The Travel Wire: best travel reads #20

Cycling the Namib desert, Yogyakarta, cargo ship cruise through the Marquesas Islands, the Maha Kumbh Mela, and more travel reads

Welcome to The Travel Wire, where I curate the best travel reads of the week.

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Travel reads

• Loskop to Swakop: four days in the Namib Desert

“Having fallen in love with cycling as a teenager while living in Namibia for a stint in the 90s, Capetonian Stan Engelbrecht has been dreaming about spending more and more time riding through the desolate desert terrain and finding creative ways to make it happen. Join Engelbrecht and a cast of characters for a bike overlanding trip through the austere Namibian landscape…”

• Never heard of Yogyakarta? It might be the center of the universe. (archive)

“The Indonesian city is home to some of the greatest Hindu and Buddhist temples, a thriving food scene and an area known as the Cosmological Axis, a cradle of Javanese culture.”

• This photographer took a life-affirming cargo ship cruise through the Marquesas Islands

• It's a long way to the top

“To mark the end of 2024 I did something unexpected, and possibly foolhardy. Inspired by a (fitter) friend, I climbed to the top of China's famed Yellow Mountain, Huangshan.”

• Naga sadhus and the spirit of Maha Kumbh: my reflections from Prayagraj

“Experience the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 through the eyes of a pilgrim and know everything about attending this once-in-a-lifetime event.”

• What it’s like to hike Japan’s sacred Kumano Kodo trail

“This tranquil walking route that takes in waterfalls, temples and hot springs is the perfect antidote to Japan’s overtourism, as John Kampfner discovers.”

• Cheaper trips and ridiculous recommendations: The highs and lows of AI travel bots

• Miami's Little Havana

“Cuban culture, cigars, dancing and chickens.”

• ‘Everyone thought it would cause gridlock’: the highway that Seoul turned into a stream

“Cheonggyecheon stream in the South Korean capital has become an attraction – and helps with flood management, fighting air pollution and cooling the city.”

• Vietnam celebrates Year of the Snake with vibrant mascots

The 29th of January is the Lunar New Year (Tết in Vietnam). This year is the Year of the Snake, and many cities in Vietnam have elaborate decorations featuring the lunar animals. January is a great time to be in Vietnam and experience the spirit leading up to the new year.

On that note, happy Year of the Snake!

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James Clark (Nomadic Notes)