Travel

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016

Take the road less travelled with our inspirational tips on off the beaten path travel destinations.

Travel

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For Rugged Naturalists – Cape York Peninsula, Australia: In far, far North Queensland, there is no beaten track. Instead, the track beats you if you’re ill-prepared. To access the stunning remote wilderness area, you have to navigate a  4WD-only track, which is only open in the dry season. FB

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For Cliffhangers – Slieve League Cliffs, Ireland: The Cliffs of Moher may be a lot more famous, but keep heading north on the Wild Atlantic Way to discover cliffs that are more than twice as high. In fact, they are the highest accessible sea cliffs in Europe. Walk the One Man’s Path to escape the (barely existent) crowds. FB [Photo: Raymond Fogarty]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For Wannabe Royalty – Schachen Palace, Germany: Schloss Neuschwanstein, King Ludwig II’s famous fairytale castle, is one of the most popular sights in Germany – and mobbed with tourists year-round. Luckily, construction was one of the ill-fated monarch’s favourite hobbies, so there are plenty of other residences to visit. This chalet-style Alpine palace, with opulent oriental interiors, is a curiosity worth the 3-hour hike. FB

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For Italia-Lovers – Le Marche, Italy: This Mid-Italian province has a bit of everything – a beautiful coast, picturesque towns, hikeable hills, Renaissance art, historic castles and monasteries… plus all the fantastic food, delicious wines and sense of Dolce Vita you expect from an Italian holiday, minus throngs of tourists. FB [Photo: Eric Huybrechts/Flickr]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For Bold Beach-Goers – Scala dei Turchi, Sicily: On a tongue in southern Sicily, this stretch of beach dazzles with its blinding white hues – a giant headland of eroded marl jutting into the sea. Forget about fully-equipped beaches and crowded shores; join a parade of unusual pilgrims equipped with cameras, trainers and bathing suits. Hike to the top of these natural bluffs and fill your lungs with salty air, taking in this one-of-a-kind scene. GC [Photo: Benito La Malfa/Flickr]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For Detective Fans – Scicli, Sicily: In his unfinished book Le città del mondo, Italian writer Elio Vittorini described Scicli as “the most beautiful of all cities in the world (…) joyous with its mushroomed roofs, magpies and bells pealing”. Years later, chosen as a location for Italian TV series Inspector Montalbano, this UNESCO gem leapt out of obscurity to show off its 18th-century Baroque style, white paved alleys and grinning stone masks that seem to mock passersby from the awe-inspiring palaces they decorate. GC [Photo: Michiluzzu/Flickr]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For High Seas Explorers – Tallinn, Estonia: Tallinn’s Seaplane Harbour features some of the greatest maritime artefacts in Europe. Visitors can spend the whole day navigating the huge warehouse that houses the museum, so make sure you plan enough time to explore the 1930s Lembit war submarine before strolling through an exhibition of more than 100 genuine items, from sailing ships to small fishing boats and naval mines. PC [Photo: /kallu/Flickr]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For Cheese Connoisseurs – Rocamadour, France: The medieval village of Rocamadour is a place of pilgrimage, built literally into the rock of a valley in southwestern France. Visitors come for the beauty and impressive design, but once there, they discover the real secret: its eponymous goat cheese produced by local farmers and protected under a heritage status. PC [Photo: Anselm Pallas/Flickr]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For Snow Sport Seekers – Grandvalira, Andorra: The French and Swiss Alps are the shining stars of the European ski season, but Andorra – a tiny mountain country nestled in the Pyrenees between Spain and France – holds its own in the winter sports arena. Of its 2 resorts, Grandvalira is the biggest and most versatile, offering 210-km of slopes, many of them wide and perfect for those still finding their snow legs. Several official off-piste areas, controlled for avalanches and served by ski lifts, offer a safe and convenient challenge for more hardcore athletes. JK [Photo: Clement Poujol/Flickr]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For All-Around Explorers – Albania: Mediterranean beaches, alpine mountains, medieval castles… Albania lays claim to much the same attractions as Europe’s old guard, only it’s easier on the wallet and – with much smaller crowds – the nerves. Add to this rich landscape a unique and fascinating history, from Ottoman rule to the dark times of Communist dictatorship, and Albania is a clear contender for the continent’s most intriguing destination. Not to miss: the Ionian coast, the Ottoman architecture of Berat, and the cultural cocktail that is capital Tirana. JK [Photo: Sarah Tz/Flickr]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For Culture Collectors – Sri Lanka: This small island nation has begun to turn heads (indeed, we named it among our top destinations for 2015), but while most tourists make a beeline for the west coast beaches and stunning Sigiriya rock, there are plenty of less-visited sites that shouldn’t be missed. Check out the ruins of medieval capital Polonnaruwa; hop the train from Kandy to Ella, snaking over 7 hours through lush tea plantations; and visit the rarely-touristed town of Jaffna in the far north to experience Hindu culture and see a resilient people recovering from the brunt of the recent civil war. JK [Photo: Jessica Keller]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For a different perspective – Lake Louise, Canada: Few if any lakes can be more photogenic than Lake Louise, the jewel Alberta’s crown. For a different view, take a horseback tour around the lake. If you do, don’t be alarmed should a pack of large dogs accompany your party. As one woman asked what exactly the dog’s role in the proceedings was, our rugged cowboy guide replied “Ma’am, the dogs’re for the grizzlies…” JLT [Photo: Jules/Flickr]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For the intrepid explorer – Boyacá, Colombia: One of the original nine states of the ‘United States of Colombia’, Boyacá lies within easy reach of the capital city Bogotá and offers a spectacular and varied landscape in a region that was the heartland of the independence movement and still features pockets of beautifully-preserved colonial architecture. This is the place to discover Colombia at its most authentic and ancient with well-preserved ancient monoliths of the Muisca people. JLT [Photo: Adriana Pulido-Villamarín/Wikimedia Commons]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For a glimpse of life on the water – Regent’s Canal, London: Visitors to London too often stick to the best-known tourist locations or, more often, a safe distance from the nearest underground station exit. Hidden just steps away are often undiscovered delights. One example is the historic Regent’s Canal that starts at Little Venice and ends in Docklands, where you will discover a multitude of hidden oases. JLT [Photo: Veronica Aguilar/Flickr]

