THE MANDALAY EXPRESS

Editor’s letter

You don’t have to be an experienced hiker to tackle

Festival 2017

It’s time to unveil the headline speakers for our Festival! Join us at our live reader event to hear talks from National Geographic explorer Paul Rose and adventurer James Cracknell. They’ll be reliving moments from their expeditions and pinpointing what helped them conquer some of the toughest places on Earth

READER OFFERS

Plan your Australian trip, from Sydney’s historic harbour

SMART TRAVELLER

What’s new // Do it now // Food // On the trail // Rooms // Family // Stay at home // The word

Editors’ picks

We’ve been here and we’ve been there, and our team have found a few things we thought we’d share

Marigold Flowers in the Himalayas

Last year, I set off on a journey to the Himalayas

All aboard

Having revolutionised high-speed rail travel with the bullet train, the Japanese are at it again — launching next-level luxury sleepers and even promising an invisible locomotive

Wilderness FESTIVALS

Pitch up at one of these music festivals this summer to experience European countryside at its best

BANK oh it

In a collaboration between artists Sami Musa, Dominique Petrin and Banksy, the latest art hotel to debut isn’t in Milan or New York — but Bethlehem

MAKE A Splash

Rising demand for open-water swimming holidays means it’s easier than ever to swim in loads of exotic destinations — even in the Arctic

A taste of THE INDIAN OCEAN

Chef Willibald Reinbacher travelled across the Indian Ocean gathering recipes for his new book. Here he reveals his fusion food favourites from the region

DRIVING TOUR OF THE Loire Valley

With castles, culture and good wine, the Loire Valley is best discovered by car, says Connor McGovern

RIGA

Whether in the city or national parks, Latvia’s capital region has truly novel, bargain places to stay

The big 7

Crazy on big cats? Giddy for giraffes? We suggest some of the best childfriendly destinations in Africa to spot your favourite animal

STAY AT HOME

The dramatic peaks and valleys of the Brecon Beacons National Park — celebrating its 60th anniversary this year — are best explored via foot, horseback or bike

The word

The Globe’s artistic director, Dominic Dromgoole, on taking the Bard’s greatest play around the world

PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE APP

The National Geographic Traveller Photography Magazine is available now: with previously unpublished images, along with tips, tricks and tutorials from industry experts, it covers everything from equipment to post-production touch-ups

Events 2017

A land of ancient traditions and tranquil beauty, but

DO YOU WANT TO WRITE FOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER?

If you think you have what it takes to write for us, enter our annual Travel Writing Competition. Your work could appear in National Geographic Traveller (UK) and you could win a place on a 10-day polar expedition to Greenland with Quark Expeditions.

ANTARCTICA

British-Australian thriller writer L.A. Larkin gets inspiration from the black beaches and abandoned whaling stations of the great white continent

NOT-SO-MAGIC KINGDOM

The cult-like world of Disney means queues and costs, but the parades, fireworks and Mickey ears are so infectious you might find yourself joining in

The Blog ON SAFARI IN SUFFOLK

It may not boast baboons or buffalo, but the English countryside is as worthy of exploring

POLAND

An ancient, untamed enclave in the Polish east, Białowieza is a fairytale forest hosting a colourful cast of creatures Words: Nicky Trup

HONG KONG

From its legendary dim sum to braised chicken feet, roast goose and custard tarts, Hong Kong’s cuisine relies on many influences but is defiantly homegrown. Words: Audrey Gillan

BUDAPEST

In a city stuffed with attractions, find your own favourite pocket of Budapest — be it the lively Jewish Quarter, the gleaming battlements of Buda or Hungary’s very own Champs-Élysées. Words: Adrian Phillips

COPENHAGEN

Floating hotels, boutique townhouses, hipster hostels and a former sailor’s retreat, plus a stay that accepts ‘art money’. There’s nowhere quite like the Danish capital for visitors to check-in and hang out. Words: James Clasper

WALK THIS WAY

LOFTY PASSES THROUGH VOLCANIC LUNAR LANDSCAPES; ANCIENT PILGRIM PATHWAYS STREWN WITH CHURCHES AND RUINS; SUMPTUOUS FORESTED TRAILS OPENING OUT ONTO VINEYARDS. A RAMBLER’S REWARD IS CULTURE, AMBIENCE AND WILD SCENERY ON THE WALKING ROUTES THROUGH ITALY, FRANCE AND SPAIN. COMPILED BY: MARK ROWE

