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Xala is only 90 minutes' south of Puerto Vallarta's airport but feels a world away from major development.

Xanadu? No, It’s Xala, the Anti-Resort on Mexico’s Pacific Coast

The new 3,000-acre idyll will be socially and environmentally conscious, a town and a travel destination in one.

August 1, 2022 10:33 AM

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Risin and Kellingin, The Giant and the Witch far in the distance with Tjornuvik village in the foreground; colorful houses surrounded by a green valley on a black-sand beach

Applications for the “Closed for Maintenance, Open for Voluntourism” project on the remote archipelago open on January 14, 2025.

January 10, 2025 03:02 PM

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Lyndsey Matthews

Hotels

Rafael Nadal, Richard Branson Bring New Hotels—and Attention—to Mallorca

The largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands has become a hotbed of celebrity hotels yet remains blissfully low key.

June 28, 2023 01:30 PM

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Mark Ellwood

Balinesse family rowing the boat to reach Tamblingan Temple for morning worship.

Off The Tourist Trail

How to Experience Bali Without Feeling Like a Tourist

An island resident shares insider tips for avoiding Bali’s busiest spots, with recommendations for quieter villages, lesser-known temples, and local night markets.

March 12, 2026 03:14 PM

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Kathryn Romeyn

Sakura bloom in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Where to Go in Spring

15 Places to See Cherry Blossoms Across the United States

You don’t need to fly to Japan to see these legendary pink flowers.

March 10, 2026 01:37 PM

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Alina Polishuk

Rocky Mountain National Park, Visitors at the overlook on trail ridge road

Road Trips

Five Classic Colorado Road Trips To Take This Year

From Trail Ridge Road to the Peak to Peak Highway, these are some of the best road trips to take in Colorado.

May 5, 2023 06:43 PM

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Bailey Berg

"Tourists Go Home" spray painted on the side of a building in the Gracia neighborhood in Barcelona with a person walking along a tree-lined street with parked cars

A writer based in Barcelona speaks with both residents and visitors to better understand the recent anti-tourism protests—and a potential path forward.

July 16, 2024 06:15 PM

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Jessica Benavides Canepa

RIO DE JANEIRO, RJ /BRAZIL - March 8, 2014: World's famous carnival in Rio de Janeiro, samba school parading in Sambadromo, the carnival stadium, with 90000 spectators.

Festivals + Events

The Best Places to Celebrate Mardi Gras, From Alabama to Rio de Janeiro

There’s no party like a New Orleans party, but a bunch of other cities throw unmissable bashes too.

January 23, 2025 12:24 PM

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Jenny Adams

Bowie House - The Billet Room & Mahjong experience

As mahjong surges in popularity, hotels across the country are introducing clinics, retreats, and social game nights that bring travelers and locals together around the table.

May 28, 2026 05:33 PM

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Bailey Berg

Cruise News

A New Four Seasons Floating Resort Is Launching in Palau

Starting in October, the luxury “Four Seasons Explorer” catamaran will sail the pristine blue waters of this Micronesian nation.

September 21, 2023 05:53 PM

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Bailey Berg

4 Days In

4 Days in New York City—How to Have the Perfect Long Weekend, According to Locals

Your ideal NYC itinerary includes renovated art museums, world-class shows, a French Japanese bakery, and a revolving restaurant.

July 17, 2025 01:47 PM

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Ellen Carpenter

Health + Wellness

Inside the New Waterfront Spa on New York’s Governors Island

The QC NY spa is now open—and AFAR got a sneak peek inside.

May 31, 2022 12:27 PM

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Lyndsey Matthews

Mount Taranaki, a snow-capped solitary mountain peak in New Zealand, with a reflective lake in the foreground reflecting an upside down image of the peak with yellow-ish brush all around

With higher numbers of tourists comes a greater strain on resources and infrastructure, the country’s tourism ministry argues.

September 6, 2024 03:17 PM

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Bailey Berg

Food + Drink

Enjoy Fresh, Inspired Eating in New Zealand

Thanks to a bounty of ingredients, thriving culinary scenes, vineyards, craft brews, and more, gourmets can’t get enough of New Zealand’s distinctive mix of gastronomic influences.

The trail is a curated collection of national and state parks, observatories, planetariums, and musuems that offer travelers a deeper connection to the planets and stars up above.

February 4, 2025 06:24 PM

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Bailey Berg

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