In this thoughtful, informative account of a journey from Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta to Hanoi and Halong Bay, Zoe Schramm-Evans delves behind the cliche-ridden images of Vietnam to discover a country poised on the brink of remarkable social and economic change.

In Alycia Pirmohamed's debut collection, Another Way to Split Water, a woman's body expands and contracts across the page, fog uncoils at the fringes of a forest, and water in all its forms cascades into metaphors of longing and separation just as often as it signals inheritance, revival, and recuperation. Language unfolds into unforgettable and arresting imagery, offering a map toward self-understanding that is deeply rooted in place. These poems are a lyrical exploration of how ancestral memory reforms and transforms throughout generations, through stories told and retold, imagined and reimagined. It is a meditation on womanhood, belonging, faith, intimacy, and the natural world. 'Pirmohamed is an immensely gifted poet' - Eduardo C. Corral 'An electric, taut, and glimmering achievement' - Aria Aber

'Bags of fish for cats - 50 pence'. So it was written, on a chalkboard sign outside a fresh fishmonger's, under the arches of the raised promenade along the beachfront of England's newly super trendy and booming seaside City of Brighton and Hove. In Brighton Babylon, PK Heights is a Grade II listed maisonette flat in one of the City's up and coming Regency Squares that provides the elegant base for a series of interlocking true stories about the city's people and their lives. Newly relocated from London, Brighton resident Peter Jarrette combines and intertwines his stories, using a colourful palette that is one part Brokeback Beach and three parts seawater. He vividly portrays a selection of suspect characters and shocking episodes; much like the curious bits and pieces that might be on offer in one of those bags of fish for cats. To the author's consternation, the residents and visitors are a thoroughly peculiar and motley crew. This former string of south coast fishing villages with a royal and decadent past may now be a thoroughly cosmopolitan City and even aspire to being an international hub, but it has not yet lost its renowned and celebrated dark side, far from it. Brighton Babylon is populated by a cast of unsavoury hobos and bother boys; Yardie obsessed golden shower webmasters from nearby Crawley; mistakenly racist London hairdressers; strangely scripted market researchers; extemporised short-haul cabin crew; pushy airline First Officers; politically incorrect new food emporia; a vengeful, crumbling resort Pier and a locally obsessed, cat-mad press pack.

To journey through South Africa is to step into a world where beauty is woven into every horizon. This is a country whose landscapes defy description: from the golden savannahs of the Highveld and the emerald vineyards of the Cape to the untamed wilds of Kruger and the dramatic meeting of two oceans at the continent’s edge. South Africa’s uniqueness lies not only in its breathtaking scenery, but in the vibrant tapestry of cultures, languages, and traditions that infuse every encounter with meaning. Here, luxury is found in the stillness of dawn as elephants roam free, in the exquisite comfort of lodges designed to honour the land, and in the knowledge that each experience is anchored in a deep respect for nature and community. The country’s commitment to conservation and sustainability is a way of life – one that invites visitors to become stewards of its wild beauty. To explore South Africa is to be changed by it: to witness a place where grandeur and spirituality coexist, where adventure and serenity are never far apart, and where every moment is a celebration of life’s richness and possibility.
 
The warmth and resilience of South Africa’s people and their deep connection to the land creates encounters that resonate long after departure. Ubuntu, the unique philosophy that ‘we are because of others,’ shapes not only human relationships, but also the approach to conservation and sustainable tourism that defines the country’s finest establishments.
 
The lodges, hotels, and retreats featured in ‘South Africa’s Best’ represent more than luxury accommodation; they all embody a commitment to environmental stewardship and community empowerment by demonstrating how exceptional hospitality can coexist with conservation efforts. Here, solar-powered suites overlook pristine wilderness, organic gardens supply world-class kitchens, and tourism revenue directly supports local communities and wildlife protection initiatives. These properties are bastions of hope, demonstrating that luxury and purpose can flourish together, and that travel can be a force for good.
 
This edition has been enriched through our collaboration with Ardmore, South Africa’s celebrated design studio, whose distinctive ceramics, textiles, and homeware are inspired by the country’s flora, fauna, and folklore. Ardmore reflects a commitment to artistic excellence and social upliftment, embodying the philosophy of Ubuntu. Their work has transformed local talent into internationally recognised artistry while supporting conservation efforts.
 
Our partnership with Steadfast Africa further enhances this collection. As a boutique luxury travel company, Steadfast Africa curates bespoke journeys within South Africa that showcase the country’s most exceptional destinations. Their expertise ensures seamless access to the world-class lodges, exclusive reserves, and immersive cultural experiences featured in this edition. Steadfast Africa ensures that travellers are able to become active participants in preserving the country’s natural heritage and supporting the communities that call these landscapes home.
 
