Notes from the people
who go ahead of you.
French Polynesia, and the months worth the airfare
The best time to visit French Polynesia is May to October, but the islands sit a full day's travel from almost anywhere. Here is how to choose the months that repay the airfare.
The Philippines, island by island, month by month
December to May is the best time to visit the Philippines, but the honest answer shifts island by island. Here is the calendar that actually matters, month by month.
Bosnia in winter, and what the Balkans do well
The reliable answer for the best time to visit Bosnia is late spring or early autumn. The braver answer is winter, when Sarajevo has snow, empty lanes and Olympic mountains forty minutes away.
Hong Kong, and the four weeks it is perfect
The best time to visit Hong Kong is not a season but a window: roughly late October to late November, when the humidity finally breaks. Here is why it is so short, and what to do if your dates fall outside it.
Laos, and the river season
The best time to visit Laos is November to February, and the whole country knows it. Here is what that means for booking, what the green season offers instead, and how the rivers set the calendar.
Taiwan, and the typhoon calendar
The best time to visit Taiwan is October to November, and the reason is the typhoon calendar: three or four storms a year, nearly all between June and September.
Fiji, and the season nobody explains
The best time to visit Fiji is May to October, which is also Fiji's winter, the detail brochures rarely explain. Here is what that means for warmth, rain, crowds and cost, and when the wet season still earns its keep.
Malaysia, and the two monsoons
There is no single best time to visit Malaysia: two monsoons split the country down the middle, so December suits Langkawi and fails the Perhentians. Pick the coast first and the month follows.
Oman, and the months the mountains are kind
The best time to visit Oman is October to April for the coast and desert, but the mountains and Salalah run on calendars of their own. Here is how the year actually divides.
A northern lights package from Dubai: the honest odds
No, you cannot see them from the UAE. Here is what a northern lights trip from Dubai actually involves, how many nights buys a real chance, and the thing tour operators avoid saying.
Cambodia, and the month Angkor is at its best
The best time to visit Cambodia is narrower than the brochures suggest. November brings full moats, green rice fields and thinner crowds at Angkor, before the December rush arrives.
Singapore, and the months that are bearable
The best time to visit Singapore is February to April, the driest stretch of the year. The honest catch: the temperature never moves, so what really changes month to month is the rain, the crowds and the room rates.
New Zealand, and why the seasons invert
The best time to visit New Zealand is not the northern summer you might book by habit. The seasons run six months out of phase, and for most travellers February and March quietly beat the famous December peak.
South Korea, and the two weeks worth planning around
The best time to visit South Korea comes down to two short windows, one in April and one from mid-October. Here is when they fall, why they shift each year, and what to do when your leave will not stretch to either.
Kenya in the green season
The best time to visit Kenya is usually given as July to October. The green season, November to mid December, is the honest counter: fewer vehicles, lower rates, newborn wildlife, and an afternoon shower as the price of entry.
Japan, and the fortnight everyone wants
The best time to visit Japan is the question with two honest answers: the famous spring fortnight, and the autumn one that serves most travellers better. Here is how to choose.
Finland Lapland from Dubai: what the trip actually involves
Two flights, a few hours of blue light a day, and cold you have to dress for properly. An honest account of a Finnish Lapland winter from the UAE, and how many nights it really takes.
Sri Lanka with children: the ages that work
Children remember elephants, not museums. Here is the age the island starts to repay the effort, and the mistakes that make a family trip harder than it needs to be.
The best time to visit Australia, state by state
There is no single best time to visit Australia: the north and south run on opposite calendars. September to November comes closest, and here is how to choose, state by state.
The Maldives shoulder season nobody books
The best time to visit the Maldives is not only peak winter. Two shoulder windows, November and April, offer most of the dry season's rewards with quieter islands and gentler rates. Here is how to book them well.
A Sri Lanka itinerary for 10 days, and how to cut it to seven
Ten days is the number the island is actually shaped for. Here is the route, what it looks like at seven days instead, and the two things we would never cut.
What is a travel atelier?
We call ourselves a travel atelier rather than an agency. It is not just a nicer word; it describes a genuinely different way of working. Here is what we mean.
Luxury anniversary trip ideas
A milestone anniversary deserves more than a repeat of the honeymoon. A few ideas for marking the occasion, and how we make it feel like one.
A luxury Vietnam honeymoon itinerary
Vietnam is one of the most quietly romantic honeymoons in Asia, and gentler on the budget than the classic names. Here is how the journey flows.
Choosing a Maldives private pool villa
Overwater or beach? Private pool or not? The Maldives villa choice shapes the whole trip. A short, honest guide to getting it right.
How much does a luxury honeymoon cost?
An honest look at what a high-end honeymoon actually costs: what drives the number, and how to spend it where it matters most.
Eid Al Etihad 2026: the dates, and how to spend them
Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December. One day of leave turns that into five days off, three days into nine: the Maldives in five, Kenya in nine.
Maldives packages from Dubai, honestly
A Maldives package from Dubai is four hours and one decision: which island. Here is what the price actually covers, why the transfer is the hidden half of it, and how to plan the trip from the UAE.
The Maldives visa for UAE residents, answered properly
Granted at the border for a stay of up to 30 days, no advance application. What the counter actually checks, and the online form most travellers miss.
A Muay Thai camp in Thailand, done well
Training Muay Thai in its homeland is one of the most rewarding ways to travel, and it can be done in real comfort. What to expect, and how we build it.
The Maldives for divers and snorkellers
Beneath the postcard surface, the Maldives is one of the world's great underwater destinations. What you can see, when to go, and how to choose your atoll.
What conservation travel really means
Conservation travel is more than a label on a brochure. What it actually means, how to tell the real thing from the marketing, and why it sits at the heart of how we plan.
