Middle East airspace closures and reroutings have disrupted thousands of flights and triggered emergency consular guidance for travelers in the region due to the current Iran war, which has correlated to ItsEasy.com Passport & Visa Services experiencing a significant increase in urgent traveler support requests, especially for last-minute visa checks, emergency passport renewals, and itinerary-related document reviews.
Antoinette Leon, COO & SVP of ItsEasy.com Passport & Visa Services,elaborates on this increase, while explaining how the current global conflict has spurred delays in travel document issuance and made global routing more fragile. She also details the specific consequences of self-filing for travel documents right now and her 3 top tips for travelers navigating international trips during these conflicts.
On spikes in specific ItsEasy.com service requests due to the conflicts:
Since the latest Middle East escalation and resulting reroutings, we have seen a large increase in urgent travel document requests, especially for last-minute visa checks, emergency passport renewals, and itinerary-related travel document reviews. That increase is supported by the broader reality that Middle East airspace closures and reroutings have disrupted thousands of flights and triggered emergency consular guidance for travelers in the region.
We have seen a surge in urgent requests from U.S.-based travelers whose itineraries included Gulf, South Asia, and Europe-Asia connections, especially when airline changes suddenly altered stopovers, entry timing, or document requirements.
As many flights between Europe, Asia, and the Gulf are being rerouted via Egypt,travelers are dealing with cancellations and limited options instead of normal schedules.
People are getting stuck and suddenly needing a transit visa. We are seeing more travelers ask us to review whether a rerouted connection changes their visa exposure, if they can stilltransit cleanly, and if they need to shift quickly from self-service to expert support.
How multiple conflicts have made global routing more fragile:
The most immediate travel shock right now is clearly the current March 2026 Iran war and resulting disruption across Gulf airspace, which has directly affected airports, flight paths, advisories, and commercial operations. The attacks affected Dubai and broader Gulf aviation, while governments including the U.S. and UK have updated warnings and consular guidance for travelers in the Middle East.
That said, multiple worldwide conflicts have already made global routing more fragile, so each new escalation creates problems for visas, transit assumptions, and schedule reliability. The current disruption is intensified because airlines had already been avoiding other conflict zones, making Iranian and Iraqi overflight routes more important before this latest escalation.
How global conflicts have spurred delays in travel document issuance:
The conflict has resulted in delays in travel document issuance,even when the visa rules themselves have not formally changed. The biggest drivers are flight disruptions, changes in embassy or consular operations, traveler backlogs, and the need for emergency guidance as governments respond to evolving security conditions.
Visa demand is rising most in:
Europe (Schengen)
Asia (Thailand, Japan, Vietnam)
India
China
Brazil
The consequences of self-filing for travel documents right now:
1. Travelers often submit for travel documents based on the trip they originally booked, not the trip they are actually taking after cancellations, route changes, or emergency rebookings.
In a normal season, this can be inconvenient, but during a conflict-driven disruption cycle, it can lead to missed flights, denied boarding, incorrect visa type selection, invalid timing, or failure to prepare for revised transit or entry requirements.Governments are actively warning that conditions are changing quickly, and flights through the Middle East are not operating as they would under normal planning assumptions.
2. Self-filers may miss the insurance, advisory, and overstay implications of staying longer than planned or traveling against updated guidance.UK guidance for Oman notes overstay fines, and broader travel advice reporting warns that insurance coverage may be affected when travelers go against government advisories.
Leon’s 3 top tips for travelers navigating international trips during these conflicts:
1. Treat your itinerary as provisional until departure. Travelers should repeatedly re-check airline status, transit points, and official advisories in the days before flying because routes through the Gulf and between Europe and Asia have been changing quickly, with cancellations, resumptions, and detours all happening in short succession.
2. Review your document position against your backup routing, not just your original ticket.If your carrier diverts you through a different hub or forces an overnight connection, the key question becomes whether your passport validity, visa status, or entry eligibility still work for the revised trip. That is where professional review matters most, because conflict-driven rerouting can create a document problem even when the traveler did everything right for the original booking.
3. Avoid leaving document fixes until you reach the airport counter. In the current environment, the gap between “I think I’m fine” and “I am not boardable” can be very small, especially when advisories, airline rules, and immigration expectations are shifting. Travelers should verify requirements in advance and use expert help for urgent passport renewals, visa corrections, and application review when timing is tight.
Why using a passport, visa service like ItsEasy.com is important today:
As international travel becomes more complex, travelers often need assistance navigating visa requirements, passport renewals, and urgent travel documentation. ItsEasy.com streamlines the process by offering services such as expedited passport processing, visa assistance for numerous countries, and expert guidance on evolving travel requirements.
With constantly changing regulations and entry policies, having professional support can save travelers crucial time and prevent frustration and stress. Whether preparing for an unexpected trip, renewing an expiring passport, or securing the correct visa, services ItsEasy.com offers help ensure travelers are fully prepared before they depart. In a world where global events can quickly reshape travel plans, having reliable passport and visa support is becoming more valuable than ever.
Is the increase in passport applications related to concern over needing to prove citizenship to vote?
So far, the increase in passport applications is not related to fear of needing one to vote. The surge is mainly driven by travel demand, visa requirements, global uncertainty and proof of citizenship if stopped by ICE. Having Passport Card on you at all times is highly recommended.
One of my favorite things about travel is how you stumble upon revelations – “eureka moments”. One of these came on my Discovery Bicycle Tours’ Coastal Maine trip in which I joined the swelling trend of women traveling solo (bike tours are ideal for this). We stopped at the Seal Cove Auto Museum where the exhibit, “Engines of Change: A Suffrage Centennial.” honored the 100th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage. What was so fascinating was learning that the bicycle, and later the car, were instrumental in the movement’s ultimate victory in winning the right to vote because it gave women the freedom and mobility to travel outside their own cocoons and spread the word. (Mobility is inherent in the very word “movement”.)
Another interesting fact: it was Bertha Benz, inventor, business partner and wife of Karl Benz, who, fed up with her husband’s endless tinkering and reticence to take his invention on the road, on August 5, 1888, grabbed her children and became the first person to drive an automobile over a long distance (65 miles) – an astonishing break with social norms of the time.
Indeed, women are powering a growing movement toward solo travel, and travel companies are adapting – not only creating women-only tours and departures, but suspending single supplements on certain departures, or facilitating a shared room (with same-sex person) to avoid paying the single supplement.
Solo travel – dominated by women travelers – continues to surge in popularity, with more travelers jetting off on journeys alone. In the United States, the Solo Travel market, valued at $95 billion in 2024, is expected to reach $192 billion by 2030 according to Research and Markets.
While women-only travel companies developed early on, when women were uncomfortable traveling alone on a trip that likely would have couples or catered to men, as the culture has accepted that women are independent and as women have come to be independent and confident travelers, they have been seeking out the active, immersive, experiential and adventure travel programs that span the world. Now the active and adventure travel companies (hiking, biking and the like) are catering to solo travelers without distinction, though most of solo travelers are women (and women of a certain age).
These programs open up the world to women, who might like to travel alone, but not actually on their own, and immerse in exotic locales and cultures, get as physical as they like or go at a comfortable pace. Places as far flung as Bhutan, Uzbekistan, the Serengeti, Antarctica are no longer out of reach.
“Solo travel doesn’t have to mean traveling alone,” said Terry Dale, president and CEO of United States Tour Operators Association. “Rather than navigating a destination entirely on their own, solo travelers can join guided tours that let them connect not only with the places they visit, but also with like-minded explorers.”
Many members of The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) cater to solo travelers with dedicated itineraries, programming, and waived solo supplements that remove some of the traditional barriers of traveling on one’s own. Here is a sampling of tours tailored to solo travelers by USTOA tour operator members:
G Adventures’ Solo-ish Adventures have reimagined solo group travel by placing community at the core with front-loaded itineraries to encourage quick connection. All of G Adventures’ Solo-ish Adventures are led by female guides and include a “Me Day” for independent exploration. The trips are designed exclusively for solo travelers aged 18 and up – 68 percent of whom are female. “No more worrying about being the odd one out — you’ll be travelling with a community of people stepping out on their own to welcome whatever the world brings their way.” There is an emphasis on providing security and safety to alleviate the main concern about traveling solo – such as complimentary arrival transfer to your first hotel. The tours also offer a discounted My Own Room option. For example, on the 10-day Solo-ish Cambodia tour, travelers trek through the lush jungles of the Cardamom Mountains, dive into the turquoise waters of Koh Rong, and indulge in local cuisine (from $1,349 pp). Other new tours: Solo-ish Sicily (8-days, $1784); Solo-ish Ecuador (7 days, $1049) as well as programs in Bali, Morocco, India, Belize, Morocco, Costa Rica, Mexico, Vietnam, Jordan, Guatemala, Egypt, Turkey, Nepal, Uzbekistan. “Where’s your heart calling you?’ (https://www.gadventures.com/solo-travel-tours/, 877 982 6201 (24/7), https://www.gadventures.com/)
Goway recently launched a line of itineraries designed specifically for women traveling solo. All trips are tailored for female travelers and the price includes a private room. The 12-day Secrets of India: A Women’s Journey traces northern India’s heritage from Delhi to Agra. Travelers are immersed in Indian culture with small group touring, enriching museum and temple visits, a majestic boat ride in Lake Pichola where white marble palaces frame the shore, and a dining experience at Molecule Air Bar which combines gastronomy with theater. Departures are available in October and November 2026 and January and March 2027, priced from $6,785 pp (goway.com).
EF Go Ahead Tours offers curated trips for solo travelers that include a private room at no added cost, plenty of time to explore independently, as well as group activities designed to maximize bonding between travelers. The Ireland for Solo Travelers tour is a whirlwind cultural immersion with visits to Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Castle, and of course plenty of stops at pubs for pints of Guinness. Each activity is designed to maximize bonding between travelers. Departures available through 2028, starting at $3,409 (goaheadtours.com)
For solo travelers seeking value and fewer crowds, Globus offers Escapes itineraries with off-season savings and no single supplement on most of its departure dates. The eight-day Swiss Escape begins with sightseeing in Zurich and Neuchâtel with its medieval cathedrals and castles. Next up, spend a few days soaking in the grandeur of Lake Geneva before heading to Lucerne. The tour concludes in Lugano, the city famous for its blend of Swiss and Italian culture. 2026 departure dates are available in October, November, and December with prices starting at $1,799 (globusjourneys.com)
Abercombie & Kent offers 50% on single supplements for select 2026 journeys. The company’s nine-day Glorious Gardens of England and Chelsea Flower Show journey centers on the world-renowned five-day extravaganza of brilliant blooms and expertly designed gardens. Guests will visit English castles and estates known for their immaculately designed grounds including an exclusive tour of Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, where you’ll tour areas typically closed to the public. Departs on May 13, 2026, price starts at $19,193 with single supplement savings (abercrombiekent.com)
More than 70 percent of passengers on Wild Frontiers’ small group tours are solo adventurers. Not only will Wild Frontiers match a solo traveler to share a room (to avoid paying a supplement), periodically the company will reduce or waive the supplement if there is no one to match, and, periodically, waives the supplement on select tours booked (a discount up to 100% of the supplement is presently running through March). Examples: Guatemala: Tikal & Beyond,16 days from $4,478; Mongolia: Nomads Of The Steppe,10 days, from $3954;Tanzania: Safari, Serengeti & Maasai Heartlands,10 days from $5499; Oman Desert Adventure: Wahiba Sands & Empty Quarter, 12 days from $5,451; Viva Colombia, 12 days from $5,375. Also: Georgia and Armenia, experience the Silk Road in China, or go to the other end of the trade route to Turkey.
