Sweden's ICEHOTEL Celebrates 20 Years
COOL PAD: Exterior walls of the ICEHOTEL, Sweden (Håkan Hjort)
Thirty-nine carefully selected artists have gathered in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, a small village north of the Arctic Circle, to begin construction on this winter's version of the ICEHOTEL. In preparation for the hotel's 20th anniversary, two of these artists, Americans Andre Landeros Michel and Dennis Rolland, will have two and a half weeks to transform their winning "Gotham on Ice" design into an ICEHOTEL suite. Like the rest of the hotel, the room will be constructed solely of snis (snow and ice) and their particular room will reflect inspiration from New York City's skyline, the music of Cole Porter, and memories of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The hotel is under construction during November and December and will open for overnight guests in January. The hotel can remain open to visitors through mid-April before the summer sun begins to melt the world's first and largest hotel made of ice. Accommodations vary at the ICEHOTEL, including 62 guest rooms, one deluxe suite, three group rooms, nine snow rooms, 29 ice rooms, and 20 art suites. A night in a deluxe suite will run you around $1,000 per night. Beyond the hotel's chilly walls, visitors can stay entertained with activities including dog- and reindeer-sledding, snowshoeing, moose tours on horseback, ice driving, and dining under a grandiose starlit display put on by the Northern Lights.
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October 28, 2009
Getting Out There With Afar Magazine
Traveling home from a conference in Québec last week, I picked up a copy of the premier edition of Afar, the newest travel magazine to grace an already crowded category on airport newsstands. An hour later after a thoroughly absorbing in-flight read, I can report that I was impressed. The magazine is "for readers who are curious about everything the planet and its people have to offer," according to founder and editorial director Greg Sullivan. In this day and age, when magazines seek to impress with the most luxurious travel experiences imaginable or cater to a budget-minded, close-to-home crowd, Afar bites off the essence of experiential travel with an honest, open, and upbeat appraisal of the world we explore. A bimonthly publication to start, each issue of Afar will be organized under the typical See, Connect, and Go sections; its first edition profiled everything from Japan's costume-play fetish to a local's guide to East London to the world's best treetop lodging. As someone who reads a pile of travel magazines each month for work, I'm happy to say that this is one travel magazine that will open your eyes, mind, and heart—not just your wallet!
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October 05, 2009
Western Australia Launches New Trails Resource
Western Australia's The Kimberleys (courtesy, ATC)
Western Australia—home of the Coral Coast and some of the country's most far-flung cities and pristine landscapes—launched a great new travel resource last month. TopTrailsWA provides a fun, info-filled resource on over 50 of trails within the region, from an hour-long mountain bike jaunt to days-long treks, along with packing lists, tips on "leave no trace" low-impact hiking, and dates to key events.
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September 18, 2009
Phu Quoc: Vietnam's Best Beaches
Sunset in Phu Quoc (Mike Sieburg)
Introduction
For a country with a mainland that stretches for nearly 4,000 kilometers along the South China Sea, I find Vietnam’s most beautiful beaches to actually be on the island of Phu Quoc. Set in the Gulf of Thailand just west of the Mekong Delta and less than 20 kilometers south of Cambodia, Phu Quoc is home to vast, lovely stretches of sandy unspoiled beaches, and dotted with towering palm trees overlooking turquoise waters. Dense forests and pepper plants line the slopes of the island’s mountainous interior, while a rugged dirt road hugs the coast. With most of Vietnam’s coast facing east, the island of Phu Quoc is one of the country’s few beaches that offers views of the sunset.
Activities
The seas surrounding Phu Quoc offer excellent diving and snorkeling, especially in the quieter waters of the dry season. Most hotels arrange boat trips out to popular snorkeling and dive sites. The interior of the island has trails, allowing for jungle hikes through dense foliage to waterfalls and mountaintops with views that stretch to the Cambodian mainland on clear days. For those wanting to explore the outer reaches of the island, it is possible to rent a motorbike for the day. The island’s main road follows the coast, making for stunning views throughout any drive.
