Best of the week: 31 July

VivekW Lonely Planet author

What an artsy week.
Maybe it’s the long, long summer days (or cold winter nights, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere), but users of lonelyplanet.com were in an artistic frame of mind this week.
You started off nostalgically, reminiscing about Southeast Asia in the 1970s (’Take the old stean train between Padang and Bikkitinggi [sic] while you…

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Best of the week: 24 July

VivekW Lonely Planet author

The week in travel started with a bang: around the world, the astronomically minded commemorated the 40th anniversary of the moon landing. Our community went loony, sharing moon-themed songs and discussing moon travel tech. Meanwhile, one of our authors imagined what a trip to our friendly neighbourhood satellite might look like. Back on the ground,…

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Zombie Travel

markbroadhead Lonely Planet author

For what shall it profit travellers, if they visit the whole world without experiencing it fully?
The Lonely Planet community has always been about Independent Travel. Our success is being able to empower curious people to get to the heart of a place, whether by getting around on public transport, getting beyond the tourist traps, supporting local…

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Kingston revisited

Tom Hall Lonely Planet author

Kingston, Jamaica deserves a better press.
In the recent Secret Caribbean TV series, legendary Trinidadian-born British newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald travelled the along the archipelago visiting paradise islands, top-end resorts and workaday cities. It made for great viewing: Trevor proved as engaging a guide to the Caribbean as he was a comforting voice bringing good news…

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Swine flu = no holiday?

Tom Hall Lonely Planet author

The global pandemic might be about to do something nasty to your holiday.
Part of the reason for going on holiday, often, is recuperating, either from the stresses of everyday life or getting over something nasty that’s knocked us for six. But as the Northern Hemisphere holiday season gets into full swing, if you show…

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What’s the state of travel?

VivekW Lonely Planet author

Every four months, the United Nations publishes the UNTWO World Tourism Barometer. It’s a great snapshot of the travel industry: what’s up, what’s down and (if you read the numbers right) what’s going to be hot.
And this time, it’s got some great news for travellers.
What are the highlights for this period? Well, the main thrust…

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Why I didn’t climb Uluru

rosem Lonely Planet author

Uluru (Ayer’s Rock, as it was called by white settlers) hums with energy and a palpable magic. Standing at the foot of this majestic hunk of red sand, it’s easy to see why many visitors are tempted to climb to its summit.
There’s always been dispute over whether or not you should climb Uluru. The traditional…

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Our very own concept store!

janeo Lonely Planet author

We’ve just opened our first ever concept store – and it’s a beautiful thing. It’ll sell our full range of products and travel guides, as well as a selection of high-quality travel accessories and merchandise. You can see it in all its glory at Sydney Airport, Australia.

Howard, our marketing guy, has this to say about…

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Lands of happiness

VivekW Lonely Planet author

What’s the happiest nation in the world?
Two studies have come out with conflicting results. According to CNN, a study by Britain’s New Economics Foundation gives the title to Costa Rica. (Runners up: the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. Vietnam was the top non-Central America/Caribbean nation, in fifth place.)
This conflicts with another widely cited study, from last…

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Backpack or suitcase?

VivekW Lonely Planet author

It’s a longstanding debate: which form of luggage is best?
Without access to a distinguished steamer trunk that comes with a team of porters, most folks have to choose between two options: suitcases and backpacks.
Both sides have their evangelists and detractors. Often, suitcase-wielders label pack-carriers as uncouth hippies, while backpackers see ‘the other kind’ as inexperienced,…

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