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☆ Bali Nyepi: Why one of the world’s most popular islands falls completely silent for a day
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This is Nyepi, Balinese New Year. Amanda Syrowatka, owner of the Viceroy Bali, helps manage expectations for hotel guests during Nyepi. The day before Nyepi is Ngrupuk, when giant monster effigies called ogoh ogoh, representing evil spirits, are paraded around by local children. While some tourists plan to come to Bali for Nyepi specifically to witness or take part in the holiday, some find themselves there unexpectedly. “While I might not plan a trip around Nyepi,” says Bigg, “I certainly wouldn’t mind being in Bali for it again.

Persons: CNN —, Amanda Syrowatka, Viceroy Bali, Nyepi, ”, Wayan Ari, Putu Sayoga, Agung Parameswara, Margot Biggs, “ Organizations: CNN, Local, School for International Training, Viceroy Locations: CNN — Bali, Indonesia, Bali, Putu, India, Viceroy Bali ., Nyepi, American

☆ Mount Fuji introducing visitor cap and entry fee to prevent overcrowding
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Mount Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site and an icon of Japan, is putting new regulations in place for climbers amid concerns about overcrowding. “By strongly promoting comprehensive safety measures for climbing Mount Fuji, we will ensure that Mount Fuji, a treasure of the world, is passed on to future generations,” said Koutaro Nagasaki, governor of Yamanashi Prefecture. “In order to revive traditional mountain climbing from the foot of Mount Fuji, we will gain a detailed understanding of the Fuji-ko and Oshi culture that supported Mount Fuji worship. This 2023 photo shows a crowd of visitors beginning their Mount Fuji ascents. Mathiad Cena/AFP/Getty ImagesAccording to prefectural data, five million people hiked Mount Fuji in 2019, a rise of three million from 2012.

Persons: ”, Koutaro Nagasaki, Mathiad Cena, “ Overtourism, Masatake Izumi, Tomoyo Takahashi, Takahashi, Hanako Montgomery Organizations: CNN, Mount, UNESCO, Fuji, Mount Fuji, Heritage Fuji Division, CNN Travel Locations: Japan, Yamanashi, Yamanashi Prefecture, Kasai, Kyoto, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima

☆ Singapore InterContinental Hotel will pay you if it rains on your vacation
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

But one hotel in the Lion City is taking a gamble to ensure that rain doesn’t spoil its guests’ holidays. The InterContinental Singapore’s “Rain Resist Bliss” package will reimburse one night of a guest’s stay if one of their planned activities ends up getting rained out. The money comes in the form of a voucher, which must be spent at the InterContinental Singapore within one week, and the amount you get is equivalent to one night’s stay in your room category. Special packages like these can be a way for an established hotel to stand out from the pack. In Bali, one hotel banned smartphones and other electronics by the pool as a way to encourage guests to unplug and relax.

Persons: “ , what’s, Andreas Kraemer, Organizations: CNN, InterContinental, Asian Civilizations Museum, Tiger Brewery, Hyatt Locations: Singapore, Lion, InterContinental Singapore, Bali, Hyatt New York

☆ Nepal to require all Mount Everest climbers to use a tracking chip
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ahead of the 2024 Mount Everest season, Nepal has announced a new requirement that all climbers must rent and use tracking chips on their journey. “Reputed companies were already using them but now it’s been mandatory for all climbers,” Rakesh Gurung, director of Nepal’s department of tourism, told CNN. Once the climber returns, the chip will be removed, given back to the government, and saved for the next person. The majority of people who try to climb the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) Mount Everest do so via Nepal, paying $11,000 apiece just for the climbing permit. It can take as long as two months to complete the Mount Everest climb.

