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A column in every issue · The day beyond the base

The Detour

The day trip that earns the drive, and how to do it without losing the week. The column about leaving.

Haleakala crater zoom · Felipe Perez · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped

16 columns · newest first

The column, issue by issue

  1. The summit crater of Haleakalā on Maui at dawn, a wide volcanic basin dotted with red and brown cinder cones under a clear sky, seen from the rim.Haleakala crater zoom · Felipe Perez · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped Maui · Vol. 2 · No. 08 · August 2026 Maui's Two Big Drives Maui's two signature drives, Haleakalā's summit and the Road to Hāna, are full days out, each requiring early starts and a full tank. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 11
  2. Villa del Balbianello on its wooded promontory near Lenno, with terraced gardens and a loggia overlooking Lake Como on three sides.Lenno - Villa del Balbianello 0613 · Phyrexian · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped Lake Como · Vol. 2 · No. 07 · July 2026 Western Shore Gardens Leaving your base for a boat day to Villa del Balbianello and Villa Carlotta reveals the cultivated beauty of Lake Como's western shore. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 11
  3. Curved, stepped rice terraces planted in bright green on a hillside near Ubud in Bali.Rice terraces, Bali · Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0 · cropped Bali · Vol. 2 · No. 06 · June 2026 East to Sidemen When the central streets of Ubud feel busy, the Sidemen valley to the east offers the same terraced green with a fraction of the traffic, under the volcano. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 9
  4. The wooden palafitte pier at Carrasqueira, its stilted walkways running out over the mud of the Sado estuaryCais Palafítico da Carrasqueira (15266547350) · Paulo Valdivieso from Lisboa · CC BY-SA 2.0 · cropped Comporta · Vol. 2 · No. 05 · May 2026 Carrasqueira's Stilts Over The Estuary Beyond Comporta's beaches, the rickety palafitte pier at Carrasqueira offers a strange, photogenic landmark on the Sado estuary. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 9
  5. Swimmers in the clear turquoise water of a semi-open cenote near Tulum, with rock walls and hanging vinesGrand Cenote - panoramio · Eduardo Manchon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped Tulum · Vol. 2 · No. 04 · April 2026 Cenotes and Ruins Beyond Tulum Early morning at the cliff-top Maya ruins, then inland to cool off in the freshwater cenotes. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 9
  6. The road to Glenorchy running along the shore at the head of Lake Wakatipu beneath high mountains. Queenstown · Vol. 2 · No. 03 · March 2026 The Glenorchy Road and Beyond The 45-minute drive along Lake Wakatipu to Glenorchy and Paradise offers a profound shift from Queenstown's town centre. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 8
  7. Table Mountain rising behind central Cape Town and Table Bay harbor, South AfricaCape Town City Bowl and Table Mountain at dawn · Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped Cape Town · Vol. 2 · No. 02 · February 2026 The Winelands Day Trip or Overnight Less than an hour from Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek offer a distinct wine country experience many wish they had extended. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 9
  8. The Maroon Bells and their reflection in Maroon Lake under early-autumn snow near AspenMaroon Bells (148358679) · Juan Esclusa · CC BY 3.0 · cropped Aspen · Vol. 2 · No. 01 · January 2026 Ashcroft and the Valley A short drive up-valley from Aspen, the ghost town of Ashcroft offers groomed cross-country tracks and a calm half-day away from the ski lifts. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 10
  9. The purple-tinted sand and offshore rock arch at Pfeiffer Beach in Big SurPfeiffer Beach, Big Sur - panoramio · Michal Cierniak · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped Big Sur · Vol. 1 · No. 10 · October 2025 Big Sur's Coastal Viewpoints Two iconic pull-offs on Highway 1 are worth timing for the perfect light, from a waterfall onto sand to a keyhole rock. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 11
  10. A cypress-lined gravel road climbing through the hills of the Val d'Orcia in southern TuscanyLeading Road (52716048000) · kuhnmi · CC BY 2.0 · cropped Tuscany · Vol. 1 · No. 09 · September 2025 Val d'Orcia Hilltowns Drive The Val d'Orcia offers a string of fortified towns along its ridges, perfect for a day's exploration by car. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 11
  11. The weathered marble lions on the Terrace of the Lions at the Delos archaeological siteTerrace of the Lions - 51681904875 · ftrc · CC BY-SA 2.0 · cropped Mykonos · Vol. 1 · No. 08 · August 2025 Delos: A Morning Beyond Mykonos The sacred island next door is one of the great archaeological sites in the Mediterranean, a short boat ride from Mykonos, and best visited early before the midday sun. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 11
  12. Low basket-trained grapevines growing in pale volcanic soil on SantoriniVineyard in Santorini 2 · ArticCynda · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped Santorini · Vol. 1 · No. 07 · July 2025 Santorini's East, Vines, and Quiet Beaches Discover Santorini's other side: volcanic wines and black-sand beaches, offering a calmer pace away from the caldera crowds. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 8
  13. The hilltop village of Gordes in the Luberon, its pale stone houses rising above the valleyGordes with cirrus · Astronautilus · CC BY 2.0 · cropped Provence · Vol. 1 · No. 05 · May 2025 Luberon Villages and Camargue Marshes String together the perched villages of the Luberon one day, then run south to the flat Camargue and its horses and flamingos another. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 11
  14. Red and orange maple leaves framing the wooden terrace of Kiyomizu-dera temple in autumn.Kyoto (15422453983) · Moyan Brenn from Italy · CC BY 2.0 · cropped Kyoto · Vol. 1 · No. 04 · April 2025 North to Ohara When the city's temples fill with visitors, Ohara's moss gardens and hillsides offer quiet a short journey from Kyoto's centre. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 10
  15. The long stone perimeter wall of Kumbhalgarh fort running along the Aravalli ridgesKumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan 02 · Varada Phadkay · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped Udaipur · Vol. 1 · No. 03 · March 2025 Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur Day Trip A long day's drive from Udaipur takes in a vast hill fort and one of India’s most intricate marble temples, offering a sharp contrast to the city's lakes. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 12
  16. Stone village and terraced slopes in the High Atlas mountains near MarrakechImlil village, High Atlas Mountains · Mounir Neddi · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped Marrakech · Vol. 1 · No. 02 · February 2025 The Atlas Mountains and Agafay Desert An hour out, the High Atlas villages and the stony Agafay 'desert' give you a day of mountains or dunes and a different quiet to come back from. By Mariko Sato · 2 min read · p. 12
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