The Informed Traveler
The Informed Traveler
Now is the Time to Plan Your Winter Getaway & Edinburgh's Historic Castle
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Even though winter seems a long way off, now is the time to start planning for that winter getaway, so on this week's show Travel Expert Onanta Forbes joins me to offer some tips on what to plan for and some ideas on where to go. Plus we'll head to Edinburgh, Scotland and talk with one of the tour guides of the historic Edinburgh Castle. A place full of stories and majestic views overlooking the city of Edinburgh.
Well, hello and welcome to the Informed Traveler Podcast, a weekly travel podcast, where our goal is to help you become a more informed traveler. And I'm your host, Randy Charman. I know with the warm temperatures, winter seems a long way off, but now's the time to start planning for that winter getaway. And with that, Expedia has come up with their list of the hottest island destinations. So travel expert Onanda Forbes will join me in a few seconds to offer some tips on what to plan for and some ideas on where to go. Plus, we'll head to Edinburgh, Scotland to talk with one of the tour guides of the historic Edinburgh Castle, a place full of interesting stories and a majestic view overlooking the city of Edinburgh.
Now is the Time to Plan Your Winter Getaway
SPEAKER_03But first, let's kick things off chatting with travel expert Onanda Forbes, who joins us each week to talk about the latest travel news, trends, and travel tips in general. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and ex at Onanta Forbes. OnantaForbes.com is her website. Hello, Onanta.
SPEAKER_00Hello, Randy. How are you?
SPEAKER_03I'm good, thank you. I know with the warm weather, winter is probably the last thing you're thinking about, or maybe it is because it's cooler, but um planning that getaway. Now's the time to sort of start thinking about it, right? And uh Expedia came out with some destination ideas, the hottest uh island destinations, just for some ideas, so we can run through a few of those, but uh now is the time to kind of think about it at least, uh, if you're wanting to do a winter getaway, because uh things get booked up quickly, don't they?
SPEAKER_00Oh, they do, absolutely, and you know, booking now can save you money and give you more choices and help you avoid disappointment. So um the the list, the tw 2026 Island Hot List, it highlights the destination seeing the biggest surge in interest this year. So, first up is St. Lucia, and this is where searches have jumped an incredible 125%. It's recognized for one of the top romantic escapes. And um, think of the dramatic Piton mountains, luxurious resorts, lush rainforests, and um it's some of the um Caribbean's most spectacular scenery. So if you're celebrating like an anniversary, a honeymoon, a milestone birthday, or simply looking for a way to connect, it should deserve a place on your short list. And then the next one, and and this destination is is um is on the it's it's like a hit design, like a it's it on the it list for many different reasons. Um, but um in Portugal, in Madeira Archipella, there's a place called Porto Santo, and it's a very peaceful island, and it's becoming a favorite for travelers looking to slow down and and recharge. It's got a great beach, got wellness resorts and a laid-back atmosphere. So um for those wanting a quieter European island escape, this might be it. And Portugal is definitely a place for a winter getaway. Um, a lot of people retire here too, so maybe another place to look at it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um the next place is um in the Seychelles. And the Seychelles to me are a great place for nature lovers. Um, very beautiful beaches, rare wildlife, and um a beautiful nature reserve. So it's a good way again to truly disconnect from the hustle of everyday life. Um this one I have to smile about because I was have the opportunity to visit earlier this year, and that's Palawan in the Philippines, and it absolutely lives up to its uh reputation. Beautiful crystal clear lagoons, limestone cliffs, and really beautiful beaches, as well as um the opportunity to island hop on different excursions. Um, and I always say this about the Philippines, and I say it even more so after I visited some of the warmest and friendliest people you'll ever meet. Um it's it's you know, you think when you see pictures of the Philippines, it's just a postcard. Well, it's reality. And um the beaches are incredible. Like it's just a you know, the sand is just nice and smooth. It's really quite lovely. And then other places are for families and water lover lovers, or in um Puerto Rico, famous for its flamenco beach, excellent snorkeling, great water, like crystal clear water. Um, if you're thinking of going with your kids or grandkids, because multi-generational family uh travel is huge. Um, it's uh um go to Sanibel Island in Florida. Have you been? Because you love Florida.
