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OK we did it! We went to a festival for the music.

The things we’ve heard. The things we’ve seen. The tales of Leeds Festival that we’ve heard… didn’t fill us with much hope.

Here at House of Coco we like a creative festival that intakes a creative crowd. We like twisted installations, creatures around every corner to meddle with our fragile minds and all the lights and sparkle you’d find in a unicorn’s nest. BUT… we also LOVED Leeds Fest!

Yes it’s different to what we’re used to and yes it got a bit tedious critiquing the bands after every set but you know what… if you’re with the right people and the festival is actually good… you’ll have an amazing time!

We’re still not going to go on about the bands because that’s not what we do here, we want you to know how the festival was. But you should know that if you’re into the music on the line up… you’re going to love singing along and dancing with thousands of other people all there for that reason.

Oh and the boobs of course. And by that we mean the absolutely hilarious moment any girl on a pair of shoulders gets caught on camera… she is obliged to flash (not sexist at all if she has a choice… House of Coco boobs next year for sure… tacky but ‘when in Rome’!) and lest we forget the one poor girl who’s right boob got shy and left her very long left boob windmilling her way to infamy! Here’s to our breasts! #FreeTheNipple!

As for the other stuff… amazingly unexpected fun times! Fair enough, sometimes you kind of have to make up your own fun. Like trying to run across the dodgems without getting run over (House of Coco managed it many times. House of Cocos plus one did not! He got mowed over by a child!), trying to figure out ways of sneaking in your contraband booze… but then getting caught because they’re not stupid, the ‘getting through the crowd quickest’ game (House of Coco is the master. With a three friend hand chain we got through the crowd like a hot knife through butter) and of course… the fairground. Too expensive but hilarious after many hours of drinking.

The DJ in the woods at the campsite was a much needed injection of creativity plus the XFM DJ’s playing in what we thought was a purpose built club near the woods. The next day we found out it was simply a double layered DJ booth on a pathway. Immense. Amazing night.

Do Leeds. You can do Leeds Fest House of Coco Style. There are glamping options plus Tangerine fields but in all honesty it was great in Blue where we were.

Thank you Leeds Festival, you’ve opened our eyes.

Buy your tickets here for next year.

You’re at a festival with some friends and your man.

Weird things happen at festivals. You hug strangers, share glitter and dance together as though you’d been practicing for years.

At Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee this weekend one unsuspecting lady, standing amongst a glistening array of bubbles, began to have strangers handing her pretty flowers and flashing excited smiles.

She had no idea what was about to happen next. It’s simply beautiful. Prepare for the happy tears.

Congratulations to you both from us all here at House of Coco!

If there’s one thing that was clear from Boardmasters… it’s that Boardmasters Music Festival and Boardmasters Sports Festival are definitely two completely different things.

The music festival is situated 4 miles outside of the centre of Newquay, or Fistral Beach which is where the sports takes place. Your camping is alongside the music as with any other festival. For House of Coco… this wasn’t a problem. We booked our tents with Tangerine Fields so had little to take and little to take away, plus we took our bikes, so the daily trips into Newquay were far more epic than the rammed full shuttle buses or the sweaty walk that some people made.

Now, depending on what kind of person you are and what you go to Boardmasters for you should definitely weigh up your ticket options.

If you’re into the sports and credible music… book up a hotel or B&B early (now!) for the centre of Newquay and buy tickets for the evening sessions to party apres sports. The other option is to do the music festival and spend most of your time up at Watergate Bay making the most of the stage entertainment.

We did a bit of both… and more!

As a House of Coco reader it is strongly suggested that you buy VIP in camping. It’s worth it in so many ways. The showers, the block of clean toilets and the very small amount of difference it made when it came to the crowd.

No, at Boardmasters we had the BEST time! We got on our bikes in the morning, rode down to watch the surfing and BMX competitions, paraded ourselves round like the King and Queen of Newquay and made friends with complete strangers every step of the way. We even got invited to a wedding that was happening whilst we were there!

