Wanderlust 219 (Feb/March) Preview

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Taking The Road Less Travelled Since 1993

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2022 HOT LIST

YOUR MOST DESIRABLE DESTINATIONS + EDITORS’ TOP PICKS Northern France Road Trip Vietnam By Rail Wonderful Creatures Sailing The Mississippi Alexandria Photo Of The Year Mauritania Massachusetts Portugal’s Cultural North

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Contents

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34 ART

168 PRODUCTION

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174

CHECK IN

12 Viewfinder

Inspirational images from Italy, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia

19 Letters

You get in touch with us about UlUla, digital editions and more...

21 Your Photos

38 Sustainable Travel

Holly Tuppen gives advice on ensuring your accommodation is environmentally sound

40 Interview: Steve Backshall

A postcard from Malta

The TV adventurer takes us to the uncharted landscapes of his latest Expeditions show

JOURNAL

29 Grapevine

44 Gear

Sustainable sleeper trains, Californian trails and exciting stays

The latest clothes and gadgets to aid you on your travels

The latest TV shows, books and podcasts to fire your imagination for that next big trip

We stay at the historic Casa de Sierra Nevada in arty San Miguel de Allende

Head to the Alps for traditional handmade local wares

Where first-class hotels now mix with the traditional homestays

32 Armchair Travel

34 Arts & Crafts: Austria

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How the geography of the Himalayan country helped create a varied national cuisine

Readers’ recent shots

22 Just Back From…

10 February/March 2022

36 World Food: Nepal

140

47 Dream Sleep

48 WanderSleeps: Havana

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Map illustration: Scott Jessop

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Contents 219, 1 110

152

FEATURES

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184

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54 Vietnam by rail Why the Reunification Express railway is the best way to see the country’s UNESCO sites

174 Indigenous Culture We explore the history, traditions, and legends of British Columbia’s diverse first inhabitants

176 World Heritage

70 Travel trends for 2022

From slow travel to staycations, this is how you will be travelling

Why the outposts of Mauritania’s Ancient Ksour are the artistic essence of Sub-Saharan Africa

Your award-winning destinations and our editors’ expert picks to visit this year

Compact Rutland packs in pretty villages and one of Europe’s largest man-made reservoirs

We enjoy the hospitality, cuisine and vast history of Brittany, Normandy and Hauts-de-France

Sitting on the Med – and on over 2,500 years of history – Alexandria, Egypt, still offers bustle and adventure

180 British Break

72 The 2022 Hot List

184 Off The Grid

94 Northern France

110 Top Trips for 2022

DISCOVER

140 Travel Photographer of the Year: the Winners return

168 Double Bill

124 The Mississppi River

The thoughtful images from 2019’s winners’ prize commission to Hong Kong and Macao

The up-and-coming capitals of Zagreb and Ljubljana make a perfect twin-city break

Discovering wildlife and PaleoIndian history on a canoe journey beyond the antebellum classics

The most remarkably different animals and where to spot them

How to get away from the crowds in popular Massachusetts

Fresh destinations and innovative experiences with the most exciting new tour operator trips

152 Wonderful wildlife

188 European Short Break Portugal’s north offers culture, history and Iberian wilderness

194 The View From Above

170 Hidden USA

Queenstown, New Zealand, is making significant efforts in changing its tourism narrative

Russia 110 110 Sweden England 180 174 British Columbia Utah 110

France 94 170 Massachusetts

124 Mississippi Cape Verde 110 48 Cuba

Map illustration: Scott Jessop

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72 Colombia

34 Austria

Malta 22

South Korea 110

184 Alexandria

Bhutan 110

110 Japan

140 Hong Kong & Macao 72 Saudi Arabia Vietnam 54

110 Uganda Timor Leste 110 Namibia 110 110 Botswana

72 Brazil

Australia 72 New Zealand 194

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22 TOP TRIPS FOR 2022 VERSION

22 TOP TRIPS FOR 2022

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Brand new destinations, fresh approaches, innovative experiences. Personally selected by the editors at Wanderlust, these are the most exciting adventures available to travellers right now

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Shutterstock; www.AmonFocus.com; James Vodicka

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JORDAN & SAUDI ARABIA

Unique jaunt through the iconic Middle-East

Explore’s Journey Through Arabia tour is currently the only trip on the market that transports visitors overland from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea-hub of Jeddah, through desert and ancient cities, and then into Jordan. The route takes travellers through the some of the Middle East’s most fabled sights: exploring ancient the Nabataean cities of Hegra and Petra, camping out in the Wadi Rum desert while appreciating traditional Bedouin hospitality, and taking a boat trip to the 100 islands off Umluj, the ‘Maldives of Saudi Arabia’ – with marine life such as turtle and dugong – before finishing at the Dead Sea and Amman.

