Life as a Holiday Thrill-Seeker: Hiking, Biking, Surfing
Published on 19 December 2025 by Sam Haddad, this Guardian piece appears as paid content for the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. The article frames holidays as opportunities to expend energy through adrenaline-fueled activities, suggesting that adventure travel makes holidays more memorable and relaxation sweeter.
Surfing is highlighted as a key activity, specifically at Bondi Beach in Sydney and Seminyak in Bali. The piece notes the nearby Courtyard Bali Seminyak Resort and ties in benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Amex card. Other adventure activities promoted include kitesurfing, wakeboarding, and mountain biking trips such as a volcano descent in Bali’s interior.
Haddad shares personal travel memories including mountain biking in Western Cape, South Africa; biking on Bali’s Mount Batur lava fields; canyon hiking in Chiapas, Mexico; and hiking in the Polish Tatra Mountains. Copenhagen is also presented as a bike-friendly city suited for leisurely cycling, with recommended stays at the Residence Inn Copenhagen Nordhavn and Nobis Hotel Copenhagen. The article highlights the ability to earn Marriott Bonvoy points with these stays.
Regarding the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card, the piece details earn rates of 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per £1 spent at Marriott hotels and 2 points per £1 on other purchases. The Marriott network includes 9,500 properties, 144 countries and territories, and 150 airlines. Silver Elite status starts automatically with the card, with Gold Elite status available after £15,000 in annual net purchases.
