Matador Network's Blog, page 173

Explore the UK by Foot and Train With This Comprehensive Listing of Hikes From Train Stations

There’s a way to spend time exploring England, Wales, and Scotland’s countryside without having to rent a car and learn to drive on the left-hand side of the road. The rail network in Britain is incredibly vast and allows travelers to go just about anywhere, even to very rural locations, for the price of a train ticket or a BritRail Pass. Even better is that train stations in Britain are often very close to hiking or walking trails, or work as a trailheads. That means you can see huge swathes of country, including its lesser-visited bucolic nooks and crannies, by using two affordable, convenient, and incredibly sustainable modes of transport: the train and your two feet.

A new website will help you plan such a trip: Railwalks. All you need to do is to visit the website, select the area you’d like to explore, go through the list of resources available, and pick a walk you can take from the train stations in the area. The walks listed include linear, loops, and station-to-station walks, so you can still catch a train at the end of your day (or days) roaming.

Caerfai Bay on the Wales Coast Path. Photo: Charlesy/Shutterstock

One of the most famous and most scenic walk in Britain is the 870-mile-long Wales Coast Path which you can easily reach by rail. All the information to get to the trail by train is available on Railwalks by selecting Wales as your preferred area and looking at what the From Rail to Trail resource offers.

Photo: RailwalksPhoto: RailwalksPhoto: Rail to Trail

The same goes for the world-famous Lake District in the county of Cumbria in the northwest of England. A series of rails trails have been developed so you can visit this magnificent part of the country in the most sustainable way there is. All of the information you need about the Lake District’s rail trails is available on Railwalks.

Steve Melia, the founder of Railwalks, started by creating his own compilation of walks by rail on his website The Green Travel Writer and then collaborated with Slow Ways, an organization whose goal is to create a national network of walks that connect all of Britain’s cities, towns, and national parks. Together, by combining their data, they are expanding the knowledge of previously little-known walking routes for everyone to enjoy. Both Railwalks and Slow Ways are crowd-sourced and rely on hikers to share their favorite walking routes or their newly discovered hikes with them so the network never stops growing.

More like thisTravelThis Is the Best Way for Travelers to See the UK by Train

Austin’s P+K Bungalow Is Ideal Lodging In The Heart of the City

In the vibrant city of Austin, Texas, where options for accommodation are plentiful, finding the perfect blend of comfort, location, and cool factor, can feel like a daunting task. But look no further than P+K Bungalow. This Airbnb is a cozy retreat, where retro vibes meet modern amenities.

Traveling to Austin or San Antonio? Check out Matador’s accommodations guides: Book These Guest Favorite Airbnbs in Austin 9 San Antonio Airbnbs Within Walking Distance of the Riverwalk and Downtown The best Austin Airbnbs for large groups The Best Airbnbs in Austin for a Bachelorette Getaway 15 Airbnbs in Austin for a BBQ- and Music-Filled Trip

We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

As you step inside, the bright coral walls paired with the beautifully illustrated wallpaper will immediately catch your eye. The decor is a fun balance between chic sophistication and quirky nostalgia. But what truly sets P+K Bungalow apart are the retro touches scattered throughout. The giant gumball machine in the living room will practically beg you to drop a quarter in and give it a whirl. Feel free to spin some classic vinyl from the eclectic collection on the vintage record player. And if you’re craving a nostalgic gaming experience, the Super Nintendo console is ready to go, stocked with dozens of favorites like Super Mario Kart and Donkey Kong Country. The trip down memory lane will add an extra layer of enjoyment to your stay.

 

@epic.stays Make the most of your #Austin getaway with this stunning #Airbnb that’s walking distance to downtownP+K Bungalow in #Texas @Pink Plankton #airbnbfinds #austinairbnb #texastravel #usatravel ♬ Home – Good Neighbours

P+K Bungalow is well equipped with everything you could need on your trip, and then some. You’ll find a fridge full of cold drinks and a basket of snacks upon arrival. The patio out front has a cozy fire pit with logs ready to go. The bungalow sleeps up to four people on its king-sized bed in the bedroom and a comfy pull-out couch in the living room. There is even a massage gun you can use to wind down after a day of exploring the city.