Who? Explore (01252 884709; explore.co.uk) When? 19 March, 7 May, 10 Sept, 8, 15, 29 Oct, 19 Nov, 23 Dec 2022 How long? 11 nights How much? £2,599pp (excluding int’l flights)

Shutterstock; www.AmonFocus.com; James Vodicka

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ROMANIA

Bite into Central Europe’s biggest mystery

Latin America expert Llama Travel is a Wanderlust readers’ favourite – your three-time Tour Operator of the Year winner – and is now applying its formula to Europe. Its Highlights of Transylvania tour is the perfect introduction to little-visited Romania’s mysterious past. Journey to some of Central Europe’s most remarkable gothic castles, notably the Bran (Dracula’s) Castle and Peleș Castle; explore the mountain bear sanctuary that lies in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains, then continue through Transylvania with visits to the traditional villages of Viscri and Biertan, as well as the richly diverse architecture of the medieval cities of Sighișoara and Sibiu.

Who? Llama Travel (020 7263 3000; llamatravel.com) When? Departure on 3 May, 7 Jun, 5 Jul, 6 Sept & 20 Sept 2022 How long? 6 nights How much? From £999pp (including int’l flights)

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Follow the Civil Rights trail

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Go green Down Under

USA

Some of the biggest milestones in the USA’s Civil Rights history may have began in seemingly inauspicious places – a bus, a high school, a bridge – but these spaces are now landmarks. On America AsYou Like It’s Journey to Freedom – Martin Luther King Tour, visitors will discover a living catalogue dedicated to the story of equality while travelling through the Southern states of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. As well as Civil Rights history, travellers will go on a musical journey through epicentres such as Memphis and Nashville. In between tracing some of the 20th century’s most momentous history and culture, visitors will get to enjoy a large slice of Southern hospitality along the way.

Who? America AsYou Like It (020 8742 8299; americaasyoulikeit.com) When? Flexible How long? 14 nights How much? From £1,730pp (including int’l flights)

AUSTRALIA

When Wanderlust readers finally get back to their Most Desirable Country in 2022, they can do so responsibly. During the time spent on Audley Travel’s Coast, Outback and Reef – The Eco-Friendly Way, they'll avoid the hotspots while keeping one eye on their carbon footprint – for example, visitors could travel from Adelaide to Sydney via the Indian Pacific train, explore local boutique wineries by e-bike and kayak to see dolphins. But whether in the Blue Mountains, the Great Barrier Reef or the Flinders Ranges, there will be distinctive accommodation available with the highest environmental credentials, only matched by the comfort they offer – an experience to justify that top spot!

Who? Audley Travel (01993 838810; audleytravel.com) When? Tailormade How long? 25 nights How much? From £6,145pp (including int’l flights)

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22 Trips for 22, 1

22 TOP TRIPS FOR 2022

Vietnam’s HERITAGE EXPRESS Connecting north with south, the Reunification Express is also perhaps the best way to visit Vietnam’s UNESCO-listed sites and depth of culture Words & photographs Alex Robinson unless otherwise credited

TRAVEL HOT LIST 2022 Let this be the year travel returns…

We asked you where you are most dreaming of visiting and here are the results. Plus, on p86, the Wanderlust editors share their own hot tips for 2022…

Reader reflections Nearly 50 years old, the Sydney Opera House is one of the many icons drawing readers back to Australia

72 February/March 2022

MOST DESIRABLE COUNTRY (LONG HAUL)

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AUSTRALIA

We always want most what we can’t have. Australia’s borders slammed shut right at the beginning of the pandemic and, at the time of writing, opportunities for British travellers wishing to visit are few and far between. Neighbouring New Zealand, who followed a similar course, has said it is now accepting fully vaccinated travellers as of 30 April 2022, and hopes are high that Australia will follow suit soon. Until that happens, we are still left dreaming of riding The Ghan through endless Outback or watching the sun rise over the red sandstone edifice of Uluru one more time.

