Destination Unlocked

Destination Unlocked
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Places & Travel
  • Weekly

Hosted by travel writer and speaker, Daniel Edward, Destination Unlocked is the conversational travel podcast featuring local experts from all around the world. In each episode, Daniel is joined by a local guide or expert traveller for a free-flowing conversation to help you plan your best travel experiences. Each episode is packed with genuinely useful advice, practical tips, and will save you hours of time researching what to see and do on your travels, how to get around, and the local customs and culture. Want to hear about a specific destination? You can let us know on the website: https://www.destinationunlocked.com If you are a local tour guide or travel expert and you'd like to join Daniel in an upcoming episode, please feel free to get in touch via the website as well.

  1. 6d ago

    Mayan Adventures in Belize with Simo D

    Unlock Belize with Simo D - a Canadian entrepreneur who has relocated to the Central American jungle-and-diving idyll with his young family. With a few years of living in Belize under his belt, Simo D shares a raft full of tips for first-time visitors. Home to the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, alongside fascinating Mayan history, and exciting adrenaline-packed activities, Belize is an ideal destination for nature-lovers who want to travel somewhere that offers relaxation and reinvigoration in equal measure. Simo's latest project - MoveSmart.world - is an AI tool that helps people match with countries, so if you're thinking of a more long-term overseas relocation, make yourself a free account and see where matches with your vibe. For more, visit https://www.destinationunlocked.com

    Mayan Adventures in Belize with Simo D

  2. Oct 28

    Unlock Vietnam with guidebook writer Joshua Zukas

    Discover the "fiercely energetic" country of Vietnam through the experiences of guidebook writer Joshua Zukas, who moved to the country over twenty years ago. In this wide-ranging conversation, Joshua tells Daniel about his highlights of Vietnam - from North to South - food that you must try in each region, and also interesting museums and cultural highlights that help tell Vietnam's fascinating (yet, turbulent) history. Joshua Zukas is the author of the new Bradt Guide to Vietnam. For more, visit: https://www.destinationunlocked.com

    Unlock Vietnam with guidebook writer Joshua Zukas

  3. Oct 21

    Alcohol-free Ski Trips with Ben Coombes

    Love the idea of a ski holiday, but less certain about all the drinking? Soberski founder Ben Coombes joins Daniel Edward to explore alcohol-free adventures in the French Alps and explain how to organise your first trip to the slopes. Daniel has never been skiing, so we start with the questions that experienced skiers sometimes forget need answering. What equipment should you hire? Is it worth having lessons before you travel? How do lift passes work, and what do those coloured runs actually mean? Ben discovered skiing as an adult on a trip with colleagues. Before long, he had swapped office life for a job as a chalet driver in the mountains. But balancing work, skiing and regular partying eventually left him wondering whether he could keep enjoying the place he loved without repeating a lifestyle that no longer suited him. His decision to return without drinking became the starting point for Soberski. Based in Méribel, Ben’s retreats bring together skiing, chef-prepared food, optional wellness activities and evenings with time to get to know the people around the dinner table. We talk about what an alcohol-free ski day looks like, why January is his favourite time to visit, and how to make the most of a mountain holiday without spending half of it in a bar. There is plenty for first-time skiers and experienced travellers alike, including the costs beyond your accommodation, choosing equipment, planning transfers and finding your own pace. Plus, Ben shares his quickfire recommendations, from tartiflette and local cheese to watching aircraft use Courchevel’s extraordinary mountain runway. IN THIS EPISODE Getting started: equipment hire, lessons and preparing for your first ski tripUnderstanding lift passes and the different coloured runsLife as a seasonnaire in the French AlpsHow Ben’s alcohol-free experiment became SoberskiChalet dinners, optional activities and meeting people when travelling soloBudgeting for passes, hire, transfers and lunchesWhy Ben chooses January for his time in Méribel FIND OUT MORE Soberski The Alpine Reset: 22–29 January 2027 Browse 2027 retreats Guest testimonials Instagram: @s0berski Facebook LinkedIn LISTEN AND FOLLOW Discover more destinations, meet our guests and explore practical travel guides at destinationunlocked.com. Follow Destination Unlocked wherever you get your podcasts for a new conversation every Wednesday.

