Archives November 2022

Your heart pounds overtime with excitement as you finally descend to the bottom of a dive site. A whole new world unfolds before your eyes. From walls to reefs, wrecks to piers, scuba diving allows you to tap into your inner adventurous self and see an unlimited amount of fascinating marine life in its natural habitat.

Many Caribbean islands offer diving during all seasons so your chances of spotting diverse organisms – from sea horses to reef sharks, turtles to shrimp – is possible year-round. Getting certified through PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is a must and can be done on most Caribbean islands, allowing you to use your certification for life (although you may benefit from a refresher course if you have a large gap between dives). From night dives to shipwrecks, you’ll see that the variation in these underwater landscapes is endless. Here are our favorite dive destinations in the Caribbean.

1. Bat Cave, St Vincent

What to expect: An underwater marvel awaits at St Vincent’s Byahaut Bat Cave: you swim through a fissure between two rocks in order to enter the dive site. Look up at the top of the cave to see dozens of bats hanging out on the ledges before making your descent. There is plenty of marine life at around 40–60ft (12–18m) deep, including eagle rays, pipefish and seahorses.

What to know: Book an early morning dive trip to Bat Cave to avoid the crowds that come on other dive boats. Seeing the bats inside the cave is a great bucket list diving experience for the adventurous.

How to make it happen: The Sandals St Vincent Dive Center offers all-inclusive diving while staying on the property, including all equipment needed. Alternatively, book your trip through dive operators such as Canouan Scuba Center or Dive St Vincent.

2. Deep Plane, Jamaica

What to expect: In Western Jamaica, near Negril, the Deep Plane dive site offers divers the chance to explore the nooks and crannies of a Cessna 152 aircraft wreck, for which the site is named. There is also a robust and active coral reef surrounding the wreck. Once you descend to the plane, look for colorful coral crusting along the wreck as well as a variety of marine life, including turtles, sharks, sea fans and various rays living on the coral. 

What to know: Diving is possible year-round, but since the plane sits at 90ft deep (27m) it is recommended for advanced divers only, which is those with a PADI Advanced Open Water Certification or higher. 

Make it happen: You can rent equipment and take PADI dive courses at the ScubaCaribe dive shop in Negril. The dive instructors are friendly and knowledgeable about first-timers’ concerns like answering questions about depth, safety, and proper equipment. You can also book through One Love Scuba Dive Center, which is on the Seven Mile Beach at Traveller’s Beach Resort. Any dives booked through the company include transportation from your Negril accomodations.

3. Fort Young House Reef, Dominica

What to expect: If you are looking for an exhilarating night dive, head for the town of Roseau in the southern part of the island of Dominica, which is home to the Fort Young House Reef. The plentiful sponge life and soft coral that attaches to the underwater volcanic rock at this dive site attracts nocturnal marine life, like octopus and squid, and tons of moray eels, which you can view using your dive light. 

What to know: The site is easily accessible via a 5-minute boat ride from the Fort Young Hotel dock in Roseau. The hotel itself is geared for scuba divers with its dive shop and scuba school. Groups of divers regularly meet in the onsite restaurant to swap stories.

Make it happen: The PADI dive instructors at the Fort Young Hotel offer night dives to all certification levels year-round and you can rent all equipment from the dive shop there.

4. Stingraysted, St Croix

What to expect: Stingraystead in St Croix, the US Virgin Islands, is a plateau with a sloping wall of sand on the Green Cay Slope Mini Wall System filled with coral heads. This site has a depth of 32ft (10m) for the mooring and is a popular place for stingrays of all sizes as well as flounders and jawfish. The wall starts at 40ft (12m) and then drops thousands of feet to the ocean floor.

What to know: With a max dive depth of 60ft (18m), Stingraysted is a site that welcomes beginners and advanced divers. 

Make it happen: Dive boats head out from the Christiansted boardwalk marina. Dive shops located along the boardwalk include Dive Experience, St Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures and Latitude 17 Scuba. Each dive shop offers complete sets of diving equipment for rent.

5. STENAPA Reef, Sint Eustatius

What to expect: The island of Sint Eustatius has a marine park called STENAPA (St Eustatius National Marine Park) and this reef unfolds to a maximum depth of 60ft (18m). The artificial reef includes a combination of sunken items like a tugboat, pieces of broken shipwrecks, and long metal pipes created to attract marine life to the reserve along the artificial reef. Some of the organisms to spot include barracuda, sponges, French Angelfish and Caribbean reef sharks.

What to know: Diving in the national marine park is a must, but if you have a day break from diving, it’s worth a visit to the dormant volcano on the island, the Quill, which offers 8 trails that weave throughout the thorny woodland and elfin forest. You can take a self-guided tour and look for seedless breadfruit hanging from their parent trees, see wild-growing, edible raspberries that bloom naturally in the forest, or see the sway of small round fruit growing on grape trees.

Make it happen: Underwater exploration can be led by PADI-certified instructors at Scubaqua, a local dive shop situated on the black sand beach in the Lowertown harbor area.

6. Mike’s Maze, Sint Maarten

What to expect: For beginner divers, Mike’s Maze in Sint Maarten is a great choice due to the maximum depth being only 50ft (15m). However, there is still so much to see at this location at this depth: small overhangs and shallow caves allow for you to test your curiosity in a mild way. Sit back and watch a theater-worthy display of active green sea turtles eating off the sea grass, an array of textured sea stars lying on sand or – if you’re lucky – a few reef sharks patrolling the site.