It’s clear you, too, have been thinking of little else. It also feels like we’ve been singing its praises non-stop recently, or at least since Qantas launched direct flights to Perth from London back in 2018. These are tentatively due to recommence in April, and we have our fingers crossed they do because, frankly, there is plenty more to talk about.

Western Australia still feels like an undiscovered country in itself: its Ningaloo Reef is every bit the equal of its Great Barrier cousin but still little visited by comparison, affording you the chance to swim with whale sharks; the Kimberley is a region of beehive-like mountains and wilderness so rugged and unfinished that it feels like Mother Nature barely got through sketching it before she moved on to something else.

Add to that magnificent winelands, scenic trails where you can spy humpbacks breaching offshore, luxurious coastal cruises and a thoroughly modern regional capital, and it’s not hard to see why travellers get so excited about this state.

But beyond Western Australia, there’s the chance to experience the things we’ve missed out on. The Great Southern train route between Adelaide and Brisbane only had its inaugural journey at the very end of 2019, three months before borders closed.The new Grampian Peaks Trail is a rocky 160km route across Aboriginal land, red gum forests and the dramatic, dizzying rises of the Grampians NP.We can’t wait to try both.

There are countless thrills to be found here when you eventually return. But if you’re short of ideas, just relive the classics: soak up Sydney’s northern beaches, drive the Great Ocean Road, meet the inquisitive quokka of Rottnest Island, explore the pink-granite cliffs of Freycinet Peninsula.

Because you never know when it’ll all be taken away again. ⊲

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22 FOR ’22 WEIRD & WONDERFUL WILDLIFE TO SEE THIS YEAR

Discover the world’s strangest creatures – and where you can find them Words Graeme Green

WONDERFUL WILDLIFE

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ouis Armstrong was right when he thought to himself “what a wonderful world” we live in. It’s also a weird world. As with humans, it would be a dull planet if every animal looked and behaved exactly the same. A bit of ‘strange’ or ‘different’ is a good thing.

Take giraffes, for example. They’re such a common sight on many safaris that we take for granted just what a bizarre animal they are, with a towering neck and a tongue that can strip leaves from thorny branches. These animals grow to such a great height that they need to splay their legs to bend low enough to drink water, a system of valves kicking in to stop too much blood rushing to their head.

But giraffes are just one example of the wonderful species that travellers can discover on their journeys. From Australia to Scotland to Venezuela, it’s possible to find frogs, fish, birds, primates and other creatures large and small that stand out for their incredible colourings, patterns and physical characteristics, and remarkable behaviours and abilities.

Here, we celebrate some of the most striking and unusual animals that live on Earth, and share advice on where and how to find them.

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1 Manatee

Too much time at sea (or on the rum) must do something to the mind, as sailors across history apparently mistook manatees – large, slow-moving, aquatic mammals – for ‘women of the sea,’ or mermaids. Also known as sea cows, these herbivorous hulking creatures feed mainly on sea grass, scoffing more than a tenth of their bodyweight each day. They have a flat, paddle-shaped tail and come up for air every few minutes.

Where to see? Florida’s Crystal River is a known hotspot, with manateespotting tours and the chance to snorkel with them. Belize is also known to have good opportunities to spend time with manatees, which are also found in Costa Rica, Mexico and Jamaica. Manatees are not to be confused with their cousins, dugongs, another sea cow species found around Australia’s Great Barrier ⊲ Reef, Thailand and elsewhere.

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Moon rise over the

MISSISSIPPI

The Mississippi River offers so much more than paddlesteamer cruises and antebellum history. We take a greener, more intimate journey to experience ‘Old Muddy’s’ wild places and Paleo-Indian history Words Lynn Houghton

Gallic Hug With its layers of history, seductive light, warm welcome and strong traditions, Northern France’s timeless coastline calls out to be discovered Words Katja Gaskell

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Hidden Massachusetts

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Small but dense with local – and national – interest, the East Coast state is rich with Founding Fathers’ history, classy modern culture and spools of serene nature beyond the ever-popular leaf-peeping trails Words Kathy Arnold

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NEED TO KNOW

sk most Americans about Massachusetts and they talk about Boston, Cape Cod and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. And its leading role in the founding of the nation: the Pilgrim Fathers’ landing 400 years ago and the start of the American Revolution. But there’s much more to this state than history.

