Travel

By Harry Bedford  As one of the five remaining communist countries, Laos is very much a victim of its political history. The domino that fell along with Vietnam in the 1970s is only just starting to pick itself back up - much to the delight of the tourist. Laos is the country nestled between Thailand and Vietnam, landlocked by Burma and China to the north and Cambodia to the south. Buddhism, French colonialism and centuries old Laotian traditions come together...

KLM passengers can now check-in with Facebook after the social media giant signed up its first airline to use its popular chat app Messenger. Facebook has been looking in to turning Messenger into a more than just a chat service for some time, and this announcement could illustrate what the future looks like. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will now give passengers the option to use Messenger when booking a ticket. The airline will then start up a chat thread, where it'll send booking...

Never mind the chocolate, the best thing about Easter is the four-day weekend - for travel fiends, it's like Christmas has come early. To make the most of the extra-long weekend, we've compiled some of the best value deals going both home and abroad - that way you can indulge for a little longer, for a little less. Café Royal, London Combining their forces with the world-famous Hamleys - just around the corner on Regent Street - Cafe Royal will...

One of the best ways to enjoy an authentic holiday experience is to hit the road and see what sort of gems are hidden just around the bend. While being at the wheel can be stressful when you’re grappling with unfamiliar rules, regulations, etiquette - plus the dreaded right-hand-side driving - an expansive survey has revealed the countries we find to be the safest places for road revellers. So according to rentalcar.com's survey of 1,000 UK holidaymakers, these are the...

Sean Sheehan travels 700 miles south of Tokyo Fukuoka, Japan’s sixth largest city, is a refreshing alternative to the ultramodern, neon-lit skyscrapers and anime shops of the bustling capital. Compared to Tokyo, where you have to strain your neck to see the sky, its low-rise cityscape feels liberating. Surrounded on three sides by mountains,Fukuoka has much to offer: a brand new metro system, underground shopping malls and great places to eat. Plus broad sandy beaches and great mountain walks. A fun way to...

Football fans will be given the opportunity to travel to Euro 2016 in style this summer for less than a Ryanair flight. Fans can fly in their own private aircraft from £333 per person, departing from London Ashford Airport in Lydd and enjoying stress-free, swift check-in and Champagne and sandwiches on board. The bespoke luxury travel package for England’s Group matches comes in at less than the price of a Ryanair ticket. Travel on the no-frills airline costs £380 for England's opener against Russia in Marseille...

The futuristic tube-transport system Hyperloop could be coming to Europe after the Slovakian government expressed interest in running a line between Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava. Hyperloop Transportation said Bratislava to Vienna — about an hour drive apart — could take about eight minutes in a hyperloop at full speed, and Bratislava to Budapest could take 10 minutes. Billionaire inventor Elon Musk unveiled the idea of the hyperloop in 2013 and plans to make it a reality are already under way in the US....

England's tourist body VisitEngland have, for the past 27 years, searched the land high and low to find the best in class when it comes to tourist accommodation and attractions. And now, fellow staycationers, the results for 2016 are in! The highlight of English Tourism Week, winners were picked in 16 categories, including the new award for Best Dog Friendly Business. So if only the best is good enough, here's where you should be going in the next 12 months......

by Shilpa Ganatra, travel editor The Maldives – a group of 1,192 coral islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean – might be associated with romantic honeymoons and its sugar-white beaches, but its real draw is found once you step off each island, as its Finding Nemo-style coral reefs are unlike most places in the world. Even the most crowded resorts are surrounded by crystal-clear waters teeming with parrot fish, angel fish, sea turtles, moray eels, reef sharks, manta...