Travel News

Shinki Bus, a bus company in Japan based in the city of Himeji in Hyogo Prefecture, is taking a decommissioned city bus (top right) and turning it into a sauna on wheels - known as 'Sabus'. The remodelled Sabus will incorporate some of the classic design elements of the bus. 'You can enjoy the sauna in a space that makes the best use of the remnants of the route bus,' the Sabus website reads. Here, 'before' pictures (inset left) show the original bus, and amazing new renderings (main and bottom right) show what it will look like once it's completed...

'Prada! In the middle of nowhere?' So remarks Marge Simpson in an episode of The Simpsons (inset right) that made a real-life but fake Prada store in Texas even more irresistible as a photo-op pitstop, following a serious boost in its allure by Beyonce, who posted a picture of herself jumping in front of it to Instagram (inset left). The bizarre 'Prada store' sits by the road in the middle of the West Texas desert and contains genuine items from the 2005 Prada collection, including 20 pairs of heels (left-foot only) and six handbags. But you can't buy them.

Here we show you how to find authentic culinary experiences on every Caribbean island, with chefs, both local and from overseas, determined to raise the region's gastronomic game. Take French and Spanish cuisines, mix with African techniques and East Indian flavours, throw in some British and Dutch traditions, add tropical ingredients and abundant exotic fruits. Leave it all to steep, or 'creolise' for several centuries - then serve as you sit with sand between the toes and views over a radiant blue sea. Pictured clockwise from top left: The restaurant at the Atlantis Hotel in Barbados, the Fish Pot restaurant in Barbados, a table at the Blue Horizons Garden Resort in Grenada, Le Phare Bleu restaurant in Grenada, and (inset) chef Trevon Stoute, who brings luxury dining to private clients in the villas of Barbados.

The skyscraper - called 'The Brooklyn Tower' - is located at 9 Dekalb Avenue and it's described as an 'imaginative new building' that is 'formed by interlocking hexagons and dramatic cascading setbacks in a facade of shimmering bronzes and deep blacks'. The companies behind the build are JDS Development Group and Shop Architects, who say the tower is a 'monumental new residential building with unprecedented views'. Here, photographs show the landmark structure tower over the skyline...

The 500million-euro (£430million/$600million) 'yacht liner' - which has a length of 222m (728ft) - will offer 39 ultra-luxury apartments starting at 9.5million euros (£8.1million/$11.2million). Owners of the apartments will have the chance to commission for their own individual design either London-based Winch Design, or Tillberg Design or Luttenberger Design from Sweden.

The site - 'the UK's only dog-first travel website' - comes from the teams behind the much-lauded human-focused Sawday's and Canopy & Stars portfolios. It told MailOnline Travel: 'Anyone who's travelled with a dog knows that "dog-friendly" can mean many things, from a frown and a set of rules longer than your arm, to a scratch behind the ears and welcome treats. That's why the teams behind Sawday's and Canopy & Stars have created Paws & Stay.' Here we present a sneak peek at some of the accommodation listed on the site, from Aberdeen to Cornwall, where dogs are welcomed and celebrated.

Each entrant in the Natural Landscape Photography Awards adheres to strict rules on digital editing so that viewers 'would not feel deceived by the end result if they were to see that original scene themselves'. The founders of the contest strive to promote 'realism' in landscape photography, saying: 'Digital adjustments are allowed with the understanding that the integrity of the subject should be maintained.' Utah-based landscaper photographer Eric Bennett takes the top spot in the first year of the contest, winning Photographer of the Year and trumping 13,368 entries from 47 countries. The contest adds: 'The results are a fantastic showcase of not only the photographers involved, but also the true wonder of the landscape in a way that people can trust.' Here is MailOnline Travel's pick of the winning pictures...

If you've run out of ideas for a holiday somewhere beautifully exotic, help is at hand - this new book conjures up an intoxicating itinerary for a tour of the Far East with the stunning photographs revealing the region's most alluring spots. Far Far East - A Tribute To Faraway Asia, published by teNeues, showcases the work of Berlin-based photographer Patrick Pichler, who documented the towering beauty of Nepal's mountains, serene national parks in China, and the metropolitan landscapes of Taiwan and South Korea. The book, which is illustrated with over 200 photographs, is co-written by Pichler and author Alexa Schels. The pair spent just over a year travelling through eight countries while working on the project, before their odyssey came to an end in December 2019. Here you'll find a handful of breathtaking images from the tome...