“Traveling solo rarely means traveling alone. On our small-group tours, you’ll share extraordinary moments with like-minded travelers — then retreat to your own space when you need to reflect and recharge. You can travel as a single traveler on any of our vacations, from our escorted tours to our walking vacations.”(wildfrontierstravel.com, info@wildfrontiers.co.uk)
As it happens, because of demographics, the ardent traveling seniors who join Road Scholars (formerly known as Elderhostel) educational and experiential tours are often traveling solo and of these, a majority are women.
I have loved traveling solo on bike tours, where inevitably I am welcomed into the group, which tend to be small and caring (it could also be something self-selective about bike tour people). Also the ready availability of e-bikes level the playing field in physical ability to tackle hills or distance. Among the companies: Discovery Bicycle Tours (discoverybicycletours.com), BoatBikeTours (boatbiketours.com), Wilderness Voyageurs (wilderness-voyageurs.com). In addition, special experiences like the annual eight-day biking/camping Cycle the Erie trip organized by Parks and Trails NY (ptny.org) afford a phenomenal solo-but-part-of-group experience.
For a similar reason, river and canal cruises aboard small ships and barge hotels are also ideal for solo travelers..
For 2026, Tauck is removing the biggest obstacle to solo travel – the dreaded “single supplement”. Tauck is removing the single supplement on all Category 1 cabins for all its European river cruises (250+ departures in 2026), and offering up to $1,000 off single supplements on higher category cabins. This includes its new Bordeaux, Paris, & The Seine, sailing aboard the newly launched ms Serene. In addition, Tauck is offering single supplement savings up to $600 across more than 100 land journeys spanning Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and North America trips including the new A Week In… Nova Scotia (tauck.com).
Women are embracing solo travel in a big way. Google searches for “solo female travel” jumped 44% in 2025 compared to the year before.
But while more women are eager to explore on their own, safety is still the top priority when choosing where to go especially as global events continue to shape traveler confidence.
InsureMyTrip took a closer look at the safest cities for women traveling solo. Using data from the Numbeo Crime & Safety Index, researchers focused on what matters most to women traveling alone: how safe it feels to walk alone (day and night), and lower risks of mugging, robbery, or physical attack.
The 5 Safest Cities for Solo Female Travelers in 2026
Taipei, Taiwan
Tampere, Finland
Tartu, Estonia
Lugano, Switzerland
Hong Kong
(While Muscat, Oman ranked #2 overall in the data, it has been excluded from this ranking due to the evolving situation in the Middle East. The data was collected prior to the current conflict.)
“Women traveling solo aren’t just looking at things like attractions and affordability, they’re asking, ‘Will I feel safe walking back to my hotel at night?’” said InsureMyTrip CEO Suzanne Morrow. “This ranking really zeroes in on the everyday safety factors that shape how comfortable women feel while traveling solo.”
Hundreds of thousands of Americans found themselves stranded without immediate, clear evacuation plans after airspace closed and flights were cancelled in major hubs including Dubai, Doha, Amman and Tel Aviv. Some 500,000 to 1 million U.S. nationals were living in or visiting the Middle East when the US and Israel launched its attack on Iran on February 28 without warning and without preparation or planning for getting civilians out of harm’s way.
Travelers in a dozen countries were impacted: Israel, Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates.
With many Mideast countries lacking a US ambassador, and many embassies closed, they had little support. As of March 7, just 27,000 Americans were able to return home. The U.S. State Department, which days later set up a telephone number for people to register for assistance, reported having “directly assisted” nearly 13,000 Americans with security guidance or charter evacuation flights.
Ongoing Situation: Thousands remain in the region under a “Depart Now” advisory, with many relying on private groups or commercial flights as they become available. Israel was providing bus transportation to Egypt and Jordan for Americans to connect to flights.
The State Department was advising U.S. citizens in Iran in need of help to call the State Department at +1-202-501-4444 to receive departure information and assistance, or contact the U.S. Embassy in Bern, Switzerland by email at BernACS@state.gov or phone +41-31-357-7011. Since the U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Swiss government, acting through its embassy in Tehran, is serving as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran.
Also, the State Department advised that the Armenian land border at Agarak/Norduz was open. U.S. citizens entering Armenia from Iran need a valid U.S. passport and may stay for up to 180 days visa-free. U.S. dual-nationals who plan to enter Armenia on an American, Iranian or Armenian passport do not require advance approval. Taxis are available from Agarak to surrounding cities and to Yerevan.
The Turkish land border crossings with Iran are open (Gürbulak/Bazargan, Kapıköy/Razi, and Esendere/Serow) for entry by Turkish and third country nationals.
Rising Global Travel Risks Drive Increase in Travelers’ Security Membership Purchases
Growing concerns about safety, instability and unpredictability in international travel are driving a significant increase in Global Rescue security memberships. From January 1 through March 5, security + travel membership purchases increased 29% compared to the same period in 2025.
The surge reflects a broader shift in traveler behavior as individuals seek professional security support and crisis response capabilities before traveling internationally. The purchasing trend aligns with findings from the Global Rescue Winter 2026 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey, which showed that most travelers expect international travel in 2026 to be more dangerous or increasingly unpredictable compared to pre-2020 conditions.
According to the survey, 38% of travelers say international travel danger in 2026 will be unpredictable and 36% believe it will be more dangerous. Only 1% believe international travel will be less dangerous.
“Travelers are clearly signaling that uncertainty and instability are influencing how they plan international trips,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies and a member of the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the US Department of Commerce. “More people want professional support behind them before they travel — access to intelligence, crisis response teams and the ability to get help quickly if conditions deteriorate.”
“These perceptions are shaping behavior,” Richards said. “Travelers are not necessarily staying home, but they are becoming more deliberate about preparation and risk management. Security memberships provide a safety net that gives travelers direct access to experienced security professionals when situations become volatile.”
Global Rescue’s Security Membership includes 24/7 access to teams of military special operations veterans and intelligence experts; real-time alerts and destination-specific security advisories’ and mergency response and extraction services during conflict, civil unrest and security crises.
“Travelers are seeing increasing headlines about conflict, political instability and security threats in multiple regions,” Richards said. “In that environment, having a professional crisis response capability is becoming an essential part of international travel planning.”
With nearly 14,000 flights canceled from large airports in 10 countries across the Middle East and hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded in the immediate aftermath of the US-Israel attacks on Iran on February 28, most coverage has focused on stranded passengers and airport shutdowns.
But travelers are learning the hard way that acts of war exclusions and timing of purchase are determining who gets reimbursed and who doesn’t with their travel insurance.
According to InsureMyTrip, an insurance comparison platform that helps travelers find the most appropriate travel insurance for their needs:
Many travelers assume any cancellation is automatically covered, but standard policies don’t work that way.
Travelers who bought insurance after the conflict escalated may not have coverage for cancellations tied directly to the event.
Airlines and government repatriation efforts are playing a major role in helping travelers get home, while insurance often supports with delay benefits, assistance services, and reimbursement when eligible.
Interest in Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrades is increasing as travelers look for more flexibility in uncertain global situations.
“This moment is less about insurance failing, and more about travelers learning how coverage actually works during global disruptions,” the company said.
InsureMyTrip CEO Suzanne Morrow offered this guidance:
Travelers going to, from, or through Middle East hubs right now should stay flexible and informed. Check your flight status directly with the airline before heading to the airport, look for waivers or rebooking options, and enroll in the State Department’s STEP program for real-time updates. Conditions are changing quickly, so having a backup plan is important.
Timing of purchase matters because once an event is considered “foreseeable,” new travel insurance policies typically won’t cover losses tied directly to it. That’s why we always encourage travelers to buy coverage early, ideally right after making the first trip deposit, so they have the broadest protection and options like Cancel for Any Reason.
There’s also a difference between cancellation coverage and travel delay support. Cancellation coverage may reimburse prepaid, nonrefundable costs if you can’t take the trip for a covered reason. Travel delay benefits help if you’re stuck mid-trip, covering things like meals, hotels, or transportation while you wait. Both are helpful, but they apply in different situations.
To protect reimbursement options, travelers should review their policy now, keep receipts for any extra expenses, and document delays or cancellations. It’s also smart to check airline and hotel policies first, since many are offering flexibility that can solve the issue without filing a claim.
If you’re already traveling and a crisis happens, whether political unrest, war, terrorism, climate events, or a pandemic, safety comes first. Follow guidance from local authorities and your embassy and register for alerts if you haven’t already. Travel insurance doesn’t arrange government evacuations, but many plans include 24/7 emergency assistance services that can help you understand your options, coordinate care, and navigate next steps. Depending on the situation and the policy, some travelers may have trip interruption benefits if they need to cut a trip short, but coverage always depends on the specific policy and circumstances.
“The bottom line: know your destination, know your coverage, and give yourself flexibility whenever possible,” Morrow advises.
InsureMyTrip expects a surge in travel insurance claims as frustrated fliers try to recoup losses. While the company doesn’t handle claims directly, its experts are offering guidance to help travelers avoid common mistakes that could slow down, or sink, their reimbursement.
Here’s what travelers need to know:
Not everything’s covered: Travel insurance isn’t a “catch-all.” Always read the fine print to understand exclusions.
Paperwork matters: Missing receipts, reports, or proof of expenses are top reasons for denial. Don’t delay: Waiting too long to file can make a claim ineligible. Save everything: Receipts, doctor’s notes, police reports, and unused tickets are key for a smooth process.
File online: Digital submissions are often faster and easier to track.
Bonus tip: InsureMyTrip customers get free access to a claim advocate, a service that reviews denied claims, contacts the provider, and assists with appeals.
Cancel For Any Reason Insurance
Just three months into 2026, several global events have already upended travel plans and left many uncertain about their upcoming trips. From the ongoing government shutdown to the unrest in the Middle East, travelers are increasingly prioritizing flexibility when planning.
According to Squaremouth, a leading travel insurance comparison platform, interest in Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage has surged roughly 27% since the start of March amid recent global events.
Despite its name, the add-on offers more flexibility than travelers may realize, extending well beyond impulsive cancellations. This benefit functions as an extension of standard cancellation coverage, allowing travelers to cancel for reasons standard policies typically exclude and still receive partial reimbursement for prepaid, non-refundable trip costs.
