https://www.scmp.com/rss/508147/feed Sustainable tourism, ecotourism, ethical tourism, regenerative tourism are among the many terms used to appeal to travellers concerned about the increasing damage people are inflicting to life on planet Earth. Those who consider themselves responsible travellers wish to minimise the harm they cause to the environments and communities they pass through, perhaps even redress the balance in some small way. These articles are for them. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Travel trends in 2026 include immersive, experiential, mindful and off-peak travel, and a strong focus on authenticity, nature and cultural engagement. Add one more to the mix: the skillcation. Skillcations blend skill and vacation. While a regular holiday tends to focus on relaxation or sightseeing, a skillcation adds some structured learning or practice to the equation. The “why” of this type of holiday has to do with travellers looking for personal growth and relaxation combined, where they... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3349116/latest-skillcation-travel-trend-blends-relaxation-self-improvement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3349116/latest-skillcation-travel-trend-blends-relaxation-self-improvement?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Charukesi Ramadurai Charukesi Ramadurai It’s been more than an hour since we drove away from Sumba’s tiny Tambolaka airport and so far, it’s been mostly empty stretches of narrow road, with only the occasional group of cheeky schoolchildren waving and hooting to break the monotony. All of a sudden, a procession of bare-chested, barefoot men approaches on the other side of the road, their red turbans gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. Our driver pulls over, pats his pockets and takes out … a packet of cigarettes, which he proffers to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3342466/not-bali-indonesian-island-learning-welcome-strangers-while-sharing-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3342466/not-bali-indonesian-island-learning-welcome-strangers-while-sharing-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two French adventurers reached the end of an epic walk from their hometown to Shanghai on Saturday, after nearly a year and a half crossing 16 countries almost entirely on foot. Tired but delighted, Loic Voisot and Benjamin Humblot embraced as they stood by the river on the Bund promenade, the Chinese financial hub’s distinctive skyline glittering in the background. Voisot, 26, and Humblot, 27, set off from Annecy in southeastern France in September 2024. Yearning for a “great adventure”, they... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342790/french-duo-reach-shanghai-china-after-walking-over-12000km-518-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342790/french-duo-reach-shanghai-china-after-walking-over-12000km-518-days?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 19:12:05 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service In 2025, the Earth reached the first of six progressively worse “climate tipping points”, which scientists say pose catastrophic risk to billions of people. The tipping point we have already reached is the dieback of warm-water coral reefs. Loss of those reefs threatens the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people who depend on them, according to The Global Tipping Points Report 2025, which was produced by 160 scientists from 23 countries. In addition to providing critical habitats for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3342270/6-sustainable-travel-tips-make-your-2026-holiday-more-climate-friendly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3342270/6-sustainable-travel-tips-make-your-2026-holiday-more-climate-friendly?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 10:15:40 +0000 dpa dpa If you are already making travel plans for this year, these emerging trends might provide some inspiration. Here is what is going to be hot in 2026. 1. Astrotourism Forget views of great landscapes or mountains, the latest travel trend as we build up to the total solar eclipse on August 12 is a view of the night sky. Some of the best places to experience dark skies around the world are Chile’s Atacama Desert, New Zealand’s Aoraki Mackenzie Reserve and the US state of Arizona. But it is the US... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3338943/2026-travel-trends-astrotourism-nostalgia-trips-and-even-more-solo-holidays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3338943/2026-travel-trends-astrotourism-nostalgia-trips-and-even-more-solo-holidays?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 23:15:15 +0000 Jayson Albano Jayson Albano In the middle of a rice paddy on a warm summer day, Sho Nakano bends over to where water meets his ankles, showing how weeding is done by hand. Once a week, he and his wife Shoko open their farm in the hills of Yokosuka, an hour south of Tokyo, to volunteers interested in organic agriculture or urbanites looking for a change of scenery. “We like to make space for people to gather and be in touch with nature and farming,” Shoko says. Commercial farms typically favour large fields of a single crop... