Travel News

Taking the world of adventure yachting to new heights, one expedition vessel comes complete with two Airbus helicopters. The 252-foot SeaXplorer 77, from Dutch ship builders Damen, has been commissioned by an unnamed client who has a passion for the outdoors and wants to use the choppers for heliskiing and touching down in remote places. Explaining the inspiration behind his luxury cruiser, the anonymous owner said: 'Some people think that fans of outdoor activities should stay in fleabag motels and dry their wet socks on radiators. I believe that you can combine the most active outdoor adventures and sports with ultimate comfort.'

These fascinating photos show how one man painstakingly created a jaw-dropping basement under his house, using just a hammer and chisel. Builder Levon Arakelyan (inset) spent 23 years crafting the incredible 65ft-deep, 3,000-square-foot subterranean space and he was even working on the project on the day he died in 2008, aged 67. He began working on it after his wife, Tosya, asked for a cool space for her potatoes. He got carried away. Today the hand-crafted cellar in the village of Arinj in Armenia is open as a museum and New Zealand-based Radio Free Europe photographer Amos Chapple recently journeyed to the attraction to shed some light on it.

Complete with homely interiors and sweeping seaside views, these photos show the hotel which is said to have inspired Enid Blyton's classic Famous Five children's novels. Picturesque Knoll House Hotel in Studland, Dorset, passed to new owners last year and efforts have been made to retain its traditional charm, with rooms featuring Roberts radios and vintage-style furniture adorning the place. Blyton, also famed for writing the Secret Seven and Noddy books, was such a fan of the historic guesthouse, that she would visit three or four times a year, often for weeks at a time. Nowadays rates start from £70 for a single room and £175 for a three bedroom suite.

Harry Potter fans can immerse themselves in a world of wizardry and dark arts at this quaint holiday rental - because it sits right opposite the creaky old house that was used in the Deathly Hallows Part One as the birthplace of the young magic wrangler (inset). Pilgrims cottage (pictured) - which is available to rent from £470 per week - is situated in Lavenham, Suffolk, and the two-bedroom property can be found across the road from De Vere House. This beautiful old building is where the young wizard's parents were killed by Lord Voldemort, who then gave baby Harry his zig-zag forehead scar.

A crack in an engine caused the British Airways jet to burst into flames at Las Vegas airport while the captain, Chris Henkey (inset) from Reading, Berkshire - hailed as a hero at the time - was to blame for a 'chaotic evacuation', federal investigators said. One flight attendant was seriously injured after fire ripped through the engine of the aircraft at McCarran International in September 2015. All 157 passengers and 13 crew on board the Boeing 777-236ER jet, which was bound for London, were able to evacuate but the plane was substantially damaged by fire. Investigators said Henkey took 22 seconds to shut off fuel to the engine that was on fire and that he called for an evacuation before completing an evacuation checklist. He left an engine running that hampered the deplaning process.

They say the camera never lies. That may be true. But as this photograph shows, it can definitely be hilariously crafty. The image here duped a group of young men from Scotland into thinking they were getting an Airbnb rental in Croatia that would feature a full-size pool table. In fact it was just children-sized, the owners having used a clever angle to make it look big. One of the group, Brian Ashe, posted a series of images on Twitter showing the picture from the listing and how big the actual table was. Uploading a side-by-side image, he said: 'Hahahaha when one of the troops books an Airbnb specifically for the pool table.'

U.S photographer Christian DeBaun (right) visited Scotland and made a Facebook post on cultural observations that went viral. He noted how there are no bathrooms in Scotland on the roads, no billboards, hardly any police cars (he saw two) and that it's 'ridiculously windy'. The Scottish Daily Mail's Gavin Madeley reports.

MailOnline Travel's Sadie Whitelocks ventured to Lhasa in Tibet, one of the highest cities in the world at 11,995ft. Highlights of her trip included visiting the Potala Palace, the former home of the Dalai Lama (top left), witnessing locals throwing themselves to the floor in prayer (bottom left) and dining on yak momos (inset).

The UK welcomes over 30million foreign tourists each year from all corners of the globe. But they don't all home in on the same areas. New research, which looked at bookings over the past five years, reveals that many nationalities are drawn to certain parts of the country, with the French loving Yorkshire and Americans obsessing over Scotland. The Germans, meanwhile, love London and Australians love Cambridge.

The world's beaches have been ranked according to how many times they've been snapped on Instagram, with Whitehaven Beach in Australia (top left) deemed the most popular. Lanikai beach in Oahu, Hawaii (top right), came in second place, with Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda (bottom left) close behind. Meanwhile, Bournemouth Beach (bottom right) has been ranked as the most popular beach in the UK and seventh globally with 72,503 snaps branded with #bournemouthbeach.

