12 places to visit on your first trip to Japan’s Kii Peninsula

I've been to Las Vegas many times in the past 15 years with friends and family but most of the time I've gone by myself. As an avid global solo traveler, it's become one of my favorite places to visit.

For about the price of a typical single-family home in Mississippi, ultra-rich adventurers can spend three weeks traversing the world via private jet thanks on an Abercrombie & Kent "air cruise."

This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Justin Miller, a Tokyo-based DJ and English teacher. He shares what he's learned about Tokyo after living in Japan for 15 years. It's been edited for length and clarity.

When it comes to the world’s most popular destinations, two travel hubs have been in a tug-of-war match for the title of ‘most-visited’ over the past few years.

When Kevin Maloney started to plan his trip to Iceland, a friend mentioned a new service called ViaHero. “I knew there was a lot to see in Iceland and I had a short period of time. I didn’t want to spend a lot of personal time doing the research,” Maloney says. “My goal was to have an expert map it out for me.”

On April 15th, 2019, the whole world watched in shock as Notre Dame burst into flames. Thankfully, much of the cathedral’s structure, including its iconic bell towers and flying buttresses, survived the blaze. It will likely be closed to tourists for years, but a flood of donations has already put restoration plans in motion.

Croatia is an endlessly appealing destination with sun-drenched beaches, picturesque hilltop towns and atmospheric streets.

There's pretty much only one reason I ever step inside a 7-Eleven in the US, and it's when I'm craving the artificial sweetness of a blue-raspberry Slurpee. 

Asia is home to several of the world's greatest mega-cities, from Tokyo to Bangkok, Hong Kong to Shanghai. And while each of these is undoubtedly a fascinating, thrilling place to visit, sometimes it's nice to revert back to life on a more human scale. Here's six small cities in Asia well worth a visit.

The Seto Inland Sea lies between Japan's largest island Honshu and the smaller islands of Shikoku and Kyushu. Surrounding this serene body of water is the Setouchi Region, which features historic cities, castle towns and islands devoted to religion or art. These include the cities of Hiroshima, Okayama, and Himeji (all on Honshu); Matsuyama (on Shikoku); and the tiny islands of Miyajima and Naoshima. The Setouchi Region is a tranquil part of Japan, offering a more laidback and less crowded experience than Tokyo or Central Japan, but with just as many historic and cultural attractions. Here's why you should plot a course for the islands today.

Where first, Tokyo or Kyoto – it should be an easy choice, right? They’re polar opposites, after all: Tokyo is a land of neon and skyscrapers, the archetypal metropolis; Kyoto is full of kimono-clad geisha, temples and tea ceremonies. So just decide whether you want your first glimpse of Japan to be cutting-edge modernity or high-brow tradition, and your choice is made.

Sleep beneath the twinkling Saharan stars, accompanied by a few irascible dromedaries. You can explore the desert as part of a tour (usually setting off from Marrakesh, and heading up and over the beautiful Atlas Mountains), and choose your level of comfort, from simple canvas tents to luxurious Berber pavilions, complete with soft beds, rugged floors and handcrafted furniture.