Britons have long had a love affair with New York. The soaring skyscrapers, the ever-evolving restaurant scene, unrelenting noise, and the 24/7 buzz - it is a city in constant motion and it can make London look pastoral by comparison. Here, New Yorker Ashley Pearson shares her tips on the hidden gems in the city that never sleeps. Pictured clockwise from top left: The Edge experience, the secret bar at Grand Central Station, the spa at The Peninsula, the hotel's rooftop sun terrace and (inset) The Grill's strip steak.

Attracting tourists from around the world, the 'Temple Of All Religions' combines the design tropes of a Jewish synagogue, an Orthodox and Catholic church, a mosque, a Chinese pagoda, and a Buddhist temple, as well as symbols of ancient religions. It's found in Staroye Arakchino, a district along the banks of the Volga River beside the Russian city of Kazan, which is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. These pictures offer a glimpse inside the intriguing building...

MailOnline Travel's Ted Thornhill checked into The Midland hotel in Manchester's city centre and ate at its legendary restaurant - The French (top right), which has four AA rosettes and a past guest list that includes Posh and Becks, who chose it as the venue for their first official date. Before enjoying an exquisite tasting menu with matching wines, Ted drank Champagne in the new split-level lobby bar (top left), which features real olive trees. Read on to hear more about his visit to 'the grandest hotel in the North'...

Over a century has passed since the end of World War I, but physical reminders of 'the war to end all wars' remain today. These are explored in Abandoned Places of World War I, a new book by Neil Faulkner. The book documents bunkers, trench systems, tunnels, fortifications and gun emplacements, guiding the reader from North America to Australia via the UK. In the introduction to the book, Faulkner writes: 'When the war finally ended - with 1.5million dead and 30million maimed for life - the conflict left a residue of material remains greater than that of all previous wars combined.' Pictured clockwise from top left: SS Ayrfield in Parramatta, New South Wales; a gun emplacement in Slovenia; Przemysl Fortress in Poland; Kaunas Fortress in Lithuania, and (inset) Fort Mississauga in Ontario, Canada.

British travellers will find that their pound will go furthest in Turkey, where they'll get over £210 extra on a £500 transaction compared to March 2020 when lockdown began, a gain of 73 per cent. That's according to Post Office Travel Money's 'Holiday Money Index 2021' report, which has been measuring exchange rate movements and foreign currency sales. The report also reveals the fastest-selling currencies and the top 10 best-value long-haul winter sun destinations in terms of item costs. In terms of exchange rate value, the report names Jamaica as the second-best location for Britons. There, £500 will buy them an extra £127 of currency, a 34 per cent gain since the first lockdown. Mauritius is third in the ranking with a 29 per cent gain - that's £111 more to spend on a £500 transaction - and Kenya is fourth, with a £99 gain.

Qatar Airways is the undisputed best airline in the world, having been named the No.1 carrier on the planet for the sixth year running at the 'Oscars of Aviation', the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2021, and scooping the gold medal in the 'best business class' category. But how has it earned these accolades and are the standards kept up at the back of the cabin, too? Travel experts from The Points Guy UK set about finding out. Two of them boarded one of the carrier's flagship Boeing 777s in Doha for a flight to London Heathrow with video cameras in tow to compare the business and economy class experiences.

The Caribbean conjures images of palm tree-fringed beaches with white sand slipping gently into a sparkling, crystal-clear sea. And while these gorgeous islands are ripe for relaxation, they also have some of the best pools in the world, where you can take a dip without having to worry about tides, currents… or what lurks beneath the tropical waters.

The first SeaWorld park without killer whales is nearing completion in the UAE, with images showing the Abu Dhabi attraction taking shape on Yas Island and revealing what some of the attractions will look like. Billed as 'the next generation of marine life theme parks', SeaWorld Abu Dhabi will feature the world's 'largest and most expansive marine [sealife] aquarium' and the Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre. Here, pictures show what we can expect from the theme park...

