Simon Buckby was a London-based BBC and Financial Times journalist, among other things, before running communications consultancies. He has lived in Hong Kong and Dubai, and is currently based in Bangkok.
Crammed with top class heritage sites, as well as loads of fun stuff, such as tasting plov and local wines, enjoying hammams, and getting a bit of Soviet kitsch too. It is all easy to access, making Uzbekistan perfect for ten days of exotica.
A love letter to Hong Kong from a departing resident with comprehensive tips for visitors and immigrants on how to get the most from this magical city, including all the obvious tourist attractions, but also delving deep into its authentic, hidden and often quirky side that too few people take the trouble to explore.
Explore the hidden treasures of rural Hong Kong, including breath-taking hiking trails up steep mountains and along coastal paths, a complete circuit of brand new cycle lanes through ancient villages, and gorgeous islands east and west stuffed with beautiful beaches and authentic local restaurants.
Relax into the cactus-filled Baja desert while discovering the border wall in the Pacific Ocean, wine tasting, remote islands, paradise beaches, isolated villages, restored Catholic missions, along with the outrageous beauty of the Sea of Cortez where you can see several species of whales, swim with sea lions, watch constant pelican shows, go big-game fishing and enjoy world class scuba diving.
With a little imagination and a bit of effort you can go way beyond Cancún to beat your own path to magical parts of Mexico that offer remote colourful towns and seldom seen Mayan ruins hidden deep in the jungle as well as deserted beaches and exciting scuba dives.
Beautiful backwaters, mountain plantations, wildlife sanctuaries, heritage sites and two world-class beaches make Kerala the chilled alternative to Goa.
Myanmar feels exotic, but it is easy to navigate, with new hotels and transport systems, and locals welcoming to foreigners now we have been invited in.
Having spent almost two weeks in North Korea in 2016, I came back. To experience the Mass Games of synchronised gymnastics, and to see if anything had changed since I was last here. And I was surprised by some of what I found.
