TrodPod

One hundred episodes. Twenty years on the road. Six continents and counting. To mark our centenary, we're doing something different: no single country this week, but a victory lap through the very best of the world's first half. Join us as we hand out wildly subjective, fiercely defended awards for the most sacred site, the most beautiful city, the greatest road trip, the finest cuisine... the wheat, the chaff, and everything in be...

Bulgaria is the Balkans’ best-kept secret, which is both its charm and its tragedy. Sandwiched between Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece and Turkey, it offers Black Sea beaches, dramatic mountain ranges, ancient Thracian tombs, crumbling Ottoman mosques and an Orthodox monastic tradition of extraordinary beauty – all at prices that make Western Europe weep. The yogurt is excellent, the wine is underrated, and the...

Zambia is where the walking safari was born, and the country remains one of Africa’s finest wildlife destinations – raw, uncrowded and thrillingly authentic. From the thundering curtain of Victoria Falls to the intimate game viewing of South Luangwa, this is a country that rewards those willing to venture off the beaten path. It is also one of the continent’s most peaceful and politically stable nations, which hel...

Pakistan routinely astonishes visitors with the gap between reputation and reality. The north alone – a staggering wall of peaks including five of the world’s fourteen eight-thousanders – would justify the trip. But there is so much more: the ancient ruins of Mohenjo-daro, the Mughal splendour of Lahore, the frontier energy of Peshawar, and hospitality so generous it will bloe you away. This is South Asia at its m...

Botswana is the quiet achiever of southern Africa: a landlocked, sparsely populated country that transformed itself from one of the world’s poorest nations at independence in 1966 into one of the continent’s most stable and prosperous democracies, largely on the back of diamonds. For travelers, though, the draw is wild. The Okavango Delta, the Kalahari Desert and the Chobe River system together make this one of the fine...

Suriname is South America’s smallest sovereign state and its most quietly extraordinary. Wedged between Guyana, French Guiana and Brazil, it is a country of vast, largely untouched rainforest, languid rivers and a capital city where mosques, synagogues and Hindu temples sit side by side. Once swapped by the Dutch for New York – arguably history’s most lopsided deal – Suriname today is a cultural kaleidoscope...

Burkina Faso sits at the beating heart of the Sahel, where desert meets savannah and ancient trade routes converge. This landlocked nation offers mud-brick architectural marvels, vibrant cultural traditions, and landscapes that shift from sandstone spires to sweeping plains. Security concerns have dimmed its tourism glow in recent years, but for those who venture here, rewards include genuine hospitality and a chance to witness Wes...

Sandwiched between Estonia and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea, Latvia is a compact nation of forests, bogs, and beaches where pagan traditions never quite went away. The capital Riga boasts the world's finest Art Nouveau architecture, while beyond the cities, a quarter of the country remains wonderfully forested. Latvians are famously tall, reserved, and deeply attached to their rye bread, midsummer bonfires, and four very distinct se...

Nicaragua is Central America's largest nation and perhaps its least understood. Wedged between the Pacific and Caribbean, this is a land of volcanic drama, colonial grandeur, and revolutionary history. Two vast lakes dominate the interior, while twin coastlines offer everything from surf breaks to coral reefs. It's raw, beautiful, occasionally chaotic, and refreshingly unspoiled by mass tourism. Think of it as Central America's bes...

Australia is a continent-sized nation where ancient Indigenous cultures meet cosmopolitan cities, and where everything from the wildlife to the weather seems designed to test your mettle. It's a land of contradictions: friendly locals and hostile fauna, world-class wine regions and unforgiving deserts, sophisticated cultural institutions and a national obsession with the humble pie. Expect stunning natural beauty, excellent coffee,...

St Kitts & Nevis – the Western Hemisphere's smallest sovereign nation – packs considerable punch into its modest acreage. These twin volcanic islands in the Lesser Antilles offer a potent cocktail of colonial fortresses, sugar-plantation history, and Alexander Hamilton lore, all wrapped up in rainforest, beaches, and surprisingly good diving. It's the Caribbean distilled: rum punches, steel pans, and enough hiking t...

Afghanistan sits at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, a mountainous landlocked nation in which the Hindu Kush range dominates the landscape. This is ancient Silk Road territory, a place where empires collided and cultures blended. Despite decades of conflict, Afghanistan retains extraordinary natural beauty, from turquoise mountain lakes to dramatic desert valleys, alongside architectural marvels that speak to centuries of ...

Strung along the Adriatic like a sun-bleached necklace of islands, walled cities, and limestone cliffs, Croatia packs a disproportionate punch. Ancient Roman palaces double as living neighbourhoods, medieval fortresses guard turquoise coves, and a coastline once fought over by empires now belongs to the sun-seekers. Discovered and rediscovered, Croatia wears its beauty with the weary grace of a place that's seen it all before.

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Vietnam stretches along the eastern edge of Southeast Asia like a dragon's spine, its coastline unfurling for over 3,000 kilometers. From the misty mountains of Sapa to the labyrinthine waterways of the Mekong Delta, this is a country of startling contrasts. Ancient pagodas stand beside French colonial architecture, while motorbikes swarm through cities that pulse with entrepreneurial energy. The food alone justifies the journey.

Welcome to the north of the south. Colombia is a country of staggering contrasts, where Caribbean beaches meet snow-capped peaks, where jungle gives way to alpine vistas, and where a turbulent past has become a vibrant present. This is a land of eternal spring, explosive biodiversity, and cities that pulse with innovation and salsa. Prepare for more momentous history and clearer skies than you imagined possible as we head to one of...

Niger sits landlocked in the heart of West Africa's Sahel, where sand meets sky in dramatic fashion. Named after the mighty river that curves through its southwestern corner, this is Africa's largest nation by area, though much of it consists of the Sahara Desert in varying moods. It's hot, remote, politically volatile, and utterly mesmerizing – a place where ancient trade routes still whisper stories and the horizon seems to...

The Kingdom of Tonga is the Pacific's only surviving monarchy, a scatter of 170-odd islands (36 inhabited) straddling the international date line where yesterday meets tomorrow. Never colonised, this Polynesian realm maintains a proud independence. Expect warm hospitality, humpback whales, and the distinct possibility of temporal confusion.

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Lebanon, a small Middle Eastern gem nestled along the Mediterranean, packs a punch far beyond its size. From ancient Phoenician ports to Roman ruins, cedar-covered mountains to bustling souks, this country is a tapestry of history and culture. Despite its tumultuous past and present challenges, Lebanon's resilient spirit shines through in its vibrant cities, mouthwatering cuisine, and warm hospitality. Prepare for a journey where e...

The Seychelles is what happens when nature decides to show off. An archipelago of 115 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean like emeralds tossed by a careless deity, this nation combines granite boulders the size of apartment blocks, beaches so white they seem computer-generated, and forests so ancient they make the Amazon look like a startup. It is expensive to reach, tricky to navigate, and absolutely worth every penny and lo...