Escapism
Chile's Chiloé archipelago, with green hills, its own distinct culture and simple way of life, is set to attract more tourists, with a luxurious new 12-room lodge, the Refugia (refugia.cl, rooms from $530!), on Castro island. But backpackers may prefer one of several hostels, such as Hostal Entretenido, also on Castro (entretenido.hostel.com, £12).
Travel tech
Thomson has launched a free iPad and iPhone app to do the job of a resort rep. It says it's the first major tour firm to use the technology, which lets its holidaymakers scroll through activities available in their holiday destination, find useful information and access virtual discount vouchers to be used at local bars and restaurants. Download the MyThomson app at Apple's App Store.
Travel terms
Smoasting
"Social media boasting" is changing the way young people see the world, say independent travel experts. They want to get more pictures taken of more sights to show off to their online friends, so they are likely to whizz around as many highlights as possible, and choose where they go and what they do with that all-important digital image in mind.
Where's hot now?
The sun's still shining in ...
• Bodrum, Turkey 33C
• Madrid, Spain 31C
• Athens, Greece 29C
• Lisbon, Portugal 28C
• Marseille, France 26C
Mud larks: new wetland from Crossrail spoil
Cooler days and shorter evenings mean autumn is on its way, but also on their way are vast numbers of migrating birds fleeing the northern winter. And one of the best places to spot them is the Essex marshes, where work has begun on the biggest manmade wetland in Europe. On the Essex coast, north-east of Southend-on-Sea, the Wallasea Wild Coast project, headed by the RSPB, is billed as Europe's largest civil engineering project, combined with Europe's largest marine habitat conservation project. Over five years, 6m tonnes of soil from the Crossrail tunnel excavations in London will be shipped to Wallasea Island, an uninhabited stretch of marshland.
The soil will raise the low-lying island, creating a natural defence against rising sea levels and a 1,500-acre wetland of mudflats, saltmarsh, shallow lagoons and pasture.
Conservationists say Wallasea Island's soil is so rich in bird-friendly nutrients, that a cubic metre of mud contains as much energy as a Mars bar.
"It's going to be superb for wildlife," says project manager Chris Tyas. "Here, and on the adjacent Allfleet's Marsh, we expect to see around 50,000 over-wintering birds."
The project will not be finished until 2019, but visitors are welcome to view progress as each section comes to life. Eventually there will be 15km of new paths, with hides, screens and mounds offering the chance to observe birds including lapwings, grey plovers, curlews, redshanks, teal and wigeon.
Get there by tidal causeway or ferry from Burnham-on-Crouch. Facilities are basic, but there are walks on pushchair-friendly paths.
• rspb.org.uk/wallasea
Jennifer Cox
What's new?
Hotel
The "lively, convivial atmosphere" of a late Georgian coffeehouse is to be recreated on Thursday at a foodie event at Simpson's Tavern chophouse in Cornhill, London, pictured, which was built in 1757. Diners in candlelit wooden booths will have a three-course meal and entertainment by actors and historians.
• missbtakesawalk.eventbrite.com, £67pp
Festival
Tickets have gone on sale for the inaugural New Yorker Festival, taking place in New York on 5-7 October. The iconic magazine's line-up includes Martin Amis and Zadie Smith discussing Money and Margaret Atwood and George Saunders on Utopia/Dystopia. There is a "Conversation with Music" session with Norah Jones, plus talks by Patti Smith, Christian Louboutin, Salman Rushdie, Ben Stiller, Sarah Silverman and Lisa Kudrow.
• newyorker.com/festival/tickets
Food and music
Limewood, the hip country house hotel in the New Forest, is hosting a series of free gigs for diners and guests, including one on Sunday 23 September by Police Dog Hogan, whose line-up includes Guardian Saturday magazine columnist Tim Dowling. The dinner menu includes fish and meat from the hotel's own smokehouse.
• 023-8028 7177, limewoodhotel.co.uk
