• Luxury in the Wild

    Luxury in the Wild

    It’s the crack of dawn in the middle of the African wilderness and there’s a tap on my door.   Strong coffee and a quick chat with the rangers later, and we’re off into the bush to spot the wildlife at their most active. The expert guides and trackers have a sixth sense of where to…

  • The 3 Best Ways to Experience the Amazon

    The 3 Best Ways to Experience the Amazon

    The Amazon is one of the most unique and precious places on earth, but deciding where and how to best experience it on what is usually a once-in-a-lifetime trip, is a challenge. The Amazon River is 6,400 km long, with tributaries coming from eight countries.  Home to immensely diverse flora and fauna, this veritable Garden…

  • Top 5 Reasons to Holiday in Vietnam

    Top 5 Reasons to Holiday in Vietnam

    With a tumultuous history and a promising future, Vietnam is bursting with energy, and a great place to visit.  Why?  The food, the beaches, the history, the culture and welcoming locals are plenty to go on, but now you can also fly there direct from New Zealand.  The real question is “Why not?” EDIBLE VIETNAM…

  • How to make a Mazurek Easter Pie

    How to make a Mazurek Easter Pie

    The mazurek cake  is said to be a variation on a Turkish recipe, and has been a firm element of Polish Easter tradition since the 17th century. ‘Mazurek’ is also the name of a traditional dance, and Mazury (Mazuria in English) is a region in the North-East of Poland, green with forests and blue with…

  • On the Right Track

    On the Right Track

    There’s something refreshingly traditional about travelling by train, and often the rail journey can be a destination in itself!   What’s not to love about train travel – dining cars with full-service meals, uniformed wait staff, fascinating off-train excursions and more! To get you on the right track, we’ve gathered together our top 6 “Great…

  • Rejuvenate for the New Year!
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    Rejuvenate for the New Year!

    Feeling refreshed from your summer holidays and eager to take on the New Year? Or anything but? It’s around this time that a lot of people get in touch with us, wanting the truly relaxing getaway that a frantic Christmas followed by a rainy week at the bach just didn’t provide. Travel can rejuvenate the soul…

  • Postcard from Patagonia

    Postcard from Patagonia

    “Patagonia, how fabulous!” This was the most common response when I mentioned my recent travels to this area. The second response then followed … “Where exactly is it again?” Patagonia lies on the Southern end of South America – mainly in Chile but sharing a border with Argentina. It is a starkly beautiful and wild…

  • African Discovery

    African Discovery

    The first of many African countries to gain independence from England in 1957, Ghana is today the most stable and successful of the West African nations. By African standards the country is diminutive at around 80% the land area of New Zealand, albeit with a population of some 27 million. However, what it lacks in…

  • An unexpected Japan
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    An unexpected Japan

    Step outside the cutting edge modernity of Tokyo and you’ll discover a Japan you probably didn’t expect.  My recent journey to the northern region of Japan revealed a land of striking scenic beauty, Shogun history and ancient temples.  Add to that Japan’s amazing foodie culture and unfailingly charming people, and there is plenty to be…

  • andBeyond Mnemba Private Island
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    andBeyond Mnemba Private Island

    “Leave your shoes with me” the boatman says as he hauls me up out of the shallow waves on the eastern coast of Unguja – Zanzibar’s main island. We had just driven across the island dotted with small productive villages growing cloves, nutmeg and black pepper in spice plantations, and passing by historical ruins of…

  • Atacama Adventures

    Atacama Adventures

    From the air the Atacama Desert resembles the surface of Mars we have all become so familiar with. The driest place on earth, the land reflects many beautiful hues of orange, red and yellow, dotted with volcanoes and high mountains of the Andes chain. After a flight of nearly 2 hours north from Santiago, you…

  • In search of crowds, traffic and the real Mediterranean

    In search of crowds, traffic and the real Mediterranean

    Travelling at the end of the Italian Holidays I thought might be a challenge for our ‘Best of the Med’ group, but it’s all been far too easy. I am fast losing all credibility as a World Journeys host as the people and the places are not living up to their expectations! To add to…