One of the great things about Boardmasters is the amount of things you can experience. Rather than being stuck in the arena or campsite we spent the first night in the pub down at Watergate Bay playing pool before heading down to the beach with a bottle till morning.

The next day we watched the BMX competition (see rankings below), went surfing (in the tail end of Hurricane Bertha), spent more time drinking on the beach, climbing rocks and exploring caves, went into the festival for a bit and then back to the car to drink Champagne and make objects out of the clouds.

The next day, Sunday, was the day we’d planned on spending our time inside of the music festival… but it cancelled. Half of the campsite had already left but House of Coco was going nowhere! We headed to the car in the rain to pick up the bikes and set off on a windy journey down to Fistral for the surfing. As soon as we hit the centre of Newquay… glorious sunshine. We then spent the rest of the day playing ‘Beach day’ going to the arcades, down to the harbour and finding some seals, partying in the bars and buying take outs from Tesco to party back at the tent.

That was pretty much our Boardmasters. Amazing. We’ll definitely be back. Where else can you do all of those things? Beach, town, camping, live music and cool sports?

Get your early tickets now here. (Thursday to Sunday VIP camping is only £144!!!!!!) And book Tangerine Fields here.

A massive congratulations to all of the BMX Pro Comp Competitors! One of our best moments was watching the comp.

1st – Mark Webb
2nd – Declan Brookes
3rd – Tom Justice
4th – Jack Watts
5th – Jack Clark
6th – Cam Peake
7th – Luke Padgett
8th – Ollie Palmer
9th – Phil Aller
10th – Gaz Wilson
11th – Martyn Cooper
12th – Tom Isted
13th – Josh Crosswell
14th – Chris Czako
15th – Brock Horneman

At #TeamCoco, we love a good festival and Camp Bestival is no exception. Set in the majestic grounds of Lulworth Castle, on Dorset’s dramatic Jurassic coastline, Camp Bestival is ideal for all ages thanks to their diverse mix of entertainment; from fabulous music acts and comedy to cultural delights and intriguing sideshow attractions.

Camp Bestival was awarded Best New Festival in 2008 at the UK Festival Awards in its first year of operation. Deemed as the ‘little sister’ of the more dance-orientated ‘Bestival’, Camp Bestival is known for being very family focused and has the most relaxed and friendly vibe.

We arrived on the Friday lunchtime (despite many arriving the night before) to the festivities. Every year Camp Bestival’s founder Rob Da Bank and his team pick a different theme and this year it was a nautical theme which was reflected in the fancy dress costumes and the many HMS Camp Bestival hats worn by various festival goers.

With the sun beating down on, we took the opportunity to explore the expansive festival site. Camp Bestival divides their entertainment into different areas which includes the Castle Stage (the primary stage for entertainment) The Big Top, Bollywood, The Greatest Tent on Earth, Caravanserai, the Literary Institute and HMS Bestival – a new highlight for 2018 which is essentially, a big old boat which features a wide range of entertainment including BBC Radio presenter Fearne Cotton DJ’ing!

Also new for 2018 is the ‘Gin Festival’ where you can try more than 50 gins from around the world. As a gin aficionado, I did take the opportunity to try some new gins and to reacquaint myself with some old favourites such as the delicious Mermaid Gin.

Strictly Come Dancing fans were in luck, as they were able to learn how to foxtrot with Karen Hardy’s Dance Studio. It was lovely seeing people of all ages learning how to dance. There were also various crafting, literary and foodie activities to enjoy throughout the day.

Friday’s music line-up included Camp Bestival regulars – The Cuban Brothers, who entertained the crowd with their energetic set. The group have played for the likes of Robbie Williams, Elton John and more have played Camp Bestival 12 times now.