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September 11, 2009
Watch Behind-the-Scenes Footage from Kelly Slater's New Surfing Movie
Nine-time world champion surfer, Kelly Slater, and his big-wave companion, Raimana Van Bastolaer, have just wrapped principal photography for Ultimate Wave Tahiti, the first 3D IMAX and giant-screen movie to use extreme surfing to focus on the science of waves, according to its executive producer, K2 Communications, Inc. The film, scheduled for worldwide release in February 2010, was primarily shot in Teahupoo, a legendary "slab wave" in Tahiti. Check out the behind-the-scenes clips below for a look at some of the awesome cinematography, not to mention surfing! wiae6pyn87
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August 20, 2009
Guide to the World's Best Resorts & Lodges
Cayo Espanto, a private luxury all-inclusive in Belize (courtesy, Cayo Espanto)
For the past 12 months, I have been neck-deep in one of the toughest assignments a travel editor can expect: Scouring the globe for the world's best destination resorts and lodges. I know, it's a hard job gazing at images of unspoiled, faraway places (like the one above), but I wasn't alone for my journey. We assigned a crack squad of travel writers with clips in publications including National Geographic Adventure, Travel+Leisure, and Lonely Planet to track down the cream of the crop, including their selections for the best family resorts, beach resorts, national park lodges, all-inclusive resorts, and six other distinct travel categories. One year later, with my list of must-visit places in a state of morbid obesity, we're excited to announce the launch of Away.com's new Resorts & Lodges Guide, featuring 200 of the world's ultimate destination-resort experiences. If you're looking for inspiration about where to stay next, this is the place to start.
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June 29, 2009
More Than Just a Package Trip: Fairmont Hotels Teams Up with National Geographic Society
African savanna (courtesy, Fairmont Mara Safari Club)
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts—one of the biggest players in properties that qualify as destinations in their own right—have teamed up with the National Geographic Society to present the Global Explorer Series, offering guests the opportunity to engage with Nat Geo experts in a range of activities. Three 2009 programs remain:
- Attend a gala event in Monte Carlo, including a private excursion with a marine ecologist on Prince Albert’s Tuiga, one of the world’s most beautiful historic yachts (July 19-19; $1,125).
- Join a Nat Geo wildlife photographer in Kenya for a multi-day luxury safari with tour operator Micato, which includes a hot-air balloon ride, a visit to a Masai village, luxe accommodations in Samburu National Reserve and Fairmont’s three East African properties, and a day-long photo safari drive (September 1-10; $7,690).
- Explore the pyramids of Egypt with the country’s head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (November 27-30; $960).
Our pick? The priciest of the bunch—but all would make for memories that would last a lifetime.
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May 28, 2009
Behind the Image: The Night Parade at Curacao's Carnival Celebration
NATURAL NEON: Carnival in Curacao (Nathan Borchelt)
Of all the places that I've been lucky enough to photograph, the Night Parade (or Marcha Despedida) that marks the end of Curacao's weeklong Carnival celebrations each March ranks as one of the downright best times.
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January 23, 2009
The Perfect Wedding Prep?: Bushwhacking the Australian Outback Solo
TRAIL MATES: Kangaroos in Australia (courtesy, Australian Tourist Commission)
Most brides dive eagerly into wedding planning as soon as they get engaged. I, on the other hand, left the country—two days after saying yes—to hike the 600-mile Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia. And while I can’t say the timing was planned, I can report that my three-week trek proved the perfect final solo journey before joining with a lifetime hiking partner.
Continue reading "The Perfect Wedding Prep?: Bushwhacking the Australian Outback Solo" »
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May 27, 2008
Trip of a Lifetime: Marrakech, Morocco
SOUK ON THAT: Marketplace in Marrakech, Morocco (Digital Vision)
Famed for its ancient beauty and views of sunsets over the snow-capped Atlas range, the exotic oasis of Marrakech has seduced royalty and heads of state the world over. Indeed, Winston Churchill called the city "the loveliest spot on Earth." Churchill stayed at the renowned La Mamounia, a hotel that combines the grandeur of a pasha's palace with sleek art deco design. From here, stroll with the kids over to the main square, Djemaa el Fna, to witness a never-ending circus of storytellers, Berber musicians, spice sellers, and snake charmers. You can also hire a horse-drawn carriage to visit local palaces or shop in the souks for brass, carpets, and silver jewelry. Then there are the city's renowned gardens, where towering palms, rare cacti, and lily ponds are enclosed by cobalt blue or red walls. In the evening, dine at restaurants like Yacout, a 300-year-old palace that serves a six-course feast.
Probably not the first place you'd think of taking young kids, Morocco is a welcoming and kid-friendly society. Marrakech—as with other medieval market towns like Fes—is busy, chaotic, colorful, and wonderfully absorbing. Winter and spring are arguably the best seasons for visiting, although crowds and prices are also high during these popular times. The hot summer months can see the mercury climbing into the triple digits. You can fly directly to Morocco from New York, although cheaper options involve transiting through European hubs like London or Madrid. Marrakech is also the gateway to the mighty Atlas mountains; the UK-based Adventure Company offers several family-focused itineraries that take in the pick of Morocco's souks, mountains, deserts, and historic trading outposts like Marrakech.
Discover hundreds of other dream family destinations, both near and far, in Away.com's comprehensive Family Vacations Guide.
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