Matador Network's Blog, page 1299

Changi Airport is getting a makeover

When you’ve been called the best airport in the world for seven years running, there’s a lot of pressure to back it up. That’s why Singapore’s Changi Airport is taking measures to cement its top status. Set to arrive in 2019, Changi Airport will build a new facility that not only connects all three terminals but also contains over 100 hotel rooms and 300 dining and shopping spots. But Changi isn’t stopping there. The mixed-use facility will also be aesthetically stunning with forest-like gardens, floating nets, and the world’s biggest indoor waterfall, all across three main areas: the Canopy Park, Forest Valley, and Rain Vortex.

Photo: Changi Airport/Shutterstock

Photo: Changi Airport/Shutterstock

Canopy Park will cover 14,000 square meters and feature playgrounds, gardens, sky nets (for both walking and bouncing), and mazes composed of hedges and mirrors. Forest Valley will be a five-story garden with flower displays and hiking trails. As the centerpiece of the new project, the Ran Vortex will be the most impressive addition: a 40-meter-high waterfall.

If you plan on traveling through Singapore after 2019, make sure your layover is a good couple of hours. And if you hadn’t planned a trip, you might want to change that. These new additions are intended to give the airport an amusement-park feel and are sure to make layovers a lot more enjoyable.

H/T: Lonely Planet

More like this: The 10 best airports in Europe to travel through

The post Singapore’s Changi Airport is getting a makeover and we can’t even appeared first on Matador Network.

Tour the Amalfi Coast by motorcycle

Italy’s famed Amalfi Coast is exactly as you’ve always pictured: rugged coastline dotted with seaside towns whose classic, balconied buildings overlook the turquoise Tyrrhenian Sea. With wooded mountains soaring behind them, the coastal towns are a sight to behold — and we think the best way to take it all in is on the back of a motorcycle.

If Rome is already part of your Italy plan, adding a motorcycle tour of the Amalfi Coast is the perfect way to explore this iconic coastal landscape, along with the nearby vineyards and countryside. Although the Amalfi Coast stretches across the Sorrentine Peninsula south of Naples, this tour will begin further north, in Rome, and take you through the Campania Region, winding up just south of the Amalfi Coast in Salerno.

Know before you go:

Keep some euros on hand for tolls; a few you’ll encounter may charge up to €15.80.
Always wear a helmet. You can pick one up at the motorcycle rental shop in Rome.
The Autostrada is not the Autobahn. Obey speed limits and posted traffic rules or expect to be fined. The general highway speed limit in Italy is 80 mph/130 kph unless otherwise posted. While enforcement was once lax, it’s much stricter now.
Each step of the tour is one leg, but we’ve left open how much time you spend in each place. Theoretically, you could do the entire tour in two days, but we recommend you slow down and savor the experience.
For lodging, Airbnb is a great option, but there are picturesque villas and hotels in each stop along the route.
Know your regional dishes. Italian cuisine, while often packed into one menu in US restaurants, varies greatly depending on where you are. On the Amalfi Coast, get your pasta fix with scialatelli, not ragu. Or order a risotto con agrumi e gamberetti, citrus and shrimp risotto, and wash it down with a bottle of wine made from local Aglianico grapes.

Leg One: Rome to Naples through Sperlonga

Drive time: 4.5 hours

Distance: 161 miles/260 km

You can rent a motorcycle from a number of different outlets in Rome. After you’ve procured a bike and filled up on the Roman dish cacio e pepe, pasta with cheese and pepper, it’s time to hit the road. Head south on SR148 to Riserva Nuova, then take SR207 down to Anzio. Anzio is a coastal city with a strikingly beautiful harbor and beach, as well as plenty of options to grab a bite.

If the weather is nice, spend some time catching rays on the sand. When you’re ready to head out, travel north out of Anzio to the SR148 highway until you reach the roundabout to exit onto Strada Migiliara 53. Take this road to SS7 and head south to Sperlonga. Here, visit the historic ruins at Villa Di Tibiero or meander through Sperlonga’s Old Town, grab a bite, then get back on the highway south to Naples.

Naples is where you’ll stop after completing leg one. We recommend a meal of parmigiana di melanzane, eggplant parmesan. Activities in Naples include burning off some carbs on the Mount Vesuvius hiking trail, seeing the castles and the Royal Palace, and perusing the historic architecture that dots the city.

Leg Two: Naples to Sorrento

Drive time: two hours

Distance: 34 miles/56 km

After a day or two of savoring the sights, sounds, and flavors of Naples, take the Strada Statale 18 Tirrena Inferiore (known as SS18) down the coast to Pompeii, then move to the SS145 to Sorrento. The SS145 runs along the northern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula, passing seaside towns with plenty of places to stop and photograph the rocky coastline and Gulf of Naples. The drive ends in Sorrento, a great place to break for the day.