Other acts on The Castle Stage included 80’s band Pop Will Eat Itself, Dodie, Lauren Hibberd, The Skatalaties and with a further nod to the 80’s, BBC Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox took to the decks for a DJ set featuring some nostalgic tunes from the decade.

One of my festival highlights has to be seeing Huey Morgan (from the Fun Lovin’ Criminals) DJ’ing with his renowned ‘NYC Block Party’ set.

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Rae Morris took to the stage on Friday evening, her latest album ‘Someone out there’ is certainly more ‘poppy’ than her 2015 debut ‘Unguarded’, thanks to the experimental drum patterns and electro-pop synths. It was my first time seeing Rae live and she is a truly captivating performer and I will definitely be downloading her new album.

Headlining Friday night was Rick Astley who has been enjoying a second wave of success over the last two years since the release of his number one album 50 and his recent top ten album Beautiful Life. Last year, Rick jammed on stage at the Summer Sonic Festival in Japan with the Foo Fighters, which quickly went viral (but not as much as the Rickrolling phenomenon!)

When Rick announced that he was going to bring on a guest drummer, we all held our breath thinking it might be a member of the Foo Fighters, so imagine our surprise to see Mary Berry on stage. Yes, you read that right – Mary Berry was on a drumkit, keeping a tidy beat to Rick’s song – Beautiful Life. As you can imagine, the crowd went wild as this was completely unexpected. Rick’s set was a fantastic way to round off our first day and night at Camp Bestival.

We spent a lot of time on the Saturday checking out the amazing selection of traders – you can buy all manner of things, from a vintage style dress to a gluten free pizza (I admit, I may have brought both!) There is always an excellent selection of food choices at Camp Bestival. Gone are the days when all you can buy is a soggy burger, here you can choose from everything from a pulled pork hog roast to Ghanaian food.

Saturday’s festivities saw fantastic sets from indie band Jesus Jones and hip hop-electronic dance group the Stereo MC’s who really brought the energy. Sadly, Tokio Myers (last year’s winner of Britain’s Got Talent) was ill, so his replacement was pop duo Max and Harvey.

We trundled off to see singer-songwriter Adam French play in The Big Top which we were really pleased that we went to see. Adam was not an artist I was familiar with and this is why I love festivals, as it’s an ideal opportunity to get to know bands and singers that you hadn’t previously been familiar with.

The headline act for Saturday was electropop sensations Clean Bandit who performed a selection of their hits including ‘Rather Be’, ‘Symphony’ and ‘Rockabye’. Whilst the likes of Jess Glynne and Anne-Marie weren’t there, they were supported by two singers who really made the songs their own.

One of the best things about Camp Bestival is the sideshow attractions such as the Caravanserai where we saw fire dancers, trapeze artists and more whilst festival goers relaxed in vintage caravans.

Sadly, due to adverse weather conditions, Sunday’s Camp Bestival was called off. A difficult decision to make for the organisers, but absolutely the right one. Acts that were scheduled to perform were Simple Minds, Shed Seven, The Undertones and Jade Bird.

In summary, if you are looking for a chilled-out festival where you can see some of the best musicians, comedians, DJ’s around in one of the most beautiful locations in the UK, head to the Dorset coast of Lulworth and check out Camp Bestival. There is fun for all the family and even if you don’t have little ones, there is still plenty of grown-up shenanigans to enjoy. Camp Bestival’s (slightly crazy) older sister Bestival takes place this weekend coming – 2nd-5th August featuring London Grammar, M.I.A, Rudimental, Diplo & Mark Ronson and many more. Tickets are still available, so head over to the Bestival website for more information. Plus, we think the weather will be much better this coming weekend.

Thank you so much Camp Bestival – we will see you next year!

#TeamCoco is always on the pulse whenever it comes to new London openings, so Ninety-One, a newly launched all-day cafe and late night bar is exactly what we’re looking for to amp up our East London evenings.

