Laura French

The i Paper • 12th February 2026

The uncrowded paradise island that's like the Bali of the 90s

“The Bali of 30 years ago” is how Lombok, Bali’s less talked-about neighbour, had been described to me. I had pictured sleepy surf towns, peaceful villages, quiet mountain roads and emerald rice terraces - and I wasn't too far off...

The i Paper • 14th January 2026

The giant Silk Road country with a sunken forest lake and no tourist crowds

Spruce trees soar up as sunlight dapples their tips, mountains rise around me in carpets of pastel-green firs. But there’s a twist. The forest is underwater – and the trees are emerging from a lake...

JRNY • 13th January 2026

Riding high in Northern Vietnam

I am in awe – and high as a kite. Quite literally, at an altitude of around 4,920ft – but also chemically, brain drowning in dopamine as I scan the view around me...

Travel Weekly • 28th December 2025

Adriatic allure: an autumn cruise in Croatia and Italy with Windstar

Flecks of rose and peach dapple the sea as the silhouette of Mount Etna rises above the horizon. Clouds hover in ominous swathes of violet, ruby and pink, lulling me into a trance as the sunset puts on its nightly show...

The i Paper • 11th December 2025

My month in El Salvador: The new tourist favourite that's still affordable and crowd-free

“These are the first three years of peace in my lifetime,” says my guide, Gio, as we wander through the historic centre of San Salvador, El Salvador’s now transformed capital...

Travel Weekly • 8th December 2025

A guide to Chicago's neighbourhoods

The Windy City, home to 77 neighbourhoods, is a buzzing urban hub with a whole lot of heart...

The Independent • 31st October 2025

What I discovered travelling Missouri’s lesser-trodden stretch of Route 66

I’ve long been fascinated by Route 66 – the freedom, adventure and hope it represented in its heyday, and the heritage, passion and nostalgia it reflects today...

Travel Weekly • 21st September 2025

Fright fantastic: What's in store at Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights

I’m in my grave – that’s the premise – as earthy smells swirl around, bloody intestines hang from the ceiling and muddy, worm-covered walls enclose me...

Time Out • 16th September 2025

Time Out Review: Palmer House, Chicago

As the longest continuously operating hotel in North America, Palmer House is something of an institution in Chicago. First opened in 1871, this lavish Grande Dame has a string of bold claims to its name...

The i Paper • 25th August 2025

Nicaragua: The cheaper alternative to Costa Rica with empty beaches and beguiling wildlife

A cow rears its head from above a bed of floating, jade-green water lilies, and I do a double take; do cows swim? I shouldn’t be shocked; everything about the scene is surreal...

Travel Weekly • 4th July 2025

Discover Dolly Parton's Tennessee, from thrill rides to live music

"I get people calling up, asking to speak to me because they know I’m Dolly Parton’s niece,” says Danielle Parton, as she hands me a shot of electric-blue moonshine from behind a glitzy gold bar...

The Telegraph • 1st May 2025

Telegraph Review: Twinpalms Bangtao Phuket Tented Resort

Elegant, safari-style canvas tented rooms sit in front of a lagoon dotted with lily pads at this singular Phuket property...

Adventure.com • 1st March 2025

Why now, more than ever, an overtouristed Bali—and its visitors—need to embrace responsible tourism

A chorus of crickets whistled away, while a cuckooing cockerel attempted to out-crow them. Stood above the jungle on a deserted wooden platform, I scanned my surroundings...

The Independent • 18th February 2025

Sheer drops and near-misses: Exploring Vietnam’s untouched landscapes by motorbike

In an ever-more connected world, finding somewhere that still feels “off the beaten track” is a bit like finding that pot at the end of the rainbow. So when I heard about the Ha Giang loop – a 300-mile motorbike journey through the mountains of northern Vietnam...

Wanderlust • 27th January 2025

Experience a lesser-known side to the Arctic

Snow-blanketed forests glowing violet beneath the sky; icy-blue lakes surrounded by still, serene mountains; the ethereal dance of the aurora borealis – the Arctic is a land like no other....

The i Paper • 11th January 2025

The 'magic towns' perfect for winter sun exploration off the tourist trail

It's market day, and the streets are alive. Mariachi bands wielding trumpets, violins and giant guitarróns parade along a packed-out cobbled lane...

The Telegraph • 27th November 2024

Get onboard for river cruise delights

From the elaborate Habsburg palaces of Vienna to the castle-topped villages of Bavaria, Europe is a cultural treasure trove – and if you fancy stringing together some of its most captivating spots in one laid-back, leisurely trip, a river cruise is an excellent option...

Travel Weekly • 24th November 2024

A guide to Montreal’s neighbourhoods

Cobbled streets, contemporary galleries, high-end restaurants and neoclassical buildings come together in Old Montreal – the original part of the city, founded by French settlers in the 17th century...

Cruise & Travel • 20th August 2024

Resilient Lady: Virgin Voyages’ raunchy, boundary-breaking cruise ship

Everything is red. Ruby-red lights cast a scarlet glare over us as onboard dancers, clad head-to-toe in crimson, strut their stuff around a glittering burgundy pool...

Wanderlust • 19th July 2024

Review: A mind-body recharge at Banyan Tree Phuket, Thailand

Set between a cerulean lagoon and the flour-soft sands of Bang Tao beach, Banyan Tree Phuket is as far from Patong – the island’s heaving party capital – as you can get. Here it’s all about switching off...