SPEAKER_03I do love Florida. I haven't been to Sanibel Island, but um they would be on my list. Uh it's funny how the of the 10 places they list, the only place I've been is St. Lucia.
SPEAKER_01Oh, is that St.
SPEAKER_03Lucia is beautiful. Yes, it is. It is I have lots of places that I could go visit. But uh and and uh one of the things that we wanted to to uh get at too is is just some of the things that uh you should be doing now. And obviously there's a a cost factor, uh whatever you can afford within your budget and timing too, because you know you you you want to make sure that uh you get what you want uh as far as a room if you're looking at a hotel or a cruise or anything like that, right?
SPEAKER_00Right, absolutely. You know, most experienced travelers know that the best winter months are usually planned months in advance. So if you're hoping to escape between December and March, now is the ideal time to start making those plans. So book your flights early. Like airfares to warm weather destinations tend to rise as demand increases, especially over Christmas, New Year's, family day, and spring break. So booking often means uh better prices, more flight options, and a greater chance to to securing those convenient non-stop flights. Because as we've talked about before, um, flights sometimes aren't as straightforward as they they you know we want them to be at the end of the day. And then reserve your resort as soon as possible because uh once you decide on your destination, because that way you get the most desirable room categories, whether it's an ocean view uh room, swim up suite, family suite, or overwater bug bungalow, because they're usually the first to sell out. And what I found when I booked my month multi-generational families, they want to be um in rooms connecting or near each other. Um, so you want to consider that too for location placement and for having that opportunity. And if your set uh schedule allows, be flexible with your travel dates. Departing maybe one or two days early or later can sometimes save hundreds of dollars while you know opening up better flights and accommodation choices. And I want you to think about this. Um take a few minutes to check your passport. So many countries uh require it to be valid six months beyond your return date. So it's a single, you know, it's really simple to verify it now so that you can prevent a major headache later. And um because if it expires, it's not a renewal, it's a whole new application. So that's a little bit more in um complex. And don't overlook travel insurance. Um, winter weather in Canada can cause delays and misconnections before your vacation even begins. So comprehensive travel insurance can protect your investments and provide peace of mind should the unexpected happen. And you might want to also think beyond the traditional winter hot spots. We talked about a few. Um, but so while Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic continues to be excellent choices, you know what we've talked about with um Philippines and Portugal, the Seychelles, um, offer unique experiences for travelers looking for something different. Um and then for those who want special excursions, whether it's island hopping or snorkeling with sea turtles, a catamaran, you know, book them ahead of time because most of these popular experiences sell out during the peak season. And again, we talked about this last week, but don't forget about to look at your loyalty programs. Airline miles, hotel rewards, and travel credit card points can sometimes help reduce the costs and allow you to upgrade your experience. But most important, I think, is don't choose a destination simply because it's trending. Choose the destination that fits your travel style, your budget, the type of memories you want to create. Because it's it's not the the because win the best winter escape isn't necessarily the one everybody else is talking about. It's the one that's perfect for you.
