Mark was recently in Australia and part of his trip was to Queensland and included a visit the Cairns and Port Douglas , both gateways to the amazing Great Barrier Reef As one of the gateways to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is the main hub for visitors to Far North Queensland and is a great place to base yourself for a few days of relaxation and activity alike. Take a trip out to the reef itself or head inland to the amazing rainforests of the Daintree region to experience one of the few places where the rainforest meets the beach. The town itself offers a huge range of activities from bungee jumping and cableways gliding over the canopy to swimming lagoons. Whatever you do whilst in Cairns, be sure to get yourself out to the Greater Barrier Reef, one of Australia’s top attractions - there’s a myriad of options of how to visit this unique place with option for every level from qualified diver to total water-phobe, but the most important thing to our mind is just to ma...

If you are looking for something a little special then how about a stay in a pool villa and nowhere does them better than Thailand. Thailand is home to some of the most luxurious hotels you can find and many offer rooms that not only are stunning but also feature your own private swimming pool. One of Darren’s favourite pool villas can be found the beautiful Evason in the Thailand beach resort of Hua Hin. The resorts of Hua Hin and nearby Cha Am are relaxed alternatives to some of the more commercialised resorts, and offer a more Thai feel – I find this area of Thailand to be perfect for a relaxed stay, without being dull. As they are reached by road from Bangkok they also offer a straightforward and great value option with no domestic flights involved. Hua Hin offers long, sandy beaches, great food (try the night market in the centre of town or the restaurants along the beach – the seafood is fantastic!) and a good range of quality hotels, while Cha Am has a more r...

On a recent trip to Australia, Mark took a helicopter ride over the Great Barrier Reef and we just loved his video of the helipad! Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk

Mark is a great fan of the USA and one of his favourite areas is California (and surrounding areas) which is so much more than just the glitz and glamour of the cities, he suggests: I love the USA and would suggest starting in vibrant San Francisco before collecting a car and driving to stunning Yosemite national Park. Continue to Death Valley and finish your USA fly-drive in Las Vegas. Best from April to September. Day 1 - UK to San Francisco Fly from London to San Francisco , arriving later the same day. On arrival make your way to your chosen hotel, for a three night stay - we have a range to choose from, and your length of stay in San Francisco is flexible. Days 2-3 - San Francisco Spend the next few days exploring San Francisco. Perhaps prebook our San Francisco Helicopter tour, the ultimate San Francisco sightseeing trip - witness stunning views of the city skyline, San Francisco Bay and world-famous landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. Da...

Mark was in India in October last year and spent a week exploring the sights of the famous 'Golden Triangle' of the North, and a few days discovering the charms of laid-back Kerala in the South. Here's why it was his somewhat unexpected top trip of 2016 . . . . Exploring India's Historic North I visited two sides of India in October in two different ways, combined in to one trip. The first part of my trip was a group tour of the classic sights of the 'Golden Triangle ' - Delhi, Agra and Jaipur - which was arranged by our friends at G Adventures, who run amazing escorted tours with an adventurous streak. I then said goodbye to my group of fellow G Adventurers and headed to Kerala to spend a few days exploring the beaches, backwaters and history of this charming area, in the company of the fabulous folks at Kerala Travel Centre. Being an independent company ourselves we love working with other independent companies around the world. In all honesty ...

Throughout December we're having a look back at some of our favourite trips from 2016 - just last month Darren visited Kenya and was blown away by the wildlife of this magical destination. But he found a lot more besides, with beautiful landscapes, fabulous beaches along the coast, superb places to stay and he even managed a lively night out in vibrant Nairobi!   On Safari in Kenya Over the last few weeks I've been completely enthralled by David Attenborough's 'Planet Earth II' series, and while I wouldn't class myself as a wildlife buff I get very excited on safari. In November I spent four nights on safari and four nights on the beach, which is the ideal mix for part-time Attenborough's like me! On this trip I flew by light aircraft from Nairobi to the Masai Mara - I've been to Kenya a few times before and on my last visit I had a 4x4 vehicle to take in three different areas of the country, starting in Samburu in the north of Kenya before headi...

We're having a look back on some of our favourite trips from 2016 - it's been a busy year at Escape Worldwide and the team have been criss-crossing the globe from Sydney to Havana, Tokyo to Nairobi. Karen visited Malaysia and Bali in September, taking in vibrant Kuala Lumpur, Bali's various beach resorts including Nusa Dua, Seminyak, Legian and Sanur, and the relaxed mountain hideaway of Ubud. Here's a quick look at her highlights . . . Kuala Lumpur ​ Kuala Lumpur is one of my favourite Far East cities - it has such a buzz, there's loads to see and do, great quality hotels and some of the best food in Asia! I stayed at the Hotel Istana which is in a perfect location closed to the lively Bukit Bintang area of the city (think Oxford Street), and with one of my favourite streets a close walk away - Jalan Alor, which is packed with dozens of stalls each selling a local delicacy - delicious! I spent a day exploring the city using the local hop-on hop-o...