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Planning for retirement is a decades-long process, and when you finally reach that milestone, it should be properly celebrated, and many choose to kick off their work-free years with a long trip abroad. You’ll want to select a trip that opens your eyes to new sights and lets you explore multiple destinations, but also encourages complete relaxation and a little indulgence — after all, you deserve it. A cruise checks all of these boxes: you can cover a lot of ground without complicated logistics, all while enjoying the luxury amenities you’ve worked hard for....

Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. With its modular, 3D-printed mini-lodges and sound baths in the bush — not to mention funding from cofounders of Uber and Tinder — Habitas Namibia (doubles from $979) is an eco-minded retreat working to turn 123,500 acres of the Kalahari Desert into a world-class wildlife reserve. It’s a far cry from Out of Africa — which is exactly the point....

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has perhaps the most heart-warming aquatic program in the country. Adult sea otters are adopting orphaned baby sea otters and helping them grow up before they are released back into the wild. The Californian aquarium has been rescuing sea otters since 1984. But in 2002, they developed a different technique to help rehabilitate pups before releasing them back into the wild. Instead of having humans handle the rescued otter pups, they gave them to a “surrogate mom” who would teach them vital survival skills....

Airbnb wants to provide free housing for 100,000 first responders and healthcare workers around the world amid the coronavirus pandemic. The initiative comes after a similar program was launched in Italy and then in France. “Medical workers and first responders are providing lifesaving support during the coronavirus outbreak and we want to help,” Airbnb’s Co-founder Joe Gebbia said in a statement. “We’ve heard from countless hosts around the world who want to provide a comforting home to heroic first responders....

If you’ve already got work trips or well-deserved vacations lined up and are mostly concerned about air cleanliness while en route, there are plenty of portable, personal space, and small space air purifiers that can come with you. Some units use ionization to cleanse the air, but the recommended models use a filtration system that removes dust particles and releases cleaner air back into the environment. Here, we’re looking at HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) purifiers, which force air through fine mesh filters to physically remove dust without emitting new, potentially harmful materials into the air....

This year’s World’s Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three-year period. We hope that this year’s honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world. In the second half of 2020, when most Caribbean countries reopened, travelers made a beeline to the region in search of space and seclusion, as well as sun, sea, and sand....

For travelers looking to warm themselves in thermal waters heated by active volcanoes, there’s no better destination than Costa Rica. One of the country’s top spots for tourism, the area around the Arenal Volcano offers more than a dozen bathing facilities, many of which feature amenities like swim-up bars, water slides, and tropical cocktails. While a few of the hot springs are only open for day visits, others are incorporated into hotels that allow guests round-the-clock access....

If you have trouble sleeping at night, chances are you’ve run the gamut of sleep accessories, from white noise machines to eye masks to earplugs. You may have even tried Bose’s original Sleepbuds, a pair of noise-masking earbuds designed for sleep. While they were loved by customers (and Travel + Leisure staffers), they have since been discontinued. But luckily, the brand is back with a redesigned version that sleep-deprived shoppers are already raving about....

Perhaps Grammy Award-winning jazz musician Esperanza Spalding said it best in her song “City of Roses,” where she extols the striking beauty of her hometown Portland: “Our rain is the paint that makes the land lush and the folks unique City parks, wild berries, and old bridges A rolling river bringing goods from the sea A mountain hooded in snow silently watching over me” While its green reputation is a given, Portland’s ability to weather storms (natural, social, and political) has helped solidify its enduring appeal....

Denmark is developing a digital vaccine passport that would allow vaccinated people to travel, according to reports, becoming the latest European country to do so. Initially, the Scandinavian country plans to allow Danish citizens to see their vaccination status on a health website before the end of February, The Associated Press reported. “It is absolutely crucial for us to be able to restart Danish society so that companies can get back on track....