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3335558/japanese-farm-homestay-lets-you-get-involved-producing-organic-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3335558/japanese-farm-homestay-lets-you-get-involved-producing-organic-food?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 08:15:09 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott Fans of “romantasy”, a literary genre that blends romance and fantasy, find happiness in mythical storybook worlds in which characters do things like slay dragons and hang out in castles, all while finding love at the same time. Now some are taking their passion for the genre into the real world by embracing “romantasy” travel, holidaying to destinations inspired by settings in their favourite novels such as snow-capped mountains, lush forests and ancient castles. This is one of the global... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3334714/top-10-travel-trends-hongkongers-2026-road-trips-romantasy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3334714/top-10-travel-trends-hongkongers-2026-road-trips-romantasy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 04:44:17 +0000 Kee Foong Kee Foong I was a kid living in Sydney when I first heard about the Tasmanian wilderness. It was the early 1980s, and a hydroelectricity project that would have destroyed swathes of virgin forest to dam a pristine river system had sparked national outrage. Across Australia, “No Dams” bumper stickers appeared on cars owned by people who had likely never set foot in the state yet passionately demanded preservation of its environmental treasures. News footage showed protesters chaining themselves to trees to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3333247/tea-dark-waters-and-ancient-stone-quiet-majesty-tasmanias-port-davey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3333247/tea-dark-waters-and-ancient-stone-quiet-majesty-tasmanias-port-davey?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 02:00:15 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Let’s just get this out of the way: hiking through California’s Yosemite Valley, whether it be to the Vernal and Nevada falls or through Cook’s Meadow, is a mesmerising and special experience. The hulking granite walls will remind you how small you are – and how remarkable our world is. Listening as waterfalls thunder down the mountain can place you in a meditative trance if you let it. The beauty of the valley is the best kind of sensory overload. It’s the reason that, at times, Yosemite can... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3326466/hiking-yosemite-along-lesser-known-trails-where-wildlife-epic-views-and-solitude-abound?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3326466/hiking-yosemite-along-lesser-known-trails-where-wildlife-epic-views-and-solitude-abound?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 20:15:07 +0000 Ian Lloyd Neubauer Ian Lloyd Neubauer When I discovered Goa, a former Portuguese colony on India’s southwest coast, while backpacking around Asia in the mid-1990s, it was still very much a hippie place: makeshift beachfront shacks, vibrant craft markets, dirt-cheap food and accommodation, and parties where one could dance naked on a beach until the sun came up. I lost myself in the multiverse of Goa trance, a psychedelic electronic dance music, and felt free. I stayed for six months but have never really left, not in my mind. I even... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3326072/naked-dancing-beach-what-remains-goas-legendary-hippie-haven?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3326072/naked-dancing-beach-what-remains-goas-legendary-hippie-haven?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 05:15:08 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott While Hong Kong is small considering its population of 7.5 million, with a total area of just 1,114 square kilometres (430 square miles), it is big on biodiversity, with 3,300 species of plants, 55 species of mammals, 200 species of freshwater fish, 116 species of reptiles and amphibians, and more than 580 bird species. People might also be surprised to learn that Hong Kong is home to more than 240 species of butterflies and more than 2,000 species of moths. To give some perspective, England is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3326148/why-hong-kong-butterfly-lovers-paradise-and-where-see-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3326148/why-hong-kong-butterfly-lovers-paradise-and-where-see-them?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 00:15:07 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has ordered the retraining of five lions that fatally mauled a veteran zookeeper at Safari World in Bangkok. The case has since prompted the closure of the park’s predator zone and sparked a review of safety practices at wildlife attractions across Thailand. Jian Rangkharasamee, a 58-year-old keeper who had worked with lions and tigers for two decades, was killed on Wednesday after reportedly stepping out of his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3325362/lions-killed-zookeeper-thai-safari-park-be-retrained?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3325362/lions-killed-zookeeper-thai-safari-park-be-retrained?