Press Archive

Legend has it that the isle of Sri Lanka is 40 miles from the Garden of Eden; so close, according to a 14^th century European traveller, ‘’tis said the sound of the waters falling from the fountain of Paradise is heard there’. Such is its allure that everyone I know who has ever explored this teardrop-shaped island – including my husband, who went in 2003, during a ceasefire in the civil war that afflicted Sri Lanka for more than a quarter of a century – described it as a truly enchanting place, despite its history and conflict. Hence my husband’s long-held desire to return, accompanied by me, to discover if the magic he remembered had survived the rise of mass tourist. …Read More

They say the Andaman Islands, in the Bay of Bengal, are a sort of “India light”. They’ve got all this exoticism – it’s a union territory of India but geographically closer to Myanmar and Thailand, populated by Tamils, Bengalis and the indigenous Jarawa tribe – but none of the hassle. Plus heavenly, empty beaches, one of the richest coral eco-systems in the world and, for now at least, a genuine sense of seclusion. …Read More

Through the car windscreen their blissed-out faces said it all. As the couple driving towards us along the bumpy track, we waved. The driver wound down her window, and delivering vital beach directions, confirmed it: ‘You’re going to pa-ra-dise.’ Little Cola beach fitted the brief: a frill of palms in a far hill, a baby-sigh of surf, yogic murmurings from the group at the inevitable shabby-chic glampsite. Nirvana in a nutshell. Reports of Goa’s demise? Greatly exaggerated… …Read More

“The very last thing I wanted to do was open a hotel in Yala,” says Malik Fernando with a hopeless grin as we sit in the entrance of Wild Coast Tented Lodge, the safari resort he – nevertheless – has built at the edge of Yala National Park, on Sri Lanka’s southeast coast. “I thought the park was too commercial,” he continues, “but I picked a plot anyway. It was only when I got here that I completely fell in love.” …Read More

Hong Kong has two identities, the yin and the yang of oriental philosophy. Behind the shiny steel-and-glass towers of this sophisticated international city, there beats a very traditional Chinese heart. In the back alleys, away from the multinational offices and shopping malls of global brands, is a society with ancient roots, obsessed with omens and portents, and wildly imaginative about medical practices. …Read More

Cape Town & Safari
Cape View Clifton is Cape Town’s most enchanting guesthouse, providing the prefect honeymoon destination with Clifton 7, a deluxe private apartment ideal for honeymooners. The spectacular views looking over the Atlantic Ocean, Twelve Apostles and Camps Bay are enough to make any stay unforgettable. A short domestic flight away, in the Singita Kruger National Park, is Singita Sweni Lodge. This sanctuary offers seven suites, hidden in the trees, plus a new two-suite villa with a private pool. With its close proximity to water, honeymooners at Singita Sweni Lodge will be treated to exceptional up-close sightings of the varied wildlife that wanders down to drink or wallow in the river. Singita offers walking safaris, game drives, stargazing safaris and more, plus the Singita Bush Spa, a tranquil haven of quiet space with extraordinary views. ampersandtravel.com ...Read More

The Telegraph Travel Awards 2017 are your opportunity to highlight the tour operators, destinations and trips that consistently surprise and delight you. Our awards are the most trusted in the industry, voted for entirely by you, the readers of The Telegraph, who are among the most experienced and discerning travellers. In return for your time and expertise, we are delighted to offer you the opportunity to win one of 20 amazing experiences, from a luxury journey through New Zealand (frequently voted your favourite country) to a no-expense-spared tour of India, a luxury ski-chalet stay for 12 people, or private-jet travel for a year. ...Read More

They call it godhulivela in Hindi. The hour of the cow dust: day’s end, when long shadows rake across the fields and shepherds herd their cattle and sheep homeward. Silhouetted against the sun, the shepherds are iconic figures with their long crooks, white robes and outlandish red turbans. I was following them home to their village, in the cooling afternoon, along a lane in Rajasthan, breathing in the aromas of the country: cattle, wood-smoke, sage. This is the rural India I have come to find, a place where days are measured by the coming and going of the cows. …Read More

I am in a gazebo suspended over a pristine rainforest valley. Jasmine perfumes the air and butterflies flap their lemon-coloured wings languidly in the tropical heat, coming so close that I could reach out and touch them. An ancient waterway provides the rhythm for my unplugged soundtrack, birdsong adds the melody, while somewhere way down, and well hidden, the mighty Pakerisan river plays bass. It is blissful, so please don’t listen to doom-mongers – Bali isn’t ruined. …Read More

Sri Lanka conjures images of heavenly sunsets, fisherman gracefully balancing on stilts and feel-good moments of Buddhist Zen. Yet for many, the devastation of the 25-year civil war and the 2004 tsunami kept the Indian Ocean island off itineraries. Now, new resorts and tourists are bringing the island (formerly Ceylon) back into focus …Read More

As wonderful as Presidential Suites are, they just don’t compare to real life palaces. Unfortunately, royal residences are usually closed to the public. Not so with this lavish package, appropriately titled “King of the Castle”, which allows lucky guests exclusive use of three of India’s most fabled estates: the Lake Palace in Udaipur (the set of Octopussy), Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur and Rambagh Palace in Jaipur. Strut around your personal palace and try not to think about the princely price tag – or about how you’ll ever go back to real life again …Read More

Hurrah! Yippee! Calcutta is the city we forget when exploring India. The first hits are Delhi, Rajasthan and Mumbai, yet Calcutta is magnificent …Read More

It’s dawn off the southern tip of Sri Lanka and I’m bobbing about in a two-tiered boat when something rather thrilling happens. Until now the Indian Ocean off Mirissa Beach has stayed calm, but as the sun rises, the silvered sea parts to the curved back of an enormous blue whale. Out is arcs, sleek and smooth, roiling the water before disappearing with a final slap from his anchor-shaped fluke …Read More