Persons: ” Rakesh Gurung, Gurung, Bigyan Koirala, Manveena Suri Organizations: CNN, Mount Everest, Sherpa, ” Department of Tourism, Reuters Locations: Nepal, “, Everest, Malaysian

☆ ‘Geisha paparazzi’ are back in Kyoto – and the city is ready to take action
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

As a result, an unfortunate nickname has even been given to these tourists: “geisha paparazzi.”Foreign tourists have sometimes struggled to understand Japanese customs and etiquette. In 2015, Kyoto created pamphlets and paper handouts that used pictograms to illustrate travel “nuisance activities” like littering, using selfie sticks, smoking in prohibited areas, and taking photos of geisha and maiko. Plenty of rules, little enforcementToday, signs in three languages also explain that geisha photography is not allowed without a permit, and that violators could be charged up to ¥10,000 ($67). Most maiko and geisha (these words are both singular and plural in Japanese) use this road, making it the prime spot for “paparazzi” to gather. Still, Ota and other Gion residents are looking for ways to curb the “geisha paparazzi” issues.

Persons: women’s kimonos, Gion, Isokazu Ota, Kike Calvo, ”, Ota, maiko Organizations: CNN, Theatre Locations: Gion, Kyoto, women’s, Side, Japan, Ota, ”, Easter

☆ Tourists have returned to North Korea for the first time since the pandemic
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Lilit Marcus | Mayumi Maruyama | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

American college student Otto Warmbier was detained on a North Korea trip in 2016, allegedly for stealing a propaganda poster. Courtesy Elena BychcovaRussia and North Korea’s relationshipBefore the pandemic, the largest source of inbound tourists to North Korea wasn’t Russia – it was China. The Russian ski trippers were the first tourists allowed into the hermit kingdom since the pandemic, a sign of Russia’s increasing popularity in North Korea. Now, both say they would consider going to North Korea again someday – but only if the political situation changes. “I hope traveling will save the world.”Another Russian ski trip in North Korea is slated for March 2024.

Persons: Lena Bychcova couldn’t, —, kingdom’s, Kim Jong Un, Otto Warmbier, Bychcova, Ilya Voskresensky, grandpa, Voskresensky, “, KIM, JIN, Kim Won Jin, Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, ” Bychcova, Lena Bychcova, Elena Bychcova, Vladimir Putin, –, Bychcova doesn’t, ”, Kim, Putin, Anna Chernova, Mariya Knight Organizations: CNN, Koryo, ”, Getty, Intelligence, Ukraine, Korean, United, Russia, North Locations: Korea, Russian, North Korea, Tourism, United States, Pyongyang, Korean, Vladivostok, Soviet Russia, AFP, Elena Bychcova Russia, North, Russia, China, United Nations, Ukraine, Yekaterinburg, Ukrainian

☆ South Korea digital nomad visa: what to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

According to a report in the Korea Herald, South Korea’s Justice Ministry says the digital nomad visa will make remote work and vacations smoother for visitors. The site ranks South Korea highly for nightlife and youth culture, but gives lower marks for LGBT acceptance and English-language accessibility. Meanwhile, South Korea places 49 out of 113 countries on the English Proficiency Index, which puts it in the “moderate” category. Still, Humphries is undeterred in his quest for the South Korea “workation” visa and plans to base himself in Seoul if approved. “The South Korean digital nomad visa is a great step forward for allowing foreigners to reside in the country,” he says.

Persons: Ashley Humphries, he’s, Humphries, Jungho Suh, ”, Suh, ” Jeong Hyun Cho, Jeong, Ed Jones, Gawon Bae, Veronica Lin Organizations: CNN, South Korean, Korea Herald, Korea’s, Ministry, Korean Management Institute, George Washington University, Korea –, Statistics Korea, Human Rights Commission, South Korean Society, Digital Nomads Korea WhatsApp, Getty, Foreigners, South Locations: South Korea, Asia, Dubai, Cayman Islands, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesian, Bali, South, Seoul, AFP, Korean, expats, Turkey, Norway, Kuwait, North America, Singapore, Japan

☆ Tyagarah, New South Wales: Australian nude beach faces possible closure
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Tyagarah Beach, a secluded 800-meter (875-yard) stretch of beachfront north of Byron Bay, has been the topic of heated debate in recent weeks. The beach, long loved by naturists from Australia and around the world, is part of the Tyagarah Nature Reserve and maintained by the New South Wales state government. “Nude recreation is a legitimate way of life,” Benham wrote. In 2018, a similar measure was rejected by the Shire Council and CCTV cameras were installed as a compromise. “I’ve been nude bathing on Byron Shire beaches since I was a child in the 70s and 80s,” Benham told 9 News.