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:36:00 +0000 Cameron Dueck Cameron Dueck The colours dazzle under the midday sun, even through squinting eyes. Aqua blue sea, sparkling and dancing with the waves, a bright baby blue where the sea floor turns to sand, a deeper marine hue where the water deepens. The sea tears itself into dashes of foam along the shore, surprising me as the white rears up and falls with a whoosh right next to my wheels. Then the volcanic basalt, jagged and hot as it absorbs the sun’s rays, stretches clean and black as far as the eye can see. Finally,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3323297/cycling-around-jeju-volcanic-south-korean-isle-rock-wind-and-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3323297/cycling-around-jeju-volcanic-south-korean-isle-rock-wind-and-women?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Tim Pile Tim Pile Increasingly, tourist destinations are embracing sustainability in ways that protect nature and benefit local communities. These places are taking concrete steps to reduce waste, preserve ecosystems and transition to clean energy without losing their appeal. The changes bring cleaner streets, warmer welcomes and healthier environments for residents, along with more fulfilling holidays. Copenhagen, Denmark Polished and progressive yet grounded in green values, the Danish capital integrates... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3323014/8-holiday-destinations-embrace-clean-living-and-sustainable-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3323014/8-holiday-destinations-embrace-clean-living-and-sustainable-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 10:00:12 +0000 Mark Eveleigh Mark Eveleigh “The lion crossed this track shortly after dawn,” says Christiaan Swanepoel, our wildlife guide, squatting beside the deep pugmarks of what is clearly a very big male cat. This is probably the same lion whose distant roar reverberated through the canvas walls of my safari tent early this morning. It is no surprise that the big cat would still be hunting, but I wonder how the tracker could be so exact in his estimate of the timing. “He walked over these insect trails,” says Swanepoel, tracing a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3319542/walking-lions-inside-south-africas-karoo-safari-and-rewilding-success-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3319542/walking-lions-inside-south-africas-karoo-safari-and-rewilding-success-story?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Dennis Lee Dennis Lee Does globalisation have a future, given US President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies and the rise of the far-right in Europe? According to US economist and political analyst Jeffrey Sachs, globalisation did not occur only in recent decades, but began as early as when humans started migrating out of Africa tens of thousands of years ago. Like it or not, globalisation will soldier on unfazed and is merely entering a new phase. As history has shown, its reach and character will evolve with... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3319290/are-we-globalising-ourselves-out-community?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3319290/are-we-globalising-ourselves-out-community?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Payal Uttam Payal Uttam When strolling through a beach resort, it is not often that you pass a sculptor chiselling driftwood or catch sight of a textile artist steeping fabric in a vat of dye. But such scenes are a daily occurrence on Nikoi Island in Indonesia. The private island resort about 50 miles (80km) away from Singapore in the Riau Archipelago not only welcomes tourists but also hosts Southeast Asian artists through its year-round Ubah Rumah Residency programme. “There is an element of surprise when guests see... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3318098/indonesian-private-island-popular-singaporeans-offers-idyllic-setting-artists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3318098/indonesian-private-island-popular-singaporeans-offers-idyllic-setting-artists?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 23:15:06 +0000 Tim Pile Tim Pile Elevated Asian settlements offer dramatic landscapes, mesmerising vistas and farming techniques that have endured for generations. Rice is cultivated on steep terraces, homes are built to withstand severe weather and local traditions endure and even flourish far from the commotion of the city. Whether reached by winding road, forest trail or cable car, each of these six villages invites travellers to slow down, breathe deeply and experience ways of living shaped by altitude, heritage and a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3317841/head-hills-best-highland-village-destinations-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3317841/head-hills-best-highland-village-destinations-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 22:15:07 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso When it comes to luxury travel right now, the prevailing attitude seems to indicate that more is more – sure, bigger is better, but have you also tried having state-of-the-art sound systems in your private suite, Michelin-starred chefs on every floor of your property, or perhaps a massive reflecting pool designed by a star architect in the heart of your lobby? (If not, best of luck to you.) Call it an oversaturated market or just basic economics – whatever the case, many hotels now seem to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3317340/saii-hotels-resorts-phuket-proves-luxury-and-sustainability-can-work-together-create-compelling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3317340/saii-hotels-resorts-phuket-proves-luxury-and-sustainability-can-work-together-create-compelling?