Riding the Ghan through Australia’s red centre

Lonely Planet contributor, Tasmin Waby, just returned from a trip to the northernmost part of Australia's Northern Territory. Here, she shares details of a trip spent mainly on water in the lush green wetlands of the Top End.

A travel illness can ruin a dream vacation, which is why you should be sure to get vaccinated or acquire some medication before taking certain far-off journeys. A new report from GetGoing Insurance points out the most common travel illnesses and conditions to take extra precautions for, and some of the most common places real-life travelers get them.

If you want to stay at the best hotel in the United States, head to the French Quarter Inn in Charleston, South Carolina. And if you’re looking for the best bargain hotel stay in the world, it’s in a small town in northern Spain. That’s according to TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, which just shared the best hotel ratings for multiple categories heading into 2019.

With rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft taking over, you might be wondering where in the world it’s still possible to take a cheap taxi. Cabs aren’t dead, yet: These countries still heavily rely on them.

Whether or not her title remains “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex,” Meghan Markle will always be the queen of stylish packing. Her whirlwind schedule—jetting off for an appearance on The Today Show one day, touring South Africa as part of a royal visit the next—would leave even the most frequent traveler fatigued and worn. But not Markle, who always looks pristine and put together with a collection of tasteful sheath dresses, belted coats, and darling hats ready to be called into service. (Who else can make a Philip Treacy fascinator look modern and fresh?)

You’ve likely already heard about the bush fires in Australia that are currently devastating the country. All six Australian states have seen damage from fires, but New South Wales (which includes Sydney) has been hit hardest, where 136 separate fires (including 69 that are not contained) continued to burn this week, according to a CNN breakdown. At least 24 people are dead. And in New South Wales alone, estimates a University of Sydney professor, nearly half a billion animals are dead, too.

Unlike the Eurostar that takes passengers from London to cities on the European continent in record time, The Ghan, one of Australia’s four luxurious trains, is not something you book because you need to get from point A to point B. It may sound like the biggest travel cliché there is, but in this case it’s true: Riding The Ghan is all about the journey and not really about the (albeit lovely) destination. You go on the Ghan because you want to see and experience parts of Australia you’d never get to go to otherwise, at a slow pace, and in the comfiest, most lavish setting you could find.

Goa, India is a great place to visit for those who like to experience something unique and exciting. With its mix of beautiful beaches, lush green hills, stunning waterfalls and centuries-old Portuguese architecture, Goa offers an incredible mix of natural beauty and culture. These Airbnbs put you close to the best of Goa.

It takes about 20 million steps to walk around the world, not to mention several years of commitment as well as determination, stamina, trekking gear, and a state of mind that few of us can imagine.

There aren’t many places in the world where you can enjoy a glass of local shiraz while kangaroos feed and play in the vineyards nearby. The Hunter Valley is one of them.

As the sun sinks lazily into the horizon and day turns to night on Phillip Island, a hush of anticipation settles across the group gathered at Summerland Beach. Our eyes strain in the gloaming, scanning the swaying wheatgrass of the foreshore and the darkening waves beyond, gently spilling their foam onto the sands. Typically, dusk heralds the end of a day but, here, at the water’s edge, it’s time for the main event: a nightly wildlife spectacle known as the Penguin Parade. Any moment now, our guests of honour will arrive.

The Banff Mountain film festival opens the door to the inspiring stories of people who simultaneously confront their physical and mental limits and the elements. And with this year’s festival featuring films on a lawyer running ultra marathons to help women in Afghanistan, a mountain-biking family living with disability, and the first woman to kayak down a 30-metre waterfall, there’s more than a hint of activism over environmental and equality concerns.