6 holidays you must try out

Travelling holds a whole new meaning in today’s world. With everyone trying to outdo each other’s vacation, curated holidays which focus on a specific theme have become the norm of today. We tell you about six curated holidays that will have you hooked. 

An adventure holiday

Imagine jumping off a mountain and actually flying for over 20 minutes. An adventure holiday gives you an adrenaline rush to wake up the sense and leaves you feeling refreshed when you head back to your daily routine. I decided to get my dose of adventure at Kuala Kubu Bharu. Bordered with hills in the countryside, it is one of the best places to go paragliding on the entire planet. Besides the amazing views from your paraglider, the rivers that flow through the mountains here offer the perfect chance for some river rafting, which is an exhilarating experience that should not be missed. For those wishing to stay on land, trekking and cycling through the mountains combines all the best things into one, with air, water and land all coming into play.

Book a private yacht

The ultimate goal for any luxury holiday junkie is booking yourself a private yacht and heading out onto the pristine blue sea. Our favourite is definitely the Mediterranean Sea, which has quite balmy weather while not being to choppy. This makes for a very pleasant experience at sea. We usually hire a yacht charter which you can find here before heading off to the numerous islands dotting the area. Each one is just waiting to be explored, so you just need to set course and get on your way. The super relaxed atmosphere of lazy days filled with glasses of wine, really scrumptious food, swimming and heading somewhere new to hit the party scene is definitely our kind of holiday.

Travelling for Wine

The world of Eastern European wines is quite interesting. Not only are these upcoming wines quite historic in nature, they also have some great flavour to them. Hungary is one great example of this and the province of Tokaj (pronounce To-Kah) is the place to enjoy the best Hungarian wine. The first thing that hits you the moment you enter Tokaj is the rows upon rows on vineyards that line both the sides of the roads. Located about 100 kms from the capital city of Budapest, the trip to Tokaj takes about an hour and half along the roads of Bukk mountains. All along the way, the sloping hills are dotted with quaint little wooden houses. Most of these multi coloured houses are home to local wine growers as they grow the grapes in the valleys below.

The best place to experience the magic of Tokaji (pronounced To Ka I) is at the Castle of Grof Degenfeld and the Barta Winery in the sleepy village of Mad. The former is a medieval castle that has been remade into a boutique hotel, which is sure to excite those looking for an experience like no other. Although the rooms transport you back to the grandiosity of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it is the cellars that impress the most. It is within these cellars that the magic of Tokaji unravels. What makes the Aszu different from other wines, is that the juice is extracted from the grapes before being fermented. The Furmint and Harslevelu are allowed to dry before a paste is made from these grapes which are later fermented into the wines. The wines that you absolutely must try include the Furmint ’16, Aszu ’13 and the Eszencia ’17. 

Temple Run

Nepal is a cornucopia of culture all compressed within its very small borders. A centre of Hinduism, Nepal is dominated by temples that feature astoundingly beautiful architecture. Kathmandu, the centre point of the main Hindu dynasties of Nepal has three main temple complexes that you must head to: the Pashupatinath temple complex, the Durbar Square at Patan and the Kathmandu Durbar Square.

The first one of these temples that we visited was the Pashupatinath temple, which was built as the abode of Shiva. This gargantuan structure was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1979. Guided tours will take you around the temple and start off at the East Gate and end at the West Gate where a massive statue of Nandi Bull, a companion of Lord Shiva imposes a sense of grandeur upon you. The main temple complex has two parts, an inner sanctum where the idol of Shiva is kept and the outer corridor where you can walk around and explore. The interiors of the temple are decorated in plush colours of gold and the walls are inlayed and truly catch the eye.

One of the holiest of places in the whole of Nepal is the Kathmandu Durbar Square. Not only have many kings from earlier generations chosen this as their capital, even the coronation of Nepal’s recent King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah has also happened here. Although there are many temples here, the Taleju temple built by Mahendra Malla in the 16^th century holds the prime spot. It is constructed in a typical Newari style and is elevated on platforms to form a pyramidal shape. Other temples worth a mention are Jagannath, Kotilingeswara, Mahadev and Mahendreswara.

But the one image that stuck with us through our trip was that of the Kalbhairav. This three metre high depiction of the God of destruction is usually the focal point of celebration during Durga Puja. The Durbar Square at Patan flourished under the reign of the Malla kings in the early 17th century. This red brick tiled pathway has imposing feats of Newari architecture on both sides. The Krishna temple is a massive temple which dominates the entry to Patan Durbar Square. The temple also houses a gigantic bell which was used to communicate with the other two brother cities. The interesting part about this temple is the carvings of stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Take a cruise holiday

Private cruises are a perfect option for families and friends looking for a relaxing sailing holiday to come together and enjoy each others company. These not only mix the comfort of luxury vacations but also brings in the spirit of adventure travel as well. Aboard your cruise you will not only enjoy the beautiy of the sea around you, but you can also bask in local knowledge, history and traditions of the area. Enjoying many gorumets meals, whilst overlooking the sunset, is one my most favourite memories from these types of holiday that I will never forget.

Sleep to the gentle waltz of the water in the comfort of your private stateroom, and emerge each day to a new awe-inspiring seascape. If you are looking for even more adventure you can always enjoy a day of snorkeling over dazzling reefs, when the night comes you can progress into an indulgent evening of dining and cocktails under a canopy of stars. Cruises allow you to truly enjoy some great adventure, like swimming, kayaking and fishing, but also gives you the chance to be in touch with civilisation too. Shopping at local markets or docking and even walks on the secluded beaches are an option while on a cruise.

Culinary Trail of Vancouver

Vancouver‘s diverse culinary scene is the perfect setting for a culinary trail. With immigrants from all over the world in it’s past 150 years of existence, it has become a potpourri of international flavours. To start off the trail, head to the oldest part of town in Gastown where the Salt Tasting Room offers Canadian cuisine like never before. The food here isn’t about complex dishes, instead there is a gamut of simple flavours on display. The Canada platter includes ham, honeycomb and local wines. Simple and great quality is the ethos here.

The next step of the tour is heading to an Irish bar that serves some of the best Irish American treats that you can find along with a pint of Guinness. There’s some pork ham wrapped in Goat Cheese long with maple syrup poured over it that you must try out.

Lebanese food also makes an appearance, with platters filled with delicious falafel, shawarma and freshly made hummus. Modern Vietnamese is also another cuisine that Vancouver has on offer. There is nothing better than the fresh herbs of Vietnamese cooking, combined with deliciously marinated meats and noodle dishes. Lastly, let’s not to forget that there’s also Chef Suri‘s, who uses locally sourced ingredients to create some amazing dishes. When we visited, he impressed us with medium rare steak served with a pumpkin mash, as well as Eggs Benedict made with freshly foraged mushrooms. Vancouver is one of those culinary destinations that is begging for you to explore it.

Tell us which one of these would you like to do?