

This is a stunning photo from the Cordillera Huayhuash mountain range in the Andes of Peru. Trekking in Peru is so much more than just the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu. The Cordillera Huayhash surrounds you with a lush landscape of glacial valleys and lakes circled by the towering Andes peaks. (Picture from Flickr user Andras Jancsik) This was taken on the Camino de Santiago which is the ancient pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in the heart of the Pyrenees...

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Is this the ultimate rafting trip?

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:48:00 +0000

You'd be hard pressed to find adventures that push quite so far into the wilderness as rafting trips do whilst remaining thoroughly accessible to us mere mortals. The River Siang in India's Eastern Himalayas plays host to just 100 paddlers a year and we think this has to be the ultimate rafting trip. Think of this as the antithesis of a day's white water rafting with a bunch of corporate groups and stag dos - this rafting trip pushes deep into the river for days, camping at river side...

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Incense & Street Food: A Perfect Holiday in Vietnam

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:42:00 +0000

I’m not sure what it was about my holiday in Vietnam that totally captured my heart. True, this is a country with some seriously big hitting highlights; The imposing fortress at Hue, the quaint and charming Hoi an, the fascinating Cu Chi tunnels and, of course, two boat trips not to be missed - a Halong Bay junk cruise to admire the limestone rock formations in the north and, at the south of the country, a boat trip on the Mekong Delta. Stepping back from this list of obvious highlights,...

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Trekking in Morocco - in pictures

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:29:00 +0000

Morocco is an incredible trekking destination boasting rich and unique culture, traditional Berber villages, soaring arid peaks and surprisingly verdant valleys. We've pulled together a collection of the most striking creative commons images of the Atlas Mountains and Rif Valley. Enjoy! Toubkal in the High Atlas is perhaps the most accessible from Marrakesh. Trekking in Morocco tends to start out from Imlil, a charming Berber village. Toubkal is the highest peak in North Africa and makes...

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Volcano disruption: Discount for UK holidays

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:48:00 +0000

With the massive disruption caused by the ash cloud, we are all having to deal with a world without flights, albeit temporarily. For people at a loose end having had their holiday plans thrown into disarray for the coming month, we are now offering 10% off stays in our five luxury yurt and tipi sites in England and Wales* in May. Open wood fires and stunning settings have made glamping sites particularly fashionable of late. And with prices from £175 per yurt for a four night...

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What can ‘local travel’ learn from responsible travel’s chequered past

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:20:00 +0000

‘Local travel’ describes what many independent travellers have known for years - get off the beaten track, choose local, choose small and invariably you will choose well. But will the new ‘Local Travel’ Movement survive and prosper? The concept of ethically responsible travel (deeply interwoven with local travel) has been around for many years now. Yet it is clouded in myth, misinterpretation, misunderstanding and tarnished reputations. It has failed to go...

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Travelling without a destination

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:56:00 +0000

Last week I wrote about Zeke's Ryannair mystery tour in a post titled The web is ruining Travel. Exploiting a unique quirk in the Ryannair website, he booked a flight not knowing where he was heading, thereby avoiding the information glut that the web provides. He managed to offend entire nations, confuse border guards and make a general fool of himself. In the follow up video, Zeke unveils the mystery destination, struggles to find a room, and sadly ends up craving a good session on the...

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10 Breathtaking Kayaking Destinations

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:23:00 +0000

The tortured winding coastlines beloved of sea kayakers also happen to be some of the most beautiful places in the world with breathtaking vistas, dramatic wildlife and spades of wilderness. This set of simply breathtaking sea kayaking and canoeing photos from our collection of sea kayaking holidays are simply breathtaking. 1. The Twin Lakes, Alaska The Twin Lakes are set in the heart of Lake Clark National Park, where turquoise lakes nestle beneath vast cirques of rock and ice and bears,...

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The web is ruining travel

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:36:00 +0000

There are 918 travel blogs on Technorati and hundreds of travel forums and social networking sites. There is a bewildering level of choice and information and it is spoiling the joy of independent travel. The traditional vision of a fresh faced traveller waving goodbye at the airport gate with little more than an outbound ticket and a well thumbed guide book seem to be gone. Instead, after weeks spent poring over the excellent Matador Network and the exhaustive...

