Category: Experiences

Globe-trotter travel specialist Julie Mathews on her favourite places in the world

When I was little, I grew up listening to fascinating stories told by my dad about the wonderful places that he visited around the world while working on a luxury cruise liner during the 1950s and 1960s. I was inspired to travel and couldn’t wait to see some of those destinations with my own eyes.

As soon as I was old enough, I took up an apprenticeship in travel and tourism and began my career in the travel industry.  I have worked for small independent travel agencies, a large global travel company in Mayfair and a traveller’s club in Knightsbridge and I have now recently joined the Western & Oriental team in London where I specialise in luxury travel in the Far East, Arabia, Indian Ocean and the Caribbean.

I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit some fantastic places around the world both through work trips and personal holidays.  I am fascinated by places that are rich in culture, nature and beauty, I also love the ocean and enjoy shopping and dining in cities.

The Far East is one of my favourite destinations as it offers a perfect combination of culture, beautiful beaches, rainforests and exciting cities.

I particularly love Thailand, where the people are so friendly, there are so many temples, palaces and other places of historic interest to visit, fantastic food and markets, mangroves and islands with stunning beaches and fabulous luxury hotels with spas.  I especially loved the Pimalai on Koh Lanta, located on a hill on the edge of the mangrove with stunning views of the sea, and Rasananda on Koh Phanang, located on the most perfect beach I have ever seen. Both hotels are luxury boutique and have super spas, fantastic food and excellent service.  In the north I visited the fascinating city of Chaing Mai, where I climbed the 300 steps to visit the temple of Wat Prathat Doi Suthep that is perched on a mountside.  I also had an amazing day where I rode an elephant bareback through the mangrove; this was a great experience and one that I will always remember.

I also have a soft spot for Africa where I have been on safari several times including Samburi and the Masai Mara in Kenya and Shamwari in South Africa.  Watching the wildlife in the beautiful savannah is simply spellbinding.  Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities on earth, where you will find some of the best food and wine in the world.

I recently went to Barbados where I stayed at the lovely Fairmont Royal Pavilion which has a spot on the best stretch of beach. I stayed in one of their Beachfront Junior Suites that I highly recommend as they overlook the ocean and you can walk out from your private deck straight out to the beach.  I enjoyed swimming in the warm clear sea and at certain times of the day you can swim out and feed the turtles, this was a wonderful experience and a memory that I will treasure.

Another highlight of my travels was a trip to India. I was there for two weeks so I was only able to see a small piece of this vast country, but I long to go back in the future and explore it further.  I visited Delhi, Jaipur, Samode, Agra and Mumbai.  We sat in the gardens of the Taj Mahal and had tea with our guide while he told us about its history, before taking us through to visit the temple and it was just as beautiful as I always imagined.  Samode Palace was also somewhere very special, it is a Heritage Hotel and was formerly a fort, it has been very well preserved and still has many original features, such as the marble floors and is full of antiques, it was a truly magical place full of charm and character, the service was outstanding, I was made to feel like a princess and it felt like I had gone back in time.

I still have a long list of places that I wish to visit, including the Himalayas, Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Botswana and Namibia to name just a few and there are always amazing new hotels opening up around the world so the list grows.  It’s great when clients come back from their trips and tell us all about their experiences and I always enjoy sharing my personal travel knowledge with clients too.

Kate’s experience in Turtle Island, Malaysia

When my friends suggested we should visit Selingaan Turtle Island of the coast of Borneo I hesitated. First of all the thought of boarding a flight from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan only two days after arriving in Malaysia from London made me wary, as being a nervous flyer I try to avoid planes at any cost!

Secondly the attraction itself has mixed press. Some visitors loved it; others called it a “sad spectacle” and argue that the turtles should be left alone.

Somehow my friends managed to convince me that as we were already there, we could not miss such an opportunity for a close encounter with wildlife. We took an early morning Air Asia flight that thankfully lasted only 35 minutes. A very talkative and difficult to understand Chinese taxi driver took us from the airport to the jetty and from there we boarded a speedboat and our turtle adventure began.

The day was beautiful, we were speeding past colourful villages on stilts, the sea and the sky were equally blue and when after an hour boat ride we arrived to the little tropical island in the middle of Sulu Sea it looked to us like a private paradise. There were over 40 guests on the island that day, but I had no idea where they were hiding, as we only saw other people during mealtimes.