Launched in early December, Ninety-One is an achingly cool new hybrid space in the Old Truman Brewery, that breathes Shoreditch authenticity.Think neon-lit pared back concrete walls, an abundance of foliage, artisanal cocktails, and a rotating residency of chefs that will surely make your mouth water. Every few months, Ninety One will feature a rotating series of chief residencies that champions all the wonderful local talent of East London. We were lucky enough to experience some lovely dishes from Sabel, a seasonal kitchen by husband and wife duo Toby Williams and Lianna Jewell. Their unique take on locally sourced British cuisine is effortless and undeniably impressive. A few of our favourites include the Ogalshield cheese and ham hock toastie with gherkins, and some grilled tender stem broccoli with aioli — yum.

Wash it all down with some Victorian inspired cocktail recipes from head bartender Amon Kale. Don’t let the term ‘native botanical home-infusions’ intimidate, because these cocktails are truly delicious (and certainly pack a punch) If you’re feeling tropical, we highly recommend the deconstructed Pina Colada, a Wray & Nephew, Salani Coconut Liqueur, and charred pineapple mixture — that’s the perfect drink to accompany you throughout the evening. Finally, end the evening dancing away to Ninety One’s live jazz performances and DJ sets, their Function One sound system will impress even the most discerning audiophile. Ninety One is a space that transitions with you throughout the day, seamlessly from work to play — and we’re all for it.

In the vein of multi-functional spaces, Ninety-One was designed as a café and workspace by day, and a late-night music venue for audiophiles by night, and it could not be more at home than in the buzzy graffiti strewn streets Brick Lane.

For more information visit https://91bricklane.com/

As we mourn the sad loss of rock royalty Peaches Geldof, we couldn’t help but reminisce on the times the reformed mother of two got her knees dirty and her hair knotted at a festival or two.

Not one to shy away from family history, Peaches embraced the ‘Grunge’ look and always did festivals as they should be done… Messy and dirty but always on point.

This season, take your festival style inspiration from Peaches. Our festival style Queen.

For more information about the untimely and sudden death of Peaches Geldof click here

Tomorrow is Blue Monday, supposedly the most depressing day of the year. I’ve got to admit I’m a bit cynical and often wonder who makes up these days. However, there’s no denying it, January can be a tough month. Some of us bounce right into the New Year armed with a long list of good intentions and a spring in our step. For others it can be a struggle, leaving you feeling unmotivated, skint and overindulged. The good news is, I am on a mission to brighten up your January with some instant mood boosters. Here’s my round up of things to do to put a smile on your face and kick January’s ass.

Borrow a dog for the day
Borrow My Doggy is a bit like online dating but instead of matching you to a potential suitor it connects you to a dog in your local area that you can borrow for walks, weekends and holidays. There’s lots of research that shows owning a dog can reduce your stress levels. Spending just a few minutes stroking a dog can lower anxiety and blood pressure, and increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, two neurochemicals that play big roles in calm and wellbeing. As well as this getting outside in the fresh air and walking a dog is good for your health.

Wake up to your theme tune
You know that feeling when you hear a song for the first time in ages and you’re instantly transported back to a moment in time when you felt great?! Recreate those moments by kicking off your day with the ultimate feel good playlist. Music has the power to give us an instant emotional hit and boost your mood. According to research by Spotify and Cambridge University psychologist David Greenberg, the ideal wake-up tune will “start gently (even for just a few seconds) and then build,” and will contain positive lyrics “to get you out of a grumpy state and shift towards a feel-good attitude”. Be prepared to be dancing around the kitchen with your coffee.

Have a glass of sunshine delivered direct to your door
Forget about the freezing temperatures outside and take yourself off to sunnier climes with the ultimate summer cocktail. Aperol Spritz will be whizzing around the streets of London on Blue Monday delivering glasses of the lovely orange stuff direct to your door. Invite a friend over and start planning your summer break over a couple of glasses. All the details on how to get your delivery are on their website.

