Inspirational Women for International Women’s Day 2021
In celebration of International Women’s Day 2021 (8 March), the incredible work shaped by women from across the globe deserves to be recognised. From the first African American female Mayor…
Alternative World Wildlife Day Wish List
In 1973, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 3 March as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. Wildlife is the…
Travel Tales I – From Delphi to Annapurna
Travel Begins at 40 editor and founder Mark Bibby Jackson sets off on a lifetime spent travelling starting with youthful visits to Greece, Egypt and Nepal in his travel tales….
Virtual New Year’s Eve 2020 Celebrations
2020 has been the most forgettable of years, so why not give it a proper send off? Here is our round-up of virtual New Year’s Eve 2020 celebrations. While we…
9 Eco-friendly Travel Hotspots for 2021
Green travel can mean much more than simply carbon offsetting the emissions from your flight. In many ways travel can be good for the environment with many countries and tourist…
Major Sporting Events To See At Least Once
Attendance at sporting events might be on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but when fans are allowed back in the stadium, perhaps you should set your sights high on…
Walking in Japan along the Michinoku Coastal Trail
James Clark goes walking in Japan along the Michinoku Coastal Trail in Tohoku, a remote region of the country that suffered terribly at the hands of the 2011 Tsunami and…
Things to Do in Jerusalem in 48 Hours
Few cities in the world captivate in the same way as Jerusalem. It is a city that we all know, and sacred to three of the world’s great religions, Judaism,…
8 Inspiring Travel Images of Asia
Although travel has been prevented for most of us, we can still dream of the future. Hopefully these wonderful travel images of Asia by Rupert Marlow will inspire you on…
Six Best Natural Sites to Visit in Japan
Modern Japan is a country of contrasts. On the one hand, it is the home of bustling metropolises, such as Tokyo, on the other, it is a calm and spiritual…
Must-visit Travel Destinations for Sports Lovers
Many people believe that sports can break all barriers existing between countries. It is a fine lens through which you can look and understand people much better. And when the…
The Longest Beach in the World: Cox’s Bazar
After crisscrossing Bangladesh by boat and bus, Johan Smits concludes his Bengal travel saga in Cox’s Bazar and gets away from it all on the longest beach in the world….
7 Electric Bike Tours from around the World
Always popular, cycling tours have gotten an extra “charge” in recent years with the addition of electric bikes, allowing guests to ride hills with ease or get a boost to…
Top 5 Once in a Lifetime Travel Experiences
All you wanderlusters out there, what is it that makes your heart pump out loud? Watching that beautiful sunset over the Tanah Lot in Bali, the sunrise at Giza’s Great…
Into the Chittagong Hill Tracts: Rangamati
Johan Smits visits Rangamati Bangladesh in the travel-restricted Chittagong Hill Tracts – the country’s highlands and home of the Jumma people. I’m on my way from Chittagong, Bangladesh’s largest port…
6 Alternative Places to Visit in 2020
The world is getting smaller so they say with less new places to explore. Think again. Espousing the philosophy of undertourism, Travel Begins at 40 suggests alternatives places to visit…
Cultural Dance Festivals Around the World
Dance like nobody is watching – well, there’s little chance of that happening in today’s modern world with Instagram and selfie sticks. There are thousands of cultural dance festivals around…
Bangladesh Travel: Rivers, Relics and Wrecks
After visiting the capital Dhaka and taking a voyage to the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Johan Smits continues his Bangladesh travel by road, river and rail, encountering ancient relics and huge,…
5 Great Mongolia Festivals Not to Be Missed
From horse-drawn sledges on a frozen lake to the world’s biggest camel race in the Gobi desert, Travel Begins at 40 has selected five great Mongolia festivals for 2020. Tsagaan…
Bangladesh Rickshaw Art : Photo Journey
Travel Begins at 40’s Johan Smits shares his love of the brilliant rickshaw art in Bangladesh with a series of colourful photos. To foreign visitors in Bangladesh, the ubiquitous and…
5 Wonderful Asia Off-The-Beaten-Track Destinations
Travel Begins at 40 spills the beans about five themed and truly off-the-beaten-track destinations in different parts of Asia. When travelling in Asia, you may feel it’s getting increasingly hard…
Why Sri Lanka Travel Industry Needs You
Jacinta Lim, co-founder at Seek Sophie, makes the case for how we all can work together to help the Sri Lanka travel industry recover from the impact of the Sri…
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…