SPEAKER_03And what about uh doing the whole package deal? I I know you're talking about booking your airfare and your rooms and and that in advance, but when you look at uh like Air Canada vacations, for example, or WestJet vacations, or Sunwing, or whatever, where it's where it's all bundled together, and then somebody like yourself, if you're looking at a destination maybe like Portugal or the Philippines, which is uh a little more exotic than I don't know, Port of Vallarta. Uh and you may not have been there before, but but it helps to have uh uh someone holding your hand when you're booking those things, right?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely, and I definitely experienced it myself. Like um when I went to the Philippines recently, I did look at you know booking it independently and um uh putting together my own package versus somebody that uh a tour operator, like tour can vacations, who created it for me, they have those special relationships with the the ground operators at destination. So, what what you say about hand holding, it is good because it's a different destination for me and for potential travelers. And so it was wonderful through WhatsApp or uh you know, whatever platform that the supplier and you have, every day or the day before they would tell you, remind you what is coming up, where to meet, um, who you're meeting, and what to expect. So they were with you all the step of the way, and that comes in really happens um you know, good or in a in a positive manner when you know, so something goes awry, you have somebody looking at what you know what you could do in next steps. Your travel agent's always available, but remember if you are away at a destination where the time zone difference, there's a difference, um, you don't want to have that lag time, you want to have real-time help, and that person at destination, um, that ground operator will help you and will be able to manage it for you. They can, you know, reconfirm your domestic flights, they can deviate. If you see something that you know, perhaps you want to explore that you didn't think of before, you know, maybe the opportunity to um to do something different at destination does involve. So I think again, just like insurance, um, having somebody that is um an expert in the destination, knows the local tour operators and suppliers and the attractions, it is definitely can help you. And what I found in in in cases such as you know, comparing booking it independently to a package, it'll save you time, it'll save you money, and it'll save you the well, should I go here or should I got not go there? Because again, your preferences and um what you want to do are considered and then created just for you and your family and your friends.
SPEAKER_03Mm-hmm. And plus uh talk about deposits a little bit because uh sometimes the deposit is is very minimal and you don't pay anything until maybe 30 days out or 45 days out or for whatever the time frame is.
SPEAKER_00Right, right. So, like, say for example with WestJet Vacation, their deposit to various destinations is $250 per person, and then um 45 days prior to departure is your final payment. Now, the other thing, like cruises is a huge um spot uh like travel choice, and it goes to various destinations that you might want to consider traveling to, but they sometimes even have reduced deposits as part of their promo and um or no deposits, but then you know, and then you don't have to pay till 60 days prior, 75 days prior, depending on the cruise line. So, you know, what comes into factor is and working with your travel professional is seeing where those promos are so you don't have to put the money up front. I know with Viking at times the deposit's only $25 per person, and then the bounce, you know. So you don't even think about $25 per person, but then you're locked into a great vacation and you don't have to worry about, you know, so it it yeah, that you know, there's lots of promos because it is a competitive market right now in travel, and people are looking to get your business, so that's why it's um it's good to plan ahead because you never know um what can come to you know comes to you, and also different companies will have, for example, a travel protection plan that will allow you to take advantage of a lower price comes out at no at no change fee and or also change your dates. Maybe you see a date that's better for you or a lower price. So travel protection plans come into effect that are offered by different travel uh suppliers and operators that might help you save money even after you put your deposit down.
SPEAKER_03Plus, it's fun, right? It's fun planning a trip or even just getting some ideas and looking at websites and talking to people.
SPEAKER_00Oh yes. That's what the internet has definitely, and AI has definitely um put the the the bug into people because you you look at all the different places that you've seen, and social media kind of brings up different, especially if looked looked at it once, they'll bring it up again and again. Um you know, or you know, to to to lure you into thinking, oh, maybe this is the right thing for me. But again, um you AI and the internet will only respond to what you input into the computer, right? So you it doesn't know maybe other options to give you. Um, so that's where your travel professional comes into play because they are they know you hopefully as a as a traveler, and they'll be able to showcase different options and different promotions and different ideas that maybe you didn't even think about um as far as going to different destinations.
SPEAKER_03Lots of great ideas and tips. So Onanda Forbes is a travel expert. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and ex at Onanta Forbes. Onantaforbes.com is her website. Uh, good stuff, Onanta. Thanks. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Take care.
SPEAKER_03This is the Informed Traveler Podcast. I'm Randy Sharman. Just want to remind you of our website, theinformedraveler.org. That's where you can find our contact page if you have any questions or comments about the podcast or any show segment ideas. You can also email me too with any questions you might have. My email address is randy at theinformtraveler.org. You can check out our social media pages as well. Facebook.com slash informed traveler, Instagram at informed traveler, or on X at InformTraveler. That's where you'll find a number of videos and photos from our recent and past interviews and stories. Plus, you can sign up for our monthly newsletter. It's released at the beginning of every month. Our July issue is available. Just go to our website, theinformtraveler.org, click on the newsletter button, and it will take you right there. Or better yet, you can subscribe to it and have it arrive in your inbox each month.
