Holiday & Travel

In Japan, New Year's Eve is widely considered the most exciting festivity of the year. It is the time when families and friends gather for feasts with rigour and pay homage to the stunning shrines and temples, embracing a fresh outlook and optimism for the coming 12 months. While family celebrations are prevalent during this special period, there is also no better time to experience Japanese culture as a holidaymaker.

Secluded and private, Villa Pangi Gita lies beside the banks of the Pangi River in the traditional Balinese village of Pererenan, south-west Bali. Water is an important feature here, and its importance is reflected in the villa's name which translates to 'the singing river Pangi' - a reference to the small river that borders the property and enhances the ambience with its therapeutic melody.

Exclusive drone footage of Uluru, offering a never before seen perspective of the 600 million year old monolith has been released by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. These spectacular birds-eye views of Australia's spiritual heart were captured by the first drone to ever operate under permit inside Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

With the end of summer fast approaching, Wendy Wu Tours welcomes the warm colours and vibrant landscapes that come with the change in season. The award-winning travel operator offers a range of unique itineraries that are perfect to explore in the autumn including the golden autumn leaves in Japan and the red-tinted trees of Zhangjiajie National Park in China.

Earlier in the summer, a range of independent seaside events in Northumberland joined together under the banner of the Festival of the Coast. The centrepiece of the 2016 Festival of the Coast is the prestigious North Sea Tall Ships Regatta coming to Blyth in south-east Northumberland during the August Bank Holiday weekend. With fun for all the family, this is a weekend not to be missed.

The city of Jaffna, while home to centuries worth of history and heritage, is also youthful in its stride into the future. As the foundation of Tamil tradition in Sri Lanka, a visit to the city exposes you to the colours and fervour of a culture that is vibrant and energetic. A casual walk through the quiet inroads has you treading the paths of the ancient kingdom of King Sankili, complete with palace ruins and royal bathing pools. Kovils painted in colours that span the spectrum of the rainbow can be found at every turn and the faithful gather at these sacred places for worship throughout the day.

Traveling is all about exploring new places, having a pleasurable stay and finding inspiration within new destinations. The way we travel today has changed. Mostly thanks to technology, but also because of changes in lifestyle. This year, millennials represent the fastest growing group of travelers, exploring the world with their smartphones and digitally connecting with new places.

Old and new, colour and chaos, sticky cities and lush mountain ranges – India is a bustling hot mess of wonderful that blazes a trail in travellers' memories long after they've returned home. Contiki, the world leader in authentic youth travel experiences, is returning to this colourful destination after 40 years with the introduction of a brand new Indian Itinerary.

Autumn's coming and the impending change in temperatures welcomes a new range of seasonal produce to the table, providing enticing flavours and comfort to avid food lovers. Laidback luxury boutique hotel Ett Hem houses one of the city's most secret and delightful small restaurants, showcasing seasonal Scandinavian delicacies.

This natural phenomenon will be seen to varying degrees across the southern half of South America but it is in Patagonia where the totality of the eclipse can be seen. The 15-day Highlights of Chile with the solar eclipse holiday starts in the capital, Santiago, before journeying south to the wilderness landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park where guests can enjoy rewarding hikes to the peaks, lakes and waterfalls of the UNESCO biosphere reserve.

Following the publication of this years A-Level results, gap year specialist tour operator, TruTravels, has released a set of expert travel tips to help students as they set off on their gap year travels. Consisting of ten pieces of expert advice for new travellers, including everything from learning about local customs before they travel, to planning their general direction of travel within a week of arrival, the list provides a useful starting point for any budding traveller.

Snowdonia is mountain biking mecca, so when you are here, unless you have a severe aversion to bikes, you should make the effort to give it a go. There are trails for all abilities from beginner to advanced and makes for an amazing day out. Set in the most beautiful forest just outside Dolgellau, there are 8 trails in total ranging from a simple forest road, a blue trail perfect for children and families and a series of 6 red and black trails to keep even the most experienced of riders going.

The site of the old look-out and flag signaling station at the top of Signal Hill which overlooks Victoria has significant potential to become one of Seychelles’ most popular and visited sites alongside such other natural and cultural heritage sites as the Mission Ruins or Copolia. It has two of the most essential elements which make for a successful visitor attraction: view impact and historical interest.

Stepping outside of the usual and experiencing something new to even the quirkiest soul is what traveling is all about.  From the odd to the eccentric, these can't- miss, curious attractions are celebrated for keeping Greater Palm Springs and the surrounding California desert region utterly unique.

If you've been thrilled by the drama of the Perseid meteor shower, head to one of these dark sky glamping sites from Campsites.co.uk for a short break spotting stars and distant galaxies. Remember to take a blanket to lie on, warm clothes and download a star gazing app to help you identify the incredible nighttime sights.