What to know: It’s best to travel to Sint Maarten during the low season (the peak tourist seasons are December through April and July and August). I like the low season because there are often less people in your dive group. You will be able to spread out easier on the boat and you have more attention from the dive instructor. The summer months are the rainy season but this rarely causes disruption for diving. As long as it is not a heavy storm, visibility will be adequate for an enjoyable dive.

Make it happen: Rent all of your necessary gear at the Dive Sint Maarten dive shop located in the bustling Bobby’s Marina.

7. Coral Gables, Turks and Caicos

What to expect: Only a 15-minute boat ride from the shore of Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos, the Coral Gables dive site is located in the island’s Princess Alexandra National Marine Park, which has been a protected marine area for over 30 years. The dive site is great for beginners because the maximum depth is only 30ft (9m) and with this shallow underwater landscape, the sunlight penetrates nicely illuminating marine life like peacock flounders disguising themselves on the sandy bottom and yellowtail snappers drifting around the colorful fan corals. 

What to know: The visibility at most dive sites in Turks and Caicos is extremely clear year-round and in January through March you have the best chance at spotting rays, dolphins and migrating humpback whales.

Make it happen: Stay at the Club Med Turkoise and take a PADI course there.

8. Superman’s Flight, St Lucia

What to expect: Drift diving – where you ride the underwater current while taking in the sights around you – is a thrilling experience where you barely have to kick or move your body as you glide along. Superman’s Flight in St Lucia was named after the cliff above the dive site where a scene from Superman II (1980) was filmed. The quick current that flows along the sloping wall allows you to feel like a superhero while taking in parrotfish, turtles, sponges and colorful soft corals as you drift past. 

What to know: If you have down time, one of the most popular experiences in St Lucia is taking a mud bath at the drive-in Sulphur Springs at the Soufrier Volcano of which the mud is said to detoxify the body. You can dive in the morning and have time to visit the mud bath in the early evening.

Make it happen: The best place for divers to stay in St Lucia is at the all-inclusive Sandals Grande St Lucian. All equipment is available at the onsite dive shop and dives are included as part of your stay.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, so they say, but there’s no need to stay inside the city limits on a trip to the casino city. Beyond the crowds and bright lights of Las Vegas lies the uplifting emptiness of the Mojave Desert – the gateway to some of Nevada’s most dynamic landscapes.

People who enjoy wild and lonely places will love driving the scenic and remote back roads that radiate out from Las Vegas, following routes made famous by rock-and-roll singers and Hunter S Thompson. Few cities in America will put you within day-tripping range of so many iconic American sights.

So enjoy your fill of the roulette tables, bars and restaurants downtown, then hop in the car to experience the best of Nevada and beyond on these thrilling day trips from Las Vegas.

1. Grand Canyon

Travel Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

No matter how much you read about the Grand Canyon or how many photographs you’ve seen of its plunging depths, nothing really prepares you for seeing America’s most famous natural wonder in the flesh. It’s so startlingly familiar and iconic you can’t take your eyes off it.

The canyon’s immense size, the sheer intensity of the light and shadows at sunrise or sunset and the tremendous natural forces that caused it to come into existence make this a place to explore slowly. Don’t rush the experience by trying to squeeze everything into a single day. You can reach the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in less than five hours, so stay a couple of days and immerse yourself in its grandeur.

How to get to the Grand Canyon: If you really can only spend a day, you’ll need an early start to make it back the same night. If possible, spread the trip over several days to see the canyon from multiple angles.

For a day trip from Vegas, the closest section of the canyon is Grand Canyon West, with its famous Skywalk, administered by the Hualapai nation. It’s a 2½-hour drive via US Highway 93, and a shuttle bus will ferry you to the viewpoints from the car park.

Allow 4½ hours to reach the South Rim from Las Vegas, following sections of US Highway 93, Route 66 and Arizona State Route 64. There are places to stay both inside and outside Grand Canyon National Park.

2. Red Rock Canyon

Travel Time: 20–30 minutes

The dramatic vistas of Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area are revered by Las Vegas locals and adored by visitors from around the world. Thurst upwards by extreme tectonic forces, the 3000ft-high red sandstone escarpment that rises from the valley floor was once a section of ancient seabed some 65 million years ago.

A scenic 13-mile drive from Las Vegas serves up mesmerizing views of the canyon’s most striking features, with numerous hiking trails and rock-climbing areas radiating out from roadside parking areas. For more information on the legendary climbs here, check out the resources on the Mountain Project website.

How to get to Red Rock Canyon: The canyon is about 13 miles from the central Strip along Nevada State Route 159 – a 20-minute drive. The conservation area begins about three miles from the Vegas suburb of Summerlin.

3. Valley of Fire State Park

Travel Time: 1 hour

Dedicated in 1935, Valley of Fire State Park was Nevada’s first state park, and its psychedelic landscape of surreally striped rocks was carved by wind and water over thousands of years. Make the visitor center your first port of call to find out how best to tackle this masterpiece of southwest desert scenery. Within the park boundaries are 40,000 acres of red Aztec sandstone, petrified trees and ancient Native American petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock, accessible via hiking and driving trails, but don’t undertake any hike without plenty of water.

Must-see spots within the valley include the dramatic natural landscapes of White Domes, Rainbow Vista, Fire Canyon and Silica Dome – each as magnificent as it sounds. To learn more about the unique geological features of the park, the visitor center sells guidebooks and maps and takes reservations for guided hikes and ranger-led stargazing expeditions. If you’re there for more than a day, try your luck at securing one of the 72 first-come, first-served primitive campsites.

