Lonely Planet celebrates decades of award-winning travel photography

And reveals the stories behind the images in “The Perfect Shot”

Discover the determination and persistence required to take the perfect travel photograph.

Western Australia: The beauty of Bell Gorge

In the scorched heart of Australia’s vast Kimberley region, the refreshing waters of Bell Gorge have soothed the parched bones of many a weary traveller.

Bell Gorge, Kimberley.

You’ve been following the rough, dust-filled corrugations of the Kimberley’s infamous Gibb River Road for days and the jarring bumps, insane heat and relentless flies are taking their toll. Relax, paradise is at hand! Deep in the Wilinggin Country of the Ngarinyin people, the natural
amphitheatre and swimming hole of Bell Gorge is the perfect spot to cool off and break up that epic road trip.

A pleasant, partially shaded walk leads from the car park along a pandanus- and paperbark-fringed creek alive with birdsong. Breathtaking views from the top of the waterfall only hasten your pace to reach the cool, crystal waters below. Before long you’re floating on your back (possibly still fully clothed) as you soak away the kilometres, staring up at the blue, cloudless sky and the sheer orange walls of the gorge. Yep, flat out, like that goanna on the rock to your right.

What’s best about swimming here?

Getting up under the bottom of the falls and letting them pummel your back, best massage ever!

What’s that stripey lizard over there?

Mertens Water monitor (Roderick Eime)

That fella’s a Mertens’ water monitor, a type of goanna. Don’t worry, they’re harmless, as long as you leave them alone.

Near the cliffs above the falls, what was that pigeon that made a funny sound as it flew?

Big brown one? Yeah, that’s the white-quilled rock pigeon, they look just like the sandstone cliffs where they hide.

And that cute little purple-headed bird in the pandanus by the creek?

Oh, you’re lucky to see him. Purple-crowned fairy wren. Only the males get that purple colour when they’re ready to breed; they’re normally hiding in that pandanus.

Wow, I thought I just saw something jump along that cliff ledge?

Ha, you just saw a rock wallaby (like a little kangaroo), they hang out in the gorges and aren’t afraid of heights!


Country Australia • Region Western Australia • Type • natural pool • Cost A$13 per car national park entry fee • Activities swimming, bushwalking • Family-friendly: yes

Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Joy of Water

The Joy of Water
May 2020 |$29.99 AUD
200mm x 200mm | 272 pages Hardback | ISBN: 9781838690465

How to explore every day with Lonely Planet's new book.

Lonely Planet's new book, Explore Every Day, features 365 daily prompts designed to refresh your life – including the following:

You can find this wonderful piece of street art in Melbourne. Where? (R Eime)

• Admire the next piece of street art or graffiti you see as if it were hanging in an art gallery.
• Think of one small environmental change you could make and act on it.
• Buy a fruit or vegetable you’ve never eaten before.
• Quick: name the first country that comes to mind. Find a film from that country and watch it. Write the review.

Have you seen this American film?

• Spend one full minute really, truly feeling the weather.
• Ascend to the highest point in your town (buildings count).

The highest point of which famous South Australian port? (R Eime)

• Learn a word from your region’s indigenous culture or some local slang.
• Breathe in for four seconds. Exhale for six.
• Spend one full minute really, truly feeling the weather.
• Empires were built – and destroyed – over the search for aromatic spices. Research where in your town you can find dozens available instantly (health-food and international stores often have large spice sections).
• Give yourself a full 10-15 minutes to browse through and deeply inhale as many spices and herbs as you can. Choose one that tickles your fancy yet is totally unfamiliar to you and buy it (saving you the 200-year-long journey to attain it).

Can you name these spices? Have you smelled them? 

• Find a recipe that incorporates the new spice and cook it.
• Draw a map of your town. For extra credit: Find a willing partner, give yourselves three minutes each to draw, then compare results afterwards. What stood out for each of you?
• Get dressed up and conduct a photo shoot with a friend.

Halloween is the perfect opportunity for a fun family portrait (Lithgow Mercury)

• Which neighbourhood in your town is most different to your own? Spend an afternoon running errands there.
• Many world-famous universities (UC Berkeley, Cambridge, the Sorbonne) offer free courses online. Sign up to one and learn Shakespeare, Roman history or opera.
• Go on a mural walking tour. Describe your favourite mural.

Silo art is a big deal in rural Australia (Mike Osborne)

Reproduced with permission from Explore Every Day, © Lonely Planet 2019, www.lonelyplanet.com

Fabulous new travel books in time for Christmas

Bewildered
by Laura Waters

What would move you to ditch your life and take off into the wild for six months? For Melbourne woman Laura Waters, it took the implosion of a toxic relationship and a crippling bout of anxiety. Armed with a compass, a paper map and as much food as she could carry, she set out to walk the untamed landscapes of New Zealand’s Te Araroa track, 3000 kilometres of raw, wild, mountainous trail winding from the top of the North Island to the frosty tip of the South Island.

But when her walking partner dropped out on the first day, she was faced with a choice: abandon the journey and retreat to the safety of home, or throw caution to the wind and continue on – alone. She chose to walk on.

For six months, she battled not only treacherous mountain ridges and river crossings, but also the demons of self-doubt and anxiety, and the shadow of an emotionally abusive relationship. At the end of Te Araroa (‘the long pathway’, as it is translated from Maori) it was the hard-earned insights into mental health, emotional wellbeing and fulfilling relationships – with others as well as with herself – that were Laura’s greatest accomplishments. She emerged ‘rewilded’, and it transformed her life.