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The bungalow is conveniently located on the western edge of downtown Austin. The neighborhood is calm and quiet, but you’ll be just steps away from trendy restaurants, food trucks, trails, and even the first-ever Whole Foods Market. The rest of Austin’s downtown attractions are all within walking distance.

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Why Wilmington, NC and Its Island Beaches Belong on Your Must-Visit List

Calling a place a “must-visit” is a lofty claim. On North Carolina’s southern coast, Wilmington lives up to the label, with island beaches, land and sea adventures, and an exciting culinary scene that should rocket the city to the top of your list.

Situated on the banks of the Cape Fear River, Wilmington is a gateway to the family-friendly shores at Carolina, Kure, and Wrightsville Beaches. Whether you decide to stay riverside, oceanfront, or anywhere in between, you’re never more than a few minutes from award-worthy dining, bike tours to breweries and beyond, and accommodations that’ll make you regret having to return home. Factor in how easy the city is to reach by car or plane, and you’ll see why Wilmington and its beaches are the perfect choice for your next trip.

A tour for every traveler

Photo: Wilmington and Beaches

Whether you’re gearing up for your first or 15th visit to Wilmington, there’s no better way to get to know the area than on a tour. Options are plentiful, ranging from kayak excursions and guided bike tours to walking tours and narrated horse-drawn carriage rides through the National Register Historic District in the heart of downtown.

New kayak tours hosted by Wilmington Outdoor Adventures let nature lovers experience the area’s diverse ecosystems by paddle power. For an easy outing, check out Greenfield Lake, Wilmington’s largest urban lake, where you’ll float among cypress trees and spot plenty of wildlife. Opt for a more strenuous excursion to Masonboro Island, a secluded barrier island, for your chance to see more coastal wildlife, including bottlenose dolphins. The all-female crew at Coastal Eco Adventures also leads intimate charter boat expeditions to Masonboro Island and the area around Wrightsville Beach. Try the oyster-focused tour to visit seed nurseries and estuary farms, then wrap up with a tasting experience.

On land, e-bike around town with Wilmington Bike & Brew Tours for an educational (and hoppy) way to see the Port City. Beyond downtown, the Carolina Beach Experience gives you four hours in Carolina Beach — from the state park where Venus flytraps grow wild to a walk along a vintage boardwalk. Take your time there, and be sure to stop at Britt’s Donuts or Latella Gelato for a sweet power-up.

Fans of the Outlander books or TV series have two choices for delving into southeastern North Carolina’s connection to Scottish heritage: the Outlander in Cape Fear cruise by Wilmington Water Tours and the Burgwin-Wright House & Garden’s Outlander in Cape Fear walking tour. Sign up for one or both — no kilts or bagpipes required.

A world of cuisine in one scenic city

Photo: Wilmington and Beaches

Wilmington’s best-kept secret is officially out: The food scene is on fire. The city’s chefs have been busy racking up awards, including recognitions from the James Beard Foundation (JBF) and North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA). But the best part? Wilmington has restaurants for every palate, occasion, and price point.

Head downtown for fresh and creative seafood dishes at Seabird. Nowhere is Chef Dean Neff’s commitment to artistry and seasonality more evident than in the restaurant’s seafood tower, piled high with pickled shrimp, oyster escabeche, smoked fish, and more. It’s one reason Neff is up for JBF’s 2024 Chef of the Year.

If sampling the best of the Beard nominees is your thing, make reservations at Catch and Olivero. At Catch, Chef Keith Rhodes finds inspiration in international flavors, Gullah traditions, and regional delicacies. In the burgeoning Castle Street Arts & Antique District, Chef Sunny Gerhardt helms Olivero Kitchen + Cocktails, borrowing from his family’s New Orleans roots to craft inventive yet homey dishes. Also in the Castle Street Arts & Antique District, the recently reimagined Rx Chicken & Oysters features seafood that’s farmed and fished by Chef-Owner James Doss and his wife. Nearby, celebrity Chef-Owner Vivian Howard (another JBF nominee) serves pies and pasta that will transport you to Naples with a single bite at Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria.