With its brightly colored buildings overlooking the sea, Sorrento will make you feel as though you’re stuck in a painting. But that painting also happens to be full of restaurants serving up excellent cuisine. At its bustling Piazza Tasso, outdoor tables are one spot to sip a glass of local wine and watch the passersby. Otherwise, check out the historic Cattedrale di Sorrento’s statue of Pope John Paul II and walk through the city’s lovely parks.

Leg Three: Sorrento to Salerno — the Amalfi Coast of legend

Drive time: three hours

Distance: 42.5 miles/68.5 km

Get back on the bike before too much time passes because the third leg of the drive is when the trip gets downright panoramico. Today, you’ll pass through the Amalfi Coast of lore, winding past the vineyards that dot the countryside along the way. As you journey along the coast on the SS163, known as Amalfi Drive, you’ll enter the Riserva Statale Valle delle Ferriere, a protected area with several waterfalls and lush plant life.

If you want to break this leg into two parts, Positano is the place to stay overnight. Romans once built opulent villas in this stretch of coast, which hugs the steep mountainside above a petite, sandy beach. You can see the villa ruins near the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. The views and cuisine here will remind you of why you came to the Amalfi Coast in the first place.

The route mapped here also allows for a detour up SS373 to the Duomo Ravello, a historic cathedral in Ravello with shops, lodging, and dining nearby. Once back on SS163, proceed along the impossibly photogenic coast through Minori and Vietri Sul Mare before ending the day’s drive in Salerno.

Leg Four: Salerno to Rome

Drive time: two hours, 45 minutes

Distance: 166 miles/268 km

Finally, a chance to let loose on the highway and cruise. The fourth leg brings you back to Rome, where it all began, via the E45 and E80 highways. You’ll pass through the town of Caserta where you can visit the ruins of the Amphitheatre of Capua, built in the 1st century AD. The commute back to Rome is quick, scenic, and fun to drive — as you pass open countryside at higher speeds than much of the rest of the tour. And because it’s Italy, a pit stop in any town along the way makes for a great lunch.


More like this: 16 pictures that will make you want to visit the Amalfi Coast right now

The post How to see the Amalfi Coast by motorcycle appeared first on Matador Network.

5 epic safaris that aren't in Africa

Africa is synonymous with wildlife safaris. After all, its vast network of natural reserves and wide-open plains offer unsurpassed wildlife viewing opportunities and bucket-list critters, including the “Big Five.” But if travel to Africa is not in your immediate plans, you can experience equally amazing wildlife expeditions in many other places, such as Brazil and Borneo.

Not all alternative safari destinations serve up Africa’s super-slick tourist packages with around-the-clock game drives, luxury camps, and fine dining. What they do offer are rare opportunities to encounter charismatic creatures in some of the world’s most precious and pristine wilderness sanctuaries. Here are five of the world’s best safari experiences outside of Africa.

1. The Pantanal Wetlands, Brazil

Photo: Hans Wagemaker/Shutterstock

The Pantanal is the world’s largest tropical wetland system, located in midwestern Brazil and spilling across the Bolivia and Paraguay borders. During the December to March rainy season, over 80 percent of the Pantanal’s floodplains are submerged, nurturing an astonishingly biodiverse environment with more animal species found here than in the Amazon.

The Pantanal is virtually the only place where you’re likely to catch a glimpse of one of the world’s most enigmatic big cats, the jaguar, whose local population is thriving under the Pantanal’s World Heritage protection. These elusive predators normally reside in dense rainforest, but in the more open habitat of the Pantanal, some tour operators guarantee sightings on trips of three days or more.

Yet focusing purely on jaguars detracts from the other incredible animals that call the Pantanal home. You’re sure to meet capybaras, which abound here. These docile herbivores, the largest rodents on earth, can measure over four-feet long and weigh nearly 150 pounds. Other creatures you might spot are caimans and howler monkeys — and with some luck, anteaters, tapirs, ocelots, and giant otters — in a mix of overland safaris, river cruises, and nocturnal walks.

When to Go: For the best chance of spotting jaguars, plan your trip during the dry season between July and October. As the wetlands shrink, animals — including jaguars and their prey — rarely stray far from the remaining stretches of water. This time of the year also attracts an influx of migrating birds in stupendous numbers.

2. Ranthambore National Park, India

Photo: Archna Singh/Shutterstock

Africa isn’t the only place with lions and leopards. India has them too, as well as the world’s largest tiger population. While lions are confined to a tiny pocket in India’s far west, tiger sanctuaries are dotted all over the country. For consistent sightings and National Geographic-worthy photo ops, Ranthambore is a contender for India’s best tiger reserve.