Sailing Komodo on a private phinisi
A private phinisi (a traditional Indonesian sailing yacht) is the most romantic and exclusive way to see Komodo. What to expect, and how we plan it.
Thailand: the north or the islands?
Two very different Thailands, and a fortnight rarely has room for both at depth. How we choose between the jungle north and the turquoise south.
Choosing a luxury yoga retreat in Bali
Bali is the spiritual home of the yoga retreat, and the choice is vast. How to find the one that fits, and how we build a stay around it.
A luxury family safari: a parent's guide
A safari can be the trip your family never forgets, if it is planned with children in mind. What to know about ages, camps, safety and pace.
Luxury honeymoon itinerary ideas
Five shapes a honeymoon can take, from pure stillness to safari-and-sand, and how to choose the one that fits the two of you.
How to plan a luxury Kenya safari
From when to go to where to stay and how long to spend: the considered way to plan a luxury Kenya safari, from the people who do it for a living.
The best time to visit China
China is vast enough to hold several climates at once, so the best time depends on where you are headed. Here is how we time it, and the dates to plan around.
Ayurveda in Sri Lanka: a first-timer's guide
An Ayurvedic retreat is one of the most genuinely restorative things you can do with a week. What it is, what to expect, and how we plan it in Sri Lanka.
What “slow luxury travel” really means
Slow luxury is not about doing less for its own sake. It is about doing fewer things, more deeply, and designing the space in between. A few honest words on the idea.
Choosing a luxury Ha Long Bay cruise
The bay is one of the world's great sights, and one of its busiest. How to choose a cruise that feels private, and why we so often send people to Lan Ha instead.
The best time to visit the Maldives
The Maldives is a year-round destination with two distinct seasons: one for sunshine, one for value and marine life. Here is how to choose.
A Sri Lanka and Maldives honeymoon, in two weeks
Our most-requested honeymoon pairs two neighbours that feel worlds apart: tea hills, leopards and ancient cities, then pure ocean. Here is how the two weeks flow.
How much does a private Vietnam trip cost?
An honest look at what a tailor-made, privately guided Vietnam journey actually costs: what drives the number, and where the money goes.
The best time to visit Bali (and beyond)
Bali has one clear season, but the islands around it keep their own time. Here is how we read the calendar for Bali, Komodo and Raja Ampat.
Maldives vs Seychelles: which honeymoon?
Two of the most beautiful island honeymoons on earth, and genuinely different in feel. How we choose between the Maldives and the Seychelles.
A Quiet Morning in Old Dubai: the Creek, the Souks, and the Abra
The souks, the creek and the abra, before the heat and the crowds. How to spend an unhurried morning in the oldest part of the city, and what is worth seeing on each bank.
What Makes a Wellness Retreat Truly Luxury
A luxury wellness retreat is defined by its practitioners and its programme, not its marble. JMJ explains the main types, what all inclusive really covers, how cost works, and how to choose well.
The Great Migration, Month by Month
A month by month guide to planning a great migration safari, from calving season in the southern Serengeti to the Mara River crossings in Kenya. Where the herds are, and when to go.
Romantic Maldives Resorts: How to Choose Your Island for Two
Romantic Maldives resorts differ island by island. JMJ Experiences shows couples how to weigh seclusion, house reefs, adults-only calm, transfers and villa type to choose the right island for two.
The best time to visit Thailand
Thailand runs on three seasons and two coasts, which is why a single answer never tells the truth. Here is how we time it: for the north, the islands, and everything between.
The best luxury honeymoon destinations for 2026
There is no single best honeymoon, only the right one for the two of you. A considered shortlist for 2026, and how to choose between them.
The best time to go on safari in Kenya
The honest answer depends on what you want to see: the river crossings, the quiet green months, or simply the best light. Here is how we time a Kenyan safari, month by month.
The Dubai Beneath the Spectacle: A Slower Guide to the City and Its Creek
Everyone arrives in Dubai expecting the tallest, the biggest, the most gold. The city we have come to love is older and quieter than that (the smell of cardamom on the night air, silence in the dunes at dusk), and you can find it in an afternoon, if you know to cross the water.
Solo travel for women, looked after
Going alone is one of the most rewarding ways to travel, and one of the most thought-about. A few honest words on solo travel for women, and how we make it feel less like a leap.
What transformational travel actually means
Travel that changes you isn't a slogan; it's a thing you can plan for, if you plan for the right things. On transformational travel, and what actually does it.
The best time to visit Vietnam
Vietnam has three climates stacked into one country, so the honest answer is: it depends where you’re going. Here’s how we time it, region by region.
The best time to visit Sri Lanka
A small island with two monsoons, which means there is almost always good weather somewhere, if you know which coast to be on.
How much does a luxury safari cost?
An honest look at what a high-end safari actually costs: what drives the number, and what you are really paying for.
Kenya vs Tanzania: which safari?
The two great East African safaris compared: the migration, the crowds, the cost, and how we choose between them.
The case for going in the off-season
Why we send couples to the Mekong in the green months, what changes when the rain comes, and the single best thing to pack for it.
On travelling with three generations
A short guide for the daughter in her forties who is planning the trip for everyone.
A morning above the cloud line
We’ve stopped trying to explain the light in the hill country. We just send people to stand in it.
What a great guide actually does
It isn’t facts. It’s knowing which morning to change the plan, and saying nothing about it.
Why we cap at twenty-four
The maths of doing fewer journeys, better, and why growth was never the goal.
Packing for the green months
Linen, a good shell, and the discipline to bring less than you think. A list we actually use.
The art of the empty afternoon
The hours we leave unplanned are the ones our travellers remember. Here’s how we design for nothing.