Think Thailand and you usually think two things. The first is the vibrancy and hedonism of the capital city of Bangkok. The second is The Beach - the book-turned-film featuring Leonardo DiCaprio that sent scores of backpackers to a tiny island off the coast of Phuket. I pay the Land of Smiles a visit (in association with the Tourism Authority of Thailand) to uncover a different side to the world's busiest city and the country beyond. From visiting the Green Lung of the capital where monks ask for recycling rather than alms, to journeying by sleeper train to Chiang Mai to check out sustainability projects already underway, and interviewing a ranger about the initiatives that have been introduced to tackle overtourism on the beach from The Beach - wander with me to discover a side to the country that is distinctly green.

Also coming up:
Learn how to prevent and treat sea sickness on all your water-based adventures; Dip into the 10 Best Travel Books to fuel your wanderlust; meet itinerant TV presenter, author and farmer Kate Humble to talk Interrailing, Africa and... magic string; Understand how to buy the best sun cream for your travels - whether in warm or cold climates; join us for a chat with Urban Explorer Greg Abandoned as he reveals some of the most fascinating places in the world; and prepare for a polar expedition with our Wander Woman of the Month - Arnalulunguak.

Contact Wander Woman

www.Phoebe-Smith.com; @PhoebeRSmith

Want to escape the chaos of the festive season? Join Phoebe Smith as she undertakes a micro-pilgrimage in Sussex, England, on the recently discovered Old Way. But here's the twist - although she's joined by 15 others they walk in complete and total silence... As a non-religious soul, Phoebe wonders what brings people to complete a pilgrimage and learns the value of time spent outside without speaking a single word. The event was run by the British Pilgrimage Trust whose motto is BYOB (Bring Your Own Beliefs) and people definitely did...

Also coming up:
Learn how to Beat the Blisters with our expert Travel Hack of the Month; Discover the 10 best pilgrim paths around the world; meet the BBC Correspondent and Barrister, turned nuns - turned tour guides who mapped out a series of 'Caminos' in their native Northern Ireland; Discover the joys of walking poles in our regular gear section; Gen up on Canada's Ojibwe Spirit Horses, a rare and endangered breed - and the woman working to save them; and be left in awe by our Wander Woman of the Month - Egeria  aka the world's first pilgrim.

Contact Wander Woman

www.Phoebe-Smith.com; @PhoebeRSmith

Many of us have been to Ireland before – bought a pint of Guinness in Dublin, gazed at the Atlantic from Galway and maybe kissed the Blarney stone in Cork, but few of us - Phoebe included – have taken the time to explore the central valleys and hills of the Hidden Heartlands, which are home to the River Shannon – the longest river in the country. Desperate to see what stories would flow she jumps on a train, then ferry and heads to the source to follow the waterway all the way to sea…
 
 Also coming up: 

• Learn how to enjoy Ireland for free with our Travel Hack of the Month; 
• Discover the 10 best stops on the Wild Atlantic Way
• Hear from Timmy Donovan, barman at the oldest pub in the world, who’s about to front a new series on Netflix about the origins of whiskey
• What to pack if you are travelling in the ‘shoulder season’ in changeable weather
• Hear from the inspiring Access for All Lough Ree who are working to ensure everyone can enjoy the outdoors
• Wander Woman of the Month - Gráinne ni Mhaille aka Grace O’Malley  - Ireland’s Pirate Queen

Come wander with her…
 
 #WanderWomanWednesday

Contact Wander Woman

www.Phoebe-Smith.com; @PhoebeRSmith

The invite came in bright red letters from Intrepid Travel: Sabah Adventure – climb Mt Kinabalu and head into the jungle to find Borneo’s iconic wildlife. It promised to be a trip to rival all other trips. The catch? It was a group trip. That would mean Phoebe – an avid solo traveller – would have to share her experience (not to mention bedroom) with others. How would it effect the trip?  There was only one way to find out...

Also coming up: 

• Learn how to survive room sharing on your adventures with our regular Travel Hack of the Month; 
• Discover the 10 best places in the world where you can travel solo;­
• Hear from climber and adventurer Leo Houlding about why 'big pointy mountains' make for the most memorable holidays - even with kids
• Which are best - walking boots or shoes? We find out...
•  Hear from the inspiring Matricia Bauer, an Indigenous guide in Jasper and owner of Warrior Women
• Wander Woman of the Month - Jemima Anne Morrell - the first modern tourist in 1832

Come wander with her…

#WanderWomanWednesday

Contact Wander Woman

www.Phoebe-Smith.com; @PhoebeRSmith

Tickle your tastebuds in every sense as we join Phoebe Smith on assignment in South Wales where she goes on a food tour of the Vale of Glamorgan to meet the producers championing sustainable produce and low food miles; get to grips with Rewilding with her Travel Hack of the Month; prepare to scream with a run down of the Top 10 latest adventure activities she dares you to try; journey with her to Cornwall to meet the farmer turned conservationist who realised that reintroducing the extinct beaver to Britain could help with flooding; keep it warm with a lightweight fleece and learn how to by the perfect one for you in her fantastic Gear geek out with Rohan; and, from the archives, Phoebe catches up with daughter of a polar explorer and adventurer and author in her own right - Kari Herbert; and meet our Wander Woman of the Month – Jean Beret, the first woman to circumnavigate the world by ship -  disguised as a man...