What makes Ranthambore especially interesting are the ancient ruins that dot the forest, including the 1,000-year-old Ranthambore Fort. Many a stunning snap has been taken of a majestic Bengal tiger lounging on the fortress walls.

Game drives tend to be heavily tiger-focused, but the park has much more to offer. Like in the “Jungle Book,” Ranthambore’s characters include panthers, bears, and wolves (although sightings are relatively rare), monkeys galore, several deer and antelope species, crocodiles, and hyenas.

When to Go: The best time for tiger sightings is during the summer months from April to June. The searing heat shrivels the vegetation that ordinarily obscures animals from view, and tigers can often be approached up close as they cool down in shallow water holes. The tradeoff is that Ranthambore in summer is blisteringly hot — so if comfort takes precedence, visit in the winter dry season and plan a few extra game drives to increase your tiger hit-rate. Five of Ranthambore’s 10 zones are closed during the little-visited July to September monsoon period.

3. Jungles of Malaysian Borneo

Photo: GUDKOV ANDREY/Shutterstock

Borneo holds a distinct place in western imagination: an exotic land of unexplored jungles and mysterious tribes. It’s true that Borneo’s rainforests are home to an extraordinary wealth of wildlife, including 44 mammal species found nowhere else on earth. But the island is changing fast. Logging and palm-oil plantations have caused mass habitat destruction, pushing Borneo’s most iconic animal species — the orangutan — to the brink.

Wildlife tours in the Malaysian state of Sabah are possible in the remaining slivers of rainforest, which tourists are increasingly playing a vital role in protecting.

The most popular safari tours are centered on the Kinabatangan River in southwestern Sabah. Part of the river is preserved by the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, a haven for Borneo pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, gibbons, freshwater dolphins, and hornbills. And of course, you’ll be watching out for the shy, retiring orangutan, which is sometimes spotted in trees above the river during boat excursions.

When to Go: Kinabatangan can be visited year round, and orangutan sightings are always a possibility. Sabah’s official rainy season is between November and April; however, rainfall can occur any time of year. All-day downpours can cause delays but aren’t especially typical, and the low season promises fewer tourists and lower prices.

4. Kamchatka Coast and Chukotka Autonomous District, Russia

Photo: Sergey Krasnoshchokov/Shutterstock

Russia’s Kamchatka Coast and its neighboring Chukotka Autonomous District are some of the most wildlife-rich places in the Arctic region. Shaped by millions of years of volcanic activity, these remote areas are one side of the Bering Strait, which separates Russia from Alaska. Kamchatka is famed for its brown bears, which can also be seen in Chukotka during the summer salmon run. But for the ultimate wildlife experience, you’ll need to take to the seas.

Only a handful of cruise ships ply the Bering Strait between Russia and Alaska, searching for the marine mammals that feed in its icy waters and the giant bears that prowl its wind-swept coasts. Expect Zodiac launches onto tundra islands inhabited by polar bears and walruses, enormous cliffside colonies of seabirds, and a stopover at Wrangel Island, home to the world’s highest concentration of polar bears. The nutrient-rich waters support a mind-boggling amount of mega-fauna. Be on the lookout for gray, humpback, and beluga whales; orcas; seals; and Stellar sea lions.

When to Go: Bering Sea voyages set sail exclusively in summer, between late-May and August. Early summer is the best time for migrating whales while mid-summer is when brown bear cubs are often spotted rambling along the more southerly beaches, freshly emerged from their dens.

5. Kakadu National Park, Australia

Photo: Uwe Bergwitz/Shutterstock

In the entirety of the vast continent known as Down Under, it’s the fabled Top End that truly represents the Australian bush of every adventurer’s imagination. At the crossroads of the outback and the tropics, the Top End’s Kakadu is a land of monsoonal rivers, thundering waterfalls, and towering escarpments. It is almost unquestionably Australia’s single-most-rewarding wilderness experience.

Wildlife safaris traverse the park by 4WD and boat with short hikes to stunning natural swimming pools. Of course, most bodies of water here are strictly no swimming. Kakadu is teeming with saltwater crocodiles.

While the kangaroo-munching crocs are the park’s best-known residents, Kakadu’s most breathtaking spectacle is the annual bird migration. During the dry season, phenomenal numbers of waterfowl flock to the refuge of the Mamukala wetlands. The sight of tens of thousands of birds taking to the air against a blood red sunset is not soon forgotten.

When to Go: The majority of visitors head for Kakadu during the May-to-October dry season. Migrating birds are most numerous during the tail-end of this season. Sweltering humidity aside, visiting Kakadu in the wet season has its advantages: fewer tourists, waterfalls in full flow, and dramatic evening lightening displays. However, heavy downpours can wash out roads and close some attractions. Expect scattered rain throughout the day, and by rain, we mean the bone-drenching, torrential, sideways kind. Welcome to the Top End!