It’s not all seafood and Southern cuisine in Wilmington. The new G Prime Steak & Cellar delivers a high-end steakhouse experience. At Tequila Comida & Cantina, rooftop cocktails and scenic river views complement big-flavored Mexican and Tex-Mex fare like chili-marinated mahi-mahi.

Dreamy accommodations to call home

Photo: Wilmington and Beaches

Sure, you can use your hotel loyalty points when you come to Wilmington, but you can also consider a more unique stay. Reserve a houseboat at The Cove Riverwalk Villas to stay right along the award-winning Riverwalk on the Cape Fear River. Or perhaps go the bed and breakfast route — C.W. Worth House and The Verandas have both been named among the country’s most charming B&Bs. ARRIVE Wilmington caters to the boutique hotel crowd and is slated to expand by 50 rooms by year’s end. Wilmington also has stays for those looking for the super stylish — try The Hive or DREAMERS by DW for meticulously designed rooms and convenient, walkable locations.

Even more accommodations await shoreside. At Wrightsville Beach, a pair of oceanfront resorts positions you steps from the sand. Lumina on Wrightsville Beach, a Holiday Inn Resort sits on the north end near Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pier and a stunning stretch of shoreline. To the south, Blockade Runner Beach Resort has been a Wrightsville Beach fixture for more than 50 years, with retro-modern rooms, farm-to-table dining at EAST, and activities like surf and sail lessons, SUP yoga, and a variety of cruises.

Lessons in water sports, history, or both

Photo: Wilmington and Beaches

With Wilmington as your home base, you’re minutes away from a trio of island beaches that have distinct draws: Easygoing Carolina Beach brings on the fun with summer amusement rides at its boardwalk. Kure Beach evokes the nostalgia of beach vacations gone by and is prime for nearby nature hikes or afternoons at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. And Wrightsville Beach beckons with Caribbean-hued waters, ideal for water sports. Together, these beaches create blissful inroads to the outdoors, from sunbathing, beachcombing, and splashing in the waves to more energetic activities like surf lessons and scuba diving.

For combo beach days and educational outings, visit Fort Fisher State Historic Site at Kure Beach to see where the Civil War’s largest land-sea battle was fought. Be one of the first people to experience the new visitors center coming this summer, offering 24,000 square feet of insights into artillery, battle strategy, and the role the US Colored Troops (USCT) played during the Civil War. Additional features will open in the fall, so you’ll want to plan multiple visits to see it all.

If you love stories from the past, you’ll also appreciate the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, which you can see from nearly every foot of the Cape Fear Riverwalk; Cameron Art Museum; and Wilmington’s 230-plus-block National Register Historic District, a one-stop shop for period-era mansions, museums, and other landmark attractions. They’re all must-visits in a destination that’s full of them, so get yourself to Wilmington for a trip you’ll never forget.

8 of the Best Shore Diving Destinations in the World

Scuba diving offers a chance to see a part of the world only a very, very small fraction of people ever get to experience. You get to see rare animals, feel what it’s like to escape gravity for a while, and get to breathe underwater while going eye-to-eye with colorful fish. What could be better?

Well, one thing could be better: getting that experience without having to deal with crowded scuba diving boats and early morning wake-up calls.

Fortunately, there are plenty of places in the world where you can shore dive, and the best shore diving resorts and destination have access to nearby reefs, gentle beach entries, and shipwrecks sitting just a few dozen meters from shore. Not having to rely on boat operators (or share a boat with divers of unknown abilities) offers the freedom for divers to dive when they want, where they want, as many times as they want.

The world’s best shore diving destinations range from the coral-laden shores of Bonaire to cold-water bays and kelp forests around San Diego.

