Travel Wires
It may have passed you by — and Travel Wires declines to comment on the grounds that it may tend to incriminate — that 2017 was all about lavish escapes and Insta-worthy dining experiences. We’re told that next year, however, will be about heading off the beaten track and diving into new cultures.
Our chums at Intrepid Travel predict an overarching theme of sustainable travel — “travelling the local way, using local accommodation and transport, eating in local restaurants and employing locals,” as CEO James Thornton puts it.
And yes, that does fall nicely into the niche where Intrepid operates, but let’s not be cynical at this time of the year. Their predictions:
Instead of adding to the masses in Croatia, Greece and China, they will head to Cyprus; instead of Tuscany, to Moldova to visit the world’s largest wine cellar. The Middle East is also on the rise (tip: Iran); in South America, the little-known countries of Surinam and French Guiana are a must-see.
Down Under holidaymakers will seek out northern hemisphere winter destinations to make the most of off-season prices and avoid crowds, from a white Christmas in Canada to Northern Lights tours. Instead of the over-crowded and over-priced Alps, the Tatra Mountains on the Slovakia-Poland border offer a traditional sleigh ride, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, or a village visit and cooking class in Krakow. While the slavish cult of Game of Thrones drag themselves to Iceland, Finland in winter offers an alternative Arctic wonderland.
Wanting to get active, stay healthy and immerse yourself in a destination? Hike, bike, raft. Conquer whitewater rapids on the Ganges, infuse yourself riding through tea plantations in Sri Lanka. Hike the Nakasendo trail that linked ancient Tokyo and Kyoto or bike the northern Kathmandu Valley while helping quake-stricken Nepal rebuild.
If you must eat and Instagram, guided tours of local markets and family feasts around the table in local homes are the hip thing. Intrepid suggests dining with Jamaicans, perusing markets or taking a spicy sojourn in southern India; drink in far-flung coffee plantations in Peru or down street kebabs, chewy baklava and a home-cooked stew in Iran. Go it alone: solo travel is more popular than ever. Africa doesn’t have the monopoly on beasts and glamping anymore: keep an eye on Latin America’s birdwatching, jaguar conservation, preferably from one of the many new luxury resorts.
If you still fancy the African experience, and want to do it in a sustainable way, Baines Camp in Botswana was built using a frame of elephant dung and recycled cans. Definitely worthy, and the
Travel Wires can’t help feeling there was something to be said for 2017’s lavish escapes.