While exact exclusions vary by policy and provider, common scenarios where standard coverage may fall short, and CFAR can step in, include:
Unsafe travel conditions, but no official government closures or travel bans
Voluntary job changes or schedule conflicts
Traveling despite receiving a doctor’s orders to remain home
Financial constraints that arise after a trip is booked
Simply changing your mind and deciding not to travel
“Travel insurance policies with the CFAR upgrade provide the most flexibility to cancel your trip,” shares Chrissy Valdez, Senior Director of Operations at Squaremouth. “This upgrade typically increases a policy’s cost by about 40% to 50%, but we’ve already seen how valuable that added flexibility can be for travelers affected by major events in 2026.”
Important Eligibility Requirements
“Travelers need to know that CFAR is not a standalone policy and is only available as an upgrade to a comprehensive plan,” Valdez continues. “In most cases, it must be purchased within 14 to 21 days of your initial trip deposit, depending on the provider.”
“That said, while this may be the only benefit that provides flexibility where standard coverage falls short, it does have limitations. CFAR typically reimburses between 50% and 75% of prepaid, non-refundable trip costs, requires travelers to insure 100% of their trip expenses, and generally requires cancellation at least two to three days before departure,” she adds.
As global events continue to impact travel in 2026, Squaremouth encourages travelers to consider adding CFAR to their coverage for greater flexibility and financial protection.
Learn more about the Best Cancel For Any Reason Insurance for 2026 here.
Travel insurance is an important investment for big-ticket trips like cruises, tours, safari, renting a home and for international travel. One of the most important reasons to purchase travel insurance is for the medical coverage – especially evacuation in the case of a medical emergency – since your health insurance policy including Medicare do not cover medical services when you travel abroad.
Squaremouth, a leading travel insurance comparison platform, wants travelers to understand how travel insurance can protect travelers if they fall ill and their trip is disrupted:
If You’re Too Sick to Travel: If you, your travel companion, or a non-traveling family member gets sick before your trip, you could cancel your trip and be covered by a comprehensive travel insurance plan under the Trip Cancellation benefit. This benefit can reimburse you for 100% of your prepaid and non-refundable trip costs, including flights, hotels, tours, excursions, and more.
If You’re Too Sick to Finish Your Trip: If you get sick while on your trip and need to go home early, the Trip Interruption benefit can reimburse you for unused trip expenses, plus the additional transportation costs you incur to get home. Typically, this benefit covers at least 100% of your unused, prepaid, non-refundable trip costs. However, some plans even cover between 125 – 200%.
If You Need Medical Treatment While Traveling: It’s important to understand that most domestic healthcare insurance plans will not cover you abroad. However, emergency medical insurance can cover the costs of medical treatment during your trip if you get sick or are injured, including hospital stays, doctor visits, and prescription medications.
More serious cases could require emergency evacuation to a suitable medical facility, especially if you’re traveling in a remote destination or on a cruise. Medical Evacuation coverage, which is included with most travel insurance plans, can pay for transportation to a hospital in the event of a medical emergency or even back to the U.S.
If You Change Your Mind About Traveling: While concerns about traveling for fear of getting sick or simply no longer wanting to travel during flu season are not covered reasons under standard travel insurance policies, travelers can purchase optional add-on benefits like Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) and Interruption For Any Reason (IFAR). These benefits provide the most flexibility, allowing travelers to cancel or shorten their trip for any reason and receive partial reimbursement, typically 50-75% of insured trip costs. It’s important to note that these benefits are time-sensitive and must be purchased within 14-21 days of your initial trip deposit date.
Because travel insurance provides coverage for unforeseen events, it’s crucial to buy a policy early to maximize your coverage. For coverage to apply to getting sick, such as with the flu, you must be healthy and able to travel at the time of purchasing your policy.
For a more in-depth overview, Squaremouth’s ‘Does Travel Insurance Cover the Flu?‘ article provides a deep dive into how travel insurance may apply to the flu, including coverage explanations and answers to frequently asked questions.
SOVENTURE Warns Travelers of Hidden Coverage Gaps in Popular Vacation Activities
Turning now to more mundane vacation travel planning, SOVENTURE is highlighting frequently overlooked gaps in travel insurance coverage that can affect families, cruisers, honeymooners, and other leisure travelers.
Popular vacation activities such as snorkeling, ziplining, hiking, parasailing, skiing, snowboarding, water skiing, and ATV or UTV excursions are often classified as “risky” by insurers, which can lead to coverage exclusions under many traditional travel insurance policies.
Some of the most common coverage gaps involve experiences that feel routine, family-friendly, or low-risk:
Cruise and Tour Excursions – Activities sold directly by cruise lines or resorts are often assumed to be automatically covered, but that is not always the case. Even widely booked excursions can fall outside standard policy coverage, depending on how an insurer classifies the activity.
Motorized Vehicles – Another common blind spot involves motorized vehicle rentals and guided excursions. Many travelers don’t consider a scooter ride, guided ATV tour, or Jet Ski rental risky, but insurers often do, especially when traveling outside the United States.
SOVENTURE policies explicitly includes a wide range of popular vacation activities; covers excursions sold by cruise lines or resorts; offers strong medical and emergency evacuation coverage; and clearly defines what is and isn’t covered.
More information at https://www.soventure.com/explore-plans/
Finding Best Travel Insurance to Meet Your Needs
InsureMyTrip.com is one of three platforms which travel guru Pauline Frommer recommends where you can put in the details of your trip and personal details (age is key), and get a bullet-list comparison of insurance policies. The others are SquareMouth.com and TravelInsurance.com (which I used to obtain a quote, comparison and link directly to the insurance company to complete the purchase)
“No one company is best for every trip,” she advised at the New York Travel & Adventure Show. “Usually the one in the middle that covers the most things is the best.”
Also, she warns, “Never buy insurance through the company you are traveling with.”
By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com
In our “Where to Go: International” column, Antoinette Leon, COO & SVP ofItsEasy.com Passport & Visa Services recommended five destinations (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Vietnam and Brazil) to visit in 2026, which prompted these additional questions about the passport, visa process. If you are among the 50 percent of Americans who do not yet hold a passport, or among the millions who must renew after 10 years, here are valuable tips and information for anyone contemplating traveling abroad in 2026:
How hard is it to renew passports these days with all the issues of the Trump administration?
President Biden’s Executive Order enabled renewing qualifying passports online, now with limited availability, without the need to submit any documents through the mail. More recently, the Trump Administration issued a mandate for exactness and accuracy of the applicant’s identity and sex, based solely on official birth records, followed by required certified and registered official documents should there have been subsequent legal name change(s). All passport applicants must understand that routine or expedited applications can slow without much warning. Even small issues, such as a photo error, a name mismatch, or a tight timeline can become a bigger headache in a system under pressure.
How hard/easy is it to do the renewal using the online system, and what can go wrong?
Convenient? Yes. Foolproof? No. The online passport renewal system is a game-changer when it works but it doesn’t work for everyone. Name changes, lost or damaged passports, child passports are not eligible for OPR. Rejected photos and technical glitches can instantly disqualify you or stall your application. Payment processing errors and upload failures happen more often than you’d think. If you’re on a deadline and something goes sideways, a small mistake can snowball into a travel-canceling disaster.
ItsEasy.com offers a new “All Inclusive” OPR Concierge Service, where we examine each customer’s application to ensure it will be successfully renewed, and includes the required photos via the ItsEasy Passport Renewal & Photo App ($39.95).
How much in advance of the expiration date in passport do you recommend starting?
Since select countries require that a passport be valid for at least 3 to 6 months (depending upon the country) upon arrival back to the United States, it makes sense to start your passport renewal at least six months before it expires.
Many countries won’t let you in if your passport is less than 6 months away from its expiration date upon return to the US, regardless of whether your airline clears you for boarding (some countries require only 3 months).
Cut it too close and you’ll be watching your dream trip evaporate. Renewing early keeps your travel options wide open, your stress levels low, and avoids unnecessary government expedite fees.
Have any countries responded to Trump’s crackdown on issuing visas and raising fees, and country bans, with new restrictions on the US?
When the U.S. tightens visa restrictions, hikes fees, or adds new barriers, other nations often retaliate with their own requirements. This doesn’t always mean full-blown visa mandates, but you’ll see more digital registrations, entry fees, and enhanced screening for American travelers. These policy shifts can happen quickly and without much warning, so staying informed is critical before you book that flight.
What places don’t require Americans to get a visa? – like the UK, Europe?
Americans still enjoy visa-free access to popular spots like the UK, Europe’s Schengen Zone, Japan, and much of Latin America. But “visa-free” is evolving. Many of these destinations now require electronic travel authorizations, like the UK’s ETA or Europe’s ETIAS, before you arrive. It’s not a traditional visa, but it’s definitely not zero paperwork anymore. Even when you don’t need a visa, expect to register digitally in advance.
What are the advantages of getting the Global Entry, vs. TSA?
TSA PreCheck gets you through U.S. airport security faster. But Global Entry is the power move for international travelers. It includes everything TSA PreCheck offers, plus you skip the brutal customs lines when you return home. Biometric kiosks let you breeze through immigration, shaving off what can be hours of waiting. If you travel abroad even once or twice a year, Global Entry pays for itself in time and sanity saved.
What is the difference in applying for TSA vs Global Entry besides the cost? What is the renewal process like? Can you still walk into a Staples?
TSA PreCheck -Valid for 5 years, it’s a luxury which, in most cases, tends to aid the airport check-in process at ALL domestic airports regardless of Travel Destination. $75-$85.
While approval for TSA PreCheck could take up to 30 days, most often the applicant will be approved within 24-72 hours via email to which the applicant’s new Known Traveler Number (KTN) is sent. You enter this special number when purchasing an airline ticket.
Three companies have been approved to roll out the TSA PreCheck Program: Idemia; Telos, & Clear, which have partnered with Office Depot and Staples. ItsEasy.com also has partnered with Telos Corp and currently provides TSA PreCheck Enrollment Services at its Grand Central and Rockefeller Center locations.
Global Entry – Valid for 5 years, it’s designed to aid and greatly expedite the reentry into the USA at almost all domestic Airports with a provision for International Arrivals.
The application process is deep and the final interview is often only done at select major US airports by a US Customs Entry Officer trained specifically for this most critical evaluation process.
The Global Entry application process begins online only at the Government’s specific website: ttp.dhs.gov. Be aware: many applicants get lured into fraudulent online sites with GOV in the website name, release private information, and then get charged double to fill out the same government questionnaire. ONLY a dhs site ending in dot gov (.gov) will be safe.
When is it advised to use a passport, visa agency such as yours? Are there some countries that are trickier? Examples?
If your timeline is tight, the rules are dense, and a single missing detail could derail your plan, that’s when an agency like ItsEasy.com becomes essential. Countries such as China, Russia, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Kenya are known for layered visa requirements, frequent policy shifts, and strict documentation standards that can trip up even experienced travelers. Passport issues add another layer of complexity, urgent renewals, child passports, name-change corrections, or lost and damaged passports often involve rigid government rules and little margin for error. A professional agency navigates both the visa and passport compliance maze, flags issues early, and monitors changes in real time. When the stakes are high and the margin for error is razor-thin, professional guidance is worth the extra expense.