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:07:33 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott Hong Kong sisters Claire and Valia Gontard have a strong personal connection to the Indonesian island of Lombok: their maternal grandfather was born there and they have been regular visitors since 2013. It made sense, then, that the island, known for its pristine beaches and world-class waves, is the location for their first hospitality venture, Somewhere Lombok. Nestled on a lush cliff overlooking the surfing paradise of Are Guling bay in the south of Lombok, the luxury resort features 20... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3315604/hong-kong-sisters-luxury-indonesian-resort-lombok-cathedral-calmness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3315604/hong-kong-sisters-luxury-indonesian-resort-lombok-cathedral-calmness?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jun 2025 04:15:07 +0000 Cameron Dueck Cameron Dueck The hollow donnngg of a bell gently burrows into my sleep. It is a comforting, if unfamiliar, sound, accompanying the strange new dreams of a foreign place, a new bed, an unfamiliar night. Again and again, with increasing persistence, the bell calls me out of my sleep, sounding like a bullfrog in the woods. Donnngg … donnngg. I am still swimming towards consciousness when the ringing stops and the deep baritone chanting of a monk fills the predawn air. As I awake, I slowly remember where I am:... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3315158/mix-martial-arts-meditation-south-korean-temple-retreat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3315158/mix-martial-arts-meditation-south-korean-temple-retreat?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jun 2025 23:30:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez have invited celebrity friends like fellow space traveller Katy Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger and Ivanka Trump for their Venice nuptials later this month, but the couple hopes to put a spotlight on Venice’s traditions during the celebrations. Apart from celebrities, the A-list guest list reported by TMZ included politicians and business leaders such as Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Joshua Kushner and his wife Karlie Kloss, as well as models like Camila Morrone... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3314618/jeff-bezos-and-lauren-sanchezs-upcoming-wedding-inviting-katy-perry-oprah-winfrey-mick-jagger-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3314618/jeff-bezos-and-lauren-sanchezs-upcoming-wedding-inviting-katy-perry-oprah-winfrey-mick-jagger-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 22:00:21 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott Rwanda made global headlines in 1994 for a genocide that saw Hutu extremists kill around 800,000 people, mostly from the minority Tutsi community, over a 100-day period during the country’s civil war. Today, the landlocked East African nation is not only politically stable but has established itself as a leader in high-end ecotourism, with some of the continent’s most luxurious safari lodges. Manzi Kayihura, who works for ecotourism companies Wilderness Rwanda and Thousand Hills Africa, has... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3314603/how-rwanda-became-luxury-ecotourism-leader-moving-beyond-genocide-and-gorillas-label?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3314603/how-rwanda-became-luxury-ecotourism-leader-moving-beyond-genocide-and-gorillas-label?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 09:45:11 +0000 Daniel Allen Daniel Allen It’s just before sunrise in Yellowstone National Park and the ground is encrusted with frost – a reminder that autumn will soon succumb to the frigid embrace of a Wyoming winter. Here in the American West, it can snow as early as September. The distinctive, far-off yipping of a coyote reverberates off the hillsides, the undulating outlines of which are still shrouded in semi-darkness. Despite the early hour, a small but growing group of people gathers on a bank overlooking the silvery ribbon of... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3314134/yellowstone-americas-first-national-park-heeds-call-wild?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3314134/yellowstone-americas-first-national-park-heeds-call-wild?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:00:11 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg These days, Shanghai-based banker Jason Zhang can no longer stay at the Westin hotel in Beijing’s financial district after his company cut its travel budget. Instead, he had to settle for a cheaper domestic hotel chain. To his surprise, the discount in room rate did not lead to a discount in experience. Yes, the expansive breakfast buffet is gone, but Zhang relishes the local dishes served at the domestic chain Atour. Its pillows and comforters are so popular that many guests buy them after... