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You don’t have to buy an island to escape to your very own remote paradise. In China, you can now rent one, starting at a relatively affordable $535 a year for about 2.5 acres. China’s northeastern Liaoning province includes more than 500 uninhabited islands that its government has decided to put up for rent, according to local news reports curated by CNN. Only a fraction of Liaoning province’s islands — 44 to be exact — are inhabited....

Imani Bashir knows exactly how much you should pack for your next trip — and she made a bag perfect for carrying it all. The travel journalist and globe trotter (and frequent Travel + Leisure contributor) has made her way around the globe and back again for both business and pleasure. But it wasn’t until she became a mother — while still on the road — that she realized her luggage simply couldn’t keep up....

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. The antipodes and the South Pacific don’t require a hard sell....

Under near-perfect conditions, NASA’s Perseverance Rover lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 7:50 a.m. ET on Thursday to start its mission to Mars. With clear skies and no wind, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket launched 10 milliseconds ahead of schedule at Space Launch Complex 41. The rocket cleared its launch tower within five seconds, thanks to accommodating weather and a well-choreographed countdown....

Disney is streamlining the guest experience with its newest innovation: the Disney MagicMobile service. Visitors to Walt Disney World Resort have been using MagicBands — wristband devices that allow guests to enter their Disney hotel room, theme parks, and even make purchases with just a tap — for years. Olga Thompson/Walt Disney World Resort via Getty Guests will still be able to use MagicBands to simplify their vacation (Disney is planning to unveil even more MagicBand colors and designs in the future), but this new service will make the theme park experience even more seamless for smart device users....

Right now, we could all use a little more human connection. However, our senior citizens are at the absolute top of that need list. And that’s where Papa comes in. “Papa pairs older adults and families with motivated college students for companionship and assistance with everyday tasks,” the company explain on the website. “We offer programs to health plans, providers, employers, and consumers.” In other words, Papa is essentially a few helpful grandchildren on demand for older adults who need light assistance with grocery shopping, changing a lightbulb, laundry, meal prep, and most importantly, a friend....

The president of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics said the games will “100%” happen this summer, despite numerous setbacks over the past weeks. “I believe that the possibility of these Games going on is 100% that we will do this,” Seiko Hashimoto told The BBC. “The question right now is how are we going to have an even more safe and secure Games.” COVID-19 cases have been surging across Japan, with some prefectures facing lockdown until June 20, and thousands of volunteers quit only 50 days ahead of the Opening Ceremony....

Neal Kolterman first caught a glimpse of Clapboard Island, a private estate 20 minutes off the coast of Portland, Maine, in the 1980s. “The property just seemed to have this mystique, grandness, and privacy about it,” Kolterman, who quietly admired the land from afar for 40 years, told Travel + Leisure. “I grew up learning to sail on the waters around the island and looking up at the large property always left me thinking, ‘I wonder what that’s like....

This year’s World’s Best Awards survey closed on March 2, just before widespread stay-at-home orders were implemented as a result of COVID-19. The results reflect our readers’ experiences before the pandemic, but we hope that this year’s honorees will inspire your trips to come — whenever they may be. Visitors head to the great castle hotels of Ireland and Great Britain looking to unwind in the quiet of pastoral surroundings. But these sprawling properties, many of which are former private residences, offer something more than the opportunity to decompress....

There was the Russian tourist in 2014, two Americans in 2015, then a French and an Ecuadorian in 2017, and now it’s a visitor from Ireland. These tourists have all been caught defacing the almost 2,000-year-old largest amphitheater in the world, Rome’s Colosseum. In the latest incident last Monday, the private security team at the Italian landmark spotted a 32-year-old man from Ireland carving two initials approximately two inches high into a first-floor pillar using a metal point....

Few collectors are as passionate as those who collect fine whisky. They will spend years chasing elusive bottles and rare releases, and frequently make pilgrimages to the birthplace of their favorite spirit. The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel in Edinburgh, is a beloved home base for those visiting nearby distilleries. Not only is it one of the country’s most storied hotels, but the property is a Scotch lover’s dream. The hotel bar, aptly named Scotch, serves more than 500 whiskies....