Want to dive the Kubu Wreck (also called the Boga Wreck) in Bali? Good news: it’s a shore dive. Photo: DiveIvanov/Shutterstock

The shore diving locales below cater to a range of diving styles and experience levels. It’s a loose guide, so don’t let it deter you from going somewhere you really want to visit — every location below will usually have at least one or two sites suitable for beginners, and diving is technically available year-round in most places. If you’re a beginner considering Bonaire or Curaçao, you’ll be happy to know those two islands are known for having some of the easiest (and most impressive) shore diving in the world.

Most places where you can dive have one or two available shore diving sites, even if most of the diving is usually done from boats. So if you happen to be somewhere where diving is available, it’s worth asking if the nearby shops have any shore dive sites they could take you to.

Local dive shops are your very best source for trip-planning information and are usually happy to answer any questions that help you become a more informed and prepared diver.

We hope you love the spaces we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.

Jump to:Bonaire, Dutch AntillesBali, Indonesia San Diego, CaliforniaThe Hawaiian Islands Tulum and Playa del Carmen, Mexico Red Sea, Egypt Monterey and Big Sur, CaliforniaCuraçao, Dutch Antilles Shore diving Q & A Shore diving on Bonaire

The Hilma Hooker is easily accessible from shore. Photo: Bonaire Tourism

Peak season for diving: December through AprilGood for beginners? YesAverage peak season water temp: Low 80 degrees F

Bonaire, a small island in the Dutch Caribbean, has a well-deserved reputation among divers for having the best shore diving in the world. The island has more than 80 dive sites accessible directly from the shore, making the island hugely popular with divers who value freedom and flexibility in dive planning.

Bonaire’s reef system runs along the entire leeward (western) side of the island, and some sections of coral reef start just a few steps from the shore. Depths at nearly all sites are suitable for beginners,  and it’s easy to navigate between dive sites as there’s one loop road that follows the coastline. Nearly all dive resorts on the island offer packages that include a rental car and unlimited tanks, so you can drive directly to whatever site you want to visit.

The Bonaire National Marine Park protects the entire coastline, ensuring healthy reefs and an abundance of fish and marine critters. Expect to see vibrant coral formations teeming with colorful fish, turtles, or maybe octopus and and rays. Eagle-eyed divers might even spot the occasional elusive seahorse or frogfish. However, Bonaire isn’t the place to go for sharks — which could be a good or bad thing, depending on how you feel about sharks.

The calm currents and excellent visibility, often exceeding 90 feet, make Bonaire ideal for all skill levels. Beginners can build confidence in the shallow reefs, while experienced divers can explore deeper walls and swim-throughs. Bonaire also boasts an extremely well-preserved wreck: the Hilma Hooker, a freighter that ran aground in 1985 and is now a popular dive site teeming with marine life.

Bonaire Dive Resorts

 

 

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Dive resorts are very popular in Bonaire, and a few dive resorts even have house reefs so you can dive from the resort without needing to hop in the car. Resorts that don’t cater exclusively to divers will almost always still offer diving as an activity, since it’s the reason many travelers visit the island.

Buddy Dive: Among the most well-known of the dive resorts on the island, with a house reef, large dining area, and full on-site gear shop. A few dive packages are available, including ones with unlimited tanks and rental cars.Captain Don’s Habitat: Another popular location for divers, and has an excellent house reef and reasonably priced week-long dive packages.Harbour Village Beach Club: A bit more luxe, with more resort-style offerings. The house reef isn’t as large, but it has a small shipwreck, and you can shore dive or jump on one of the several daily dive charters that leave from the resort.Divi Dive Bonaire. The house reef isn’t as impressive as some of the other resorts, but the five-minute walk to town is hard to beat, especially for non-divers in your group.Shore diving in Bali, Indonesia

A diver on the USAT Liberty. Photo: Shahar Shabtai/Shutterstock

Peak season for diving: June to NovemberGood for beginners? YesAverage peak season water temp: Low 80 degrees F

Bali, the “Island of the Gods,” is a paradise for scuba divers, and shore diving enthusiasts are well catered to on the island. With more than 50 shore diving sites accessible directly from the beach, Bali offers incredible freedom and flexibility for independent divers. Much of the shore diving is on the east coast near towns like Amed and Tulamben. Amed offers a laid-back atmosphere with numerous dive resorts and guesthouses catering specifically to divers, while Tulamben is famous for the wreck of the USAT Liberty, a World War II shipwreck teeming with marine life and accessible directly from the shore.

