It's October, which means the leaves are changing, giant skeletons are taking over suburban lawns and people are apple-picking pretty much anywhere an apple grows.
15.09.2023 - 11:25 / nationalgeographic.com
Compulsory PCR tests, face masks, vaccination certificates — at the height of the pandemic, travel meant navigating reams of red tape and checking a long list of requirements before you’d even set foot on a plane. Now the rules have been relaxed, travellers are largely responsible for making their own decisions should they test positive. From the legal requirements to the moral debate, here’s what you need to know.
In the UK, there’s no legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive for the virus, and current NHS advice for adults is to ‘try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days’. So travelling with Covid is permitted — but you have to accept that you risk passing the virus to others.
Europe has scrapped all Covid entry rules, but it’s worth noting that some countries in the rest of the world still don’t let you travel freely. Tourist destinations such as the Philippines, Bolivia and China still have entry requirements in place; for example, the latter insists that visitors take a lateral flow/rapid antigen test at least 48 hours before boarding a flight, among other restrictions. While many operators, including airlines, have removed the requirement to wear a mask while travelling, some countries including China insist on it in some circumstances.
To avoid unnecessary surprises on arrival, consult the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO) travel advice pages for each country that you’re planning to visit or travel through. Take note of the entry requirements section, which will show whether the destination currently has any Covid-specific rules or restrictions in place.
Now that travellers are largely no longer legally obliged to take a test or disclose the result, it’s important to make an informed decision. No one wants to miss out on a planned trip, but virologist Stephen Griffin encourages people to “prioritise the most vulnerable people in our society”. According to the Office for National Statistics, the risk of death involving Covid remains significantly greater for the immunocompromised — on your next flight, for example, you could be sitting next to someone who’s more vulnerable because they’ve just finished chemotherapy. The guilt of potentially infecting other travellers could be enough to cast a shadow over any getaway.
Often, it’s not very easy at all. Most operators have scrapped cancellation policies introduced during the pandemic, and are well within their rights to tell you to take the trip or forfeit your rights if you test positive.Travel writer Lottie Gross recently found herself wrangling with a campsite for a refund after notifying the owners she’d tested positive and being asked by them to stay away. “I don’t entirely regret
It's October, which means the leaves are changing, giant skeletons are taking over suburban lawns and people are apple-picking pretty much anywhere an apple grows.
If you’re not a US citizen, you’ll have to jump through a few hoops before you can vacation in the USA.
An iconic cornerstone of London’s landscape, the city’s Old War Office building is set to settle into a brand-new identity this month. Sold to the Hinduja group in 2016, the building is opening its doors to the public once again, this time revamped into the Raffles London at The OWO. This will be Raffles Hotels & Resorts’ first location in the United Kingdom. Rаffles’ hotels are known for bringing together impeccable hospitality, design, and exclusive environments, and The OWO is no exception. Storytelling and preservation are the focus here, and Raffles properties allow guests to spend their trip basking in history.
It's been just a year since Japan reopened its borders to international travel after the pandemic. But tourism has rebounded in ways almost no one could have predicted, setting up a potentially record-breaking 2024.
I remember the day back in 2014 when I’d just settled into my new apartment in Santiago and a powerful earthquake rattled the walls. I leaped up from my couch and ran for the door, while all the Chileans in the room just sat still and laughed at me, confident in Chile’s strong building codes and unfazed by the regular tremors.
Ever wanted to wade into a cranberry bog? No need to audition for an Ocean Spray commercial—you can immerse yourself in a sea of burgundy berries by taking a cranberry bog tour. The best time to visit is during the cranberry harvest season, which typically occurs from mid-September through mid-November.
The Skift Travel Health Index: August 2023 Highlights shows a 1 percentage point uptick for August 2023. The index now stands at 103, compared to a baseline of 100 in August 2019.
Nobody appointed Doug Michaels to serve as an ambassador of the human race. But the position, which he assumed in 1977, promised to have far greater significance than ambassadorships to China or the Soviet Union. He and co-ambassadors Alexandra Morphett and Robert Perry proposed nothing less than to develop diplomatic relations with a nonhuman species. Their seaborne embassy sought direct communication with dolphins.
Bookings have surged for Klook, one of Asia’s leading online marketplaces for travel experiences.
I grew up in Ottawa but my dad was raised in Montréal and still had a lot of friends there, so we’d visit all the time while I was growing up. I can still feel the excitement that tingled in my body every time we went. Montréal was, and is, so thrilling, from the language locals speak (French with a distinct Québécois accent) to the roads (the drivers are super aggressive and you can’t turn right on a red) to the overall fun-loving vibe. So as soon as I could, I moved to Montréal at age 17 to attend Concordia University and I’ve spent much of the last 15 years there.
With is year-round warm climate, Malta and its sister islands of Gozo and Comino, a Mediterranean archipelago, offer visitors an off-season summer experience in the Fall months with a diverse range of festivals and events. This hidden gem is perfect for travelers looking for off-the-beaten path destinations that offer breathtaking landscapes, and appeal to a diverse group of travelers. With more than 8,000 years of history, Michelin-starred gastronomy, local wine and year-round festivals, there is something for every visitor, even during the Fall months. The great destination offers more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year.
Paris, Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam – Europe’s major capital cities get a lot of fanfare, and rightly so. But they can become victims of their own popularity with inflated prices and over-tourism. With lively cultural and food scenes, friendly locals and a strong sense of identity, the less obvious secondary cities can sometimes offer a more rewarding experience to travellers. From Trieste to Trondheim, Coimbra to Kraków, we’d like to hear about your favourite small European cities.