Follow Beatrix Potter through Britain’s Lake District

When I was a little girl, my grandparents gifted me with a beautiful set of Beatrix Potter books for Christmas one year. I could barely wait for everyone to finish unwrapping presents so that I could sneak off to my room with my treasure. The first Potter story I read on that long ago Christmas Day was “The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher,” about a determined frog whose fishing trip turned out to be not quite what he expected.Now, all these years later, here I was wandering through the rooms of Hill T

Sept. 2, 2016

[Around the hotels] Round up of hotel events and news

Chuseok Package at Park Hyatt SeoulPark Hyatt Seoul will be offering the Chuseok Package for guests staying at the hotel from Sept. 1-18.The main component of the package is the Evening Chill-out promotion, which includes a late 2 p.m. checkout time, a discounted breakfast price of 30,000 per person as well as free access to the hotel’s sauna, pool and fitness studio. There is also happy hour for two from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Timber House, which has a wide selection of drinks and Japanese dis

Sept. 2, 2016

Lower Manhattan reborn 15 years after 9/11

NEW YORK (AP) -- Fifteen years after the Sept. 11 attacks, Lower Manhattan has been reborn. The revitalization of the city’s downtown, powered by $30 billion in government and private investments, includes not just the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site, but also two new malls filled with upscale retailers, thousands of new hotel rooms and dozens of eateries ranging from the new Italian marketplace Eataly to a French food hall, Le District. The statistics alone are stunning. There are

Sept. 1, 2016

[Travel Bits] Round up of travel news from around the world

Water splash parade at EverlandEverland is hosting the Summer Splash and Fantastic Summer Night festival, which is packed with programs such as splash parades, fireworks and a 3-D mapping show every night. During the day, guests can enjoy Jack’s Splash Parade, which sprays 84 tons of water from 40 water cannons and six floats, three times a day. At night when the heat dies down, the park’s Rose Garden will be turned into a midsummer night’s dream paradise as the garden is transformed into a fest

Aug. 26, 2016

Surfer heaven: Kauai’s north shore

The surf instructor Rick, sitting next to us, points out to vast ocean as we sit in the crystal-clear water, where he’s pushing a few beginners into waves.“A few months ago, there were 60-foot (18-meter) waves crashing right here,” he said, gazing out to where it looked more like a lake on a recent day in May. “This past winter was one of the best we’ve had for waves.”As summer started this year, locals were still feeling a hangover from their epic El Nino-driven winter. Stories flowed of how wi

Aug. 26, 2016

[Around the hotels] Round up of hotel events and news

Relaxing Chuseok Package at Banyan Tree Club & Spa SeoulIn celebration of Chuseok, Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul will be offering the Relaxing Chuseok Package for those staying at the hotel from Sept. 9-18. Starting at 590,000 won per night, guests who choose to stay at the Banyan Full Deluxe Room, Namsan Full Deluxe Room, Namsan Full Premier Room, Namsan Full Suite or the Namsan Full Premier Suite will be offered free breakfast for two at the Granum Dining Lounge, discount coupons to the Banyan

Aug. 26, 2016

Giant cruise ship heads to Arctic on pioneering journey

LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- It is a voyage explorers only dreamed of not so long ago.But thanks to climate change, a luxury cruise ship has undertaken a pioneering journey that will see it sail through the once impassable Northwest Passage during a monthlong trip that is drawing much excitement but also criticism from environmentalists.The Crystal Serenity, which set off from Seward, Alaska on Aug. 16 with nearly 1,000 passengers, is scheduled to dock in New York on Sept. 17.The ship made its last Alas

Aug. 25, 2016

Some vacation spots quietly benefit as travelers avoid Zika

NEW YORK (AP) -- With government officials now warning pregnant women to avoid Miami Beach in addition to Puerto Rico, some sun seekers are desperately scrambling for a Zika-free vacation.And that has left other tourist destinations to capitalize -- quietly.Travel experts say families worried about Zika are now looking to Arizona and Southern California to get some sun, along with cooler weather locales such as New England and Canada.The Zika virus is transmitted by mosquitoes or through sex wit

Aug. 25, 2016

[Travel Bits] Round up of travel news from around the world

Water splash parade at Everland　 Everland is paying tribute to the days of summer this year as the amusement park and resort play host to the Summer Splash and Fantastic Summer Night festival. The festival is jam-packed with various programs like splash parades, fireworks and a 3-D mapping show held every night. 　During the day, guests can enjoy Jack’s Splash Parade, which sprays 84 tons of water from 40 water cannons and six floats, three times a day. Then later at night when the heat dies down

