33 h. ago 'I visited a magical underwater river and one thing caught me completely off guard'

Rio Secreto in Cancun was discovered almost two decades ago by complete chance. Now the underground oasis has become a major tourist attraction in the Mexican seaside town

Events

7 d. ago Lesser known island next to huge tourist hotspot with unspoiled beaches and crystal

A lesser-known island off the coast of Cancun is the perfect place to do so. Isla Mujeres got its name from the large number of Mayan artifacts found at the location, honoring the goddess of fertility.

Society

8 d. ago Best hotels in Cancun, from family getaways to wellness escapes

Whether its wellness, relaxation or adventure you are seeking, the best hotels in Cancun offer it all

Society

1 week ago Meet Kerala’s ‘rainforest gardeners’ creating a Noah’s ark for endangered plants

In one of the world’s ‘hottest hotspots’ of biodiversity, an all-female team have turned a patch of forest into a haven for orchids, ferns, succulents and carnivorous plantsThe previous night’s heavy rainstorm had brought down several large trees in the forest and broken branches were strewn about the ground. Walking through the felled trees, Laly Joseph spotted an orchid clinging to one of the snapped boughs. She gently secured the plant and carefully transplanted it on to a standing tree.At the Gurukula botanical sanctuary, where Joseph, 56, is head of plant conservation and the most experienced “rainforest gardener”, every plant is considered precious and an all-female team strives to give them the best chance of surviving an increasingly harsh climate.Laly Joseph, the head of plant conservation at Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, has spent most of her life learning about and caring for plants. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Add a lavish Mediterranean plant to your patio as this Bougainvillaea tree plummets to £25

Give your patio a Mediterranean make-over this summer with a vibrant Bougainvillaea that's set to transport your outdoor area to the Greek coastline without breaking the bank

Economics

2 w. ago How to make perfect cheese arepas – recipe | Felicity Cloake's How to make the perfect

Arepas are Latin American cornbreads of the most delicious kind. But there are so many variations, so let’s start with one that’s soft on the inside, crisp on the outside and oozing melted cheese When I first came across arepas, at a food market in Williamsburg, New York, almost a decade ago, I was attracted mainly by the fact that these stuffed South American corn breads were, as the stall proclaimed in big letters: “110% gluten-free!” which meant I could share one with a coeliac friend. One bite later, I regretted my generosity: crunchy, buttery and filled with sweetcorn and salty, stringy cheese, I could easily have polished off the whole thing without any help.These, I later learned, were Colombian arepas de choclo, but arepas – flat, unleavened maize patties that pre-date European settlement – are found in many forms and flavours in many other countries, too, most notably Venezuela, but also Bolivia, Ecuador and parts of Central America. As J Kenji López-Alt notes on Serious Ea...

Politics

2 w. ago How to make perfect cheese arepas – recipe | Felicity Cloake

Arepas are Latin American cornbreads of the most delicious kind. But there are so many variations, so let’s start with one that’s soft on the inside, crisp on the outside and oozing melted cheese When I first came across arepas, at a food market in Williamsburg, New York, almost a decade ago, I was attracted mainly by the fact that these stuffed South American corn breads were, as the stall proclaimed in big letters: “110% gluten-free!” which meant I could share one with a coeliac friend. One bite later, I regretted my generosity: crunchy, buttery and filled with sweetcorn and salty, stringy cheese, I could easily have polished off the whole thing without any help.These, I later learned, were Colombian arepas de choclo, but arepas – flat, unleavened maize patties that pre-date European settlement – are found in many forms and flavours in many other countries, too, most notably Venezuela, but also Bolivia, Ecuador and parts of Central America. As J Kenji López-Alt notes on Serious Ea...

Politics

3 w. ago Want to plant trees to offset fossil fuels? You'd need all of North and Central America, study finds

Planting trees can help save the planet, right

Politics

3 w. ago 'I visited ridiculously beautiful country but as a tourist it was baffling'

Mendoza, in the west of Argentina, is a vast, craggy region that is blessed with natural beauty including the mighty Aconcagua and row after row of rolling vineyard

Politics

3 w. ago How Mexico became the ‘gateway to hell’ for Egyptians chasing the American Dream

Engy Magdy uncovers a transnational smuggling network facilitating the illegal migration of people from Egypt through Central America

Politics