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A two-hour trip from Tokyo, the region of Oku-Nikko (Deep Nikko), near the small city of Nikko, lets travelers recharge amidst mountains, trees, water and sky; indulge in outdoor activities galore; and immerse themselves in history.

As the warmer weather and the longer days take hold, travelers begin to delight in Japan’s natural wonders and adventure experiences outdoors. The world heritage sites of Nikko, just two hours north of Tokyo, can easily be combined with an overnight trip to Oku-Nikko

Delta Airlines



courtesy of Christopher Elliott

Delta Air Lines is currently the best airline in the United States, according to the latest Airline Quality Rating (AQR). The carrier's victory -- its first in 18 years -- comes against a backdrop of steady service improvement for the entire industry, which could be good news for all airline passengers. Or not.

The Airline Quality Rating, now in its 29th year, is one of the most comprehensive studies of performance and quality of the largest U

photos: ProColombia


by Miguel Martínez Rabanal

Along with cumbia, the folk music form known as vallenato is a calling card of Colombian culture, and its Vallenata Legend Festival is a particularly momentous one, marking its 52nd edition this year April 26-30 in the city of Valledupar, in Colombia's northeast, about an hour and a half flight from Bogotá and just under four hours' drive from Cartagena.

Truth to tell, Colombian culture wouldn't be the same without this music, which goes back more

India is full of "hill stations," charming towns in the hills and mountains founded by the British during the colonial Raj as respites from the heat and dust of summers on the flatlands. And down in the country's southwestern state of Karnataka (known until 1973 as Mysore), the most charming is Coorg (today called Kodagu), well known among Indians for its breathtakingly exotic scenery and lush greenery as well as being India's largest coffee producer.

This small district on the slopes of the w

The New York City borough of Brooklyn continues to gain popularity not only as an attractive place to live but as a very appealing destination for visitors with much to offer in terms of history, architecture, culture, dining, and experiences. The Williamsburg neighborhood has become a particular magnet in recent years, and so a number of elegant hotels have come on the scene to cater to tourists. One of the best is the Condor Hotel, which opened its doors nine years ago; originally catering esp

In the Netherlands province of Holland in April and early May, almost every field in is covered in brightly coloured flowers. These are the bulb flowers most often associated with spring. There are deep blue hyacinths, white and golden yellow daffodils and narcissi, but mostly brash, bold and colourful tulips.

Tulips come in a wide range of colours. They can be the purest white through yellow, orange and red to the deepest purple ... sometimes almost black. "Broken" tulips are bi-coloured, usua

With the popularity of electronic cigarettes continuing to grow, many people who like to vape and also like to travel are unaware of some of the issues in combining the two. Here a several to keep in mind:

Air Travel

If you are flying, you'd be advised to check the rules and regulations of a specific airline beforehand; nearly all now have mention of e-cigarettes on their websites (U.S. residents should also check the TSA website), and some might be stricter than others. In general, though, e-c

by Marita Acosta



Despite its myriad problems, this diverse continent of 54 countries is an amazing mix of nature, adventure, history, and dynamic culture. And nowhere more so than West Africa, with its single largest collection of countries (17) and largest cities, including Lagos, Nigeria and Accra, Ghana - the latter with a population just over 2¼ million.

One of my passions is "creative cities", and what these tend to have in common is a high percentage of young people. Accra has them in spade

SeanPavonePhoto


A resort town of barely 4,000 permanent residents in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains, this together with nearby Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the eastern USA's top tourism nexuses, a mix of nature, sport, and honky tonk, all with a country-western kind of flavour. And nighttime brings as much fun as the daylight hours.

Downtown Gatlinburg

Visit the shops, attractions, restaurants and watering holes on the downtown strip for

kaprik

As the cradle of Christianity, the Old Continent’s history with Easter is millennia old. And though recently it has evolved from a merely religious observance to an secular cultural (even pop cultural) phenomenon, the mix of elaborate religious pageantry and modern developments like bunnies, chicks, and Easter eggs is quite something to experience during Easter week. Here are a half dozen of my favorites:

Ignatius Tan

Edinburgh

Bunnies, chicks, and eggs are popping up in décor

Antonio Guillem


courtesy of Christopher Elliott

It's going to be a big year for travel insurance. Really big.

A survey by the travel-insurance-comparison site Squaremouth predicts 24 percent more travelers will insure their international trips in 2019 than last year. Generali, the travel insurance company, says travelers spent an average of $139 per trip on insurance in 2018, unchanged from the previous year.

So do you have your travel insurance picked out already?

"The right insurance po

Renee Vititoe

Right astride the Caribbean's largest barrier reef – also the world’s second largest after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – this small island (just 83 square kilometres/32 sq. miles) off the coast of Honduras has become not only this country’s top visitor draw (outstripping the other main one, the impressive Mayan archaeological site Copán) but also, unsurprisingly, a star among the world’s diving community.

Actually the largest of seven Islas de la Bahía (Bay Islands)

Built by colonial British rulers in the early 20th century, India's capital is bordered by Haryana on three sides and by Uttar Pradesh to the east. Its population is over 11 million; it is the second most populated city in India after Mumbai. It has a hot semi-arid climate and the warm season lasts from March to June, but during the other months, in its cold season (from the end of November until the beginning of February) the average daily temperature is below 20 C. Indira Gandhi is the larges

georgeclerk


Edinburgh is Scotland's most sophisticated city, filled with quirky, come-hither nooks and activities that will fascinate you. And here are seven places and things that will make your visit here even cooler!


Come in Summer for the Edinburgh Festivals

Over six weeks in August and September, the city is given over to the Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with their all-day/all-night cavalcade of hundreds of daily performances in all genres, as well as

U.S. National Park Service


Alaska cruises provide great opportunities for guests to make memories that will last a lifetime. With their unique setting in the USA's great white north, cruise guests can have experiences unlike those from other cruise locations. The natural beauty of the Alaska will take your breath away. There are a variety of different Alaska cruise options that provide great opportunities to relax and enjoy the beautiful setting. To make your cruise memorable, following are f

Eurocontrol

by Tom Bunn


Knowing some of the basics of how flying works and how controlled it is can be of significant help in alleviating fears and anxieties relating to flying. So this time I'm going to describe three amazing systems at work on every flight to help make your flight safe.

TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System)

Pilots are comfortable only when they know they have everything under control and can keep it that way. At 18,000 feet (5,500 metres) and above, air traffic control

duron123


The annual Songkran Festival (comes from Sanskrit and means astrological passage) marks the Thai New Year and is the most crazy holiday of national celebration. Thais will spend these days with family, going to temples, parties and water fights (this last - the ultimate water war - is a common sight in Thailand). The date of the Songkran Festival used to be decided based on the lunar calendar, but now the date is fixed at April 13 to 16 this year. As one of Thailand's biggest celebrat