Persons: Bradley Benham, Byron Naturists, Penny Sharpe, ” Benham, “ I’ve, CNN’s Angus Watson Organizations: CNN, naturists, New, 9News, Council, Nature, ” Local, Shire Council Locations: Tyagarah, Byron Bay, Australia, New South Wales, NSW, Shire, Byron Shire

☆ Dream of the Desert: Saudi Arabia is launching its own luxury train
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

State-owned railway company Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) recently struck a 200 million Saudi riyals ($53.33 million) deal with Italian hospitality company Arsenale Group to launch the first luxury train in the Middle Eastern kingdom. The destination has made a number of high-profile tourism investments in recent years – a $500 billion model city in the desert of northwest Saudi Arabia among them. Now Saudi Arabia is getting on board with the slow travel movement in a big way by moving into the luxury train market. Arsenale S.P.A./Saudi Arabia RailwaysSaudi Arabia’s decision to enter the luxury train market comes as demand for high-speed trains and luxury “rail cruises” continues to increase around the world. Infrastructure investmentA rendering of Dream of the Desert, which will be the first luxury train in the Middle Eastern kingdom.

Persons: Paolo Barletta, ” Barletta, S.P.A, Joe Biden, Dolce, ”, Luigi Corradi, King, Khalid al, Falih, Arsenale S.P.A, Bashar bin Khaled Al Malik, Al Malik, CNN’s Lilit Marcus, Ben Jones Organizations: CNN, State, Saudi Arabia Railways, Saudi, Arsenale Group, SAR, Saudi Arabia Railways Saudi, Reuters, “ Orient, Accor, Ferrovie dello Stato, Speed Railway, King Abdulaziz International, Saudi Arabia’s Investment, Projects, Saudi Railway Company, Orient Express, Orient Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Arabia’s, Riyadh, Qurayyat, Jordan, Hail, Italy, France, Italy’s, Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Venice, London, Kyushu

☆ Best travel destinations to visit in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-01 | by ( Cnn Travel Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +32 min

cdwheatley/iStockphoto/Getty Images Angola: Beyond the capital city of Luanda, pictured, Angola has some jaw-droppingly spectacular scenery and cultural treats. David ChiaFF/Alamy Stock Photo Mérida, Mexico: Yucatán state's capital city showcases a blend of Mayan and colonial heritage. Pavel Tochinsky/The Image Bank RF/Getty Images Morocco: This North African country is home to nine UNESCO sites, including the historic city of Meknes, pictured. Panama City is also the only world capital with a tropical rainforest within its city limits. And a historic city forever entwined with the famed Camino de Santiago.