In the old days, you had to send away your passport for renewal, during which time you couldn’t travel abroad. Is that still the case? (I’m a travel writer and can’t be without my passport for any period of time).
The policy is still the same. The only new option available to renew adult passports under “select guidelines” is the OPR – Online Passport Renewal Program. However, regardless of whether you send away your passport for Renewal Processing, or you qualify for, and make use of, the new government OPR Program, your passport is no longer valid for use. Despite the fact that you are still in physical possession of your passport when using the OPR System, your passport should be considered canceled and invalid the moment you press the program’s online SUBMIT button.
Oftentimes, executives, journalists, students, etc find themselves in a situation whereby they must travel while their current passport is being processed for renewal, or has been submitted pending a foreign visa. A second valid passport is a privilege granted to those applicants that can prove that they have travel conflicts that will require the issuance of a second valid passport.
Do you have any comments about how many Americans have a passport and whether interest and numbers have increased/decreased?
About half of all Americans now carry a valid passport, and that number keeps rising. Since 2022, there’s been a noticeable surge in applications, fueled by post-pandemic wanderlust, the rise of remote work, and a generation of younger travelers eager to explore beyond borders. First-time applicants are driving much of this growth. More Americans are thinking globally, and passport ownership is on a clear upward trajectory.
Right now, these five countries are hitting the sweet spot of accessibility, value, and adventure. Saudi Arabia and Egypt are rolling out the red carpet with digital visa systems and spectacular new cultural attractions that rival much of Europe. India and Vietnam continue to deliver incredible bang for your buck, authentic experiences, electronic visa convenience, and landscapes that’ll fill your camera roll. Brazil ties it all together with competitive pricing, excellent air connections from the U.S., and a resurgence in international appeal. From ancient wonders to tropical paradises, these destinations span the globe and welcome both spontaneous weekend travelers and meticulous planners alike.
What do you anticipate for Americans traveling abroad in 2026?
If you’re traveling internationally in 2026, expect a lot more screens, scans, and verification steps. Europe’s Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS authorization program will add new layers of digital checks. Airlines are leaning heavily on biometric systems and automated verification. Border agents everywhere are cracking down on overstays and incomplete documentation. The prepared traveler will breeze through; the unprepared one will get stuck in bottlenecks.
Any comments you would like to add?
With the new REAL ID requirement, for easy access to US airports, the US passport Card is a great option offered to the US consumer that deserves more attention. While it’s easy to apply for at any time, it is a $30 bargain as an additional item request when renewing your passport book.
Not only is it REAL ID compliant for US airport check-in, but it serves as the best daily Proof of ID as it does not display your home address, leaving the knowledge of where you live and how you live remaining private! Leave your Driver’s License securely in your wallet, and it will always be there when you need it.
ItsEasy.com Passport & Visa Services, founded in 1976, is a leading passport and visa expediting company that has processed over 2 million passport and visa applications on behalf of their customers. If there is a problem with an application, ItsEasy.com can interact with the U.S. Government or foreign agencies to resolve problems, for ItsEasy Passport & Photo App offers a safe and cost-effective way to renew a passport. For urgent passports needed within 14 days, ItsEasy.com offers rush services.
Where to go in 2026: Experts offer their recommendations for which international destinations should top your list:
ItsEasy: Top 5 International Destinations for ‘Spontaneous’ Traveler
Antoinette Leon, COO & SVP of ItsEasy.com Passport & Visa Services, offered these five destinations for international travel for 2026 -Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Vietnam, and Brazil – citing factors such as safety standards, great value, tourism infrastructure, range of experiences, and convenient visa processes that make them prime choices for spontaneous travelers:
Saudi Arabia is rapidly redefining itself as a global travel hotspot with surprising ease for visitors. Thanks to a simplified online e-Visa system, travelers can apply, get approved, and pack their bags in a matter of days. Under Vision 2030, the Kingdom has expanded tourism infrastructure with new hotels, resorts, and entertainment zones that rival more established luxury destinations, but at far greater value. Safety standards and visitor services have risen dramatically, particularly in major tourist corridors like Riyadh, Jeddah, and AlUla. For spontaneous travelers seeking a blend of authenticity, comfort, and discovery, Saudi Arabia is a rising star. Unique things to do: Dive among coral reefs off the Red Sea coast, camp beneath starlit dunes in the Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter), and explore AlUla’s ancient rock-carved wonders, often compared to Petra’s lost city. Indulge in a rooftop dinner overlooking Riyadh’s glittering skyline or unwind on untouched islands near Jeddah.
Egypt is a timeless destination that continues to reinvent itself for modern travelers. With the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the largest archaeological museum on Earth, Cairo has reclaimed its place on the world’s cultural stage. Add to that the convenient e-Visa system, accessible flights, and wallet-friendly hotels, and Egypt becomes a spontaneous traveler’s dream. Strong tourism infrastructure, improved safety, and warm winter weather make it ideal for both quick getaways and immersive adventures. Unique things to do: Start at the awe-inspiring Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, where Tutankhamun’s treasures are finally fully displayed. Cruise the Nile on a boutique dahabiya, drift in a sunrise balloon over Luxor’s Valley of the Kings, and dive into the Red Sea’s coral gardens in Marsa Alam.
India welcomes the spur-of-the-moment traveler with open arms, and an efficient e-Tourist Visa system that makes entry quick and digital. The country’s depth of culture, affordability, and range of experiences, from Himalayan peaks to coastal backwaters, means you can craft an unforgettable escape on short notice. Safety and infrastructure continue to improve in major hubs, and the abundance of flights makes internal travel seamless. Unique things to do: Stay in a regal palace-turned-hotel in Rajasthan, glide through Kerala’s backwaters aboard a private houseboat, or explore the lesser-trodden coffee trails of Coorg. For culinary adventurers, join an intimate cooking class in Udaipur or a spice market tour in Delhi.
Vietnam Is compact, affordable, and endlessly fascinating and tailor-made for bold travelers. Its fast-track e-Visa system allows easy entry, while low travel costs and strong tourism infrastructure make short-notice trips stress-free. Whether you crave cultural immersion, tropical coastlines, or street food adventures, Vietnam delivers a full journey in a single, well-connected sweep. Unique things to do: Sail Ha Long Bay’s limestone towers by private sampan, explore Hoi An’s lantern-lit alleys, and zip through Hanoi’s old quarters on a vintage motorbike.
Brazil is the heartbeat of South America, a destination that dances to its own rhythm and welcomes travelers at any moment. From the beaches of Rio to the jungles of the Amazon, it offers vast variety within easy reach. For U.S. travelers, Brazil’s reinstated e-Visa system (as of 2025) simplifies entry and makes last-minute trips entirely feasible. With direct flights from several U.S. cities, world-class hospitality, and relatively low off-peak rates, it’s an ideal getaway that feels both exotic and effortless. Unique things to do: Stroll the bohemian streets of Santa Teresa in Rio, cruise through the flooded forests of the Amazon, or explore the colonial charm of Paraty’s cobblestone alleys. Relax on hidden beaches in Bahia or chase waterfalls through the Chapada Diamantina National Park.
ItsEasy.com Passport & Visa Services, founded in 1976, is known for ItsEasy Passport & Photo App, which offers a safe and cost-effective way to renew a passport. For urgent passports needed within 14 days, ItsEasy.com offers rush services.
Explorateur Journeys: Europe’s Top Five Value Destinations
Explorateur Journeys is recommending these five European destinations for offering some of the best value for dollar as well as compelling interest.
HUNGARY: Think hillside castles, café-lined boulevards, thermal baths steaming under neo-baroque domes, ruin bars glowing at night flanked by storybook towns and vast vineyards.
ALBANIA: Once Europe’s mystery, Albania is now the continent’s rising gem. Its riviera rivals Greece for turquoise water and dramatic cliffs but without the crowds or price tag, while its inland mountains beckon for adventure.
SERBIA: Belgrade’s nightlife has earned global fame but Serbia is all about Roman fortresses, wild river canyons, and traditional kafanas serving slow-cooked perfection. Real, affordable and surprisingly cosmopolitan.
MACEDONIA: Still one of Europe’s best kept secrets, Lake Ohrid is a UNESCO treasure that feels untouched. Add in Skopje’s blend of Ottoman bazaars and bold modern architecture, mountain monasteries, and vineyard-dotted valleys, and you’ve got a country rich in story yet light on your wallet.
ROMANIA: Dracula legends meet Carpathian peaks and medieval citadels in a country where Gothic castles overlook cobblestoned cities like Brașov and Sibiu. Bucharest hums with café life and Art Deco flair, while Transylvania and Maramureș deliver cinematic landscapes.
Annual Matador Network Travel Awards Recognize 12 Top Destinations Worldwide
Twelve winners of the 2025 Matador Network Travel Awards were recently announced by the travel publisher. Half of the dozen honorees were nominated and chosen by criteria developed by the in-house team of Matador world-travel experts, and the other six are Matador readers’ choice honorees. In addition to the five traditional awards, this year marks the inclusion of a new category: Best Wildlife Destination.
“It’s up to each and every individual to make the most of every trip no matter where you go, but the award-winning destinations this year certainly set you up for success,” ,says Matador Network CEO Ross Borden.. “Whether you’re a full-time world traveler or just taking one big trip next year, use this list to plan your 2026.”
Estonia has long been overlooked, but better flight connections and visible progress on sustainable tourism have helped make it Matador’s Next Big Destination. Tartu, its second-largest city, was named the European Capital of Culture 2024.
In Oaxaca, Mexico, adventure is everywhere, from mountain biking the Sierra Norte to surfing the coast.
Over the past few years, the Portuguese island of Madeira has turned itself into an example of what a popular, modern, climate-aware destination can look like.
In Türkiye, wellness is baked into daily life, from weekly hammam rituals and thermal baths to long seaside walks and slow breakfasts that stretch into the afternoon.
The inaugural winner of Best Wildlife Destination is Baja California, where desert mountains fall into two very different bodies of water, like a wildlife corridor you can road-trip.
And because you can’t road-trip everywhere, Qatar is the experts’ choice for Best Airline while Emirates took the top spot among the readers.
Readers selected Albania as their Next Big Destination for its coastal scenery without sticker shock and mountain landscapes that feel genuinely wild.
Patagonia is a place where you can string together multi-day treks, ice hikes, whale watching and long-distance road trips and barely skim the surface.
Costa Rica, home to last year’s experts’ pick for Wellness, is this year’s readers’ choice pick for Best Sustainable Destination.
Rotorua, New Zealand, sits over some of the country’s most active geothermal fields and geysers, mud pools and hot springs shape the streetscape.
Nairobi National Park is less than 30 minutes from downtown Nairobi, meaning you can watch lions, rhinos and giraffes with office towers and high-rises on the horizon.