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3313931/chinas-bankers-ditch-global-hotel-chains-travel-budgets-bite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3313931/chinas-bankers-ditch-global-hotel-chains-travel-budgets-bite?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jun 2025 01:44:45 +0000 Mark Footer Mark Footer June 8 is World Oceans Day, an observance designed to raise awareness of the vital role our water bodies play in supporting life on Earth, through biodiversity and their ability to regulate the climate, and the urgent need to protect them. Today, a variety of events and exhibitions to highlight the cause are being staged around the world by governments, aquariums and schools, but spare a thought for Ross Edgley. The British ultra-endurance athlete entered the water on May 16 in an attempt to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3313326/5-luxury-experiences-celebrate-world-oceans-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3313326/5-luxury-experiences-celebrate-world-oceans-day?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The city of Copenhagen in Denmark will offer special rebates and freebies to eco-friendly tourists this summer, including free bike rentals to those arriving by train and staying more than four days. The CopenPay initiative, which was tested on a smaller scale in 2024, “is about raising travellers’ awareness about travelling more responsibly”, Soren Tegen Pedersen, the head of the city’s tourism board Wonderful Copenhagen, said. The emphasis of the initiative is on transport, a highly polluting... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3310394/copenhagen-offer-free-bike-rental-and-museum-discounts-eco-friendly-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3310394/copenhagen-offer-free-bike-rental-and-museum-discounts-eco-friendly-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 May 2025 08:15:17 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo With rural Japan experiencing severe depopulation, unstaffed railway stations and vacant properties are being turned into places for tourists to stay – and it is proving a success. Transport operators are working with local communities to repurpose quiet outposts into hubs of activity, injecting new life into surrounding areas with their creativity. In the tranquil countryside of Shizuoka prefecture, central Japan, a disused part of the unstaffed Futamata-Hommachi Station has been converted into... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3310267/rural-japan-railway-stations-and-empty-properties-repurposed-serve-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3310267/rural-japan-railway-stations-and-empty-properties-repurposed-serve-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 May 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre In February, Bali – Indonesia’s most popular tourist destination and one of the most visited islands in the world – made headlines when government officials floated the idea of a daily tourist tax similar to that charged by Bhutan to curb overtourism. Known as the Island of the Gods, Bali – not unlike hotspots such as Venice in Italy, Kyoto in Japan and Barcelona in Spain – is grappling with overtourism. Videos of unruly tourist behaviour and photos of vandalised Bali beaches keep going viral,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3308777/anantara-ubud-bali-resort-where-traditional-craftsmanship-and-local-culture-meet-curated-wellness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3308777/anantara-ubud-bali-resort-where-traditional-craftsmanship-and-local-culture-meet-curated-wellness?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 May 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Five-star hotels, especially those located in Asian metropolises, love to market themselves as “urban oases”. While for the most part that description tends to be accurate, as soon as you step out of those so-called sanctuaries you’re faced with the chaos of the outside world, which can be overwhelming and exhilarating in equal measure – even more so in a city like Bangkok. At Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, however, the definition of “urban sanctuary” extends to its unparalleled location. The hotel,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3308313/discover-aman-nai-lert-bangkok-true-urban-sanctuary-nestled-tranquil-surroundings-lush-nai-lert-park?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3308313/discover-aman-nai-lert-bangkok-true-urban-sanctuary-nestled-tranquil-surroundings-lush-nai-lert-park?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Apr 2025 07:00:09 +0000 Ethan Gelber Ethan Gelber Cruise tourism creates a powerful wake. As ever more ships convey passengers across the world’s seas and down its rivers, so the industry’s environmental impact is coming under closer and closer scrutiny. Cruising is more popular than ever, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a trade body that represents about 95 per cent of the world’s passenger cruise vessels. In 2024, the number of ships belonging to CLIA members surpassed 300 for the first time, with a capacity of... