Travel News

These are the perfect properties on which to live out your castaway fantasies - private islands for sale in some of the world's most exotic locations. Pictured from top left, clockwise: Soneva Fushi in the Maldives, Jumbo Island in Ontario, Lataro Island in the South Pacific and Iguana Island off Nicaragua.

Krakow has emerged as the cheapest European city for a bargain break for Brits this spring. That’s according to Post Office Travel Money, which surveys the price of 12 typical city break items annually – including food and drink, accommodation and must-see attractions – across 36 European cities to produce a ‘City Costs Barometer’. Eastern Europe continues to dominate the list of best-value capitals for UK tourists, taking the top seven places. London comes 25th on the list, with Amsterdam offering the very worst value for money.

If you're looking to beat those winter blues and are yet to book a break, National Geographic Travel has revealed its Best Spring Trips for 2018. If you're a nature fanatic, the travel site recommends heading to the wilds of Sri Lanka, where the gnarled mangroves are abundant with lizards, macaques, water buffalo, crocodiles, and the occasional elephant. But if you're looking to explore a culture, then going on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem during Easter is tipped as a 'once-in-a-lifetime experience'. Pictured: A local woman cruising down the Amazon River (main), cherry blossom in Tokyo (bottom left), an ice wall in Svalbard (top left), Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher (bottom right) and the Namibian desert (top right).

With waves being whipped by gale-force winds and giant swells forming, a stunning photography series captures a violent storm at sea. Surrey-based photographer Rachael Talibart ventured to Newhaven Beach in East Sussex when Storm Imogen hit on February 7, 2016, and started clicking away. Her powerful images capture the true force of nature, and she told MailOnline Travel that 'witnessing the sea at its wildest is so inspiring - it is frightening and exhilarating in equal measure'.

Incredible photos reveal the progress being made on what is set to be the world's highest statue. The £226.9million Statue of Unity in western India will be 597 feet tall when it's finished in October - that's almost twice the height of the Statue of Liberty and nearly 100 feet higher than the current record holder, China's Spring Temple Buddha. It's being built on Sadhu Island in the state of Gujarat, with the waters of the Narmada river surrounding it. Images reveal that the foundations have been laid for the structure along with central support pillars but there is still a bit of work to do before it takes on the form of the late political and social leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, whom it will honour.

A new cutting-edge superyacht boasts a silent mode in a bid to offer guests the ultimate luxury - peace and quiet. The 164ft-long aluminium-constructed Home, built by Dutch shipyard Heesen, is decked out with a hybrid diesel electric propulsion system, which minimizes noise pollution and fuel consumption without sacrificing speed. London-based professor Barry Smith, who founded the Centre for the Study of the Senses, helped guide the boat's development and he said that Home runs at 'a sound of around 46 decibels - the level of softly falling rain'. Pictured: Home in action (main), one of the yacht's bedrooms (inset left) and a lounge area (inset right).

The American road trip is one of the quintessential bucket list getaways - and here's how to do it without being surrounded by honking horns. Thanks to Geotab, a company specializing in GPS and vehicle tracking services, the quietest roads in the U.S have been revealed. Using the latest traffic count data available from the Highway Performance Monitoring System, its analysts went about pinpointing the least travelled highways. Coming in at first place was Alaska's deserted State Route 11, followed by Utah's US Route 50, Maine's US Route 201 and Arizona's US Route 160.

Boasting the world's tallest airport slide, a free 24-hour cinema, rooftop swimming pool and butterfly park, Singapore’s Changi has been named the best airport in the world for the sixth consecutive year. It is the ninth time Changi has claimed the top gong at Skytrax’s World Airport Awards, thanks to the enthralling amenities on offer in its four terminals. South Korea's Incheon International Airport and Tokyo Haneda rounded out the top three, while London Heathrow cracked the top 10, rising up one place to number eight.

From Droitwich salt springs to Loch Lomond, a geography professor is using a millennium-old manuscript (right) to hunt the UK's ancient and mythical features (see left).  Andrew Evans has found 26 fantastical features documented in an ancient book called Wonders of Britain that was written by a monk between the 9th and 12th centuries. Many of these 'wonders' - which range from a lake with 60 islands on it to a shape-shifting burial mound - have been forgotten or only recorded in legends. Since then, Dr Evans has been travelling around the country using this manuscript to hunt down and locate these ancient features. Anglesey, the island situated off the north coast of Wales (inset), is home to four of the wonders described in the script.

