Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2021 i National Geographic Traveller (UK)

Clarissa Wei Taiwan is often overlooked as a travel destination, but its capital is home to a mix of street food, music festivals, fine dining, galleries and a burst of brilliant new boutique hotels that make it one of East Asia’s most alluring hotspots. TAIPEI P.50 Sarah Marshall Endless plains and skies packed with possibility make the Serengeti a dramatic backdrop for one of the last true wildlife migrations. The mass movement of wildebeests across Tanzania was a sight — and sound — to behold. TANZANIA P.76 Julia Buckley People either love or hate Venice, but I think many just don’t understand it. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the crowds, but if you just get off the main drag, you’ll find a city full of passionate locals preserving centuries-old…

Rocky Mountaineer The Canadian company is going off the rails with a new route in the Southwest US. Setting off on a 10-week preview season from 15 August, the two-day Rockies to the Red Rocks will travel between Denver and Moab, Utah, with an overnight stay in Colorado’s Glenwood Springs. Beneath a glass-domed carriage, guests have reclining seats, meals featuring local Southwestern ingredients and views across the dramatic landscape. rockymountaineer.com 36+3 This first-class, jet-black electric train cuts a fine figure as it sweeps across Japan’s Kyushu island. It keeps up appearances inside, too, with classic Japanese style: shoji screen doors, tatami mat floors and Okawa Kumiko latticework. Five new day routes zip along the perimeter of Japan’s southernmost island, with options that include sweeping snapshots of the East China Sea…

The second-biggest city on New Zealand’s South Island, Dunedin certainly has character. Established as a Scottish settlement in 1848 after the Maori signed the Treaty of Waitangi with the British, it’s the kind of place where locals are just as proud of winning back the title of the world’s steepest street (from a Welsh challenger) as they are of being a UNESCO City of Literature. But it’s also a place firmly driven by community. Take the old Cadbury chocolate factory — when one of the city’s biggest attractions (and employers) announced it was shutting down in 2018, locals rallied to create OCHO, the OTAGO CHOCOLATE COMPANY. It sources fair trade cocoa beans grown by Pacific neighbours and uses them in a handmade bean-to-bar process. ocho.co.nz If you’re after even more…

Why go Strung with picture-pretty coves pummelled by Atlantic swells, it’s no wonder this stretch of coast is a surfing hotspot. But leave the beach and you’ll find a host of other outdoor pursuits. Running from the edge of Exmoor National Park to the Cornish border, this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a magnet for hikers, cyclists and families, thanks to its myriad landscapes, including vast sand dunes and windswept headlands. With a smattering of pretty seaside villages, walking routes and campsites to boot, the area’s ideal for a relaxing weekend getaway or an activity-filled escapade. northdevon-aonb.org.uk What to do This is a watersports paradise, and experienced surfers make a beeline for Croyde Bay, with its barrelling waves. Beginners, meanwhile, should head for Westward Ho!, Woolacombe or Saunton Sands,…

It was the famine that brought my family to Addis Ababa in 1989, when I was eight. My father worked for the United Nations World Food Programme. After persistent drought and a civil war, the toppling of the authoritarian regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam had split Ethiopia into two. An estimated one million people died; almost 200,000 children were orphaned. I remember the orphans, children my age and younger, walking Addis’s potholed roads among the donkeys carrying sacks of grain and the cars emblazoned with NGO logos. I remember, often, feeling confused and ashamed. How were they expected to survive without parents to love them? My own mother left us when I was two, returning to the United States where she was born and raised. We were living in Tanzania…

The traditional image of the Peak District — rolling hills and country pubs, curious sheep and dry stone walls — turns out to be a gross oversimplification. A weekend clambering over stiles and sipping pints of bitter is both feasible and enjoyable, but linger a while longer in this swathe of central England, and a whole new side reveals itself. The historic market town of Bakewell serves as the ideal base for exploring the area: here, charmed visitors feed ducks by the river, mooch between farm shops and coo at handsome stone buildings. But the town’s chocolate-box appeal belies its industriousness; in converted mills and surrounding villages, brewers, woodcarvers, jam-makers and jewellers are busy giving the area some serious cultural clout. Sleepy rural idyll this is not. Days in this…

