Japan Winter Festivals: Naked Men and Sake
From naked men to setting off fireworks and lots of sake, here is our round up of Japan Winter Festivals ranging from the quirky to the strange. Matsutaki Festival…
5 Wonderful Festivals of Lights Not to Be Missed
The symbolic power of light has always played a powerful role in the world’s many cultural and religious traditions. But apart from their traditional significance, festivals of lights are also…
Julian Carnall, Responsible Travel with Large Minority
Johan Smits discusses Sri Lanka, tuk tuk challenges and responsible travel with Julian Carnall, the man behind Large Minority and the Lanka Challenge. How did Large Minority come about? The…
10 of the Best Hikes in the World
Although hiking is fulfilling for many reasons, there’s no denying that it’s always better when the scenery is spectacular. These ten hikes are some of the world’s most scenic and…
Five Unmissable Hindu Festivals of India
Considering its vast size and enormous population, it’s no surprise that India is an incredible diverse country home to many different ethnic groups and religions. And with each of these…
Voyage to the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest
Taking an old paddlewheel steamer from Dhaka to the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest in Bangladesh, Johan Smits finds poetry, a lost city and a vast water forest. “What beauty, what shades,…
Levison Wood: Return to Nepal
Explorer, best-selling travel writer and former British army officer Levison Wood returns to Nepal on behalf of the Gurkha Welfare Trust to become acquainted with friends old and new…
Dhaka, Bangladesh – the World’s Most Crowded City
Johan Smits takes a deep breath before plunging into the world’s most crowded city, Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka. I’m a fan of Sci-Fi films. And often it’s the atmospheric, non-tech parts…
Simon Albert: Charity Challenge
Travel Begins at 40 chats with Simon Albert, Director of Charity Challenge, which celebrates its 20th birthday in 2019 helping raise over £55 million for charity in the process. How…
Macao Holidays: Where Portugal Meets China
On his Macao Holidays, Mike Pickup discovers a place that fuses its Portuguese and Chinese heritage in three quite distinct ways. It’s little wonder that at times Macao seems more…
Valentine’s Day Ideas for the Over 40s
It’s never too old to fall in love, nor to show you love that special someone. So, to provide some romantic inspiration, Travel Begins at 40 has rounded up a few…
Mauritius Holidays: Arrive a Visitor, Leave a Local
On his Mauritius Holidays, James Clark is overwhelmed by the hospitality of the island nation’s people and the rum.