Hit Me Baby One More Time
Who ever said they didn’t want to know the dance moves to Britney Spears, Baby One More Time is lying. Let loose and have a laugh down at Frame, where you can learn the dance moves of all your favourite artists, including Britney. All the dance routines are based on the music videos so unleash your inner pop star and shake your booty down at your local Frame studio.

Start the day laughing
Comedy AM is the world’s first morning comedy club. These guys are on a mission to boost your wellness through laughter. Research shows that laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells, it also triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural ‘feel good’ chemicals so there’s a couple of good reasons to get along to one of their events. With stand-up sessions kicking off as early as 6.30am, you can easily squeeze in a giggle before work.

Whatever you do this Monday, have a good one.

Last week, Team Coco got a special seat to see the new Tony Award-winning production of The King & I at the London Palladium and enjoyed an evening of exotic costumes, fantastic singing, and good theatre ol’ spectacle — to the tune of “Shall We Dance” of course.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 67 year old musical gets a 2018 makeover care of Bartlett Sher, followed by a successful run of the production at the Lincoln Center. This rendition is led by Ken Watanabe, (from Inception and The Last Samurai fame), who has the inherent regality to play the King of Siam. He is accompanied by Kelli O’Hara,who actually won a Tony Award for her stellar performance as straight laced Victorian era governess, Anna Leonowens.

With countless renditions over the years, from the iconic Yul Brunner version to the rather odd Lou Diamond Phillips one in the mid nineties; one of the main controversies surrounding the King & I has always been how it tackles its morally ambiguous storyline. Beyond the charming romance between Anna and the King, Bartlett Sher’s version also sheds a light on the stark differences between Eastern and Western cultures, as well as the absurdity of The White Man’s burden to civilise the East.A less sophisticated, and more revisionist, production would have framed the issue as Anna “taming” the King’s barbaric ways — to appease to British sentimentalities in order to prevent colonisation, but this production tackles the issue with a nuance that would appease even the most politically correct audience. Today, representation is undeniably important — and as a Chinese-Filipino myself, I was very impressed with how Bartlett Sher cast his ensemble. (No white-washing here at all people!) After “Getting to Know’” (pardon the musical pun) The King & I, I can say that it deftly balances the conflicts between tradition and modernity, spiritualism and science, and finally, love and responsibility.

Overall, Kelli O’Hara, really shone as the virtuous Anna. Naoko Mori as King Mongkut’s first wife, and Na-Young Jeon as Tuptim are also worth mentioning for their fantastic performances. Each one of the women had plenty of chances to shine and each one really took the stage and captivated the audience from the front row all the way to the back. In 1860s Siam, women were seen as mere objects, and Ken Watanabe effectively hammers down King Mongkut’s imperial misogyny with a petulant theatricality throughout the production. So to see these women really have their shining moments on one of London’s biggest West End stages – was a poignant symbolic victory for strong and independent women like Anna Leonowens; and all the other Anna’swho live beyond the stage.

The King & I is on a limited run at The London Palladium. Hannah saw the King & I via superbreak.com tickets start at £78

They came. They saw, and they conquered – the good people at Victorious Festival have smashed it for another year. The UK’s biggest metropolitan festival which is now in its eight year is situated on the South Coast, in the picturesque seaside location of Southsea overlooking the Solent. In fact, one of the stages – the Castle stage is adjacent to Southsea Castle – a stunning historical landmark belonging to Henry VIII, built in 1544.

Day 1

Kicking off Victorious 2018 were The Lightening Seeds who really got the party started with a set of the most well-known hits. Despite the heavens opening halfway through, the crowds were not put off by the weather and continued to dance (albeit in the rain)

Indie Rockers Dutch Criminal Record were playing the Beats & Swing stage to a packed-out crowd. The band who are from nearby Chichester played songs from their newly-released EP Waiting on the Weekend to a delighted crowd.

