Holiday guide
The ends of the Earth
The Arctic and Antarctic are otherworldly places of furious extremes, where unfamiliar rhythms and patterns will keep you in a perpetual state of wonder. Both offer glimpses of life lived on the edge, where there is little room for second chances. Both will strip you bare, turning you into a wiser and more humble version of yourself. - Kerry van der Jagt
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North or south? Choosing the polar frontier for you
The remoteness, elemental grandeur and extraordinary wildlife of the Arctic and Antarctic will seize your soul.
- Brian Johnston
Fleeting and surreal, this might be Antarctica’s rarest experience
You’ve heard of a dry landing and a wet landing. But what about an ice landing?
- Jenny Hewett
I broke one of the first rules of visiting the Antarctic
Polar snorkelling is a unique way to experience the White Continent. But something doesn’t feel right this morning.
- Jenny Hewett
- ★★★★½
New Australian ship is a perfect match for our wildest waters
The first cruise of Aurora Expeditions’ Douglas Mawson was meant to circumnavigate Tasmania, but wild weather led the expeditioners on a different, but just as eventful, route.
- Julie Miller
The gloriously eccentric museum revealing Norway’s strange past
Where in the world did women use potatoes to make themselves look sexy to potential suitors?
- Sue Williams
Australian cruise company launches new ‘X-bow’ ship
The Douglas Mawson will sail to Antarctica as well as the Mediterranean and the British Isles.
- Julietta Jameson
- Opinion
I rarely come back from a trip changed – until I went here
A lot of the things I was worrying about suddenly seemed trivial in the face of what Greenlanders contentedly endured.
- Lee Tulloch
A 130-year-old, essential ferry route doubles as a spectacular cruise
Over breakfast, a debate begins: is this a cruise or a ferry? Delicious meals, viewing lounge and other luxuries on one hand, a busy schedule of stops and cargo deliveries on the other.
- Simon Johanson
There’s only one way to get to the ultimate bucket-list destination
Unless you’re a research scientist, you’ll only ever be able to land in Antarctica off a small expedition cruise ship.
- Brian Johnston
The one destination no traveller can ever be fully prepared for
There’s an astonishing prep list before you can even set foot on the White Continent. But, in this harsh environment, even the most prepared can expect the unexpected.
- Katrina Lobley
Turns out, the ‘end of the world’ is a great place to visit
This far-flung chilly city will warm your heart with crab feasts, colourful murals and some of the best baked goods around.
- Katrina Lobley
Antarctica’s most popular (and adorable) man-made attraction is back
Last summer, the famous Penguin Post Office was off-limits due to the threat of avian flu, so its workers got creative.
- Katrina Lobley
See this spectacular destination before the tourist crowds arrive
This remote region will welcome more tourists than ever this year. Here’s why you should beat the rush of visitors (and Donald Trump).
- Ben Ross
The window-view surprise that took my breath away
Sightseeing flights over the coldest, windiest and driest continent give you an insight into its huge mountains – and get you back in the same day.
- Liam Phelan
This cruise ship can go where other ships cannot
As Antarctica becomes crowded with ships, the Le Commandant Charcot can push through pack ice and into regions of seas typically only reached by military or scientific vessels.
- Jamie Lafferty
The cute little train at the end of the world with a brutal history
Tourists are curious creatures, ever ready to make an entertainment out of the most terrible tales of the past.
- Brian Johnston
Europe doesn’t get more far-flung, or magical, than this breathtaking place
Created by volcanic eruptions and subsequently eroded by glaciers, winds and waves, this dreamlike archipelago sits halfway between Iceland and Britain.
- Steve McKenna
How the ultra-rich cruise: On board the world’s most-travelled superyacht
Last year the Hanse Explorer clocked up a staggering 65,555 kilometres, many of which were racked up during charters for the rich and famous.
- Rachel Ingram
See ‘the most beautiful place on Earth’ while you still can
Everything on an Arctic trip is delivered with a degree of melancholy since all the beauty we see comes with a disclaimer: best you see it now.
- Craig Tansley
New ice age: 10 unbelievable Antarctica experiences
From polar camping to exploring in a luxury sub, there’s no time like the present to super-size your visit to the White Continent.
- Katrina Lobley
Polar plunge: What it's like to take a dip in Antarctica's freezing waters
Blue skies and placid waters notwithstanding, it's counterintuitive to swim in the inhumanely cold waters of Antarctica.
- Catherine Marshall
Nine must-do highlights of Longyearbyen, Norway
Huskies, breweries, fine-dining and glaciers: there’s a lot to warm to in this icy destination.
- Craig Tansley
A place where the sun never sets (though you still might not see it)
Tourism is still a rarity when exploring this part of the Arctic.
- Jamie Lafferty
Surprises come thick and fast in this remote, fragile land
A circumnavigation of Spitsbergen delivers exceptional Arctic wildlife in one of the world’s most remote and fragile environments.
- Andrew Conway
See this magnificent place before it’s gone forever
I’ve read a lot about global warming, but seeing it so starkly in action is shocking, and it makes me wonder if I should be here at all.
- Brian Johnston
Short on time? This Australian ship can do Antarctica at express speed
I’m doing what is surely the shortest journey you can have while cruising this remote corner of the world. But there’s still time to be overwhelmed.
- Ben Groundwater
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