How to get to Valley of Fire State Park: The Valley of Fire State Park visitor center is about 50 miles northeast of Downtown Las Vegas, signposted off Interstate 15. Drive time is under one hour.

4. Lake Mead

Travel Time: 45 minutes

Created when a whole valley system was flooded by the Hoover Dam in 1936, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area is a popular boating, swimming and camping destination for Vegas residents. For tourists, a trip here is often tied together with a visit to the nearby Hoover Dam.

The lake lies within a protected area spanning a broad sweep of the unbearably dry Mojave Desert, stretching for 110 miles toward the Grand Canyon. Also here is 67-mile-long Lake Mohave, which runs along the Arizona border, alongside endless miles of spectacular desert scenery to explore on driving routes and a handful of hiking trails.

While most visitors come to Lake Mead to enjoy the water, don’t overlook the hiking here. At Grapevine Canyon near Lake Mohave, a quarter-mile jaunt takes you to a panel of petroglyphs dating back as far as the 11th century CE, and you can boulder-hop further up the gorge, which encloses a ribbon-like stream trickling down from a spring.

Longer routes include a 3.7-mile hike through five tunnels following the former railway line that once linked the site of the Lake Mead Visitor Center to the Hoover Dam. The most challenging hike in the park is a three-mile, 800ft descent to a series of hot springs set in a slot canyon off Black Canyon. The area can get extremely hot in summer and hiking is not recommended from May to September.

How to get to Lake Mead: The most visited northern section of Lake Mead is less than an hour’s drive from Las Vegas along Lake Mead Blvd, while the southern shores can be reached via US Highway 93.

5. Hoover Dam

Travel Time: 1 hour

Day-trippers often visit Hoover Dam and Lake Mead together on the same trip, which makes sense as the lake was created during the construction of the dam in the 1930s. At the height of the Depression, thousands of men and their families migrated here and worked in excruciatingly hot conditions, dangling hundreds of feet above Black Canyon to build this massive 726ft-high arch-gravity dam, completed ahead of schedule and under budget in 1936.

It came at a cost. Ninety-six workers lost their lives building this iconic art deco structure, which has come to define this stark but eye-catching section of the desert. Tours of the dam begin at the Hoover Dam Parking Garage & Visitor Center, and tickets can be booked ahead online.

How to get to Hoover Dam: The Hoover Dam visitor center is a one-hour drive from central Las Vegas along US Highway 93 and Nevada State Route 172. The dam is open from 9am to 5pm, but the last tour of the day leaves at 3:45pm.

6. Spring Mountains

Travel Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

To the west of Las Vegas, the limestone cliffs and forested peaks of the Spring Mountains rise dramatically above the Mojave Desert. This mountainous area is a playground for hiking, mountain biking, camping,  horseback riding, rock climbing and other outdoor activities.

Start your explorations in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area section of Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, where a modern, state-of-the-art interpretive center features educational dioramas, exhibits and artworks. Park rangers are on hand to steer you toward your perfect forest experience.

How to get to the Spring Mountains: The drive from Vegas takes around one hour and 20 minutes, following US Hwy 95 then Nevada State Route 157.

7. Death Valley

Travel Time: 2 hours

The name Death Valley evokes visions of somewhere harsh, hot and hellish – a punishing, barren and lifeless place of Old Testament severity. But closer inspection reveals nature putting on a truly spectacular show. Around this low-lying basin, you’ll find singing sand dunes, water-sculpted canyons, extinct volcanic craters, palm-shaded oases, stark mountains rising to 11,000ft and boulders that seemingly move of their own volition across the desert floor.

There’s also plenty of endemic wildlife, including jackrabbits, bighorn sheep and mountain lions. Start exploring from Dante’s View, where on very clear days, you can simultaneously see the highest point (14,505ft Mt Whitney) and the lowest point (Badwater, at 282ft below sea level) in the contiguous USA.

How to get to Death Valley: The drive to Death Valley from Las Vegas takes a little over two hours, following Interstate 95 and Nevada State Route 373.

8. Zion National Park

Travel Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Get ready for an overdose of awesome. The soaring red-and-white cliffs of Zion Canyon – one of southern Utah’s most dramatic natural wonders – rise high above the Virgin River. Hiking downriver through the tight gorge known as the Narrows or gazing down from the rocky top of Angels Landing after a 1500ft ascent is simply amazing.

That’s just the beginning. For all its awe-inspiring majesty, the park also shields more delicate beauty – rocks that ‘weep’ water, delicate grottoes, hanging gardens and mesa-top meadows of wildflowers. It’s close enough to visit on a day trip from Vegas, but it’s more rewarding to explore slowly, hiking the trails and staying overnight at one of the three park campgrounds or in nearby lodges and B&Bs.

How to get to Zion National Park: The drive from Vegas to Zion National Park takes around 2½ hours, mostly following Interstate 15. If you arrive via the park’s South Entrance, you should expect traffic jams of 30 minutes or more just to pass the entry kiosk. Arrive well before 8am to avoid the worst of the traffic and increase your odds of getting a coveted parking spot.

If you’ve got one European long-distance hike on your bucket list, it’s probably the Tour du Mont Blanc. It was on mine, too.

Views over sparkling glaciers, Alpine prairies and lots (and lots!) of cheese await anyone who embarks on this border-crossing trek. Circling the largest peak in the Alps, Mont Blanc, the trail covers 170km (105 miles), climbs more than 10,000m (32,800ft) in cumulative altitude, and weaves through three Alpine countries: France, Italy and Switzerland. 

Every dream feels far away – until we start to break down what we need to do to achieve it. Here’s what it takes to hike or run the Tour du Mont Blanc.