    Alcohol-free Ski Trips with Ben Coombes

  4. Oct 14

    Northern Lights: The Aurora Zone with Jo Robertson

    Could you watch the Northern Lights from the comfort of your bed? Jo Robertson, Managing Director of The Aurora Zone, joins Daniel Edward to unpack Northern Lights holidays, from choosing your destination and travel dates to the adventures waiting beneath those extraordinary skies. Jo remembers her first display on a frozen lake in Finland, when a hotel owner confidently predicted the sky would erupt at ten to ten. Nearly twenty years later, she still finds it impossible to go to sleep when the lights are dancing outside. Together, we explore Finland, Norway, Sweden and Iceland, discovering how each offers a different holiday experience. There are husky safaris through snowy forests, snowmobile journeys across frozen lakes, dramatic Norwegian fjords, Icelandic waterfalls and the chance to spend a night beneath a glass roof in Finnish Lapland. We also discuss Sámi culture, reindeer herding and the pleasure of sharing hot chocolate around a fire. Jo explains the difference between seeing the aurora through a camera and with your own eyes, why dark skies matter, and how to choose a holiday you’ll enjoy whatever the Northern Lights decide to do. She shares her enthusiasm for travelling in March, the appeal of autumn visits, and why December is only one part of the story. And if the thought of Arctic temperatures has you reaching for another jumper, there’s practical advice on layers, specialist winter clothing and warming up between adventures. A glass-roof sauna sounds like a particularly good place to start. In this episode: Choosing between Finnish Lapland, northern Norway, Swedish Lapland and Iceland.City breaks versus remote wilderness stays.Glass-roof cabins and watching the aurora from bed.Dog sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ice fishing.Planning a family or multigenerational Arctic holiday.What to wear and which equipment to ask your tour operator about.How long to stay and why Jo loves mid-March.Fireside food, local berries and a wooden cup to bring home. About our guest Jo Robertson is Managing Director of The Aurora Zone, a specialist Northern Lights holiday company. Drawing on her own travels and family experiences, she helps explain how to match the destination, accommodation and activities to the holiday you want. Explore The Aurora Zone Website and holidays Northern Lights blog Instagram Facebook YouTube For more travel conversations, visit Destination Unlocked. Follow the podcast wherever you listen, and tell us about your own Northern Lights experiences.

    Northern Lights: The Aurora Zone with Jo Robertson

  5. Oct 7

    Canada: Coast to coast with Sandra Potter

    Canada is big enough to make choosing where to go a holiday in itself. Sandra Potter, founder of Frontier Travel, returns to Destination Unlocked to help us find our way, from the lakes and mountains of the Rockies to Québec City’s historic streets and the icebergs off Newfoundland. Joining Daniel Edward for a coast-to-coast conversation, Sandra shares the places she loves, the journeys she recommends and the decisions that can make a Canadian holiday work better. Having lived in Vancouver and built a travel business that began with Canadian skiing, she brings decades of experience and plenty of strong opinions. We start with Canada’s cities. Toronto has distinctive neighbourhoods and an impressive restaurant scene; Montréal offers a different cultural flavour; and Québec City has left Daniel with some of his favourite Canadian memories. Sandra explains why Vancouver remains her favourite city, with ocean, mountains and outdoor adventures close at hand. Then we head into the Rockies. We explore Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, compare skiing holidays in Alberta and Whistler, and consider what makes a winter visit rewarding even when you aren’t spending every day on the slopes. For train lovers, there’s a discussion of VIA Rail’s Canadian and the Rocky Mountaineer, including why travelling through the mountains in daylight matters. Further east, we consider Niagara Falls and Sandra’s preference for staying in Niagara-on-the-Lake, before turning to Ottawa, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Expect Peggy’s Cove, colourful coastal towns, maritime history and the appeal of spotting an iceberg from shore. There’s also time for food: lobster on the Atlantic coast, salmon in the west, Québec’s poutine and Daniel’s enthusiasm for sharing a BeaverTail. Sandra introduces her favourite Canadian cocktail, the Caesar, and reveals the Vancouver Island village she heads to when she wants a few days off. In this episode: • Choosing between Toronto, Montréal, Québec City and Vancouver • Victoria, Vancouver Island and Sandra’s love of Tofino • First Nations cultural attractions on the West Coast • Scenic rail journeys through the Canadian Rockies • Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Whistler • Niagara Falls versus Niagara-on-the-Lake • Ottawa and Canada’s Atlantic coast • Newfoundland’s Iceberg Alley • Canadian food, drinks and tips for a first visit About our guest Sandra Potter is the founder of Frontier Travel, specialising in tailor-made holidays, with extensive experience of travelling throughout Canada. Find more episodes and share your own Canadian recommendations at destinationunlocked.com. Follow Destination Unlocked wherever you listen for a different destination each week, explored through conversation with someone who knows it well.

