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From mangrove swamps to mountains, jungles, beaches, rainforests, and wildlife, Belize is known for its biodiversity. Ancient Mayan ruins, remote islands, waterfalls, and the world’s second largest barrier reef attract visitors to the country’s natural beauty. English is the official language of Belize, and visitors will also hear the local Kriol language spoken. Once called British Honduras, the country’s name was changed in 1973, and it became fully independent in 1981....

One-way plane tickets are growing in popularity, according to a study from the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC). Over the past three years, there has been a dramatic increase in customers purchasing one-way tickets while those buying round-trip tickets have seen a correlated decline. In 2014, only about 29 percent of air travel bought from travel agencies was one-way. Today that number is about 42 percent. (Round-trip ticketing decreased from 71 percent to 58 percent....

Israel is offering thousands of free tours throughout the country, extending rich experiences for visitors without breaking the bank. More than 1,800 free tours will be offered every day of the week in both cities and throughout Israel’s national parks, according to the ministry. Tours can be booked on the country’s Nature and Parks Authority website. “With the country recently reopening to international travelers, we’re happy to welcome visitors back to Israel and provide them with the best experience possible,” Eyal Carlin, the tourism commissioner for North America, said in a statement provided to T+L....

In his latest series, photographer Gray Malin took some of the city’s cutest models and photographed them in some of its most famous locations. The result? An adorable, fun-loving collection of doggone glitz. “It’s all about making the everyday a joyful getaway,” Malin told Travel + Leisure. Gray Malin. Courtesy of Rockefeller Center From poodles outside Bergdorf Goodman to corgis in Central Park, the “Dogs of New York City” series is an homage to the city’s most famous landmarks and the four-legged friends that accompany its locals....

Some landscapes just beg to be explored on foot — and Arizona’s mountainous Sonoran Desert is one of those remarkable places. Here, the subtleties of spiny cacti and quick-footed wildlife — plus millennia-old geological wonders and panoramic desert views — are best spotted from your own two feet. The Phoenix-Scottsdale area offers plenty of hiking options, from family-friendly paved trails to strenuous treks for elite athletes and extreme-sport junkies. But no matter your experience level or how fit you may be, the Arizona desert’s dry climate and extreme temperatures can be deceptively brutal....

When travel restrictions brought on by the coronavirus eventually do lift, Marriott’s new cleanliness initiative will help guests feel comfortable as soon as they arrive for a much-needed trip. Helmed by a variety of experts, the hotel company’s newly announced “Global Cleanliness Council” will aim to uphold new cleaning protocols at each of their locations. In addition to Marriott’s senior leaders from roles like housekeeping and food safety, the council will include food safety scientists, infectious disease specialists and professors of food microbiology, according to a press release shared on Tuesday....

It’s that time of year again: the leaves are changing, the air is getting cooler… and it’s time to vote on 2021’s fattest bears. Starting Wednesday, people can vote on their favorite chunky floofs in a March Madness-style bracket for Fat Bear Week, putting the plump bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve up against each other in a head-to-head battle. Courtesy of Explore.com/Courtesy of Katmai National Park & Preserve...

Norwegian Cruise Line is taking travel on the high seas to the next level with its latest class of ships, featuring a pair of 8-story-high glass bridges over the water and stunning ocean-facing infinity pools. The focus on outdoor living is apparent throughout the Norwegian Prima, the first of the cruise line’s six new ships in the Prima Class and set to debut in the summer of 2022, Norwegian shared with Travel + Leisure on Wednesday....

Airbnb wants travelers to hold onto their sense of adventure through quarantine. As we all ride out the spread of the coronavirus, companies, destinations, and all our favorite cultural centers are doing their best to bring a bit of the world’s magic home to people. And that includes Airbnb, who is hoping to make your next Zoom call a little more delightful with its custom backgrounds made from some of its best destinations....

Let’s face it, we could all use a little R&R right now. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has not only made travel nearly impossible, it’s also causing extra stress. If your wanderlust and your well being have been suffering in 2020, there is one way to take a minute to relax and transport yourself to another place. Unify Cosmos, a personal development and spiritual growth website, has gathered sound clips from 50 relaxing locations across the globe so you can experience the soothing sounds of the beach in Bora Bora, the hustle and bustle of New York City, or a calming waterfall in Ireland....