Newly-released point-of-view footage shows Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s much-anticipated £16.25million 'Icon' roller coaster in action for the first time, with its carriages unveiled as stunning 16-seaters with a copper-gold design. The clip was filmed using a GoPro attached to the front of one of the carriages, resulting in a thrilling rider's-eye-view of the twists and turns. Those who have the courage to step on board will zoom around the track at up to 52mph and will experience acceleration four times that of a Lamborghini Gallardo super car, or around the same amount of G force felt by Formula 1 drivers.

It’s Fred Flintstone’s dream destination. These are the stunning cave pool suites at the Kayakapi Premium Caves hotel in Cappadocia, Turkey – the last word in prehistoric-style glamour. The caves were used as shelters and houses from the ninth century right through to 1961, but now they’re luxurious lodgings that come with plunge pools, air conditioning, iPhone docking stations, Wi-Fi and Nespresso machines. The hotel ranks 12th in the world on TripAdvisor.

From leopards staring into the camera lens to stunning storms, these are the incredible winners of the 2018 Sony World Photography Awards. They are the top shots in the 'open' competition and 'national awards' and come from photographers in the U.S, Australia, Argentina, Cambodia, China, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and beyond. Pictured: A flash of lightning over the Ecuadorian Amazon (top left), women walking over a bridge in Myanmar (top right), light shining over Tokyo post-typhoon (bottom right) and an upturned car attracting attention in the Czech Republic (bottom left).

From sleeping in an igloo to spending a night in outer space, one hotel is helping guests live out their wackiest travel fantasies with a range of immersive suites. Fantasyland in Edmonton, Canada, has dozens of themed rooms with no expense sparred when it comes to detail. Pictured from top left, clockwise: The 'igloo', 'truck', 'space' and 'Victorian coach' themed rooms at Fantasyland.

The magical moment a diver and a boat full of tourists had a thrilling close encounter with a 45ft gray whale and her calf in Mexico has been captured on camera. The thrilling encounter was filmed by diver Andrea Izzotti, 49, who said that he thought the whale's skin would be hard because of the barnacles, but when he touched the adult female's body, he said it was 'incredibly soft'. The nature lover, from Genoa, Italy, captured the memorable scene last week with his GoPro camera.

London has been named the second-best rated destination in the world and number one in the UK in TripAdvisor's tenth annual Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations. Paris takes the world title this year, with Rome rolling in at third place and Bali bouncing in in fourth. Interestingly, New York, a long-time favourite with travellers worldwide, slips down from fifth in 2017 to tenth place. The award winners were determined using an algorithm that analyses the millions of reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants and attractions collected in a single year from TripAdvisor travellers worldwide.

‘It’s the best in the world, hands down.’ That’s aviation expert Alex Macheras’s verdict on the QSuite business class cabin – which features double beds (main) - on board Qatar Airways’ brand new A350-1000. Mr Macheras (right) flew on the delivery flight of the hi-tech aircraft from Airbus HQ in Toulouse, France, to Qatar’s HQ in Doha, at the end of February. And he had a very comfortable flight indeed.

Ambrose Letoluai welcomed MailOnline Travel's Sadie Whitelocks into his grandmother's home in a remote part of north Kenya. The 24-year-old wildlife conservationist comes from the colourful Samburu tribe. Women in the cattle herding community are known for wearing bright jewellery that carries great significance. Meanwhile, the men traditionally have more than one wife and the families can become very large.

A tiny mobile hotel has launched in Arctic Finland, with the dinky inn fixed to a sled so it can be towed by snowmobile to the best spots at which to view the Northern Lights. Launched by tour operator Off the Map Travel, the two-person cabin measures just eight feet wide, almost 15 feet long and 6.5 feet tall. Inside, the homestay is decked out with all the necessary facilities, including a comfy bed, small table, gas heater and external dry toilet. The small abode also features a clear roof, so guests can view the Northern lights while laying down.

It takes planning, resilience and stamina to reach Fogo Island, says Kay Burley. But the rewards, she explains, are worth it: 'It's a wilderness lover's wilderness that you'll never want to leave.' Here she tells of her adventures there, which included learning how to ice-fish, building a type of igloo (top right), snow-shoeing (bottom left) and striking a pose by an icy harbour (top left). She stayed in the ultra-hip Fogo Island Inn (inset and bottom right), which is one of the most acclaimed hotels on the planet, despite its remoteness.