Whether tracking rhino on foot with expert guides, dining on farm-to-table cuisine under the stars, or participating in meaningful cultural exchanges, each featured destination invites guests to engage deeply and mindfully with both nature and heritage. What sets these luxury destinations apart is their shared ethos: a dedication to preserving the country’s wild beauty and uplifting its people, ensuring that South Africa’s wonders will endure for generations to come.
 
‘South Africa’s Best’ gives readers the opportunity to embark on a journey where every page is infused with purpose, gratitude, and the promise of lasting change. In compiling this edition, our hope is to unite travellers who share a love for this remarkable country and a desire to make a meaningful impact. This book is both a tribute and a call to action: to honour and protect the land, people, and wildlife that make South Africa truly extraordinary.

With an introduction by novelist David Vann

Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild examines the true story of Chris McCandless, a young man, who in 1992 walked deep into the Alaskan wilderness and whose SOS note and emaciated corpse were found four months later.

Internationally bestselling author and mountaineer Jon Krakauer explores the obsession which leads some people to discoverthe outer limits of self, leave civilization behind and seek enlightenment through solitude and contact with nature.

In 2007, Into the Wild was adapted as a critically acclaimed film, directed by Sean Penn and Emile Hirsch and Kristen Stewart.

As Suid-Afrikaner wat in Engeland woon, het André Pretorius die geleentheid om plekke te besoek wat vir die meeste van ons net drome bly. Maar met sy uitstekende skryfwerk bring hy in hierdie boek talle van die eksotiese plekke naby sy lesers.

Hy laat ons deel in die soektog na ’n kelim in die mark van Marrakesj, in die nostalgie van Nobelpryswenner Orhan Pamuk se Istanboel, in die verhewe skoonheid van die St. Pieterskerk in Rome en in ’n bootrit op die magtige Irrawaddy-rivier in Birma gedurende die reënseisoen wanneer dit voel asof die waters van hemel en aarde versmelt.

Daar is ook vermaaklike oomblikke, soos wanneer hy aan ’n wynproe-cum-marathon in die Medoc-vallei deelneem (met voorspelbare gevolge) en wanneer hy met net ’n klein lappie as bedekking dit na ’n openbare bad in Boedapest waag.

‘Witty and fascinating … a guide book that can't help but inspire’ independent.co.uk Anthony Bourdain saw more of the world than nearly anyone. His travels took him from his hometown of New York to a tribal longhouse in Borneo, from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, Paris, and Shanghai to the stunning desert solitude of Oman’s Empty Quarter – and many places beyond. In World Travel, a life of experience is collected into an entertaining, practical, fun and frank travel guide that gives readers an introduction to some of his favorite places – in his own words. Featuring essential advice on how to get there, what to eat, where to stay and, in some cases, what to avoid. Additionally, each chapter includes illustrations by Wesley Allsbrook. Supplementing Bourdain’s words are a handful of essays by friends, colleagues, and family that tell even deeper stories about a place, including sardonic accounts of traveling with Bourdain by his brother, Chris; a guide to Chicago’s best cheap eats by legendary music producer Steve Albini, and more. ‘An enduring embodiment of Bourdain’s love for the whole world and a reminder of how to stack our priorities the next time we’re able to follow in his footsteps’ New York Times

One of Newsweek's 6 best travel books of the last decade. Winner Guild of Food Writers, Food and Travel Award 2018. Winner Best Food Book of 2017, Gourmand Cookbook Awards. Shortlisted for the Art of Eating Prize. Shortlisted for the IACP, Culinary Travel Book Award. Award-winning food and wine writer and photographer Carla Capalbo has travelled across Georgia collecting recipes and gathering stories from traditional food and wine producers in this stunning but little-known country, nestled between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea. The result is a beautifully illustrated cookbook and personal travel guide. Meet Georgia's best chefs and cooks and sample their vibrant, colourful cuisine, including vegetables blended with walnuts and aromatic herbs, subtly spiced stews and the irresistible cheese-filled khachapuri breads that are served on every table. Georgia is one of the world's oldest winemaking areas, with wines traditionally made in clay qvevri buried in the ground. These wines are some of today's most soughtafter by fans of natural and organic viticulture

Following on from Jeffrey Benson's first volume of travel diaries, One More for the Road, comes a second instalment, as one of the food and drink world's intrepid voyagers continues on his way. No Half Measures whisks the reader to the luxury resorts of the Indian Ocean, tasting cutting-edge cuisine and fine wines on five continents, and celebrates all the cultural diversity the world still has to offer.As before, Benson gives us both barrels of modern travel experience, the vintage and the vin ordinaire, the sublime and the ridiculous, in generous and richly evocative accounts of journeys among family and friends, wine students and superstar chefs. There are glorious gastronomic moments and glimpses of the splendour of the natural world, as well as comic interludes and the odd despairing grumble, all in the company of our witty and humane chaperone.Fasten your seat-belts: it's going to be a thoroughly enjoyable ride.