Hoi An Lantern Festival 2025, Vietnam
The Hoi An Lantern Festival is celebrated once a month on the full moon, and most significantly on the first full moon of the lunar new year. On these days the pretty little town of Hoi An…
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The Hoi An Lantern Festival is celebrated once a month on the full moon, and most significantly on the first full moon of the lunar new year. On these days the pretty little town of Hoi An…
James Clark becomes an Honorary Newfoundlander by joining in the Screech-In ritual in the capital St John’s. After devouring cod, chips, and gravy at a traditional Newfoundland kitchen party, it…
Marion Ainge takes an intoxicating wine tour and recalls a teenage romance while visiting Italy’s Piedmont region. In Italy‘s Piedmont region, I’m introduced to ‘Jesus’. During the bi-annual Easter Passion…
Jonathan Hiltz discovers the amazing things to do in Plymouth in the south west of England. There’s something to be said for getting into the outer areas of a well-known…
Mark Bibby Jackson returns to the German capital to go on a walking tour in Berlin through Spreefeld, Spreeacker and Teepee Land. We are standing in the remains of the…
What is Photo Phnom Penh? Photo Phnom Penh is returning for its 13th outing after a pandemic-fuelled hiatus. It serves as one of Southeast Asia’s major international photo festivals and…
Award-winning Phare circus is taking a jaunt from its usual Siem Reap and Battambang homes to the capital to bring its latest show, Flashback, to Factory Phnom Penh. Story of…
Mark Bibby Jackson follows a stretch of the old pilgrims’ way from New Alresford to Winchester, on the recently opened St James’ Way. Perhaps it was all the Chaucer I…
Mark Bibby Jackson takes an alternative view of tourism in the Austrian capital, going on a tour looking at sustainable things to do in Vienna. It is towards the end…
Mark Bibby Jackson takes a cultural excursion to Valais Switzerland reaching new heights. It is somewhere as we are approaching 3,000 metres and the distant refuge that we have been…
Best-selling author Helen Fields provides her selection of ideas on what to do on the Isle of Mull Scotland, a place she knows well and will soon be the setting…
Jordan is a small nation with a lot to offer in terms of hospitality, ancient history, and modern culture, as well as being home to multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites…
Continuing his journey through northern France, Mark Bibby Jackson leaves Arras and takes the short train ride to Lille Flandres station, to visit one of the host destinations for the…
Mark Bibby Jackson travels to Arras France to visit a memorial to those who died in the Battle of Arras, as well as discover the local beer. Initially it might…
Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise visit Worlington Hall near the town of Mildenhall in Suffolk for a delightful dinner. It’s one thing to claim that the rooms in your country…
After walking along the Herefordshire Trail, Mark Bibby Jackson checks into Thornbury Castle hotel, close to Bristol, following in the footsteps of Henry VIII. Thornbury Castle would be the ideal…
Considering its vast size and enormous population, it’s no surprise that India is an incredible diverse country home to many different ethnic groups and religions. And with each of these…
Wondering what you to do over the long weekend? Fret not, here is our list of things to do in London on the August Bank Holiday…
Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise visit Worlington Hall near the town of Mildenhall in Suffolk for a delightful dinner. It’s one thing to claim that the rooms in your country…
Looking for some last minute August Bank Holiday festivals, here is our list of things to do over the long weekend in the UK from 27 to 29 August. August…
The Cambodian capital is awash with cultural activities that give an insight into the country. Here’s our guide to Phnom Penh culture and art. Phnom Penh is a great place…
Marion Ainge soaks up sunshine, souks, the Sahara and seafood on her trip to Tunisia. Holding up a statuette as I pass by, the young stallholder calls out, “This is…
Mark Bibby Jackson goes walking in the Lincolnshire Wolds on the hottest day of the UK summer and finds sanctuary in Louth. “March or Die,” echoed through my ears as…
Dubbed the rice bowl of Cambodia, Battambang province is predominantly a fertile patchwork of paddies. The north-western province is also home to Battambang city…
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.