With more than 7,000 islands scattered across warm tropical seas, the vast archipelago of the Philippines offers extraordinary diversity for intrepid travellers: coral reefs alive with colour, jungle-clad volcanoes ripe for hiking and some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet.

This is a country that rewards curiosity — and still feels wonderfully underexplored.

In this episode of Wanderlust: Off the Page, Aaron Millar is joined by travel writer and long-time Wanderlust contributor Mark Stratton, who shares why he keeps returning to the Philippines — and why it remains one of his favourite destinations in the world.

Follow us on the road less travelled to one of Southeast Asia’s most rewarding destinations.

Highlights include:

• Discovering why the Philippines’ 7,000+ islands still feel like one of travel’s great frontiers — and how spontaneity shapes the experience.

• Exploring Luzon, from the vibrant streets of Manila to the breathtaking Banaue Rice Terraces, carved into the mountains thousands of years ago.

• Snorkelling with vast shoals of sardines, swimming alongside gentle whale sharks, and experiencing the Philippines’ world-class marine biodiversity.

• Island hopping through the Visayas, including Bohol’s Chocolate Hills, Siquijor’s quiet beaches, and Palawan’s spectacular limestone islands and hidden coves.

If you’re dreaming of turquoise seas, meaningful encounters, and the thrill of discovering somewhere that still feels open-ended, this episode might just move the Philippines to the top of your list.

FIND OUT MORE

Download the Philippines official travel app - Travel Philippines

Plan your journey to the Philippines at itsmorefuninthephilippines.co.uk

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PhilippinesinUK/

Instagram @philippines_uk

Email: info@pdotlondon.co.uk

Connect with Mark Stratton on his website: MarkStrattonTravels.com

Read the accompanying article, and see the photos at wanderlustmagazine.com

• The Wanderlust Guide to the Best of the Philippines
• Island Hopping in the Philippines (Mark Stratton)

WANDERLUST: OFF THE PAGE
Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure.

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine, taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). Membership includes six collectible print issues, exclusive competitions and events, full digital archive access back to 2010, and much more.

CREDITS
This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.
Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the interviewer and script editor. Audio production by Charles Tyrie.

Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina severed a vital rail link along the Gulf Coast, Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service is back — reconnecting New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama for the first time in two decades. In today’s episode, Wanderlust’s North America Editor, Jacqui Agate, takes us on the inaugural journey, following the tracks deep into the culture, history and landscapes of the American South.

From New Orleans’ musical pulse and Mississippi’s small coastal towns to Mobile, Alabama — the birthplace of Mardi Gras — this is a journey filled with music, history, food and more than a little bit of Mardi Gras fun.

But it’s also a journey about renewal, and how a train line, once lost, can become a powerful symbol of connection restored.

Highlights include:

• Riding the revived Mardi Gras Amtrak service between New Orleans and Mobile, and why its return matters now.

• Tracing Mardi Gras from its origins to its modern expressions along the Gulf Coast.

• Exploring how places shaped by Hurricane Katrina continue to rebuild, remember and redefine themselves.

• Discovering Alabama through culture, history, wilderness and creativity — beyond the clichés.

• Reflecting on what slower travel reveals about place, people and connection.

FIND OUT MORE

Plan your journey to plan a sweet home from home at alabama.travel

Buy tickets for the new Mardis Gras train at amtrak.com

Connect with Jacqui Agate on Instagram @jacquiagate and jacquiagate.com

Read the accompanying article, and see the photos at wanderlustmagazine.com

• Get to the heart of the American South in Alabama

WANDERLUST: OFF THE PAGE
Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure.

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine, taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). Membership includes six collectible print issues, exclusive competitions and events, full digital archive access back to 2010, and much more.

CREDITS
This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.
Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the interviewer and script editor. Audio production by Charles Tyrie.

When it comes to travel, it’s often the moments that stop you in your tracks that stay with you forever. In Kruger National Park, those moments come thick and fast — from tracking wildlife on foot to watching leopards prowl from a swimming pool.

Today, we’re heading deep into one of Africa’s greatest wilderness areas to explore two very different but beautifully complementary ways to experience Kruger.

First, Jeremy Mabena, CEO of the Motsamayi Tourism Group, takes us to Kruger Shalati – The Train on the Bridge, one of the most unique places to stay anywhere in the world. Suspended above the Sabie River on a historic railway bridge, Kruger Shalati blends pioneering rail heritage with modern design, soulful luxury and a strong commitment to community empowerment.

Then, we leave the comfort of the train behind and head out on foot with Alex van der Heever, an expert tracker and director at Kruger Untamed. Alex introduces us to a wilder, more immersive safari — seasonal canvas camps, walking safaris, and learning the ancient art of tracking lions, buffalo and other wildlife through one of the most intact ecosystems on the planet.

This episode is a journey into raw wilderness, deep connection, and the people working to protect Kruger for generations to come.

Highlights include:

• Waking up on a century-old railway bridge that once carried some of the earliest visitors into Kruger National Park, and has now been reimagined as one of Africa’s most unique safari lodges

• Learning what it’s like to track lions on foot, and why tracking is one of humanity’s oldest sciences.

• Understanding how walking safaris change the way we see wildlife and ourselves, shifting the focus from sightings to connection and awareness.

• Exploring how both lodges support local communities through training, employment and conservation.

• Finding out one of the best Kruger National Park itineraries that blends authentic luxury with immersive adventure, and finding the inspiration for your next big trip.

FIND OUT MORE

Kruger Shalati – The Train on the Bridge
krugershalati.com
Instagram: @krugershalati

Kruger Untamed
krugeruntamed.com

Instagram: @krugeruntamed

Read the accompanying article, and see the photos at wanderlustmagazine.com/inspiration/chasing-sunrises-making-memories-what-to-expect-from-a-luxury-stay-at-kruger-national-park/

WANDERLUST: OFF THE PAGE
Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure.

WANDERLUST MAGAZINE
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine, taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). Membership includes six collectible print issues, exclusive competitions and events, full digital archive access back to 2010, and much more.

CREDITS
This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.
Lyn Hughes and Laura Field introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the interviewer and script editor. Audio production by Charles Tyrie.