Top 10 US travel destinations for 2013

Every year our US-based editors team up with Lonely Planet’s expert authors to compile a list of US destinations that are prime for the next year. Best in Travel 2013 already covered two places we think the world should be looking at – San Francisco and the Gulf Coast – but here we wanted to dig deeper and shine a light on 10 places in the US that travelers should add to their wish lists for the coming year. Our 2013 picks are literally all over the map: once-in-a-lifetime northern lights, new

How to eat Indian street food safely

Tucking into street food is one of the joys of travelling in India – here are some tips to help avoid tummy troubles.
1. Give yourself a few days to adjust to the local cuisine, especially if you’re not used to spicy food.

 

‘colors – indian street vendor’ by utpal. CC BY 2.0

2. You know the rule about following a crowd – if the locals are avoiding a particular vendor, you should too. Also take notice of the profile of the customers – any place popular with families will

How to travel with friends (and not want to kill them)

I have two permanent, oddly positioned bald spots on my head. Though my mother claims they’re from a scalp thing I had as a kid, I have it on good authority from my oracle that they’re probably where the Martians attached the electrodes.

However, spontaneous balding frequently has nothing to do with alien abduction. I’ve encountered many wretched travelers with unexplained bald spots formed during particularly challenging trips with incompatible friends. Whether they yanked that hair out during angry sleep or they were shaved by their vindictive companions is extraneous. What’s important is this hair-loss could have been easily avoided if these people had honestly communicated their travel styles and priorities during the trip planning stages.

Image by Ed Yourdon

Five reasons to wake a traveller at dawn

You snooze, you lose – if you’re a traveller, that is. Set your alarm clock for one of these unforgettable early-morning experiences.

Morning rush hour at Tsukiji Fish Market, Japan

 

‘Tokyo, Chuo Ward, vendors with tuna at Tsukiji Fish Market’ by Rich Iwasaki / Photographer’s Choice / Getty

Tokyo’s most famous market reaches fever pitch in the early morning. You’ll be deafened as buyers holler for the best catches at the tuna auction, and you’ll see frozen fish the size of grown men being hauled around with astonishing ease. If the sight of Nemo on the executioner’s block hasn’t tweaked

Germany dos and don’ts

Social rules. Germany’s got a lot of ‘em, and ignoring etiquette yields a puckered brow, pronto. But don’t fret – our tips will get you on the right track.

 

Do

• Shake hands when you’re introduced to someone – it’s impolite not to.

• Say Prost! (cheers!) before you sip your beer – and look your drinking buddy in the eye when you say it.

• Feel free to have serious discussions in social settings – Germans like talking politics and

Sydney’s top speciality drinking spots

It’s hard to know where to start in a city that sparkles with entertainment options after dark. There’s no shortage of clubs, pubs, big bars and, these days, small bars in Sydney. But if you’re looking for something a little niche, here is our pick of the best. All are conveniently located in the inner city.

Antarctica: planning the trip of a lifetime

A trip to majestic, remote Antarctica is truly the journey of a lifetime. Calving icebergs, breaching whales, deep-diving seals and cavorting penguins are just a few of the marvellous sights visitors can expect to encounter. Historic explorers’ huts emphasise the adventure that it is to survive on this, the