Destinations

Returning to Amsterdam after two decades, Sharon Stephenson finds a cosmopolitan city of cycles, canals and culture... but no curtains.

Next time you’re planning a long weekend, think beyond our shores. A mere three-hour flight away, Tonga will have you relaxed and recharged in no time.

Fiona Fraser revels in the unique vibe of Oregon's quirkiest city

Jim Mora rafts a river less travelled, the Clarence, through an ancient landscape full of revelations.

Alice O'Connell gives in to temptation in Victoria's foodie capital: Melbourne.

Who doesn't want to retreat to Raro in the winter?

Sara Bunny escapes the city to discover the rich cultural, scenic and historical attractions of Northland, enjoying intrepid activities along the way.

You're sure to fall for Niue, the small but perfectly formed "rock" of Polynesia.

Kerre McIvor returns to a thriving Hong Kong.

Sarah Bunny has news and tips for worldwide wanderers.

Whether you're seeking an adrenaline ride or laid-back luxury, Queenstown has it all!

Sarah Quigley takes a brave leap into solo travel... and lands on her feet.

Wild landscapes, ancient villages and well-earned Dalmatian dinners make cycling a fabulous way for Liz Light to explore Croatia’s islands.

Not just home to New Zealand’s most famous public loos, Kawakawa has a working vintage steam train and glow-worm caves, among other attractions. Megan McChesney visits the Bay of Islands town that’s reinventing itself.

Sarah Quigley is forced to put her money where The Mouth is after she announces she’s going on holiday by herself.

Dip over the hill into Pakiri and it’s like stepping back into “old New Zealand” – where community still means just that and kids run barefoot on family land passed down through the generations.

The holiday home is where the heart is.

Sarah-Kate discovers there is life for travellers after Melbourne

Discover the best things to see and do on the island renowned for its tea and spices.

Discover the back streets of Hong Kong and you'll find a treasure trove of delights.

Wine, beer and beach bliss are just the beginning - here's why Nelson could be your perfect holiday destination.

Lucky travelers who want to explore Singapore like a local can win a personal consultation with a famous resident of the city-state.

Diana Balham finds a trip to Tongariro can be more about the journey than the destination.

The Weekly’s Laura Weaser looks beyond Amsterdam’s famous red light attractions to find a beautiful green city.

Make time for your other half with a romantic weekend escape.

Laura Weaser finds a Mediterranean paradise in the city of Dubrovnik.

The Weekly’s Laura Weaser finds adventure in the Alps..

Wendyl Nissen scours the best budget-friendly spots to shop in shanghai.

Only have a couple of days in Britain’s capital but want to make the most of it? Here are a few ideas for how to see, shop and eat enough of all things London!

All grown up, the weekly’s Alice O’Connell revisits the magic of disneyworld.

It doesn’t matter where you’re from, New York is an exciting and awe-inspiring place to visit

Louise Richardson eschews tourist haunts and rubs shoulders with the locals.

The Weekly’s Kelly Bertrand leaves her cares behind on a Fijian escape.

Wendyl Nissen takes a walk on the wild side to find the real Rotorua.

Judy gets up close and personal with Queensland’s native bush dwellers.

A visit to Mercury Bay Estate near Cooks Beach, on the stunning Coromandel.

Jon Bridges uncovers the turbulent history surrounding Australia’s Great Ocean Road.

A magical cruise down the Danube may convert even the most boat-wary traveller.

Wendyl Nissen finds there's more to China's largest city than meets the eye.

Colin laps up the palazzo versace on the Gold Coast.

Liz Light chills out on Cheung Chau Island.

Chef Mike Van De Elzen finds a food haven on the island state.

After months of stressful wedding planning, where will you unwind on your first holiday as man and wife?

Liz Light revisits the Mount to discover her childhood haven

The Weekly's Emma Rawson cruises home across the ditch

Rural China is a world away from the city crowds

The Weekly's Alex Bell puts pole to powder on Otago's Mount Cardrona

Kelly Lynch volunteers to help preserve a kiwi treasure.