Edinburgh's Historic Castle
SPEAKER_03So without a doubt, one of the most historic and iconic places to see while you're in Edinburgh, Scotland is Edinburgh Castle. With a history spanning more than a thousand years, visitors can also enjoy spectacular panoramic views. So joining us now to give us some insight on visiting Edinburgh Castle is Rianne Hart, tour guide with Edinburgh Castle. EdinburghCastle.scott is the website. Hello, Rian. How are you?
SPEAKER_00Hello, Radio. Very good. How are you?
SPEAKER_03I'm well, thank you. I'm excited about learning about Edinburgh Castle. I've never been, never been to Scotland. But uh tell me a little bit about yourself first. How long have you been guiding people around Edinburgh Castle?
SPEAKER_02I've been working here now for about two years. This will be my third summer that we're entering into, guiding people up and down the big, big hill that we're up on top of here.
SPEAKER_03Well, it's it's funny that you mentioned it's on on top of a big hill because uh what sparked my interest was a uh screensaver on my laptop. And I thought there was this big picture of uh in the an evening shot of Edinburgh Castle. I thought, wow, this looks amazing. I find out more about it. So uh yeah, well, let's talk about the location. Uh it's uh obviously uh it's a grand location overlooking uh Edinburgh.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely, yeah. From the top of this hill, you can actually see on a clear day all the way out to the Scottish borders, all the way north to Fife. It's brilliant views up here, right in the middle of the city as well.
SPEAKER_03And we could probably talk for hours on uh the history of the castle, but uh can you can you give me a brief history, how long it's been around and uh uh and those types of things?
SPEAKER_02I'll try and be as brief as I can with that because there's a good few hundred years worth to go through. Um there's been people at the top of this hill, shall we say, for we think about the last 3,000 years. So we're going back, talking about the ancient Celtic tribes of the Vautadina in contact with uh the ancient Romans uh when they were doing their conquest into Scotland. Being such a big hill up here, like this open floor, uh, would have been such a great place for uh people to gather and a great fortress sort of place. So there might have well been people here even earlier than that, but the earliest evidence we have is for these tribes like 3,000 years ago, and it's been pretty much in use ever since because people climbed up here and thought, oh, this is a really good place to be. So there's been levels and built up over time and knocked down over time. It's been a military fortress, a royal place to stay, things like that. It's had all sorts of uses over the years.
SPEAKER_03How big is the castle? Like uh to do uh uh explore, would is it all day? Um it almost seems larger than life.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we usually say a couple of hours you can clear everything because it's not just one big building that you're going into. There's sort of loads of little bits to see as you make your way further up the hill. So I'd say a good two or three hours to really take in everything on the site, probably.
SPEAKER_03And there's different ways to explore, right? I am looking on your uh website, edinboroughcastle.scott. Um, so I can explore on my own, I can use headphones, and I can get someone like yourself to uh tell stories.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. So you can either come in on your own and take it at your own pace, or we do offer guided tours that are run by me and my colleagues, people like myself. And yeah, we also have the audio guides available so people can still hear a historical account of what went on in the buildings, but they can just take it at their own pace and listen to that as they go around as well.
SPEAKER_03Is there limited tickets? Or uh I would I would assume there is, because it could probably uh in peak times it can get quite crowded, I would think.
SPEAKER_02Oh yeah, I think we're capped at like 8,500 people a day during the summer. So it gets pretty busy up here. I'd highly recommend pre-booking before you come at any time of year. But we do offer walk-ups as well if you're lucky enough to catch a little free spot.
SPEAKER_03And how like how busy does it get? Like right now we're in the middle of summer, as you mentioned. Uh, is it sold out all the time? Like you want to plan this in advance, uh sort of thing, and and not risk doing a walk-up and be disappointed, I would think.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely, yeah. Pre-booking's the best way to go because times like this in the summer, especially getting further into like August and stuff, we are hitting about 8,000 people a day. So it does get quite busy up here. So definitely I would say pre-book it before you come up, just to save from that disappointment, really.