Persons: you’d, Tengguo Wu, Gabriele Thielmann, Turkey's, Gary Ennis, Matevz, Bill Bachman, Christian Kober, Gonzalo Azumendi, David ChiaFF, Pavel Tochinsky, Terry Kelly, Raul Rodriguez, iStock, Anton Petrus, –, — Karla Cripps Turkey’s, — Barry Neild, Mana Kaasik, — Maureen O’Hare, — Maggie Hiufu Wong, Deb Snelson, Glen Arbor, Marnie Hunter, — Forrest Brown, — Forrest Brown Angola Cristo, Eric Lafforgue, it’s, King, Eric Carr, John’s, Saint John, New Brunswick —, —, Tuul, Bruno Morandi, — Julia Buckley, Groenewald, Alamy, — Lilit Marcus, Alexander the Great, Philip II of Macedon, — JB, Bogdan Lazar, — Tamara Hardingham, Gill, Hercules, Francesca, Lazarus, ”, David Casanova, Megan Sequeira Casanova, “, Kuka y Naranjo, medina, Gordon Sinclair, Yvette Cardozo, — FB, Pierce Ingram, Stefan Tomic, Fujairah, who’ve, Samarkand —, It’s Organizations: CNN, United, CNN Travel, Getty Images, Town, Getty, Northwest, Saint, New Brunswick Tourism, UNESCO, Heritage, Alamy, Parque Nacional Volcán Barú, Galicia, Tercera Orden, Parque, Bank, Wakulla Springs, Texas, United Arab Emirates, AP, Rock, of Culture, Estonian National Museum, — Maggie Hiufu Wong Northwest Michigan, Bear, Farm, Riders, Lubango, — BN Saint John, Canada Tourists, St, Saint John City Market, Historic, Saint John Arts Centre, Carnegie, Carnegie Library, — KC, Korea, Folk, Netflix, South Korea, Adriatic, Nacional Glaciares, Australian Sea Lions, Panama, Spain Santiago de, Spain Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Islas, Camino, Mexico People, YouTube, US State Department, Morocco, Regis Hotels, Resorts, — FB Texas, Travel Texas, Krause, Gruene, Fujairah, Icefjord, FS, Tuul, ” Locations: United States, Sumba, Indonesia Sumba, Indonesia, Bali, Getty Images Tartu, Estonia, Tartu —, European, Tainan, Taiwan, Northwest Michigan, Traverse City, Lake Michigan, iStockphoto, Western Balkans, Culebra , Puerto Rico, Flamenco, Culebra, cdwheatley, Angola, Luanda, , New Brunswick, Fundy, New Brunswick, New Brunswick Tourism South Korea, Korea Albania, Albania, Chile, mauritius, Western Australia, Greece, Macedonia, American, Panama, Spain, Camino, Santiago, St, John's, Mexico, Parque Hidalgo, Morocco, Meknes, Florida, Spicewood, Anton, Greenland, Denmark, AP Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Indonesian, Sumela, Turkey's, — Barry Neild Tartu, Estonia Tartu, of Culture Tartu, Tartu, “, Baltics, — Maureen O’Hare Tainan, Taiwan Tainan, Taipei, — Maggie Hiufu Wong Northwest, Lake, Traverse, Leland, Glen, perusing, Balkans, Slovenia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia, transdinarica.com, —, Puerto Rico, It’s, — Forrest Brown Angola, Lubango, Barra, Cabo Ledo, — BN Saint John , New Brunswick, Canada, Hopewell, Newfoundland, Saint, Canada’s, Korea Andong, South Korea, Sanga, Korea, Seoul, Busan, Andong, Albania Albania, Berat, Montenegro, Vlorë, Gjirokastër, — Julia Buckley Chile, Atacama, Patagonia, Coral Coast, Geraldton, — Lilit Marcus Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece's, Hemis, Athens, Vergina, Veria, Naousa, Greece’s, Thrace, Philippi, Kavala, Panama . Panama City, Gill Galicia, Spain Santiago, Spain Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Galicia’s, Santiago de Compostela, Cabo, Fisterra, Galicia —, Singapore, John’s, Paseo, Montejo, Mérida, Yucatán, getaways, there’s, Marrakech, Rabat, Fes, Resorts Morocco, Wakulla, Ginnie, Fredericksburg, Texas, Marble Falls, Meanderers, New Braunfels, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Wadi, Nuuk, Ilulissat, West, FS Uzbekistan, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, China, India, Khiva, Uzbek, Sentob, Tashkent

☆ The secret history of Japan’s best sweets
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Many of Japan’s present-day favorite wagashi – sweets – have their origins on Kyushu. Castella (kasutera in Japanese) also makes an appearance in another popular Japanese sweet, dorayaki. Here, the castella cake is thinner and made into a pancake with a layer of sweet red bean paste inside. Europe meets Japan, Japan meets EuropeAnother European sweet that got the Japanese treatment is macarons. For him, it’s a way of honoring Japan’s small producers, in addition to introducing these flavors to the hotel’s guests.