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3307755/cruise-companies-aim-be-net-zero-2050-can-they-do-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3307755/cruise-companies-aim-be-net-zero-2050-can-they-do-it?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Apr 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Insurance may not be on the itinerary of all travellers, but those who do apply for coverage understandably expect greater peace of mind for their money. Therefore, it was worrying to learn that most plans sold in Hong Kong provided fewer benefits to older and younger travellers, even though they paid about the same as other age groups. The Consumer Council found the discrepancy in an alarming 92 per cent of insurance proposals available in the city. The watchdog surveyed 27 single-trip... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3308000/smooth-travel-begins-fair-insurance-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3308000/smooth-travel-begins-fair-insurance-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Apr 2025 22:30:08 +0000 Given that the Hong Kong government espouses the principle of “conservation in the south” of Lantau, has set up the Sustainable Lantau Office and recently invited expressions of interest to build the South Lantau Eco-recreation Corridor, you might expect that this project fully embraces the principles of sustainability and ecotourism. The United Nations defines ecotourism as “nature-based forms of tourism in which the main motivation of the tourists is the observation and appreciation of nature... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3307170/wheres-eco-south-lantaus-eco-recreation-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3307170/wheres-eco-south-lantaus-eco-recreation-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Apr 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Explore Bali’s diverse attractions, from the untouched wilderness of West Bali National Park and the serene island of Nusa Lembongan to hidden cultural gems and world-class beach clubs. Discover the island’s unique experiences and uncover the rich heritage and vibrant nightlife that make Bali a top destination in these five PostMag articles. 1. Discover Bali’s ‘big five’ iconic animals in the untouched wilderness of West Bali National Park There’s only one place on the Indonesian holiday island... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3300194/best-bali-iconic-wildlife-laid-back-nusa-lembongan-world-leading-beach-clubs-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3300194/best-bali-iconic-wildlife-laid-back-nusa-lembongan-world-leading-beach-clubs-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Apr 2025 03:00:08 +0000 Train travel in the United States is an unforgettable experience. You can travel for days, even weeks, through the world’s third-largest country with Amtrak, the US national passenger rail company, witnessing a wealth of spectacular scenery across nearly 34,500km of track. Amtrak offers more than 30 train routes to over 500 destinations in 46 of the 48 contiguous US states – not South Dakota or Wyoming – and three Canadian provinces. We are taking one of the most breathtaking journeys of all:... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3305490/one-best-train-routes-us-seattle-new-york-offers-spectacular-scenery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3305490/one-best-train-routes-us-seattle-new-york-offers-spectacular-scenery?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Apr 2025 10:15:07 +0000 Since he was 15, Junrey Longos has lived among lush mangrove forests and turquoise waters in Del Carmen, his hometown on Siargao Island, the surfing capital of the Philippines. Once an illegal fisherman who would cut down the tropical trees to be sold as fuel, he now protects them as part of a civilian fisheries patrol force. “Because life was difficult, we were forced to cut and sell mangroves back then. We couldn’t find other jobs,” Longos, 44, said. Because of efforts by the local government... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3305438/siargao-philippines-illegal-fishermen-turn-ecotourism-operators-and-revive-mangroves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3305438/siargao-philippines-illegal-fishermen-turn-ecotourism-operators-and-revive-mangroves?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Apr 2025 03:13:48 +0000 Five years ago, daily life as most of us knew it came to a halt as the world entered the grip of a global pandemic. Travel – an industry worth US$10.3 trillion globally in 2019, accounting for 10.5 per cent of all jobs around the planet and 7 per cent of all trade – was brought to a standstill. Many feared it would take years to recover. But that concern dissipated by May 2024, when, according to a report from the World Economic Forum: “Tourism is back to pre-pandemic levels.” The report... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3304531/5-years-after-covid-tourists-are-more-mindful-responsible-say-industry-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3304531/5-years-after-covid-tourists-are-more-mindful-responsible-say-industry-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Mar 2025 08:15:11 +0000 British Columbia and New York City have North America’s best-tasting tap water, while Switzerland, Norway and Scotland have the “tastiest tap water” in Europe – that’s according to medical travel insurer AllClear’s analysis of hundreds of reviews posted on internet forum Reddit. Austria was next best in Europe, the insurance company said, with Australia, New Zealand and Chilean Patagonia getting “honourable mentions” from Reddit. “Vienna is specifically highlighted for its high-quality... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3302340/places-tap-water-tastes-so-good-you-dont-need-buy-polluting-bottled-kind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3302340/places-tap-water-tastes-so-good-you-dont-need-buy-polluting-bottled-kind?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Mar 2025 10:15:07 +0000 Even after more than 100 trips to the icebergs of Ilulissat in western Greenland, tour guide Sigurd Janniche Thomsen still finds each journey special. “The light changes every time, and so do the icebergs,” he says, as he leads visitors through the Ilulissat Icefjord, a Unesco World Heritage site. Around his small excursion boat an almost eerie silence prevails, broken only by the distant cracking of ice. In the freezing minus 27 degrees Celsius (minus 17 degrees Fahrenheit) air, towering... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3302230/why-greenland-could-be-next-go-destination-sustainable-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3302230/why-greenland-could-be-next-go-destination-sustainable-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Mar 2025 08:15:08 +0000 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has begun a consultation on a contentious plan to pedestrianise Oxford Street in a move to regenerate the English city’s busiest shopping destination. Despite previous failed attempts and probable local opposition, Khan aims to gather Londoners’ views on his plan to create a new Mayoral Development Corporation with the power to remove traffic from one of the world’s most famous streets. “Oxford Street has been known as the nation’s high street but the area has suffered in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3300934/traffic-free-oxford-street-london-mayor-sadiq-khan-wants-unlock-its-true-potential?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3300934/traffic-free-oxford-street-london-mayor-sadiq-khan-wants-unlock-its-true-potential?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Mar 2025 10:16:07 +0000 By Lee Hae-rin Seoul’s city government has announced plans to launch its ambitious water transport system in the first half of this year. Two Han River buses that departed from Sacheon in South Gyeongsang province on February 24 arrived near Yeouido on the Han River on February 27, completing a three-day test voyage through the Korea Strait and the Yellow Sea, called the South Sea and West Sea in Korea. The boats will continue to undergo thorough testing from early March until their official... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3300567/seoul-south-korea-begins-trials-han-river-water-buses-ahead-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3300567/seoul-south-korea-begins-trials-han-river-water-buses-ahead-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 05:15:09 +0000 Antarctica was once a distant, almost mythical destination at the end of the world. Now, more people than ever – not just lone explorers and adventurers – can experience the towering icebergs, penguin colonies and breathtaking fiords for themselves. Fewer than 8,000 people went to Antarctica in the mid-1990s. A decade later, that number rose to 20,000. By 2024, the continent saw almost 123,000 visitors. Many of them are social media influencers or have been influenced by platforms such as... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3299149/tourism-antarctica-changing-think-more-tiktok-influencer-less-science-expedition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3299149/tourism-antarctica-changing-think-more-tiktok-influencer-less-science-expedition?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Feb 2025 23:15:07 +0000 The Indonesian island of Nusa Lembongan is 40 minutes by “fast boat” from Bali’s Sanur, but I have reached it in half that time, disembarking from the military-grade, twin 300 HP Suzuki engined Kai Koa (“sea warrior”, in Hawaiian) after a rollicking sea-sprayed ride. The 12km south-easterly crossing of the Badung Strait is an increasingly popular one; post-pandemic, the number of tourists splashing ashore on Lembongan has doubled to about 1,000 a day, according to the Jungut Batu harbour master,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3298491/nusa-lembongan-bali-alternative-where-bob-marley-vibes-meet-manta-rays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3298491/nusa-lembongan-bali-alternative-where-bob-marley-vibes-meet-manta-rays?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:15:14 +0000 If it felt like everyone you knew had been on holiday to Japan in 2024, it was because they probably had. According to the country’s tourism agency, a record 36.9 million people travelled to Japan in 2024, up 47 per cent from the previous year, as the weak yen helped boost the Asian nation to the top of many bucket lists. The 2024 figure surpasses the previous record of 31.9 million visitors in 2019, right before Covid hit, by 15.6 per cent. “Right now, for sure, it’s our top destination,” says... