Travel Topics
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…
Visitors to the UK’s 2017 City of Culture can turn the clock back to the heyday of European trade, forged between seafaring nations centuries ago, on a new walking tour…
The ancient Leeds Castle in its 500 acres of grounds and gardens, is worth visiting at any time of the year, but most especially in 2019 during its 900th Centenary…
Home to breath-taking landscapes, white sandy beaches, waterfalls and canyons, Hawai‘i has something for all types of travellers, whether you’re looking for relaxation…
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…
With the year off to an ace beginning with Melbourne hosting the Australian Open last month, it’s game, set, match for Victoria in 2019. There are new nature, wildlife and…
Every three years the Setouchi Triennale, one of Japan’s biggest festivals of modern art, takes place in the south-west of the country. Come spring this exceptional celebration…
At Mongolia’s Golden Eagle Festival in winter, ethnic Kazakhs show off the breathtaking skills of their trained hunting eagles, alongside cultural displays of Kazakh…
During the Camel Festival, held in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia, nomadic herders show off their skills during the biggest camel race in the world, alongside cultural activities……
Mike Pickup travels to Tbilisi Georgia to discover a place rich in history with the world’s oldest viniculture and a ridiculous amount of food. “I’m off to Georgia” I told…
Lopburi, in central Thailand, is already famous for its Khmer temple crowded with monkeys, but every year in November the whole town goes ape when visitors from Thailand…
The Japan Penis Festival is arguably the country’s most amusing event when tens of thousands of revellers roam the streets of Kawasaki in April to pay tribute to fertility in an age-old ritual…
The Isle of Wight, and the English Heritage flagship property Osborne, will be marking the bicentenary of Queen Victoria’s birth in 2019. Having built Osborne on the Isle of Wight…
St Kitts is an ideal year-round destination that ticks all the boxes. For those seeking sun, adventure, culture, wellness or a relaxing break, St Kitts will provide all of this…
Calling all artists, yogis, musicians, writers, photographers, healers – travellers of talent – to Colombia. 2019 is the year of the artistic exchange at Blue Apple Beach…
Capture the vibrancy of Tuscan life and the unspoilt rural landscapes surrounding The Watermill at Posara, a creative learning retreat in the Italian region of Lunigiana…
On his Macao Holidays, Mike Pickup discovers a place that fuses its Portuguese and Chinese heritage in three quite distinct ways. It’s little wonder that at times Macao seems more…
Read Mark Bibby Jackson’s adventures walking in Lanzarote, from Orzola in the north to Papagayo in the south, climbing several volcanoes along the way. The idea of walking the length…
International top artists giving world class performances ranging from the classical to the avant-garde, and the familiar to the surprising – the Hong Kong Arts Festival is this vibrant city’s…
Explore sun-soaked, history rich Jordan on this comprehensive escorted tour taking in Amman, the Dead Sea, Petra, and Aqaba, with accommodation in stylish five-star hotels…
The Cherry Blossom Season Japan or sakura is one of the country’s top highlights every year when locals and visitors gather to admire the stunning, blooming cherry trees in parks…
Every year the impressive Thaipusam Festival celebrations take place inside the Batu caves near Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur. Thaipusam is a Hindu event dedicated to Lord Murugan …
It’s that time of the year again that love birds look forward to, many singles dread, and some brave souls try to ignore. The least that could be said about…
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.