A nice bonus to diving in Bali is that there are plenty of dive sites accessible by boat, so you can blend shore and boat diving, based on your preference. There are a handful of more advanced (and semi-world-famous) dives around the islands of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. Menjangan Island, on the north side of the island, is part of a protected national park with exceptionally healthy marine life. If you visit the Nusas, be sure to do a dive to the manta ray cleaning station, where giant rays and mola molas are common sightings.

Bali has a dry season from April to November and a wet season from December to March. The dry season offers the best diving conditions with calm seas and excellent visibility, but the wet season can still be a good option for diving, with occasional rain showers and slightly lower tourist crowds.

Water temperatures remain pleasant throughout the year and are general quite warm (though the Nusas can have much colder thermoclines, requiring a five-mil). If encountering mola molas is on your wishlist, aim for a trip between July and October when sightings are most frequent around Nusa Penida.

In Bali, it’s required that you use the services of a dive guide or shop, and hotels do not offer self-guided house reef diving. But that’s a perk, as renting a car in Bali can be a bit of a pain, and guided shore dives usually include transportation from your hotel.

Bali dive resorts

 

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Bali is one of the most popular islands in the world for travelers, with a range of accommodations to suite all tastes. You’ll find everything from affordable hostels to mid-range dive resorts to extremely luxurious full-service resorts. Fortunately, the towns of Amed and Tulamben aren’t as touristed or as expensive as more popular destinations like Ubud or Seminyak.

Amed Beach Resort: Very reasonably priced and comfortable beachfront resort, starting around $45 a night and home to Two Fish Divers.Bali Dive Resort and Spa: Dives start around $45 each and get progressively cheaper as you add more. There’s also a property in Tulamben; both have pools and spas. Nitrox is free for certified divers.La Bila Dive Resort: Also in Amed is La Bila, with bungalows in a Balinese garden and included daily breakfasts.Baliku Dive Resort: Check out Baliku if you prefer better views over waking up on the beach. Cliffside villas start around $38 a night and the property is home to Adventure Divers Bali.

More Bali lodging recommendations: Bulgari Is Bringing Its Luxury Design to This Beachside Bali Resort The Best Bali Airbnbs and Hotels To Embrace Nature in Luxury This Rainforest Hotel in Bali Has One of the Coolest Infinity Pools in the World This Balinese Hotel’s Infinity Pool Hangs 300 Feet Above the Indian Ocean

Shore diving in San Diego, California

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Peak season for diving: July-SeptemberGood for beginners? Depends; best to go with a guide for your first timeAverage peak season water temp: Mid-60 degrees F (but varies quite a bit)

San Diego is one of two excellent places in California for shore diving. San Diego may not be tropical, and the water is often chilly enough to demand a seven-mil or a drysuit, but the payoff is access to unique shore diving sites with healthy marine life like sea lions. Divers can choose from underwater canyons, kelp forests, and areas to see small leopard sharks.

Popular sites include La Jolla Shores, a protected cove with calm waters and a shallow reef teeming with fish life. The site in front of the Marine Room restaurant is known for leopard sharks, and experienced divers will find steep drop offs to the north of the Marine Room, just a short swim from shore.

La Jolla Cove is home to a thriving underwater ecological reserve where you can dive through kelp forests (which feels like diving in an underwater forest) and see rocky reefs teeming with colorful fish and playful harbor seals. Depending on the weather, entry and exit may be in strong(ish) waves. Be sure to wear booties as the entry can be rocky, and carry a diving knife since the kelp can occasionally get tangled on hoses. Because of the waves and currents, it’s usually best for experienced divers only.

Visibility in San Diego varies depending on the location and season, typically ranging from 15 feet on a bad day to 60 or 70 feet on a good day. Water temperatures are chilly year-round, averaging in the low 60s to low 70s. The water is warmest in August and September, but you can expect the calmest waves and best visibility from June to October. La Jolla Dive and Zach’s Scuba Shack are the main dive shops in La Jolla (though you can lobster dive in season with La Jolla Watersports).

