Features

In search of the secret to long life in Nagano

People in Nagano, Japan, live longer than virtually anywhere else on earth. But what’s their secret? Our writer Shafik Meghji travels there in search of an answer.

A postcard from Laos: exploring the curious Plain of Jars

The Plain of Jars, in northern Laos, remains one of Southeast Asia’s great mysteries. Shafik Meghji journeys here to uncover the secrets of this little-touristed site.  The most heavily bombed region of the most heavily bombed country in history appears remarkably bucolic, at least at first. But as we drive through Xieng Khouang province in northern…

City breaks with a twist: Europe’s 10 best homestay experiences

This feature has been made possible by Homestay.com, an accommodation marketplace connecting guests to local hosts in over 150 countries. If you want to discover a new side to your favourite cities, save money, learn the lingo, and eat, drink and dance like a local, swap your hotel for a homestay. To help you plan…

Solo travel in Australia: everything you need to know

Australia remains a classic travel destination. A steady stream of gap-year backpackers, career breakers and round-the-world-trippers head down under to sample Sydney’s energetic nightlife, visit the Great Barrier Reef, marvel at Uluru, cuddle a koala and learn to surf. The country is a great place for solo travellers, particularly first-timers – it’s friendly, fun and…

Riding the Ghan through Australia’s red centre

Shafik Meghji hopped on board the Ghan, one of the world's greatest railway journeys, to take in some of Australia’s most dramatic landscapes.

A first-timer’s guide to Darwin: Australia’s tropical capital

Tucked away in the “Top End”, closer to Indonesia than Sydney, Darwin is the least known of Australia’s regional capitals – stunningly remote, buffeted by extreme weather, and with an atmosphere like nowhere else in the country. Here’s our guide to Darwin – and what to expect on your first visit to this fast-growing, youthful,…

A taste of Kolkata: the foodie capital of India

India’s most underrated city, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is a far cry from its negative stereotypes: it’s friendly, attractive and home to some of the best – and most diverse – food in the country. Shafik Meghji picks out seven essential foodie experiences. 1. Pick up a kati roll Kolkata’s ultimate street food is the kati…

How to have your own Jungle Book adventure

Shafik Meghji uncovers the Indian landscape that inspired Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale – and picks out five other destinations where you can find the characters’ real-life counterparts. The national parks of eastern Madhya Pradesh are often described as “Kiplingesque”. This landscape of creeper-clad forests, expansive savannah, grassy hills, and meandering streams simply teems with wildlife:…

Why Córdoba is Argentina’s most underrated region

Although long popular with Argentine tourists, Córdoba Province receives few foreign visitors, despite being one of the most diverse parts of the country. This underrated region is home to hip cities, kitsch Germania, iconic revolutionaries, skydiving hubs, UFO-spotters, and perhaps the finest horse riding on the continent. Because its capital is getting cool The capital of…

The subtropical river system just 30 minutes from Buenos Aires

Just outside Buenos Aires, Argentina is one of South America’s most unexpected landscapes – the Paraná Delta. Part of the continent’s second largest river system, it is accessed via a Victorian-style toy train and the town of Tigre, an idiosyncratic cross between England’s Henley-on-Thames and Italy’s Venice.            With a population…

Meet the Tzotzil Maya: Mexico’s most intriguing community

The Tzotzil Maya are one of the most distinctive communities in Mexico. Shafik Meghji met them while researching the Rough Guide to Mexico.

Want to support Nepal? Go there on your next trip

Four months after two devastating earthquakes struck the country, Nepal is slowly getting back on its feet. Shafik Meghji explains how, ahead of the peak tourist season, travellers can help the country recover by booking a holiday. Why should I go? Tourism is a vital part of the Nepali economy, directly supporting almost 500,000 jobs,…