Posts

At low tide, 333 islands comprise the nation of Fiji. After almost two years, this welcoming South Pacific archipelago is now open for fully vaccinated travelers from select international destinations, known as Fiji’s Travel Partner Countries — including the U.S. Citizens of these partner nations do not have to quarantine upon arrival to Fiji. For visitors from non-partner countries, a 14-day quarantine is mandatory. According to the Fiji Times, roughly 95-98% of travelers to Fiji since its Dec....

As countries across the globe continue to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, India announced it will repurpose its famous railway carriages as makeshift isolation wards. In a statement over the weekend, Indian Railways announced it had already converted one train carriage into a prototype quarantine facility, according to Reuters. If the prototype is approved, each of India’s 16 railway zones will convert 10 of its coaches into isolation wards every week to help alleviate pressure at hospitals around the country....

Japan is home to some of the fastest trains in the world, and now, the country is working on a bullet train that will leave all the rest behind. According to Matador Network, Japan Railways Group (JR Group), a conglomerate of companies that overtook rail operations from the government of Japan, has been developing an ultra-fast bullet train that will take passengers from Tokyo to Osaka in 67 minutes. For context, that commute will virtually be cut in half, since the current average travel time between these two cities is about two and a half hours, according to Matador Network....

There are some people who insist upon complete and total silence when enjoying the outdoors. While I can appreciate the singing of birds and rustling of leaves, I’m not one of those people. Rather, I’m a firm believer that napping in a hammock can only be improved by a little James Taylor in the background, and there’s nothing like streaming a spooky podcast over the roar of the campfire. So, when I was offered the opportunity to take LG’s Xboom Go Portable Bluetooth Speaker along on my camping trips, I couldn’t wait to put it to the test....

When searching for flights on sites like Kayak or Expedia and sorting by lowest price, you’ll likely spot some options from Spirit Airlines. But is flying with the budget carrier worth it? Spirit is headquartered out of Miramar, Florida, and they’re committed to offering you the lowest possible price, which they offer by starting you out with their patented Ultra Low Fare. It’s a bare-bones ticket, and all add-ons including seat assignments, bags, and extra legroom will cost you....

If you live in a town that’s dotted with picturesque outdoor ice skating rinks each winter, odds are you’re missing them dearly this year. Maybe you or your kids are avid ice hockey players or figure skaters, or maybe you just like leisurely gliding across the white top with friends a few times a year. Whatever your preference, this winter has likely left something to be desired when it comes to hitting the ice....

As face masks have become a flight essential while traveling amid the COVID-19 pandemic, airlines have implemented specific rules as to which face coverings are deemed acceptable for flying. While most cloth masks are generally allowed in public places throughout the United States, several domestic airlines including Delta, United, Southwest, and American, do not allow face coverings like bandanas and scarves. Below is a list of masks that are banned from specific U....

In early December, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti once again asked Angelenos to back down on their outings with a new “safer at home” order. This meant no more dining out, no more gatherings, and no more taking a staycation at our favorite hotels around the city. But just because we can’t go to the hotels doesn’t mean the hotels can’t come to us. The Maybourne Beverly Hills, the newest hotel from Maybourne Hotel Group, (the owners of London’s prestigious Claridge’s hotel, world’s best bar the Connaught, and The Berkeley hotel), may have just opened its doors and quickly had to close its dining establishments again, but it’s already making a major splash with at least this hotel mini-bar lover with its new Maybourne’s Mobile Mixologist....

These days, travel essentials aren’t just the typical items, i.e., your passport and other forms of ID, credit cards, and boarding passes. Now, you also want to make sure you have a safe place to store your CDC-issued vaccination card. Luckily, there are several wallets on the market with protective pockets that can accommodate the 4-by-3-inch card, like this travel wallet. It can fit a passport, vaccination card, and more; plus, it has RFID-blocking technology for extra security....

U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel through at least July 21, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Sunday. “To reduce the spread of #COVID19, the United States is extending restrictions on non-essential travel at our land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico through July 21, while ensuring access for essential trade & travel,” DHS announced on Twitter. However, the DHS said in a follow-up post that they’re “participating with other U....