ITALY

Join the pilgrims on the Via Francigena to Rome, one of Italy’s five new Wonder Ways Words: Daniel Allen

SPAIN

The lofty Martian landscapes of the volcanic Teide National Park make for an unforgettable walking experience. Words: Emma Gregg

FRANCE

Running along a defunct railway line, the Axe Vert de la Thiérache off ers a glimpse into the bygone, bucolic age of steam. Words: Chris Leadbeater

CAMINO DE SANTIAGO

Bite-sized variants of the epic pilgrim trail to the northwestern Spanish city mean there’s no need to martyr yourself. Words: Mark Rowe

A MESSAGE FROM THE GODS

Whether lost in a bat-infested underground labyrinth or caught up in an unexpected sacrificial ritual, you can feel the hand of the Maya on your shoulder in Chiapas, southeast Mexico

9,000 STREETS 40,000 DEAD ENDS

From the labyrinthine Medina of Fez, and the sparkling blue city of Chefchaouen to the mysterious holy town of Moulay Idriss — if you want to get to know Morocco, take a road trip in low season, and get talking to the locals

MEET THE BORDERERS

Desolate, dramatic and at times dazzling, the area around the English-Scottish border is a land of dormant volcanoes, fortified towns, vast saltmarshes and some rather horrid history

THE MANDALAY EXPRESS

The trip from Yangon to Mandalay on the Mandalay Express has changed little since Paul Theroux took an evocative journey through Myanmar, documented in his 1975 homage to train travel, The Great Railway Bazaar

City life MONTREAL

Although geriatric by North American standards, Leonard Cohen’s home city is driven by a youthful, creative spirit that’s coming to the fore as Montreal kicks off its 375th anniversary celebrations.

City life ANTWERP

A pretty Flemish city that’s wholeheartedly embraced the modern day, Antwerp is a trend-setting, diamond flashing, bustling port showing Belgium at its absolute best

ASK THE EXPERTS

NEED ADVICE FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP? ARE YOU AFTER RECOMMENDATIONS, TIPS AND GUIDANCE? THE TRAVEL GEEKS HAVE THE ANSWERS…

WORLD’S TALLEST WARRIOR

THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE SHIVAJI MEMORIAL HAS BEEN LAID ON A MAN-MADE ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF MUMBAI. WHEN COMPLETED, IT WILL BE THE WORLD’S TALLEST STATUE. BUT JUST HOW TALL IS IT?

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ‘TRUMP SLUMP’

CLUES THAT DONALD TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY AND POLICIES ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTING US TOURISM ARE STARTING TO SURFACE. BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS THE ‘TRUMP SLUMP’ AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU? WORDS: JAMES DRAVEN

7 ways to BREW COFFEE

WITH OVER 400 BILLION CUPS DOWNED EVERY YEAR, IT’S NO WONDER YOU CAN ORDER THE DARK STUFF ACCORDING TO HOW IT’S BREWED

Tech traveller

TECHNOLOGY REPORTER FOR. BBCCLICK AND AUTHOR OF WORKING THE CLOUD, KATE RUSSELL PICKS THE LATEST INNOVATIONS

COMING IN THE JUNE ISSUE

Steamy geysers billowing like bonfires. Meadows glowing

ISN’T IT TIME YOU WENT AROUND THE WORLD?

COVERING EVERYTHING FROM PUFFED UP AUSTRALIAN HOLIDAYS TO COMPLEX, MICHAEL PALIN-STYLE ADVENTURES, ROUND-THE-WORLD TICKETS ARE, AT THEIR BEST, AN AFFORDABLE WAY TO SEE A HUGE SWATHE OF THE PLANET. WORDS: DAVID WHITLEY

RIDING WITH THE GAUCHOS

EXPLORING ARGENTINA ON HORSEBACK ISN’T JUST ABOUT GETTING CLOSER TO NATURE, IT’S ALSO THE BEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE INIMITABLE GAUCHO SPIRIT AND THE PLACE THESE LEGENDARY HORSEMEN OCCUPY IN THE COUNTRY’S PSYCHE.

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Your Pictures

We give you a theme, you send us your photos, with the best published in the next issue. This month is ‘Greece’ — the theme of our April 2017 cover story