Things to Do in Yangon on a Short City Break
From sampling the local cuisine to visiting the amazing Shwedagon Pagoda, Joe Ogden discovers there are many things to do in Yangon on a short break to Myanmar’s largest city…
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From sampling the local cuisine to visiting the amazing Shwedagon Pagoda, Joe Ogden discovers there are many things to do in Yangon on a short break to Myanmar’s largest city…
Also called the Olympic Games of nomads, the spectacular Naadam Festival in Mongolia is the country’s biggest event and its national pride. Taking place every July, men and women compete…
In recent years, the twin towns of Kampot and Kep on the Gulf of Thailand in southeast Cambodia have emerged as tourist destinations. Famed for pepper and durian fruit, Kampot…
Johan Smits takes a deep breath before plunging into the world’s most crowded city, Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka. I’m a fan of Sci-Fi films. And often it’s the atmospheric, non-tech parts…
Glamorous palaces, mighty castles and delightful gardens, Saxony and Thuringa – The Cultural Heart of Germany – have around 1,000 palaces, castles and fortresses, each one with a story to…
Regarded as the biggest light, music and ideas festival in the South, Vivid Sydney will light up the city’s opera house and surrounding harbour area from 24 May to 15…
Tired of the conventional trappings of tourism Mark Bibby Jackson decides to wander the streets of Kreuzberg to discover another side of Berlin. Kreuzberg has the feel of Queens or the Bronx – not that I’ve ever…
Dubbed the Teutonic Glastonbury by the Telegraph, the Weimar Onion Market, takes place each October in the architecturally stunning medieval city in Thuringia, Germany…
Adam Jacot de Boinod travels to the capital of the Portuguese island of Madeira, Funchal, to discover a place replete with history and literary overtones. I hadn’t realised that Madeira…
The North Yorkshire town of Whitby is famed for its fabulous fish and chips, that and a nautical traditional that includes Captain Cook. So, why not combine the two together…
On the first leg of their Malaysia travel adventures Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise discover the capital Kuala Lumpur’s food and art scene, as well as some cricket. We sat…
From April to November, the Venice Biennale (la Biennale di Venezia in its original Italian, and in English also called the Venice Biennial) is one of the world’s most prestigious cultural happenings, famous…
Mark Bibby Jackson returns to the scene of one of his previous crimes to spend a night in St Ermin’s Hotel in London’s Westminster to discover a building with a…
On a short trip to the Channel Islands, Mike Pickup enjoys stepping back in time on his Guernsey Holidays, as well as the short excursion to the car-free Isle of…
If you are looking for a Bath spa hotel, there really is just one place to choose, as Irene Caswell discovers, when she visits the only Landmark building in the…
A firm fixture on the tourist trail, Ubud upholds its integrity as Bali’s cultural hub, finds Johan Smits looking for things to do in Ubud. “You can’t just go in…
Marking the start of the green (or wet) season, the Candle Festival in July is amongst the most beautiful celebrations in Thailand. Extravagant, intricately-carved candle sculptures are shown…
The shores of Lake Constance, or Bodensee as it’s known to the locals, fall in Germany, Austria and Switzerland; its waters flow into the Rhine, which forms a natural border…
During the period of the White Nights Festival from June to July in Saint Petersburg, the sun never sets and the city never sleeps. Russia’s cultural capital…
Mark Bibby Jackson travels to the German capital to discover a city thriving as it approaches the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Discover things to do…
On a trip to Scotland’s northerly region Robert Spellman discovers in Aberdeenshire holidays the most wonderful wildlife, great castles and whisky galore. In 2017, an eminent travel publication conducted a…
The immensely popular Phi Ta Khon Festival – also known as the Ghost Festival – is the best reason to visit Loei, a Thai province rarely frequented by international tourists. This three-day event…
A walking food tour is a great way to explore a new area. Find a local guide with a good reputation who knows their home turf well and enjoys sharing…
Every three years the Setouchi Triennale, one of Japan’s biggest festivals of modern art, takes place in the south-west of the country. This exceptional celebration of creativity, inspiration and beauty…
For many an appreciation of the culture of the country or community that you visit on your holidays is a major part of the travelling experience, especially for the more mature traveller.
Whether you are taking a short city break to Amsterdam or Paris, or going on a longer trip to a distant and exciting land, your experience is enriched by an appreciation of the local culture.
Ideally, time your trip to coincide with a major festival. At Travel Begins at 40 we have a whole section devoted to some of the most colourful and spectacular festivals from around the world. So whether it is the whirling dervishes of Konya, Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival, the Tsagaan Sar in Mongolia or Benin’s Voodoo Festival that tickles your cultural fancy, let us guide your way.
Visiting an unfamiliar country can lead to a bit of a cultural shock, but don’t let this put you off making that special journey. Often it is when we leave our comfort zone that we reap most rewards.
Not that we always have to travel that far to have a rich and rewarding cultural experience. Hull is the current city of culture in the UK, and a trip there can be a surprisingly rewarding experience. Enjoy it.