The Mail on Sunday's George Davies got to see a 'small but exhilarating part' of the annual wildebeest migration while on safari in Tanzania recently. Down at the Tarangire River, he found around 35,000 wildebeest waiting to move across the eddying waters as the sun rose. He said his trip to the safari plains was also full of other surprises - from seeing a leopard lazing to watching baboons mating. Pictured: Wildebeests attempt to cross treacherous water (main), a leopard cub plays with its mother (top left) and two dik diks pose for the camera (bottom left).

Ibiza was a mecca for partygoers in the nineties but now they are grown up and returning to the island with their children. Carol Driver headed to the Balearic isle with her family to experience it for herself, having first visited Ibiza for a post-A-level break around 20 years ago. She found herself in a super-stylish villa (pictured) that really was a swish home-from-home. And one of the biggest causes of excitement? The fact that there's a utility room with a tumble dryer...

If you've been searching for that dream paradise island, The Mail on Sunday's Sarah Lucas says you should consider heading to the Western Indian Ocean. It’s the vast home of glamorous islands such as the Maldives and the Seychelles, nature’s singularities such as Madagascar and less familiar treasures - Mozambique Island, the Comoros and Ile de Réunion. Pictured: The world-famous Rock restaurant in Zanzibar (main), the volcanic landscape of Reunion (top right) and a tea picker on the Bois Cheri plantation in Mauritius (bottom right).

Nail-biting footage captures the moment a bus trundles along a precarious mountain road in the Himalayas, with no barriers shielding a huge drop down to a valley below. Manohar Lal captured the sweaty-palmed moment as he travelled through the Spiti Valley on a 35km journey from the village of Khab in India to the community of Nako. His shaky film shows how the vehicle he is travelling in is just a couple of feet away from steep edges and big rocks pepper the dusty track.

Grizzly footage shows the moment a 28ft-long dead humpback whale gets reduced to shreds by a group of hungry great white sharks. Video clips and photos captured by biologists from Georgia in the U.S. show the large carcass floating in the ocean and attracting a swarm of ravenous predators. Great whites - and tiger sharks - steadily tuck into the whale, until the deceased beast is diminished to just two flippers and a lump of white blubber.

'Overall very good first impressions. Sturdy built, totally winter-ready and waterproof. Only comes in brown but that’s actually a plus for me.' This comical Amazon-style review of an otter tweeted by the Oregon Zoo using the hashtag #rateaspecies quickly kicked off a trend, with dozens of other animals receiving humorous assessments on Twitter. Pictured: A lion got a rave review from the Los Angeles Zoo but people were warned to 'avoid during waking hours' (main), a vulture was praised for being 'bigger than expected' by the Oregon Zoo (top right), while an octopus was given a thumbs up by the Monterey Bay Aquarium for being able to 'fit in any space' (bottom right).

The Dorchester London is one of the world's most iconic hotels - it attracts a roster of A-list clients and even the Queen has visited. And now the five-star luxury landmark is set to get a sister property in Dubai - but with very different styling. The London property has warm 1930s aesthetics, but stunning renderings reveal how the Dubai version is strikingly futuristic, a towering glass and steel structure that will feature a rooftop infinity pool and offer spectacular views over the Middle Eastern metropolis.

Selfies and hot dog legs have been revealed as the most annoying Instagram travel poses around. Shots of loved-up couples kissing have also been deemed irritating by the social media community, as has the candid 'looking away' shot. Other poses to get the thumbs down include people 'pinching' the sunset, freeze jumping and walking away from the camera. The research, conducted by UK cruise agent Bolsover Cruise Club, set out to find the most annoying holiday Instagram poses filling our social media feeds.

When MailOnline asked nervous flier Kay Burley to go to a distant Canadian island and report back she nearly wimped out as it involved five flights. But Air Canada's business class worked its magic. Here she reveals how she actually managed to enjoy the trip across the Atlantic, thanks to a comfy pod, great food and wine and top service.

Mesmerising timelapse footage showcases the sweeping beauty of Athens in all its glory. From the city's ancient statues, to its columned buildings and modern glass high rises, the stylish film by Alexandros Maragos takes viewers on a journey by moonlight. With darkness cast over the metropolis, its streets and roadways come alive with twinkling lights and, at one point, bolts of lightning erupting.

