I challenge you to take a bad photograph in Ghent, Belgium. It simply isn’t possible. This point-and-shoot town is a living postcard everywhere you look, so picturesque that it hardly feels real. I recently found myself in this beautiful city, just a short train ride from Paris and it was the perfect place to be for a…
Aitutaki Island: Paradise Found in the South Pacific
Have you ever visited a place that left you without words? We’ve all likely heard the saying that something leaves us breathless, but for a writer sometimes we are left wordless too. In the words of one of my very favourite authors, sometimes “we do not take a trip, a trip takes us,” and Steinbeck’s words…
Exploring Rarotonga: The Heart of the Cook Islands
“Kia Orana!” is what you hear as soon as you land in the breathtaking Cook Islands; “May you live a long and fulfilling life”. It’s a common phrase, exchanged with a smile, many times a day. More than that, it is the sentiment at the heart of the way the locals live here. It is impossible…
Fairmont Orchid: Wellness and Luxury on Hawaii’s Big Island
Locals in Hawaii lovingly refer to Maui and the Big Island as sisters, and now I know why. Each has her own unique personality and vibration, yet the islands feel related and akin. I fell in-love with both islands during my recent visit to Hawaii, touching down on Maui first and then travelling on to stay on…
A Healthy Stay at Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui
Even those who have never touched down on the picture perfect islands of Hawaii can conjure up an iconic image of what an Hawaiian holiday must be like. Stunning scenery from volcanoes to rainforests, hiking trails and world-class resorts sitting front row to aquamarine sets hitting soft-sand beaches, like the Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui. If…
48 Hours in Palm Springs: A Healthy Weekend Getaway Guide
People say that Paris is always a good idea. Well, that is how I feel about Palm Springs too. Palm Springs has always been one of my favourite places to spend a weekend away from San Francisco. I love it for the desert temperatures, the chic pools and the incredibly cool vibe. Recently, I discovered that there…
Wellness Week: A Beachside Fitness Retreat in the Bahamas
When we think of the Bahamas, most of us picture a relaxing vacation spent soaking up the sun surrounded by blue water and white sand beaches spanning a forever distance in every direction. But, what if you could enjoy an island paradise while also getting fitter, stronger and healthier with a Caribbean wellness retreat? Welcome to Wellness…
5 of the Best Luxury Hotels in Bali
It was Miriam Adeney who said, “You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.” As I sit here typing this with Tri Datu on my wrist and beautiful…
Anantara Chiang Mai Resort: A Luxury Resort-Style Oasis on the River
Like night and day, the Anantara hotel Chiang Mai and the Anantara Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai have personalities all their own. It felt like I had left the lush, green jungle and stepped into the pages on a glossy magazine; into a beautifully polished postcard of a city, at Anantara Chiang Mai. Pat Bailey Luxury…
X2 Chiang Mai Riverside Resort: A Luxury Boutique Hotel
Impeccably modern and perfectly situated in the heart of Chiang Mai along the Mae Ping River is the X2 Chiang Mai Riverside Resort. This five-star, luxury Chiang Mai hotel offers the perfect quiet oasis while exploring Northern Thailand. The Lanna red brick facade sets the stage for the simple elegance within, and this red brick is the…
A Guide to Chiang Rai: Exploring The Golden Triangle
Chiang Rai is a quiet poem in the middle of the book. The oldest city of the ancient Lanna Kingdom, it holds many beautiful secrets for you to discover. Not far from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, and a sister to Chiang Mai, this beautiful Northern region of Thailand is filled to the brim with diverse…
The Ultimate Local’s Guide to San Francisco
There are a million reasons why you might want to put San Francisco on your list for a visit, with around the same number of city guides for this place that I have called home for more than a decade and where I return to when I’m not travelling. This San Francisco city guide is a…
