Inspiration tips

For most travellers, Egypt's Sinai Peninsula means one thing: the coast. Package tourists flock to the bold and brash resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and neighbouring Na'ama Bay, while backpackers and independent travellers favour the more laid-back charms of Dahab and Nuweiba. The inviting Red Sea, sandy beaches and seemingly endless diving and snorkelling opportunities mean that relatively few people take the time to explore the interior of the Sinai Peninsula. Those who do rarely venture beyond a handful of well-worn and over-crowded camel, jeep and quad-biking 'safari' routes.

As we walked along the beach road towards Chuao, a coastal Venezuelan town, a local was approaching from the other direction, swinging a machete in time with his steps. On either side of the concrete surface, the dense jungle towered above: enormous mango trees, banana groves, bamboo thickets and the shorter cocoa (or cacao) plants that make this particular stretch of the Caribbean so special.

Britain is a nation bursting with song. While this most musical of islands has nurtured numerous world-class singers and bands, it almost bursts with festivals and concerts all year round. Here's five favourite escapes for music fans. Add yours below.

My favourite spot in Rio isn’t lying on Ipanema beach or watching the world go by sitting in the Copacabana Palace terrace. Nor does it involve hiking in the Parque Nacional da Tijuca, or snaking around the islands on a boat trip in Guanabara Bay. My favourite spot is unfamiliar to the casual tourist, because it’s difficult to find. You can’t even spot it from high up in the favelas or from the statue of Christ the Redeemer. In fact I’d really have to give you directions there.

‘Safari’ traditionally means journey in Swahili, but the word now describes the ultimate bucket-list trip to discover Africa’s wondrous wildlife. Yet today, that wildlife seems increasingly vulnerable, so how do you ensure your safari will be both safe and ethically sound?

Long overshadowed by refined, tourist-clogged Edinburgh, Scotland's second city has been quietly proving that it's far from second best. Glasgow's cultural plaudits are hefty, from Rennie Mackintosh's architectural triumphs (beyond the sadly fire-damaged School of Art) to the street-art-splashed east end. Culture aside, Glasgow's food scene is one of the most vibrant in Scotland – a far cry from tales of deep-fried Mar Bars paired with Irn Bru, this is a city that really knows how to feed you. Add to that a buzzing nightlife scene and a growing crop of great places to stay, and you'll find everything you need in Glasgow for a weekend break. Keen to give Scotland’s coolest city a try? We’re not surprised. Here’s everything you need to know before your trip:

Sustainable tourism is about more than re-using your towels. To mark the UN’s Year of Sustainability in 2017, Keith Drew heads to Zimbabwe to see how a proper sustainable strategy can change people’s (and animals’) lives for the better.

Dreaming of adventure in the great outdoors? Wondering which state should top your next travel bucket list? It’s time you considered Colorado.

We travellers love to seek out the old, cobbled, timeworn corners of cities and turn our noses up at the glistening new builds. It’s part of the reason that ruins are so irresistible. Then there are the unfinished places, of which Barcelona’s Sagrada Família is the most celebrated example. Do we ever want Gaudí’s masterpiece to actually be finished?

If you're feeling tired of your local concert hall, or you fancy combining a trip with some world-class music, you may want to consider one of these truly memorable music holidays, from Rough Guides' Make The Most Of Your Time On Earth .

Get away from the crowds of the east coast and explore some truly remote and wild areas. These are some of the best beaches on the west coast of Australia :

Professional photographer Matt Garceau shares his experience of photographing Cartagena, Colombia .

Our authors have travelled the length and breadth of Trinidad and Tobago, shimmying through the streets at Carnival, body-surfing at the beaches and gorging on street food, yet chocolate remains one of their highlights.

Zimbabwe is back on the tourist map. But should you go? Rough Guides Managing Editor Keith Drew explains why this is one country that deserves another chance.

Chile has long lured the intrepid traveller but in 2018 things stepped up a level. The newly created Route of Parks – a string of Patagonian national parks – links up the country’s most remote corners, from snow-tipped volcanoes to blue-tinged hanging glaciers. Steph Dyson reports from the road.

If you want to understand Newcastle you first need to understand its place in the world – that is, a long way from anywhere. The next major city is Leeds, two hours drive to the south. To the north, beyond Hadrian's Wall, lie the Scottish borders. To the west, the windswept Northumberland moors. Head east and you're wading into the frigid waters of the North Sea. London feels very far away indeed.

The player leaps like a basketball star through a crowd of desperate opponents and flailing sticks. Barely visible to the naked eye, the arcing ball somehow lodges in his upstretched palm. Dropping to the ground, he shimmies his way out of trouble, the ball now delicately balanced on the flat end of his hurley, then bang! With a graceful, scything pull, he slots the ball through the narrow uprights, seventy yards away.

Twenty years ago the facades of the wood-built buildings in Lunenburg, a UNESCO-listed fishing town in Nova Scotia, were white with black trimming. The only exceptions were the red buildings down by the wharf.

For anyone planning a trip to the Philippines, Stephen Keeling has picked out ten top films that showcase the country’s landscapes, history and culture.

Paris is the world's most visited city. It draws in a barely comprehensible 30 million travellers each year – and its monuments, museums and galleries are some of Europe's most instantly recognisable. You could spend weeks here and not see them all. But what if you want to see an alternative Paris, a Paris off the beaten track?

A year out was once the preserve of 18-year-olds seeking direction in life but today things have changed. Forget spending 12 months in a haze of alcohol, harem trousers and sunburn. Travel in your late 20s and early 30s is now an acceptable, and often far more rewarding, time to explore the world.