Getting the flavour of…
An epic rail journey across Vietnam
Restored immediately after the Vietnam War, the country’s North-South Railway is still seen as “a shining symbol” of a “progressive, unified” nation. More than 1,700km long, it links Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and passes close to many famous sights in between, says Alex Robinson in Wanderlust. There are sleeper cabins, but it is also worth staying overnight at various places along the way. Your stops might include Ðong Hoi, for the Phong Nha caves, with their towering stalactites; Hue, the capital of the 19th century Nguyen emperors, replete with temples, palaces and tombs; and the “beautifully preserved” old trading port of Hoi An, from which the 1,500-year-old ruined city of My Son (a sort of “Angkor Wat in miniature”) is easy to reach. Audley Travel (audleytravel.co.uk) has a 15-night trip from £3,885pp, including flights.
Hot air ballooning over Narnia
Dog-sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing – the Aurora Safari Camp offers guests many ways to explore the “Narnia-esque” wilds of Swedish Lapland in winter. Most “magical” is its latest innovation – hot air ballooning, says James Stewart in the FT. The activity was launched at this “glamping destination” just south of the Arctic Circle in February. Decorated with daisies and birds, the camp’s bright-blue balloon looks “utterly incongruous” in this all-white world, and floating in it in absolute silence at 1,000ft is an “astonishing” experience. Frozen lakes appear as “ribbons” far below, hills peel to reveal more hills, and the air itself sparkles with drifting ice crystals. There can be no better way to appreciate the scale, “profound stillness” and “understated beauty” of this landscape. Discover the World (discover-theworld.com) has three nights from £2,219pp, full board. Balloon flights cost from £199pp.
Spotting lynx in Spain
With tufted ears and the “white sideburns of a Victorian gentleman”, the lynx is a splendid animal, but is now very rare in Europe. For a decent chance of spotting one, head to Finca El Encinarejo in Andalusia, said Richard Madden in The Sunday Telegraph. A stay on this 2,500-acre estate is “the nearest you will get to an African safari on European soil”, with a pleasant lodge, a rocky landscape reminiscent of parts of Zimbabwe, game drives in open-topped jeeps, and a great “supporting cast” of wildlife, including European bison, golden eagles, hoopoes, badgers and otters. Lynx are bred at a nearby site for release into the wild. Sightings at El Encinarejo are most likely in the early morning, and can be quite intimate: the creatures are remarkably “curious and self-assured”. Specialist tour operators include Steppes Travel (steppestravel.com).