2 . When it comes to travel, sometimes wandering is one of the most exciting things you can do. In a time when travellers are both more adventurous and eco-conscious than ever, it’s no surprise that there’s a wealth of new vocabulary to describe how we travel, when we travel and how the experience makes us feel. Here are eight of our favourite travel words that you may not have heard before.

We’ve kicked off a blog with the staycation, “a holiday in one’s own country”. The term first became popular in the mid-2000s, when the global financial crisis meant people had less income to spend on flash holidays and instead searched for cheaper local choices. Since 2020, the staycation is experiencing a revival (复兴). Benefits of staycations include cheaper travel costs, no spending hours in the airport and, of course, no need to worry about whether your passport expired (过期) last year.

Once upon a time, if you wanted to meet new people on your travels, you could stay at a hostel or with a host on Airbnb. Now, you can couch surf. And not just in “the staying at various friends’ houses until you find a new place to rent” sense: couch surfing is quickly becoming a hot new travel trend. Travellers can now choose to couch surf all across the world via a website which treats travel as a cultural exchange, allowing people to connect with willing hosts and crash on their sofas.

Given that single-use and climate strike were selected as the Collins 2018 and 2019 Words of the Year respectively, it’s clear that the climate crisis is very much on everybody’s mind. This desire to make more sustainable choices is also affecting the way we spend our vacation days. Ecotourism is another popular travel trend, defined as tourism that is designed to contribute to the protection of the environment. Examples of ecotourism include ditching short-haul flights, staying at eco-friendly resorts, or booking a staycation.

3 . What Is Your Next Destination?

One of the oldest cultural landscapes in China is chosen to become one of the country’s newest UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2022. The Ancient Tea Plantations of Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er features about 1.13 million tea trees. Located in China’s Yunnan Province, the region was a sating point of the legendary Ancient Tea Horse Road. Many of the region’s tea plantations remain, as do the four local ethnic minority groups — the Blang, Dai, Hani, and Wa people — who preserve their own languages, customs, and festivals.

When you arrive here, the stamp in your passport will include the Palau Pledge (誓约), which all visitors must sign, promising that “the only footprints I shall leave are those that will wash away.” The eco-pledge was drafted by and for the children of these remote western Pacific islands to help preserve Palau’s culture and environment from the negative impacts of tourism. Eighty percent of the nation’s waters is preserved as the Palau National Marine Sanctuary.

Green shoots of regeneration are appearing in Australia, of which some 72,000 square miles were, burned during the 2019-2020 bushfires, leading to the deaths of nearly three dozen people and more than a billion animals. Drive the Great Ocean Road, in Victoria’s Otways region, and then take a hike at Wildlife Wonders, an educational ancient forest and waterfalls. Wandering through bushes gives a chance to spot koalas unique to this ecosystem.

Mining and steel production once dominated the crowded Ruhr Valley, in Germany’s western state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Today, the region is repurposing previous industrial sites as parks and open air cultural spaces. The most famous is the UNESCO Word Heritage site of Zeche Zollverein, now home to an outdoor swimming pool, ice rink, and walking tails. You can rent a bike in Essen for a car-free Ruhr Valley trip along cycling routes.

6 . We can confirm that there’s nothing worse than being stuck in a sweaty office when the weather is glorious outside. Thankfully, there are loads of parks and grand green spaces in London for us to escape to for a lunchtime picnic break, an after-work snack or a weekend-long feast in the fresh air.

Kew Gardens

Some of the coolest picnic spots in the city are within the flowery borders of famous Kew Gardens. You have to pay to have a look around but it’s totally worth it—especially to have a walk inside the newly reopened Temperate House, which is stuffed full of impressive and rare plants. Once you’ve spent on entry (£ 16.50), bringing a picnic will definitely save you some pennies.

Primrose Hill

It’s easy to see why Primrose Hill is so popular during long and sleepy summer afternoons, thanks to those incredible views across the city. But it’s not just the skyline that makes this a popular dining destination. The peak of Primrose Hill is also a short walk from Abbey Road and London Zoo.

Holland Park

Holland Park is often overshadowed by its royal neighbour Kensington Palace Gardens, but it’s an undeniably picturesque picnic spot. There’s a lot to see, from woodland and wildlife to sculpture and the Japanese-style Kyoto Garden, plus there are tennis courts, football pitches and spots to play golf, cricket and netball.

Green Park

Enjoying a picnic in Green Park is guaranteed to be a lively affair. Visitors and locals alike flock here thanks to the park’s rather famous neighbour. The Queen’s gaff aside, Green Park has its own rather attractive scenery, with statues, water fountains and, in spring, daffodils as far as the eye can see.

9 . Orchid Island is a striking travel destination full of natural beauty. Due to popular demand, we’ve assembled two- and three-day tour packages to ensure you’ll see the best the island has to offer.

ISLAND ADVENTURES TRAVEL AGENCY

Package options and prices

Two-day tour $406

Three-day tour $606

What to expect

Our tour begins with a scooter(小型摩托车) tour around the island. In the late afternoon, it’s time to head to the beach for a wonderful snorkeling adventure. Finally, we’ll close out the first day by taking in an Orchid Island sunset over the Qingqing Grassland. The following morning, you’ll witness an unforgettable sunrise at Dongqing Bay. Later, you’ll travel around the island on your scooter and observe traditional Tao fishing boats. You’ll even have the option of rowing out to sea on one of these boats for a small additional expense.

The three-day tour costs an additional $200, but it’s well worth the extra expense. It includes a historical tour of traditional underground houses and a visit to the well-known Lover’s Cave.

• Both packages include round-trip boat tickets from Fugang Port to Orchid Island.

• Snorkeling equipment rental and professional instruction are included.

Reminders

Travelers are required to present ID at Fugang Port.

Travelers must have a scooter driving license for scooter rentals.