THE PEACOCK AT BARLOW Just outside the National Park boundaries, The Peacock’s key selling point is that it brews its own beers. But the food’s good, too — the pies are a speciality — and the Thursday night quiz is highly entertaining. It has eight boutique bedrooms to choose from, with four set in a converted barn. From £90, B&B. thepeacockatbarlow.co.uk THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS AT PILSLEY Built from gorgeous honeyed stone, this is one of several Chatsworth-owned pubs. Estate produce sprinkles the menu, but the rousing views of valley and escarpment seal the deal. Prices range from £125, B&B, for the smaller doubles, but the £205 four-poster farmhouse rooms deliver the romance factor in spaces. devonshirehotels.co.uk THE PEACOCK, BAKEWELL A higgledy-piggledy, 200-year-old former coaching inn with bags of character, the…

It’s just after lunch on an late autumn afternoon, and Halkidiki is giving me the middle finger. Please pardon the expression. And the misdirection. There’s no uncouth confrontation here; no fiery argument that concludes with rude gesticulations and expletives. But there is an abruptness in the way that Sithonia — the second of the three ‘digits’ that point out from Central Macedonia into the Aegean — has dispensed with any suggestion of urban life. One moment it’s there, in the towns of Arnaia and Polygyros. The next, it’s vanished, the road struggling southeast towards Ormos Panagias and Fteroti. Here the landscape is all flinty coves on rocky shores and pine-covered slopes, rearing up to the central peak of Mount Dragoudelis. The three ‘fingers’ of Halkidiki are a distillation of almost…

Where is it? Of the four main islands of Japan, Shikoku in the southwest is the smallest: snuggled in a bay between its two big brothers, Honshu and Kyushu. While it can feel quieter and more remote than much of the mainland, the cities of Osaka and Hiroshima are just two hours away. What’s it known for? Shikoku encapsulates Japan in miniature: it’s home to a windswept Pacific coastline and cloud-shrouded summits as well as local delicacies such as udon noodles and fragrant sake. That said, Shikoku is best known as a holy island — in the ninth century, Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi (or Kukai) undertook a pilgrimage around the island’s shores, walking 870 miles and visiting 88 temples. One millennium on, pilgrims still follow in his footsteps. But really,…

1 MILLICAN BOWDEN THE CAMERA MESSENGER BAG This lightweight, 20-litre field bag has the space to carry all your essentials along with camera equipment and a laptop. It has an easy-access roll-top, plenty of compartments (including one for a water bottle) and a stabilising strap to secure it to your body while on the move. Plus, it’s made from 65% recycled weatherproof canvas and has aluminium fastenings — not a hint of plastic in sight. RRP: £135. homeofmillican.com 2 NIKON COOLPIX P1000 With a 125x optical zoom and 250x digital zoom, you’ll be poised to get the most from your bird photography, wherever your subject might swoop. Action shots retain sharpness and clarity with Nikon’s own vibration reduction and image stabilisation technology. Plus, it has built-in wi-fi and Bluetooth for…

Ise-Shima is the timeless Japanese landscape familiar from woodblock prints: a peninsula of forested shores, fishing villages and green islets in Pacific bays. The region exerts a magnetic power over six million Japanese pilgrims who visit the holy Shinto shrine of Ise Jingu every year, while nature-lovers come here to renew their spirits at Ise-Shima National Park. What’s more, Ise-Shima is also the last great stronghold of around 600 ama divers, and the best place for visitors to discover their ancient way of life. Meaning ‘women of the ocean’, ama once thrived across Japan, diving to collect seafood for their villages and, in the Ise-Shima area, prized abalone as offerings to deities at Shinto shrines, such as Ise Jingu. Plunging into dark fathoms, gliding among reefs and kelp forests, ama…

SPONSORED BY In this free, hour-long online event, we’ll be diving into the fascinating coastal US state. It’s a place where imaginative chefs are bringing the region’s amazing food to the fore; where beaches, mountains, waterfalls and lakes are waiting to be explored; and, of course, where visitors can learn about the surprising history of moonshine. Whether you want to hike through the Blue Ridge Mountains, follow your nose on beer and barbecue trails, spot sea turtles or discover more about bluegrass music, North Carolina offers a rich variety of experiences. We’ll also be discussing the best spots for surfing, kayaking and cycling, and if history’s your thing, you can learn about the state’s incredible past, from the first-ever flight and the Civil Rights Movement to the ghostly tale of…

While we wait for the ongoing roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine to take effect — and the caveats that may or may not follow — we can be sure that many people will have an eye on Greece as soon as it’s safe to do so. Around 3.5 million of us visited in 2019, a slight increase on previous years, and that trend would no doubt have continued were it not for the pandemic. But beyond the whitewashed villages and infinite blues of the islands, what of the mainland? There are the walking trails of Mani, where goat hoofprints outnumber footprints; the hills of Central Macedonia, where figs, olives and grapes are all there for the picking; and the tranquil towns of the Peloponnese, where citrus trees scent Venetian-style town…