SPEAKER_03And how long is a guided tour take? Um, you mentioned it uh it only takes a couple hours to go through the whole castle. But can you do both? Can I get a guided tour and then kind of go back to some of the places it sparked. My interest.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. So our guided tours work basically they're half an hour outdoor highlights sort of tours. So a guide like myself would meet you, tell you the highlights on the way up to the top of the hill, and then at the end of the tour we set you free and you can actually go into the buildings at your own pace and explore them and take them all in fully.
SPEAKER_03Cool. How um do I need to be really physically fit? You mentioned a hill, so I'm climbing a hill. So I do have to have some decent mobility, I would think. No?
SPEAKER_02Yes, there is quite a few people don't realise how much of it is a hill once you even get in through the front gate. Um, but not to worry, we do actually have a mobility car for people that have mobility issues that can't maybe make it up to the top. We do offer a car service to give them a lift up to the very top and back down again as well, just as far as the front esplanade. So if you are a bit challenged in that sort of way, we can help you get up and down the hill as well.
SPEAKER_03Okay, tell me about some of your favourite spots in the castle. Is there a particular spot that you uh like telling people about or a particular story that you're you're waiting for their response?
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's a great question. There's a couple of bits. One of the sort of lesser noticed parts of the castle is a part called David's Tower. And it's mostly it goes unnoticed because it's downstairs next to some toilets and in absolute ruins. So people tend to just sort of skip over it completely and don't realize that it's there, but it's actually one of the oldest parts of the castle that you are able to still visit.
SPEAKER_03And so uh, like I am again looking on your website, EdinburghCastle.scot, and then and it talks about the history, and you you touched briefly on it, which you know it's got such a deep history, and some of the characters. Uh, is there any some of the any characters you like uh talking about that uh are from the castle's past?
SPEAKER_02Oh yeah, there's absolutely loads of Mary Queen of Scots is probably the main one that we get asked about as well up here a lot. Mary Queen of Scots and King James IV, King James the Fifth, King James the Sixth, they're all quite good characters we can really sink our teeth into. They're all the main ones that have sort of had their history tied directly to this castle in some way.
SPEAKER_03So uh no now is there a lot of artifacts? Like what's what's in the castle? Do you have is it is it sort of like museum-like, or is it looked like it's lived in, and I'm assuming nobody lives there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no one has lived here in terms of like the royal palace and stuff, and the ones lived here for a very, very long time. Um we do have a couple of museums on the site, some military museums that actually do showcase artifacts to do with Scottish military history and things like that that you can visit on the way up. Uh, we do have royal apartments, a lot of the rooms are open. Uh the main artifacts that we have on display, of course, are the honours of Scotland, the Scottish Crown Jewels. Those are the the big main pieces to see when you're up here.
SPEAKER_03Um, what about uh any kind of uh uh events that you have going on year-round? Like there's are special events that are done yearly, or maybe some coming up uh to commemorate uh uh an anniversary or something?
SPEAKER_02In terms of events, um we do well, it's not quite us that run it, but we do have the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which is held every year, every August, out on the front Esplanade, and that's military bands from across the world come here to perform. And it's on quite a few nights pretty much for the whole month of August, um, right out the front. That's the main big event that happens here every single year. We do have other little things going on throughout the year as well. We've just had some theatre shows, some outdoor theatre shows uh that we've just started trialing for this summer, actually, and where they build a stage in the middle of the central castle square and put on little performances, and it's actually turned out quite good, I think.
SPEAKER_03And is it open all year round, yeah?
SPEAKER_02Yes, absolutely. We are open all the time.
SPEAKER_03And getting there, uh like I'm assuming, like if you're staying in Edinburgh, uh, but but is is it easy to get there, or can I um uh get transportation there? Like, what's the what's the easiest way to get there? And even if you're not in Edinburgh, like people from uh I don't know, other parts of Scotland, can you do that in a day?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'd say you could probably do it in a day. Um in terms of public transport, we do have buses that come up, not quite to right the front of the castle, but maybe a few streets down, because we're right at the top of the Royal Mile. So as soon as you're on that Royal Mile stretch, you just keep walking uphill, and eventually you'll hit the castle. If anyone's ever asking for directions, like you just keep going up, you're eventually find a massive castle. It's somewhere up there. Don't worry about it, you'll find it.