Persons: Joyi Chang, It’s, ”, Michele Abbatemarco, there’s, Margaret, Emperor, –, Miyamoto Shoko, it’s Organizations: CNN, Japan CNN Locations: Kyushu, Japan, Macao, Nagasaki, Portuguese, Japan’s, Portugal, Fukusaya, Fukuoka, Fukusaya’s, Hakata Station, Europe, Otemachi, Saga City, Tokyo, Spain, Netherlands, England

☆ UN shares its world’s ‘best tourism villages’
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

For travelers who want to visit a smaller, more authentic local destination, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has released this year’s list of the best tourism villages. For 2023, 55 villages were recognized by the international organization, which focuses on sustainable tourism, up from 32 last year. The list includes small towns and villages from places as diverse as Mexico, China, Ethiopia, and Italy. There’s no ranking of the villages, and they are all listed in alphabetical order in English. Highlights in EuropeEurope’s selections to the UNWTO list represent a mix of cultural and environmental differences.

Persons: Dhordo, Les Falles, Sant, Al Sela, Jordan • Barrancas, Spain •, Peru •, Egypt •, India •, Korea •, Portugal •, Colombia •, Japan •, Italy • Manteigas, Ecuador •, Pisco, Austria •, Uzbekistan •, • Siwa, Portugal • Anton, Arlberg, Tân, Viet Nam, Hungary •, Moldova • Vila, China • Organizations: CNN, United Nations World Tourism Organization, Asia Dongbaek, UNWTO, UNESCO, Reserve, Spain • Ordino, Andorra • Oyacachi, Schladming, Moldova • Locations: Tokyo, London, Mexico, China, Ethiopia, Italy, Asia, South, Jeju, Shirakawa, Japan, Gifu prefecture, Nagoya, Zhejiang, Dhordo, Rann, Kutch, India, Europe, Spain, Sigüenza, Madrid, Slunj, Croatia, Andorra, Ordino, Sant Pere, Peru, Machu Picchu, Lima, Peruvian, Chacas, Chile, La Carolina, Argentina, Biei, Tortel, Cantavieja, Spain • Chacas, Huantar, Peru • Dahshour, Egypt, Egypt • Dhordo, Republic, Korea, Korea • Douma, Lebanon, Ericeira, Portugal, Portugal • Filandia, Colombia, Huangling, Cánovas, Kandovan, Iran, Lerici, Switzerland, Mosan, Juárez, Oñati, Ecuador, Ecuador • Paucartambo, Peru • Penglipuran, Indonesia, Pisco Elqui, Pozuzo, Saint, Saty, Kazakhstan, Austria, Austria • Sehwa, Korea • Sentob, Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan • Shirakawa, Egypt • Slunj, Sortelha, Viet, Peru • Tokaj, Hungary, Hungary • Văleni, Moldova, Madalena, Portugal • Xiajiang, China • Zapatoca, Colombia • Zhagana

☆ Find out why this garden has been named ‘the most beautiful in Japan’ for 20+ years
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Shimane, Japan CNN —In Japan, gardening isn’t just a hobby – it’s an art form with spiritual significance. The US-based Sukiya Living magazine (formerly Journal of Japanese Gardening) has awarded the Adachi Museum its highest honor – most beautiful traditional garden – for more than 20 years running. Despite accolades coming from outside of Japan, the museum and gardens remain relatively unknown compared to those in Kyoto and Tokyo. Many Western visitors to Japan are confused when they visit a Japanese garden, only to not see a single flower. “Before looking at Japanese paintings, you can look at these Japanese gardens and understand them in this sequence.