The world's best-value public airport lounges have been revealed, based on the number amenities they offer for the price. The Al Ghazal Lounge in Abu Dhabi International's Terminal 2 (top left) has been revealed as the top place to check into before a flight, with £21.45 ($28.76) bagging customers free drinks, food, Wi-Fi and newspapers to peruse. Coming in second place, is the slick Strata Lounge in Auckland Airport (top right), which comes with an open bar, buffet and children's play area all for £28.15 ($37.72). Lounge @ B in Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (bottom left) has been rated as the third best-value spot, while 1903 Lounge in Manchester Airport's Terminal 3 comes fourth (bottom right).

If you've ever pounded city pavements and wondered what's lurking underneath, then have a peek at these revealing photos. Slovakian-born, London-based photographer Tomas Sentpetery decided to delve into some of Europe's most popular tourist destinations and show a side people rarely see. His photo series titled 'Look Deeper' juxtaposes street shots with images taken below the surface, with daylight shed on the Underground tunnels of London and the skull-lined vaults of Paris.

Starry-eyed renters will want to get their hands on this impressive Royal observatory - but they’ll need deep pockets as it is on the market for £37,500 a month. King George III had the observatory built at Old Deer Park in Richmond, Surrey, in 1769 so he could track the transit of Venus crossing the sun. Now, after a three-year refurbishment, the four-bedroom property is being made available for residential rental for the first time in its 249-year history through joint agents Jackson-Stops and Knight Frank.

Complete with turrets, thick stone walls and arched windows, a castle where Winston Churchill plotted the Normandy invasion is welcoming guests as a luxury homestay. Pennsylvania Castle boasts a prime location on the Isle of Portland, an island which juts out from Dorset into the English Channel with road access to the mainland. For a princely £2,500 per night, the nine-bedroom mansion can be privately hired with on-site amenities including a swimming pool, bar, helipad and library. Round-the-clock catering can also be arranged.

MailOnline Travel's Dan Sanderson struggled to think of a time when all had seemed more right with the world than when he took his family to St James's Club & Villas in Antigua (four main pictures). His young children enjoyed the kids club where they hunted for chocolate, painted faces and swum and the adults enjoyed aqua yoga and some well earned rum cocktails on the beach afterwards. Dan (pictured inset with his young children) writes: 'If there’s a more perfect resort for young families I haven’t found it.'

The new designs for Alitalia's customer facing staff were unveiled during Milan's Men's Fashion Week in a special presentation on the steps of the the city's famous Duomo di Milano. Created by Alberta Ferretti, known for her feminine style, the collection includes navy blue dresses, skirts and trouser suits for Alitalia staff, adorned with green and red striped bows and cuffs, and golden buttons.

There are Tuscan villas – and there’s this Tuscan villa. Described by its letting agents – Sotheby’s International Realty – as an ‘architectural masterpiece’, it is probably the perfect Italian countryside retreat. The 17th-century property is situated in the Ancaiano district near Siena and was built in 1680 for Pope Alexander VII. The grounds, says Sotheby’s, ‘are considered among the most exquisite gardens in Italy’. And the villa features ‘traditional Tuscan fireplaces, terracotta tiled floors, vaulted and beamed ceilings and beautifully frescoed walls’.

Rows of exposed elevators glide up and down the imposing lobby inside the $1.1billion 'Morpheus' resort, a 42-storey addition to Macau's glitzy skyline named after the Greek god of dreams and developed by Melco International. Iraqi-British Hadid, who died in 2016, was the first woman to win the prestigious Pritzker Prize for architecture. Her major works in China included the Guangzhou Opera House and a mega mall in Beijing. Extravagant duplex villas with their own in-room gym and massage quarters are located on the top floors of Morpheus for VIPs, along with a gaming area exclusively for these residents.

The building, in Minchinhampton, near Stroud, began life as a chapel in 1902 and was named the Victoria Memorial Chapel to commemorate Queen Victoria in her passing. It held services until 1984. In 2016 it was transformed into a beautiful rental. Gothic panelling was added throughout, dividing the main hall into a bedroom, study area and shower room. Lastly, the vestry was turned into a fully functioning kitchen.

National Geographic's Travel Photographer of the Year competition has attracted a host of stunning entries from crocodiles in Costa Rica to wild horses in Iceland. Its People's Choice Award gives people the chance to vote for their favourite photographs which are captured in beautiful locations from around the world, while the other winners are decided by judges. Pictured on the left is Paul Tsui's picture of a quiet street in Macau, while on the right is a group of crocodiles captured in Costa Rica and sea spray seen on Ipanema beach in Rio De Janeiro. At the end of June the winners of the competition will be announced.

