Getting the flavour of…

Cousteau’s final dive site

Lying at the heart of the coral triangle – the world’s primary marine biodiversity hotspot – Kimbe Bay in Papua New Guinea is a legend among divers, says Kevin Rushby in The Guardian. It was here, just off the jungled island of New Britain, that JacquesYves Cousteau – the greatest pioneer of undersea exploration – made his final dive, inspiring the creation of a research institute, Mahonia Na Dari, now a “powerhouse” for marine biology. Hundreds of dazzling species – from “stern-faced” giant trevally fish to slugs like “Royal Ascot darlings in silky purple and yellow” – teem around the bay’s reefs and WWII wrecks, making diving here an experience of the purest bliss. Stay at the Walindi Plantation Resort, where visiting scientists pepper the poolside chitchat with thrilling facts and insights. Dive Worldwide (www.diveworldwide.com) has a 20-day trip including Kimbe Bay from £5,595pp, incl. flights and dives. A meander on the Midi Wending past the world class vineyards and “pastel-painted” villages of LanguedocRoussillon in southern France, the 330-yearold, Unesco-listed Canal du Midi could hardly be more idyllic, says Mary O’connor in The Sunday Times – and there’s no more luxurious way to explore its length than aboard Enchanté, a double-decked floating hotel. With spacious quarters for up to eight guests, it offers nightly dinners (“expertly” paired with local wines), bikes on which to cycle along the towpath, and even an on-deck hot tub. Daily guided minibus tours take in Minerve, a 12th century Cathar fort perched between limestone gorges; L’oulivo, an olive oil co-op offering a tasting of Lucques green olives; and the “formidable” walled city of Carcassonne. A six-night cruise costs from £3,750pp, incl. meals and wine (01753-598555, www.gobarging.com).

A journey into America’s past Known as “the birthplace of America”, the Northern Neck – a largely rural peninsula in Chesapeake Bay, on the coast of Virginia – makes for a beautiful and surprisingly nontouristy escape from nearby Washington DC, says Charlie Mccann in 1843 magazine. Explored in the early 17th century, and later settled by tobacco planters, it produced three of the first five presidents (Washington, Madison and Monroe), as well as the Civil War general Robert E. Lee, whose ancestral home, Stratford Hall, is “one of the most elegant houses in the Union”. Elsewhere are charming small towns, “bracingly austere” 18th century churches, and roads with names like Good Luck and Devils Bottom. The Gables, a historic b&b in Reedville, has doubles from $89, excl. tax (001-804 453 5209, www.thegablesbb.com).