Persons: ”, Sophie Walker, Robert Gilhooly, Takodori Adachi, Zenko Adachi, Adachi, Adachi's, thanyarat07, Lafcadio Hearn, genji maki Organizations: CNN, Japan CNN —, Adachi Museum of Art, Adachi Museum, “, Art, Mount Fuji, UNESCO, Museum of Art Locations: Japan, Shimane, Osaka, The, Kyoto, Tokyo, Tottori, San’in, Okayama, Honshu, Matsue, Adachi, Yasugi

☆ The ‘world’s skinniest hotel’ measures nine feet across
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

It’s now the home of PituRooms, a seven-room hotel (Pitu is Javanese for “seven”) that measures just 2.8 meters (9 feet) wide. “I want people to experience Salatiga in a new way,” Indra tells CNN. Case in point: Indra tells CNN that PituRooms, which opened in December 2022, has had “only five percent” non-Indonesian guests. But within Indonesia, Indra says, Salatiga is known a tolerant city that has good food, good infrastructure and a good quality of life. Here we are skinniest,” Indra told Dezeen, an architecture blog.

Persons: Salatiga, Indra, “, ” Indra, Dezeen, Merbabu Organizations: CNN, nab Locations: Indonesia, Salatiga, Central Java, Jakarta, Singapore, PituRooms, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Bali, Indonesian, ‘

☆ Coral spawning season brings hope for the Great Barrier Reef
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —For a few days in the southern hemisphere every spring, the world’s biggest and most famous coral reef explodes. This is coral spawning season – a time when the Great Barrier Reef creates the next generation of corals. This year’s coral spawning began on November 2. Coral spawning, which happens ahead of the southern hemisphere’s summer, gives clues about the health of the 133,000-square-mile (345,000-square-kilometer) reef. “The annual coral spawning is not only one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena on the planet,” says Anna Marsden, managing director of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

Persons: ”, Anna Marsden, “ Organizations: CNN, ” UNESCO, Heritage, UNESCO

☆ National Geographic announces 2024 ‘cool list’
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

City breaksFor great food, museums and nightlife, head to some of the cities featured on National Geographic’s list. States of beingIn several cases, National Geographic highlighted entire states. National Geographic advises not only visiting New York City – the Empire State is also home to some natural beauty at Lake Placid and Niagara Falls. Meanwhile, National Geographic also lauded the northern Indian state of Sikkim, which is nestled in the Himalayas near the country’s borders with Bhutan and Nepal. Natural wondersThe National Geographic list is heavy on beautiful natural destinations.

Persons: •, Italy •, Germany •, Chile •, Argentina • Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, National Geographic, New, Geographic, Northern Ireland • Emilia, Scotland •, Finland •, Peru •, Peru • New York State, Argentina • Akagera Locations: Europe, Albania, China, Lima, Peru, Tainan, Taiwan’s, Texas, New York, New York City, Lake Placid, Niagara Falls, , Texas, Victoria, Australian, Melbourne, Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal, Nova Scotia, Canada, Chile, Dominica, Madagascar, Scotland, Galloway and Southern Ayrshire, Albanian, Belfast, Northern Ireland, Romagna, Italy, • Galloway, Southern Ayrshire, Scotland • Nordland, Norway, North Yorkshire, England, Italy • Saimaa, Finland, Finland • Tartu, Estonia, Germany, Germany • Valletta, Malta, Wales, Ireland, Atacama, Chile • Lima, Peru • New York, Miami, Florida, Dominica • Nova Scotia, Yucatan, Mexico, Wetlands, Argentina, Rwanda, Madagascar • Sierra Leone, India, Taiwan, Australia

☆ Tarantula sighting results in car accident in Death Valley National Park
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A tourist tried to avoid a wild animal in a national park and got in a car accident. According to a press release issued by the Death Valley National Park in California, two tourists from Switzerland were in a campervan on October 28 when the driver saw the spider and slammed on the brakes. However, the park urges Death Valley visitors not to panic if they see an eight-legged creature. Earlier this year, staff at Yellowstone National Park were forced to euthanize a bison calf after a visitor tried to pick up the animal. Last week, a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway national park in North Carolina was closed after multiple incidents of “visitors feeding and attempting to hold a young bear.”

