Thomas Bywater is a Travel Journalist and Multimedia Producer for New Zealand's Herald, specialising in New Zealand adventure travel and Antarctic tourism
I’m Thomas Bywater, Travel Writer and Digital Producer for the NZ Herald. Traversing ice fields in Patagonia and diving the Great Barrier Reef in an electric submarine - there have been a few life-changing trips since joining the NZ Herald in 2018. I graduated with a degree in English from the University of Aberdeen in 2012, which has taken me to a variety of places including a stint working as a digital editor for The Sunday Times in London. I got into travel writing in a roundabout way. After roles with a radio station in Leipzig, theatre restorations and film productions in Prague and Jaipur - it was clear, I don’t stand still for long. Since 2021, I’ve been based out of Christchurch and a bit closer to New Zealand’s Antarctic Gateway. It’s an adventurous part of the world, which I love, and an endless inspiration for stories. Its influences have fed into my podcast Detour: Antarctica, for which I interviewed the first person born on the continent and explorers who were victims of a prank involving two 500-year-old arrowheads. Adventures for your earbuds, go check it out!
Why staying on a Peruvian potato farm could be the best holiday you've ever had
Peru gave the world cocaine, chocolate and the humble spud.
Christchurch runway excursion: What happens when a plane misses the runway?
One of New Zealand’s busiest runways was briefly closed this morning.
DoC has 'lost patience' with IT vendor as Great Walks site crashes again
Website stumbles after 40 per cent of Milford bookings come from overseas tourists.
'Thrillionaire' announces new Titanic expedition a year after sub disaster
A year after the OceanGate disaster a tourist with deep pockets wants to fund another sub.
Air New Zealand quietly doubles overweight luggage fees in price review
Ancilary luggage fees were increased 30 to 100 per cent, without warning.
Which Great Walk is the greatest? We compare all 11 trails
The Milford Track opens on Tuesday, but which Great Walk is greatest?
Ready to conquer an NZ Great Walk?
It's always a good time to plan your next Great Walk in New Zealand.
Air NZ passengers’ five-hour ordeal as Dunedin journey becomes flight to nowhere
It would have been quicker to fly to Australia, one plane spotter remarked.
Everest Inc. author on the fall of Kiwi guiding and the mountain's biggest myth
Superhuman achievement or package holiday on a rope?
Fatal turbulence: Aviation experts reveal ‘life-or-death’ thing passengers need to do
This overlooked safety feature is a 'matter of life and death', say industry experts.
What is 'clear air turbulence?' Rare phenomenon injures Singapore passengers
Deadly turbulence struck SQ123 overnight. How much warning do pilots and passengers have?
Luxury hostels? Why Drifter bunk rooms are stepping up the dorm room game
Bunk beds are back, and flashier than you remember.
I’m a travel writer, it's only okay to recline your plane seat in these situations...
The ill-conceived seat feature divides travellers into two camps: Recliners and Decliners.
New Caledonia: MFAT working with Australia to fly travellers stranded by civil unrest
MFAT says it is "exploring possible options" to bring stranded Kiwis home.
Passport backlog: Applicants pay DIA extra $1.2m for urgent service
One in 10 paid to upgrade applications to 'urgent' after travel deadline concerns.
Taco kiosk with four-item menu wins inaugural Michelin star
The tiny food stand in Mexico City has made history in the prestigious gastronomy guide.
What can you do if your airline goes bust?
A recent spate of airline insolvencies has travellers asking what's covered.
Destinations making the biggest return with Kiwi tourists revealed by NZ Travel Stats
Newly published travel figures show a big shift in movements across the NZ border.
Noumea airport grounds all flights
Blockades erected at the island's roads, travellers trapped during unrest.
'Lolly scramble' Stranded Kiwis pay thousands for Vanuatu charter fares home
94 lucky travellers they were able to fly home on a charter flight from Espiritu Santo.
Hundreds of passengers stranded as Air Vanuatu liquidation confirmed
Plagued by technical faults for months, the airline filed for insolvency on Monday.
Watch: Couple book romantic Queenstown hotel, get building site
The hotel on the shore of Wakitipu is undergoing 'extensive redevelopments'.
Eurovision 2024: Who should represent New Zealand at Malmö?
Sweden is set to host the 'Olympics of camp', which attracted 162 million viewers in 2023.
Growing passport delays threaten travel plans booked three months ago
Applicants asked to pay for urgent service or miss trips, as wait times over 10 weeks.
Our ancestors built this: Women living in Machu Picchu’s shadow visit for first time
It was a day of many firsts, more than 500 years in the making.
Scandalous! Paris waiters accused of double dipping tips in run-up to Olympics
Locals have accused waiters of scamming cafe goers, who aren’t aware of gratuity laws.
Second Boeing whistleblower dies
The auditor who was fired by Boeing last April was described as being in good health.
Not after midnight: Why Italy’s second city is banning pizza and ice cream
Get your pizza out of our piazza is the message.
Kiwi beach named among world’s best, despite being closed to walkers
World renown followed after featuring in blockbuster films and countless summer holidays.
Drunk tourist spent first two days of Cook Islands holiday in jail
She was fined and banned from drinking alcohol for the rest of her stay.
Great Walks open for booking: There must be a better way
OPINION: NZ’s most popular outdoor conservation project may soon be unsustainable.
Made in China: Should Boeing be worried as Comac lands major aircraft orders?
Your next overseas trip might be on a Chinese-built aircraft.
Tourist fined $2000 for 'disturbing' walrus encounter
The Norwegian island recently tightened up its protections for Arctic wildlife.
