Travel Blog

There’s enjoying tropical rum cocktails when you’re in the Caribbean on vacation… then there’s becoming an actual “RumMaster.” Now you can spend a day with kindred ‘spirits’ immersing yourself in the history and the practice of rum on an island with a rich rum history and a growing unconventional rum scene. St. Kitts Tourism has launched its “Kittitian RumMaster” program a pair of courses led by two of the island’s prestigious rum experts. Travellers to the island who complete both courses...

 Kung Hei Fat Choy! Millions of people around the world join in as many Asian countries celebrate the arrival of the Lunar or Chinese New Year, with colorful traditions designed to help ensure health, prosperity and good luck in the coming year. This Year of the Rabbit is ‘lucky’ indeed, as Hong Kong has just recently reopened for travel! Our friends at the Hong Kong Tourism Board have shared the most fortuitous ways to celebrate the arrival of the Year...

Will it soon be named the Perfectly Ordinary Tower of Pisa? Will the Tuscan city whose claim to fame is an off-kilter tower fall into obscurity without tourists keen to snap photos of themselves pretending to prop up the Tower of Pisa? Those are the questions we’re asking ourselves with the news that the so-called Leaning Tower of Pisa is creeping upright.The cause for the notorious tilt in what may be the world’s most famous architectural fail was a mystery...

Viking Neptune, the river and ocean cruise line’s newest ocean ship, has been ceremonially named by her godmother, retired NASA astronaut, aquanaut and artist, Nicole Stott. The ship’s naming ceremony was a highlight for its World Cruise guests.  Viking Neptune arrived in Los Angeles on the morning of January 8 and departed for Honolulu following its naming ceremony, continuing its voyage from Fort Lauderdale to London spanning 138-days, 28 countries and 57 ports, with overnight stays in 11 cities. The naming...

Waldorf Astoria hotels’ name and hospitality still reflect its founding family, the legendary Astors, who for more than a century were the pinnacle of American high society. The Astor legacy of good living is expanding worldwide and especially in Latin America, where three new Waldorf Astoria hotels and resorts are setting new standards in travel style.  CANCUN, MEXICO  The Waldorf Astoria Cancun opened in November 2022. The 173-room ultra-luxury resort is set on 100 acres of idyllic Caribbean coastline with...

Europe is banning short hopper flights in a battle against emissions. The move is sparking a rail revival – and particularly a renaissance of night trains. This is something to celebrate, if you love rail journeys as much as we do. Not just for the reduction in greenhouse gases; although Eurostar says that flying from London to Paris emits 14 times more CO2 than traveling the same route by train.But also to renew our acquaintance with the rhythm of the...

Now that we’re traveling again, destinations around the world have been wooing visitors back – with promotional videos from the weird to the wild to the wonderful that have been vying for the attention of international travelers like us. In 2022, did any of these campaigns make you look - or want to book?  Iceland Wants to “Out-Horse Your Email” In a clever play on the word ‘outsource’, in its not only quirky, but incredibly cute video, Iceland promises to 'out-horse your...

Mulled wine, snowballs, and spiked eggnog may headline the list of festive favorites for many cocktail drinkers, but why not switch it up and greet the New Year by projecting your tropical travel resolutions? Here are our picks of some sunny, island-inspired sips to take you into next year – and hold you over until your next sun-kissed vacation.  Cheers!The Bahamas: Goombay SmashThe Goombay Smash is a rum-based cocktail with a historic pedigree in The Bahamas. While the original recipe...

The Caribbean flamingo is an iconic symbol of the tropics, with its vivid pink plumage standing out against a backdrop of turquoise waters, green palm leaves, and pastel-colored buildings. In the Bahamas, where it’s the national bird, flamingos have made a strong comeback thanks to conservation projects. The Islands of The Bahamas may be one of the best places in the world to get up close to this iconic, almost cartoon-like wading bird.Fun facts: the same carotenoids that make carrots...

Break away from the beach and inject the wonder of history into your next vacation! Mexico’s ancient past comes alive at archaeological sites around the country that allow you to walk in the footsteps of the inhabitants of highly evolved societies who built pyramids, elaborate cities, and culture rivalling any ancient civilization in the world. Pre-Columbian (the era prior to Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World) archaeological sites are true wonders of the world. It’s not everywhere you can enjoy...

