Wanderlust
Tired of cookie-cutter travel plans? Discover transformative experiences instead. Cycle through Vietnam's verdant landscapes, explore Portugal's ancient vineyards or go scubadiving near India's only active volcano!
Cross Country Cycling
Saigon To Hanoi
There’s something exhilarating about experiencing a country on two wheels. Cycling from Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) to Hanoi is a slow, immersive ride, with group tours spanning 15 to 17 days. Some routes wind through beautiful wetlands backed by jagged peaks, while others stretch along stunning beaches where the freshest seafood moves straight from the ocean to the table. Starting in the buzzing vibrancy of Ho Chi Minh City, the landscape shifts — coastal roads hug the sparkling South China Sea and ancient towns like Hoi An glow with sweeping countryside views. Finally, Hanoi greets you with its intoxicating mix of old and new. The tour is about the stories, the people, and the quiet, unforgettable moments along the way.
Asia's Best-kept Secret Trail
Sri Lanka
There’s something magical about walking a path that has existed for centuries, shaped by the footsteps of ancient traders, Buddhist monks, and colonial explorers. The recently opened Pekoe Trail, said to be one of Asia’s best-kept secrets, stretches over 300 km through tea plantations, villages, and forests, and tells the story of Sri Lanka’s complex tea history. This is one of the country’s first long-distance hiking trails, its name referring to the premium black tea made from new leaves, which is a speciality of the country’s highlands. Stretching from Kandy in central Sri Lanka to Nuwara Eliya in the heart of the hill country, it links an ancient network of mud tracks from the early days of tea cultivation, that were used to transport leaves to factories and then onward to domestic markets and Colombo port for export. The trails are fairly easy, at low elevation and open yearround, which make the hikes apt for everyone. The 22 stages of the trail can be completed in short sections, or as part of a multi-day experience.
Ancient Wine-growing Region
Portugal
Experts say the original port wine is the one produced in a dreamy stretch of vineyards in the oldest demarcated wine region in the world – Alto Douro in Portugal. With some of the country’s most dramatic landscapes, Alto Douro is a surreal combination of terraced vineyards and whitewashed estates offering wine-tasting tours. Take a tour, taste some wine, and get glimpses of the traditional wine-making process at the historic stone lagares — where grapes were once crushed by foot — and the sleek, state-of-the-art modern wineries. Porto, the nearest big town, is a medieval dream with soaring bell towers, cobbled streets, colourful beaux-arts buildings and a UNESCO-listed riverfront district. Another nearby city, Vila Nova de Gaia is frozen in time with its riverside port wine-making ‘lodges’, many dating from around the 18th century.
Volcanic Ocean Dive
Andaman & Nicobar
Islands
Barren Island, a remote and uninhabited landmass, is a place of raw, untamed beauty, home to India’s only active volcano. Located around 140 km from Port Blair (a journey of about four hours by boat), the black volcanic mountain rises dramatically from the crystal-clear azure sea, its caldera enveloped in smoke and its rugged, untouched surface dotted with shrubs. But the real magic happens underwater, when you go scuba diving. The lava-coated seabed is darker than usual, creating the perfect backdrop for the vivid hues of unique corals, fish, turtles, and sponges that flourish in these pristine waters. Keep an eye out for manta rays, which may playfully swim around you.
Other Destinations