Ancient ruins can take visitors back in time and provide historians with a wealth of clues about past great civilisations - but exposure to the elements means many of these sites look vastly different to when they were first built. However, thanks to CGI wizardry from myvouchercodes.co.uk some of the world's most famous ancient sites have been cleverly rebuilt. Fascinating before and after images show how buildings such as the Parthenon in Greece, England's Roman Baths in the city of Bath and Angkor Wat in Camodia used to look compared to their current state. And the contrasts are remarkable...

No matter which cabin you're in, flying on Qantas' non-stop 17-hour service between London and Perth is quite an endurance test. Recognising this, the Australian airline has introduced an incredible new lounge at its Perth Airport - the Perth International Transit Lounge - to help prepare passengers for the long journey ahead and to de-stress in-bound fliers. Features of the Qantas lounge include yoga classes, top left, and light therapy showers, inset. The airline consulted with Neil Perry for food, Australian industrial designer David Caon and SUMU design for the layout and decor, and the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre for sleep medicine expertise.

Ditchling Cabin in West Sussex is built on the banks of Whitelands Reservoir and sleeps up to four people. And as well as having beautiful views of the lake, guests staying at the cabin have the water all to themselves for fishing, swimming or canoeing. The cabin, which can sleep up to four people, boasts an outdoor seating area on decking, bottom left, a roll top bath, top right, and a woodburner in the living room, bottom left.

Thousands of World Cup football fans will soon be descending to Moscow's subway system. And what a treat they're in for. Not only will they be able to enjoy a cheap, safe journey around the city on the trains, they will also be treated to an array of stunning art. The Moscow Metro, which opened in 1935 and has 13 lines that criss-cross the city, is famous for its elegant and ample stations. And many of the stations are almost like art galleries. They are decorated with breath-taking frescoes, marble columns and ornate chandeliers.

Royal Caribbean has unveiled stunning renderings of the features that guests will enjoy on its latest mega-ship – the Quantum Ultra class Spectrum Of The Seas. When it launches in 2019 it’ll boast new two-level 2,809-square-foot Ultimate Family Suites (main and top right) that feature in-room slides that go from the top floor to the bottom and a huge karaoke venue. The other debut is an exclusive suites-only area. When Spectrum of the Seas (inset) debuts in April 2019, she will sail a 51-night ‘Global Odyssey’ from Barcelona to Shanghai, taking holidaymakers to 13 countries. Pictured bottom right is a bungee trampoline simulator, which will also be one of the features.

Photographer and film-maker Tyler Fairbank, 27, from New York, compressed stunning pictures into a three-minute flow-motion video after a recent trip to the African country. He spent eight days taking pictures and captured a huge amount of wildlife. Areas captured in the film are the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, and the Makgadikgadi Pans in the Kalahari Desert.

Dreamliner captain Sven-Bertil Johannson recently got to check up on his pilot son's flying skills – because he flew side by side with him from London to New York. The journey was a great way for Captain Johannson to mark Father's Day with his son, first officer Erik Johannson, and the trip was caught on camera, with pictures showing them briefing the cabin crew (inset left), checking the engines and sitting in the flight deck together (main). They both work for carrier Norwegian and it was the first time that it has operated a father/son Dreamliner service.

The Japanese practice of ‘forest bathing’ – which involves walking through a forest at a gentle pace for two hours or more – is said to relieve anxiety. If that’s the case, then staring at these amazing pictures of woodland scenes in England and Wales might get you half way there. They are all category winners and shortlisted pictures from past Landscape Photographer of the Year competitions. This year’s contest is now accepting entries, until July 7, and so for would-be entrants looking at these pictures might actually raise stress levels, because they show how tough the competition is likely to be. Either way, they’re captivating. From the Peak District to Essex via North Wales, they are images bathed in quality.

The cheapest all-inclusive holidays for Brits this summer have been revealed - and it's the Costa Brava that ranks No1. According to research by TravelSupermarket, which has seen a 13.5 per cent increase in all-inclusive bookings, it's possible to snag a seven-night stay there for just £323 per person. Bank managers will also be pleased if you book a similar type of holiday to Turkey, Malta or Majorca. Here TravelSupermarket's Emma Coulthhurst ranks the top seven places for all-in deals.

Harry Drew, from Exeter, was left with a bag so badly damaged after his flight from Barcelona to Bristol that it left his clothes inside - including a sentimental football shirt (right) - ripped and torn. The 26-year-old had only taken hand luggage on his trip to Barcelona for a stag party (Harry is pictured inset on the trip) but was told it would have to go into the hold on his return flight back to Bristol Airport due to a lack of space in the cabin. But when the bag came around on the baggage carousel when he reached Bristol, he could immediately see that it was ripped (main).