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The formula for a perfect beach holiday

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:34:00 +0000

What do beach breaks conjure up for you? Hideous package holidays, towering apartment blocks and disturbingly familiar foods on the Costa Del Sol or exclusive beaches, prohibitive prices, raked sand and swaying palm trees disturbed only by city boys braying on their mobile phones? In the words of the immortal Gavin and Stacey, to be honest with you, neither are really our cup of tea. But today, we are going to let you in on the secret formula to beach perfection. 'Beach perfection'...

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Peak District navigation course - A detailed review

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:53:00 +0000

As someone who makes a living largely out of walking and cycling, usually accompanied by a map or two, I was initially concerned that I wouldn’t get very much out of this course. I confess that I lose my way from time to time and occasionally get myself completely lost, but I’d rather assumed that that was just part of being outdoors. Apparently not. Indeed, as soon as I met Pete I had a feeling that here was someone who knew things that it would be useful to know. It turns out...

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Eco Retreats Review in Detail

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:27:00 +0000

Deep in a hidden part of the forest in Powys, Wales, lies the beautiful and ever so slightly magical yurt and tipi site of Eco Retreats. To call this place a campsite is a bit like calling a glass of Champagne grape juice, it is so much more! Yes, it is camping to the extent that all that separates you from the very clear skies above you is some canvas. However, with futons, luxurious bedding and a well equipped kitchen, this is a romantic, tranquil experience with all the fun of...

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Ballsy adventurers, decapitation & polar bears

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:17:00 +0000

Ross Lee Tabak is a travel writer, photographer and author of the frequently exceptional We're Lost and Everything is Dirty. Ross combines fascinating insights, punchy writing and sublime photography to drag the reader away from their laptop and into a completely different world. We are lucky enough to be able to publish his frankly brilliant responses to our interview questions: Calcutta by Ross Lee Tabak (TD) Ross Lee Tabak - You’re a dashing young man and owner of the...

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El Monte Lodge review in detail

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:29:00 +0000

We visited El Monte Lodge in the Mindo cloud forest as a transitional stop between a Galapagos cruise and a stay in an Amazon Jungle lodge. So we felt that the likelihood of it being a bit of an anticlimax was quite high. In reality, it was an unforgettable stay. The bedroom lodge at El Monte Most stays in the cloud forest include pick up from Quito and the drive is enlivened as you pass the middle of the world at latitude 0°. This geographical landmark is honoured by a monument and a...

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Seven great travel blogs about England

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:25:00 +0000

England is where we call home, so we could be forgiven for being a little biased. The sun may not always shine here, but there are dozens of bustling cities surrounded by acres of magnificent scenery and a wealth of activities for any weather. We have compiled seven great independent blogs to inspire your next trip in England. An alternative view of London: Londondailyphoto showcases an eclectic range of pictures taken from around the Captial that you will not find in any tour guides,...

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Cheap destinations for the travelling stomach

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Without doubt, my most memorable travelling moments have involved food - tucking into steaming broths in a bustling Asian night market, eating fresh seafood on a moonlit beach or tucking into a large bone of mutton on the Mongolian steppe. Food is arguably the most evocative and memorable feature of travelling. Ignoring the obvious gourmet foody meccas of New York, San Sebastian, Paris and Rome as this isn’t about eating at Michelin starred restaurants, which destinations can serve up a...

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5 extraordinary ways to handle excess baggage

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:20:00 +0000

A highlight of travelling in parts of Asia and Africa is the astounding ingenuity applied to transport. Our record is three people plus bags on a moped, which is lame in comparison to the efforts of locals: Bike of Burden in Vietnam This is one of my favourite photographs. Not only has the guy managed to get all these boxes on the back of this bike but has also then had the courage to join the cargo. Why hasn't the whole thing tipped backwards. (Picture from Flickr user...

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Reading list for your next Scottish Holiday

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:58:00 +0000

When the mile-thick ice sheets finally retreated from the north of Britain at the end of the Pleistocene epoch, they left in their wake a topography gnarled, fissured and pockmarked by violent glaciation. The result is some of the wildest country in Europe; mountain massifs, rift valleys, riven volcanoes and crinkle-cut islands are just some of the extraordinary features of the Scottish landscape. Unsurprising, then, that the country has become something of a mecca for adventure travel...