Uber on Monday launched a “Vaccine Access Fund,” encouraging rideshare customers to donate in order to provide free rides to those who need one to get the jab. The initiative, set up with Walgreens and PayPal, and will be managed by the nonprofit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Uber shared with Travel + Leisure. The money will then be distributed among local community organizations while LISC will provide the technical support so people can book rides even if they don’t have smartphones or credit cards....

It’s only the beginning of March, but this year has already seen an unfortunate share of avalanches. Cascades recently struck two California ski destinations, USA Today reported, resulting in partial burials, minor injuries, and one harrowing – but fortunately successful – effort to save a snowboarder buried in the fall. But avalanches and snow burials do not always end so well. This past January, a 36-year-old husband and father died in an avalanche while snowmobiling in Idaho, and on Sunday, three feet of snow slid off the roof of a condo and killed a mother and her 7-year-old son....

According to conspiracy theorists, those white linear clouds that spray out of jet engines are chemicals (compliments of the government) used to make us sick. The reality is far less scandalous: contrails, as they’re called, are actually just trails of condensation that form when hot and humid airplane exhaust hits cooler upper atmospheric temps—the same reaction that’s happening when you catch sight of your breath on a chilly morning. Contrails are made up mostly of crystalized H2O (water vapor is a byproduct of combustion in jet engines) so you can rest a little easier if you had envisioned plumes of smoke and smog lingering up there at cruising altitude....

Uber is launching a new booking feature next week, the company shared with Travel + Leisure on Friday, giving users the chance to reserve a vehicle by the hour and making it easier to run multiple errands in a single ride. The new option, called ‘Hourly,’ will cost $50 per hour and will be available starting June 2 in a dozen U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, and Seattle. According to Uber, this follows a pilot launch of the program in several cities in Australia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East....

New York’s annual holiday wonderland, Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, has officially opened for the season. And although the village will have many of the traditions that bring New Yorkers back every year — like holiday shopping and ice skating — something brand new is hitting the city for the first time this year: curling. For the first time ever, visitors to Bryant Park’s Winter Village will be able to test their curling skills at the park’s brand new Curling Cafe — however, instead of ice, a similar synthetic material will be in its place....

The travel industry is making a comeback. For better (hello, reopened international borders) or worse (goodbye, open middle seats), some things in the travel world are returning. For travelers who avoid the skies or prefer more classic methods of transportation, the latest industry revival is sure to please. This week, Amtrak announced plans to resume service on 12 of its long-distance routes around the country. On Monday, May 24, the Empire Builder (Chicago to Seattle/Portland), Coast Starlight (Seattle to Los Angeles), California Zephyr (Chicago to San Francisco), and Texas Eagle (Chicago to Los Angeles) routes restored daily service, according to the company....

Demand for private jet charters has surged since 2020 — a reaction to limited flight options and travelers’ need for personal space, which commercial airports don’t exactly provide. With mass flight cancellations across the country and downsized route offerings from major U.S. airlines, commercial air travel is far from on demand these days, creating space for luxury travelers to cross over to the dark side of private aviation. For those toying with the idea of private jet travel, and attempting to sort through the myriad options, we called in an expert to narrow down the best private jet companies for your personal charter....

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. During a year when so many American travelers favored road trips, it’s easy to see the appeal of the mid-Atlantic region, which offers a breadth of experiences within easy driving distance for much of the Eastern Seaboard....

Fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. will once again be allowed to enter Canada next month, the Public Health Agency of Canada said on Monday, more than 16 months after the borders were closed to non-essential travel. Starting Aug. 9, these eligible travelers who currently live in the U.S. will be able to visit Canada without having to quarantine upon arrival by both land and air, the government announced. “The Government of Canada recognizes that people have been anxiously awaiting a re-opening of the border to the world,” Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair said in a statement....

Cruising may be on hold in much of the world, but large ships in Germany and Taiwan are setting sail again, hoping to resume luxury vacations even as COVID-19 continues to remain a threat around the world. A German ship, the TUI cruise ship “Mein Schiff 2” (which means “My Ship 2”) hit the water on Friday night, heading on a weekend cruise in the North Sea with no scheduled port stops, according to The Associated Press....