Aug. 19, 2016

Nestled in greenery, Suncheon offers look into the past

History still breathes in Sucheon.Located in South Jeolla Province, the mid-size city of nearly 280,000 residents boasts well-preserved traces of the Joseon era, a period when it served as one of the crucial administrative towns of the kingdom. The city also houses the centuries-old Songgwangsa Temple, considered one of the three jewels of Korean Buddhism.Today, the city’s environmental conservation efforts have cultivated biodiversity unparalleled to that found in urban areas: Suncheon boasts n

Aug. 12, 2016

[Travel Bits] Round up of travel news from around the world

 Water splash parade at EverlandEverland is paying tribute to the days of summer this year as the amusement park and resort play host to the Summer Splash and Fantastic Summer Night festival. The festival is jam-packed with various programs like splash parades, fireworks and a 3-D mapping show held every night. During the day, guests can enjoy Jack’s Splash Parade, which sprays 84 tons of water from 40 water cannons and six floats, three times a day. Then later at night when the heat dies down,

Aug. 12, 2016

Shilla Jeju presents ‘adults only’ swimming pool

After a large number of requests from hotel guests to establish an adults-only pool area, the Shilla Jeju luxury resort has done just that.Earlier this June, the hotel established its new outdoor “adults pool” in the tranquil, tropical ambiance of the Soombi Garden just in time for one of the country’s hottest summers on record.The pool area also comes fully equipped with cabanas and a poolside bar, serving up a wide variety of cocktails and fine-dining meals.  “Our focus for the adult pool is n

Aug. 12, 2016

[Around the hotels] Round up of hotel events and news

Juice It Up Gangnam Set at Park Hyatt SeoulTo help guests reenergize in the midst of peak summer heat, Park Hyatt Seoul is presenting the Juice It Up Gangnam Set promotion at the hotel restaurant The Lounge from now until Aug. 31. The package starts at 70,000 per person for both lunch and dinner, and includes a three-course meal, offering a modern twist to iconic Korean dishes like hoe (raw fish), grilled premium beef, tteokgalbi (grilled short-rib patties), injeolmi (rice cake) ice cream, and m

Aug. 12, 2016

Feeling the heat: public saunas cool again in Finland

HELSINKI (AFP) - Is stripping down and getting sweaty with strangers your kind of thing? In Finland, despite an astounding 2 million private saunas, the hottest trend sweeping the sweat tank loving country is public saunas.They’re Helsinki’s coolest spots this summer, drawing Finns and tourists of all ages to unwind on wooden benches in slick waterfront locales where the mercury hits at least 80 degrees Celsius.A trendy new boutique sauna called Loyly (Finnish for “Steam”) opened its doors on th

Aug. 11, 2016

War tourism in Afghanistan: adventure or reckless hedonism?

KABUL (AFP) -- Thousands of people are fleeing the conflict roiling Afghanistan, but American backpacker John Milton recently made the reverse journey to the war-ravaged country -- for a holiday.Armed with little more than travel guidebooks and an unflagging spirit of adventure, hardy bands of “war tourists” such as Milton visit Afghanistan’s pristine mountains and medieval ruins every year, ignoring warnings of kidnappings and bombings.A Taliban attack on Thursday on a group of American and Eur

Aug. 8, 2016

[Travel Bits] Round up of travel news from around the world

Nighttime walk in JeonjuOne of the country’s most traditional cities, Jeonju is gearing up to host its first “Walk in Jeonju (Heritage Night and Heritage Story)” nighttime sightseeing and walking tour event. From Aug. 12 to 13 and Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, Jeonju’s historic Hanok Village will welcome local and international visitors to attend its unique nighttime festivities. The upcoming event will include free outdoor performances, movie screenings and light shows, as well as moonlight tours to some

July 29, 2016

Pyeongchang’s Yongpyong Resort has all one’s summer needs

Although it is located in the country’s mecca of winter sports, the iconic Yongpyong Resort is pulling out all the stops celebrating the summer season. Opened in 1975, the resort located at the foot of Mount Balwangsan in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, was the first ever modern facility of its kind in Korea. With an annual snowfall of around 250 cm, and the site of the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics, the surrounding area of the resort allows for the enjoyment of a wide array of winter sports incl

July 29, 2016