Luxury and experiential travel inspiration rooted in diversity, discovery and discernment

Two men kiss underwater, artwork by Kris Micallef, EuroPride Valletta 2023, Malta

The road to EuroPride
Valletta, Malta

Soneva:
Making waves

Inspired by the Soneva Fushi Maker's Place initiative to upcycle waste into art, OutThere asked the studio to craft our Experientialist® Awards trophies.

Founders of Galena Bakehouse outside their store in Illinois

Enjoy Illinois:
Where diversity is in the ‘Middle of Everything’

Inclusion has always been at the core of the Illinois spirit. It's a state that cherishes togetherness, celebrates diversity and warmly welcomes everyone who visits.

Boatman and geisha rowing boat on lake to backdrop of skyscrapers in Tokyo

Tokyo:
What’s your Tokyo vibe?

Tokyo, Japan is undeniably one of the world’s most OutThere cities – a vibrant, dynamic and fast-paced metropolis...

Explore the latest print edition

The Experientialist® Awards Issue
Our winners’ special, celebrating the world’s most thoughtful and transformative travel experiences

Brave new whirl
Revisiting Vienna, reimagined

Woman in marijuana bush at Hempstock Pharms, Illinois

Illinois on high
Diversity, dynamism and renewal in the USA

The new paradise paradigm?
The BVIs, Costa Rica, Costalegre and Mozambique

Nicholas Frost and Damon Reynolds in Crail

Wholly Crail
Meet the OutThere couple behind The Shoregate

The Experientialist® Awards 24/25:
The winners

Drumroll, please! It’s time to unveil the winners of this year’s Experientialist® Awards – our not-for-profit, feel-good celebration of luxury brands and visionaries who’ve gone above and beyond with bold, community-driven and downright ingenious initiatives.

Jill Leflour at The Corinthia Hotel London

Jill Leflour:
OutThere cover star shares his story of finding community in London’s LGBTQ+ scene

Born and raised in rural Normandy, Jill Leflour – data scientist, amateur boxer and OutThere cover model – credits his adopted home of London with helping him discover who he was destined to be. And it’s here he’s making a muscular contribution to the LGBTQ+ community.

Illustration for The Layover column on Paris syndrome

The Layover:
Paris syndrome

Paris is always a good idea – except when it’s not. In the latest edition of The Layover, just in time for Valentine’s Day, Zack Cahill explores the lesser-known state of extreme disappointment known as Paris syndrome, which has (mostly Japanese) visitors fall out of love with the city of... well, love?

Man jumping in the foothills of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. An example of the kind of unscripted journeys we'll go on in 2025

Unscripted journeys:
The luxury experiences (and people) we can’t stop thinking about

We spotlight some truly remarkable luxury experiences, alongside the passionate individuals behind them that align perfectly with OutThere’s vision for travel this year: ones that spark joy, curiosity, shared humanity and connection.

Lexie Shaibu-Lenoir at Icons of Inclusion 2024

Icons of Inclusion series:
Lexie Shaibu-Lenoir on queer visibility

Lexie Shaibu-Lenoir has dedicated much of her career to uplifting the underrepresented voices of queer Black women and women of colour in travel and hospitality. But while change is afoot, much remains to be done to level the playing field.

Beachside dining at Voaara, Madagascar, an answer to question of where to travel in 2025

Where to travel in 2025 – and why: Part 2

It’s not so long ago that we made decisions about where to travel to purely on the back of what we were in search of, and which destinations promised to deliver it. But change is afoot in how travel – and travellers – are perceived. And with it, a more nuanced set of motivations behind our journeys is on the horizon.

Aerial view of Dharana at Shillim, India, an answer to question of where to travel in 2025

Where to travel in 2025 – and why: Part 1

Our motivations behind travel are becoming more complex: as we advance, our trips will serve as a wheel to help us steer the world in a direction we'd like to see it go.

Topography
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Travel inspiration to feed your wanderlust

Bottling lighting
Lexington, Kentucky, USA

Uwern Jong’s journey along Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail leads him to Lexington, where he uncovers some homegrown success stories...

Brace for impact
Kathmandu, Nepal

On a journey to the lesser-unearthed city of Kathmandu, curious explorers like Samia Qaiyum may find moments of...

Trunk call
Udawalawe, Sri Lanka

There are an estimated 7,500 wild elephants in Sri Lanka, but the best bet of getting up close...

Sauna for the soul
Tallinn, Estonia

A centuries-old tradition with enduring appeal, Estonian smoke sauna leaves intrepid first-timer Mark A. Thompson feeling reborn in...

The new guests
Penang, Malaysia

Uwern Jong tells the story of his family’s immigration to Penang and why he feels firmly rooted in...

The thrill of the chase
Torassieppi, Finland

In his quest to see the Northern Lights dance, John Gregory-Smith has every base covered. Yet there’s every...