Thanks to an incredible feat of engineering, a luxury cruise ship has been cut in half and a 49ft section added, extending capacity by 12 per cent. The Silver Spirit, launched at the end of 2009 by Silversea, has a new length of 691 feet after a pre-built midsection was inserted to offer more space. The previous passenger capacity was 540 but this will jump to 608. The extension cost more than $70 million (£50.1 million) and thousands more will be spent on refurbishing the elongated vessel.

Stunning new drone footage reveals how Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge park in California is taking shape, with striking rocky peaks soaring upwards. The film clip, shared by Disney CEO Bob Iger, takes viewers on a flight through the ambitious new west coast attraction, which is part of a $2 billion (£1.43 billion) investment. The camera soars above lengths of scaffolding and dozens of cranes, with the much-anticipated site covering a total of 14 acres.

The jaw-dropping moment came courtesy of Texan diver Eli Martinez while he was on a cage-diving operation off Guadalupe Island, Mexico. A few seconds beforehand, the 14ft predator had launched itself out of the water to grab a hunk of meat. Upon landing back in the ocean, the 2000lb shark's momentum carried it on a collision course with the experienced tour guide's enclosure. After getting its jaws stuck on one of the bars, Eli calmly placed his palm under the massive fish's nose and shoved it off the metal and away to safety.

Hidefumi Nakamura documents some of the most bizarre looking public toilets in the Japanese capital and posts the pictures to his dedicated Instagram page, toilets_a_go_go. He started the page after noting how many of the public toilets have strange designs that don't blend in with their sleek surroundings. Now, after spending the past year updating his quirky social media page, Mr Nakamura says he loves the diversity of Japanese toilets.

These pictures are a tonic for anyone who’s struggled to open a carton of milk. They’re a reminder that there are, actually, lots of very useful inventions out there. Some of them are incredibly, mind-bogglingly simple. For example, the underground car park in Madrid that has lines extending up the wall to help drivers align their cars and the drawers that are built into stairs. Others are heart-warming, such as the crossing that gives pensioners more time to get across the road (top left), the SOS machine on top of the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge in New Mexico for those who feel they’ve lost hope (bottom middle) and the vending machine for pets. Also pictured is a 'panic pole' on the U.S/Mexico border (bottom left), stairs that double as drawers (top middle) and a plaster dispensing machine (top right).

This is the picture perfect couple who earn their living by trundling from one picturesque place to another in their vintage Morris Minor. And their stunning images perfectly capture the spectacular beauty and uniqueness of the British Isles. Mona Jones, 24, and Aaron Gibson, 25, have gained a legion of fans with their breathtaking pictures. Miss Jones initially started travelling and photographing the British countryside in 2012 to help her cope with her anxiety - but her blog, Monalogue, where she posts the pictures, has since become a full-time career.

The stunning images have been submitted from photographers in 240 countries and territories across the world and have been grouped into six categories - the natural world, people, travel, altered images and mobile, which includes pictures taken on a phone or tablet. The sixth category is American experience, which includes snaps of events, objects or activities connecting the American people to their history or cultural heritage. Pictured is a seal in Germany, top left, a deer in woodland in India, top right, a butcher selling meat in Cuba, bottom left, and wrestling in California, bottom right.

Ever fancy an alternative to traditional hotels? Then these quirky wilderness cabins could make a ideal choice. Located in a disused slate quarry on the North Cornwall coast, these brand new boltholes are elevated high above the ground and accessed through a ladder (left). The cabins, or 'Kudhva' - the Cornish word for 'hideout' - also boast a large window (top right) offering a view of the local countryside.

There are bad reviews, and those that label a hotel as being quite possibly the very worst in the world. Here, complete with accusations of 'blood-stained sheets', 'cockroaches' and 'entirely abandoned floors', we present some of the biggest contenders for that unwelcome title But do they really deserve it? You decide... Pictured: New Delhi's Centaur Hotel (bottom middle); The Lonsdale Hotel, London (bottom left); The Grand Hotel, Pristina (top left); Aspinals Hotel, Singapore (top middle), and New York's New World Hotel (far right).

