Since the 1970s, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has operated the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), one of the most quietly consequential public health initiatives. Under its authority, any cruise ship carrying 13 or more passengers on an international itinerary that stops at a U.S. port is subject to…

Deep in Egypt’s southernmost reaches, roughly 140 miles southwest of Aswan and barely a stone’s throw from the Sudanese border, sits one of the ancient world’s most fascinating architectural achievements. The temple of Abu Simbel rests on the western bank of Lake Nasser in Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, a location…

There is a Japan that most visitors never find, along a rugged coast where the Sea of Japan meets the shore and centuries of isolation forged some of the world’s most extraordinary craft traditions. This is Hokuriku: the three-prefecture arc of Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui that stretches along Honshu’s northwestern…

The ferry had barely cleared the harbor mouth when the smell of Zanzibar found me — cloves, salt, and something ancient I could not name. Stone Town materialized through the heat haze: whitewashed coral-rag buildings stacked improbably atop one another, their facades punched through with arched windows and the most…

Costa Rica has plenty for the more leisure-focused traveler, with resorts and beaches galore. But another area of travel that Costa Rica absolutely shines is adventure. From canopy walks to meeting sloths, to ziplines and floating down rivers, traveling in this country can go wild. Particularly La Fortuna, with its…

AmaWaterways is making some noticeable upgrades across its fleet this season. The line has been investing heavily in the onboard experience, with enhancements that touch everything from stateroom comforts to dining and wine. CEO Catherine Powell says the focus is simple: continue raising the bar while staying true to what…

It’s always the weird sights that grab my attention on holiday. While other tourists are admiring a gaudy temple in Ho Chi Minh City, I’m fascinated by a frog. He’s supposed to be compliantly waiting for death in a metal bowl in a pavement market. But this is Adventure Frog.…

Budapest is one of the largest and most well-known cities on the Danube River in Hungary. It’s a town of many faces as it’s actually divided between “Buda” and “Pest.” You could easily fill a week in this city, but if you’re short on time, make sure you hit the…

Last month, I sailed the Mississippi River with my friend Maddy aboard American Cruise Lines’ American Symphony. I’ve sailed with American before, so I knew what to expect – friendly service, comfortable accommodations and a well-organized trip where we always know what’s happening and where to be. It’s a fool…

Wrapped by the sea on three sides and claiming three millennia of continuous habitation, Cádiz stands as Western Europe’s oldest city—yet it remains one of Spain’s most underappreciated destinations. While masses descend upon Barcelona and Seville, this Andalusian port city maintains an authenticity that has become increasingly rare along heavily…

If you ever want to visit a place where geology, history, and human stubbornness have conspired to produce something improbably charming, go to Kalk Bay. Wedged—almost accidentally—between a mountain that scowls like a Victorian schoolmaster and a sea that shrugs with ancient indifference, it is a village that smells exactly…

Situated in Norway, 217 miles above the Arctic Circle, the charming city of Tromso is the gateway to a captivating land of mountains, fjords, and legends. Whether you visit to observe the breathtaking phenomenon of the northern lights, spot magnificent killer whales in the fjords or hang out with huskies,…