The Travel Wire: best travel reads #34

The Travel Wire is a weekly newsletter of the best travel reads from around the web, edited by James Clark from Nomadic Notes.

Travel reads

• Notes on Bengkulu: A historic fort city on the wrong side of Sumatra [Nomadic Notes]

• In Panama’s Guna Yala Archipelago, a different sort of Caribbean vacation awaits (archive) [Afar]

• How far can we go on the old hippy trail? Overland from Leeds to Georgia [The Guardian]

• The Indian Ocean's laid-back 'paradise on Earth' (archive) [BBC Travel]

"Famous for its adorable quokkas, Rottnest Island has become a global favourite. But beyond the selfies lies a rich, complex story of culture, conservation and community."

• Ganvie – Venice of Africa: Benin’s floating village [The Candy Trail]

• Walking the Yamanote Line [Tokyo Calling]

"A new way to discover Tokyo."

• A little-known corner of Ireland beckons (archive) [NY Times Travel]

"Flanked by the Knockmealdown Mountains to the north and blown by fresh ocean breezes, the Blackwater Valley is rich in history, culture and natural beauty."

• I escaped Amalfi’s infamous traffic by travelling by bike – this is what it’s like to cycle one of the most beautiful coasts in Europe [Independent]

• Wandering Taipei. April 2025. Xindian River walk. [Hungry for travel by Igor]

• Hagia Sophia: Secrets of the 1,600-year-old megastructure that has survived the collapse of empires [CNN Travel]

• For centuries, locals have been taking the waters of Bad Gastein—here's why you should too [National Geographic]

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James Clark (@nomadicnotes)