Persons: who’d, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Death, Yellowstone Locations: California, Switzerland, Death, North Carolina

☆ Fukuoka: The Japanese city that dominates street food
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Fukuoka, Japan’s sixth largest city by population, has more open-air food stalls than the rest of the country combined. These stalls are called yatais, and they’re an indelible part of what makes Fukuoka’s food scene so special. A vendor prepares local Hakata-style pork broth ramen at a Fukuoka yatai. Hemis/Alamy Stock Photo“Yatai is the best place to make friends,” says Nick Szasz, a Canadian-born longtime resident of Japan who runs the English-language website Fukuoka Now. Though the city has always been dotted with these food carts, Takashima’s administration set up a committee to regulate them and make sure they’d remain a vital part of the city.

Persons: Yatais, oden, ”, Nick Szasz, Szasz, it’s, Sōichirō Takashima, –, Fukuoka’s, Kensuke Kubota –, London’s Zuma, Japan –, Yatai Keiji, yatais Organizations: CNN, Fukuoka Locations: Japan’s, Fukuoka, Sapporo, Hakata, Canadian, Japan, Kyushu, AsiaDreamPhoto

☆ Sydney Opera House: Australia’s most famous attraction turns 50
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Saying that the Sydney Opera House is a well-known icon of Australia is kind of like saying the Amazon is a creek. Inaugurated on October 20, 1973, by the late Queen Elizabeth II, the Opera House now welcomes more than one million visitors every year. A rich historyThere’s much more to the Opera House than, well, opera. “I think there’s a big misconception that we’re the classical arts,” says Jade McKellar, chief customer officer for the Sydney Opera House. “The Sydney Opera House constitutes a masterpiece of 20th Century architecture,” UNESCO wrote in its designation.

Persons: Queen Elizabeth II, Jorn Utzon, “, ”, Jade McKellar, we’ve, there’ll, Golding, McKellar, Megan Cope, Bob Henry, UCG, Piper, Hamelin Organizations: CNN, Sydney Opera, Deloitte, Empire, Opera, Opera House, Sydney Opera House, UNESCO, ” UNESCO, Fairfax Media, House, Nations, Botanic Garden, Getty, Opera Bar Locations: Australia, ”, Spanish, Korean, Sydney

☆ ‘World’s coolest’ neighbourhoods 2023: Colombia’s Laureles tops Time Out’s list
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Travel news: Amsterdam will increase its tourist tax in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —This week in travel news: An ancient Italian site, a hefty European tourist tax and a bunch of bears in Alaska all got bigger. Norbert Eisele-Hein/imageBROKER/Shutterstock An Indian icon: The Hawa Mahal is part of the larger City Palace complex in the middle of Jaipur. According to Indian authorities in charge of the monument, roughly 1 million people visit Hawa Mahal each year. To experience its cooling effects firsthand, head inside Jaipur's City Palace -- it's located on the edge of the palace grounds. Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto/Getty Images India's stunning Hawa Mahal Prev NextThe Hawa Mahal isn’t just one of India’s most beautiful buildings – it was also way ahead of its time in terms of sustainability.

Persons: It’s, Grazer, F, Jimenez, Alaska’s, Grazer “, She’ll, Jeffrey Pfefferle, Leon McNaught, Pfefferle, they’ve, “, ”, Norbert Eisele, Hein, imageBROKER, Hawa, Vishal Bhatnagar, Elena Odareeva, what's, Sanjay Sharma, Kavita Jain, Lola Fdez, Jain, Mickey Mousing, – Organizations: CNN, Amsterdam, Bear, &, Grazer, CNN Travel, UNESCO, Heritage, Adobe, KS, IKEA Locations: Alaska, overtourism Amsterdam, Europe, ”, Amsterdam, Italy, American, Sicilian, Mussomeli, Zhangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Fujian province, Indian, Jaipur, Jaipur's, Nogales, Kenya, Swedish

