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WORLD’S MOST UNUSUAL CAMPING EXPERIENCES

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  Coming off a year of liberating travel, it wasn’t the most glamorous transition. “We came from being totally free to working around-the-clock on construction,” remembers Camille. “We had no electricity except fireflies in our room. We had no running water. It was rainy season and we were collecting rainwater and using it to shower and everything.” “But we had a home,” Mark interjects. Six months later, The Birdhouse opened with three glamping tents – which the couple dubs “nests” – and a communal lodge overlooking Marimegmeg Beach. It’s so “off-the-beaten path” the couple had to build their own trail. From the aforementioned coconut stand, hand-drawn wooden markers pegged to tree trunks lead travelers over bamboo bridges and deeper into the jungle. After the short trek, a stairwell leads travelers up a steep mountainside where contemporary tents are visible between the tree branches. At the top, a treehouse-like lodge dubbed the “Mother Nest” triples as a lobby, restaurant and Mark a
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NEPAL’S TOP 5 RESPONSIBLE BOUTIQUE HOTELS

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  Heaven in the Himalayas: Nepal’s top 5 responsible boutique hotels The Palawan Provincial Tourism Office estimated that the island received 1.1 million visitors in 2016 – up 15% compared with the year before. While the statement did not provide specific numbers, PTO head Maribel Buñi counted El Nido among the most-visited tourist destinations on the island. 20 holiday destinations the experts say not to miss “I don’t think El Nido has even started to boom. But it’s coming,” says Mark. “We want to present an eco-friendly lifestyle for other people and be an example for other hotels in El Nido to replicate.” Rising tides A former government employee, Shyo Sayajon moved into the field to make a more direct impact on the environment. “What normally happens in El Nido is that the waste management is viewed as an expense by hotels,” explains Sayajon, now a full-time permaculture designer. “Hotels transfer most of the expense to the local government, which is required to manage waste. Sadly
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THE LONELY PLANET PATHFINDERS HAVE A FEW SUGGESTIONS TO FIRE YOUR IMAGINATION.

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  Whether you see New Year’s Eve as an excuse to party hard, reflect on the past or plan for the year ahead, two things are certain: the clock is ticking and there are a thousand places you could be spending it instead of your local pub. Why not watch the sun rise on 2015 from the balmy shores of Boracay in the Philippines? Maybe you’d prefer to raise a glass or two of plonk in Australia’s Barossa Valley? Or forgive, forget and start afresh after burning a scarecrow in Ecuador? The Lonely Planet Pathfinders have a few suggestions to fire your imagination. Tennessee, USA Two bear cubs stand to attention in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. Image by W. Drew Senter, Longleaf/Moment/Getty Images There is more to the Southern US than fried food and country music – it also happens to be a terrific place to spend New Year’s Eve. By day you can explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (the largest national park east of the Rocky Mountains) and at night, when the clock stri
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LUXURIOUS PRIVATE ISLAND RESORT OPENS

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  It offers white sand beaches, plush villas and plenty of amenities. But with a price tag of $100,000 a night, Banwa Private Island is among the most expensive getaways anywhere in the world. The resort, in the works for years, and benefits from year-round sunshine thanks to its location close to the equator. It features six villas and additional suites, meaning 48 people can stay at any one time. So if you have plenty of friends, it might be worth splitting the bill. The resort’s surounding Puerco Island, sits serenely off the coast of Palawan, an island province. Guests heading for Banwa will need to hop on a helicopter or seaplane for the final leg. Once there, guests will be able to explore the entirety of the archipelago, relax in a hammock or sip cocktails at a bar. Each villa has its own infinity pool and hot tub and a team of chefs will supply food and drink. Freshly caught fish and newly picked vegetables feature heavily on the menu. Guests can also meet some of the island’s
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6 DISHES EVERY VISITOR SHOULD TRY IN THE PHILIPPINES

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  Manila food: 6 dishes every visitor should try in the Philippines “I moved from Singapore to Shanghai where Mark was working and we lived together for the first time,” says Camille Villaflor. “That first year was hard. We were fighting all the time.” Then a teacher, Mark pitched his new wife a crazy idea: What if they took a year-long honeymoon? “It sounded like the coolest thing ever, how can you say no?” she recalls. “But we were doing well with money and had proper jobs … We were just going to leave all of that to go on a sabbatical?” It started with a trial run. The couple spent 40 days backpacking through Cambodia and western China. “We knew then that travel was our common ground,” remembers Camille, who is originally from Manila. “Instead of focusing on each other and our flaws, we were distracted by the amazing things we were seeing and we felt so grateful for the experiences.” Convinced that a year-long honeymoon was totally doable, the couple began saving for the trip. The c
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HOW TO SAVE MONEY AND AVOID CROWDS WHILE TRAVELING

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  The couple also worked along the way, taking on everything from check-in services at hostels to social media management, design consultation, blog reviews – even mopping floors. “We had figured out blogging and social media by the fourth month or so, so we started pitching places – trading reviews and advertising for accommodations,” says Mark. To arrange visas, the couple had to apply in their countries of residence. That meant flying to the US to take care of Mark’s passport and then over to Manila for Camille’s. While waiting for Camille’s visa to be approved, the couple ventured to El Nido – a pristine corner of the southwestern Philippines. If you require consular assistance then please contact the British Embassy Manila via gov.uk/contact-consulate-manila or a 24/7 hotline: +63 (0)2 8858 2200. It is more important than ever to get travel insurance and check it provides sufficient cover. See the FCDO guidance on foreign travel insurance. Terrorists are very likely to try to carr
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THE BEST HOTELS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

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  “We had no electricity except fireflies in our room. We had no running water. It was rainy season and we were collecting rainwater and using it to shower and everything.” “But we had a home,” Mark interjects. Kate Springer Six months later, The Birdhouse opened with three glamping tents – which the couple dubs “nests” – and a communal lodge overlooking Marimegmeg Beach. It’s so “off-the-beaten path” the couple had to build their own trail. From the aforementioned coconut stand, hand-drawn wooden markers pegged to tree trunks lead travelers over bamboo bridges and deeper into the jungle. After the short trek, a stairwell leads travelers up a steep mountainside where contemporary tents are visible between the tree branches. World’s most unusual camping experiences At the top, a treehouse-like lodge dubbed the “Mother Nest” triples as a lobby, restaurant and Mark and Camille’s home. Designed by Camille, the communal house has an eclectic vibe, featuring romantic hanging bamboo chairs, M
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