How I prepared for hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc 

Don’t laugh at the folks who’ve sawed off the handle of their toothbrush to save on weight. Many of the climbs along the Tour du Mont Blanc are arduous, and every gram really does count. 

My first question as I prepared my bag was, Where would I sleep? Opting for camping would make the trek feel really wild, let me spend more time in nature and give a bit more flexibility about where and when I’d arrive each night. On the flip side, this would mean my home would be on my back (like a turtle), and heavy enough to reduce my walking speed significantly.

The other option was to sleep in refuges, or mountain huts. Refuges can range from rows of bunk beds to rooms that are almost luxurious – yet what they all offer in common is a dry place, sheltered from the elements. Plus (with rare exceptions), the dinners are delicious. Staying in refuges means no need to pack any camping or cooking gear, freeing up a lot of room in your backpack. 

Each refuge has its own culture and way of working, says Céline Mila, the gardienne (caretaker) of Refuge des Prés in the Contamines Valley. “Usually that means taking off your shoes before entering, and taking your trash away with you. The best way to get oriented at the refuge is by coming to see us when you arrive – it’s our job to share the mountain culture with you.”

For my Tour du Mont Blanc, I decided to stay in refuges the whole way.

What is the best time to do the Tour du Mont Blanc?

To beat the crowds, I decided to run the tour in mid-June. Even at the onset of summer, there was still quite a bit of snow above 1800m (5900ft), and many hikers brought along small snow chains to keep from slipping. I loved the extra challenge of the snow and the cooler daytime temperatures. July and August are the busiest months for the route, when the trail can sometimes feel like a highway. By September, things slow down again – but the huts also start to close up for the winter. While weather in the mountains can vary each year, usually July and August have the highest number of stable, rain-free days.

How long does the Tour du Mont Blanc take? And what do you eat along the route?

Hikers typically complete the loop in between seven and 10 days, and the fastest trail runners complete the journey in a staggering 20 hours. Regular trail runners tend to take things a bit slower, between three and four days. 

Since I was running the loop in four days, I packed only the barest essentials so as not to weigh myself down: a pair of leggings and a long-sleeve shirt to sleep in, a thin fleece for the mornings, a light raincoat, a pair of light gloves, a change of socks, my toothbrush, sunscreen, sunglasses and a headlamp. Plus, I wanted to eat as much local food as possible: crozets (cheesy pasta) in France, pizza in Italy and croûtes (a cheesy bread melt) in Switzerland.

Dinners were included in my demi-pension, or half-board. For lunch, I usually ordered the refuge’s picnic to eat along the way. While they’re nothing fancy, the sandwiches or even just bread, smoked meat and cheese always hit the spot.

Alix Noblat, an ultra-trail runner and specialist in nutrition in endurance sports, once told me to eat every half hour – before my stomach starts rumbling. So I always keep a snack on me, like protein bars or Snickers. Anything that can give me an energy boost is always in my pack.

The highs and lows of the Tour du Mont Blanc

After a few days on the trail, your sense of time and distance changes. Hikers will no longer measure their day by kilometers or hours traveled – but rather by the cols, or mountain passes, that they’ve reached. The most famous ones are:

• The Col du Bonhomme, which connects the lush Contamines Nature Reserve with the Alpine pastures of the Beaufortaine.

• The Col de la Seigne, at the border between France and Italy, with a spectacular view of Mont Blanc, Aiguille du Peuteurey, Dent du Géan and the treacherous Grandes Jorasses.

• The Col Grand Ferret, at the end of the remote Val Ferret, which brings a long, steep climb – and a descent on the other (Swiss) side that’s rolling and blissful.

• The Col de la Balme, overlooking Chamonix valley, which brings hikers back into France for the final few legs before the finish.

And don’t forget the valleys. The TBM passes through winter sports hubs like Chamonix and Courmayeur, as well as through smaller Alpine valleys. A standout valley is the Val Ferret: the trail runs high above the lush green pastures on the valley floor, giving a splendid view of the mineral rock faces of the range on the other side. Plus, the Rifugio Walter Bonatti’s cappuccinos are the best you’ll find anywhere above 2000m (6500ft).

Do you need to be in great shape to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc?

You should physically prepare for the hike, yes. Getting in shape for the TMB is a question of cardio training and foot preparation. Hikers should be fit enough to cover their desired distance each day, of course. But don’t forget to prepare your feet to avoid blisters: break in hiking shoes before the first day of the hike, and bring along anti-chafing cream if you’re worried you might have rubs.

How do I get to the area to start the hike?

Typically, the route begins and ends in Les Houches (Haute-Savoie) in the French Alps and follows a counterclockwise loop around the mountain range. However, you can also start from other towns on the TMB, such as Chamonix (Plan Praz), Courmayeur in Aosta Valley (Italy) and Champex Lac. Although most hikers will go counterclockwise, the clockwise direction can also be done. This way, you’re getting a much more tranquil route.

Les Houches is easily reached from anywhere in France using the train and Mont Blanc tramway connection. The latter is among the most scenic rail journeys in the world, so definitely worth a ride. You can also use the tram to access many mountain trails around Mont Blanc. Some peaks along the Tour du Mont Blanc are connected by cable cars so it shouldn’t always be an arduous hike. 

How can I hike the Tour du Mont Blanc safely?