Travel

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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Escape from Hong Kong – Cheung Chau, HK: Hong Kong is one of the world’s most vibrant and fascinating metropolises. However, for all its frenetic charm, there comes a time for many visitors when they simply want a break from the big city and a change of pace. The perfect solution is a visit to one of Hong Kong Kong’s smaller islands. While the crowds head to Lantau Island, we suggest Cheung Chau as an alternative with its coastal ‘Mini Great Wall’ walk and fresher-than-fresh seafood. JLT [Photo: Colin Tsoi/Flickr]

Travel

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For The Knowledge-Hungry – Tamegroute, Morocco: An oasis of palm groves, the Draa Valley is home to a tiny town with many facets. Outside the dark kasbah, potters master the ancestral secrets of earth and fire; beside them, plates and bowls soak in the sun, ready to be transformed into beautiful green-glazed ceramics. Together with the Quranic library, they form the pride of the community. Discover them in a village removed from time at the edge of the desert. AT [Photo: Anissa Tijani]

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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For Nature’s Biggest Fans – Crater Lake, Oregon: Sometimes, you come across a place so breathtaking (literally – you might forget to breath for a second) that time itself seems suspended. This is how Oregonians describe their Crater Lake National Park: a massive, deep blue pool of water surrounded by evergreens, created by a destroyed volcano thousands of years ago. Take a short hike on Cleetwood Trail to experience the serenity for yourself – or as American poet Joaquin Miller dubbed it, “The Sea of Silence”. GW [Photo: Jonathan Miske/Flickr]

Travel

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Off the Beaten Path – New Travel Discoveries For 2016.

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