Ever since it first appeared on the map of Mexico in the late 70s – a sun-kissed location in the north-east corner of the Yucatan Peninsula ideal for development as the country sought to grow its tourism industry – Cancun has been known as a classic beach break kind of place. The majority of the [...]
Enchanting spots: Tracy Arm fjord, Alaska
Imagine a fjord with water the colour of jade. Littered with thousands of icebergs, the fjord is surrounded by mist-shrouded mountains and countless waterfalls tumbling down the forested slopes. Flocks of seagulls and bald eagles rest on the blue icebergs whilst seals frolic in the water. This is the enchanting Tracy Arm fjord in [...]
Exploring Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island just off the west coast of the Canadian mainland. The majestic snow-capped mountains at its core, covered with impressive conifer forests, and the rugged coastline with its many inlets and islands offer the visitor a wide range of exciting outdoor activities. Suggested itineraries to explore Vancouver Island Vancouver Island, [...]
Discovering creative Miami
A guest post by Diana Rivera. On a recent trip to Miami, I came to answer a question: What is creative Miami today? Inside of me I was curious about the people and places that make up a synergistic artist community in the southern most cosmopolitan city of the United States, crowned and arranged in la [...]
The hike to Baird Glacier
The hike to Baird Glacier in southeast Alaska A page from my Travel Journal. I hopped off the boat and landed on a bed of finely-polished stones. In the distance, I could just about make out the distinct appearance of a glacier, with its white-blue craggy surface. A cold wind blew down from the mountains, [...]
Crossing the Andes from Mendoza
Crossing the Andes from Mendoza, Argentina to Valparaiso, Chile (A page from my Travel Journal). I left Mendoza on Sunday morning for my second Andean crossing, this time back into Chile, to Valparaiso (Valpo) on the Pacific coast. The seats on the bus were very comfortable and I was served (by a steward on board!) [...]
My velvet escape travel tip: Malibu
“My velvet escape travel tip” is a guest series about what the name ‘Velvet Escape’ evokes and what that would be in the hometown or favourite place of the guest writer. With this series, I hope to uncover travel tips from places around the world to help visitors have a truly local experience. Today’s guest [...]
Cruising Alaska’s Inside Passage
“Good morning Wilderness Discoverers”! It was the first thing I heard every morning through the speakerphone in my cabin: a friendly greeting at the start of a new day and an invitation to breakfast. The Wilderness Discoverer is a small cruise ship operated by InnerSea Discoveries on their routes in southeast Alaska. I was one [...]
Seven mornings in Alaska
On board a small-ship cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage Excerpts from my Travel Journal My recent trip to Alaska was a dream come true. Cruising through southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage on board InnerSea Discoveries’ small cruise ship, the Wilderness Discoverer, I got to experience some of the most breathtaking scenery imaginable. I stood out on [...]









