Travel in Afghanistan

A thin sliver of land on the western edge of the South American continent, Chile offers a wealth of landscapes to explore. This country stretches across the Andes mountain range, to the Atacama Desert, and boasts 4000km of Pacific Ocean coastline. Caro Bohets says on Facebook that the colourful houses of Valparaíso are a must-see.

A Taliban-run institute is training tourism and hospitality professionals to attract visitors to Afghanistan.

On Location is a column that lifts the curtain on the destinations behind the season’s most exciting new releases, from film and television to music.

If Indiana Jones took a turn toward the elegant and developed an obsession with textiles, he might be a bit like Louis Barthélemy, the French illustrator and designer who travels to Africa and the Middle East to work with weavers and craftspeople who are skilled in traditional techniques. Ishkar, a London-based company that collaborates with NGOs and artisans to create job opportunities for those living in isolated areas of countries often affected by war, recently commissioned him to create a capsule collection with women weavers in Afghanistan. Barthélemy typically works with artisans in person to create tapestries or rugs but, since the Taliban retook power in 2021, he’s had to connect with the weavers remotely. At the start of their collaboration, Barthélemy asked the weavers to draw a place that symbolized beauty to them. Many of the women chose the 14th-century Bagh-e Babur (Babur’s Garden) in Kabul. Images from those drawings, and one by Barthélemy himself, were then combined to create the patterns for three different rugs. Each one took about six months for the women to hand knot from Ghazni Wool. They are, Barthélemy says, “a collective dream of an ancient paradise.”

With measles making a global comeback - cases increased 79 percent in 2023 - the CDC is issuing new guidelines for those planning to travel abroad.“Many international destinations are reporting increased numbers of cases of measles,” says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, adding: “The majority of measles cases imported into the United States occur in unvaccinated U.S. residents who become infected during international travel.”In particular, the CDC website says Americans who intend to visit other countries should consult with a doctor six weeks prior if there’s any question about whether they’ve had the measles vaccine. Travelers are at risk of contracting measles if they've not been fully vaccinated two weeks ahead of traveling abroad, says the agency's travel advisory.“All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.In another notable update, Russia and Malaysia have been added to the CDC’s map of 46 countries that are experiencing a significant uptick in measles cases. Some of the additional countries where health officials have reported large measles outbreaks include Afghanistan, Armenia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Qatar, Saudia Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. To view the full list of countries experiencing a significant measles outbreak, visit the CDC website.And if you do travel abroad and develop any of the following symptoms, the CDC recommends seeking medical care:

On Monday, a Latam Airlines Boeing 787 carrying 263 passengers and crew suddenly dropped midair during a flight from Syndey to Auckland, New Zealand, injuring at least 50 people.

Digital nomadism has shot up in popularity recently. While many destinations have simple citizenship requirements in place, the country a person hails from can still significantly impact their travel opportunities.

From Afghanistan to Zambia, Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other carrier. But one nation has proved to be rather elusive, at least until now.

In a place of superlatives — highest, biggest, priciest — why settle for simple pleasures? Dubai has long been seen as a fun-loving, unabashedly ambitious city, often overshadowing the UAE’s more serious-minded capital of Abu Dhabi. It’s a place where you can swim above clouds in 360-degree infinity pools or quaff cocktails in billowing beach cabanas, and it’s this ‘City of Gold’ most travellers come for. A winter sun utopia, it dazzles with opulence and novelty, from the soaring architecture and dancing fountains of Downtown to Jumeirah’s luxury hotels and the Marina’s million-pound yachts. 

The passport you hold is a powerful tool when it comes to effortlessly visiting countries around the world.And some passports provide far more access than others, according to the Henley Passport Index.The just-released 2024 index shows that for the first time in 19 years of producing the ranking, six countries are tied for the top spot of having the most powerful passports.The countries leading the ranking are France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain—meaning citizens from all of these countries are able to visit 194 destinations around the world either visa-free or by obtaining a visa-on-arrival.The Henley Passport Index is the only ranking of its kind and is developed based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA). The index compares 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.While Japan and Singapore have made it into the number one slot for the past five years running, according to CNN, the European countries that are now also ranked number one on the list is a new development.

A passport is more than permission to travel across borders; holders of the world's most powerful passports have access to different ways of living that other passport holders do not. Heading into 2024, new data reveals not only the passports that give access to the most countries, but also where you might find a better quality of life.

Six countries now have the world's most powerful passport, according to the 2024 Henley Passport Index — but the US isn't one of them.

There's a new six-way tie for first place in an annual global travel ranking.France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain, have all tied as having the top passport in the world, measured by providing visa-free access to 194 countries with their respective passports, according to the newest Henley Passport Index. The annual report measures the flexibility of visa-free travel and has become a popular list among global travelers. For comparison, in 2023, only Japan was crowned with the top spot when it provided access to 193 countries. 

As tourists have started to return to Afghanistan over the past 18 months, some have helped to arrange the country’s only ski race. Now a new ski club has launched in Bamyan Province, with a helping hand from international visitors, and there is a plea for more support from the international community.

The world's most powerful passports for 2024 have been revealed — with the biggest shake-up in rankings we've seen in several years, including a never-before-seen six nations in first place.

Over the last five years, the world has changed a lot. A global pandemic ground much of the global population to a halt with travel the most restricted it's ever been in my lifetime – and most likely yours too. Russia’s war on Ukraine and now Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza are causing shockwaves around the world, reshaping the statuses of countries and the rights of their citizens.

What are the safest places to visit in 2024? A new report from International SOS—a medical and travel security risk services company—offers invaluable insights for travelers.

Food is love, and it is also the perfect gift for a host, a gourmand, a home cook, or anyone who appreciates a truly special culinary experience, and a lovely bottle of something special (alcoholic or non-) to pair it with. Look no further. With these 20+ “global entries,” you are certain to find a delicious gift inspired by great cuisines and chefs from around the globe.

Panama is the perfect vacation destination for adventure lovers, culture and history buffs, and, naturally, beach bums – its biodiversity, rich coastlines and unfathomable islands have to be seen to be believed.

Work isn’t just professional for Fatima Popal, it’s personal since she’s the CFO of Popal Restaurant Group, the boutique, family-run hospitality group founded by her parents Shamim and Zubair Popal. After fleeing their home country of Afghanistan over three three decades ago due to the Soviet invasion and decamping in Washington, D.C., the pair channeled their creativity into entrepreneurial endeavors. In 2003, they unveiled their first concept, Georgetown’s Cafe Bonaparte, a Parisian-inspired cafe that immediately charmed locals with its old-world design and imaginative crepes.

Major UK and international artists have donated work to an online and live auction supporting the British charity Freedom from Torture. The 13th edition of the charity’s biennial art auction, Drawing a Line Under Torture is currently online, with a live auction of twelve artworks to take place at an invite-only private view on 6 November at Sotheby’s New Bond Street, London.

Last weekend following a sweeping two-year renovation, Washington, D.C.’s National Museum of Women in the Arts reopened its doors. There’s lots of new updates awaiting, such as a meticulously restored roof and facade of the historic 1908 building that once was a masonic temple; easier accessiblity; and thought-provoking exhibits in expanded spaces like The Sky’s the Limit, which displays 33 large-scale sculptures and installations from 13 women artists around the world including Shinique Smith, Joana Vasconcelos, and Sonya Clark. What’s remained unchanged is the institution’s steadfast mission in championing women in the arts—which it’s done since being founded in 1987 by philanthropist and art collector Wilhelmina Cole Holladay.