National Geographic Traveller (UK) April 2022

Preet Chandi When I first typed ‘polar explorer’ into Google, I didn’t see anyone who looked like me. Now, when you type it in and scroll down, you’ll see a picture of me — I can’t even begin to explain how powerful that is. MEET THE ADVENTURER P.38 Peter Yeung Paris’s 20th arrondissement is one of the most exciting food destinations in the world right now — don’t expect fine dining, but food made and influenced by the neighbourhood’s immigrant communities that you’ll want to devour. PARIS P.50 Aaron Millar Inexplicably, almost no one’s heard of Georgia’s Golden Isles. It’s like one of those juicy travel secrets you want to keep to yourself, with deserted beaches, incredible wildlife and beautiful moss-draped maritime forests. GEORGIA P.80 Stephen Phelan My first trip…

It’s easy to forget how close Morocco is. Just a three-hour flight from the UK — or an hour’s ferry from the southern tip of Spain — lies a land of wide open deserts and mountains, with rugged beaches and seductive cities. Marrakech maintains its timeless allure, but the country’s other attractions are ample reason to return again and again. Beyond the souks and kasbahs of Fez, Tangier, Casablanca and Rabat, the country’s wealth of adventures includes everything from mountain biking to sandboarding and even skiing. Head into the foothills of the Atlas Mountains for extraordinary scenery, where in lush, dramatic valleys and remote villages, famously warm hospitality awaits. Explore the Atlantic coast, home to an established surfing scene, or journey through the undulating sand dunes of the Sahara Desert…

I met Sohanlal after stepping into one of Nawalgarh’s beautiful havelis, the ornate mansions built by rich merchants between the late 18th and early 20th centuries. He began to play his generations-old ravanahatha — a traditional bowed instrument from the subcontinent — and at first, the music was soulful, but it soon became more fast-paced and cheerful. We didn’t speak each other’s language, but his music said more than words could have done. fernandocortesphoto.com @bigfernowski…

A woman hangs lanterns during Bucheonim osin nal — Buddha’s birthday — at the city’s Yonggungsa Temple. ‘The day when the Buddha came’ is a major holiday in Korea, usually celebrated each spring within the lunar calendar. It’s marked in flamboyant fashion: by day, people congregate at temples to pray and eat — including bowls of delicious bibimbap (a mixed rice dish) — and lanterns are lit by night, transforming the temple grounds into a glowing kaleidoscope of colour. benweller.photoshelter.com @culturechromatic…

Already renowned for its good looks, the Somerset city can now add double UNESCO status to its long list of assets — as well as being a World Heritage Site, it’s also now one of The Great Spa Towns of Europe. It’s also one of the first National Trust ‘green corridors’, which will link its centre to the countryside and create new habitats for wildlife. But amid the city’s sweeping, Georgian crescents and Roman ruins, a range of new spots are opening this year. Making a splash this summer is CLEVELAND POOLS, England’s oldest lido, which closed in the 1980s. Restoration of the 200-year-old icon will revitalise its honey-hued facade, shaped like a Georgian crescent. The 25m outdoor pool flanks the River Avon, which will provide the energy to heat…

Deprived of travellers throughout the pandemic, the Himalayas stepped back into the spotlight in 2021 with the release of the awe-inspiring documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible. You don’t need to be quite as steely as those mountaineers to enjoy the drama of the Earth’s highest peaks, however. As tourism slowly recovers, it’s likely that fewer trekkers than usual will be out on the network of trails, meaning this year may feel more like the mountains’ laid-back, hippie heyday. Plus, a new international airport in Nepal’s second city, Pokhara, in striking distance of the Annapurna range, will speed up access to a whole realm of adventures. The highlight is the reopening of part of the 250-mile Trans Bhutan Trail. Well-trodden by traders, pilgrims, royals and messengers over its 500-year history,…