Suddenly, it pays to be the only guest checking in. Copenhagen’s recent uptick in single-suite hotels over the past decade has never seemed more prescient than it does now, and in line with the country’s reputation for envelope-pushing design, a string of stylish, intimate pads now offer a truly unique stay in the city. Take THE DARLING, which opened its doors in October in the city’s historical centre and serves up a sophisticated townhouse experience, with luxe Nordic furniture and art throughout the apartment — plus, a pre-arrival concierge service to minimise human interaction. From €950 (£832) a night. thedarling.dk Other properties have capitalised on the city’s waterfront location. Afloat in a quiet nook of the Christianshavn district is KAJ HOTEL, a hut-cum-houseboat made from upcycled materials with a wood-panelled…

LOIRE VALLEY LODGES Deep within the forest yet still close to many of the region’s chateaux, this newly opened hotel is one of a kind. Made up of 18 upscale treehouses and a renovated farmhouse, the Loire Valley Lodges are scattered across a 750-acre private forest outside Tours. It’s a contrast to the palatial reputation of this patch of central France, but these stilted treehouses come with a certain cachet; each exhibits the design of a contemporary artist. French artist Jacques Bosser created the black-and-white Uzume lodge and several artists came together to pay tribute to the musician Serge Gainsbourg in the Lucien hideaway. Rooms come with king-sized beds and dining areas but — given the fact these spaces are geared towards digital detox — there’s no TV or wi-fi.…

KARITANE North of Dunedin, this town is where you’ll find the Huriawa Peninsula, a headline home to a once-thriving Maori hillfort known as the pa. Follow the panels on the walk, which recount some of the stories of the Kati Huirapa Runaka ki Puketeraki people. puketarki.nz DUNEDIN BOTANIC GARDEN Marvel at the beautiful diversity of plant life, from peaceful groves of Californian redwoods to the tropical species in the heated indoor winter garden. End the trip by feeding the ducks. dunedinbotanicgarden.co.nz ST CLAIR BEACH This is one of the best surf beaches in New Zealand. It’s also a natural wonderland, with sea lions basking on the sand, cliffs of volcanic rock to climb, bull kelp swirling in rock pools and rare, endangered fairy prions soaring above.…

MORNING Running parallel to the River Wye along the former Midland Railway line, the Monsal Trail stretches for 8.5 miles through Monsal Dale. Being largely flat, it’s no challenge for walkers, but for cyclists it’s nigh-on perfect. Bikes can be hired for £12 for two hours from Hassop Station, just outside Bakewell. Highlights along the route include four well-lit former railway tunnels, the Headstone Viaduct and Cressbrook and Litton Mills, hulking monsters that played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution. Hassop Station Cafe is the top spot for breakfast at the start of the trail or lunch at the end. There’s a wealth of outdoor seating, and tandoori chicken kebabs and vegan falafel burritos are menu highlights. AFTERNOON Seven miles north of Bakewell, the village of Eyam would be…

1 BOLÓN DE VERDE Originally from the coast but now popular nationwide, these balls of mashed plantain and cheese make for a hearty and comparatively healthy breakfast by local standards. 2 TRIPA MISHQUI Yes, they could be described as flame-seared cow guts, but tripa mishqui is undeniably a local speciality, especially in Quito’s La Vicentina neighbourhood. 3 LOCRO DE PAPAS A Quiteño staple, the locro de papas comes in many guises, but should always contain plenty of potato and be served piping hot, often topped with native avocado. 4 CEVICHE Quito may not be on the coast, but Ecuadorians from any part of the country will insist that their citrus-seasoned fish is as good as anything you’ll find in Chile or Peru. 5 LLAPINGACHOS These fried potato cakes are something…

Departing in heavy mist, our hiking party zigzags its way up the mountain track from the still-sleeping village of Mikro Papigo, stopping to fill flasks at a spring-fed fountain half-concealed by the morning haze. Local lore claims our destination, the twin alpine pools of Drakolimni — ‘Dragon Lake’ in Greek — take their name from ancient duelling dragons once poised atop the opposing mountains of Tymfiand Smolikas. The boulders they cast at one another are said to stud the hillsides. Deflating the tale with a smile, guide Achilles Papaefthymiou explains that the age-old moniker may instead originate from the newts inhabiting the lakes. “They probably reminded the local villagers of miniatures of the fire-breathing creatures,” he says, with a note of apology. This more mundane telling doesn’t diminish the magic…

