Amanda Holidays

We had always dreamed of visiting Thailand, and Amanda put together the perfect itinerary - four nights in Bangkok at the beautiful Oriental Residence followed by Koh Samui at the charming Rocky's Boutique Resort. Bangkok was extraordinary. Amanda arranged a private full-day sightseeing tour and a trip to the famous floating markets, and our local guide Nina was utterly amazing - she took such brilliant care of us and felt like part of the family. Amanda's organisation of tra

I have been lucky enough to travel to South America twice with Latin Routes - and both trips reminded me why this part of the world gets under your skin in a way few destinations do. My first adventure took me to Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Rio de Janeiro; my second to Peru - Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. If Latin America is on your radar, please read on. I hope this post helps inspire you... If you were captivated by BBC's Race Across the World - watching t

Travel around Europe often means capital cities, history and culture. But venture to the northern extremities of this extraordinary continent and a very different world awaits. I joined the Ocean Explorer, operated by Quark Expeditions, for an eight-day expedition cruise around Svalbard - departing and returning to Longyearbyen - with a remarkable route taking in some of the most remote and dramatic landscapes on earth. The ship itself looked nothing like the river cruisers o

Time to settle in with the December edition of Behind The Scenes from Designer Travel - and this one's all about incredible wildlife encounters from around the world! This month's issue takes you on a journey to some of the planet's most extraordinary animal experiences: African safaris, pandas in the wild, the Galapagos Islands and bear watching across Europe. There's also a wonderful focus on sustainable wildlife tourism - how to experience these incredible creatures respon

With neither of us having previously been to Thailand, we were super excited to ask Amanda to put together a three-centre trip to celebrate both of our 30th birthdays, built around visiting Elephant Hills. Part 1: Khao Lak - Hotel Bangsak Village After a long journey from the UK, we couldn't have asked for a lovelier welcome for our four-night stay - cool flannels, a refreshing local tea and the warmest smiles. The hotel is adult-only, which made it so peaceful and relaxing.

Malcolm and I have long dreamed of taking a US road trip in an RV, with Yellowstone topping his list and Yosemite topping mine - just a mere 900 miles apart! Needless to say, it took some serious planning! This trip was a year in the making and the first where Malcolm had as much input as I did, which was only fair since he would be the one doing all the driving! Since we planned to stay in or near national parks, I pre-booked campsites, making sure they all had ‘full hook up

Steven and I are passionate about wildlife. After enjoying a couple of African safaris, Costa Rica was next on our bucket list. I must admit, I had some apprehension about spiders during the planning phase, but I'm so glad I didn't let it deter us. As it turned out, any spiders we encountered during our trip were quite content to stay in their own corners. Our journey began with a direct 11-hour flight from Gatwick in Premium Economy. Opting to travel to the airport the night

I love booking and then hearing about Steven’s inspiring adventures. He is always so helpful with feedback and keen to provide insight to help other travellers. Following the fantastic reviews he sent from trips to Iceland and Jordan, his latest escapade took him to another of his bucket list destinations - a little sooner than he had originally planned... After a last-minute change in status with my trip to Japan, my original destination of choice, I decided to venture to a

I’ve met Sarah on many occasions after she and my daughter became great friends at university. I was thrilled when in August 2020, she asked me to help arrange her and David’s honeymoon to Sri Lanka and the Maldives for the following May. Sadly, due to Covid, both the wedding and honeymoon had to be rescheduled for summer 2022 but on the plus side, it provided the happy couple with an opportunity for an extended trip that could combine their desire for adventure and an idylli

Howard and Nicola have booked some fantastic holidays with me, which have included road trips in California and Western Canada, and a tailor-made tour around Cuba. When they contacted me looking for a once-in-a-lifetime Tanzanian safari and beach holiday for early 2022, I knew just what to suggest. From booking to travelling, we had to contend with a few pandemic-related flight schedule changes, but we got there, and I couldn’t wait to hear how things turned out... We were ke

The ideal combination of relaxation and adventure, it’s easy to see the appeal of South Africa as a perfect destination for romance and honeymoons. Natural scenery of enchanting beauty, an extravaganza of wildlife both on land and at sea, spectacular wines, vibrant cities, romantic beaches, glorious weather plus world-class luxury hotels, the rainbow nation is certainly a land of diversity. There isn’t a best time to visit as it's a year-round destination due to regional clim

Some of my most incredible travel experiences have been in the enlightening continent of South America. It’s also one of my favourite and most inspirational trips to piece together for clients. With such a richness of unique, colourful cultures and landscapes to explore, I know what an incredible experience is in store. I was reminded just how diverse South America is when watching the gripping second series of the BBC’s Race Across the World and having visited Peru, Buenos A

The Happy Planet Index measures what matters: sustainable wellbeing for all. It tells us how well the world’s nations are doing at achieving long, happy, sustainable lives and guess who once again has topped the recent rankings of over 150 countries? Costa Rica is home to the greatest density of species in the world and its residents have higher wellbeing and live longer than those of many rich nations, including the USA and the UK. All of this is achieved with a per capita

Chris and Jane like to plan their holidays in advance and I really enjoy bringing their ideas to life. It was inspiring to work on their Costa Rica and Nicaragua adventure, and I love how they immerse themselves into a country taking advantage of local tours. Unfortunately, due to local unrest, Nicaragua became a no travel destination, which gave some added time to further explore Costa Rica and especially its diverse wildlife. Here’s how they found it... Our choice of holida