The best aerial views in the world

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.

Slurping on scalding roadside pho and running your fingers through mountains of silks while incense wafts from sacred pagodas, everything about Hanoi is a sensory experience. In terms of where to stay in Hanoi, the Old Quarter (Hoan Kiem) places you in the midst of markets and street food spots. If you’d rather sleep away from the roar of motorbikes, check out accommodation in Hanoi’s French Quarter or the monument-studded Ba Dinh. North of the bustling center, the tranquil West Lake (Tay Ho) district is the best area to stay in Hanoi long-term. Overflowing with character, these Hanoi Airbnbs immerse you in the Vietnamese capital.

Serengeti, Maasai Mara, Kruger – everyone who’s ever dreamt of going to Africa will know these safari big-hitters. Famous for their wildlife, they’re also famous for hordes of visitors that flock to them in convoys of Land Cruisers. If you want to get away from the masses, these are the best little-visited African national parks, each with extraordinary wildlife but far fewer humans.

With eternal summer, thousands of kilometres of beaches and affordable prices, Southeast Asia is the perfect destination if you're planning a trip around nightlife.

Backpacking can be one of the most rewarding ways to travel – with little more than your clothes on your back and an onward ticket in your hand. But where are the world’s best backpacking destinations? We asked our readers, and here are the results.

As the Antarctic winter draws in at the end of April, Emperor Penguins begin the long march inland to their breeding grounds. There, they mate, before taking turns to insulate the egg while their partner travels up to 80km to fish. Back in the colony the penguins huddle together to protect the eggs from temperatures below -50 degrees celsius; only a small fraction of chicks survive each year.

Whether it’s a friendly face at check in or a taxi driver who’s full of useful tips, nothing beats getting a warm welcome on your travels – and our interactions with local people have a huge impact on how we view countries as a whole. We asked our Facebook and Twitter followers to share where they’ve found the most hospitable places around the world. Here’s what they said.

Kenya is the safari capital of East Africa. A place where elephants, buffalo and wildebeest roam across vast plains. Flamingo flocks wade in the shallows, lions doze on sun-baked savannahs and herds of hippos graze by river banks. Yet in the scramble to see the country's wildlife, local culture often gets overlooked. Tribal people have historically been marginalised from the financial benefits of their land's natural riches.

Prepare for an assault on the senses. Southeast Asia has a bellyful of thundering motorbikes, fiery volcanic peaks, seething jungle temples and pungent markets. Yet we also love it for its squeaky-clean sands, barely believable islands and pagodas overlooking lily-topped lotus ponds. From temples to tropical rainforests, here are the top ten places to visit in Southeast Asia – as voted for by you.

From spectacular temples to awe-inspiring natural wonders, the world’s largest continent is home to UNESCO sites aplenty. Its sheer size makes it exceptionally diverse – culturally, ethnically and in terms of its natural environment.

In last week’s #RGchat, we asked our Twitter followers to tell us what ‘wild’ meant to them. We didn't expect to get such a beautiful response.