More like this: How to plan a do-it-yourself African safari on a budget

The post 5 awesome wildlife safaris that aren’t in Africa appeared first on Matador Network.

9 things NOT to do in Venice

Traveling to Venice? Here’s the ultimate shortlist of recommendations for how not to spend your time, money, energy, and dignity while not further tourist-ing this delicate island city to death.

1. Do NOT go to Harry’s Bar.

I once met a barman at the Paris Ritz Hemingway Bar who had a theory about how this well-known Venice spot (an Italian national landmark, even) serves such reliably disappointing drinks for such absurd prices. He speculated that Mr. Cip’s unique business plan for Harry’s Bar inspired the use of the cheapest ingredients and the minimum viable expenditure of time per cocktail, as that would put the most money in each bartender’s pocket. In fact, he went so far as to claim that if you order a martini “very dry” at Harry’s, your barman will put a shot of gin in front you, along with your astronomical check and no remorse.

If you truly, deeply wish to spend $30 on a single cocktail rather than subject yourself to the humiliation of being served a sad, poor imitation of the drink you ordered by an indifferent, zero-charisma bartender at a once-respected tourist trap, politely go to the four-seat bar at the Belmond Hotel Cipriani on Giudecca and let master of cocktail-ceremonies Walter Bolzonella, or one of his qualified colleagues, serve you up something equally expensive, yet thoughtful and artful, in a comfortable room. If spending $30 is not a criterion for your happiness, be seated at the next café table you pass and order a spritz. You will enjoy it more.

2. Do NOT touch the canals.

Do you know how Katherine Hepburn got her lifelong eye infection? Just… don’t.

3. Do NOT get in the gondola.

No judgment if you were considering it, but honestly, it’s a pretty grim scene. Pause to observe and you’ll start to catch on to a shared baseline of disgruntlement across the approximately 400 remaining gondoliers in Venice (down from close to 10,000 in the 1800s). If this could be credited to how the tourism industry has exploited and Disneyfied a once-respected occupation that dates back to the 1500s, or how much energy per day these guys expend just trying not to get whacked in the face by an oblivious passenger’s selfie stick, could you blame them?

And beyond that, there’s the whole “your gondola ride may be feeding into a gruesome mafia money-laundering crime ring.”

And beyond that, it’ll cost you a fortune that you should be reserving for wine and pasta. I’ve read that an hour in the boat will run you 120 euros, and that’s just the daytime rate. Once, though, I did see a couple pile four tweens into a boat, hand the bee-striped gondolier a wad of bills, and grab the first table they saw at the nearest canal-side café to enjoy a peaceful bottle of wine together for as much time as they could steal before their offspring were returned to them. If one must engage a gondola, I thought that was genius.

4. Do NOT bother with Murano and Burano.

The transportation is cumbersome, the touted fried-fish snacks are nearly inedible (in a city where food is a religion, that’s sacrilege), and most importantly, it’s punch-in-the-gut depressing to even glimpse in passing the death grip that gentrification and the din of commercial tourism sameness have wrapped around this once-vibrant enclave. The buildings are Instagrammable, but so are the buildings in Venice proper.

If you are dying to off-road to one of the surrounding islands, try the San Michele Cemetery on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. It’s very pretty. It’s very peaceful. The city’s first Renaissance church, Chiesa di San Michele (1469) houses a poignant weeping angel relief that still haunts me. And, you can pay your respects at the graves of Ezra Pound, Joseph Brodsky, and the Stravinskys within a few steps of one another. As always, remember not to indiscriminately confuse a hallowed resting place for the dead with your selfie backdrop.

5. Do NOT get attached to the idea of breakfast as you know it.

God bless you if you can find a single legit place on this island serving eggs and bacon (and God save you if that’s what you’re craving in a place where you can have handmade gnocchi three meals a day). The best spots for cicchetti (tapas, often in the form of crostini) and spritzes swing their doors open by 11:00 AM. Stave off your appetite by mopping up an espresso with a croissant while standing up at a café counter somewhere, and around 11:00 AM, make a beeline for Cantione gia Schiavi or something similar to do the first “meal” of the day the Venetian way. (Then, be sure to block out half the afternoon for the requisite ensuing nap because I still haven’t mastered an understanding of how to get through the day on a caffeine/carb/sugar-crash rollercoaster like that.)