“When there’s always somewhere new to go, the hardest question travelers face isn’t ‘Where Next?’ It’s ‘Why there?'” says Nickolaus Hines, editorial content director at Matador Network. “Our winners are the places and airlines that have proven, year after year, that they can deliver on the kind of experiences people travel for.”
Matador Network is a leading travel media brand and the creator of GuideGeek, an award-winning AI travel genius. The GuideGeek AI platform has over 1M consumer users and powers custom conversational AI for dozens of travel brands and destinations. matadornetwork.com, guidegeek.com
In 2026, Slovenia invites travelers to explore a year rich in cultural milestones, outdoor adventures, and experiences that redefine slow, meaningful travel. From a centuries-old passion play to world-class architecture, from cycling legends to blooming meadows and new spaces for remote work, this small European country between the Alps and the Adriatic offers endless inspiration. Here are some of the highlights for 2026 not to be missed:
Every six years, the medieval town of Škofja Loka transforms into an open-air stage for theŠkofja Loka Passion Play (March 21- April 19, 2026), a UNESCO-inscribed performance that unites more than a thousand locals in a moving display of heritage and devotion.
In Bled, a new architectural and cultural landmark will open in summer 2026: theMuzej Lah, designed by David Chipperfield Architects. Housing the Lah Collection, it bridges Alpine serenity with contemporary art and design.
Named Europe’s Best Cultural Heritage Town 2026, Ptuj– Slovenia’s oldest town – embodies living tradition. Its Roman heritage and vibrant festivals, including Kurentovanje – the largest Shrovetide carnival, recognised by UNESCO for its ritual of chasing away winter – make Ptuj one of the country’s most atmospheric historic towns.
Sports enthusiasts can look forward to the European Road Cycling Championships in Ljubljana (October 3–7, 2026). For a nation home to champions such asTadej Pogačar andPrimož Roglič, it’s both a sporting milestone and an invitation to discover Slovenia’s world-class cycling routes.
Across the country, a wave of new openings – from the Kneipp-inspired NaturHotel Snovik to Slovenia’s first family hotel in Olimje – will further enrich Slovenia’s boutique hospitality scene.
The newest Slovenia Unique Experiences– from mushroom foraging in Bovec to exploring a 19th-century photography studio in Celje – invite visitors to slow down, connect, and participate.
And for those seeking a balance between work and wanderlust, Slovenia now offers a digital nomad visa, making it easier than ever to live and work amid its natural beauty.
By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com
Travelers are increasingly choosing destinations with purpose – for their beauty or legacy, for landmark anniversaries, special event, and most importantly, for the opportunity for transformation, emotional resonance, spiritual and self-renewal, and experience, sometimes life-changing but always life-enhancing. Here are a few suggestions:
The event that promises to be the most transformational is the Solar Eclipse August 12, 2026 that will will pass over the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Atlantic Ocean, northern Spain and the tip of northeastern Portugal.
The first solar eclipse on mainland Europe since 1999, it may well prove more spectacular than the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse which crossed North America delighting hundreds of millions of people in its direct path, because the August 12 eclipse will take place about 2.2 days after perigee (on August 10, 2026), so the Moon’s apparent diameter will be larger.
A huge advantage of experiencing the eclipse on a ship is that the open ocean means the view is unobstructed – also, the ship can monitor weather to position itself to avoid clouds that can spoil the moment (totality lasts only about 2 to 3 minutes).
Holland America is offering special voyages incorporating the solar eclipse: 35-Day Voyage of the Vikings Cruise with Solar Eclipse (Jul 18 – Aug 22 to Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Ireland); 13-Day Mediterranean Solar Eclipse with Barcelona Overnights (Aug 9-22); 28-Day Scandinavian Solar Eclipse with Greenland & Scotland (Jul 24-Aug 21) (https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/plan-a-cruise/specialty-cruises/solar-eclipse-cruises)
Explore Worldwide, a small-groups operator with 40 years experience, is one of the tour companies offering solar eclipse itineraries in Spain and Iceland. In northern Spain, it is offering two itineraries a food tour in Catalonia and the Basque Country (8 days) where you’ll be well-placed in the limestone peaks of the Sierra de Prades mountains on eclipse day, or an amended itinerary of its -popular Walking in the Picos de Europa (8 days) optimized to see the solar eclipse. In Iceland, the company is offering a special departure of Iceland-Land of the Midnight Sun (9 days) where you will on the beautiful Snaefellsness Peninsula for the eclipse. And for the truly dedicated, a 15-day Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland Arctic expedition aboard the M/VGreg Mortimer which will sail directly into the path of totality for prime viewing from the deck of the expedition vessel. Other tours featuring the solar eclipse include: Classic Egypt and Eclipse (11 days); Highlights of Northern Morocco and Eclipse (9 Days); Tunisian Coast, Ancient Carthage and Eclipse (10 days). (https://www.exploreworldwide.com/experiences/eclipse-trips, Exploreworldwide.com , 877-956-9859)
Book early – G Adventures and most Wilderness Travel itineraries are sold out; Smithsonian Journeys is waitlisted as of when we published.
Rishikesh’s Spiritual Depth in the Himalayan Foothills
Long revered for its spiritual heritage, Rishikesh continues to be one of India’s most soulful destinations, where ancient rituals, wellness innovation, and inner awakening converge in the Himalayan foothills. Anchored by the International Yoga Festival (March 9–15, 2026) and a vibrant calendar of annual rituals, from the spring festival of colors, Holi (March 4), to purification ceremonies like Ganga Dussehra (May 25), and the summertime Kanwar Mela pilgrimage (July–August), the region pulses with devotion, classical music, riverside ceremonies, and communal celebration.
Ananda in the Himalayas, a world-renowned wellness retreat in the Himalayan foothills (Photo courtesy of Ananda in the Himalayas)
At the heart of this is Ananda in the Himalayas, a globally acclaimed wellness retreat housed in the restored palace of the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, Ananda enters 2026 with expanded offerings that reflect the future of holistic wellness. The retreat continues to lead in transformative programs across Ayurveda, yoga, emotional healing, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. New initiatives include Integrated Diabetes Management, women’s health, fertility, and sleep enhancement. Ananda’s 360-degree wellness system extends care beyond the stay through personalized diagnostics, daily therapies, and post-visit consultations. Signature programs such as Hormonal Balance, Yogic Detox, Panchakarma, and Ayurvedic Rejuvenation harmonize body and mind through traditional systems of healing, classical Hatha yoga, pranayama, and meditation
Kyoto’s Cultural Crescendo Rooted in Ritual and Renewal
In 2026, Kyoto offers a rare cultural crescendo, where centuries-old traditions, seasonal rituals, and landmark openings converge in one of Japan’s most spiritually resonant cities. The Miyako Odori returns to its original stage in Gion (April 1–30), with daily performances by geiko and maiko, now housed in the restored Gion Kobu Kaburenjo Theater, reborn as part of the Imperial Hotel, Kyoto, opening spring 2026. Designed by Obayashi Corporation for the exteriors and Tomoyuki Sakakida with New Material Research Laboratory for the interiors, the hotel preserves the 1936 Yasaka Kaikan structure using over 16,000 original tiles and offers just 55 rooms across three architecturally distinct wings. The property blends heritage architecture with contemporary Japanese design, offering curated calm in the heart of Gion.
Imperial Hotel, Kyoto, blending modern elegance with centuries of cultural heritage.(Photo courtesy of New Material Research Laboratory)
With Kyoto’s embrace of a more sustainable approach to tourism, travelers benefit from enhanced access, quieter moments and deeper cultural immersion in one of Japan’s most spiritually rich cities. Kyoto’s cultural calendar continues with the Gion Matsuri (July 1–31), featuring lantern-lit Yoiyama celebrations, Yamaboko float processions, and the Nagoshisai purification ritual. In September, the city marks the 400th anniversary of the Kan’ei Imperial Visit to Nijo Castle with reenactments, rare chamber access, and curated exhibitions. Seasonal temple openings and immersive installations offer deeper engagement. Infrastructure upgrades, including new EX100/EX101 buses and enhanced fare systems, make navigation seamless.
Monteverde’s Cloud Forest Regenerative Escape
In 2026, Monteverde welcomes travelers to a high-altitude sanctuary where misty forests, ecological milestones, and creative immersion converge. The region marks over 50 years of conservation since the founding of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, celebrated through legacy hikes, biodiversity exhibitions, and community-led programs. New interpretive trails connect to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, while artisan showcases and solstice rituals reflect Monteverde’s evolving cultural rhythm. Infrastructure upgrades, including smoother access via Route 606 and expanded EV charging stations, make travel easier, especially with more international flights into Liberia Airport.
Hotel Belmar, a forest sanctuary celebrating 40 years of sustainability and style. (Photo courtesy of Hotel Belmar)
Central to this revival is Hotel Belmar, a family-owned eco-lodge perched above the forest canopy, known for alpine-inspired architecture, panoramic views, and sustainability leadership. In 2026, Hotel Belmar debuts nature-immersive wellness spaces and enhanced culinary offerings rooted in circular gastronomy. At Restaurante Celajes, regenerative menus honor Costa Rica’s agrarian traditions, using ingredients from Belmar’s organic farm and gardens. Overlooked crops, foraged herbs, and zero-waste techniques turn each dish into a tribute to biodiversity and soil health. Belmar’s Artist Residency Program invites creatives to live and work onsite, engaging guests through open studios, forest-inspired installations, and workshops.
Mongolia’s Living Traditions and a Journey into the Wild
In 2026, Mongolia emerges as one of the world’s most compelling destinations—not only for its vast, otherworldly landscapes but also for its global moment in the spotlight. The country will host COP17, the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), from August 17–28 in Ulaanbaatar. This landmark event coincides with the UN’s International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, an initiative spearheaded by Mongolia to celebrate and protect nomadic cultures and ecosystems. These milestones underscore Mongolia’s leadership in environmental stewardship and its deep connection to land-based traditions—making 2026 an especially meaningful time to visit.
The Flaming Cliffs of Mongolia, a dramatic desert landmark and paleontological treasure(Photo courtesy of Pexels)
Cultural celebrations add further dimension: the Naadam Festival (July 11–12) showcases Mongolia’s national pride through wrestling, archery, and horse racing. In early March, the Thousand Camel Festival in the Gobi Desert celebrates the magnificent Bactrian camel with races, polo, and traditional music. Adding to the momentum, Naya Traveler will debut its new Mongolia journeys in 2026, offering tailor-made itineraries that go far beyond the Golden Eagle Festival. Expect private access to cultural events, guided exploration of the Gobi Desert and Orkhon Valley, and meaningful encounters with herders and historians. These journeys reflect a growing trend toward regenerative, culturally attuned travel—where connection, context, and care shape every experience. With Mongolia joining Naya Traveler’s portfolio in 2026, the destination becomes part of a growing movement toward journeys that prioritize cultural depth, environmental awareness, and meaningful connection.
