Louise at the Longshan Temple in Taipei © Louise Bastock Louise Bastock, Assistant Editor at Lonely Planet, recently returned from a trip to Taiwan. Tell us more… When I used to think about Taiwan, the dominant images in my mind would be of its capital city Taipei, specifically the skyscraper-studded skyline against a blue or lilac sunset, or the twinkly Tokyo-esque lights of its streets and lanes. But, beyond this vast metropolis, there is so much more to discover. Blasted up from the ocean by volcanic activity, Taiwan is a fertile ground for breathtaking natural landscapes. With that in m ..read more

In this guest post, Stanford University’s Professor G. Scott Hubbard – former Director of NASA’s Ames Research Center, founding editor-in-chief of the New Space journal, and author of Exploring Mars: Chronicles from a Decade of Discovery – looks at whether the travel industry is heading for the final frontier. Having been active in the US space program for 45 years, both with NASA and now Stanford, I’ve seen many proposals suggesting that personal space travel is right around the corner. While this topic has been discussed in science fiction for more than 60 years, making such an experience a ..read more

Wonderings: rambles through and reflections on travel… this month, James Kay considers tourism’s final frontier: space © Joe Davis / Lonely Planet Aside from a few forays to France, the furthest my maternal grandparents travelled was Pembrokeshire, Wales (repeat visits to a wind-buffeted static caravan in Croes-goch, if you must know). Just a generation later, my parents’ peregrinations had encompassed most of Western Europe. As of writing, I’ve visited about 50 countries (I counted them up once, but have forgotten the total), most of them during two spells of backpacking – first across the ..read more

Maria and Katerina exploring their home city of Athens © It’s all trip to me While the life of a full-time traveller may seem like an idyllic existence, it’s not for everyone. Ties to home – from family responsibilities to a budding career – might keep us from committing to a nomadic way of living, but it certainly doesn’t mean travel is off the table. We caught up with Pathfinders Maria and Katerina from It’s all trip to me to talk upcoming adventures, all things travel blogging and how to fit your trips around a nine-to-five. Give us the low down on your blog… Myself and photographer Ka ..read more

How well do you know our home planet? © Dima Zel / Shutterstock Do you know the name of the world’s third-highest mountain? Or in what year the euro was introduced as legal tender? Pit your wits against our toughest travel quiz to date – a thirty-question, all-encompassing behemoth of world trivia, with questions taken from Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel Quiz – our new title containing over 100 fun travel-themed quizzes for all ages. So strap yourself in and prepare to put your world knowledge to the test. There’s no way you’ll score full marks, but how close can you come? TAKE ON THE CHA ..read more

It’s one of the most exciting that time of the year, where your family has to make that ultimate decision and decide on a couple places to vacation. Many families become tired of traveling to the same vacation spots year after year. Before choosing a vacation location there are at least three in the world that a family must visit. If you haven’t been to Canada…it’s about time you pack some suitcases and be on your way. There are several places for the kids to enjoy themselves at the strips where there are arcades and much more. If you’re looking for a night out with your spouse you’ll be sur ..read more

If you are looking for a rich cultural vacation experience, then Russia would make a superb vacation destination. Russia is a massive country. It is actually twice the size of the USA. The culture in Russia is also very different to that of the United States, and as you may expect there is a lot to see and do, much more than you will ever be able to cover in a single holiday. Russia has a rich history as a superpower, however they have gone through a lot of political changes and upheaval in the past few decades. All this makes Russia a fascinating country with a rich history and a unique cul ..read more

This is the second leg of a truly fun week. There are adventures to get each morning when we land somewhere else, but also fun time on the boat itself. The Club Med 2 has an open bar. Yes, that means free flow of pretty good things…all day long. So being on a French boat, you have Ricard for aperitif at lunch time if you are on the boat at lunch time…and pina colada by the pool before sunset, and obviously wine during meals. We are in the North Hemisphere end of November, so sunsets are early at around 5.30pm each day…with some pretty cool views from the swimming pool bar on the back deck ..read more

There is a widely held misconception that during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, Rome’s restaurants shut down and people who don’t have the luxury of eating at home are left to scavenge for food wherever they can get it. While one should expect some venues to be closed and many to embrace limited hours and prix fixe menus, visitors to Rome can eat very well during the holidays. It just requires a bit of planning. To partake in the traditional Christmas Eve fish feast, head to Il Sanlorenzo, the best place in central Rome to find fresh, local and relatively sustainable fish. Il Sanlore ..read more