Insider knowledge: Professor G. Scott Hubbard on space tourism
In this guest post, Stanford University’s Professor G. Scott Hubbard – former Director of NASA’s Ames Research Center, founding editor-in-chief of the New Space journal, and author of Exploring Mars: Chronicles from a Decade of Discovery – looks at whether the travel industry is heading for the final frontier.
Having been active in the US space program for 45 years, both with NASA and now Stanford, I’ve seen many proposals suggesting that personal space travel is right around the... Read More
Wonderings: are the stars our destination?
Wonderings: rambles through and reflections on travel... this month, James Kay considers tourism's final frontier: space © Joe Davis / Lonely Planet
Aside from a few forays to France, the furthest my maternal grandparents travelled was Pembrokeshire, Wales (repeat visits to a wind-buffeted static caravan in Croes-goch, if you must know). Just a generation later, my parents’ peregrinations had encompassed most of Western Europe.
As of writing, I’ve visited about 50 countries (I... Read More
Just back from: Taiwan
Louise at the Longshan Temple in Taipei © Louise Bastock
Louise Bastock, Assistant Editor at Lonely Planet, recently returned from a trip to Taiwan.
Tell us more… When I used to think about Taiwan, the dominant images in my mind would be of its capital city Taipei, specifically the skyscraper-studded skyline against a blue or lilac sunset, or the twinkly Tokyo-esque lights of its streets and lanes. But, beyond this vast metropolis, there is so much more to discover. Blasted up from... Read More
Pathfinder spotlight: Maria and Katerina, It’s all trip to me
Maria and Katerina exploring their home city of Athens © It's all trip to me
While the life of a full-time traveller may seem like an idyllic existence, it’s not for everyone. Ties to home – from family responsibilities to a budding career – might keep us from committing to a nomadic way of living, but it certainly doesn’t mean travel is off the table.
We caught up with Pathfinders Maria and Katerina from It’s all trip to me to talk upcoming adventures, all things travel... Read More
Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel Quiz
How well do you know our home planet? © Dima Zel / Shutterstock
Do you know the name of the world’s third-highest mountain? Or in what year the euro was introduced as legal tender? Pit your wits against our toughest travel quiz to date – a thirty-question, all-encompassing behemoth of world trivia, with questions taken from Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel Quiz – our new title containing over 100 fun travel-themed quizzes for all ages.
So strap yourself in and prepare to put your... Read More
Pathfinder pics: wandering the waterfalls of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Great Smoky Mountains NP is a wonderful showcase of nature's power © Nick Alvarez
Lonely Planet Pathfinder, Nick Alvarez of Be Real Travel, recently returned from a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park – one of our best value destinations for 2019. Armed with his camera and tripod, he embarked on a journey to capture the park’s numerous waterfalls in full flow.
As the most-visited national park in the USA, Great Smoky Mountains is packed with magnificent sights including... Read More
Pathfinder pics: exploring Panama – one of our top countries to visit in 2019
Sunset in the breathtaking El Valle ©Timothy Cohen
Lonely Planet Pathfinder, Timothy Cohen, is recently back from a whirlwind trip around Panama – one of our top countries to visit in 2019. From deserted beaches to bustling, urban hubs, here's what he discovered...
Panama has always been a mystery to me. All I knew about the country was its world-famous canal. The closer I got to its border, the more fellow travellers I met who seemed dubious about my plan to explore the country for... Read More
Wonderings: have you felt a disturbance in the Force?
Wonderings: rambles through and reflections on travel... this month, James Kay travels to the parallel universe of the theme park © Joe Davis / Lonely Planet
It’s a special week for the 177,000-odd people in England and Wales, and many more around the world, who define their religion as Jedi: Saturday is Star Wars Day (May the Fourth, geddit?), the annual grassroots celebration of all things related to that galaxy far, far away.
Each year, fans of the franchise don robes, put... Read More
Pathfinders: best blogs, Instagram shots and videos from March 2019
Where will our Pathfinders take you this month? © Alexander Ippolitov / Shutterstock
From New York’s stunning street art scene to Siberia’s wild winter wonderlands, our Pathfinders have been jet-setting across the globe and have returned with ever more inspiring tales of their adventures. Check out March’s round-up of our favourite blogs, Instagrams and videos.
Best of the blogs
Street art in New York city: a guide to the best hotspots – Carol Guttery
Dive into the colour... Read More
Wonderings: Notre Dame will rise from the ashes even greater than before
Wonderings: rambles through and reflections on travel... this month, James Kay says that Notre Dame will emerge from the recent fire as an even greater monument © Joe Davis / Lonely Planet
Many years ago, I climbed the spiral staircase that winds its way up to the balcony connecting the two towers of the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris’ western facade. From there, you can see many of the city’s greatest landmarks: the Eiffel Tower, the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, the Arc de Triomphe,... Read More
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