6. Do NOT arrive by cruise ship.

I’m going to boldly make one potentially offensive-to-some statement, here: Cruises to Venice are for jerks. After years of backlash from residents, not to mention warnings of the damage being sustained to the canal infrastructure from experts, late last year Venice laid out a plan that would reroute cruise ships of more than 55 tons away from the Giudecca Canal by 2021  —  one small step in the right direction toward banning all cruise ships of any size entirely, which is what 99% of Venetians prefer. In the meantime, cruise ships under 105,000 tons can still sail, causing a perilously excessive wake and marred view, as well as spilling thousands of additional tourists per day into the clogged arteries of this small city. As of now, cruise ships in an already-overcrowded Venice increase the daily population by one third.

More generally, cruises are often for those who think experiencing a city – which, in this case, is already at risk of sinking into the ever-rising seas – means stints of lounging on a floating shopping mall punctuated by brief and shallow consumption-driven forays into the streets of a different “exotic” destination. If you visit this endangered paradise, earn it. Go directly there, take it in, and step lightly. After all, you’re walking on a work of art.

7. Do NOT visit in the summer.

Very bad things happen to Venice in the summer, like sewage smells and crowd surfing down the alleys on the shoulders of the aforementioned cruise-ship patrons. Plus, off-peak hotel prices do exist, the weather’s never bad except during Acqua Alta (if you consider cold, blinding fog and knee-high winter flooding “bad”), and at some point in April, you can catch the wisteria in bloom.

8. Do NOT bring a roll-aboard.

This could be a tough concession, even for light travelers, but you’ll want to develop that upper-body strength and at least pick up a wheeled suitcase by the handle while you walk. The obtrusive cacophony of a rolling bag in the amphitheater-like acoustics of stone on stone is just too much for everyone.

I’ve covered how this is a courteous measure for a visitor to take, but I should also mention that it’s now illegal to roll your bag. Somehow, in a city that green-lit cruise ships, the powers that be ruled for the residents and against the tourists on this one and managed, after years of effort, to successfully ban luggage with hard wheels, along with a €500 fine on anyone caught rolling.

9. Do NOT bring a map.

At least for a day or two, spare yourself the fruitless hilarity of trying to plot your way through the tangle of arms-length-wide alleys that stand in for streets in Venice. Instead, wander around without having to be anywhere in particular at any particular time. I promise you’ll discover just as many mind-blowing, lovely things, and each will be all the more gratifying because they were true discoveries.

I especially recommend such an aimless walk at night, when the streets are empty (two-thirds of Venice is in bed, and the other third is back in its cruise-ship bunkers) and the sounds of your footsteps on stone and the lapping of water against the canal walls are the only sounds. In a peninsula neighborhood like Dorsoduro, the land available to you for wandering is so scant and narrow, it’s nearly impossible to get too lost. But do mind the vampires.

This article was originally published on Medium and is republished here with permission.

More like this: Dear travelers to Venice: Please don’t come until you have understood these 11 things

The post 9 things NOT to do in Venice appeared first on Matador Network.

Be thrilled at Boca de Tunel, Mexico

The Boca de Tunel adventure park in Aguascalientes, Mexico, is the perfect location for adventure and outdoor enthusiasts. With 13 suspended bridges (the longest of which is 345-feet long at a height of 50 feet) and two zip lines that cross the ravine to the Potrerillos Dam, you’ll never find yourself short on thrills or gorgeous natural settings.

After you’ve flown across the 140-meter-long zip line through a canyon, you can hire a local guide to take you down to the bottom of the dam while listening to the songs of the mockingbirds.

If you’d like to stay the night and fully immerse yourself in your natural surroundings, it’s recommended that you book a cabin. There is also the option of camping next to the Potrerillos dam, where you can take a bath in the nearby pools and enjoy the star-filled skies. Overnight visitors are sometimes able to spot the local wildlife, including wolves and coyotes, in its natural habitat.

Boca de Tunel adventure park offers one of the most thrilling adrenaline rushes in Mexico, so it’s the perfect set-up if you want to conquer your fear of heights.


More like this: You can bungee jump off of Johannesburg’s iconic, 33-story Orlando Towers

The post Get your adrenaline fix at Boca de Tunel, Mexico appeared first on Matador Network.

American Airlines’ new credit card

Nothing ruins the end of a really good episode of Veep like an airline credit card pitch. We get it. Bonus miles. Dollars for purchases. DOUBLE for airline purchases! No bag fees* If you’ve flown more than three times in the past year, you can recite the pitch by heart. And if you’ve got the credit card already, or know you don’t want it, it’s right up there with other people’s cell phone conversations on the list of stuff you don’t want to hear.

But, this week, American Airlines is launching a new card that might be worth listening to, even if you don’t fly much. And it’s promoting an old card on flights that’s a bonanza for existing cardmembers.

On July 22nd, American Airlines is introducing the Citi AAdvantage MileUp, a no annual fee card that’s giving double points for groceries and a free $50 in the first three months. Meanwhile, flight attendants airline-wide have begun re-promoting the AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard from Barclays, giving existing Citi card members a chance to get a couple of free domestic round-trips flights for under $100.