☆ Grand Canyon issues warning about ‘love locks’
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —“Love is strong, but our bolt cutters are stronger,” reads a new Facebook post from Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Many people believe that the locks are good luck for a relationship, and that throwing away the key symbolizes an unbroken love. However, while the locks themselves are considered “littering” and “graffiti” in the park, it’s the keys that can cause even more serious problems. When the city of Paris removed the locks in 2015, the weight of the 700,000 metal objects was the equivalent of 20 elephants. Once they were all removed, the city put glass partitions up on the bridge to prevent anyone from adding new locks.

Organizations: CNN, California condor, “, “ Condors, Paris ’ Pont des Arts Locations: Arizona, California, Paris

☆ Travel advice for Israel following the deadly clashes: Everything you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The situation remains fluid and all information is subject to sudden change, but here’s what travelers need to know following the attacks. Among the locations Hamas has claimed it is targeting is Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel’s international hub, located just outside Tel Aviv. As for Israeli airlines, El Al, the country’s flag carrier, issued a statement on October 8 saying it would continue to operate as usual. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines has issued guidance for passengers with flights booked to or from Tel Aviv between October 7-14. “The situation in Israel continues to be unpredictable,” said the US Embassy in Israel in a statement, which advised American citizens in Israel to contact the embassy in Jerusalem or the consulate in Tel Aviv.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, CNN’s Nic Robertson, Ben Gurion’s, Ilan, Asaf Ramon, El Al, Ben Gurion, Élisabeth Borne, ”, Bruno Mars, CNN’s Nicole Goodkind, Sophie Jeong Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Hamas, Ben Gurion International Airport, Asaf Ramon International Airport, El Al Airlines, El Al, El, Arkia Airlines, International, German, Lufthansa, Lufthansa Group Airlines, BFM, Air France, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways, Korean Air, Korean, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, United, Air, Hainan Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Royal Air Marcoc, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Reuters, of European Football Associations, Estonia, “ UEFA, Embassy, Front Command Locations: Israel, Tel Aviv, Red Sea, Eilat, El, Rome, Milan, Athens, Hong, Incheon, Air Canada, Hainan, Switzerland, Germany, “, Tel Aviv’s, Gaza, Jerusalem, Lebanon

☆ Tokyo’s Shibuya City attempts to ban Halloween
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing is the busiest intersection in the world, with five crosswalks interlacing through 10 lanes of car and bus traffic. The leadership of Shibuya City – which is a self-governed district within Tokyo – has issued a formal request to both domestic and foreign tourists to mind their manners and not observe Halloween in the area from October 27-31. Crowds of people celebrating Halloween in Shibuya in 2014. The Shibuya City notice specifically addresses concerns that, if people don’t take action, Tokyo could experience a dangerous crowd crush like the one that took place in Seoul last year. “The streets of Shibuya are not party venues,” the city’s mayor, Ken Hasebe, said in a statement.

Persons: overtourism, Yuya Shino, it’s, Ken Hasebe Organizations: CNN, Tokyo – Locations: Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, Seoul

☆ Japan implements tourist tax at famous ‘floating shrine’
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Japan’s popular Itsukushima Shrine has now become slightly more expensive to visit. Located in the town of Hatsukaichi, in Hiroshima prefecture, the torii – a shrine gateway – is part of a 1,400-year-old Shinto complex that’s listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its striking appearance has made it one of the most recognizable attractions in Japan – even President Joe Biden visited earlier this year. Hatsukaichi has long struggled with overtourism, prompting officials to implement a tourist tax, which came into effect on Sunday. Each visitor to Miyajima, the island access point for the shrine, is now charged 100 yen (67 cents).

Persons: CNN —, Japan –, Joe Biden, ”, Shunji Mukai Organizations: CNN, UNESCO Locations: Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima prefecture, Japan, Miyajima, ”

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