Nikos Tsilis, raised on the fertile shores of Western Macedonia’s Prespes Lakes, spends his days hunting truffles and mushrooms with his dogs. “Around 4,000 species of fungi have been found In Greece but it’s estimated there are around 10,000,” says Nikos. Together with bodies like the Greek Mushroom Society, he leads foraging excursions and seminars throughout western and central Greece, including in Prespes. Learn to identify species such as the imperilled March mushroom, found in pine forests in early spring, whose delicate aroma Nikos likens to a rose. Contact him via Instagram to book. @nick_tsilis…

METEORA Perched atop rocky pinnacles, Meteora’s six Byzantine monasteries were built by 14th-century monks seeking refuge from invading Turks. Moni Agias Triados is particularly worth visiting. ANCIENT OLYMPIA In the ruins of Olympia’s temples and sprint track, you can almost hear the fanfare of the Olympic Games. They were held here for over 1,000 years before being abolished in AD 394. MYCENAE Homer speaks of ‘well-built Mycenae, rich in gold’ in his epic poems Odyssey and Iliad — and the UNESCO-listed archaeological site still astonishes with riches.…

EUMELIA Gather olives and grapes from the groves and vines of Eumelia, an agritourism and wellness retreat in the Laconia region. These are then processed into oils, soaps and biodynamic wines. From €160 (£143), B&B. eumelia.com OPORA COUNTRY LIVING This 30-acre estate in Argolis offers cooking classes using ingredients from the grounds. From €90 (£80), B&B. oporacountryliving.com KTIMA BELLOU Learn about beekeeping in the shadow of Mount Olympus at this hotel near Pieria in the Cental Macedonia region. The Beehive Workshop runs from May to September. From €133 (£119), B&B. ktimabellou.gr ROKKA GUESTHOUSE Join in with family life on this sheep farm in Epirus’s Pindus Mountains, from helping to feed the flock to cooking and wool-dyeing. From €50 (£44), B&B. rokkazagori.gr THE MARGI Collect eggs and pick vegetables as part…

Awa Odori, Tokushima Prefecture One of Japan’s biggest dance festivals, this is part of a Buddhist tradition intended to honour departed ancestors where thousands of kimono-clad people take part in choreographed dance routines through the streets of Tokushima. 12-15 August. shikoku-tourism.com Niihama Taiko Matsuri, Ehime Prefecture Held to celebrate the autumn harvest, this 800-year-old festival centres on vast and lavishly decorated floats containing similarly mighty taiko drums. The festival doubles up as a show of strength, with men competing to see who can lift their drum aloft most gracefully. October. visitehimejapan.com Yosakoi Festival, Kochi Prefecture Another dance festival, Yosakoi sees 20,000 people strut their stuff in different venues and neighbourhoods in the city of Kochi. Teams from around the world compete and anyone is welcome to join an open team.…

Dove Lake Lap In the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area sits Cradle Mountain in all its craggy, majestic glory. For a four-mile loop beneath Cradle, take the Dove Lake Circuit. This relatively flat track dips into the Forest Ballroom with its rainforest scents and skirts out to lofty outcrops. You’ll understand why Gustav Weindorfer stood on the mountain in 1910 and proclaimed, “This must be a national park for the people for all time.” Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park can morph into a snowy wonderland at times, so be sure to layer up. Walk it wearing: The Original #500s. These lightweight leather boots are ideal for comfort that lasts all day. The Gorge, Launceston The Gorge is Launceston’s natural sanctuary. Step inside and you’re enveloped in…

IN NUMBERS 1,386 miles The total length of routes marked as suitable for those with access challenges 100 million The number of visitors the country’s national parks receive each year 8,972 sq miles The total land area of the UK’s national parks Volunteers — the lifeblood of national parks — help to lead guided walks, fix fences, plant trees, maintain historic sites and survey wildlife SIX OF THE UK’S NATIONAL PARKS ARE DESIGNATED INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY RESERVES, INCLUDING EXMOOR AND THE BRECON BEACONS The UK is home to 15 national parks, each designated as a protected landscape for its special qualities, and all offering traffic-free terrain for hiking, biking and exploring 15 As yet, there are no national parks in Northern Ireland 10 national parks feature on the Royal Mail’s…