Picture this: You’re entering Disneyland and walking down Main Street, U.S.A when you hear the harmonious singing of the beloved Dapper Dans. The Dapper Dans, a barbershop quartet that performs at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, have brought joy to countless park visitors with their songs. And now that the Disney parks are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re bringing the Disney magic straight to your living room. More Disney news...

The pandemic has forced most us to find other ways to satisfy our wanderlust, but fortunately, our minds can travel even as our feet stay put. It’s no secret that books open up new worlds, but what if you could search for a page-turning read set specifically in whatever far-flung place you’re dreaming about? Head to TripFiction.com to do exactly that. The website matches books and locations: Search any destination in the TripFiction database and find a list of novels set there....

Leopard print sofas. Candy-cane-striped headboards. Ebonized antique furniture. There are few decorators who could bring together such disparate accents in a way that feels cohesive, much less chic. But for Luke Edward Hall—who dreamed up these eccentric, maximalist interiors for the just-opened Hôtel Les Deux Gares (doubles from $147), in Paris’s Little India neighborhood—it’s all about having an inspiring backstory. From left: Luke Edward Hall at Hôtel Les Deux Gares; the property’s elegant façade....

A lost or forgotten hotel room key is a thing of the past thanks to Hyatt’s new partnership with Apple Wallet, allowing for rooms and common areas to be more accessible than ever. Although other hotels like Hilton and Disney offer digital room keys, Hyatt is the first to do so through Apple Wallet. Guests at select Hyatt hotels will only need to hold their iPhone or Apple Watch to a door’s NFC-enabled lock in order to enter, as opposed to swiping through apps to access a key....

How many different shades of blue are there in nature? It’s a question you might contemplate as you gaze out at the seas surrounding the best islands in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific — where it’s all about leaving your cell phone behind and dialing in to the beauty in front of you. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, Travel + Leisure asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more....

A teal velvet armchair draped with an orange cashmere blanket. Assouline art books on a Chinoiserie tea table. A Classical nude standing on a geometric colorblock carpet. Some might call it overwhelming — but at J.K. Place Paris, a just-opened hotel that infuses Left Bank eccentricity with Italian bella figura, it’s entirely intentional. Courtesy of J.K. Place Paris In the lobby, a black marble clawfoot fireplace is framed with spear-shaped red-leather wall sconces, created by Jacques Adnet — who designed furniture for Hermès — and salvaged from the flea market in Saint-Ouen....

JetBlue is offering travelers some scary good deals on flights just in time for Halloween, with 31 routes starting at just $31 one way, the airline shared with Travel + Leisure. The JetBlue “Monster Sale,” which is valid through Oct. 29 for travel between Nov. 1 and Dec. 16, includes eerily good $31 routes like Los Angeles to Las Vegas, New York to Miami, and Boston to Washington, D.C. Travelers can even island hop between San Juan in Puerto Rico and St....

After years of fighting back, Kazakhstan is finally embracing that it is…very nice! Timed with the release of “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” the country of Kazakhstan released a series of new promotional tourism videos, leaning into the famous catchphrase from a character they once hated. In 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen’s fictional character, Borat Sagdiev, brought Kazakhstan to international attention — albeit not in the most flattering light, which is why the film prompted an icy reception from the country at first....

When California surfer Dana McGregor got an old goat named Goatee to help clear poison oak in his backyard, he didn’t quite realize how it would change his life. Soon, he and Goatee became inseparable, so much so that the animal tagged along when McGregor went surfing at the beach. One day, Goatee had enough of sitting on the sidelines, so McGregor and his friend, Ryan Valliere, decided to put the goat on a board....

In honor of Disneyland Paris’s 30th anniversary this year, British designer Stella McCartney has taken Minnie Mouse’s signature look and given it a completely new twist. Beginning March 6, the Disney icon and longtime sweetheart of Mickey Mouse is swapping her iconic red and white polka dot dress for a stylish navy pantsuit at the French theme park — but her signature style of polka dots and bows will still be intact....