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The Definitive Bucket List
by Lee Atkinson

Spending the kids’ inheritance. Growing old disgracefully. Life begins at 50. You see these catchy phrases on bumper stickers, tea towels and even t-shirts, but all jokes aside, there is one thing we all know – no matter how old our driver’s license says we are, we all feel much younger at heart. And travel goes a long way in keeping you young. Inside this book you’ll find hundreds of holiday ideas across Australia and New Zealand, from luxury escapes to walking holidays, bike rides, train journeys, golfing trips, garden tours and unforgettable wildlife encounters. If you have time on your hands, if you have retired – or cut back on the working hours – and the kids are old enough to look after themselves (even if they haven’t yet left home), it’s the perfect time to travel, particularly while you’re still fit and active enough to enjoy it. After all, you’ve earned it.

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Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2020

Each year, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel lists start with nominations from Lonely Planet’s vast community of staff, writers, bloggers, publishing partners and more. The nominations are then whittled down by our panel of travel experts, who shortlist in line with criteria such its topicality, unique experiences and ‘wow’ factor.

Best in Travel 2020 is Lonely Planet’s 15th annual collection of the world’s hottest destinations and journeys for the year ahead. The best-selling, inspirational travel yearbook highlights the top 10 countries, cities, regions, and best-value destinations that Lonely Planet's experts recommend for 2020. This edition places particular emphasis on sustainable travel experiences— ensuring travellers will have a positive impact wherever they choose to go.

10 travel hacks every solo traveller should know

#lonelyplanet



You’re bound to make mistakes on your first solo trip, but you can learn from previous travellers. Monica Stott, founder of thetravelhack.com, has learned a fair bit. Here she shares her top ten hacks.

Order special meals on planes

Pre-order a special meal, such as a vegetarian or vegan meal, on flights. Special meals are served first so you’ll get your food faster, allowing you to nod off sooner than your seatmates if you’re keen to get some rest. The vegan meals are usually healthy, light and delicious, which helps you to avoid that groggy, bloated, post-flight feeling that tends to be a by-product of indulging in a rich plane meal.

Dress up for airport check-in

Did you know that solo travellers are more likely to get upgraded on flights? You’re also more likely to be upgraded if you look the part, so wear the smartest clothes you’re travelling with to the airport (you can always pack a more comfortable set of clothes in your hand luggage to change into after you check in). It’s also worth asking at check-in if any upgrade opportunities are available. While it is more difficult to score upgrades these days unless you’re a frequent flyer, if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

Use airport lounges

Airport lounges aren’t just for first class passengers; you can often buy yourself into them for a bargain. In the UK, airport lounge passes start from around £25 and include perks such as unlimited snacks and alcohol, wi-fi, magazines, and a quiet and comfortable space to relax before your flight. Using lounges during long layovers offers particularly good value, as it doesn’t typically cost much more than you’d spend on food and drink elsewhere in the airport.

Pack a portable charger

You’ll undoubtedly use your phone a lot while you travel, so pack a portable charger. Make sure to have a way to contact someone in an emergency, and use your phone’s GPS for directions. Portable chargers are cheap and lightweight and you’ll thank yourself when you’re trying to call a taxi at 3am with only 2% battery remaining!

Disguise your gadgets

Flashy new devices with crisp, clean cases attract thieves, which is the last thing you want when you’re travelling solo. Avoid unwanted attention by making your expensive gadgets look less pricey than they really are – cover your camera in stickers, and buy cheap cases for your smartphone and your tablet and scuff them up.

Mark your baggage as fragile

Slap a 'fragile' label on your luggage to prevent it from being handled roughly in transit. Adding this label will typically also see your luggage delivered to the baggage carousel - it's often the case that special luggage and equipment is the last to be placed in the aircraft's hold, which means it will be the first to be taken out again.

Always carry a business card from your hotel

As soon as you arrive at your hotel or hostel, grab a business card from the reception desk with the hotel's address and phone number. If you get lost, you can jump in a taxi and give the card to your driver to ensure you get back to your hotel safely. If a business card isn't available, ask a member of reception staff if they could write down the address in the local language for you. Make sure to then keep the information somewhere handy when you head out to explore.

Travel with an unlocked mobile phone

If you have a contract phone, ensure it is unlocked before you travel. This means you’ll be able to use any SIM card from any mobile network across the world. Pick up a local SIM once you arrive and you’ll avoid roaming fees and enjoy cheaper calls and texts – you can find SIM cards at the airport and convenience stores in touristy areas.

Keep your travel essentials in your suitcase at home

Adopt this travel hack if you’re a frequent traveller and don’t want to forget those all-important essentials. When you return from a trip, leave key items in your suitcase. Items such as your passport, plug adaptors, miniature toiletries and insurance documents can stay in your case because you won’t need them at home, and leaving them in your case means you’ll never forget to pack them.

Use free walking tours to help you ease into a new city

Most cities have free walking tours, and these tend to attract other solo travellers. Solos usually stick together once the tour is over and go for drinks or dinner together, so it’s a great opportunity to meet like-minded travellers while simultaneously avoiding the anxiety of dining alone on your first night in town.

Extract from The Solo Travel Handbook

To find out more and get top tips for travelling solo, visit www.lonelyplanet.com/explore-every-day.




Lonely Planet’s Solo Travel Handbook

Published January 2018 / 168pp, full colour / H210 x W165mm, paperback / AUD $29.99