We left our bags in our simple but comfy chalets, hired snorkelling equipment and spent a large part of the day swimming in the warm, clear water.

After lunch, the island looked completely deserted. I went for a walk to take some photos. The world seemed to be so peaceful that I decided that even the jungle is not as scary as I thought it would be and I really enjoyed being in the tropical forest. At this precise moment I saw a dragon! A huge monitor lizard was taking advantage of the quiet afternoon sitting on the pavement and almost scared me to death!

The evening was all about the turtles. We had a guided tour of a small turtle museum, watched an informative film about turtle conservation and were getting more and more excited. Will the turtles come, we were wondering. Will they lay eggs? Are we going to see them? We were waiting in the darkness ready to go. At about 8:30pm the ranger called that a turtle had landed.

Inner Cowgirl Unleashed in Arizona

Lynsey Perkins, a travel agent at Travel Counsellors, travelled to Las Vegas and White Stallion Ranch, Arizona and had a fantastic time exploring the strip and unleashing her inner cowgirl on the ranch. This is her guest blog.

From glitzy Las Vegas to peace, nature & tranquillity at the White Stallion Ranch in Tuscon, Arizona – a match made in heaven!!

Disregarding any notion of jet lag we hit the strip running once we reached Las Vegas. This is a 24-hour city and visitors might need to be reminded that they will need to sleep at some point! We strolled in and out of hotels; revelling in their over-the-top splendour. The Venetian, complete with indoor canal and gondolas; Paris – with its own Eiffel Tower. You can visit Egypt, Paris, New York and Venice on the same day. Watch a circus, ride a roller-coaster, eat vast meals, play the slot machines, get married. Where else but Las Vegas? In barely more than a century, a way station on a railroad line has transformed itself into a holiday destination that attracts nearly 40 million visitors a year.

We also took in one of the most amazing shows in the world, La Reve (The Dream). WOW!! We stayed in the Mandarin Oriental hotel which is set in the most amazing position right on the strip. I was totally wowed by this gorgeous hotel. It is a boutique hotel by Las Vegas standards with only 392 luxurious rooms and suites over 47 storeys. This hotel offers wonderful experiences in dining and accommodation while the Mandarin Oriental spa will not disappoint those looking for the ultimate in relaxation in the world’s most extravagant playground. Although it is a non-gaming hotel, guests receive the unique benefit of being able to bill back to their room from any of the strip’s major casinos – thus enjoying the benefits of gaming without staying in a casino hotel.

What an experience, we certainly enjoyed Vegas in every way we could and soon it was time to fly on to our next destination.

A very short 1 hour flight from Vegas to Tuscon made it so easy to get to, but it was so hard to leave…the magic of horses…friends, family and fun!

There is a slice of heaven on earth and it’s in Tucson, Arizona. A holiday at the White Stallion Ranch provided a much needed dose of serenity and the welcoming and peaceful environment only added to the relaxation of our stay.

Turning off the main road, you are transported into the breathtaking Sonoran Desert. Driving among free-roaming cattle, horses, and cacti, you pull up to a group of adobe-style buildings and beautiful landscaping. The people at the White Stallion Ranch are more than welcoming and make you feel as though you are home. The best part of the accommodation is that there aren’t any TV’s in the room to distract you from a break of tranquility and allowing for the chance to reconnect with your friends, family, children, or whoever you are sharing the experience with.

Run by the True family for the past 50 years, the White Stallion Ranch is located next to the Saguaro National Park. The mountainous scenery alone on this 3,000-acre ranch makes this a perfect place to holiday either for a week or a long weekend. Whether you’ve never been on a horse before or are an experienced rider, this is the dude ranch to go for a time with great food, great company and unmatched horseback riding.

You are paired up with one of the many horses on the ranch, which boasts the largest privately-owned herd in Arizona. I had the pleasure of riding Cutaway. Cutaway responded to even the slightest tug on the reigns and was sure-footed as we started out on the Breakfast Ride, an early morning ride into the desert to a group of picnic tables where they serve you a hearty breakfast of eggs, potatoes and pancakes. The food was not only filling but absolutely delicious. The hearty meals served us well, as the afternoon’s Fast Ride, team penning and barrel racing would require it.