You'll be hard-pushed to find lodgings in Italy with a better view than this - but you'll need to work for it. A striking new hiking shelter has been built in the Dolomites at an elevation of 8,750ft (2,667m) - but endure the toil to reach it and you'll be able to shelter from the weather and drink in a magnificent panorama of the Marmarole mountain group via a vast floor-to-ceiling window. Incredible pictures show how the 34ft- (10.4m) long hut, called New Bivouac Fanton [bivouac means encampment], sits improbably on the edge of a ridge in truly wild and remote terrain. In one image, it actually looks like it's tumbling down the mountain.

The trend for glamping continues to gather momentum, and with its popularity come ever more elaborate and creative efforts by site owners to ensure guests can enjoy their creature comforts all year round. Cosy accoutrements include king-sized beds, wood-burners, hot tubs and underfloor heating so you can always snuggle down while staying close to nature. Eve McGowan relaxed in a Suffolk yurt before charting the best glamping sites across Britain, from pods in Cumbria to log cabins with valley views in Wales.

At an elevation of 1,131ft, 'Edge' - on the 100th floor of New York's supertall '30 Hudson Yards' skyscraper - is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. And it has a glass floor. But now visitors are being offered an even more intense experience at the top of the tower - the chance to climb above Edge to the summit and hang out over the side, 1,271ft (387m) above the ground. The exhilarating experience is called 'City Climb' and is billed as the highest external building climb in the world. The circle in the inset-right picture indicates where the ascent to the top starts... 

It's the ultimate rental for fans of Sex and the City. A stunning recreation of the Brownstone New York apartment that the show's Carrie Bradshaw character lived in is being put up for rent by Airbnb. What's more, Sarah Jessica Parker - who played her - not only had a hand in designing it, but will welcome guests when they arrive. Here's a glimpse inside the recreated apartment, which is filled with replica props from the original series...

With 30 major islands - and more than 100 if you include every cay, spit and sandbar that disappears at high tide - the Caribbean offers a mind-boggling variety of destinations. There are volcanic islands smothered in jungle, lively islands and some with just one hotel on them. And then there are the beaches - some deserted, others shoulder-to-shoulder with bars. So which should you choose?

The standard is, as always, stratospheric. But after sifting through thousands of entries that 'celebrate the richly diverse landscape of the UK', the panel decided that it's a photographer from America that has taken the wow factor to the highest height, with the most impressive picture of the country. Mara Leite, who is originally from Seattle, has been declared the overall winner of this, the 14th edition of the competition, for her stunning shot of a tree-lined pathway in West Sussex.

If you're in the market for a novel place to live - this fascinating property could be just the job. Twenty-five Craven Street, a six-storey house in Westminster, London, is now available to rent for £19,500 a month - and it's where Herman Melville was inspired to write Moby Dick. The American novelist (inset) moved into the property in 1849, two years before he published Moby Dick. A blue plaque outside the Georgian townhouse commemorates the spell he spent in the building, which was a boarding house at the time. Read on to learn more about the historic property...

VanLifers: Beautiful Conversions for Life on the Road (published by The History Press ), by Alex Waite, showcases 18 remarkable vehicle rebuilds around the world and the intriguing stories behind them. Among others, readers meet a family who turned a shiny red firetruck into their home on wheels and a couple who gutted an out-of-service ambulance to transform it into their dream camper. In the introduction to the book, Waite writes: 'Whether you are converting your own vehicle, thinking about doing so in the future or just enjoy imagining a life on the road, their tales and advice are sure to inspire you - they have definitely inspired me.' Read on to discover some of the 'beautiful and innovative converted vehicles' that star in the tome...

Lonely Planet's newly released Best In Travel 2022 book crowns the top 10 countries, top 10 regions, and top 10 cities to visit next year. The best cities have been unveiled as Auckland, Taipei and Germany's Freiburg - with Dublin in seventh - and the best regions as Iceland's Westfjords, West Virginia, Xishuangbanna in China and Kent's Downs and Heritage Coast ranking fourth. 'After an enforced hiatus, it's time to take those long-postponed travel plans off the shelf and make them a reality and the lists celebrate the world in all its wonderful enticing variety,' says Lonely Planet. Here, we reveal the winners...