A new card for points newbies

The new MileUp card is not an Amex Platinum, but it might be the foray into airline reward points that new travelers are looking for. The big advantage here is that there’s no annual fee, so if you’re cool doing some paperwork and if you have an AA frequent flier account, you can get the card plus 10,000 bonus miles free. That’s almost enough points for a domestic one-way on American Airlines. You need to spend $500 on the card to get those miles, but one bad weekend knocks that out. Or, you know, groceries and gas if you’re into stuff like “responsibility.”

Speaking of groceries, you’ll also notch double miles every time you use the card at a grocery store. So, if you’re into entertaining or just enjoy the ambiance of a Kroger frozen foods section, you can literally eat your way to vacation. You’ll also get double miles for any American Airlines purchase, and a 1:1 reward for any other purchase.

AND…once you drop $500 on whatever the hell you like, Citi gives you a $50 statement credit. Which you can use to pay an old parking ticket, fill up your SUV, or tell the crowd at the local dive bar “Shots on me!” next time you walk in. It’s your money.

The card will be available starting July 22nd and you can apply for it here.

Existing Citi Card holders can get some good stuff, too.

As part of the MileUp roll out, American Airlines is also hooking up existing AAdvantage Platinum Select card members with double points at gas stations, and a $100 flight credit after you spend $20,000. Bronze card members are getting the same deal as MileUp members, and will get new MileUp cards when their Bronze card expires.

But it’s not the new card that’s most exciting for existing Citi card holders. American flight attendants are plugging the Aviator Red Mastercard from Barclays. This card gives anyone — even existing Citi card members — 50,000 bonus miles once they are approved, pay the $95 annual fee, and make one purchase.

So, as opposed to the usual deal — where you have to spend a few thousand dollars in three months to get bonus miles — Barclays gives it to you as soon as you fork over 95 bucks and buy a pack of gum. If you’re not familiar with American Airlines’ rewards system, that’s a free round-trip to Europe or two round-trips within the contiguous US for less than the price of a one-way promotional fare to Iceland.

It’s a second chance for AA cardholders to get a boatload of miles with no obligation to buy anything after that. Combined with the new beginner’s MileUp card, it’s giving American Airlines a serious leg up in the competitive world of airline rewards cards. From novice fliers to points vets, they’ve got cards to help everyone. The free trip is absolutely worth those precious moments stolen from Veep.

*provided you buy the ticket with their credit card

More like this: 5 credit card points programs that travelers absolutely have to check out

The post American Airlines has some sick new credit card deals that’ll have you on free flights next month appeared first on Matador Network.

Like wine? Try “wine water”

If you want to enjoy the taste of wine without worrying about the unavoidable hangover, this new Israeli product might be for you. O.Vine, a new beverage that looks and tastes like wine, but doesn’t contain any alcohol, was just unveiled at the Fancy Food Show in New York last week. This “wine water” is actually made by infusing water with grape skins and seeds that are left over after the winemaking process and that would otherwise go to waste.

The result of this process is a beverage that tastes like wine, has all the benefits of wine’s natural antioxidant features, but none of the alcohol content. Perhaps most important for health-conscious drinkers, it’s also incredibly low in calories, and doesn’t have any preservatives. It comes in both carbonated and non-carbonated versions.

O.Vine is expected to make its way to US stores soon, where its popularity will be tested — we all know how seriously wine purists take their drink of choice. The success of “wine water” likely depends on the willingness of wine-lovers to forego not only the hangover, but also the buzz.

H/T: Travel & Leisure

More like this: This underrated Canadian wine region is the next Napa Valley

The post New “wine water” looks and tastes like the real deal appeared first on Matador Network.

Wider seats coming to Delta’s 777

While most airlines have been shrinking their seats in an effort to squeeze as many passengers on their flights as possible, Delta recently announced a decision to make economy seats wider on some of its aircrafts. A part of the larger renovations to its Boeing 777 aircrafts, which fly mostly to international destinations, Delta will slightly reduce the number of seats in its cabin, allowing them to make each seat 18.5 inches wide.

Photo: Delta News Hub/Flickr

For comparison’s sake, United Airlines’ 777 aircrafts have 16 inch economy seats, while the seats on American Airlines are generally between 17.1 and 18.1 inches (you’d have to pay for Premium Economy to get an 18.5 inch seat).

Photo: Delta News Hub/Flickr

Delta says its new seats will be the widest main cabin seats in its international fleet. As part of the renovations, passengers will also be able to enjoy personal power ports and 11-inch-wide screens. The first renovated 777 is already flying between Detroit (DTW) and Beijing (PEK) every other day this month, though Delta expects all eight of its 777s to be fully renovated, and similarly outfitted with wider seats by the end of 2019.

