Travel

Travel

I can still remember my first flight, in 2002. It was magical. I was working as a tour guide in Myanmar. I met a British balloon pilot called Phil, who had a spare place on a flight. He offered to take me, too.

The longest flight in the world-the 19-hour non-stop from New York's JFK to Singapore's Changi airport-is no easy feat. It was me, myself, and I against 9,537 miles in the air, on my way to the glitzy Lion City for a reporting trip. The flight, operated by Singapore Airlines, is one I'll never forget, and I'd do it again just to eat kaya toast once more.

As a collection of over 7,000 islands spanning 13 sovereign island nations and more than a dozen dependent territories, there's always a new cove or cay to uncover. Recent years have seen the Caribbean's popularity boom among British holidaymakers, too, with areas including the British Virgin Islands and Jamaica reporting record visitor numbers in 2025.

Located just 24 miles southwest of Austin, Driftwood is a road trip-worthy spot beyond the barbecue. Here, you can sip award-winning wines in the heart of the Texas Hill Country AVA, tour a sotol distillery, and rest up in some of the cutest accommodations around.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park was the most popular park in the country last year, drawing more than 11.5 million visitors, according to data from the National Park Service. In fact, the park, which straddles North Carolina and Tennessee, accounted for 12.3 percent of all national park visits.

Get up early to drive into the hills and park in the main lot, which opens 30 minutes before sunrise. This will leave you with enough time to make your way to the peak through the wildflower-scattered trails and watch the sunrise over the Bay.

The state park is more remote and rugged. We offer a more dispersed and self-guided experience. It's also a more relaxed choice for paddling trips, it's popular among birdwatchers, and it's also one of the best places in Texas to stargaze-after all, West Texas has the darkest skies in the state.

Svalbard was ranked as the least crowded island in Europe, according to retreat booking platform BookRetreats.com, which looked at tourism patterns across Europe's islands. The study, which drew on European Commission data measuring overnight tourist stays per square kilometer, found Svalbard boasted just 2.4 overnight stays.

While Sardinia has many spectacular beaches, Cala Mariolu stands out for its striking beauty everywhere you turn and the sense of privacy and adventure it offers. The beach's calm waters are perfect for snorkeling and swimming, complemented by rugged cliffs and lush greenery. The aquamarine ocean creates a lovely contrast to the white pebble beach and limestone rocks, creating a scene right out of a Mediterranean postcard.

An increasing number of international tourists come to Finland searching for the secret to happiness, yet Lakeland is still an undiscovered gem for many. It's the region Finns themselves return to when they want to relax truly, and the perfect destination for anyone looking to step away from the noise of everyday life.

The quaintness has always been present, but the increased interest in Mystic, the evolution of its restaurant scene, the rise of social media, and the changes in how people travel have all contributed to its remarkable growth. The Delamar adds a luxury hotel and fine dining that enhance Mystic's charm while welcoming visitors to stay longer and experience the town more deeply.

Due to high winds and rain, delays are expected. Passengers are advised to check with their airline on the status of their flight before coming to the airport. The National Weather Service posted a high wind warning for eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island and noted that wind gusts could potentially reach 70 miles per hour.

The benefits of visiting a beach for relaxation are many, from the salty air and the natural scenery, to the warmth and sunshine, visitors can switch off and gain more mental clarity as well as physical benefits too. The study demonstrates just how valuable relaxation and daily wellness is, with it being a primary reason that many people make the trip to one of the beaches ranked.

For 2025, there was good news and bad news: overall, these areas were visited 323 million times over the course of the year. That's the good news; the bad news is that this figure was down ever so slightly - specifically, 2.7% - from a record-setting 2024.

Named after the legendary Big Sur female pioneer and rancher, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park stands out even among the rest of the region's attractions. The park features stands of centuries-old redwood trees and provides a haven for a variety of California wildlife, though it's best known for the 80-foot-high McWay Falls, an impressive cascade that drops directly from a sheer cliff to the sandy beach below.

The city of Orlando happens to have the most green space per resident than any other major city, according to a new analysis from travel platform BookRetreats. The city, known as The City Beautiful, offers roughly 2,777 square feet of greenery per person. That translates to more than 148 parks, gardens, and recreation areas, according to the study, with plenty of lakes, trails, and botanical gardens to explore.

Tens of millions of tourists visit Las Vegas each year, spending billions of dollars in the city's casinos, entertainment venues, and attractions. Yet my move brought me to Reno, a seven-hour drive from the desert of Las Vegas. Although Reno still has its fair share of casinos, the city feels like a world apart.

On Costco.com, you can pay $40 for a travel service consultation through a company called SafeGard. The process was fairly simple. I paid my fee, and later that day, I received an email with my log-in information for the website. I filled out an online form, detailing my travel plans and vaccine history, and in less than 24 hours, I was sent a personalized PDF suggesting a host of immunizations and medications.

I had my camera stolen while going through security. It was a painful loss, mainly because of the memories captured on it. When she brought it up to the security officers, they told her there was no video coverage of that area.

Each year, the United Nations puts together a list of the happiest countries in the world, comparing a wide variety of criteria, from average incomes and healthcare standards to levels of generosity and absence of corruption. For the eighth year in a row, Finland has topped the list, winning on behalf of its people's notable friendliness, freedom of choice, and high life expectancy.

Wizz Air has reopened sales for its WIZZ Multipass offer, which enables customers to secure a fixed monthly flight price regardless of seasonality or last-minute demand. The subscription is available for all international routes to and from the UK, and is on sale now.

The new routes represent a major milestone for the carrier, continuing to bridge the gap between North American pet parents and European cultural hubs. Whether jet-setting pups prefer Berlin's outdoor cafe culture or exploring Stockholm's waterfront trails, these new European routes are perfect for solo travelers to explore the world with their dog by their side.

I was playing against the world No. 1 men's player, Carlos Alcaraz, at a tennis clinic designed for amateurs like me to get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play against a champion. Three "once mores" later, I couldn't take advantage anymore and offered to call the game.

Jet fuel alone accounts for somewhere between 25 and 35 percent of airlines' costs. The next stop is higher ticket prices. It's already happening, to some degree. Several airlines, including Air Asia and Hong Kong Airlines, have explicitly said they're adding to their usual fuel surcharges.

Our guests continue to tell us they value greater flexibility in how they spend their time on board, and Express Dining was designed with that in mind. The cruise giant says that the new dining experience is designed to offer a freshly prepared multi-course dinner experience in under an hour for groups of six guests or fewer.