Back at the Common Stage, Shed Seven played a selection of the hits – the band along with fellow Friday night artists The Lightening Seeds played the very first Victorious Festival eight years ago.

Following Shed Seven’s zealous performance was The Kaiser Chiefs who enchanted and entertained the crowds with their energetic and exuberant set playing a selection of songs including ‘Every day I love you less and less’ ‘Ruby’ and ‘Modern Way’. Ricky Wilson and his band had the crowd in the palm of their hands – singing, dancing and jumping up and down throughout the set.

Closing Friday’s line up at Victorious was The Libertines – fronted by Pete Doherty and Carl Barat, the band played a selection of songs including ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ and ‘Don’t Look Back Into The Sun’ to the Victorious festival goers who couldn’t get enough of the bands performance.

Day 2

Day 2 saw sunshine, and performances from the likes of the Happy Mondays, Gabrielle Aplin, Coasts and The Pigeon Detectives in the afternoon and early evening. There were also performances from nineties band Sleeper with singer (and author) Louise enchanting the crowds with not only songs from their back catalogue but also a couple of surprising additions including Blondie’s Atomic.

Singer-songwriter and previously frontman of Supergrass, Gaz Coombes was a great addition to the line-up. The crowd went wild when he sang the bands ‘touring’ song ‘Moving which explains the tedium of touring as a band.

Also playing was Billy Bragg and The Cribs who were full of energy and played a lively set which included festival favourite ‘Men’s Needs’. Over on the Castle Stage were Art Rockers Everything Everything who played a great set to the Victorious festival goers.

Back on the main Common Stage, excitement was building for two incredible acts – Brian Wilson and Paul Weller. Both legendary artists in their own rights, first up was Brian Wilson who had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He performed many of The Beach Boys hits that means so much to people including: ‘Wouldn’t it be Nice’ ‘Good Vibrations’ ‘Surfin’ USA’ and ‘God Only Knows’. The set can only be described as magical and the crowd were thoroughly entertained by the former Beach Boys star.

Festival goers were torn between the two headline acts – the fabulous Paloma Faith and Paul Weller. As a huge Paul Weller fan, I had to opt for the Modfather who played an array of hits including ‘My Ever Changing Moods’, ‘Sunflower’, ‘Broken Stones’ and a couple of classics from The Jam and The Style Council including ‘That’s Entertainment’ and ‘Shout to the Top’.

From all accounts, Paloma Faith was amazing and she played songs from her latest album which included ‘Crybaby’, ‘The Architect’ and ‘Tonight’s Not The Only Night’. That is probably the only frustrating thing about festivals – nine times out of ten there will be a scheduling clash and you can’t see all of the amazing artists that you want to see. Having seen her live before, I know that she will have put on an inspiring and fun performance.

Day 3

On the last day of the Victorious Festival; that quintessential rainy British seaside weather showed up in full force with strong winds and gales doing their worst to deter the last day of coastal merry-making — but it was definitely no match for the crowd’s unflinching determination to have a good time.

Amidst the gray skies and billowing winds festival goers were still as energetic as can be, jumping into muddy puddles and kicking along with the great acts on the last day of the Festival. On the common stage Nottingham based electronic punk music duo, Sleaford Mods got the crowd splashing about, and singing along to ‘Just Like We do’. Friendly Fires came on and rekindled the flame of this reviewer’s post-university youth with some of their greatest hits, which include Skeleton Boy, Jump in the Pool, and Paris. ( of course) And watching Ed Macfarlane vigorously swish his hips about in a pair of white denim jeans, was definitely worth the muddy trip out to the seaside. Finally, Victorious Festival ends with a literal bang — with The Prodigy taking over the Common Stage right as the sun went down.Which was perfect timing considering their set’s accompanying light-show was appropriately hardcore too. And as the flashing lights and head banging crowds frantically jumped along to the band’s mega-hits like ‘Fire Starter’ and ‘Smack my B**** up!’ — All we were thinking was how couldn’t wait to muddy up again for next year’s line-up at Victorious Festival.