H/T: AFAR

More like this: The 10 best airlines to travel in economy

The post Delta’s new seats are now the widest in the industry appeared first on Matador Network.

Hawaiian islands for sport lovers

“Which island” is a perennial question. We know that each Hawaiian isle is beautiful, unique, and guaranteed to make for a great visit. So that makes the questions harder: on which one should you spend your precious time off?

If you have a particular outdoor passion, you’ll be less concerned with which island has the snazziest resort and more focused on where you can pursue your favorite activity — be it surfing, snorkeling or hiking. This list will help you choose which slice of paradise — Kauai, Oahu, Maui, the Island of Hawaii, or Lanai — is the place to pursue your outdoor love.

Golf — The Island of Hawaii (The Big Island)

Photo: Jason McCartney/Shutterstock

While each island has several courses, our top pick for where to play 18 holes is the Island of Hawaii, better known as the Big Island. Not only does it have well over a dozen courses, mixed between resort-based, private, and public, it has the number one golf course in Hawaii, according to Golf Digest. Admittedly, that course, Nanea Golf Club, is extremely exclusive. The good news is that, in addition to multiple resort courses, the Big Island has five public or semi-private courses; the nicest among them is the Mauna Kea course.

Runner-up islands include Maui, where its Kapalua Plantation golf course is one of the most stunning public courses we’ve seen anywhere. In Kauai, the Princeville Makai Golf Course is nearly as beautiful and, from a player’s perspective, well designed. That said, Princeville is one of the rainier spots on the islands. For guaranteed sunshine and dry greens, stick to the Island of Hawaii.

Hiking — Kauai

Photo: Maridav/Shutterstock

Kauai takes top billing here. The Kalalau Trail along the NaPali coastline is among the most breathtakingly beautiful trails in the US. The NaPali Coast includes those staggeringly green, ridged cliffs that soar upwards up to 4000 feet up from the sea, which were made famous by Jurassic Park. No roads reach this stretch of Kauai, so unless you come in on foot, you’ll have to fork out big money for a helicopter view or take a long paddle in a kayak. That’s what makes hiking here so special: you get to see what few others can. The Kalalau Trail is 11 miles one way, so if you can’t stay overnight, plan on just doing a portion of it.

For hiking, the Island of Hawaii comes in on the heels of Kauai. As the largest of the islands by a large margin, it’s got more hiking trails than you could possibly complete in one visit. The most ambitious hike you could do would be to summit Mauna Kea, the tallest peak in Hawaii at 13,800 feet above sea level. The fact is, you can find great hiking options on all the islands. For hikers in Maui, a trek to Haleakala Crater is often the highlight of their visit.

Horseback riding — The Island of Hawaii

Photo: Suzi Pratt/Shutterstock

The Island of Hawaii has a deeply rooted cowboy culture. One great spot option for horseback riding enthusiasts is Paniolo Stables, an 11,000-acre ranch at Ponoholo Ranch in Waimea. You can ride privately or participate in group rides at various activity levels. Two other spots are Naalapa Stables and Dahala Ranch.

A close runner-up for horseback riding options is Maui, where the Ironwood Ranch in West Maui has fantastic horses and amazing trails to cover. After that is Lanai, where you can get set up at the Stables at Koele and take in the island’s unspoiled uncountry scenery from the back of your well-groomed horse.

Kitesurfing — Maui

Photo: EpicStockMedia/Shutterstock

Laird Hamilton was one of the first people to help kitesurfing go mainstream, which he did off the coast of Maui. Maui’s strong winds on its northern shore make it an excellent place for kitesurfing, and there are several spots to do so. Among these are the aptly name Kite Beach, located at the western end of Kanaha Beach Park.

Mountain Biking — Oahu

Photo: Bonita R. Chesier/Shutterstock

Oahu has the most developed mountain biking trails on all of the islands, with the best signage and trails for all ability levels. The Pupukea Trail system in the Pupukea-Paumalu Forest Reserve on the north shore of the island has everything from easy paths for beginner riders to very technical single-track trails for more experienced mountain bikers. There are also multiple mountain bike trails a stone’s throw from Honolulu and, in fact, all over Oahu.

Scuba Diving — Maui

Photo: Ocean Image Photography/Shutterstock

When it comes to scuba diving, the more protected and less visited a place is, the better. The Molokini Crater, accessible by boat from Maui, is considered one of the best dive sites in the Hawaii archipelago. However, there’s a current there, so it’s best for more experienced divers. Lanai comes in second for scuba diving, since its undersea caverns rank high on experienced divers’ list of top Hawaiian spots.

