Just outside of Dan Sai, a diminutive town in the northwest of Thailand’s Isaan region, we stayed at PhuNaCome, a beautiful boutique resort set amid lush rolling hills typical of the countryside of the Loie province. Boasting traditional Isaan-style accommodation overlooking a small lake, and promising hands-on experiences, including mask-making and farming activities, it’s our … Read more
So, what now for us, now that our yearlong grand tour is over? Where are we? What are we doing? And what’s the future hold for Grantourismo? These are some of the questions you’ve been asking us here, in emails and on Twitter. Well, we’re in Bangkok – a steamy, sultry, wet Bangkok at the … Read more
Our third morning in Portugal’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Douro Valley wine region began with the now mandatory drive through magnificent countryside, our small bus skirting the edge of the misty valley before climbing up to Favaios, on a plateau which at 600 metres is the Douro’s highest point. Favaios is home to Quinta da Avessada, … Read more
So we’re in the Douro Valley? I’m not sure if it was the three days of intense activity at Wine Pleasures’ International Wine Tourism Conference in Porto, Portugal – watching presentations, live-tweeting, blogging, networking, lunching, drinking and dining, and, on the last day, giving a presentation on Grantourismo. Or whether it was the twelve months of … Read more
Spices, pickles, snacks and sweets were some of the delights we sampled on an Istanbul market tour with a local expert, a Turkish culinary writer. No matter how well you know a destination, there’s always something to be gained by experiencing that place with locals – which is how we came to do an Istanbul … Read more