SPEAKER_03I suppose, right? It's like just keep going up, you'll get there eventually. So talk a bit about the the tea rooms and uh you you could you can have a light snack while you're there, but there's no formal dining area, is there?
SPEAKER_02Well, we have our like cafe and we have little shops on the site as well, but yeah, the Queen Anne tea room is the main one if you wanted to sit in and eat, but it's more of an afternoon tea, so it's not a huge big meal really. Um those usually do require pre-booking as well if you're coming in the summer, but they do offer walk-ins sometimes and takeaways if they've not got any sort of events on or things like that. So that is probably the main one of the main dining experiences, as well as the cafe just down the hill from it as well.
SPEAKER_03Is there an area of the castle that's still like you haven't explored? I'm I'm assuming over the years you probably explored everywhere, but is there any spot that that recently you've discovered and you didn't know about?
SPEAKER_02I've heard a few stories. There's certain parts, that part I was telling you about earlier, David's Tower. Um so the first lower levels are open to the public that can actually get in, but it actually goes down a lot further than the area that the public are allowed. So there's little bits underground that I haven't quite fully explored yet, and I'd love to get down and actually see, but unfortunately those bits are not open to the public at the moment. But you know, I I I like to go exploring, I like to go finding things, so one day I'll get down there and have a good day.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Um, what about any hauntings or anything? It seems to me that anything that's that old and and historic and full of characters, uh, any stories of that?
SPEAKER_02Oh yes. A few of my colleagues have had ghostly experiences up here. There's quite a few. Um one of the main ghosts is uh they call her the Grey Lady sometimes, but from research that some of us have put together, we think it might be the ghost of a lady called Janet Douglas, who's seen in the remains of David's Tower or the Royal Palace. Um and funnily enough, today being Friday the 17th of July, today was the day it marks the anniversary of when she was burned at the stake just outside the castle grounds because she um she tried to poison King James V. So she got caught doing that, and he hated her and her family, so I thought, you know what, time to go, not having that. Today's the 489th anniversary of that, but people have caught her walking through the square, or they smell smoke in some of the corridors, and there's no fire, it's just sort of a ghostly waft going past. Or yeah, there's various figures uh that we've caught around the castle that we think we've traced back to certain historical figures.
SPEAKER_03Uh-huh. Do you get uh repeat visitors like people that come all the time or just just love hearing the stories and love being there?
SPEAKER_02We do sometimes, yeah. There's a couple of members who have came in. Uh they come in usually when it's not peak summer season, they prefer to come when it's a bit quieter. Um but we do have people return in quite a few times, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Well, it sounds just absolutely fascinating. I think if you're in Edinburgh, it's it is like people use the word must-see uh a lot, but this really is a must-see, right? If you're in Edinburgh, like you can't miss it. First of all, it's you can't miss it because it's on top of the hill. But uh if if you were in Edinburgh and didn't go see Edinburgh Castle, it would be uh a real shame, I would think.
SPEAKER_02Oh, absolutely, yeah. You're completely missing out. I mean, as you say, it is right on top of a hill in the middle of the city, so you're kind of not gonna miss it anyway. It's just gonna be constantly there haunting you until you book a ticket to come in and visit us.
SPEAKER_03It's calling it over you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you must come in and visit.
SPEAKER_03Well, people can uh find out more information on the uh Edinburgh Castle uh website, Edinburgh Castle.scott. And Rihanna Hart is uh a guide at uh Edinburgh Castle. Maybe you can get Rihanne to show you around when you go. I do appreciate your time, Rihanne. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_02Thank you so much for having me. I've had a blast.
SPEAKER_03And that is our show for this week. If you have comments or questions, we'd love to hear from you. If you have a show idea, send that along as well. My email is randy at the informedtraveler.org. And if you like what you heard, tell a friend. You can check out our website too at the informed traveler.org. In the meantime, thanks for listening. Travel safe and be an informed traveler.