Nothing beats staying somewhere luxurious and chilling out in your own private hot tub. Nothing, that is, except chilling out in a private hot tub that has jaw-dropping views. To prove the point, holiday rentals firm CV Villas has compiled a list of the outdoor tubs that have the most impressive vistas - and we've found a couple of corkers ourselves. They include the hot tub at the Elounda Gulf Royal Spa Villa, Crete, top left, which features views over Mirabello Bay, the boat style tub at a guest house in Iceland, top right, the Felicia villa in Corfu, bottom left, which has a hot tub with views of the coastline and a tub in Italy, bottom right, which is in the middle of the Tuscan countryside.

They are, of course, part of London's tourist appeal. And the iconic Beefeaters are rewarded for their service with a top perk: their very own secret pub. After the hordes of tourists with their cameras and selfie sticks depart from the Tower of London every evening, a private drinking hole for Beefeaters (and their guests) comes to life within the walls of the royal fortress. After the daily hubbub fades, they can change out of their uniforms and head for a quiet drink at the Yeoman Warders' Club, their own private bar in a discreet corner of the sprawling fortress - a much-needed respite.

The US-based carrier is changing its employee workwear for the first time in 10 years and Posen has spent three years designing the outfits and making sure they are practical for staff. The new uniforms have seen Delta's traditional red, white and blue infused with new hues, which have been dubbed 'passport plum' (purple), left, 'cruising cardinal' (red), right, and 'ground speed graphite' (grey).

The vintage pictures form the basis of a new book called Anglo-Scottish Sleepers by Church of England priest and author, David Meara. In one vintage image from the turn of the 20th century, a man in official uniform and hat can be seen handing a white pillow to a train conductor with a 'Rugs & Pillows' truck behind him (top right). Another snap reveals the comforts of a woman staying in a first-class compartment on the Northern Belle, lying in her bed and receiving a professionally prepared breakfast on a tray handed to her by a train attendant (inset). There are also pictures of third-class accommodation (bottom right) and Euston station in 1909 (bottom left).

From the best loos to the most wonderful places to stay - the UK Heritage Awards 2018 have honoured Britain's finest heritage experiences. Among the winners for 2018 are Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, top left, Hampton Court Palace, Richmond, top right, The Victoria in Norfolk, bottom left, and Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, bottom right.

Thousands of remarkable images were submitted for the annual Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year contest competition, which culminated this week. These included a rainbow soaring by Loch Clair, Glen Torridon (top left), waves crashing against the craggy cliffs of Yesnaby, Orkney (top right), winter skies at Ardvreck Castle, Loch Assynt (bottom left), and Sgurr Eilde Mor in a full winter coat (bottom right).

The Enchanted Manor, formerly called Windcliffe Manor, dates back to 1838 and is nestled in the pretty seaside resort of Niton Undercliff on the Isle of Wight. It enjoys spectacular views. It was snapped up at auction for £750,000 by current owners Ric and Maggie Hilton, who spent six months lovingly transforming it into a luxury romantic getaway. And now it has been put on the market for £1million. It's a truly magical place.

The study, by German-based apartment search engine Nestpick, looked at factors such as housing affordability, quality of nightlife, the economy, immigration tolerance and youth migration. Coming top of the list is Berlin, top left, which received 10 out of 10 for its nightlife scene. Second place is Montreal in Canada, bottom right, followed by London, centre top, Amsterdam, centre bottom, and Toronto. Other cities ranked highly on the list include Barcelona in seventh, New York City, bottom left, in eighth and Manchester, top right, in 10th.

It's not often that luggage turns heads. But these choice pieces of baggage are the exception to the rule. Here MailOnline Travel has scoured the hidden pockets of the internet to bring you suitcases that amuse, baffle and raise eyebrows. There's the case that resembles a sandwich, the rucksack designed for giants and a case that may well be bigger on the inside than the out - because it has a Tardis design. Also not to be missed is the Boba Fett suitcase and what's possibly the world's most erotic handbag.

Brands morph from country to country – sometimes due to legal requirements or often just because of local tastes. Here’s how your favourite brands change depending on where you are. Pictured top row are the Burger King, KFC and Doritos cool original brands. But these become Hungry Jack's, PFK and Doritos 'cool ranch' in other countries.

Elsie Eiler is the sole resident of Monowi, Nebraska, and has lived there by herself since her husband's death in 2004. The 84-year-old holds the office of mayor, as well as clerk and treasurer. She still lives in a mobile home a half-block from the only business in the town - the Monowi Tavern - which she owns and operates. It's not her only business. She also runs the town library - a tiny building jammed with 5,000 books, which is dedicated to her husband, who was a devoted reader.