One of the best parts about staying at a hotel is the ultra-comfy beds, pillows included. If you’re looking to give your own bedroom a hotel-quality update, we’ve found a supportive, breathable pillow that’s a great place to start. Marlow is a new pillow brand from the creators of the customer-loved bedding and bath brand Brooklinen, so it’s no surprise that it’s already a hit among shoppers and travel editors....

HBO’s Game of Thrones is lauded for its lush world-building, and the visually stunning way production designers (and, you know, wig experts) have brought George R.R. Martin’s rich, complicated world to life. Game of Thrones is, after all, a study in mind-blowing landscapes: frigid wastelands and forests beyond the Wall, the amply-treed Kingsroad, turquoise waters across the Narrow Sea, and the sunny, medieval King’s Landing, to name a few. While many of GOT’s recurring sets (like the Iron Throne) are filmed at Paint Hall studios in Belfast, the show shoots largely on-location, primarily in Northern Ireland and Iceland for scenes in the North, and Croatia and Spain for the South....

There’s always something special going on in the night sky, from eclipses to meteor showers (and everything in between), and 2020 will have plenty of celestial highlights. As 2020 begins, a bright Venus will rise even higher in the night sky, and as it does, it will form a beautiful close pair with the crescent moon, star clusters, and planets. Add a couple of dramatic solar eclipses and plenty of supermoons and shooting stars, and 2020 certainly won’t disappoint stargazers and skywatchers....

Nothing says Maine like lobster. And now, your next trip to “Vacationland,” as the state is known, can include a stay in a very special lobster-themed suite. Located in the ultra-charming town of Kennebunkport, the Boathouse Waterfront Hotel is a 25-room hotel spread over two buildings right on the Kennebunk River. Recently, the hotel teamed up with the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC), an organization dedicated to promoting sustainability and traceability in the state’s lobster industry, to create The Maine Lobster Suite, “the ‘sweetest suite’ inspired by the sweetest lobster on earth....

There’s nothing like the desert sun rising over a beautiful and isolated landscape –– which is why this Airbnb stay in Arizona is inspiring a lot of travelers’ wanderlust. Located on the Western Navajo Nation, about an hour north of Flagstaff, Arizona, this “earth house,” also known as a hogan, looks like a truly otherworldly stay that is the most wish-listed rental in the state. A hogan is a traditional, partially underground home for the Navajo people....

In an effort to assure customers going forward, United Airlines announced its new partnership with Clorox in its pledge to guarantee a safe and sanitized environment for passengers. As part of the program — called United CleanPlus — Clorox products will be used in the gate and terminal areas at the airline’s hub airports, starting with Chicago and Denver. United will also start handing out sanitizer wipes as passengers board, as well as focus on disinfecting high-touch surfaces such as armrests, door handles, bathrooms, seat-back screens, and seat belts....

Editor’s Note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure. When you imagine the perfect French vacation, the scene is probably filled with fairy-tale castles, charming streets lined with picturesque boulangeries and brasseries, and lots of delicious food and wine. Whether you plan to spend your days sunning in Saint-Tropez, skiing in Chamonix, or touring the City of Lights, any trip to France should include the country’s famed culinary delights and plenty of local wine....

Snow covered mountains, lush green valleys full of wildflowers, and cozy wood cabins aptly stamp Kashmir as the “The Switzerland of India.” Jammu and Kashmir — India’s northernmost state — is a popular destination among Indian travelers and slowly being discovered by the rest of the world because of its rich culture and captivating scenery changing with every season. Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir is only an hour flight from New Delhi....

Planning a vacation is never an easy task, especially when it’s time to talk about budget. But luxury vacations don’t actually need to break the bank. We think it’s time for you to take the trip of a lifetime without spending your life savings, so we’ve found 13 vacation ideas that will leave you in awe of the trip and the price. Stay in a French Castle for $88 Courtesy of Airbnb...