Amsterdam’s Cultural Renaissance Along the Canals
Following its milestone 750th anniversary in 2025, Amsterdam continues to dazzle in 2026 with a rich calendar of cultural events and sensory refinement. Spring brings the Tulip Festival (late March to mid-May) and the city-wide revelry of King’s Day (April 27). In May, food lovers flock to Rolling Kitchens (May 13–17), while August’s Grachtenfestival fills the canals with music. The Amsterdam Light Festival adds a luminous touch as winter approaches. Exhibitions at the Stedelijk, H’ART Museum, Eye Filmmuseum, and Fabrique des Lumières embrace immersive, interdisciplinary storytelling, reflecting the city’s forward-looking creative spirit.
Museum developments include the Zaanstad Amsterdam Museum (ZAMU), a contemporary art hub with installations spread across industrial buildings and a Piet Oudolf-designed wildflower garden just north of the city. While the Hartwig Art Foundation’s new museum is slated to open in 2028, it hosts temporary events until then. For a day trip, Rotterdam offers art lovers compelling attractions like the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen and the Fenix Museum of Migration, which opened in 2025.
Restaurant Vinkeles at The Dylan Amsterdam, housed in a former 18th-century bakery in the heart of the canal district. (Photo courtesy of The Dylan Amsterdam)
Meanwhile, Amsterdam-Noord continues to evolve as a creative enclave, home to design studios, concept stores, and waterfront cafés. Culinary trends lean toward experiential intimacy and narrative-driven dining. At The Dylan Amsterdam, two-Michelin-starred Vinkeles offers moody interiors and seasonal French menus, while até presents a six-seat chef’s table. Bar Brasserie OCCO complements the stay with all-day dining in a stylish, contemporary setting and offers a creative High Wine tasting pairing four wines with four dishes. Reimagined by Studio Linse and Format Furniture in 2024, The Dylan anchors this renaissance with canal-side calm, Green Globe-certified hospitality, and curated access to the city’s evolving aesthetic.
The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) evokes profound shame of the horrors inflicted in our name during the Vietnam War.
The museum is housed in what used to be the US military’s intelligence headquarters during the Vietnam War and was originally known as the “Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes”.
Now one of the most visited museums in Vietnam, the War Remnants Museum attracts 500,000 visitors every year, of whom two-thirds are foreigners. That is apparent during our visit, as well.
Exhibits relate the history of American involvement in the Second Indochina War, which began when France returned to re-colonialize Vietnam in 1946. I still do not understand how or why the US took over France’s fight (the US started direct involvement in 1950), but the displays discuss America’s anti-Communist obsession with the Domino Theory (that Indochina would come under control of Communist China and/or Russia). But I also learn something new: a display quotes Lyndon B. Johnson saying that America needs access to Vietnam’s “tin and tungsten” (echoing Trump’s insistence on the necessity of taking Greenland’s rare earth metals).
The exhibits are detailed, emotional and intense – the most stirring being the photos by photojournalists for magazines and newspapers including Life Magazine. Most affecting is a kind of shrine dozens of journalists and photographers who were killed on the field of battle in their effort to bring news of what was happening there to the world.
The photos are presented in an extraordinary way: showing the photo, then providing notes about the background, the context of the image, and the photographer. Among them is the famous Pulitzer-prize winning photo of “Napalm Girl,” a naked child whose clothes have been burned off her body by napalm, which had profound impact on influencing public opinion (this was the first war that came into family’s living rooms each night). The photos then and now are chilling, but today, they properly evoke shame and wonder why there has never been accountability for war crimes.
A moving display addresses American war crimes (dumping Agent Orange, napalm and phosphorous, bombing villages). This includes great detail – even the stone well – of the war crimes committed and later admitted to by Bob Kerrey, a Navy Seal who became a U.S. Senator (not to be confused with John Kerry who gave Senate testimony in 1971 decrying the war). There is a display that shows the impact, even generations later, of these chemical weapons on the Vietnamese, and even progeny of American soldiers. (Along Vietnam’s modern highways, we have visited stunning craft enters – subsidized for-profit enterprises – that employ disabled who embroider, paint, carve.)
Another exhibit pays homage to the peace movements that were underway.
What I don’t see in the museum is any mention of Nixon sabotaging LBJ’s peace deal in 1968 to win election. (At the LBJ Library in Austin, you can hear LBJ’s phone call to Senator Dirkson saying Nixon’s back-channel promises to South Vietnam President Nguyen Van Thieu of a better deal when he became president, was treasonous, but Johnson couldn’t publicize it because it would have revealed US spying). Think of it: the Vietnam War could have ended in 1968, the most deadly year of the entire war. Fighting between 1968 and 1975 when the war finally ended (the 50th anniversary commemorated throughout Vietnam this year) meant 40,000 more American soldiers were killed (a total of 58,000 Americans died in Vietnam and countless thousands injured); for the Vietnamese, it meant 1.5 million more deaths (3 million Vietnamese died, of whom 2 million were civilians, plus 2 million injured and 300,000 listed as missing).
I ask our Discovery Bicycle Tours guide Phong, whose father fought for the North Vietnamese on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, if he knew about the possible peace deal, and he said no, but our local Saigon guide, Li, whose father fought for the South, was aware (I guess informed by an American veteran or tourist he guided). The most despicable realization about the Vietnam tragedy is that it was all political, having little or nothing to do with the claimed “national security.”
I visited this museum five years ago, when I was similarly overcome. But now that I have seen countryside and people, I see these photos differently, more in context. The faces in the photos were real people who you see in the faces of the people today.
And what has been most revelatory during our time here in Vietnam, is that Americans are well received, welcomed. As our guide Phong has said, “We are a Buddhist country. We do not look to the past; we look to the future.”
This is what travel is about: see for yourself, engage with people, and bring those revelations, insights, lessons and first-hand experiences home.
We actually weren’t supposed to visit the War Remnants Museum. Our Day 10 Discovery Bicycle Tours itinerary would have us visit the Reunification Palace – the former Presidential Palace, renamed to commemorate the April 30, 1975 victory of President Ho Chi Minh’s forces. But by the time we finish lunch (after having flown from Hoi An), there is not enough time to visit the Palace, so instead, we visit the War Remnants Museum. But this is such an important museum that should not be missed, I would have visited on my own on my last day.
Leaving the museum, our sightseeing continues.
The first thing you notice about Ho Chi Minh City is the traffic. If we thought the traffic in Hanoi was intense, the traffic in Ho Chi Minh City is multiples of that – it is an act of courage (almost an adventure or sport) just to cross the street.
You just cannot fathom the amount of traffic, with scooters zipping by every which way (there are buses and cars, too, but not nearly as many), and somehow they manage this complex choreography. But to the extent there are traffic signals, they are extremely sophisticated, with seconds counting down and turning arrows. Trouble is, they mainly control motorized traffic and there aren’t enough of them. Pedestrians have to just assert themselves. (Mercifully, Discovery Bicycle Tours has no plan for us to bike within Saigon; we will be taken out to the countryside.)
The traffic is actually an attraction. Looking through the window from the safe perch of our bus, we enjoy trying to spot families of three, four, even five on a motor bike, or some interesting thing that is being transported like 12-foot long piping or wide/high stacks, and looking for creative expressions of individuality in helmets. There are even bike helmets for the cellphones but rarely for children, our local guide, Li, tells us (and he isn’t just joking).
People on their scooters, smile, wave and flash V signs to us when they notice us watching with fascination and admiration.
Also interesting is the equivalent of an Uber service via motor scooter.
Our local guide, Li, tells us the city’s first subway opened just 2 months earlier – another sign of Vietnam’s peace and prosperity (I make a plan to see it). It extends 25 km east of city and there are plans to build a second line to go 25 km to the west. There is also some thought to a bullet train to replace the “express train” to Hanoi that takes 32 hours.
Another indication of the economic development of Vietnam is that they are building a new international airport 40 km away – the present one will used for the military.
There is lots of Western influence here – Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s largest city and its commercial capital, and had been under French and Western control for more than a century. It seems very much an international city.
We next visit the famous Ho Chi Minh City Central Post Office, unchanged since it was built in the French style in the 1880s. I had bought some really decorative cards in the night market in Hue and delight in sending them off with special stamps and post mark, racing to complete the task as the rest of the group waits. (I have a tradition of mailing cards home from where I travel.)
For dinner, we get to experience Saigon’s famous street food – we are taken by bus to Ho Thi Ky Flowers and Foods Street, a popular district for street food, and Li leads us from one stall to another. We sit at the child-sized plastic tables and chairs and sample all these delights.
The food is marvelous – in fact, we’ve enjoyed excellent meals at all the restaurants we have visited but this experience adds extra zest of the ambiance. We get to try some unusual, local foods, too.
Li dares us to try the “stinky Vietnamese fruit,” Durian, a spiky, custard-like fruit known for its pungent, almost overpowering odor (a fruit equivalent to Limburger cheese), yet considered a delicacy in Southeast Asia and stuffed snails. (It’s horrible.)
The Majestic is an elegant five-star, French-style hotel which first opened in 1925, built by the richest Chinese businessman in Saigon at the time, Bui Hon Hoa. Over the past century, it has been expanded and renovated and in 2007 became the first Vietnamese-managed hotel to earn five-star status. It has a stunning outdoor pool, a gorgeous restaurant where we enjoy breakfast, a beautiful lobby lounge.
I head out to (carefully) cross the street to a long park which lets you promenade up to the City Hall, a stunning building from the Colonial French era, enjoying the activity of families out and about enjoying the evening and some street entertainers.
Our last full day in Vietnam is spent biking but mercifully, not in the city. Instead, we are bused 2 ½ hours to the Mekong Delta countryside. Our 20-mile bike route takes us through villages, rice paddies, orchards.
We stop into a place that collects coconuts for distribution and we get to drink the coconut juice, while our rest stop affords a few of us to hang out in hammocks.
We come to Mr. Kiet’s Ancient House, a faithfully restored upper-class 1838 home with intricately carved wooden archways and doors and antique furnishings, many with luminescent inlaid nacre. Recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site, the home is still occupied by Mr. Kiet’s widow who operates a small restaurant in the orchard garden, where we have a most delightful lunch.
Finishing our bike ride, we board a boat for a short cruise along the Mekong River, stop into a factory that makes candy from rice (like popcorn!), and have another ride in a traditional boat.
I frankly would have preferred this last day be spent biking and visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels, which would add to understanding the Vietnam War. I had visited five years ago when I was last in Saigon (on a Global Scavenger Hunt), and found it extremely moving and frankly a unique experience.
The Củ Chi Tunnels was the Viet Cong’s base for the Tet Offensive in 1968. The site has 120 km of underground tunnels with trapdoors, living areas, storage facilities, armory, hospitals, and command centers, and were used going back to 1948 against the French, and later against the Americans.