The evenings at the ranch were very relaxed as everyone gathered for dinner together. From mid March onwards the meals are mainly cook outs served under the beautiful clear starry skies, sitting out at large round tables with braziers burning away in the middle, sipping Margheritas amongst the twinkly lit cactus and watching the horses and the amazing sunsets beyond.

The horse riding did make me ache, but thankfully White Stallion boasts a heated outdoor pool as well as an enclosed wooden hot tub. Other amenities/activities to enjoy include mountain biking, hiking, a tennis court, basketball court and a games room, which along with pool, poker and air hockey tables, also houses a movie screen with a Wii and Netflix.

Driving away from the ranch was so hard. My inner cowgirl had been awakened and my whole mind and body had been refreshed by the few days away from it all, where I had just been able to commune with nature, the horses, my new friends and the others around us who had been touched by the same serene spirit that the White Stallion Ranch exudes.

I will return!

Holiday: Heaven on Earth working on a Ranch

Emma Wilson visits the Mayan Dude Ranch in Texas on Channel 5′s Heaven on Earth show on 1st March 2012

If you fancy doing something different this summer and are looking for an adventure, a ranch holiday in the USA might be what you are looking for.

Tonight, one of Western & Oriental’s luxury ranches, Mayan Dude Ranch, will feature on Channel 5’s show Holiday: Heaven on Earth. You will see Anne Robinson’s daughter, Emma Wilson, journey north of San Antonio, Texas to spend several days on a working ranch, working as a cowgirl. She will learn to ride horses, lasso cows and enjoy the beautiful surroundings that Texas has to offer.

The show itself will only give you a glimpse of what it is like spending several days on a working ranch. From sunrise to sunset your day will be packed with horse riding, swimming, a little bit of snoozing and lots of delicious food. Remember, everything is bigger in Texas and the USA’s southern hospitality is famous.  Throughout your stay you will be pampered and looked after with super-size meals. In the evenings, enjoy a delicious barbeque with ribs and brisket dripping in barbeque sauce and plenty of corn bread, mac and cheese, sumptuous steak and much, much more. Work off all the food with a barn dance or a house musical, and round the evening off with a fireworks display.

A short stop in San Antonio is necessary to purchase those all important cowboy hats and boots to complete your holiday and lifelong memories.

Combine your stay at Mayan Dude Ranch with a stop over in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit the strip, catch a show, sample the nightlife and take a helicopter ride to the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon to complete this unforgettable experience.

For more information contact one of Western & Oriental’s Ranch Travel Specialists on 020 7666 1217.

See some of our photos from the beautiful Mayan Dude Ranch below.

Mayan Dude Ranch

Mayan Dude Ranch

Mayan Dude Ranch

Mayan Dude Ranch

See the world in under 5 minutes – with 6237 photographs

Fancy speeding around the world in under 5 minutes? Kien Lam, a keen photographer, has made this possible with his stunning time-lapse video taken whilst spending nearly a year adventuring around the world on a journey that took him through 17 different countries over 343 days. Whilst doing so, he took 6,237 photographs which he has pieced together as several beautiful fast-paced montages.

Kien wanted to capture the spirit of his journey and took time-lapse photos at every city that he travelled to. Each two-second scene comprises approximately 40-60 photographs.

The countries showcased within the video and on his 25,000 mile journey include Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Egypt, England, France, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay and the United States. Kien also visited popular landmarks such as Stonehenge, the Louvre, Times Square, Mt. Sinai, Pier 39 and the Alhambra. He rode on 58 buses, 18 boats and 19 airplanes over the course of the entire trip.

Which of these cities will you be putting onto your list of places to visit? Watch the video here:

Elephant Hills in Thailand Announces Birth of Baby Ha Ha

After waiting 22 months for the birth, Elephant Hills is proud to announce the birth of Ha Ha the baby elephant, born to Tor Por late last Sunday night on the 12^th of February 2012. It is Tor Por’s first baby and both mother and baby are doing well in the confines of their herd. The matriarch Khun Di-Be-Le is especially pleased with the new arrival and was a witness to her smooth birth.  She measures in at 90cm high with a healthy weight of approximately 100kgs and will keep Tor Por busy for the next few years.

Asian elephants were classed as endangered in 1986 and according to the WWF, their numbers are still dwindling in Thailand where they are domesticated and in some cases mistreated. This birth is a huge success for Elephant Hills and they are hoping that Ha Ha will have a brother or sister in the next five years.