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SNAPSHOT Kelford, Speyside, Tobago The lush Caribbean island of Tobago is blessed with rainforest and beautiful beaches — and an infectiously laid-back vibe. On this paradise isle, the most popular activity is something the locals call limin’, which means relaxing with friends or simply doing nothing. In the sleepy village of Speyside, I met Kelford while trying to buy some fresh coconuts from his tiny stand. I say ‘trying’, because he was more interested in chatting than doing business, but when he finally fetched a bunch of the yellow fruits, I found this scene captured the island’s atmosphere perfectly: relaxed, yet colourful and full of life. ROGER BORGELID // PHOTOGRAPHER borgelid.se @rogerborgelid BIG PICTURE Moc Hoa, Long An Province, Vietnam During high-water season, water lilies thrive in southern Vietnam. Blossoming…

Before moving to Tasmania, chef Analiese Gregory had only ever been a holiday diver. Now she rarely goes anywhere without a wetsuit, hood, gloves and boots. Why? Because the island is beautiful and pristine, and you can dive for luxury ingredients like abalone, wakame or sea urchin. Analiese has become so hooked as a diver she says she’s renowned for “doing stupid things on [her] own”. Like driving down to the southernmost tip of Tasmania, diving off rocks for abalone or scaling cliffs to collect seaweed to make seaweed jam. For many years in Tasmania, people learned to cook at home. Most Tasmanians had a cow or a quince tree in their backyard, snared possum or shot kangaroos in the bush. Isolated from the city, without a local supermarket and…

You might come for the theme parks, but no family trip to Florida is complete without a visit to the EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK. Take an eco-tour safari with trained naturalists who’ll guide you through the Everglades in search of alligators, wading birds and snakes. paradisecoast.com Nothing quite compares to a traditional safari experience, however, and conservation-focused eco-tour company Great Plains has three new offerings at Mara Nyika Camp in KENYA: two family suites, a two-bedroom villa located in the trees, and the Mara Jahazi Suite, available from mid-2021. Children aged five and upwards can also join The Young Explorers Program, where they can learn basic survival and conservation skills. greatplainsconservation.com Cookson Adventures has seen a rise in demand for ‘educational travel’, particularly trips where specialist adventure guides double as tutors.…

ADVENTURE Nepali mountaineers achieve historic winter first on K2 With their ‘impossible’ summiting of the world’s second-tallest mountain, Nepali climbers send national pride surging in the Himalayas SCIENCE Why some Covid-19 variants are more contagious than others — and how we can stop them A cluster of viral mutations seems to be speeding the spread of Covid-19 — and scientists are racing to understand why HISTORY How New Orleans’ historic architecture is uniquely suited to pandemic living Porches, courtyards, and ‘neutral grounds’ are key to upholding the city’s sociability in a time of social distancing…

PADLEY GORGE Next to Grindleford Station, eight miles north of Bakewell, lies Padley Gorge, a jumble of ferns and mossy rocks. Trails are kept as natural as possible — it’s more a case of finding the gaps in the woods than following a path — and the rock pools in Burbage Brook are perfect for paddling in. LONGSHAW ESTATE The 1.7-mile walking route around this National Trust estate skirts the upper end of Padley Gorge. Children love the stepping stones, but Longshaw is mostly all about the giant fallen trees, left in place for little hands and feet to gleefully scramble over. HIGGER TOR A stack of giant rocks dominates Higger Tor, the best of several lookouts along the Ringinglow Road between Hathersage and Sheffield. Stroll through the adjacent sheep-grazed…

SALNÉS GASTRO-PICANTERÍA Chef-owner Mauricio Acuña seeks out ‘lost’ local produce: ferns that double as asparagus, overlooked Amazonian fish and black pork that serves as buttery ibérico. The small, regularly changing menu of simple-yet-refined dishes is centred on local produce largely drawn from a growing network of indigenous farmers. facebook.com/elsalnesec CHEZ TIFF Ecuador’s pedigree native chocolate — by the likes of Pacari, To’ak and Mindo — have been storming the international stage of late. In the historic city centre, chocolate master Bertrand Indemini, originally from Switzerland, has set up shop running demos and tastings explaining the entire process of chocolate production. cheztiff.net AGAVE SPIRIT ECUADOR Just north of the city, almost on the Equator, this complex champions miske, Ecuador’s version of tequila, as the would-be national drink. Tour the excellent agave…

