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photos | David Paul Appell

When good friends asked my husband and me to join them to spend New Year’s Eve in Morocco’s Sahara Desert, it was hard to say no. We’d visited this country many years ago and had been utterly entranced by its culture, architecture, food, and people – yet we’d not yet gotten to the vast dunes of its northeast. And quite a trip it turned out to be..





Flying into Marrakesh, we spent a couple of days exploring its exotic, labyrinthine medina; its expansive Jamaa El-F

Charalambos Andronos/Timişoara 2023/Janos Illesi

Annually since 1985, the cultural poobahs of the European Union have designated one or more of the continent's cities (and as of last year it's been three), as Capitals of Culture, focusing on their own cultural offerings and allowing them to organize a series of wider cultural events (many with a strong pan-European dimension) - which bring in considerable additional revenue; foster urban renewal; and raise their international profiles and image

Whether you want to catch the glimpse of awe-inspiring sunrise at Haleakala National Park; take to the water on a whale-watching adventure; snorkel around Molokini; or taste some of the Hawaiian Islands' best pineapples, there's is a tour in this list that fits well with your interests. Analyzing both expert opinion and traveller sentiment, we've determined more than a dozen of the best, which all feature trained veteran guides keen to share their insights about the Valley Isle’s astonishing

As Daniel and Martha Everett and their two children enjoyed a trip to Florida's Walt Disney World, their focus was on entertainment and excitement rather than the environment. And when Barbara and Andy Allen checked into a Boston hotel, they wanted to fit as many sights as possible into their two-day visit. They gave little thought to how their stay might impact the ecosystem.

Despite their lack of awareness, these folks were comb

Visitors to part of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru (where it's the national animal and is even on the country's coat of arms) may come across this quintessential South American mammal, a camelid related to guanacos, llamas, and alpacas (which are descended from vicuñas) The smallest of the camelids, vicuñas stand about three feet tall at the shoulder; weigh between 70 and 150 pounds; and have long necks and legs as well as relatively small heads with long pointed ears.

Basicall

 All photos by Victor Block unless otherwise noted

It happens all the time with the tour operator Overseas Adventure Travel. I start out expecting to write about the trip itself – in this case, Sicily's Ancient Landscapes & Timeless Traditions"-- and I end up writing about all the things that aren't on the itinerary – what OAT refers to as "learning and discovery." Sure, I wanted to focus on the extensive ruins of the Greeks and Romans from the 8th century BCE; the city market initiated by th

Jeremy Thompson

Still one of the planet’s top destinations, this flashy vision in the USA's Nevada desert is of course world-famous for its world-class casinos, shopping, shows, dining, nightlife, and attractions. But most of us wouldn’t necessarily think of “Sin City” as a place for museum mavens and culture vultures. And yet, in my visits to Las Vegas I’ve come across some pretty impressive museums indeed, along both traditional and also definitely untraditional lines. Sadly, the Liberace Mu

There are hundreds if not thousands of prime destinations across the world to put a stand up paddleboard (SUP) into the water, but here are five of my favorites (along with my reasons why), including several in places you may not have thought of - or even heard of! All all of course have local outfitters who can rent you equipment and also provide excursions.

Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia

Part of the world's largest coastal rainforest region, home to towering evergreens such a

Dubai is a city of lights, as well as a city of spectacle, and larger than life. So naturally you can expect to be able to ring in the New Year in spectacular fashion, and here are my top five suggestions:

Take in the Fireworks at Jumeirah

(Top) To see the fireworks, you will have to go to Jumeirah Beach Residence. The show starts at 8:30 pm and lasts for 30 minutes.The best way to get there is by taxi or your own car. You can also take public transportation there as well, but it's not recomme

Europe’s towns and cities famously light up and don holiday finery for Yuletide, but during the Christmas season in Colmar, in northeast France’s Alsace region – already famous for its charming historic quarter, with its cobblestone streets, canals, and half-timbered houses – the displays reach another level entirely, going far beyond lightbulbs adorning the main streets to the façades of the small houses in its old town illuminated in all the colours of the rainbow. The results, as any perus

Luke Petrinec/Steuban County CVB

As a member of the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), I was fortunate to attend a webinar on the Corning and the Southern Finger Lakes presented by Kevin Costello, president and CEO of the Steuben County Conference and Visitors Bureau, and Dave DeGolye, the bureau’s communications manager. I was only somewhat familiar with this wine region, so was pleased to learn more about its wineries as well as to be introduced to all its fasc

Rathke


A few of you may have had the privilege of visiting the flight deck of a commercial airliner, and found yourself fascinated by the myriad levers, buttons, and other mechanisms surrounding the captain and co-pilot. After seeing that instrument panel, have you ever wondered what kind of training a pilot has? Of course, they must have a flight license, but how do you study for it? How long does it take? Are there other requirements along with flight training itself? Here's a quick explanat

 
“You want me to go where?” I shouted in my mind as I barreled down a harrowingly steep embankment leading into a wall of mud -- and gravel-encased woods. I was driving – or more accurately surviving – an ATV excursion at the Primland Resort in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. near the North Carolina border and an hour and a half south of the city of Roanoke.

On the hourlong ride, when I was willing to unclutch the steering wheel long enough to wave at an occasional wild turkey, pheasant, or d

"The world has few secrets, but Bhutan is one of them."
        -Kartie Hickman, English novelist and travel writer

The "Kingdom of the Thunder Lizard" is known to avid trekkers around the world as one of the last great frontiers for hiking and exploration. Nestled in the Himalayas south of Tibet and north of India, this is a predominantly Buddhist nation with deeply held customs and beliefs. With a population of just under 750,000, Bhutan prides itself on having limited outside influences

Bunk Hotel

As you'd expect, one of Europe's most tourist-popular cities offers a wide and high-quality range of accommodations, from low-budget to very high-end indeed. And our team has put together a varied selection of Dutch treats based on social media and other customer reviews and ratings, blogger picks, and hospitality standards (and all, by the way, include high-speed WiFi in your rate), our team follows a specific research module keeping all reviews in a single platform.

Bunk Hotel

L

WilmingtonandBeaches.com


Located on the Cape Fear coast at the northern end of Pleasure Island, one of North Carolina's barrier islands, just south of the historic city of WIlmington, Carolina Beach (year-round poulation just over 5,000) is bursting with exciting events and things to do apart from the great beach, with swimming, surfing, stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, and more. And here are eight of them, for fantastic family fun when the weather's warm (generally June through September).