Mountain trekking is always about preparation. When it comes to the Tour de Mont Blanc, you must carefully study your way and know the ins and outs of the route. We’re talking about some of the highest peaks in Europe here, so the more you know, the better. And the more honest you are about your capabilities, the more you’ll enjoy the trek. Can you walk up to 8 hours a day with constant ascents? Does hiking for more than a week sound like a good plan at this moment in your life?

The weather conditions should also be considered. It’s one thing going through idyllic Mont Blanc Massif scenery when the sun is pleasantly shining. It’s a different kind of challenge when there’s a thunderstorm or a snowfall. With long-day hiking treks like TMB, good weather plays a vital role. It’s best to know exactly what to expect and be ready to react when emergencies happen. Have a look at the official safety information and study the mountain hazards that can happen during your time in the wild. 

Equipment is another essential part of the Tour du Mont Blanc preparation. Your safety also depends on the things you take with you. GPS and detailed maps of the route you choose are obligatory. Check out the guide on the best trekking gear for a complete picture of items to take with you on TMB. And don’t underestimate the importance of comfortable, durable and waterproof footwear.

Why is the mountain called Mont Blanc?

Mont Blanc translates as “white mountain” in French and comes from the snow cap that covers the peak and the glaciers that stretch from its dome. Mont Blanc was first proclaimed the continent’s highest mountain at the beginning of the 18th century. The first documented climb occurred in 1786 when Michel-Gabriel Paccard and Jacques Balmat reached the summit of Mont Blanc starting from Chamonix.

What wildlife will I see on the trip?

One of the magical things about long-distance mountain trekking is the nature you see along the way. Apart from sublime panoramas, Tour du Mont Blanc provides a window into the fauna of the western side of the Alps. 

Encountering ibex is almost a guarantee during the trail. These are mountain goats with long horns that usually feed close to the hiking routes and on alpine meadows. Another horned animal you may see is the chamois. They are smaller than ibex, and they love going up and down rocky slopes. The cutest creature you can meet on TMB is the marmot. These chubby ground squirrels come out during the warmer months and hang out at higher elevations. 

Remember to keep a safe distance from all animals you see on the trail. The wilderness is their home, and when provoked, they can be dangerous and cause harm. 

Ready to make it happen?

This is a trek you should book early – at least two months out – to find accommodation at the refuges. Yet it can be planned at the last minute for those who prefer camping. Autour du Mont Blanc is an easy-to-use website that helps plan daily stages. You can also reserve huts here. 

The views…the food…the marmots! The Tour du Mont Blanc delivers at every step.

With the close of the Paris Olympics, a running joke on social media is that many viewers have been at a loss of how to fill their days.

After all, for two weeks, the French capital became the center of the world, hosting what has been lauded as one of the most successful and innovative games over the last few decades. Between superhuman feats of athleticism, there were tears of joy and tears of disappointment, all against the stunning background of the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais and the Seine river. It made for some dramatic and captivating television.

But the excitement isn’t over ⁠— these next few weeks are a short intermission until the Paralympics, which run from August 28 to September 8. The opening ceremony will take place outdoors at Place de la Concorde. Events will be held across some of the same venues that made the Olympics so mesmerizing, including Pont Alexandre III and the Eiffel Tower.

Demand for tickets has also taken off following the close of the Olympics, with locals looking for a way to prolong the collective euphoria experienced throughout the Games. After a slow start, organizers say that sales for the Paralympics average about 1000 tickets an hour, and that events in the most iconic venues ⁠— Versailles and Grand Palais ⁠— are sold out.

While Paris has hosted three Olympics, this year marks the first time the city is hosting a Paralympic Games. Along with innovative solutions for travelers with disabilities, perhaps the biggest legacy of the Paralympics will be how it’s served as an accelerator to make the cityscape – often described as an obstacle course for travelers with disabilities – more accessible and inclusive through improvements to city infrastructure and transportation.

Innovative ways travelers with disabilities will experience the Games

To enhance the spectator experience among the estimated 280,000 visitors with disabilities, organizers are introducing a few innovative services that will also mark a few firsts for the Paralympics.

Attendees of events – like blind soccer, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball – who are blind or visually impaired will be able to follow the action with a tactile tablet Touch2See that offers a live-action, immersive experience. A moving magnet replicates the position of the ball in real time and the tablet vibrates to convey the intensity of the game. Likewise, audio descriptions fed through headsets provide precise information about the plays. Spectators with visual impairments can also use low-vision headsets that look like VR headsets and act like high-powered binoculars, to zoom in on the action for athletic competitions and for the opening and closing ceremonies.

In an Olympic first, the audio description service will also be available via the Olympics app, allowing attendees to listen through their personal smartphones and headsets, with live commentary in both French and English.

And visitors with reduced mobility can motorize their wheelchairs with an innovative solution provided by myomniTrott that involves hooking their wheelchair to a scooter. Users can then travel through the city, moving from one venue to the next, using the biking lanes.

How the Paralympics are accelerating a more accessible Paris

In the years leading up to the Paralympics, the city of Paris pledged €125 million to improve its accessibility in a frantic bid to make good on its promise of hosting a “Games Wide Open” and to leave no one behind.

And while it’s made strides in some areas, some say it still falls short in others.

One of the legacies of the Paralympics for Paris is the creation of 17 “augmented accessibility zones” in neighborhoods across the city, where priority routes have been rethought in order to provide a seamlessly accessible, obstacle-free journey from one municipal facility – like a library, museum or sports center – to another. Among other things, that means repairing cracked pavements, widening sidewalks, repainting pedestrian crossings, clearing paths and removing unnecessary obstacles, installing audible pedestrian signals, and improving warning and guide strips.

