Viator Travel Blog

A small delight of a city just 125 miles (200 km) north of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh is a relatively young city that has seen a wealth of movement since its inception in the 19th century. It found prosperity through a booming mining industry brought on by British colonization, and though things have since cooled off, Ipoh has become a relatively quiet town known for its delicious cuisine and regal infrastructure. With the added benefit of being nuzzled in the depths of Malaysia‘s distinctly unique terrain, Ipoh affords the opportunity to explore jungles or go cave diving, making it an ideal weekend trip from the regular hum of Southeast Asia.

Situated west of Italy, Sardinia boasts remarkable coastlines, picturesque beaches and a strong, yet varied, culture. When DH Lawrence travelled to the island, he wrote: “Sardinia, which has no history, no date, no race, no offering…Sure enough it is Italian now, but there is an uncaptured Sardinia still.”

I first visited Amman in the winter of 1980. It was cold, wet and windy and the capital’s 500,000 inhabitants retreated behind the stark concrete walls of their houses and apartments that stretched over the hills surrounding the city. It was relatively small compared with bustling Cairo or Damascus and appeared to have little of their charm, intimate architecture or extensive historical heritage. There were just two international hotels, the Intercontinental and the Holiday Inn, and these were packed with consultants, businessmen and the occasional traveller.

Think Aqaba. Think Lawrence of Arabia and that wonderful scene in David Lean’s iconic film with Peter O’Toole, in full Arab regalia, astride his camel, shouting ‘tut, tut, tut’ as the Arab tribesmen gallop across the desert toward the unsuspecting Turks, holed up in their impregnable fortress, overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba. Or Omar Sharif, making his screen debut, emerging from the shimmering mirage and shooting Lawrence’s manservant dead for daring to take water from his tribe’s well. Shooting a man dead for simply filling his satchel with water would appear abhorrent to the average Westerner, regardless of the time setting. But venture out into the desert around Aqaba at the height of summer when temperatures exceed 122°F (50°C), and you will understand that water is the life-blood of this region and its scarcity is a perennial problem, exacerbated by the increasing demands of Amman and its voracious consumers.

What do you get with a three-wheeled auto-rickshaw, two weeks, 72 teams and a tentative route through India that spans nearly 2,000 miles?

You get the Rickshaw Run, that’s what.

Most people who visit New York start and end their trip in Manhattan. The real New York, though, is not that fancy city of lights you always see glamourized in typical New York travel articles. Though Manhattan has its amazing parts – Broadway, for instance, has soured me to any and all community theatre attempts [...]

If you’ve only got a day to see this jewel of the Adriatic, there are a few ground rules that you need to obey. Firstly, be selective in what you want to see. Don’t try to cover everything. Venice is such a treasure trove that it would be impossible to do it justice in just one day.

Beijing is a city that embodies China’s ancient civilization and rich political and cultural history. Alongside all of the historical buildings, temples, and gates is the juxtaposition of a modern China filled with skyscrapers, luxury shopping malls, and a vibrant art and music scene. Here are suggestions of what to do when you come to the capital of one of the world’s oldest civilizations.

In many ways, Prague is the perfect city break option. It is crammed full of so much gorgeous architecture – from many eras – that most other cities should be insanely jealous. You walk around the streets cooing at buildings, most of which have been lovingly preserved and repainted.

After hearing great things about the Quilotoa Loop in Cotopaxi Province, Anne Davis used her boyfriend’s visit to Ecuador as a good excuse to find out for herself what all this talk was about. The couple was met with surreal views, quaint villages and friendly locals as they drove from valley to valley through the backcountry. The verdict: “Cody and I agreed, it was the most scenic drive either of us have ever been on! The rumors I’d been hearing for months are true.”