May 2016 issue • On sale from 21 April

In this issue

Travel Icons ...by the backdoor

From the Great Wall of China to the Grand Canyon - we show you how to skip the queues and leave the flag-waving tour guides in your dust. Includes: Machu Picchu, Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, Uluru, Masai Mara, The Amazon, Petra, Bagan and more...

Orcas in Canada

Join us as we paddle with the orcas (aka killer whales) in British Columbia's famous Johnstone Strait PLUS: 7 alternative destinations to get close to these majestic marine mammals.

Thailand

Swap Thailand's tourist-packed beaches for Trat Province, where green tourism is helping villages to preserve a way of life under threat, proving ethical travel is good for travellers and locals.

Road Trip: German-style

Think 'road trip' and the USA springs to mind, but the first ever long-distance car journey happened in Germany. Inspired, we hit the road to discover castles, eccentric kings and a little touch of magic...

Polynesia

Journey to French Polynesia's Marquesas Islands by boat to discover a real paradise rich in local culture, history and dramatic landscapes.

18 travel books that changed the world

Bill Bryson, Michael Palin, Dervla Murphy, Kate Humble - we find out the books that inspired our travel heros to have adventures.

Plus... How you could help solve travel's hidden waste problem, Ed Stafford keeps his clothes on; Best cycling trips, First 24 hours in gateway to the fjords - Bergan, Norway; Discovering medieval grandeur in Prague; Eating and drinking your way around Spain's San Sebastian; Luggage - tested, and lots, lots more...

Articles from this issue