Contact Wander Woman

www.Phoebe-Smith.com; @PhoebeRSmith

Join Phoebe Smith on assignment in Greenland where she talks to locals about battling extreme weather, fighting to keep their traditions and meets a family who gave up high flying jobs to live more sustainably; discover how to be a better and greener traveller in her Travel Hack of the Month; go beyond the marketing spiel to discover the most sustainable destinations to visit in the new year in Phoebe's Top 10; journey with her to Australia's Outer Reef to meet Professor Minke aka Dr Alistair Birtles a man who has dedicated his life to learning about the rare dwarf minke whale (cetaceans of course being one of the best ways to capture carbon - so saving them, can save the planet too); don’t keep it under your hat with our podcast partners Rohan as we delve into the best travel caps, sunhats and beanies for your head; and, from the archives, Phoebe catches up with Queen guitarist and astronomer Brian May about astrotourism and why Tenerife is his favourite place in the world; and meet our Wander Woman of the Month – Freda du Faur, mountaineer extraordinaire, the first known woman to summit Aoraki / Mount Cook in New Zealand despite being forced to wear a skirt.

Contact Wander Woman

www.Phoebe-Smith.com; @PhoebeRSmith

Join Phoebe Smith for a brand new season of the Wander Woman Podcast as this month she (in association with the Caravan and Motorhome Club) heads to Britain's Isle of Wight on a self-styled safari to go in search of this wild isle's Big – or maybe little – 5; discover how to find a wildlife tour operator or guide that is showing you animals in a responsible way with our regular Travel Hack of the Month; dust off your walking boots to climb one of the best walker's mountains in the world with Phoebe's Top 10 - no crampons required - guaranteed; journey with her to Alladale Wilderness Reserve to meet the man intent on bringing wolves back to the Scottish Highlands; stay comfy underneath your clothes with a good pair of technical underwear - thanks to our podcast partners Rohan; and Phoebe catches up with Emily Chappell, woman's winner of the Transcontinental Bike Race and ass-kicking author, to learn about the best places to discover on earth by two-wheels; and meet our Wander Woman of the Month – Kate Rice (in association with Destination Canada), a prospector who not only pushed the boundaries for women but also for mining in North America.

Contact Wander Woman

www.Phoebe-Smith.com; @PhoebeRSmith

Join Phoebe Smith as this month she sends her Wander Woman correspondent (and podcast producer) Daniel Neilson to the wild and remote Torngat Mountains - he went for polar bears and icebergs but found so much more.... (in association with Destination Canada); learn how to haggle like a pro in a souk with our Travel Hack of the Month, so you can ensure both you and the vendor leave with smiles on your faces; wanting a city break with some wilderness on the side? Our Top 10 looks at the best urban centres around the globe that offer an abundance of outdoor activities right on the doorstep; journey to South Africa to meet the group of street kids turning their lives around by learning to shoot with a camera rather than a gun; get shopping and beat the bugs with the best insect repelling shirts - thanks to our podcast partners Rohan; and Phoebe catches up with Olympic gold medallist and world record rowing champion Helen Glover MBE to find out how much travelling she got to do when competing and how life as a mum has changed her approach to exploring places; and meet our Wander Woman of the Month – Bessie Coleman, an aviator who not only pushed the boundaries for women but also for African Americans.

Contact Wander Woman

www.Phoebe-Smith.com; @PhoebeRSmith

Join Wander Woman Phoebe Smith as this month she takes the wheel and hits the road to follow Mexico’s Route 1 on a mission to prove that the Baja peninsula is the perfect place for a solo road trip. Get clued up with our Travel Hack of the Month to help you avoid getting stung by hidden costs when renting a car overseas; start planning for life after lockdown (in association with Destination Canada)with our pick of the quirkiest trips to take in Canada over the next 18 months and beyond; journey to Australia to learn about the colourful and bizarre annual mating ritual performed by cavorting cuttlefish; find out the ultimate trousers to wear on long-haul flights, train rides and bus trips thanks to gear experts, Rohan; and Phoebe catches up with comedian, outdoor lover and avid traveller Ed Byrne to find out why one adventure ending up making the headlines and which bit of kit he never leaves home without; and meet our Wander Woman of the Month – Ann Sayer, former vice-president of the Long Distance Walkers Association, who still to this day holds the record for fastest walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats. 

Contact Wander Woman

www.Phoebe-Smith.com; @PhoebeRSmith

Join Wander Woman Phoebe Smith as this month she heads to north Iceland, to a small town called Husavik, which was the former whale hunting hub and is now the country’s capital for whale watching. There she trials a trip with innovative company North Sailing which now offers a carbon neutral experience with silent electric boats; learn how to make a travel movie on your smartphone that people will actually want to watch with the Travel Hack of the Month; find your happy place with one of the most calming destinations to visit in the world with Phoebe’s regular Top 10 in Travel; meet Sylvia Cloutier (in association with Destination Canada), the Canadian woman who is ensuring that the Inuit cultural tradition of throat singing is passed on to the next generation after nearly being lost when the missionaries arrived; find out why you need a rucksack that packs down tiny on your next trip thanks to gear experts, Rohan; and finally Phoebe catches up with her polar teammate and the first black Briton to walk to the North Pole, Dwayne Fields, to find out how he turned his life around from the streets to the peaks; and meet our Wander Woman of the Month – Ada Blackjack – the female Robinson Crusoe who survived on a remote Arctic island when the British expedition she was on went wrong.

Contact Wander Woman

www.Phoebe-Smith.com; @PhoebeRSmith