TELL US ABOUT GREEK FAUNA Greece is home to about 500 brown bears, mostly split between the Pindos and Rodopi Mountains. Wolves number around 700 and are the key regulators of the food pyramid. WHAT IS ARCTUROS? It was created in 1992 to address the issue of dancing bears. Arcturos is focused on rescuing wild animals caught in traps or involved in accidents, and dealing with wild animals that get too close to human settlements. WHEN CAN VISITORS COME TO THE SANCTUARY? Bears and wolves reside in protected areas within their natural habitats. At the information centre, visitors can hear the stories behind each creature. The brown bear sanctuary is closed in January and February, whereas the wolf sanctuary is open year-round. arcturos.gr…

There’s a general belief among the uninitiated that Greek wine is for serving unceremoniously at taverna tables rather than swilling and sipping in admiration, the way one might a Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the most potent ripostes to this misconception is offered by the Central Macedonia region. On the flanks of the Vermio Mountains, grapes — especially the Xinomavro variety — thrive in the windbreak provided by the ridgeline above them. The quality of wine is such that the Naoussa region has been able to revel in Protected Designation of Origin status since 1971. You can find more than 20 estates on these slopes, many open to the public, linked by the region’s established Naoussa Wine Trail. visitnaoussa.gr/naoussa-wine-trail KIR-YIANNI Discover the landscape and Boutaris family’s legacy at the most feted…

Any introduction to Thessaloniki should start with ARISTOTELOUS SQUARE, designed by French architect Ernest Hébrard after a fire flattened the city’s labyrinthine lanes in 1917. Note the sophisticated ELECTRA PALACE HOTEL, with its rooftop restaurant, and the grand OLYMPION cinema, before promenading along the three-mile waterfront — a favourite local pastime. electrahotels.gr Here, views of MOUNT OLYMPUS compete with manmade wonders like the 20ft-tall STATUE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT, unveiled in 1974, and sculptor George Zongolopoulos’s steel UMBRELLAS, installed in 1997 to celebrate the city’s designation as European Capital of Culture. Another icon of the city lies on this waterside stretch: the WHITE TOWER (originally called the Lion Tower by the conquering 15th-century Ottomans, who built it to bolster their defences), which houses a permanent exhibition celebrating the city’s multicultural…

Getting there & around Venice is easy to reach by train from the UK, with changes at Paris and Turin (spending one night in either). eurostar.com raileurope.com Direct regional flights with EasyJet depart from Manchester, Glasgow and Bristol, and with Ryanair from Edinburgh, Stansted and East Midlands, while British Airways flies from Gatwick and Heathrow. easyjet.com ryanair.com ba.com Average flight time: 2h15m. From the airport, the Alilaguna boat (€15/£13.50) is the most atmospheric way to arrive into town. Vaporetto tickets cost €7.50 (£6.80) for 75 minutes; a pass (two days €30/£27, three days €40/£36) is better value, although the centre is walkable. alilaguna.it actv.avmspa.it When to go Tourist season runs from March to October, and summers can be humid and crowded. Visit off-season in the spring or autumn. Temperatures can…

With craggy mountains, ancient temples, an unspoiled coastline and a chance to gaze across the most fortified border on the planet, Gangwon Province promises to tantalise the senses while simultaneously soothing the soul Dominated by the rocky rise of the Taebaek Mountains, Gangwon is South Korea’s largest and most remote province. This sparsely populated region is subject to harsh winters and has traditionally been a tough place to scratch out a living. The people, however, are known for their resilience and generosity, and the region they call home features some of the peninsula’s most pristine natural wonders. Top reasons to visit Once considered South Korea’s least-accessible corner, Gangwon has recently seen tourism blossom. This is largely due to the construction of speedy transportation links for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic…

GET IN TOUCH inbox@natgeotraveller.co.uk Have a query about subscriptions? Get in touch at natgeotraveller@subscriptionhelpline.co.uk or call 01293 312166 WIN A bundle from Sealskinz worth £125! Perfect for adverse weather conditions, this bundle will keep you warm and dry when out and about. It includes a pair of waterproof, multiactivity gloves; a cosy pair of all-weather mid-length socks with an innovative waterproof lining; and a stylish beanie hat. sealskinz.com STAR LETTER Fresh perspectives I wanted to thank you for your excellent ‘Meet the Adventurer’ feature with Reza Pakravan (March 2021). I’ve often felt a frustration with the idea that different places on our planet can be categorised as ‘no-go zones’. I was pleased to read how Pakravan highlights the media’s impact on how places and cultures are perceived, and while I…