‘Who’d have thought it?’: north Devon named UK’s first world surfing reserve

Eighteen miles of coastline win formal protection, joining 11 sites globally including Malibu and Santa Cruz When an Atlantic swell is up, staff at the Beach cafe at Downend, on the north Devon coast, prepare to be rushed off their feet. “Everyone heads in, no matter whether it’s rain or shine,” said the owner, Colette Brooks. From the cafe, where they serve a warming Sri Lankan curry on weekend evenings, Brooks has a front-row view of Croyde beach, which at low tide can produce barrelling waves. “I love to watch the surfers out there,” she said. “It’s a brilliant spot.” Continue reading...

Hong Kong Tourism Benefited From Return of Mainland China Visitors in March

Hong Kong's retail sales in March recorded nearly a 41 percent increase from the previous year, with a significant boom in tourism and visitor spending contributing factors. -Andres Buenahora

‘Chips to die for’: readers’ favourite UK seaside towns

The cries of gulls serenade our tipsters as they promenade past funfairs, stripy beach huts and ice-cream shops from Cornwall to Aberdeen. Scroll down for the winning tip and to send in your own Rame peninsula. Tiny beach, endless sea. There’s a seafront pub right there in Kingsand, the Devonport, just up the steps, serving delicious food – or you can just sit outside and look at the sunset. We went to Kingsand for our very first holiday together, my then-lover and I. I booked at short notice – the guesthouse we stayed in has since been put up for sale. We played guitar on the beach and got roped into a sea shanty singalong with the locals. We went back about 10 years later – same beach, same gorgeous yellow house on the beach, same pub. Children were playing on the beach who wouldn’t have been born yet when we had last come. It was special. Ewa Szypula Continue reading...

Airbnb goes back to basics with renewed focus on private room rentals

New features on app to encourage travellers to consider renting single rooms rather than whole properties Airbnb is going back to its roots, the company has announced, with a renewed focus on renting out single rooms to travellers concerned about cost-of-living increases. Labelled Airbnb Rooms, the short-term rental app will launch a range of features designed to encourage travellers to consider renting a single room in a house to save money and have new experiences on the move. Continue reading...

Rail route of the month: tracking St Olav from Sweden to Norway

Our slow travel expert train-hops coast to coast from Sundsvall to Trondheim, following a pilgrim trail based on the life of the 11th-century king Religious purists probably assert that a pilgrimage requires walking rather than taking a train. I wasn’t inclined to spend three weeks walking to Trondheim. So I decided to give the train a shot, showing up one morning at Sundsvall railway station in Sweden for a solo three-day pilgrimage by rail. The railway from Sundsvall to Trondheim casts a 287 miles (463km) thread across central Scandinavia, for long stretches paralleling the pilgrim trail known as St Olavsleden (St Olav’s Way). Whether by train or on foot, this is a gorgeous transect through a deeply rural region. The route extends from the Swedish shore of the Gulf of Bothnia to Norway’s Trondheim Fjord, where St Olav’s Way ends at Trondheim’s Nidaros Cathedral. Continue reading...

Why did I have to fly from London to Belfast to get a new UK passport?

I was forced to make a stressful journey to the only office where I could get an appointment in a strike * Briton with valid passport barred from flight over Brexit rules Discovering you urgently need a new passport during a lengthy Passport Office strike is bad news. Normally you can apply for a fast-track passport that can be collected within a week, or use the online premium service that can turn one around for you in a couple of days, but not when a quarter of Passport Office staff stop working for five weeks. For me, the consequence of this was discovering I would have to take a flight from London, where I live, to Belfast to pick up my new passport. There were no appointments in England. And even though I was paying top dollar (£193.50 compared with £155 for fast-track or £82.50 for the normal service), the soonest in-person appointment I could get was 19 days later, on Tuesday 25 April. With work trips to Dubai and then Nice in the next couple of weeks, getting my new passport was a matter of urgency. Continue reading...

10 of the UK’s best dog-friendly hotels and resorts

Raise the woof: dog-friendly hotels worth barking about Make the most of Cornwall’s spectacular coastal scenery with a stay at St Michael’s, set in leafy sub-tropical gardens with lovely views towards idyllic Gylly Beach. The location makes for easy early morning and sunset walks on the sand, and dogs are welcomed with pet beds, towels, treats and a doggie guide to local attractions. The Brasserie on the Bay serves up the best local fish and seafood with gorgeous sea views, while the Garden Kitchen offers more informal meals. Pets aren’t allowed in the dining areas or the spa and health club, although they are welcome in the arrival lounge – and until the end of May, pets stay free. Doubles from £149 B&B, £20 per dog per night; stmichaelsresort.com Continue reading...