David Whitley, Author at Planet Whitley

Kayaks lined up by the Muri Lagoon, Rarotonga.

A quick travel guide to Rarotonga, the Cook Islands

What to see in Rarotonga To get an idea of traditional life on Rarotonga, the main island of the Cooks, head to the Te Vara Nui Village. The tour takes in presentations of all manner of skills and crafts, from coconut husking and carving to…

Cook Islands, Pacific Islands, Rarotonga

A quick guide to Aitutaki in the Cook Islands

What to see on Aitutaki Aitutaki in the Cook Islands is a tiny bit of land and a whole lot of lagoon. And, boy, what a lagoon – take all those romanticised images of South Sea island paradises and multiply it. Fringed with tiny motu…

Aitutaki, Cook Islands, Pacific Islands

One of many witches in Salem, Massachusetts.

Salem, Massachusetts: From witch trials to Halloween central

The Salem Witch trials made this Massachusetts city notorious – but it has now embraced all things spooky. Cry Innocent in Salem, Massachusetts On the stand, Bridget Bishop is doing herself no favours. She’s failing to hide her contempt for all concerned, and her claims…

Massachusetts, Salem, USA, witches

The Formula Rossa at Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi.

The best day to visit Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi

If you want to go on the world’s fastest rollercoaster in Abu Dhabi, avoid the queues at weekends. Days to avoid at Ferrari World Ferrari World, a vast indoor theme park, is one of the top attractions in Abu Dhabi. It is home to the…

Abu Dhabi, theme parks, UAE

Muri, Rarotonga: The perfect holiday town?

On Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, David Whitley discovers that a decade can make a substantial difference. How Muri has changed Muri doesn’t quite look or feel like it did. The key lure is still the same – the most photogenic stretch of Rarotonga’s lagoon,…

Cook Islands, Pacific Islands, Rarotonga

Samoa’s Pulamelei Mound: The mystery pyramid of the Pacific

David Whitley heads to the largest man-made structure in Polynesia, and tries to work out whether it proves an old adventurer’s controversial theories right. Walking to the Pulamelei Mound “This track is impassable after heavy rain,” says Warren Jopling as we plod diligently up the…

Pacific Islands, Samoa

Abu Dhabi in February with children

For a family half term break in February, Abu Dhabi offers both sun and plenty to do for children. Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi with children A day spent mustering up the courage to go on the big slide is a day of minimal parental stress.…

Abu Dhabi, family travel, UAE

Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park in Seattle, Washington.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park: Seattle’s best free attraction

A review of Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. How Seattle made its fortune To the uninitiated, Seattle was founded on some terrifying combination of Starbucks, Microsoft, Boeing and Kurt Cobain T-shirts. Well, this isn’t entirely untrue, but there’s a surprise…

museums, Seattle, USA, Washington

How to get free entry to St Paul’s Cathedral, London

Worshippers, people praying in St Dunstan’s Chapel, disabled visitors and carers can enter St Paul’s Cathedral free of charge. Everyone else needs to pay for a ticket. St Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most visited attractions in London. Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece has been…

England, London, UK

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

How to get into the Van Gogh Museum when tickets are sold out

Van Gogh Museum tours — which include admission tickets — have availability when normal entry tickets have sold out. Here’s how to get inside Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum when there are no tickets left. Visiting Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam…

Amsterdam, art, museums, Netherlands