Basecamp
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OutThere hotels and resorts

Aerial of The Original FX Mayr, Lake Wörthersee, Austria

Trusting your gut
Lake Wörthersee, Austria

Aerial view of São Lourenço do Barrocal, Alentejo, Portugal

How slow can you go?
Alentejo, Portugal

Aerial view of Miavana by Time + Tide, Nosy Ankao, Madagascar

Going the distance
Nosy Ankao, Madagascar

Aerial view of private villas at NIHI Sumba, Sumba, Indonesia

Equine intervention
Sumba, Indonesia

Aerial view of The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, Grindavík, Iceland

Taking the waters
Grindavík, Iceland

Interiors of the Poliform Penthouse at the Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC, NYC, USA

Coming full circle
NYC, New York, USA

The infinity pool at Borgo Pignano, Tuscany, Italy

Bottled poetry
Tuscany, Italy

Private terrace part of a suite at the Cheval Blanc St-Barth, Isle de France, St. Barts

La vie en blanc
St. Barts

Exterior view of the Silver Endeavour by Silversea, Antarctica

The end of the world
Antarctica

Aerial view of Niehku Mountain Villa, Riksgränsen, Sweden

Up all night
Swedish Lapland, Sweden

Rosewood Vienna
Vienna, Austria

Opened in 2022, Rosewood Vienna puts a fresh spin on the cultural heritage of the Austrian capital’s venerated...

Soneva Jani
The Maldives

Soneva Jani, the younger sibling of the global Soneva family of eco-forward sanctuaries, elevates barefoot escapism in the...

Bulgari Hotel Roma
Rome, Italy

With its dedication to making Italian craftsmanship the lynchpin around which each guest stay revolves, and a commitment...

1 Hotel Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Draped with plants and free from plastic, 1 Hotel Nashville opened in 2015 with a focus on luxurious...

COMO The Treasury
Perth, Australia

Many hotels market themselves as being central, but few have a greater claim to the label than COMO...

Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski
St Moritz, Switzerland

You might expect to find a rather traditional Swiss hotel experience behind the storied walls of the Grand...

Innkeepers
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The world's most OutThere hoteliers

Bruce Badrock and David Woodbine, Five Acre Barn, United Kingdom

Bruce Badrock & David Woodbine
Five Acre Barn, United Kingdom

Escaping from the big city to the peace and quiet of a rural setting can come at a...

Julian Cole and Jean Abreu, Cable Street Inn, London, United Kingdom

Julian Cole & Jean Abreu
Cable Street Inn, London, United Kingdom

Just a mile from the internationally recognised symbol for London that is Tower Bridge, in a quiet corner...

Fleur Huijskens and Nicole Boekhoorn of Sterrekopje, Franschhoek, South Africa

Fleur Huijskens & Nicole Boekhoorn
Sterrekopje, Franschhoek, South Africa

That its creators call Sterrekopje a ‘healing farm’ might seem disingenuous, given its sumptuous appointment and breath-stealing setting....

Navigation
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Discover our world

Indonesia

A deeply spiritual and mystical land that is home to the island of Bali among others, rooted firmly...

The Maldives

Luxurious, escapist atolls surrounded by pristine, turquoise blue sea and year-round sunshine, the Maldives is a top OutThere...

India

India is not always an easy country to visit, but those with a sense of adventure and those...

Morocco

Morocco is best known for its old-worldliness and the escape of OutThere travellers of the past. It embodies...

Japan

Japan will blow your mind – from Tokyo, to Osaka, to Kyoto, every beautiful Japanese cliche will titillate you...

Brazil

South America’s largest country is very easy to fall in love with, from urban playgrounds, to beach escapes...

Travel in style
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Sartorial stopovers

Narcissus Lost, British Columbia, Canada

Into the woods
B.C., Canada

Escape to the lake
Lake Como, Italy

The renaissance
Tuscany, Italy

For the win
London, United Kingdom

Koko in Paris
Paris, France

Namal Lanka at l'oscar London, United Kingdom

Wilde style
London, United Kingdom

Voices
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OutThere people

Jaime Trias
Mallorca, Spain

Through his role at the stunning Belmond La Residencia, Jaime Trias shakes hands with the most discerning of...

A self-portrait of photographer Surachai Saengsuwan.

Surachai Saengsuwan
Phuket, Thailand

He’s the visual storyteller making every frame count – Thailand’s leading photographer Surachai Saengsuwan walks us through his...

Karim Tassi
Marrakech, Morocco

After a week of getting lost on purpose in the labyrinthine Medina and drinking my body weight in...

Pangina Heals
Bangkok, Thailand

What makes Thailand the progressive queer paradise it is? Empowered performers like Pangina Heals pushing society’s boundaries, says...

John T Reddick
NYC, New York, USA

“There’s nothing like being a clued-in stroller navigating Harlem,” says John T Reddick, this long-time resident of NYC’s...

Mark Duguid
Manchester, United Kingdom

We sit down with Mark Duguid, Managing Director of Carrier, who explains why it’s important to look beyond...

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