How many travel experts does it take to find a restaurant in L.A.? At least two. You might not expect travel experts like Samantha Brown and Rick Steves to get lost, but when they do, they make the most of it. Brown, who is the host of the PBS Show Places to Love, met up with fellow travel host and author Rick Steves in downtown Los Angeles. Apparently, while on their trip, the pair got a little lost on the way to a restaurant....

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman thinks the future can be now. All it will cost is a cool $500 billion. In early January, the crown prince unveiled his work on a new planned community in Saudi Arabia called “The Line.” As the name suggests, the community will be built along a 106-mile straight line, which could one day be home to one million people. The one thing it won’t be home to is any cars, marking a significant shift in culture in one of the world’s largest oil-producing countries in an effort to better diversify its national income....

Badlands are one of the trademarks of the west. You can find them in Montana and parts of Utah, as well as northern-central states like South Dakota, which famously has an entire National Park dedicated to them. Heavily eroded and mostly devoid of vegetation, these dry, pockmarked landscapes tend to be difficult to traverse, and certainly don’t lend themselves to easy foraging. Native Americans shrewdly kept their distance, referring to them as makosika (literally ‘bad lands’)....

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s clear we all still need a little bit of hope and something to look forward to. And, according to the new American Express Travel: Global Travel Trends Report, that hope is travel. In March, American Express released its report, providing a glimpse into consumer sentiment toward travel. The biggest takeaway is that people not only want to travel again but are already hard at work planning their dream post-pandemic getaways....

The world of aviation can be complex, so there are plenty of myths flying around surrounding how air travel actually works. Honeywell, which produces environmental control systems and cabin pressure technology for planes, decided to find out what some of the biggest myths about flying are. The company recently polled 2,346 adults across the U.S. as part of its Air Travel Myths and Misconceptions survey. The results revealed that nearly half of travelers (44 percent) believed recycled germs through a plane’s cabin air system could make you sick when flying....

The Empire State Building is turning 90 years old on Saturday and the celebrations are going to be big. “Over the past 90 years, the Empire State Building has been the undisputed landmark of the New York City skyline, with its iconic tower lights that shine as a symbol of hope, strength and perseverance,” Anthony E. Malkin, chairman, president, and CEO of Empire State Realty Trust, said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure....

Golfers speak of the Masters with the type of reverence usually reserved for occasions like a wedding or their child’s birth. I enjoy golf, so I have watched the annual tournament on T.V., but it took a day at last year’s Masters for me to fully appreciate the unique atmosphere and tradition of Augusta National and the Masters. We were fortunate to secure transportation and badges (They’re not called tickets at the Masters), and when we entered the hallowed grounds along Magnolia Lane with the other lucky patrons (They’re not called spectators at the Masters), I truly felt the spirit, the history, and the profound respect everyone has for this special tournament....

If there’s ever been a good time for a stiff drink it’s now. Luckily for everyone, the list of the world’s 50 Best Bars in the world just dropped and it appears there’s a place for everyone. Since 2009, William Reed Business Media has published its annual list of the world’s 50 best bars, which “celebrates the best of the international drinks industry.” The bars are voted on by more than 500 drinks experts from across the globe and “represents the ultimate international guide to the world’s top bars and drinking destinations....

Summer vacation is firmly upon us, which means it’s officially road trip season. Want to hit the open road this year but not sure where to go? Just look to Instagram for the answer. Pentagon Motor Group analyzed more than 7 million Instagram hashtags to find the world’s most stunning routes. The research found Australia’s Great Ocean Road is the most beautiful road trip in the world, followed closely by California’s Big Sur and Jebel Hafeet in the United Arab Emirates....

Choosing the right travel bag is so important. You want it to be lightweight and comfortable because you’ll be carrying it around all day, but it still needs to be big enough to store your daily essentials. And it should also be stylish and versatile, so you can easily pair it with everything else you have packed in your suitcase. This sleek backpack from Pincnil (amazon.com, $26) fits all that criteria and then some....