Simon Calder, Travel Expert, returns

Jul 15, 2025

Simon Calder, a beloved travel correspondent known for his insights on travel chaos, returns for a lively discussion. He highlights the shift towards experiential travel and shares tales from the breathtaking landscapes of Algeria to the wildlife-rich Antarctica. Simon emphasizes slow travel, offering practical tips for visiting off-the-beaten-path locations and the appeal of new destinations like Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. He also recommends Sopot and Gdansk in Poland for family holidays and reveals his adventurous bucket list, including Nepal and post-war Ukraine.

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ANECDOTE

South Georgia: Wild And Historic

Simon visited the Antarctic region and found South Georgia the highlight due to its remote landscape and wildlife.
He described Shackleton's survival story and the sheer abundance of penguins as gripping and photographic gold.

ANECDOTE

Socotra's Remote Beauty

Simon traveled to Socotra (Yemen) despite official warnings and was overwhelmed by local friendliness and raw beauty.
He highlighted sand dunes, unspoiled beaches and endemic flora like the dragon's blood tree amid modest facilities.

INSIGHT

Saudi Arabia's Tourism Transformation

Saudi Arabia is rapidly repositioning from an overlooked presence to a major tourist player with new airports, airlines and resorts.
Travellers must weigh attractions against concerns about human rights and social freedoms.

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Today I’m joined once again by one of the UK’s most trusted and best-loved travel experts - Simon Calder. You’ll know him as the Independent’s travel correspondent, a familiar face on TV and radio, and the go-to voice when travel chaos strikes - whether it's air traffic control meltdowns or passport expiry panics. But beyond the headlines, Simon is also a true adventurer, with an insatiable curiosity for the world and a lifelong love of the open road, rails and skies.

It’s been a five years since Simon last joined me on the podcast, and in that time, so much has changed - not just in the world of travel, but in the way we think about where we go, how we get there, and why we travel in the first place. So today’s episode is something of a global catch-up. From discovering the ancient cities of Algeria and the wild islands of the Antarctic, to cycling the Danube and family holidays on the beaches of Poland, Simon shares his latest discoveries, surprising favourites, and some underrated gems that might just change your next holiday plans.

We’ll talk about the rise of slow travel and destinations that deserve the spotlight. Plus, he’ll be offering his signature no-nonsense travel tips, and sharing the far-flung destinations still lingering on his bucket list.

Destination Recap:

Borneo
Antarctica
South Georgia
Algeria
Constantine, Algeria
The Azores
Lebanon
Socotra, Yemen
Cape Verde
Tbilisi, Georgia
Ghana
Sierra Leone
Sopot, Poland
Gdansk, Poland
Cycling the Danube River, Regensburg, Germany to Vienna, Austria
Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
Co. Donegal, Ireland
Nepal
Madagascar
Ukraine
Le Marche, Italy

Simon discusses his top tips for summer holidays after new research from Tesco Travel Money found 2 in 5 travellers are being caught short of cash abroad. You can find out more about Tesco Travel Money by visiting https://www.tescotravelmoney.com/

With thanks to Airbnb for their support of today's episode.

Thanks so much for listening today. If you want to be the first to find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on TikTok - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't wait until then, remember there’s the first 14 seasons to catch up on, that's over 155 episodes to keep you busy.

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