Wanderlust

Asia's Best Beaches - with extra thrills There are loads of lovely places to flop on the sand - but where's the fun in that? Discover our pick of the 22 best South-East Asian beaches that offer a bucket load of adventure including: Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia and more... Explore Yosemite We show you how to celebrate this Californian National Park turning 125 in style - using catered camping in the beautiful backcountry Bryson on Britain Read our exclusive extract from Bill Bryson's brand new travel book – The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island - and catch our interview with the man himself Amazon Join us as we head for the biodiversity of Brazil to discover the food, the people and the wildlife that are connected by this great river Iran With travel restrictions easing there's never been a better time to discover travel's hottest new destination PLUS: Booking Air BnB? Read this first; first 24 hours in Sao Paulo; take a short break to the Isle of Skye; Gran Canaria away from the holiday resorts; and much, much more...

Welcome...

Behind the scenes this month...

Contributors • Wanderlust is brought to life by people from all over the planet. Here are just some of the individuals who helped to create this issue – and their top countries

VIEWFINDER

Your letters • Your mail and missives: living the high(land) life, paying north-east Africa a belated Djibouti call, still loving the ‘new look’ and much, much more...

SOCIAL TALK

#wanderlustmag • Been somewhere beautiful? Done something amazing? Tag us at #wanderlustmag on Instagram or email your pictures to fromtheroad@wanderlust.co.uk and make us jealous.

Cold comforts

LOST IN KOTOR • Get a glimpse of life in Montenegro’s UNESCO-protected town

DATES FOR THE DIARY

The Grapevine • What’s getting us talking at Wanderlust Towers

THE DESTINATION: PITTSBURGH, USA • As new flights from the UK touch down in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this month, it’s time to embrace a city that swapped industrial grit for a buzzing food scene, rugged trails and pop art

Soak up Pittsburgh’s art, nature and culture

Randyland

THE NUMBERS

Your top ten TOUR OPERATORS • The top trips from your favourite companies, as voted for by you in Wanderlust’s 2019 Reader Travel Awards (p60)

Why Italy’s casatiello is the one true king of Easter • April sees southern Italy burst into parades and religious festivities, but at their heart is always food and, in particular, one unique, meaty bread

Head to Head • MEDIEVAL ISLES Mont-Saint-Michel VERSUS St Michael’s Mount

We talk to ICON OF TRAVEL SIR MICHAEL PALIN • Comedy legend, actor and the man who changed TV travel shows for ever – we talk to Sir Michael Palin, winner of our Icon of Travel award, about 30 years on the road…

The Arctic hideaway • As the northern lights disappear, discover another side to the Arctic – where the sun never sets on a lonely island retreat

Get there

Mark Stratton Diving with Japan’s ama women • ‘Sea women’ have been freediving for shellfish off the coast of Osatsu for thousands of years, but the future of Japan’s ama divers is looking uncertain as a new generation fails to follow in their wake…

Ghosts of the steppe • For most travellers, Patagonia’s Torres del Paine is all about the hiking. But as efforts to preserve its native puma bear fruit, you can now join altogether toothier companions in the wild

THE TRIP

Footnotes

Patagonia’s Big 5

TOP TIP

More online

Wanderlust READER TRAVEL AWARDS 2019 THE WINNERS • They’re the destinations you love, the tour operators you trust, the gear and...