    Canada: Coast to coast with Sandra Potter

  6. Sep 30

    Jersey: Castles, Giant Tides and Island Life with Malcolm Lewis

    Jersey may sit just a short flight from Britain, but this tiny Channel Island has its own government, its own traditions and a character shaped by Norman history, wartime occupation and some of the largest tides in the world. Daniel is joined by Malcolm Lewis, owner of Longueville Manor, to unlock an island of medieval castles, sweeping beaches, exceptional seafood and wonderfully unexpected local customs. Malcolm explains why Jersey is a Crown Dependency rather than part of the United Kingdom, how its twelve parishes help govern island life, and why the monarch is still affectionately toasted as the Duke of Normandy. They explore the castles and fortifications scattered across Jersey, from Mont Orgueil and Elizabeth Castle to the bunkers left by the German Occupation. Malcolm reflects on the hardship islanders endured between 1940 and 1945, and why Liberation Day on 9 May remains Jersey’s most important annual celebration. The conversation also turns to Longueville Manor, the historic country house hotel Malcolm’s grandparents rescued from disrepair and opened in 1949. He shares the remarkable story of how a family dream became one of Jersey’s best-known hotels, complete with woodland walks, a Victorian kitchen garden, local wildlife and honey produced on the estate. Food is never far away. Discover why Jersey’s enormous tidal range produces outstanding lobster, crab, oysters and hand-dived scallops, what makes Jersey milk so famously rich, and why early May is the perfect time to enjoy Jersey Royals. Malcolm also reveals: His essential Jersey experienceThe island’s best season for a visitWhy St Ouen’s Bay is ideal for surfingThe restaurant mistake first-time visitors should avoidHow to explore Jersey’s 15mph Green LanesThe detective series to watch before travellingThe traditional Jersey souvenir made from a cabbage stalk From Gerald Durrell’s pioneering conservation work at Jersey Zoo to afternoon tea with homemade jam and Jersey cream, this is your expert introduction to an island that feels reassuringly familiar while remaining entirely itself. About Malcolm Lewis Malcolm Lewis is the owner of Longueville Manor in St Saviour, Jersey. The hotel has been owned and managed by the Lewis family since 1949 and is known for its personal hospitality, historic setting, gardens and close relationship with Jersey’s local producers. Useful links Longueville Manor: https://www.longuevillemanor.com/ Visit Jersey: https://www.jersey.com/ Jersey Zoo and Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust: https://www.durrell.org/ Destination Unlocked: https://destinationunlocked.com/

