World’s Scariest Foods
December 29, 2010
Welcome to our international culinary chamber of horrors, where succulent spiders, gleaming sheep guts, and deadly seafood await your delectation. (Cue evil laugh and lightning bolt.)
Caribbean lifestyles of the rich and famous
December 29, 2010
From December to April, the world’s wealthy bring their yachts to the azure waters of the Caribbean for a little sunshine and conspicuous consumption.
* Related article: Ten great Caribbean secrets
These are the top spots to act like a cashed-up Caribbean queen.
Lonely Planet’s 10 great Caribbean secrets
December 27, 2010
The Caribbean is not all just yachts and cruise ports (or souvenir hassle). Here are a handful of the region’s hidden experiences that deliver unbeatable trips.
* Related article: The world’s best secret islands
Dominica’s Boiling Lake
One of the Caribbean’s best destinations for rugged adventures, mountainous Dominica sports an incredible hike. It is a tough six-mile path clinging to narrow ridges of the “Valley of Desolation.” The destination? Boiling Lake, a 207-foot-wide lake that is veiled in steam, with bubbly burps on its greyish surface. The valley is the remnants of an 1880 volcanic eruption. Expect to get dirty.
Five great European cities for Christmas markets
December 26, 2010
Picture the glow of medieval squares illuminated by thousands of sparkling lights. Imagine gingerbread-style stalls where artisans offer traditional crafts that threaten to banish gifts of boring neckties and fruitcakes for eternity. Marvel at iPod-toting children falling under the spell of low-tech charms like wooden toys, ice rinks and vintage merry-go-rounds.
Top 10 unusual winter sports
December 26, 2010
There is more to winter travel than skiing and snowboarding. Nontraditional winter sports and activities have sprouted up all over the world, catering to adventurers who crave new ways to get their adrenaline pumping.
Oasis from the ruins: Afghanistan opens first national park
June 25, 2009
BAND-E-AMIR NATIONAL PARK, Afghanistan (CNN) — Most days it is easy to think God may have forgotten about Afghanistan, but there can be a day when you feel like you are in heaven.
We were invited by the United States Agency for International Development to witness the dedication of Afghanistan’s first national park: The Band-e-Amir National Park, a series of six crystal-blue lakes surrounded by heart-stopping cliffs and natural dams that capture the imagination.
Mexico’s battered image yields travel deals
June 2, 2009
The beaches of Cancun, Mexico, have seen a drop in visitors after news of the H1N1 flu virus scared the public.
Mexico’s tourism industry has endured some brutal punches this year.
First, the global financial crisis hampered vacation spending. Then, escalating cartel drug violence scared some travelers.
Business went from bad to worse in late April, with the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus, also known as swine flu. The virus has infected more than 12,500 people worldwide, with the highest death toll in Mexico, causing some U.S. travelers to reroute, delay or cancel trips to Mexico completely.
Where the ancient Olympics meet the Wild West
May 16, 2009
In a far-off corner of the Peloponnese, clan wars left the hill town of Vathia in ruins.
If you want to get away from it all when traveling in Greece, head for the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Studded with antiquities, this land of ancient Olympia, Corinth and Sparta offers plenty of fun in the eternal Greek sun, with pleasant fishing villages, sandy beaches, bathtub-warm water, and none of the tourist crowds that plague the much-scrambled-after Greek Isles.
Gold and glitz in the ‘New Moscow’
May 11, 2009
(CNN) — The domes of Moscow’s fairytale churches aren’t the only things in the city that glitter gold. In recent years the global commodities boom swelled the ranks of the nouveau-riche “New Russians,” whose wealth, and eagerness to dispose of it, has helped build a “New Moscow.”
How to Save in the Recession? Take a Cruise
February 25, 2009
An artist rendering of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship the Oasis of the Seas.
The Royal Caribbean cruise line is rolling out the world’s largest cruise ship next fall, the Oasis of the Seas. Rock walls are passe; this 5,400-passenger colossus has its own zip line across the back of the boat. But if you fear that a voyage on the state-of-the-art Oasis will sink your wallet, think again: you can book a seven-night Caribbean trip in that brass ring of cruise deals, a cabin with a balcony, for less than $1,000 per person. Considering it includes three meals a day, it’s like getting an Orlando resort at Travelodge rates.