En-suite bathroom? Check. Restaurant and bar? Check. Mysterious footsteps, spectral hounds and phantom pianos being played? Check. Welcome to some of Britain's most haunted hotels and inns, accommodation steeped in history - and writhing in wraiths. Too nervous to spend the night? Some of the properties here offer guided tours of their most spine-chilling spots. Read on to find out where to go for the ultimate spooky stay. Pictured: Littlecote House Hotel in Berkshire (top left); The Swan in Lavenham, Suffolk (top right, inset); Bell Hotel in Thetford (bottom right), and The Mermaid Inn, Rye (bottom left).

Need to chill out? Then you might warm to the idea of staying in a former refrigerated truck trailer - one that has been transformed into a cosy holiday rental. Polish mobile hotel chain Good Spot operates four such rentals - and is gearing up to launch a new service, where guests vote online for where they are set up. While the details haven't been finalised yet, Good Spot plans to open the vote in January, with holidaymakers selecting between two intriguing landscapes - a 'mystery' lake and a seaside location in Poland.

Harriet Sime and her fiance enjoy 'outstanding service' at One&Only; Le Saint Geran (top right and bottom right) before checking in to the 'sprawling resort' of Shangri-La Le Touessrok (top left). One of the highlights of the trip is a tasting session in Lolita's Rum Shack. Describing the rum, Harriet says: 'It's sweet, warm and unforgettable - quite like our whole experience of Mauritius.'

The Siena International Photo Awards has a deserved reputation for consistently showcasing breathtaking photography. And this year's winners and commended entries keep the standard up. Turkish photographer Mehmet Aslan was declared the overall winner with an 'emotionally strong' image of a father who had lost a leg in a bomb blast holding his son, who was born without lower or upper limbs due to a congenital disorder. The photo was selected from tens of thousands of images submitted by photographers from 163 countries. The winners will be on display in Siena from Saturday, October 23, at the Siena Awards Festival. Here is MailOnline Travel's pick of the top entries...

Do you think of Florida as just one big theme park? Think again. With secret islands and sweeping expanses of wilderness, it's a place where you can really get back to nature, and where you're more likely to see a pelican or heron than a cartoon duck. Not only that, the Sunshine State has a wealth of historic towns and cultural cities, and miles of sandy shores. And as UK tourists are allowed to return from next month, it makes the perfect place for winter sun. Pictured: Seven Mile Bridge (top left), Captiva Island (top right), Alligator Alley (bottom right), Sarasota (bottom left), and Crystal River (inset).

It's Global Champagne Day today - and to toast it, Cunard has revealed some fascinating facts about its long and proud association with French fizz. The cruise line goes so far as to say that 'the Cunard experience of yesterday and today is incomplete without Champagne'. Read on to discover the lengths the company went to in order to preserve its stock of fine Champagnes during the wars, how it used to recommend a pint of fizz as a seasickness cure - and how in the 1960s 21 kinds of vintage Champagne were offered by Cunard on board (right). Pictured inset is the new Queen Elizabeth, which with the Queen Victoria, pops about 12,000 Champagne corks a year. The main picture shows life on board the original Queen Elizabeth.

Photography's ability to mesmerise is demonstrated emphatically by the entries to the Epson International Pano Awards 2021 , which showcases the work of panoramic photographers worldwide. This year the competition received 5,378 entries from 1,245 professional and amateur photographers in 97 countries, with Joshua Hermann from the USA declared the overall winner. The judges were left awestruck by his photographs of the swamplands of Louisiana, of trees - 'ancient monoliths' - that transported him 'to the swamplands of ancient times'.

Carlton Reid checked into the shabby-chic Guy Fawkes Inn (top left, top right), built on the site where the would-be revolutionary was born in 1570 (blue plaque inset). Then he explored York's magical medieval environs, home to the oldest shopping street in Europe, the Shambles (bottom right), said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films. Pictured bottom left is York's incredible Minster, which is mere yards from the Guy Fawkes Inn.

'The colours, flavours and scents of Provence will bewitch you - at any time of year,' says Carol, who heads to the region for 'fabulous walking tracks and beaches to die for'. She recommends climbing the steeply cobbled lanes of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie (top right), admiring the flamingos overhead in Aigues-Mortes (inset) and feasting on the 'delicious food and very drinkable rosé' at La Cabanette du Sauvage. Here's her guide to making the most of a Provencal getaway. Pictured top left is the Gorges du Verdon, bottom right the rustic village of Bonnieux and bottom left is Antibes.