Travel and treating yourself to luxury shopping go hand in hand for many, so this year’s list of the world’s most expensive shopping streets may help you plan a retail therapy trip or holiday shopping spree for those loved ones who like to see presents under the tree with labels that take their breath away.Sometimes, it’s even fun just to walk around famously extravagant shopping districts on vacation and people-watch to see how the ‘other half’ – or rather, that...

Viking has debuted a new river cruise that would make even the Grinch burst with Christmas spirit! And if you already love Christmas like I do, Viking’s new ‘Christmas on the Rhine' river cruise may be the ultimate way to immerse yourself in the beloved and authentic European Christmas traditions right at their source.  From March until November every year, Viking operates river cruises on the Rhine, but in late November, for the four weeks leading up to Christmas, the...

‘Tis the season for good cheer, family togetherness and dreams coming true… and for us, that all adds up to travel. More than ever before, this may the year to give the gift of travel - to yourself or to your family. More and more people are trading in exhausting entertaining for holiday trips where you’re not the one doing all the work – instead, you’re being pampered and living your best life as you celebrate the season.Others are pulling the plug...

It may be the ultimate holiday trip: a visit to the land of the original Christmas story, especially during the holiday season. For many, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to sites referenced in the Bible that still exist today, like Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Nazareth. According to the Israel Ministry of Tourism, about half of visitors to the country are Christian, and about 20% identify themselves as pilgrims, with 150,000 pilgrims visiting Israel during the Christmas period.Christmas festivities in the Holy Land are...

Travel is back! And after a couple of quiet years, so, at last, are Black Friday travel deals. If you have any thoughts of traveling in the next year or so, now’s the time to get some of the best prices on dream vacations. We’ve selected some of our favorite Black Friday travel deals to show you here, but we have plenty more on offer. And they represent some of the best pricing, perks, upgrades, terms, and bonuses you’ll find for...

The gift of travel can create precious memories of one of the best holidays ever, and Disney theme parks on both sides of the country have been arrayed in their festive best, unwrapping a full lineup of holiday cheer lasting into the New Year. There’s still time to plan a Disney version of the holidays this year in Anaheim or Orlando, and your expert travel advisor can help you plan the perfect theme park vacation to suit your family’s travel...

The phrase ‘World’s Leading Luxury Train’ evokes images of glass-domed rail cars revealing breathtaking vistas, gliding through otherwise-inaccessible landscapes that awe pampered travelers within. It’s the romance of travel at its best – and it’s much easier to achieve than you may realize. That’s because a passenger train company rather close to home has been awarded the title of ‘World’s Leading Luxury Train’ at the latest World Travel Awards. Of all the epic train journeys in all the most incredibly...

If you've never been to the British Virgin Islands, you might think their 'Fungi Fest' is a culinary event featuring mushrooms. Fungi (foon-gee) is actually the traditional folk music of the BVI’s. And it’s a lot more lively than edible fungus! Also called 'scratch' music, according to BVI Tourism, fungi music is deeply rooted in African heritage, but also with Euroepan influences. It’s described as “a combination of string and percussion instruments complemented by woodwind and storytelling vocals.” Fungi is also...

It's official! On October 29th, 2022, Switzerland's Rhaetian Railway (RhB) operated the longest narrow gauge passenger train in the world. And they did it in spectacular style, over the UNESCO World Heritage Albula Railway Line. The Swiss passenger rail company linked together 25, 4-part, brilliant red railcars for the event, creating a 2084-yard long train – that’s 1.2 miles long! Then 7 train conductors and 21 technicians worked together to run the train along a 15-mile route on the UNESCO World...

The twin-nation island of St. Martin is one of the Caribbean's most popular destinations. It's the smallest place in the world divided between two countries: the south end is Dutch and the north end is French. Famous for its beaches, shopping and gastronomy, there's much more to St. Martin. Whether you're in St. Martin on a cruise ship port of call or an extended stay at a hotel or resort, we recommend you explore the wild side of French St....