    Jersey: Castles, Giant Tides and Island Life with Malcolm Lewis

  7. Sep 23

    Antarctica and other luxury adventures with Sam Bradley

    What does Antarctica look like beyond the familiar cruise routes? Sam Bradley of Cookson Adventures joins Daniel to reveal a different side of the White Continent, reached by air from Cape Town and experienced from a remote camp deep within the Antarctic interior. Sam shares what happened when he travelled south to research an extraordinary family adventure. He takes us inside vivid blue ice caves near the Schirmacher Oasis, describes the careful journey to an emperor penguin colony and explains why every Antarctic plan must remain flexible enough to follow the weather. The conversation also explores what luxury really means at the end of the Earth. In a place where everything must be flown in and every trace of human activity must be removed, comfort takes on a different meaning. Warm cabins, excellent food and a sauna matter, but the greater luxury is a journey designed around the people taking it. Sam explains how Cookson Adventures creates bespoke trips for families, from treasure hunts and private camps to meaningful conservation experiences. He also shares an important lesson from his Antarctic hosts: sometimes the best thing to do is stop, sit by the window and take in where you are. In this episode: Flying from Cape Town into the Antarctic interiorStaying at Ultima Oasis CampExploring Antarctica’s blue ice cavesVisiting an emperor penguin colony responsiblyThe realities of operating in an extreme environmentDesigning bespoke adventures for familiesHow luxury travel can support conservationWhy time and personalisation are the rarest luxuries Useful links Cookson AdventuresCookson Adventures on InstagramCookson Adventures on LinkedInDestination Unlocked

    Antarctica and other luxury adventures with Sam Bradley

  8. Sep 16

    Finland: Helsinki, Saunas and the Land of Sisu with Tim Bird

    Finland is often reduced to two images: stylish Helsinki in the south and Santa Claus in snowy Lapland. Between them lies a vast country of forested islands, immense lakes, summer cottages, festivals and wood-fired saunas. This week, Daniel is joined by writer and photographer Tim Bird, who first moved from Britain to Finland in 1982. More than four decades later, Tim is a Finnish citizen and the author of Happy Land: Finding My Inner Finn. They begin in Helsinki, exploring a capital shaped by its relationship with the sea. Tim explains why the Oodi central library has become a living room for the city, what makes the rock-hewn Temppeliaukio Church so memorable and why every first-time visitor should take the ferry into the Helsinki Archipelago. His essential recommendation is Suomenlinna, the historic sea fortress spread across a group of connected islands at the entrance to Helsinki’s harbour. The journey then continues into the landscapes between Helsinki and Lapland. Tim introduces the vast Saimaa lake system, the forested ridge of Koli and the views across Lake Pielinen. He also shares practical advice for exploring rural Finland, including when public transport works and when having a car makes life considerably easier. There is a proper introduction to Finnish sauna culture too. Daniel discovers what to wear, when nudity is perfectly normal and why an icy swim can become strangely irresistible. Tim also unpacks sisu, Finland’s famously difficult-to-translate quality of resilience, and considers why Finnish happiness may have more to do with trust, security and having enough than constant cheerfulness. Finally, they discuss lake fish, rye bread, Karelian pies, forest berries, mushrooms and Finland’s formidable enthusiasm for coffee. Tim reveals the common mistakes visitors make when planning a Northern Lights trip, recommends Tove Jansson’s writing beyond the Moomins and chooses an authentic piece of Finnish design to bring home. In this episode: Helsinki’s archipelago, Oodi and Temppeliaukio ChurchWhy Suomenlinna is Tim’s essential Helsinki experienceSaimaa, Koli and Finland’s overlooked LakelandFinnish sauna etiquette and winter swimmingThe meaning of sisuFinnish food, coffee and tipping cultureThe truth about visiting Lapland and seeing the Northern LightsTove Jansson beyond the MoominsTim’s favourite season for visiting Finland Guest: Tim Bird, writer, photographer and author of Happy Land: Finding My Inner Finn.

    Finland: Helsinki, Saunas and the Land of Sisu with Tim Bird
See All (46)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Hosted by travel writer and speaker, Daniel Edward, Destination Unlocked is the conversational travel podcast featuring local experts from all around the world. In each episode, Daniel is joined by a local guide or expert traveller for a free-flowing conversation to help you plan your best travel experiences. Each episode is packed with genuinely useful advice, practical tips, and will save you hours of time researching what to see and do on your travels, how to get around, and the local customs and culture. Want to hear about a specific destination? You can let us know on the website: https://www.destinationunlocked.com If you are a local tour guide or travel expert and you'd like to join Daniel in an upcoming episode, please feel free to get in touch via the website as well.

Information

  • Creator
    Destination Unlocked
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Destination Unlocked
  • Show Website
    Destination Unlocked

You Might Also Like