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Travel around the world like a grown up

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:32:00 +0000

Last night was the launch party for an exciting new project, Grantourismo. Grantourismo is a collaboration between the hugely successful Homeaway.co.uk vacation rental stable and vastly experienced travel writers Lara Dunston & Terence Carter. Lara and Terence get to travel the world for 12 months, staying in 24 vacation rental properties - and will be blogging their experience along the way. It is not your typical way to travel the world, staying in luxury riverside penthouses in...

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Hebridean Island cruise review

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:56:00 +0000

Raucous laughter greeted the farewell brunch aboard the Hjalmar Bjorge. The rain was seeping from the sky and Oban was doing its best to display all the shades of grey imaginable. After four nights aboard, and copious amounts of fine food the brunch (including haggis, three types of sausage, bacon and black pudding) was the perfect riposte from chef Mark following our plaintive complaints of too much fine food. A Hebridean Island cruise brings with it expectations of...

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Try our new travel inspiration quiz

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:29:00 +0000

Where to go next? At some stage or other we all find ourselves looking for a little inspiration. So, we have built a fun quiz to get you started with some ideas. The premise is that travel is all about the senses. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tactile elements and of course the tastes. Close your eyes and picture Thailand - immediately, the spicy fresh taste of a steaming bowl of green curry springs to mind (as do some rather repugnant smells from the...

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Round-up of our 12 websites of Christmas

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:26:00 +0000

The time has come to wrap up our 12 websites of Christmas series. The final three recommendations are all alternative travel blogs that tend to write about 'local' or 'authentic' travel: Spottedbylocals.com: Take the juiciest scraps of information from The Lonely Planet and Time Out, strip out all the noise and you have spottedbylocals. This is a network of bloggers who pick out their favourite places in their home city. The London collection includes over 100 tips....

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OTAs - 12 websites of Christmas

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:12:00 +0000

Continuing our 12 travel websites of Christmas series, here are our favourite online accommodation booking sites. These three fantastic sites all give access to a world of interesting, characterful accommodation - rather than the usual medley of dull corporate hotels. I-escape: The site is beginning to look a little dated, but look past the surface and you have without doubt the best collection of small character accommodation online. Yes they have the usual boutique hotels...

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Travel inspiration, 12 websites of Christmas

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:00:00 +0000

In the second part of our 12 websites of Christmas we are looking at travel inspiration sites. I'm stepping past the blank sheet of paper stage and am assuming you have some idea of where you would like to go and what kind of thing you like doing. (If you are genuinely at a loss and have no ideas for your next trip then try this excellent travel quiz from 101 holidays, or alternatively stop spending so much time working and start day-dreaming more.) My first...

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Best travel blogs, 12 websites of Christmas

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:44:00 +0000

Christmas is fast approaching and its a perfect excuse to share our favourite online travel sites. In the spirit of the 12 days of Christmas, we have our 12 travel websites of Christmas. In the first of four posts we start with what we think are the best travel blogs. There are a whole lot of travel blogs out there and its hard making a selection that is anything less than a personal judgement. Travel blogs are a strange concept, keeping up with an inspirational travel blog...

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Responsible Travel Award Winners on Tourdust!

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:18:00 +0000

We go to great lengths on Tourdust to hand pick the very best tour operators from around the world. So you can imagine how very pleased we were when we found out that two of our operators have been recognised by the 2009 Virgin Holidays Responsible Travel Awards. Best Volunteering Organisation; Travel People & Places We have been working with Sallie from Travel People & Places for quite some time now and so are really excited that their work has been recognised....

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Review of Broome Retreat

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:39:00 +0000

I'd consider myself a seasoned camper and have done my fair share from tame camp sites in the UK, to basic DOC sites in New Zealand, to staying in a ger on the Mongolian steppe with no toilets to speak of (unless you consider a pit in the ground a loo....) All of these experiences have left me something of a camping snob, so I've never really got the whole 'glamping' or luxury camping thing. And yet, our tipis and yurts have been very popular this summer. So, I donned my wellies and...