You actually climb into the tunnels (there are different length routes you can take, especially if you are claustrophobic) and guides re-create how the Viet Cong lived there. In the visitor center, you can archival film of battles and bombings in the place where it happened. (See: HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM: TRADITIONS SURVIVE IN MODERN CITY, AS DOES RECKONING WITH PAST)
(Some of our group have a late-enough flight the next day that they have organized a private tour. I would recommend you extend your stay to have this experience if it is not included in the itinerary. You can arrange one of the many sightseeing trips available through the Majestic Hotel’s concierge).
A Day to Leisurely Explore
Discovery Bicycle Tours has arranged a late check out at the Majestic Hotel to accommodate our late-afternoon and early evening flights.
I luxuriate with a leisurely breakfast in the Majestic’s lovely rooftop restaurant, go for a swim in the hotel’s gorgeous pool, then go out to explore. (Had we not already visited the War Remnants Museum, this is when I would have.)
I head out to walk to the famous historic Ben Thanh Market, considered a “must-see.”
Ho Chi Minh City just opened its first subway, so when I come upon a station, I go down to explore–I find it unadorned, totally functional.
I had hoped to visit the synagogue that I had visited five years ago, but am unable to find it (it apparently is now a Chabad; there are three other synagogues in Vietnam: in Hanoi, Hoi An and Sapa).
Instead, I stop in to the Rehahn Gallery. It is very different from the Precious Museum & Gallery in his hometown of Hoi An but another chance to admire these spectacular photographs. There is a marvelous video which describes a bit of his process. It is just a couple of blocks from the Majestic Hotel, and close to the Opera and the Post Office.
Get the required visa at Vietnam’s website (evisa.gov.vn), where the fee is $25 (if you use a visa service it costs something like $197), but give yourself enough time to get the confirmation.
It is recommended you purchase travel insurance – especially for the medical and evacuation coverage. You can check a site like travelinsurance.com to get recommendations.
On Day 6 of Discovery Bicycle Tours’ 12-Day Vietnam Tour, we get to ride (22 miles for the day), biking right from the Pilgrimage Village resort in Hue along country lanes. There is only light local traffic (mainly bicycles, motorbikes and buffaloes) to the Royal Tomb of Emperor Gia Long, the first emperor of Vietnam’s Nguyen Dynasty.
Built between 1814 and 1820, the mausoleum of Gia Long is a complex of several tombs and temples spread across a tranquil park-like setting of 42 hills and pine forest. What makes this place all the more special is the poignant love story of the Emperor and his first wife, for whom he built the tomb so she could be buried beside him (calling to mind the Taj Mahal).
Our bike ride finishes at a pleasant restaurant in an eco-resort where we enjoy a delightful lunch before getting onto a “dragon” boat that cruises along the Perfume River to visit the famous Thien Mu Pagoda. The pagoda, with its moat now filled with lotus flowers, dates from the 1870s and has become the symbol of the city of Hue.
We next board our bus and are taken to the magnificent Citadel of Hue. Set on the northern bank of the Perfume River, the walled fortress served as the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945, the last feudal dynasty in Vietnam. The Citadel was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1993.
This vast complex – 520 hectares – has a moat and ten ornate gates guarding a palace, temples, gardens and tombs.
Our local guide, Vinh, tells us Vietnam was independent from 1802-1883. Then the fourth king passed away and the French moved in, turning Vietnam into its colony, from 1885-1945. “With help of an ally,” the Vietnamese pushed out the French, but that lasted only a year and the French returned in 1946 for nine more years. That triggered the Second Indochina War (what we call the Vietnam War and they call the American War).
This very place where we stand today was the site of a major battle in the Tet Offensive – our guide shows us photos of the Battle of Hue, a siege which lasted from January 31 to March 2, 1968.
As we walk through the expansive grounds, he tells us that the restoration of the palace was only completed last year – but he points to where we can still see bullet holes.
The art, the architecture, the decoration – mosaic, enamel, sculpture –are exquisite, reminding me of China’s Forbidden City in Beijing. It turns out this is not coincidence: Emperor Gia Long modeled his palace complex after Beijing’s Forbidden City.
The experience is enhanced by all the families who have come in their traditional dress (which seems fascinating to me in a Communist country), to pose for photos as part of their Lunar New Year celebration. But it has the effect of completing the feeling of having been transported back in time. There are also large groups of school kids in their white shirts.
Day 7 of the Discovery Bicycle Tours Vietnam tour brings the greatest cycling challenge – the seven mile climb up to the Hai Van Pass– and a visit to the intriguingly named “City of Ghosts.”
But the day starts off with lulling ease – a delightful breakfast at the Pilgrimage Village resort, and a visit to the Vestige of Thanh Toan Tile-Roofed Bridge, a wooden covered bridge originally constructed in 1776 with seven apartments. It was dedicated to Tran Thi Dao, a child of Thanh Thuy Chanh Village and wife of a high-ranking Mandarin in Thuan Hoa Region who provided the funding. The bridge was recognized as a national heritage site in 1990 for its beautiful architecture.
We cross the bridge and enter a busy village market, and after, are brought to an agricultural museum where we are treated to a demonstration of the traditional way the villagers processed rice by a docent with a great sense of humor.
From here, we drive to the An Bang Village Cemetery, intriguingly known as “the City of Ghosts,” for its thousands of ornate mausoleums that extend over 8 km.
Many of the tombs we see in this section are relatively new – dating from 1999 up to 2024 – but are fabulous and enormously expensive, costing $60,000-$70,000, and mostly paid for by relatives from the US, UK and Australia.
A plaque at one of the mausoleums explains it is in honor of Nguyen Van Linh, the first ancestor who established the Nguyen Van family in An Bang-An. He was born in Ky Hoi in 1539 and died in 1588.
From here, we have a picnic lunch before “hopping on our bikes to conquer” Hai Van Pass, also known as the “Pass of Ocean Clouds.” An iconic pass known around the world, it is the highest in Vietnam at 500 meters above sea level. Discovery Bicycle Tours notes that “a new tunnel through the mountain means that the 7 miles up the pass is a very quiet section of highway. The gradient is manageable, and the views are breath taking!” Actually, as I discover, the gradient is 4.6% up to 7.5%. (I think our0 Ride with GPS app even shows 12% at some points.)
Now, all of our bike rides so far have been easy, with very little elevation. But today’s is an absolute challenge, even more challenging than the ride up Acadia’s Cadillac Mountain on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ Coastal Maine trip. Notably, we are the only ones doing this pass by bike (versus motorscooter or car) and I am one of the few in our group doing it with a regular hybrid bike (not e-bike).
I have my method – it may not look pretty, but it gets me to the summit: I keep looking down at the road immediately ahead of me (if you look up and see non-ending rise, you stop), try to keep my hands light on the handlebars, relax my shoulders, and think thoughts (mostly of how people have had to suffer but got through it). I stop a couple of times on a relatively flat section to refresh and then start again.
Because of this, I cannot vouch for the claim that this is “one of the great scenic drives around the world,” or a “deserted ribbon of perfection” as some have described it. It’s only later that I learn just how significant the it is: the Hai Van Pass dates back to the 1300s when it marked a physical boundary between the Champa and Dai Viet Kingdoms – you can still see an ancient grand gate at the summit which used to be a border crossing between the two kingdoms.
“Today, the road still represents a division between two distinct sides of Vietnam. Many travellers who backpack the length of the country say that the North and South of the country have two very different personalities, as well as notable climatic differences. The north is colder, more industrial and perhaps more serious, while the south is warmer, more tropical and the people are often said to be more laid-back. The Hai Van Pass is the point at which these two worlds meet.” (https://southeastasiabackpacker.com/hai-van-pass-vietnam/)
I make it to the top (I’ve refused invitations to ride up from our bus driver who has been assiduously following those of us at the back). I take a quick look at the fortress at the summit, and the “spectacular view” (the rest of the group have been at the top for about 20 minutes).
From there, we bike down the other side of the Pass. Coming down is no picnic either – controlling the speed on the switchbacks. The best part of the ride is having done it. It has proved to be as tough and arduous as I expected (feared) and as satisfying to have done it as I had hoped.
In the bus on the way into the city of Hoi An, we delight in watching the massive traffic of scooters and play a game to find fours and fives on a scooter (since it seems this is the time that families pick up their kids, it isn’t hard), and interesting, the amusing decorations on helmets that express their individuality.
Soon after embarking on the Dragon Legend for our overnight cruise of Bai Tu Long Bay, we are captivated by the picturesque karst islands that dot from the water, a dreamy landscape evoking classical paintings.
It is our fourth day on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ Vietnam tour, and we had set out from the magnificent Emeralda Resort in Ninh Binh right after breakfast.
Along the drive, we see massive industrial parks being built on land that had been used to cultivate rice, big enough to have 500,000 workers.
What we don’t see, though, are housing communities and roads that would deliver those workers – so I wonder if that is because workers are housed within the industrial compounds and only see their family four days in the month? I wonder why in this freer, more prosperous, modern Vietnam they do not build industrial parks with adjacent communities with schools, groceries, parks, so that workers can have a family life, while young, single workers can live in worker housing and save money.
We see a bus load of young recruits starting their mandatory two-year military service. They are being followed by supportive friends on motorbikes, waving flags, seeing them off.
As we drive through the countryside, it seems just about every square meter is farmed or built on with houses. The new industrial parks that are being constructed near Hai Phong, Vietnam’s largest port in the north. In1964, Hai Phong, the biggest seaport in Vietnam, was the supply post from Russia and China and was the most heavily bombed.
Today, our bus is traveling on the beautiful and modern 120 km long Hanoi-Hai Phong Highway.
The government is extending the highway to go all the way north-to-south and constructing an express (bullet) train “so you would be able to have breakfast in Hanoi and lunch in Saigon.” The contractors are from Japan and China.
The rest stop on the highway offers a fascinating demonstration in the technique for oyster pearl farming devised here: a method of cutting a membrane, treating the oyster with an anti-bacterial, then implanting a seed into the oyster to stimulate the oyster to produce a pearl. “Like IVF for the oyster.”
Then the treated oyster is placed in a mesh bag (they can stay out of water for five hours), which will be put into the sea where it takes one to five years to cultivate the pearl.
She tells us that 30% of these oysters survive; of these, only 20% produce a pearl of sufficient quality for jewelry (there are grades like for diamonds).
At another station, we get to see the oyster opened to extract a pearl. Believe it or not, the oyster can be eaten after this.
Every part of the oyster has a use. The “irregular” ones with no shine are crushed for cosmetic pearl cream (makes you 10 years younger!); the irregular ones that have good sheen are used for earrings. “Nothing is wasted.” Mother of pearl is used for buttons and lacquerware.
Some oysters only live 1 to 2 years and are implanted once, but Black and South Sea pearl oysters, which take 2-5 years to produce the pearl, can be implanted once more after extracting the pearl.
We are then invited into a massive showroom where, we are told we can get a 5% discount and use any kind of currency or credit card. Boy, these guys are really good at capitalism!