Liz Light explores the not-so-barren hills of Burren.

Sweden's captial offers a bit of everything - and a new ABBA museum!

Liz Light travels to the forgotten world of the "Old" Zeeland.

Liz Light marvels at the beauty of Istanbul's diverse histroy.

Helen Jackson gets a taste of Queensland at Noosa's food and wine festival.

Liz Light travels to the queen of India's Himalayan hill stations.

There's summit about Kerre McIvor.

Bob Marriott finds a Pacific treasure in our northern neighbour.

Deputy editor Cathrine Milford takes the plunge in fun-filled Fiji.

Diana Balham explores new heights on a flying visit to the oldest of the Hawaiin islands.

There are plenty of hidden gems around Auckland, as Kate Hughes discovers.

Auckland is a city of sails, volcanoes and a vibrant, cosmopolitan mix of locals and visitors.

The Weekly’s Jennifer van Beynen ventures behind San Francisco’s glossy exterior

Kelly Lynch goes celeb-spotting in Colorado

Sarah Stuart puts down the cocktails and goes deep into the heart of Fiji.

on arrival in the bustling city of Melbourne, it took me just a few hours to work out three things. one, it’s one of the most unique and metropolitan places I’ve ever visited. Two, if I lived here I’d put on several kilos as it produces some of the best food I’ve had and three, […]

Flying into Cape Town to embark on a whirlwind food and floral tour, I found it difficult to get my bearings. I had expected to be surrounded by massive mountains, dominated by the iconic Table oountain. But much to my surprise, most of Cape Town is relatively flat. one thing I could pick out were […]

Jess Wallace discovers a little bit of magic in the treetops of Borneo

At my first stop in Kuala Lumpur, I was instantly astounded by the beauty of the Sunway Resort. This extravagant establishment is where I was to relax – in between eating and shopping – for the next two days. Upon entering the breathtaking intricate foyer, I felt like royalty. The West Lake Garden Chinese Restaurant produces sumptuous […]

It was an inauspicious start. Crawling into the Bay of Plenty in pitch-black to hail and driving rain, it was clear our scheduled stop at the Whakatane observatory that night was likely to be cancelled. “Maybe they keep the stars in the telescope and we’ll still see them?” proffered my six-year-old son, Charlie. Sadly, this […]

Helen Jackson uncovers Adelaide's chic restaurants and Barossa Valley's vineyards

There is one legacy of our trip to the Arctic Circle that makes me realise how special it was. When my children mention to their friends at school that they went up there last December to meet the “real” Santa, the reaction is still complete disbelief. The journey to track down or Claus, in a […]

Think of tourist hot spot Queenstown and its incredible geographical features, and the first things that come to mind are the spectacular mountains that surround the town. But as amazing as The Remarkables and the other ranges are, there’s another natural attraction I think deserves as much attention – Lake Wakatipu. Give me water over […]

In the midst of Samoa’s capital city, Apia, stands a clock that once stopped and wasn’t repaired for 20 years, so the local legend goes. It’s a fitting tale for the one large city in this laid-back tropical nation, because who needs time when you have so much relaxing to do? It is hard not […]

oh, how the other half live. old master’s paintings hanging on the walls, solid gold candelabras on the mantelpiece, priceless Chinese vases in the antique French cabinets

It’s 34 degrees and the brilliant Californian sun beats down mercilessly, but here in the magical kingdom of Disney, we’re too entranced to notice. I thought I was a bit old for theme parks but within minutes, my jaw has hit the floor. This is truly a surreal world within a world, a complete contrast […]

It was like a Kiwi version of that famous scene from Titanic. only without the romance. Mr Celine Dion. And the ship stayed afloat. Still, I was at the bow of the boat, wind flicking my hair, heart all aflutter. The cause of this excitement? Three dolphins playfully gliding through the sapphire sea below me, […]

