Travel Stories & Guides

Discover hidden gems and authentic experiences from around the world

The Secret Beaches of Mauritius That Locals Don't Want You to Find

While everyone's fighting for a spot on the crowded sands of Grand Baie, there's a whole other side to Mauritius that most visitors never see - the beaches where local families spend their Sundays and where you might be the only footprints in the sand.

1/15/2024Read more

Tanzania15 min read

Tanzania's Forgotten Islands

While everyone goes to Zanzibar, Tanzania's forgotten islands offer whale sharks, pristine diving sites, and traditional Swahili culture without the crowds.

1/20/2024Read more

Zanzibar, Tanzania18 min read

48 Hours in Stone Town

This walking guide shows you not just the must-see sights, but the hidden corners where the real magic happens in this UNESCO World Heritage site.

1/25/2024Read more

Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India20 min read

India's Andaman Islands

The Andaman Islands offer world-class diving, bioluminescent waters, and beaches that literally glow at night – all while being one of maybe a dozen tourists around.

2/1/2024Read more

Madagascar22 min read

Madagascar's Avenue of the Baobabs to Tsingy

This road trip from the Avenue of the Baobabs to Tsingy de Bemaraha is one of the most rewarding adventures in Africa, if you can handle the roads.

2/5/2024Read more

Kenya Coast16 min read

Kenya's Hidden Beaches

Kenya's coast from Diani to Watamu offers world-class kite surfing, pristine marine parks, and beaches where dhows sail past like they have for centuries.

2/10/2024Read more

Eastern Cape, South Africa18 min read

South Africa's Wild Coast

The Wild Coast offers multi-day hikes along dramatic coastline, staying in Xhosa villages, crossing rivers, and walking beaches that see footprints maybe once a week.

2/15/2024Read more

Mount Kenya, Kenya16 min read

Climbing Mount Kenya

Mount Kenya demands respect with technical climbing, ecosystems that change by the hour, and raw beauty that makes Kilimanjaro look like a tourist conveyor belt.

2/20/2024Read more

Seychelles14 min read

Seychelles Island Hopping on a Shoestring Budget

Hidden beneath the luxury resort facade is a different Seychelles – one with local guesthouses, public beaches that rival private ones, and budget island hopping.

2/25/2024Read more

Lake Kivu, Rwanda13 min read

Rwanda's Lake Kivu

Lake Kivu offers 2,700 square kilometers of fresh water surrounded by terraced hills and smoking volcanoes - no salt, no sharks, just perfect temperature year-round.

3/1/2024Read more

Lakshadweep, India17 min read

India's Lakshadweep Islands

These restricted Indian islands offer the same turquoise waters and coral reefs as the Maldives, but at a fraction of the cost and without the crowds.

3/5/2024Read more

Garden Route, South Africa19 min read

South Africa's Garden Route

The real Garden Route isn't in the famous stops - it's in the pull-offs with no signs, the dirt roads that seem to lead nowhere, and the small towns off the tourist track.

3/10/2024Read more

Danakil Depression, Ethiopia21 min read

Ethiopia's Danakil Depression

Visit one of the hottest, lowest, and most alien places on Earth - where you can walk on fresh lava and witness geological processes usually hidden beneath our feet.

3/15/2024Read more

Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique14 min read

Mozambique's Bazaruto Archipelago

Between the $1,000-a-night lodges exists another Bazaruto – one where fishermen camp, locals picnic, and budget travelers can find their own paradise.

3/20/2024Read more

Ssese Islands, Uganda15 min read

Uganda's Ssese Islands

84 islands scattered across Lake Victoria where Kampala goes to party, fishermen use traditional methods, and beaches exist that most don't believe are in landlocked Uganda.

3/25/2024Read more

Comoros Islands18 min read

The Comoros Islands

This forgotten archipelago between Madagascar and Mozambique offers empty beaches, active volcanoes, and a fascinating blend of African, Arab, and French cultures.

3/30/2024Read more

Tamil Nadu, India20 min read

South India's Temple Beach Trail

A unique coastal trail where magnificent carved temples rise directly from beaches, where pilgrims share sand with surfers, creating an intoxicating cultural cocktail.

4/5/2024Read more

Southern Tanzania17 min read

Tanzania's Southern Circuit Safari

The south offers better value, fewer crowds, and wildlife experiences that rival – and sometimes surpass – the famous northern parks.

4/10/2024Read more

Reunion Island19 min read

Reunion Island's Active Volcanoes and Epic Hiking Trails

A French department in the Indian Ocean where you can hike through three climate zones before lunch and watch one of the world's most active volcanoes.

4/15/2024Read more

Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania25 min read

East Africa's Great Rift Valley Lakes

A 4,000-kilometer journey through the spine of East Africa, from Ethiopia to Tanzania, discovering lakes that are windows into our planet's violent birth.

4/20/2024Read more

Hunza Valley, Pakistan16 min read

Pakistan's Hunza Valley: The Real Shangri-La

Where James Hilton found inspiration for Shangri-La, the Hunza Valley offers 7,000-meter peaks, ancient fortresses, and the world's most hospitable people in a landscape that defies imagination.

4/15/2024Read more