Odyssey of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's third Quantum-class ship, made its maiden voyage in July of this year. Newly-released POV hyperlapse footage of the ship offers a thrilling ride - the camera dips and dives throughout the mega-ship, showcasing the likes of the 360-degree vista from the North Star observation capsule - which is 91m (300ft) above sea level - before hurtling towards the simulated skydiving experience, RipCord by iFly. Here's a peek onboard...

Nashville has always been a hot destination for music lovers, but now it's scorching, thanks to Justin Timberlake and his stunning new entertainment venue - The Twelve Thirty Club, which has made its full debut. The Cry Me A River singer spearheaded the development of the Broadway venue with restaurateur Sam Fox. A ground-floor bar, The Honky Tonk, opened its doors in April. A 50-person mezzanine cocktail lounge, Honorary Member - accessed by a 'striking centrepiece staircase' - was opened during the summer. Now, a 'dapper-as-hell' 400-seat Supper Club on the second floor, along with a rooftop bar, is open for business. Newly released pictures show that the entire set-up is stunning.

Sarah Bridge discovers that beachside Salt of Palmar 'isn't your typical Mauritian hotel'. In contrast to some of the island's sprawling resort hotels, this one is boutique-y, along the lines of Soho House, with an 'instantly Instagrammable' swimming pool. And it has some serious eco-credentials - single-use plastics are banned, for starters. The hotel is ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor out of 216 hotels in Mauritius. But did it win Sarah over? 'It certainly seems to be doing something right,' she declares.

Spain's Costa Brava is rightly coveted for its superb beaches and stunning coastline. But visitors to the region should take time off from the sand and sangria and add a diversion inland to their itinerary - to the stunning La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park. It lies an hour or so by car from the Gulf of Roses, north of Girona, and contains 40 volcanic cones - including one that is home to a mysterious lone hermitage. This tiny church is said to date back to the 12th century and it lies inside the crater of the Santa Margarida volcano. Read on to find out more about the fascinating region - and the geological spoils it contains...

If you're in the market for some winter sun somewhere sensational, Turkey is just the ticket. Here Ashley Pearson offers five reasons why - five of the country's hottest hotels. She's stayed in them all and says they offer something for everyone. There's the magical bucket-list one (top left, top right, inset), crafted from the ruins of an ancient, 2,000-year-old monastery, the breathtakingly romantic one (bottom right) - and the ones that'll keep all the family happy (bottom left). They all have something in common though - the wow factor.

Spas and hotels all over the world are scrambling to offer packages that tackle your psyche as well as your cellulite with programmes that pack a hefty therapeutic punch. They certainly aren't for everyone, but if you feel the call for a life overhaul, here's where to start. Pictured: One of the venues for the Path of Love retreat in Yorkshire (top left, inset); Mandali in Italy, which has views over Lake Orta (top right and bottom right), and Florence House (bottom left) in East Sussex, one of the venues for the not-for-the-faint-hearted Hoffman Process.

China is known for its unashamed production of fake goods - for instance, pictures have emerged of 'Rolexe' watches and 'WiWi consoles' - but it turns out that the fakery even extends to the country's rural image. It has recently been revealed that locals in one particular pastoral county - Xiapu in Fujian province - are embellishing facets of their genuinely rural life so that tourists come away with picture-perfect photo albums from their trip. Locals in the region stage quaint scenes for hordes of holidaymakers, even using special effects and props to paint a romanticised image of life there.

The moment you open the wooden gate to enter the magical Into The Woods Retreat life's everyday tensions begin to melt away. Arranged around a beautifully tranquil lake are six yurts and a shepherd's hut, each surrounded by trees making you feel immersed in nature with the added advantage of ensuring privacy from your neighbours. The yurts themselves are comfortable and delightfully quirky. The interiors are swathed in colourful patterned fabrics and furs with crystals and other charms hanging from a skylight. Candles, blankets and a woodburner mean you'll stay cosy through the night whatever the season, and wake up refreshed to the gentle sound of birdsong and leaping carp.