Elephant Hills is nestled deep in Thailand’s Khao Sok rainforest and gives its visitors a luxury camping experience amongst the wildlife. Visitors can either choose to stay at the luxury floating camp or the tented camp and are treated to campfires and canoe excursions among many other activities. With the addition of Ha Ha, Elephant Hills will further ensure that they create a lifetime of memories for visiting guests, and continue to work with the local community to improve conservation in the area.

We wish the excellent team at Elephant Hills good luck and look forward to hearing how Ha Ha is doing in the future. Watch baby Ha Ha playing and see her photos below.

What’s Your Favourite Destination In The World?

From a very young age I always knew I would travel the world, and at the age of 18 I flew the nest and was off on my first long haul trip on my own, Australia. Four years later I had racked up three ‘ Round The World’ travel experiences visiting destinations such as India, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Indonesia, New Zealand, Argentina and Brazil.

Upon  returning from the third trip I decided it was time to look for a career that would allow me to continue my passion for travel, so I downed my carpentry tools and at the age of 21 I started a career in the travel industry. Twenty years later I am still in the industry and still travelling as much as I can, so the one question I am frequently asked is :

 ‘Where is your favourite destination in the world’?.

A question almost impossible to answer as everywhere is unique and has its own special qualities!  However after returning this week to one place I have not been to for over twenty years I am now reminded of one of the most incredible and spectacular sights in the world, the Argentine side of Iguazu Falls.

The sheer size of Iguazu Falls is mesmerising, with 275 separate falls or drops, the highest at 82 metres, and an average of 1756 cubic metres of water flowing over the edge every second.

One exhilarating way to experience Iguazu Falls close up is to board a speedboat that takes you right up to the base of the falls. Be prepared to get very wet (swimsuits recommended!).

They look even better up close. Photo by David Pointer

There are three main areas of the falls to visit but I would recommend you visit the Devil’s Throat first. Ignore the remains of the nearby boardwalk that was swept away in 1992, it will only make you more nervous that you are about to stand right on the edge of one of the most powerful and largest waterfalls in the world!

Perfect at every glimpse. Photo by David Pointer

This was my second visit to the falls and it is more developed than my first visit back in 1991 but for the better, as there are now more vantage points available and more ways to experience the falls. Iguazu Falls it is still the most spectacular and remarkable place I have ever been.

This time though, what made this visit even more special was being able to experience it with my partner’s father who had up until this point never left his home country of Ecuador.

The expression on his face when he first saw the falls was a picture in itself, he was totally mesmerised by this natural wonder.

My partner and his dad in awe of the view. Photo by David Pointer

It is at times like this that reminds me why we are so privileged to work in such a fantastic industry, giving us the opportunity to make people’s dreams come true and organising such wonderful experiences for our clients, as well as being able to experience them for ourselves too.

Written by David Pointer, Head of Product at Western & Oriental.

Top Gear Goes To India – 2011 Christmas Special

After having heard that this year’s Christmas Top Gear will be an India special, I wondered whether Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May could better 2010’s Top Gear Three Wise Men special or 2009’s Bolivia special or even 2008’s Vietnam special. And I think they did.

The humourous 90 minute long episode pulled in 5 million viewers on Wednesday 28th December 2011, and was based around one mission – to help save Britain’s economy by setting off on a trade mission to India. Equipped with three British cars and a range of unique British products, they paraded across one of the world’s most fascinating countries, India, the second highest populated country in the world with 1.2 billion people (UN, 2010).

They cast made interesting choices of cars – Jeremy chose a Jaguar XJS 4.0-litre, James a Rolls Royce and Richard chose a classic Mini Cooper. They set off on a journey that crossed India and included several mini adventures such as an 18 hour train journey, creating banners to promote British businesses and a hill rally with locals. One of the highlights of the India special episode was when Clarkson, Hammond and May ended their journey driving through the breathtaking and picturesque Himalayas to reach the end of India. This looked particularly spectacular in high-definition.

India moved into the fast lane and world media spotlight when it recently hosted its first New Delhi Formula 1 Grand Prix and perhaps with programmes like Top Gear and the next James Bond movie being shot in India, we will see more of India’s beauty and charm on our screens in the near future.

Watch the trailer here. Where do you suggest they shoot the 2012 Christmas special?

Source: Top Gear & Radio Times