Similarly, municipal buildings are undergoing a series of improvements that may include lowering the height of reception desks or the installation of hearing loops in large spaces, and an assisted listening technology that transmits audio directly to hearing aids or cochlear implants without the background noise.

Accessible transportation in Paris

One of the biggest pain points for the city of Paris and Olympic organizers has been the city’s transportation offerings.

In 2021, only one in two bus stops were able to accommodate accessibility ramps. Three years, €22 million, and 380 urban restructuring projects later, all but two of the city’s 61 bus lines (line 40 and the Roissybus), and 1750 bus stops are accessible to wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility, while the tram is also fully accessible. The city says the Games accelerated the changes, and that they achieved in three years what would otherwise have taken up to 20 years.

“The significant investment will also be a legacy of the Paris 2024 Games,” the city says on its website.

But for all the progress made on the bus network, the metro system, which is more than a hundred years old, presents significant challenges and obstacles. Currently, only 29 stations, or 9% of the Paris metro system is fully or partially accessible to wheelchair users.

By comparison, London, which has an older and deeper network than Paris, was able to make 18% or double the number of stations accessible by the time of the 2012 London Olympics, as Nicolas Mérille, national accessibility advisor for the APF France Handicap association, pointed out to French news site Franceinfo.

“We hope that the event will create awareness and an electroshock on the fact that the daily life of people with disabilities, particularly in transport, is not at all the same as that of able-bodied people,” Mérille said.

How to find accessible accommodation, restaurants and attractions

Over the years, the city has also been conducting an accessibility audit campaign for hotels and accommodations, shops, restaurants and tourist attractions. So far, more than 450 establishments have been added to the city’s web app MyParisjetaime Handicap.

Visitors can use filters to find facilities that are adapted to different disabilities, such as hotels and restaurants with access ramps and accessible toilets; museums that are adapted to the visually impaired; and theaters that are adapted to those with hearing impairments.

It’s also worth looking out for the Tourisme & Handicap label when booking stays or restaurants. Managed by the country’s tourism office Atout France, the label is awarded to tourist establishments that meet specific needs of people with various disabilities. Pictograms indicate the accessibility conditions they can accommodate: hearing, mental, motor or visual.

Will Paris continue to drive accessibility improvements after the Games?

One of the small, but hugely impactful changes during the Paris Olympics was the careful choice of wording before the singing of anthems. Instead of simply instructing spectators to “please stand for the national anthem”, announcers added an important disclaimer at the end: “please stand, if you can.”

It’s a detail that didn’t go unnoticed by the disability community and which received wide praise for its inclusivity. And while disability rights advocates say that while huge strides have been made to make the city more accessible thanks to the arrival of the Paralympics, momentum must continue with the support of local Parisians and political will.

Adds Mérille: “The Games must not be seen as an enchanted interlude, because there is still a lot to do.”

Jackson Hole can be pricey, it is known as a celebrity hangout after all. But, you don’t need to have a Hollywood bank account to have a memorable visit. This Wyoming mountain town has a surprising number of budget-friendly lodging options and cheap things to do—especially if you enjoy outdoor adventures. It’s also a highly seasonal destination, meaning the cost of a vacation will be wildly different depending on which time of year you visit. 

If you’re trying to do Jackson Hole on a budget, here’s what to know to save some cash.

Daily costs

• Hostel room: $50-$120

• Basic room for two: $150-$250

• Self-catering apartment (including Airbnb): $300 per night

• One-way ticket on public transportation: $1-$3

• Single day lift ticket at a ski resort: $129-$269

• Coffee: $3

• Sandwich: $12

• Dinner for two: $75

• Beer/pint at the bar: $8

• Average daily cost: $500 to $700

Visit during spring or fall

Jackson Hole has two main seasons for tourism: winter (for skiing and snowboarding) and summer (for hiking, mountain biking and other warm-weather adventures). 

The obvious tip here is to visit in a shoulder season to save money and avoid crowds. In early spring, the mountains are still covered in snow and you may even be able to get in a few laps of spring skiing or enjoy snowshoeing in solitude. While there’s merit to that idea, the best part of this timing is wildlife-viewing. It’s a great season to catch baby animals as they are just starting to explore their new surroundings in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Spring is also when birds are migrating and nesting, and as temperatures start to heat up in May, colorful wildflowers begin to emerge.

Autumn brings a kaleidoscope of color to Jackson Hole. Aspen leaves turn gold or, in some cases, red and orange. Animals are also active, either preparing for hibernation or searching for mates. (Elk rutting, or the sound bull elks make when calling for mates, is often loudest at sunrise and sunset, so grab a coffee, bundle up and head for an early morning hike catch this seasonal.)

One caveat: In both spring and fall, the weather can be unpredictable. But with the right layers, you can have plenty of outdoor fun—and save some money, too. On a chilly day, make the beautiful drive up to nearby Granite Hot Springs after a day of hiking. Buy a day pass ($12 for adults, $7 for children) and treat your legs to some hard-earned rest and recovery after a long day on the trail. 

Invest in a national park pass

A day pass to Grand Teton National Park costs $20 to $35 (the price varies depending on your mode of transportation). If you’re planning to explore the park over several days or visit other national parks in the future—including nearby Yellowstone National Park—it probably makes more sense to buy an annual pass instead. You’ll pay $70 for an annual pass to Grand Teton National Park only, or $80 for an annual pass that gets you admission into all national parks, plus lots of other federally managed public lands. 