At only 240km wide, Massachusetts may be one of America’s smallest states, but few places are denser with things to see and do.

Its Atlantic coastline is a natural playground, with broad sandy beaches and every kind of water sport. To the west, the rolling Berkshire Hills are perfect for hiking, biking and communing with Mother Nature. In between is farmland, with back roads leading to picture-perfect villages.Think cosy taverns, historic homes and the white spire of a church spiking up to the deep blue sky.

Massachusetts has long been on the foodie map. The bounty of farmers’ markets ranges from orchard fruits to 100 types of artisan cheese. Beer and cider fans can compare and contrast the 80 craft breweries and cideries. As for seafood, that comes straight from the briny. Stop at a ‘clam shack’, a simple seashore eatery, for lobster, clam chowder and corn on the cob. But save room for ice-cream – the home-made variety.

Slurp fresh peach, good old-fashioned vanilla, ‘Sea Turtle’ and ‘Deer Tracks’.

And you’re never far from a museum, art gallery or living history attraction.

Some are world-famous; others are smaller, telling a local tale. Wherever you are in Massachusetts, there’s something special close by, just waiting to be discovered.

Getting there: Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS) welcomes daily non-stop flights from the UK. Major airlines include British Airways (ba.com), American (americanairlines.co.uk) and Virgin Atlantic (virginatlantic.com).

Getting around: No car is needed in Boston, as the city has the ‘T’ public transport system (mbta.com). Rent cars when leaving town; use the PlatePass (E-ZPass MA) electronic toll payment, as many highways are now all-electronic or have cashless toll collection lanes.

Deals: When doing the sights In Boston, consider the CityPASS® (citypass.com) or Go Boston All Inclusive Pass (gocity.com).

Accommodation: Special places to stay in Boston range from the 110-yearold grande dame Fairmont Copley Plaza (fairmont.com) to the contemporary Inn @ St. Botolph (innatstbotolph. com) and Verb, a retro rock ‘n’ roll motel (theverbhotel.com). In the Berkshires, The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge (redlioninn.com) offers 250 years of history. In North Adams, TOURISTS (touristswelcome.com) combines a funky motor lodge vibe with 21st century art. In the Connecticut Valley, The Deerfield Inn (deerfieldinn.com) links 19th-century charm with modern practicality. The Trustees of Reservations has two historic accommodations: The Inn at Castle Hill on the North Shore and The Guest House at Field Farm, Williamstown (thetrustees. org). New England Inns & Resorts lists characterful abodes, all carefully vetted (newenglandinnsandresorts.com).

NB: In foliage season, advance booking is essential; a two-night min is standard.

Official site: visitma.com

HIGHLIGHTS

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THE BERKSHIRES

Top-notch culture and natural beauty: the partnership is perfect. Who wouldn’t want to listen to concerts outdoors on a balmy evening? Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, but the wooded Berkshire Hills are alive to more than the sound of music. Also in Lenox, Shakespeare & Company performs plays indoors and out; nearby, Becket draws international companies to the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Further north, the Williamstown Theatre Festival is a showcase for stars of stage and screen. For all these, the main programmes run from latespring to autumn, but the arts thrive year-round in the Berkshires.

Check out what’s new in the visual and performing arts at Mass MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art) in North Adams. For contrast, see French masters like Renoir, Monet and Degas ⊲ – as well as the American-in-Europe, John Singer Sargent – at the

East coast culture (clockwise from top) The Olde Heritage Tavern has sat on Housatonic Street, Lenox, for over 50 years; visitors gaze at the colourful wall paintings

by Sol Lewitt in his retrospective at the Mass MoCA; viewers in the alfresco lawn seating enjoy a concert at Tanglewood Ozawa Hall; (main) autumn arrives at Annisquam Harbor, Cape Ann

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Hidden USA Massachusetts 219, 1

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We’re looking forward to New Zealand opening up so we can get back to the Queenstown Skyline Gondola, with its views over the country’s adventure capital and the Remarkables mountain range. But this visitor hotspot has used the enforced break to reassess its offering. The Queenstown

Cares initiative has been launched with the aim of promoting sustainability and connecting visitors to the local environment and the community.

Projects include plastics reduction, the reintroduction of kea parrots into the Remarkables, and the promotion of low-impact immersive activities.

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A Remarkables view, Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand

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