Travel in Madagascar

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Erin Ranney. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has today announced that its Hotel Sustainability Basics (Basics) has achieved a significant milestone, with 3,400 properties now verified across almost 80 countries. Designed to help hoteliers on their first steps to improve their sustainability ratings and raise the bar of sustainability across the global hospitality industry, this independent global sustainability verification programme is overseen by internationally recognised verifiers Green Key and SGS.

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BLS International will prioritize security and quality control, overseeing secure application delivery to the Embassy, passport collection, and maintaining a robust security and vigilance system throughout the visa application process.

A jaguar drilling the camera with its eyes as it attacks a crocodile, a village floating on Lake Titicaca as wildfire approaches, amazing portraits, architectural wonders and gorgeous landscapes are all among the 10 category winners and shortlisted single photos in the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards open competition, unveiled by theWorld Photography Organisation.

Explore Tunis, Tunisia's dynamic capital in North Africa, where cultural fusion thrives. Wander through the fascinating Arab Medina, alongside European-inspired facades. And on the outskirts is the charming seaside town of Sidi Bou Said, another must visit. Tunisian contemporary culture has been in the spotlight recently with a surge in art spaces, particularly in Tunis and its surroundings. Also inspiring to see are the internationally acclaimed films by female directors, including Under the Fig Trees by Erige Sehiri and this year’s Oscar-nominated Four Daughters by Kaouther Ben Hania.

The cruise industry is a major player in the global tourism industry, and it continues to grow year after year. The global cruise market was valued at $7.25 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow 11% from 2022 to 2028.

Whether you visit Boston during the cold, gray winter or the humid, bustling summer, there’s no better place to soak up the city than a bar. These five off-the-beaten-path spots offer interesting libations, inspired bar bites and unique stories. So, cozy up and enjoy a cocktail or three.

The natural world continues to inspire travel writers. Standout books for the year ahead include a collection of stories, illustrations and poems that explore our connection with nature, plus a travelogue inspiring us to discover the small green spaces on our doorstep. Walking remains a popular topic for authors, as evidenced by a pair of upcoming travelogues that hit the trail in rural Spain and Istanbul, respectively, plus a collection of literary works that asks the question: why explore on foot? And to celebrate Bradt Travel Guides reaching its 50th anniversary this year, founder Hilary Bradt is set to release a memoir about her pioneering journeys both in print and around the lesser-explored corners of the planet.

Mauritius, a subtropical island country in the Indian Ocean, is just over 500 miles east of Madagascar, off the south-eastern coast of Africa. The closest neighbor is Reunion Island. Often referred to as the jewel in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius boasts some of the best diving in the world.

From the heart of Italy's truffle-rich landscapes to the olive trees of Greece, the globe offers a culinary tapestry that transforms gifting into a refined experience. Elevate your senses with the delicate sweetness of French macarons from Ladurée or indulge in the rare pleasure of Spanish acorn-fed ham, Jamón Ibérico. Here are ten gourmet food gift suggestions for Valentine’s Day 2024.

From the the exotic cacao blends of South America to the velvety richness of Belgian pralines, chocolate making is a serious work of art. Elevate your Valentine's Day celebration with one of these ten finest, most luxurious boxes of chocolates the world has to offer.

The best time to visit South Africa depends on where you want to go and what you want to do on holiday. The temperatures range based on where in the country you are visiting, with the north seeing warmer temperatures than the south of the country. The Western Cape is famed for experiencing rainy seasons in the winter, but the Indian Ocean coastline provides warmer and more equatorial temperatures. Needless to say, it's important to plan!

The Forbes Five-Star Rated Restaurant Welcomes Executive Chef Colin Sato, Who Joins Pastry Chef Jamon Harper to Bring a New Approach to Honolulu’s Contemporary Fine Dining Establishment.

When it comes to trends, expedition cruises are the gift that keeps on giving. New Zealand’s fascinating wildlife and ecosystem, the US’s plethora of iconic national parks, and Madagascar’s paradisical diving and hiking sites — these are just some of the exhilarating expedition cruises new for 2024 and beyond. We whittle down nine of our favourites.

A detailed analysis of 2,494 reviews written by safari-goers and African travel experts was carried out to determine the 50 best safari parks on the continent. And the winner is once again Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, which is Africa’s top safari park for 2023. 

This is part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024—find more travel inspiration here.

Major destinations and source markets across Africa are expected to end 2023 ahead of pre-pandemic values in terms of value, with domestic tourism performing strongly, reveals new research published today. The WTM Global Travel Report, in association with Tourism Economics, is published to mark the opening of this year’s WTM London, the world’s most influential travel and tourism event.

The BBC’s Planet Earth series has been educating us on the wonders of the natural world since 2006. Hosted by Sir David Attenborough, the show has taken us from the depths of the world’s deserts to the peaks of the highest mountains and into the deepest, darkest caves. We’ve seen how animals and plants survive in an ever-changing world, adapting to increasingly difficult climate conditions. As Planet Earth III finally comes to the small screen, we chat to series producer Mike Gunton—research scientist, author and senior executive at the BBC Natural History Unit (the world's largest wildlife film production unit)—about what it’s been like working on the iconic show. He let us in on his favorite places to visit for wildlife watching, what it’s like to work with Sir David Attenborough and the most frightening animal he’s come face-to-face with during filming.

It's a fact: Summer would simply not be summer without ice cream. Extreme heat is often made (a bit) more bearable with a cone of ice cream in hand, no matter what your flavor of choice may be. The great thing about this beloved treat is that you can find great versions just about anywhere.

It’s a stormy morning in the Bazaruto Archipelago, a constellation of five coral-fringed islands in the turquoise waters just off the coast of southern Mozambique, between the mainland and Madagascar. From our ship’s deck, I watch wind-sculpted dunes gleam silver on the horizon as triangle-sailed dhows glide past, their wooden bellies full of freshly caught fish. The water’s so clear that meadows of seagrass are visible on the ocean floor beneath my feet; occasionally, a green turtle pops its head above the surface, gulping down the warm, humid air. 

Ideal conditions await you in Lamu, the island off mainland Kenya, in January: skies are clear, waters are translucent for diving and snorkelling, and afternoon sea breezes keep temperatures balmy. It can be busy early in the month, but the archipelago has plenty of hidden corners where you can find solitude.