Mark your calendar for free days 

On specific days throughout the year, the National Park Service waives the admission fee at all national parks, including Grand Teton. (In 2024, there were six days like this.) The parks tend to be very busy on these free days, but if you don’t mind an early wake up you can likely catch a few quiet hours before the crowds build. 

Shop for souvenirs at consignment and thrift shops

Jackson Hole is known for its many upscale shops and boutiques. Thrift and consignment shops offer a unique and off-beat opportunity to uncover some on-of-a-kind keepsakes. Pop into shops like Browse ‘n Buy, Headwall Sports, Eclectic Consignment and Home Again to browse some eclectic finds. 

Bunk with friends

Jackson Hole has several hostels, including Cache House, The Hostel, and Teton Hostel Hideaway, which offer a fresh take on what a budget stay looks like. Find amenities like communal eating and sitting areas, ski tuning, coffee counters and game rooms. 

A handful of Jackson Hole hotels also have handy room configurations—bunk beds or family suites—that make it easy for groups to split costs while staying together in a private space. Check out Anvil Hotel, Mountain Modern, and The Virginian Lodge if you’re traveling with friends. 

Sleep under the stars

If you’re well-versed in tent camping, Jackson Hole has no shortage of campgrounds, with nightly rates that are typically a lot lower than what you’d pay at a hotel. 

If you don’t need services (and you’ve got a sturdy vehicle), you can also camp for free on public lands outside of developed campgrounds. Called “dispersed camping,” this option requires more flexibility and research, but you can’t beat the price. Platforms like iOverlander and Freecampsites.net can help you get started.

Skip the car rental

The costs of renting a car and parking can add up fast, especially if you’re staying for an extended period of time. Parking at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, for example, can be as high as $45 per day during peak ski season.

If you’re flying to Jackson Hole, consider bypassing the rental car counter to save some cash. Not only do many Jackson Hole hotels offer free airport shuttles, but they also offer free ski shuttles (an especially nice perk if you’re not used to driving in the snow and ice). On top of that, downtown Jackson Hole is small and easy to navigate on foot or bicycle. The region also has a robust public transit network called Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit, or the START Bus for short. Rides are cheap, typically between $1-$3 each way.

Ski at Jackon Hole’s other, smaller resort

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the most famous and largest ski resort in the region. But there’s also a lesser-known, more affordable option right downtown: Snow King Mountain. It’s smaller but no less fun, especially if you’re a beginner or traveling as a family. Kids 5 and under ski free, while daily lift tickets and lessons can be less than half the cost of those at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Or, if you really want to save money, skip the ski resorts altogether. Winter activities that don’t require a lift ticket—like cross-country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, and hiking—tend to be much easier on the wallet. Bradley and Taggart Lakes are wonderful options to check out on days you’re skipping the lift line. 

Take advantage of season passes, discounts and deals

If you’re dead set on skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, there are some ways you can save a bit of cash. If you have a government-issued military ID, you can save up to 40% off lift tickets. If you have a current season pass to any other ski resort around the world, you can save up to 50% off your lift ticket on certain dates with the resort’s Golden Ticket offer. If someone you know has an Ikon Pass, they can also get you a friends and family voucher for up to 25% off.

If you plan on skiing a lot throughout the season, a multi-mountain pass like Ikon or Mountain Collective can also help you save money, especially for children 12 and under. Both of those options offer access to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort while Indy Pass holders can ski Snow King. These passes are more expensive upfront, but the broken down cost per day is often a better value than buying one-off lift tickets for the time you’re in town. The more you ski, the more value you get out of your pass.  

Check out nearby public lands and wilderness areas

You have to pay to visit Jackson Hole’s nearby national parks, but there are also lots of other public lands and wilderness areas that don’t cost a dime, including the National Elk Refuge, Bridger-Teton National Forest, and Rendezvous Park. Jackson Hole also has lots of other free activities and attractions, including the Jackson National Fish Hatchery, the nightly Town Square shootout (summers only), public art and more. 

You probably already know that Bora Bora’s lagoon is outrageously picturesque, revealing shades of blue you didn’t even know existed. And you’ll be pleased to learn that this stunning island in French Polynesia has beautiful beaches to match, fringed by a curtain of swishing palms.

You’ll find little slices of sandy heaven – almost always attached to a stylishly luxurious resort – scattered all around the main island and on the motu (islets) dotted around the lagoon, so you’ll have sun, sea and sand on tap wherever you choose to stay.

While most beaches are reserved for guests at Bora Bora’s luxe resorts, Bora Bora’s main official public beach, Matira Beach, is one of the best on the island. Starting at Matira and working clockwise around the lagoon, here are eight of the best beaches in Bora Bora to kickstart your island dream.

1. Matira Beach

Best beach for families

If Derek Zoolander were to describe Matira Beach, he would probably opt for “really, really, ridiculously good-looking.” It’s hard to imagine the need for a resort beach once you’ve spent time soaking up the sun on this gorgeous public beach, regarded by many as the best on the island.

The white sand and clear waters stretch from Hotel Matira on the southern tip of Bora Bora’s mainland up to the former Hotel Bora Bora (whose redevelopment has been stalled since 2008). As Matira Beach is a public beach, you’ll find both locals and tourists enjoying a swim, relaxing on the sand or wading out for a spot of snorkeling.

Pair this with beautiful sunsets and calm water for swimming and you’ve got a beach that’s a top spot for families by day, and a great romantic spot for couples at sunset.

Planning Tip: If you feel peckish, enticing eateries are scattered along Matira Beach, ranging from informal snack stands and casual cafes to fine dining restaurants.

2. Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort

Best beach for beginner snorkelers

Moving offshore from the main island, the private islet of Motu To’opua is home to the luxurious, Hilton-owned Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort, a great choice for snorkeling and sand-worshipping. The beach at the Conrad is a pretty decent size at around 500m (1640ft) in length, with the entrance jetty located right in the center of the sand.

In contrast to many other resort beaches, the sand faces the lagoon and not the main island, providing views of infinite shades of blue. Although it’s stunning, the vista is dominated by the resort’s overwater bungalows, so this isn’t quite the castaway experience.

Planning Tip: The best thing about this beach is the fact that you can snorkel directly from the sand, finding coral and bright fish just meters from the shoreline. This makes it an ideal beach for beginner snorkelers or those who aren’t strong swimmers. If you’ve bagged yourself an overwater bungalow then you’re in snorkeling heaven; you can jump in right from your porch!

3. Motu Tapu

Best beach for making a romantic proposal

The tiny lagoon island of Motu Tapu is owned by the Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort, and what it lacks in size, it makes up for in romantic possibilities, particularly if you head over with a personal chef and butler from the Conrad for a private meal for two (which is how most people come here).

Surrounded by a clear lagoon that turns a vivid blue as the water gets deeper, Motu Tapu was once the private beach of Queen Pomare IV, the queen of Tahiti from 1827 to 1877. With views of Bora Bora’s mountainous main island on one side, it’s the vision of a tropical island escape – if you were queen of Tahiti, you’d probably choose it for your private beach as well.

Planning Tip: Although you’ll probably feel the urge to take hundreds of photographs, a trip to this beach-ringed motu is all about romance. Private and almost deserted, it’s best enjoyed by putting your phone down and committing the scenery to your mental memory bank.

4. Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resort

Best beach for hammock lounging

Continuing clockwise around the lagoon, the island of Tevairoa is home to the lavish Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resort and its gorgeous 300m (984ft) stretch of sand. This coral islet is nestled between the ocean and the lagoon, with the Pearl Beach resort facing the mainland and the iconic profile of 727m (3285ft) Mt Otemanu.

There’s something about the misty line of mountains in the background, the Polynesian-style architecture of the resort, and the sublime lagoon vistas that compels you to sink into a hammock or collapse onto a beach lounger under a sun umbrella. Incidentally, you can do both here, while you bask in front of dreamy sea and island views.

Planning Tip: This is a great choice if you want to minimize the time between landing in Bora Bora and hitting the sand; you’re just a 10-minute boat ride from the airport and 15 minutes across the lagoon from Bora Bora’s largest village, Vaitape.

5. Blue Heaven Island Resort

Best for informal island charm

Just before you reach the airport on Mute Island, you’ll pass the private island of Motu Paahi and the agreeably informal Blue Heaven Island resort. A quaint, family-run five-bungalow pension with a natural, narrow beach, the resort describes itself as rustic, which means ceiling fans rather than air conditioning, a lagoon instead of a pool, solar electricity and wi-fi that is dependent on the weather. It was temporarily closed at the time of writing so check locally for the latest information.

The shoreline is rockier here but that doesn’t detract from the view, which features the same interplay of mountains and blue as at other more upmarket resorts. The best part about this beach is the epic snorkeling and lagoon kayaking possible right offshore. Some of the pricier resorts bring in their guests by boat to snorkel in the channel right next to this motu, but if you stay here, you’ll already be in prime position.

6. Motu Tane

Best for those with (very) deep pockets

Motu Tane is a small island located right next door to Motu Paahi but only an exclusive few get the chance to enjoy its beautiful beaches, said to be among the best in Bora Bora. The reason? The islet is privately owned by cosmetics mogul Francois Nars, but it was recently listed for sale for a cool US$37.5 million.

If you can’t stretch that far, you can still look across to the island from Motu Paahi and imagine owning your own private paradise island surrounded by white sand and dotted with Polynesian huts and coconut groves. Due to its proximity to Blue Heaven Island resort, you can assume the snorkeling is pretty epic here too.

7. Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora

Best for all-round wow factor

Continuing clockwise to the northeastern side of Bora Bora’s lagoon, beyond the airport on Mute Island, the celebrated beach at the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora offers amazing views of Mt Otemanu from its sparkling stretch of sand.

Surprisingly, the beach isn’t the best thing about this swish private island. Visitors are also wowed by the collection of “mini beaches” lining the turquoise channels leading to the internal lagoon on this narrow island. Once you see them, you’ll want to sell everything you own and move here.

The main beach and the sandy strips surrounding the inner lagoon just ooze luxury. Combine this with four onsite restaurants and superb accommodation and you’ve found yourself the best beach resort on Bora Bora.

Planning Tip: While the Four Seasons charges five-star prices, look out for promotions such as discounts for advance booking and free nights if you stay longer than three days.

8. Sofitel Bora Bora Private Island

Best beach for privacy

Circling back towards the southern end of Bora Bora, you’ll find Motu Piti Uu Uta, home to the Bora Bora Private Island resort – owned by the Accor group but temporarily closed at the time of writing (check online for the latest information).

Although the beach here is small and shrinks considerably with the tide, its beauty lies in its privacy and the color of the surrounding lagoon. For the best views, take a quick stroll up the hill behind the resort, where you’ll find a few deck chairs where you can flop down and admire the sunset over the lagoon.

Planning Tip: Although the snorkeling is pretty decent directly out from the beach, if you swim or wade around the shallows to the deeper channel on the southern side of the island, you will find yourself in a prime spot often visited by snorkeling tours. Fish life is abundant here, but stop before you get too tired or bring something to float on.