There are holidays for busy people and then there are holidays for busy people like me. My idea of taking a break is to find a sun lounger with a view of the sea and collapse into it for as long as possible. Which is why I found myself perfectly suited to spending a week […]

American explorer John Wesley Powell chose the perfect adjective when naming one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. The Grand Canyon, carved by the Colorado River, is certainly grand; it’s also quite majestic and breathtakingly stunning. A great thing about the Grand Canyon is that it’s close to the razzle-dazzle of Las Vegas, so you […]

When I first got word of my 10-day trip to China, I thought, “Fantastic. Now I’ll be able to tick it off the must-do list.” But I was wrong. Having tasted just a few of China’s highlights, it’s still on my list, right at the top, and I simply must get back. Soon. The welcome, […]

Donna Fleming shares her Waiheke holiday diary

I was 21 the first time I saw Germany’s beautiful Rhine Gorge. This 65km stretch of the famous river is renowned for its beauty, and a four-hour boat ride through the gorge was one of the highlights of a month-long coach trip I took around Europe. The romantic Rhine, they called it in the travel […]

Sarah-Kate Lynch reveals the secrets of summers past

Different holidays suit different types of personalities, so luckily there’s a destination just a few hours away that offers plenty of options for those craving excitement and those who just want to put their feet up. It might be hard to believe, but not everyone is going to feel comfortable at a luxury resort, while […]

At 34, being excited with childlike amazement was something I thought I’d never experience again. But driving down the Las Vegas stretch of road known as The Strip for the first time and seeing the splendour of casino resorts, with their Disneyland-like castles and replicas of New York and Paris, made me gasp. of course, […]

Denise Cleverley finds the real South Africa in the slums of soweto

Wendyl Nissen goes back to basics at the beach

I spent years living in Wellington but hardly ever ventured over to the eastern bays on the rugged south coast – but I’m here now and I don’t know that I ever want to leave. It’s not entirely my fault that I’m a stranger to this coastal neighbourhood: in my day the city’s sewage was […]

Weekly Food Editor Helen Jackson enjoys a feast to delight all the senses.

It’s known to many Kiwis for its fantastic shopping, but scratch the surface and Melbourne is redefining itself as Australia’s cultural capital. The thing is, I have only four days to discover just what is on offer in the city’s arts and culture scene. Based on the Southbank of the Yarra River, it’s an easy […]

Some people travel for sun and surf, others for churches and historic monuments, more for risk and adventure. oe, I’m in it for the food. Nearly every waking moment when I’m on holiday is spent thinking about what I will eat next and where I will eat it. The churches and beaches are just the […]

The march of technology can be both thrilling and irritating, especially in the home, where it’s often hard to prise one’s children away from computers, phones and TV screens! However, when it comes to family fun, a high-tech experience or two can contrast beautifully with a dose of back-to-nature – as our family of four discovered […]

The lovely Irish doorman at the Langham Hotel tipped his hat, blue eyes twinkling. “oadam’s been shopping again,” he observed dryly, packing me neatly into the revolving door. Actually, that was pretty obvious. I’d been sprinting up and down oxford St and Regent St all morning, powershopping like a demon. Bulging bags with the distinctive […]

Flying into Dunedin airport, I’m feeling really scared that I will be cold but also really excited. This is my first time in New Zealand’s oldest city and I am determined to soak up every bit of the art, culture and history, that the city has to offer. Being Friday dinnertime, the first stop is […]

Travelling alone is not for the faint of heart. I did it once in 1988 when I set off for a month in Spain buthightailed it back to London after just a week in which I didn’t speak to a single soul. I’m chatty, so that is notmy idea of fun. Twenty-something years later, I […]

Somewhere in the dark there’s a noise and I stir, expecting a child with troubled dreams. But it’s only an extra-early rooster who has overridden the background roar of the reef and the whirr of the bedroom fans. No-one needs my attention just yet, so I slumber a little longer before my morning swim. This is our second family holiday in Rarotonga, the largest […]

Liz Light shops up a storm in Christchurch

Helen Jackson and family take on Cardrona