Published 28th Jun. 2021
Reading time
Going together like bread and butter, gin and tonic or Posh and Becks, some destination double acts just work. Combining culture and history with wilderness and wildlife, who said you had to limit a holiday to one destination? With our insider intel on the latest flight routes and knowledge of where's hot right now, we’ve rounded up our favourite holiday combinations. Read on to discover the following perfect pairings...
1. South Africa and Madagascar
2. Amsterdam and Anguilla
3. Iceland and British Columbia
4. Singapore and Sulawesi
5. Colombia and Chile
First up on our list of the best holiday combinations celebrates South Africa’s once-weekly flight service from Johannesburg to Nosy Be island in Madagascar. South Africa is a perennial Original Travel favourite, and, using this flight route, it's easy to combine world-class cuisine, wine and safari with an idyllic island escape such as Tsarabanjina in Madagascar. What's more, the seasons complement each other perfectly, too, with the islands of Northern Madagascar offering blissfully sunny days as temperatures drop in the Cape.
Image by Paloma Saint Léger
There are no direct flights to Anguilla from the UK, which has perhaps helped keep it as one of the more exclusive Caribbean escapes. The island is home to miles of powder-soft beaches, luxurious resorts and exceptional cuisine, which are best enjoyed with your toes in the sand and a cool rum punch in hand. One of our favourite flight routes is via Amsterdam (to neighbouring St Maarten before a 25-minute ferry), so why not stop over for a few days en route, settle into the effortlessly cool Dylan Hotel, and get your culture fix in the world-class Rijksmuseum? Holiday combinations don’t get much better than this.
Two of the coolest (sorry) destinations combine perfectly when travelling on Iceland Air's Vancouver flight route. Fly to Reykjavík to start the trip with a few days of adrenaline-fuelled exploration in Iceland. Descend into the magma chamber of a volcano and explore glaciers by snowmobile or Superjeep before travelling on to Vancouver, where you can refuel on a Gourmet Food Truck tour. After a few days in the bustle of the city, head back out to the wilderness on Vancouver Island, prime whale and grizzly bear-spotting territory.
Image by Matthieu Ricard
Cosmopolitan Singapore is home to fine wining and dining, designer shopping and a host of luxurious hotels, including the iconic Raffles and the funky Fullerton Bay Hotel. From Singapore, there are direct flights to hubs in both North and South Sulawesi. Northern Sulawesi is home to the Bunaken Marine Park and Lembeh Straits – two prime dive destinations – while the South is the access point for the stunning Toraja Lands, where Animist communities live ancient tribal traditions in the midst of some of the most stunning scenery in Indonesia. This is one of the best holiday combinations for those wanting a slice of city, culture and nature.
Concluding our roundup of favourite holiday combinations is a top-to-tail trip to Latin America, which unites two of the continent's finest destinations. Colombia boasts vibrant cities (we’re looking at you, Cartagena), beautiful Tayrona National Park and – for lovers of the bean – the UNESCO World Heritage Coffee Triangle region. Thanks to a new flight route, you can now fly to the Colombian capital, Bogota, and to the city's Chilean counterpart, Santiago. Combine time in Colombia with an exploration of Chile, a South American classic thanks to Patagonia, the Atacama Desert, the Lake District and some rather fine wines.
Image by Alix Pardo | Header image by Marta NASCIMENTO/REA
Practical advice and inspiration for your next trip
Southeast Asia is a favourite for first-time travellers – safe, welcoming and easy to explore. Yet all too often, Cambodia is the casualty of the Indochina loop, with many simply dropping in to see the (admittedly awe-inspiring) Angkor before moving swiftly on. On my first visit, I was guilty as charged. But my return visit changed everything. Cambodia, I realised, has come of age. It’s no longer the ‘add-on’ destination, but a country that demands time, rewards curiosity and offers depth, warmth and discovery at every turn.
29th October 2025 - Cambodia Travel Inspiration
This article originally featured in the first edition of our magazine, Original Traveller. The world’s first tourist destination; Egypt has attracted the great and the good for more than four millennia. Tom Holland charts the ebb and flow of the country’s time travel. Egypt is where tourism began. Perhaps this is hardly surprising. By the 5th century BC, when the first tourist guide to Egypt was written, pharaonic civilisation was already more than two and a half millennia old.
29th October 2025 - Egypt Travel Inspiration
For those of us who don’t have to adhere to the constraints of the school holidays, we have a wide choice when it comes to choosing what season to travel in. Though the summer remains a top choice, thanks to the good weather across much of the Northern Hemisphere and the general societal norm of treating ourselves to a break at this time, the so-called ‘shoulder season’ is becoming ever-more popular.
28th October 2025 - Travel Inspiration
Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