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3296951/4-top-places-visit-japan-beaten-path-japan-alps-east-hokkaido?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3296951/4-top-places-visit-japan-beaten-path-japan-alps-east-hokkaido?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Feb 2025 03:15:07 +0000 The view as we fly into Leh is black and white. White clouds, white snow and the black of exposed mountain tops. No sign of humanity, or indeed anything living at all. In the distance, peaks rise above the clouds in stately solemnity. Everest, maybe? Two phones have been thrust to me from the middle and aisle seats, to record the scene below. “I’ve never seen this much snow,” says the woman next to me. As the plane descends into the capital of Ladakh, in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3295981/trekking-through-ladakhs-markha-region-reveals-its-ancient-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3295981/trekking-through-ladakhs-markha-region-reveals-its-ancient-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Feb 2025 09:15:07 +0000 John Adam stands on the ship’s bridge on a cloudy morning and looks at his watch. “Let’s go,” the captain calls to his men, who are stowing cargo in the ship by crane – containers, construction timber, bags of cement, propane cylinders, food and boxes of post. Shortly after 8am, the MV Frances Barkley is loaded. Adam carefully manoeuvres the 36-metre (118-foot) mail ship out of the harbour basin of Port Alberni, on Canada’s Vancouver Island. A few minutes later, he reaches an inlet and starts up... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3296703/mini-cruise-vancouver-island-mail-ship-delivers-amazing-sights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3296703/mini-cruise-vancouver-island-mail-ship-delivers-amazing-sights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jan 2025 01:45:07 +0000 Langkawi is Malaysia’s ultimate paradise getaway, a 320 sq km main island with sandy beaches, some of the world’s oldest rainforest and an eclectic mix of luxurious bolt-holes, backpacker inns and glamping locales. To uncover the best that remarkably unspoilt Langkawi has to offer, we asked for tips from three islanders: Liz Tajuddin, who advises local start-ups and organises cultural events such as the annual Langkawi Writers’ Festival, and who moved from Kuala Lumpur nine years ago; Hussein... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3295505/insiders-guide-malaysias-island-paradise-langkawi-sandy-beaches-stunning-mountain-views-and-vibrant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3295505/insiders-guide-malaysias-island-paradise-langkawi-sandy-beaches-stunning-mountain-views-and-vibrant?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Jan 2025 08:15:07 +0000 In 2025 the most luxurious new hotel room may be on wheels. L’Observatoire, a two-person suite on Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, will cost £80,000 (US$101,000) per night when it enters service in March, making it the most expensive train cabin ever. For that sum, guests will get to sleep inside a cabinet of curiosities created by French photographer and street artist JR. It includes two oculus-shaped skylights that open for stargazing, a “secret” tea room with a fireplace hidden behind... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3295762/why-super-niche-luxury-train-travel-track-go-prime-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3295762/why-super-niche-luxury-train-travel-track-go-prime-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jan 2025 20:15:08 +0000 The new year has arrived and travellers are busy planning their adventures for 2025. Data from a variety of sources shows that the coming 12 months promise to be especially busy ones for globetrotters. What will travel look like this year? And, more specifically, what sort of travel trends are likely to define 2025? Will slow travel continue to emerge as a popular approach to exploring new places? Has the trend of planning holidays based on film and TV locations finally subsided? And what new... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3294254/7-big-travel-trends-2025-package-trips-set-jetting-and-women-travelling-solo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3294254/7-big-travel-trends-2025-package-trips-set-jetting-and-women-travelling-solo?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jan 2025 23:15:11 +0000 It’s a mouthful, but the name of Bengaluru’s main railway station recalls an early 19th century military leader from a village about 480km northwest of the Indian city who fought the British and was hanged for it. Standing under the Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Bengaluru station’s awning on a recent chilly Saturday morning, invoking his name feels apt for a trip down memory lane, the goal being to explore the city’s colonial railway history. A major junction, the station is always swarming. But... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3294017/bengaluru-train-ride-back-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3294017/bengaluru-train-ride-back-time?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jan 2025 09:15:08 +0000