Konya Whirling Dervishes Festival 2024
Each December the Turkish city of Konya will host one of the most exquisite ceremonies of spirituality with the mesmerising beauty of the Whirling Dervishes…
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Each December the Turkish city of Konya will host one of the most exquisite ceremonies of spirituality with the mesmerising beauty of the Whirling Dervishes…
Hawaii, the isolated and paradisaical archipelago in the Central Pacific, tops many travellers’ bucket list. Home to dramatic landscapes, comprising white sandy beaches, waterfalls and canyons, you can not only spend…
Having lived three years in the Thai border town of Mae Sot and visiting the kingdom more times than he can recall, Johan Smits shares his Thailand travel tips to…
One of Thailand’s most beautiful and beguiling festivals, Loy Krathong is enormously popular with Thais and visitors alike. People flock to lakes and rivers to float their krathongs on the…
The Yi Peng festival, one of Thailand’s most charming and alluring events, is incredibly well-liked by both locals and tourists. The north of the country sees its nightly heavens illuminated…
Hollywood might not be in San Francisco, but some of the most famous films have been set in California’s northern city – and that’s not even counting the TV series…
Thailand is certainly no stranger to everything that’s quirky and out of the ordinary. The Phuket Vegetarian Festival held in autumn – also known under its more Taoist-inspired…
What do you do when you return home after having been exiled for 14 years? You heave a sigh of relief and celebrate. That’s what happens during Diwali (also called Deepavali)…
Looking for things to do in Kuala Lumpur without the twin towers, Johan Smits spends 48 hours in Malaysia’s capital discovering its Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures…
This year’s Ventnor Fringe will feature performances outdoor cinema and improv events. As always the Fringe will feature emerging talent and future stars in a line-up of the most exciting…
Host of the first Rugby World Cup Sevens to ever take place in the US, San Francisco’s SoMa (South of Market) neighbourhood is a rapidly changing neighbourhood. Encompassing several sub-neighbourhoods…
Dubbed the “Olympics for nomads”, the biennial World Nomad Games is an extraordinary and chaotic spectacle of dozens of traditional nomad sports. After being held in Kyrgyzstan three times in…
The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (often called the Ubud Writers Festival), one of the best literary festivals in the world, is held in the central Bali town of Ubud in October and will celebrate …
The spectacular Hindu Ganesh Chaturthi festival in September is a 10-day affair of colourful festivities, involving singing, dancing and theatre honouring the birth of the elephant-headed deity. The start of…
Lasting a whole month from mid-July to mid-August, the Sapporo Summer Festival 2019 is packed with a variety of cultural, musical, gastronomical and fireworks events attracting…
To mark International Literacy Day on 8th September, we round up 12 top destinations for bookworms. From the famed residence of Edgar Allen Poe in Baltimore to Peru’s 60th anniversary…
Located just two hours south of New York and forty minutes north of Washington D.C, Baltimore, Maryland glistens as a modern day American city, positioned perfectly in the cultural and…
From becoming immersed in the local music scene to getting blind drunk at 11 in the morning, Mark Bibby Jackson discovers plenty of things to do in Leipzig for a…
During a period of eight days in July, the best of Sarawak’s art, music, culture, craft, photography, film, food and heritage will be showcased in the heart of Kuching, the…
Art and heritage will take over Penang’s capital during the George Town Festival from 19 to 28 July 2024. Drawing in tens of thousands of visitors from across the world…
One of the most spectacular and colourful festivals in Venezuela, the Dancing Devils of Yare dates back to 1749, and in 2022 it will be held on 8 June. Every Corpus Christi – the date that celebrates…
Marissa Carruthers ventures into Myanmar to take you through some of the former capital’s top attractions and more during 48 hours in Yangon…
A photography exhibition that pairs the words “London” and “nights” might too easily be dominated by the hedonistic or noirish aspects of the capital, but London Nights at the Museum…
When on 7 July 2008 UNESCO granted World Heritage status to Penang’s capital George Town, the local government marked the event by declaring it a public holiday…
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.