'Rampant trespassing': Hawaii demolishes attraction because tourists couldn’t behave
Despite being closed for four decades, it is an instantly recognisable tourist location.
Nothing to eat but duty-free: Kiwis caught in Dubai Airport floods
Emirates passengers and Kiwis flying via the UAE hub have been stranded by flash floods.
DoC website crashes as people flock to book spot at 'world's best hidden beach'
High demand was anticipated, with the DoC campsite being given its own booking window.
Roaming trauma: Man runs up $240k phone bill on Swiss holiday
US couple return home to a mobile phone bill steeper than the Matterhorn.
‘It’s full’: Outrageous reason cruise is skipping Greek port
'It's your holiday... but it's our home.'
Airline’s poo-powered plan to make fuel from human waste
Biofuel company says not to 'pooh-pooh' the use of this abundant, low-cost resource.
Whakapapa, Tūroa reveal 2024 season pass prices as skifields go it alone
Lower-mountain and long-term passes, can the new operators make the ski season work?
We took our 6-month-old tramping: The best backcountry hut-walks with a baby
Start them young! Here's a guide to easy, short hut walks for going bush with baby.
Could you escape the Titanic?
A little after midnight - on April 15, two terrible realisations came to Joseph Bell.
New ‘entitled’ cruise balcony trend crew want stopped
'Al fresco lounging' has become a phenomenon that cruise workers want stopped.
One in four US tourists think the haka comes from Japan, survey reveals
New survey claims New Zealand tourism is suffering a brand identity crisis.
Six things you should never take on a cruise ship
From kava root to kites - prohibited cruise items are weirdly specific.
Could you pass a pilot test? Airline opens trial to exclusive $148,000/pa career
Amid an ongoing pilot shortage, one airline opened its recruitment drive to the public.
Where will the next eclipse be? Nasa's gift to eclipse chasers
Nasa have the next millennium of eclipses locked down... weather is less predictable.
DoC huts and campsites open for summer bookings from today
They’re likely to be just as popular, but slightly pricier than you remember.
DoC approves decade-long Ruapehu deal to save ski season 'for years to come'
DoC gives the local Ohakune business collective the green light for the 2024 ski season.
Queenstown Airport latest victim of $3 bag scam
The South Island airport is the latest to be targeted by the scam.
TikTok to Tango, Maradona to Madonna: Keeping time in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is a city that keeps its own time and is a gift to jet-lagged travellers.
Family anguish as Air NZ shocker sees passenger miss father’s funeral
A bereaved traveller spent 30 hours in transit on her way to Korea.
Name change to end confusion with Kiwi airport - but locals aren’t happy
'Man accidentally adds 12,000 miles to journey'
Demand crashes royal website as Queen's favourite castle opens to tourists
The historic opening of the royals' most private of private residences sold out instantly.
Stranded cruise passengers back on board after mad dash across Africa
Passengers spent seven days out of a 21-day cruise trying to catch up with their ship.
Italy’s other leaning tower is in danger of toppling, say authorities
Fixing this 12th-century colossus will not be a Pisa cake.
Air NZ named best economy cabin by Airline Excellence Awards, despite delays
Air New Zealand has been named best economy cabin in the world for a second year running.
Mistake leaves cruise passengers stranded in West Africa without belongings
A pregnant woman and a paraplegic were among the passengers left high and dry.
Spanish restaurants can now charge more for seating in shade
Andalusia wants to avoid tourists being stung for seats with shade.
Kazakh travel blogger blocked at NZ border over visit intentions
Alisher Yelikbayev was removed from a flight to Auckland after a late visa cancellation.
Seven of the best short Queenstown walks for autumn
There’s nothing to warm the cockles like a brisk walk round Wakatipu.
333 method: Ultimate packing hack to downsize luggage for travel
This travel hack can change your life and shrink your luggage.
Kiwi trampers wanted for safety survey as incidents stubbornly high
Currently one in 203,703 trails end in disaster.
Sagrada Familia: At last, Barcelona's unfinished cathedral gets completion date
144 years later, Barcelona's work in progress is to be topped off.
Is this New Zealand's most expensive airport coffee?
Trapped in departures, how much are Kiwis being asked to pay for a coffee and pie.
Five bizarre French laws that could trip up Paris tourists
Tourists are unlikely to be naming pigs, but should consider swim togs carefully.
Do Kiwis really have the world's best 'work-life balance'?
Aotearoa works hard and plays hard... But, importantly, not too hard says the study.
Architecture fest goes inside Christchurch Cathedral for last public viewing
Ōtautahi is opening the door on 50 architectural treasures, for two days only.
Airline claims 'no record' of Kiwi couple’s miscarriage in Tahiti airport trauma
A flight cancellation turned into a traumatic ordeal for the expectant couple.
Battle of the Baches: NZ's 10 best holiday homes revealed
There are 12,000 properties on Bookabach - here are this year's top 10.
Fun for all ages: New Zealand holiday activities for the whole crew
Choosing the right activity can quite literally make or break any family holiday.
Are Great Walks still good value? Hut prices rise by almost 20%
On the Milford Track 30 years ago Kiwis paid a $3 maintenance fee - now it's $100 a night.
NZ one of only seven countries to meet WHO air quality standards
New Zealand has some of the world's cleanest air... but not everywhere is 100pc pure.
Air NZ apologises after plus-sized flier kicked off plane
The woman was told it was unsafe to fly without booking an additional seat.
Galapagos to double tourist taxes as visitor pressures grow
Waste and visitor pressure is building up in the fragile marine ecosystem.
'€400 taken in broad daylight': Kiwi falls victim to Paris clipboard scam
In the run up to the Olympic Games Paris' pickpockets are more brazen than ever.