Virgin Atlantic has unveiled brand new interiors for its A330-200 fleet, which is being given an eye-catching makeover, as these CGI images show. All three cabins - upper class, premium economy and economy - are set to be refreshed and the new look will be rolled out on services from November. The upper and economy cabins on the aircraft will see the biggest changes while the premium cabin will have more subtle upgrades. The four A330-200s were introduced to Virgin Atlantic's fleet in March after the airline acquired them from the now defunct Air Berlin. The aircraft were brought in to replace several of Virgin's Dreamliner aircraft, which have had issues with their Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.

The images all form part of a new book by photographer Steve Pipe, called Cumbria In Photographs, which is full of majestic vistas from around the magical county in northern England. The images capture well-known sights as well as more remote beauty spots. Pictured: Spout Force in the Lake District, top left, a rainbow over Martindale, top right, Derwent Water, bottom left, and Slater Bridge in Little Langdale, bottom right.

Canada's biggest city is often referred to as 'Hollywood North' as you're more likely to run into a film shoot on the city streets than in Tinseltown itself. Tax breaks for film studios has led to 1,432 projects being filmed in Toronto in 2017 alone. And because of its sky-scraper-flanked long, straight streets and general hustle and bustle the city often stands in for New York. Pictured: Toronto's New York-style skyscrapers (main); Meghan Markle (inset) leaving her former home in Toronto, where she filmed Suits; a Toronto subway station being given a New York-style makeover for movie Pixels (top right) and a Toronto street scene that again highlights why the city passes for the Big Apple (bottom right).

The Sky News anchor found out on a Nashville trip that BA's partnership with the White Company is a match made in heaven, with fliers treated to luxury bedding and amenity kits. She also discovered the three best seats in the cabin and appreciated the personal reassurances from the captain that he would steer around the turbulence. Pictured: Kay getting a tour of the 787's flight deck (main), getting ready for 40 winks (top right) and the BA Dreamliner business class seat (bottom right).

Villa Sola Cabiati, which is part of the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, is now available to well-heeled holidaymakers, who will need to find over £15,000 to stay there - because it costs £5,200 a night (plus VAT) and there's a minimum stay of three nights. The villa, which dates back the 1500s, is known as the 'pearl of Lake Como' and is described as a living treasure trove of antique furnishings and original art by Renaissance painters. Guests staying at the breath-taking period property have a dedicated butler and a chef at their disposal to cater for their every whim. But despite its history, Villa Sol Cabiati also has modern touches such as Bluetooth music systems, a hidden swimming pool and the seamless service of a five-star hotel. However, the jewel in the villa's crown is the private museum floor, which offers guests unrivalled and unique up-close access to a selection of historic artefacts.

The museum (main and right), called 007 Elements and reached via the Gaislachkoglbahn cable car, showcases the film-making that took place in Solden, Austria. It offers spectacular views over the locations used in Spectre (inset) and places visitors inside the world of 007, while also revealing how that world is created.

With thousands of hotels opening around the world each year, it can be hard to know which are worth a visit. But Condé Nast Traveller is here to help with its 2018 Hot List of the best new places to stay this year from around the globe ranging from cool, quirky properties to super luxurious resorts. These include Public New York, top left, the 1902 Townhouse in Mallorca, top right, the Branco, Mykonos, bottom left, the Habitas, Mexico, bottom right and the Bawah Reserve, Indonesia, inset.

A driver claims human faeces fell through her sunroof from a plane flying overhead and landed on her face, leaving her with an eye infection. Susan Allan (inset) had been driving in her hometown of Kelowna in British Columbia, Canada, with her son Travis when she stopped the vehicle at a red light. But then the pair say they felt a liquid, smelly substance come in through the sunroof. Ms Allan says that she was hit in the face and her son on the shoulder. She was diagnosed with conjunctivitis in both eyes. The main images show what she claims is the waste from the aircraft on her car.

The study was carried out by UK-based compensation company AirHelp, which ranks 72 airlines and 141 airports on on-time performance and quality of service as well as Twitter sentiment. Qatar Airways is ranked as the number one airline but UK and US carriers get mixed results with Virgin Atlantic in 10th place, easyJet coming fourth bottom out of 72 and American Airlines is the best-rated U.S carrier - but it only comes twenty-third. The top airport is Hamad International Airport in Doha, which knocks 2017 winner Changi into fifth. UK airports fare badly, with London Stansted coming second bottom out of 141, Manchester coming 136th and Edinburgh 131st.