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Top 5 Half Term Ideas

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:51:00 +0000

Half way through half term and already used up all of your ideas? If you're like me and soft play barns bring you out in hives, then push your boundaries and do something a bit different. So, pack your day bag and go and explore somewhere entirely new with the children, here are my top 5 half term ideas; 1) Go to London for the day. Kids love going on the train and if you're armed with enough snacks and distractions, then the time will pass very quickly. Once in London, you don't have to...

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MPs (should) claim for holiday expenses

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:23:00 +0000

Embattled on all fronts and with the embarrassment of his £12k expenses payback, could things have been different if our Gordon had spent his allowance a little more wisely? We're firmly of the opinion that money spent on home improvements, cleaners and the like is simply wasted travel budget. We once blew our new carpet fund on a 2 week jaunt to South Africa and never looked back. If only poor old Gordon Brown could have spent his £12k of dodgy allowances a little more wisely...

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Great Autumn Breaks

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:32:00 +0000

Autumn is drawing on and winter is fast approaching. The perfect time to get out and make the most of the refreshingly cool weather before ‘refreshingly cool’ becomes depressingly cold….. After all, within a matter of weeks crisp autumn leaves and clear night skies turn to something far darker indeed. Close to home, the yurts and tipi sites (or glamping if you prefer!) finally have good availability after a crazy summer where it seemed everyone wanted an August weekend...

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Last Minute Oktoberfest Trips

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:03:00 +0000

If you have been thinking about going to Oktoberfest, but not yet got round to organising your trip, or indeed are just wondering what to do this weekend, then look no further! There are still places available on this weekend's tour to the Oktoberfest departing on the 2nd - 5th October. The tour takes you to one of Bavaria'a most popular tourist attractions, the castle of Neuschwanstein, before taking in the Austrian village of Obergammerau. After enjoying these cultural...

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Adventures in Scotland

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:21:00 +0000

I'm currently up in Scotland reviewing some of our adventure operators up here. The journey North is fascinating, the scenery gets wilder and wilder as you pass through the Peak District, the Lake District and then the Highlands. For me, Scotland is easily the equal of New Zealand and a much under-rated destination. Admittedly the weather can get a bit dismal, but as long as you come prepared for the worst, you'll be blown away by the scenery. So far I've done a spot of sea...

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Tourdust scholarship winners

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Back in spring we decided to get involved with the Geotourism 09 prize. The process of collecting entries from all over the world, sorting them and picking three winners has finally come to a conclusion. We can announce that RiverIndia, CapeRace and Ger to Ger are our winners. To me, Geotourism is travelling to experience (and support) local culture, local places and local people (you can read more about this in my previous blog on Geotourism). Our three winners...

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Geotourism

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:10:00 +0000

I've never been a huge fan of labels, mainly because only a select few know what the hell they mean. However putting that aside, let me explain how I interpret geotourism. We are quite set in our ways about the whole field of responsible travel. We believe that people want great holidays first and foremost and the ethics of our holiday choices are only a hygiene factor. So we want to have confidence that our choice is ethical but really just want to be able to concentrate on finding...

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Flying with Children, it's not that bad!

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 08:03:00 +0000

In my footloose and fancy free days, I would turn up at the airport and flinch whenever I saw families with young children looking to board a plane. I used to think how selfish it was to travel with toddlers and would dread being kept awake by screaming babies.... My how times have changed! We flew to and from the States recently with our 3 children, who are all aged under 4. As we queued to board the plane, our baby was dribbling and puking and our 2 year old was refusing to walk - she's...

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What's new in adventure travel?

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:03:00 +0000

Adventure travel is a funny old term, covering a far wider range of experiences than one might imagine from the adrenalin fuelled moniker. Most of the tours and holidays we feature on Tourdust tend to fit somewhere under the adventure travel umbrella, so what is new in the space? The stuff we are getting most excited about here at Tourdust tends to be at either end of the adventure travel spectrum. At the (hideously-termed) ‘soft adventure’ end, I get hugely passionate...

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Welcome to the new Tourdust blog

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 14:25:00 +0000

Welcome to the new Tourdust blog! We have been busy squirreling away adding exciting new features to Tourdust to make it the best adventure travel ecommerce site in the world. In the meantime we need to get serious with our blog (which previously had been a bit of a mixed bag of topics over at the trailbeater.) The Trailbeater will remain for Ben’s ramblings on the travel industry, ecommerce and the like. This blog will focus on our true passion - travel. ...

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