Travel Lightbulb

I have to admit when I was researching new destinations to suggest to you I had never even heard of Palau, but if you're into diving or snorkelling you may well already be aware of it, as it's one of the best places in the world to do just that. Palau is an archipelago of more than 500 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, and 100% of its marine territory has been turned into a sanctuary to try to protect what has been labelled a 'Serengeti' on the sea. It's home to some of the healthiest reefs on the planet, and Palau's Blue Corner is amongst the world's top dive sites. This is a remote and untamed part of the world, but there were also some ferocious battles here during World War two - and you can see submerged ships and fighter planes in the lagoons. Top tip: Palau enjoys a warm climate all year round, and while rain is more frequent between July and October, there is still a lot of sunshine.

Travelling is one of my favourite things in the entire world, and this blog is usually full of positive things about discovering the world. However the process of getting to your final destination is not always fun. My reason for saying that? Airports….and a few travel gripes about them. Queuing is sometimes said to be a British trait, and I can’t think of a place where you will spend more time in several different queues than at airports. There is the queue for check-in. If you’ve checked in online, then you may still have one at the bag drop. Hand luggage only? Well fast forward to the queue at security. Once you’ve passed through there, you’ll find another one at the gate - why do people insist on queueing to get on the flight - you’ve got a seat, just wait until your row is called….the plane will not leave without you! Security is paramount these days, with so many scary things going on in the world, and I don’t have a problem going through the process if it means w...

On a recent trip to the Caribbean I was sitting on my balcony enjoying the sunset with a cheeky rum sundowner, when I got some company in the form of this little chap in the photo below. He sat quite patiently while I went to get him some bread, and posed quite nicely for me while I took this photo! It was one of those moments where you have to be quick with the camera in case your subject matter decides he's had enough to eat for the night and flies off - thankfully on this occasion he stuck around for just enough time!

If you've never been to Thailand before, then picture a lush country with white sand beaches and emerald waters. Today I'm featuring a fabulous hotel which is set on the edge of Krabi's National Marine Park at the heart of the stunning Phranang Peninsula. Courtesy of Rayavadee, Krabi Inspired by a southern Thai village, the Rayavadee resort has won awards for its architecture. There are 96 two-storey pavilions and 5 luxurious villas, all dotted through tropical gardens and coconut groves.  Courtesy of Rayavadee, Krabi There are several restaurants to choose from, with everything from elegant dining to casual beachside fare. As for things to do, there is a fabulous spa at the resort which also offers a full range of excursions to places on Krabi itself, as well as the area's outlying islands.  Courtesy of Rayavadee, Krabi The beaches here are stunning and there are three incredible ones just a few steps away. Phi Phi island can also be reached by spe...

I refused to use the term 'brexit' at the top of this article - is it really to much for people to say British exit rather than use a stupid phrase like that? Anyway, that aside there has been a lot of scaremongering in both the build-up to the referendum and since the result was announced. One of the main questions for me was - how will it affect travel around Europe for those of us who love spending our time off there? Long term, there will no doubt be big changes, but in the short term, the fact sterling has dropped to its lowest level for years means we'll feel the pinch that little bit more. Cheap flights have been one of the biggest benefits of membership of the European Union, and since 1994 EU airlines have been free to fly between any two points in Europe. That meant companies such as Ryanair have flourished, and fares have dropped to around 50% of what they were in the 1990s. The referendum result means British airlines such as easyJet could have th...