Monthly head shaves and daily two-hour chants: Meet the monk living at a monastery in Mongolia that survived Stalinist repression to become one of the country’s oldest The Shankh Monastery, founded in 1647, is located 224 miles from Ulaanbaatar It closed in 1937 during Stalinist repression – many of the monks were executed After the revolution in … Read more
The bushfire season may be coming to an end, but is it safe to go to Australia? The short answer is: yes. Only three per cent of the country’s land mass has been affected by the deadly bushfires that began in earnest in November, and most tourist destinations are ‘not impacted’, according to Tourism Australia. … Read more
From a long-tongued chameleon to a spellbinding island in the Philippines: The stunning finalists in a worldwide nature photography competition More than 11,086 images were submitted to the #Nature2020 photography contest, run by photo app Agora The 50 finalists have been revealed with the winner selected by public vote and announced on March 4 Entries … Read more
Calling all Silicon Valley tycoons – this could be the superyacht for you. Because it’s brimming with tech. The concept, called Stormbreaker, is aimed at ‘tech-focused explorers’ and comes with a 360-degree imaging system as well as state-of-the-art communications. And the ‘razor-sharp’ design also features stunning interiors including a jaw-dropping glass atrium at the heart … Read more
Fascinating (and hilarious) photos reveal what travel was like in the 70s and 80s, from costume parties to ‘what to pack’ lists that included ‘travel clocks, sewing kits and 2 coathangers’ Australians Maria Dzopalic and Sue Bertram took them between 1979 and 1987 Their shots capture costume parties, epic moustaches and a tourist-free Venice Maria … Read more
From a sleeping lemur to a fog-shrouded bridge: The stunning images shortlisted in a worldwide black-and-white photography competition More than 10,219 images were submitted to the photography contest, run by photo app Agora The pictures include an atmospheric shot of a monk in Myanmar and a stunning shot of a rare Asian elephant Here we … Read more
Take a video tour of the world’s most expensive hotel room: Inside the incredible $100,000-a-night Empathy Suite in Las Vegas – ‘a two-story mansion in the sky’ YouTuber Doug DeMuro tours the Empathy Suite at Palms Casino in Las Vegas The sprawling complex features six unique works by British artist Damien Hirst The central bar … Read more
What is current Foreign Office advice regarding travel and coronavirus? The Foreign Office now advises against all but essential travel to 10 small towns in Lombardy and one in Veneto in Italy, which have been isolated by the Italian authorities. These towns are Codogno, Castiglione d’Adda, Casalpusterlengo, Fombio, Maleo, Somaglia, Bertonico, Terranova dei Passerini, Castelgerundo … Read more
Football fans visiting Qatar for the 2022 World Cup will be able to stay in bizarre floating island hotels There are plans for 16 to be built on the shores of Qetaifan Island North Each identical building will have 101 guest rooms, a restaurant and a lounge bar After the World Cup, the hotels can … Read more
If there was a competition for the most beautiful country on earth, Norway would surely be a podium contender. A notion underscored by these jaw-dropping pictures. They capture epic fjords, grand mountains, gravity-defying rock formations and impossibly picturesque island villages. The great news for travellers is that the country’s breathtaking natural wonders – even those … Read more