Words by Emma Harrison and Hannah Tan-Gillies

Photo Credit: Tom Langford (Paloma Faith – Becca Egerstrom)

Victorious Festival

Here at House of Coco we are always on the look out for off-the-beaten-track alternatives and less discovered global destinations. So when we stumbled across Rome2rio’s ‘Not Spots’, a nifty new tool to help globetrotters discover the road less travelled we decided to put it to the test and find some new destinations away from the tourist-heavy hot spots that will deliver a flavour of the local culture and a more authentic travel experience.
If you find you’ve been to most of the popular traditional holiday destinations and are looking for some fresh ideas, here’s a roundup of alternative suggestions:

Beach lovers

If you love the beaches of the Greek Islands, for example, switch it up and try the sandy stretches of the Albanian Riviera. Albania’s southern coast has everything to rival its Mediterranean neighbours. Here you’ll find miles of breath-taking coastline, vibrant sunsets and golden beaches lapped by turquoise waters – with a fraction of the crowds and at a fraction of the cost. From seafood feasts in Ksamil to the UNESCO-listed ancient city of Butrint, this less-developed part of the Med has everything you need for a low-key, yet still-perfect, beach holiday

Architecture fans

If architecture is more your thing and you are bored of Prague’s stag culture then head to Sighisoara in Transylvania. In a region fuelled by myths and legends, this place is straight out of a fairy tale. Located in Romania’s Transylvania region, the Unesco-protected fortified old town is a dreamscape of medieval splendour, a rainbow of pastel-hued houses, a tumble of church spires and a maze of cobblestone lanes, all tucked within the ancient city walls. Be sure to climb the Clock Tower for exquisite views over the city that is said to be the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, or Dracula.

Culture vultures

Culture vultures who have been captivated by Rio’s iconic Carnival should consider returning to South America but to Bolivia next time to experience the nine-day Carnaval de Oruro. Millions of travellers have made the pilgrimage to Rio to experience the five-day spectacle, but considerably fewer travellers are aware of Bolivia’s equally vibrant, colourful and historic answer to Rio Carnival: the Carnaval de Oruro. Taking place over nine days, starting the Saturday before Ash Wednesday, Carnaval de Oruro dates to the 17th century when Spanish settlers banned the traditional ceremonies of the native Itu people. Today, the Carnaval de Oruro is an homage to the Virgin of Candelaria, bringing together some 28,000 dancers and 10,000 musicians in at beautiful and spectacular celebration that’s an important touchstone of Bolivian culture.

Music fans

Music fans who find Austin, Texas too ‘hipster’ can head to Omaha, Nebraska and discover the city’s history of jazz, funk and rock as well as today’s indie rock ‘Omaha Sound’.

Thrill seekers

Thrill-seekers who have “done” Machu Picchu should consider Choquequirao – a similar Incan site abandoned in 1572. The fabled Inca citadel of Machu Picchu makes a regular appearance on travel bucket lists for good reason: hiking the Inca Trail to the ancient city is once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, the ever-growing crowds have led to increasingly restricted access to Peru’s most famous ruin, which was never meant to host thousands of people each day. Although you’ll still be able to visit by booking a timeslot in advance, consider visiting Peru’s lesser-known ‘lost city’ instead.

The Inca ruins at Choquequirao are even bigger than its more-popular sibling, with a towering citadel swathed in cloud and tumbling terraces sprawled over multiple mountain slopes. The site, still only partially cleared, is buried deep in the jungle, meaning the only way to currently get there is via a challenging four-day return hike. This is true adventure and authentic exploration at its best; be sure to go before the proposed cable car to the site is built, when numbers will undoubtedly soar.

The “Not Spots” guide pinpoints the most popular holiday hot spots across the globe and recommends alternative destinations that offer a comparable experience but without the tourist crowds. Visit www.rome2rio.com/not-spots.