16 things to know before visiting Nova Scotia

Connecting in a major international airport is a careful balance between leaving enough time to make the next flight and not wasting hours waiting. In most places, 45 minutes is not nearly enough. But Iceland isn’t most places.

Before I took my first cruise in April 2022, I had never even seen a cruise ship.

Magic Kingdom is the most popular theme park at Disney World. But its accolades don't stop there.

If you like the U.S. Disney parks, the odds are high that you'll love the two theme parks at the Tokyo Disney Resort.

The queen of the French Riviera, Nice drips elegance and panache from every belle époque palace, baroque chapel and Mediterranean-blue chair on the prom. The capital of France's celebrity-stalked Côte d’Azur might be modest in size, but the choice of things to see and do in this iconic coastal town stretches well beyond bracing strolls along Promenade des Anglais and lizard-lounging on bum-numbing pebbles on the seashore.

From the bustling streets of Bangkok to the glittering temples of Chiang Mai and the tropical island paradise of Phuket, Thailand has always had something for every type of traveler.

Halifax is a harbor town. A narrow neck opens up to the protected waters of Bedford Basin, making it ideal as a naval and shipping port. Before Europeans arrived, this body of water was a sanctuary and home to Indigenous Mi’kmaq for millennia.

My Atlanta story began in 1990, when my parents moved their young family to the metro area so they could pursue new job opportunities. It was an exciting time to grow up in the unofficial capital of the South. Atlanta’s first Black mayor, Maynard Jackson, was in his third and final term; local leaders were working on their successful bid to host the 1996 Summer Olympics; and Freaknik, the biggest college party for historically Black college and university (HBCU) students, had already gained a national reputation.

Visit Qatar, the marketing and promotional arm of Qatar Tourism, and Huawei, one of the world’s global tech giants, announced a partnership to enhance the tourism experience for Chinese visitors and promote Qatar as a premier travel destination in the Chinese market. This collaboration leverages the precise targeting capabilities of Huawei’s advertising platform, Petal Ads, to effectively reach and engage with potential travellers, boosting Qatar’s visibility and appeal among Chinese tourists.

With its beautiful cities and countryside of polders, dykes, windmills and canals connected by superb, sustainable infrastructure, the Netherlands is one of the easiest places to travel. As a visitor, you won’t find too many potential pitfalls, but there are still a few things to be aware of (starting with getting its name right!). Having written about this charming and fascinating country for almost two decades (and experienced it over a lifetime), these are my key tips for a smooth trip.

Nova Scotia, Canada’s second smallest province, offers a surprising variety of landscapes. Rocky headlands end in sweeping crescents of white sand, and the ancient mountains of Cape Breton Island add another dimension. Mammoth tides pick fishing boats up and set them down again in the Bay of Fundy, and rivers stitch together small lakes across the interior. The capital, Halifax – home to a third of Nova Scotia’s population – its walkable waterfront is a beehive of bars, restaurants and attractions. The key to visiting Nova Scotia on a budget? Get outside and explore all these beautiful places.

Finding a sandy strand in Nova Scotia is as easy as taking a drive along the coast. Some 200 stretches of silver, coffee or brick-colored beach punctuate the 7500km (4660 miles) of its coastline.