Indeed, at this popular port of Ha Long City with loads of international chain hotels, we see massive luxury buildings that are standing empty – built during a building boom to attract those who could afford the $1 million price tag.
The Dragon Legend, one of the IndoChina Junk fleet, is a gorgeous ship (my room is massive) We have all the comforts we could possibly want (except WiFi).
After lunch onboard the ship, we tender to Hon Co Island – one of the few (out of 4000 karst islands in the Bay) where people are allowed to hike. We hike up stone stairs into the hidden Thien Canh Son Cave, then down to a beautiful sand beach.
The tender next takes us to a floating dock where we get into kayaks and paddle around another small karst island before returning to the ship for the sunset (at 5 pm), cocktails, and dinner.
Dinner is marvelous, followed by a few entertainments (the GM does some card tricks). A few of us take up the invitation to try fishing off the boat using nothing but a bamboo pole and lure – a couple of squid are caught triggering squeals of delight.
I get up early for the sunrise Tai Chi (so fun, except it is cloudy). After breakfast, we tender to Vung Vieng, a floating fishing village, which proves a true highlight of the cruise.
Located some 22 km from any town, Vung Vieng has been the floating home to as many as 80 families since the 19th century. The homes still have no electricity (a community center and the dock where we board the rowboats to visit the village, has solar power).
A sign on the dock as we await to board the rowboats relates that the Vung Vieng fishing village began as an anchorage to give boats a place to rest and avoid storms, but over time, some households began to settle here, increasing in number until nearly 80 in 2014.
“With the help of the people of the United States, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), nongovernmental organizations, and others, dozens of fishing village households have participated in Halong Cat Ba Bay Initiative Alliance with a model of sustainable aquaculture combining responsible tourism on Ha Long Bay, so that Vung Vieng fishing village can be preserved for the future,” the sign notes. The village has been bringing tourists to visit for the past 25 years, an important source of financial support.
Seeing the sign that credits the assistance of USAID, retriggers my fury at the destruction of America’s reputation and role in the world.
We are rowed around the karst island in a traditional wooden rowboat to where the modest homes (not much bigger than a shack) are on wooden floats, sheltered by the rock formations on either side. Those of the village who are not rowing us are likely out fishing, so we see only a few people still at home – there are more dogs than people.
While there is a solar panel in the community building, there is little electricity – no hot water shower, only a wood fire stove for cooking and heat. Barrels collect rainwater from the roofs for drinking. The villagers subsist on fish (halibut, snapper, mackerel, grouper, sea bass, tuna), and scuba divers gather scallops and oysters.
We also see an actual oyster farm and when we return to the floating dock we have another demonstration of the remarkable process of inserting a seed in an oyster to produce a pearl.
Back onboard the Dragon Legend, we have lunch as it cruises back to port. We depart the ship and drive to the airport in Hanoi to continue our Vietnam adventure in Hue, in central Vietnam.
On the bus ride to Hanoi Airport, we see pickleball and gyms, lots of bridal gown shops, a Make Up Academy. Cell phones are ubiquitous, but where are the cell phone stores?
I’m fascinated to see large advertising billboards that remind me of the 1950s. One reads “Better Kitchen. Better Life.”
We fly into Danang Airport – yet another modern, comfortable, well organized international airport just bustling with travelers from all over the world. (Normally, Discovery would fly us directly into Hue but there weren’t enough plane tickets to accommodate the group.)
Danang is a familiar name for Americans – it was a base for Americans during the War. In the last 20 years, like the rest of Vietnam, Danang has seen extraordinary growth, progress and prosperity. In 1975-80, the population was 50,000; today the population is 1.5 million and has become the fourth largest city in Vietnam after Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hai Phong. It is a popular place to live– just 10 minutes to the mountain, 10 minutes to the beach and seaport.
We are headed to Hue, a city of 300,000, where we will spend two nights at the Pilgrimage Village, a gorgeous five-star resort surrounded by lush gardens, 10 minutes from the bustling downtown.
As it is, our truck driver and bike mechanic have been driving for two days to bring our bikes from Hanoi to Hue so we can begin the biking portion of our Vietnam cultural tour.
We have dinner on our own – and since the downtown is a distance from the hotel, the bus takes us and picks us up (we have a devil of a time finding our way back to where the pick-up is).
I am dazzled by Hue, a bustling, colorful, festive downtown, jam-packed with people crowding the restaurants, the merchants hawking crafts on the streets.
And I really love our stay at the Pilgrimage Village, with its lush garden setting – especially swimming in a picturesque pool as darkness falls and having breakfast in a lodge overlooking the water and gardens.
One of the most heavenly experiences in Ninh Binh, Vietnam, is to visit Tam Coc (three caves), a peaceful valley set amid karst hills. Here we are rowed along a gentle river between paddy fields and through the trio of caves on a traditional wooden boat where the oarsperson paddles using her legs and feet. It is inexplicable how the oarsmen (most are women) are able to maneuver.
The endpoint of this thrilling and gorgeously scenic water route is a Tran Dynasty temple where Saint Quy Minh Dai Vuong, an earth and water deity, and his wife are worshipped. It is mind-blowing to realize the temple was first constructed 1000 years ago during the Dinh dynasty.“The Temple contains four stone pillars, each of which is a piece of art that our forefathers left behind for posterity, but which remain a mystery, with clever, artistically carved patterned borders. The spirits were known to the ancients as Long (dragon), Ly (Qilin, a unicorn, part dragon, part horse), Quy (turtle) and Phuong (phoenix) – indeed, the four sacred animals we had seen during the Water Puppet cultural show in Hanoi.
This is our third morning on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ 12-day Vietnam cultural tour, and after a fabulous breakfast at the Emeralda Ninh Binh Resort, we travel by bus through the picturesque countryside. It will also be our first day biking in Vietnam.
We turn off local roads to cycle among the rice paddies and our guide, Nguyen Hong Phong, stops to explain the rice culture that has been so fundamental to Vietnam for 4000 years. (I can see how the “water puppets” we saw in Hanoi reflect this wet rice culture.)
Before 1986, communal farming prevailed – the property was owned by the government and the farmers earned a share (theoretically equal but apparently not really, Phong suggests). But production wasn’t sufficient and people didn’t get enough rice.
Phong tells us that when he was a boy, his biggest wish at the Lunar New Year was to have enough food and clothes without stitches. When there wasn’t enough rice, they would mix in corn, tapioca, and “privately, secretly” catch snails, snakes, rats from the rice paddies. Even dogs and cats were protein for people.
But a new law in 1986 allowed private ownership and open markets. The government divided up the land among the farmers. By 1996, Vietnam produced enough rice not only to feed its own population but to export, becoming one of the biggest rice exporters in the world.
But a new problem has arisen because young people can make more money in factories than on the farm, and farms are being abandoned or farmers have to hire workers.
Phong explains the process: dropping a seed and the sprout grows, within one month to 20 cm high, then the sprout is uprooted and transplanted. They have to build fences to keep out rats, mice, and fill with water to stop snails. After 3 ½ months growing, the rice plants are put into a nursery for one month more. By the time the plant is one meter tall, ripened to yellow, it is cut by hand or machine.
We learn how every part of the rice crop is utilized. But what I don’t understand is why white rice prevails even through the lean years of hunger and deprivation, when brown rice would be more nutritious and less costly to produce.
We stop along our cycling route to visit a community cemetery for war soldiers. Between 1945 and 1975, 3 million died in war, including one million soldiers. “Each community has a memorial, with the remains and the name of the person who died for freedom.” July 27 is the Day of the War Soldier, when families come and burn incense. A white flower on the grave indicates the soldier died without a family, a yellow flower denotes the soldier had family. We see the ages of these fallen soldiers, some as young as 18.
Biking to Hoa Lu, Ancient Capital City
After pedaling through several villages set amid a landscape of magnificent limestone peaks, we reach Hoa Lu. Hoa Lu was the capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1009 during the first two imperial dynasties of Vietnam: the Đinh founded by Đinh Tiên Hoàng, and the Early Lê founded by Lê Đại Hành. When the Lê dynasty ended, in 1010, Lý Công Uẩn, the founder of the Lý dynasty, transferred the capital to Thăng Long (now Hanoi),60 miles away, and Hoa Lư became known as the “ancient capital.”
At the entrance is the “stone dragon bed,’ where the king would have gotten off his elephant transport and walked the central path through the archway into the temple, while the mandarins entered through the sides.
Phong relates that in a feudal society, when a king passes away, they build several mausoleums so people don’t know where his actual body is buried – those that buried him are killed to keep the secret.
The thought occurs to me: To go from a king who can execute and torture at will to a dictator, even one who imprisons, tortures, and kills dissidents to preserve power but nonetheless is focused on bettering the lives of his people rather than his own aggrandizement, was a step up for the Vietnamese. But for us who are used to “rule of law”, “due process”, “equal rights”, “no man is above the war,” “justice without fear or favor,” and the ability to vote out an elected official, to find ourselves under the thumb of a dictator who politicizes justice, rules by violence, extortion, intimidation and oppression for his own benefit, is horrifying.
Also, what a difference peace makes to progress and quality of life.
We have a brief visit to the Old Palace.
We continue biking and stop at a cemetery– one of many we see in these rice paddies. Phong tells us it is common for the families to build a tomb for their ancestors within their allotment.
Driving on the highway, we stop at one of several modern rest stops which also house handicraft shops employing people with disabilities. This one employs some 500 people and specializes in really fine embroidery (others specialize in painting, sculpture, lacquerware and other crafts)
The manager who greets us explains that these handicraft shops were opened in 1996.”Before they worked here, they stayed at home and couldn’t work. Now they get trained and can support themselves and their family. They have housing and are bused from home.”
We watch how these craftspeople embroider these magnificent scenes that match a photo. The manager says it can take 2 ½ months to make one smaller embroidery, 4 months for medium sized and 8 months for large; 65% of the purchase price goes to the worker.
These folks have really perfected capitalism. The general manager finishes his introduction saying, ‘It’s the new year. We give good price. No tax.” They make it easy to spend US dollars, use credit cards and ship purchases home.
It’s a private company but gets support from government, so I ask Phong, “so this is a private non-profit”? “Nothing is ‘nonprofit’” he replies with a note of cynism. (He made a similar reply when describing how after the Communists took over government, ostensibly to give equal portions, he snidely inserted, “of course, nothing is really equal.”)
Later I ask Phong about taxes people pay and am surprised that they are similar structure to what we pay: under $500 income, no tax, then a progressive rate up to 35% based on income that includes their equivalent of social security, plus 2% for health care. With health care, they also have some covered and some out-of-pocket expense but I can imagine the cost of their health care is a fraction of what we pay in the US.
We stay for a second glorious night at the magnificent Emeralda Resort, sprawling like its own village with a palace-like entrance, outdoor and indoor pools, kids club, restaurants, and rooms the size of apartments. I get in a swim before enjoying a fabulous dinner together at the restaurant.
The next morning, we head to Bai Tu Long Bay for an overnight cruise on the Dragon Legend.