Snorkeling — Maui

Photo: tropicdreams/Shutterstock

Each Hawaiian island has its own special snorkeling spots. Lanai, for example, has very clear waters and a native population of spinner dolphins that, if you’re lucky, you’ll see while you’re out in the water.

Maui wins it, though, for the diversity of marine life that you can see there. The southern coast is full of sea turtles and, in the northwest, the Honolua Bay marine conservation is chock-full of diverse fish species. A bonus for anyone staying on Maui is that you can boat or kayak to the tiny island of Molokai, which has the longest reef of the Hawaiian islands. It’s also lightly populated, so the waters are very clear. You can see hawksbill turtles, spotted eagle rays, and countless fish there.

Surfing — Oahu and Kauai

Photo: JJM Photography/Shutterstock

Two islands stand out here. Oahu is in many ways the birthplace of modern surfing. A century after Calvinist Christian missionaries forced Hawaiians to give up surfing, Oahu native Duke Kahanamoku, an Olympic gold medalist for swimming, showed Americans what surfing was all about. Few surf images seem more iconic than an old fashioned longboard gliding on a gentle roller in Waikiki. Elsewhere, though, be careful where you surf. North Shore waves are powerful and the locals are territorial. Ask before you paddle out.

Kauai, on the other hand, is more underrated. Surf legends like Andy Irons hail from Kauai, and the island has surf breaks for every ability level. In Hanalei, beginners can enjoy the sandy beach break at the Pier, while more experienced surfers carve up waves at the Bowl. In the summer, Kauaian surf is more limited, since it occurs mainly on the south and west shores. Beginners can stick to Poipu Beach, and more advanced surfers can paddle out to Waiohai.

Stargazing — The Island of Hawaii

Photo: MarcelClemens/Shutterstock

No contest here. The key ingredients for stargazing are dry air, altitude, and distance from ambient light. The Big Island has these in droves. In fact, 13,803-foot-high Mauna Kea mountain houses some of the most important observatories on earth. You can take a tour or drive to the top of Mauna Kea on your own — but you should heed critical safety tips, like stopping for half an hour at the 9,200-foot-high Visitor Center to acclimate to the higher altitude and get a summit weather report. Or you can stay at the Visitor Center itself, which, at 9,200 feet, is plenty high. The center offers its own Stargazing Program four nights a week from 7:00 PM until 10:00 PM.

Yoga — Maui

Photo: Tom Tietz/Shutterstock

Maui was made for yoga. From the ritzy resorts in Wailea up through Lahaina and out to its more rugged eastern shores, you’ll find yoga options all over Maui. Wisdom Flow Yoga is ranked as one of the best spots to practice yoga on the island. You can also find multiple yoga retreats all over.

We’re putting Oahu second on this list. While it may seem paradoxical to list the busiest of the Hawaiian islands for an activity that’s supposed to be peaceful and calming, Oahu impresses with the sheer number of yoga studios. Compared to your yoga studio back home, doing your sunrise salutations with the actual sunrise on the beach in Waikiki is a pretty amazing way to start the day. Namaste.


More like this: The best times of the year to visit Hawaii

The post How to choose the right Hawaiian island for your outdoor passion appeared first on Matador Network.

Highway 1 in California reopening

Good news for road trip fans. An important stretch of California’s Highway 1, from Cambria to Carmel, has reopened after an 18-month closure. The famous section of the iconic coastal highway was buried under a huge mudslide in May 2017. After the mudslide, a California Department of Transportation spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that nearly a third of a mile of Highway 1 was covered in rock and dirt, nearly 40 feet deep, and that the damage was “unprecedented.”

Wednesday’s reopening was long-awaited by locals and tourists alike. The best part? It happened two months ahead of schedule, and two days before the official ribbon cutting ceremony. Chamber President Mel McColloch, speaking to the Cambria Chamber of Commerce, said residents should be “prepared for an influx of tourists in the coming weeks.”

The Hearst Castle, an attraction along the road, is adding a number of tours in preparation for the increase in visitors. Dan Falat, a superintendent of the State Parks district that includes the castle, told The Tribune that his team has done extensive planning based on the “long-term perception that Highway 1 would reopen sometime soon.”

While everyone’s hoping Highway 1 remains open with no further interruption, the patterns of nature may suggest a different future. “This has sort of been the history of this coast from the beginning,” John Duffy, an engineering geologist in Pismo Beach, told the San Francisco Chronicle. “It’s an emerging coastline geologically speaking, and it’s in a constant state of trying to come to some stability.” He added that the same geological features that make it beautiful also make it a difficult road to maintain.

For now, however, the long wait is over, and roadtrippers can hit the Pacific Coast.

H/T: Travel & Leisure

More like this: 20+ spots that will inspire your next Californian road trip

The post California’s iconic Highway 1 has officially reopened appeared first on Matador Network.