San Diego dive resorts

 

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It goes without saying you’ll find every kind of accommodation under the sun in San Diego. If you’re diving, you’ll want to stay in La Jolla, since the traffic to get there from other parts of town can be quite bad (and parking in La Jolla is tough). Unfortunately, there are no dive-specific resorts around La Jolla. But most resorts in La Jolla or in the greater San Diego region may be able to recommend a few nearby dive shops.

More San Diego lodging recommendations: 5 San Diego Bed and Breakfasts to Book on Your Next SoCal Trip The Top San Diego Hotels Near Downtown and the Beach 8 of the Prettiest Airbnbs in Downtown San Diego, California  Get Green at These Cannabis-Friendly Airbnbs in San Diego

Shore diving in Hawai’i

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Peak season for diving: June to SeptemberGood for beginners? Depends on the siteAverage peak season water temp: High 70 degrees F

Headed to Hawai’i? If so, you’ll find shore diving on Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai.

Oahu has more than 40 named dive sites, including a handful of beginner-friendly shore dive sites. Some of the best shore diving sites include Hanauma Bay, a world-famous nature preserve with calm, protected waters and abundant fish life; as well as Electric Beach (off Kahe Point Beach Park), popular for larger creatures like dolphins that like to play in the current. At Electric Beach, you’ll have about a 200-foot swim to get to the dive site, and may have to carry your gear through some mid-sized waves.

On the north shore, head to Shark’s Cove (named for the shape of the shoreline, not actual sharks), for swim-through lava tubes and lots of colorful fish. Lanai Lookout, also on the north shore, is known for eagle rays and reef sharks, as well as the occasional whale. But it has a steep, tricky entry, and can get some very strong waves, so it’s only for advanced divers, and should be done with a guide the first few times.

On Kauai, the shore diving is on the southern part of the island near Koloa Landing. The sites are in protected coves with very easy entries and basically no waves or currents, and it’s almost impossible to dive there and not see a sea turtle. It’s one of the easiest beginner shore dive spots in the Hawaiian islands.

If you’re on Maui, most diving is on the west side of the island, with a lot of variety. You can do night shore dives at Mala Wharf, or do a wall dive at Black Rock. Local operator Banyan Tree Divers has a good guide to popular Maui shore dive sites on its website, but it’s not an exhaustive list, as the island has dozens of potential shore-entry dive locations. Of the Hawaiian island, Maui is probably the best bet if you want to avoid boat diving entirely.

Finally, if you’re headed to the Big Island, you’ll want to base yourself on the island’s northwest side, where most of the shore diving sites are located. Of particular note is a site called “Nudi Madness,” and if you’re obsessed with nudibranch, you’ll be pleased to know it’s exactly what you think. The visibility isn’t great, but the site is shallow so you can spend all your time looking for the colorful, whimsical nudibranch that call the site home. Their numbers are at their peak in the summer. Kona Honu Divers has a great map of all the best shore diving sites.

Hawai’i dive resorts

 

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Your search for lodging in Hawai’i should start with which island you want to visit, followed by making sure there’s a dive shop nearby. But since pretty much every coastal town in Hawaii has a dive shop nearby, that’s not hard to do. There aren’t many dive-specific resorts in Hawai’i, but many dive shops have partnerships with hotels. For example, the Grand Wailea Maui works with Dive Wailea, and Aloha Scuba Diving Company is inside Oahu’s Ala Moana Hotel.

More Hawai’i lodging recommendations: The Finest Resorts in Honolulu for the Ultimate Family Vacation or Romantic Getaway 8 Maui Beach Hotels With the Best Views in Hawai’i These Hotels on Hawai’i’s Big Island Showcase the State’s Best Beaches The Most Luxurious Resorts on the Hawaiian Islands for a Vacation of a Lifetime Kauai’s Coolest Hotels Offer a Truly Relaxing Beach Escape

Shore diving in Tulum and Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Photo: Dmitriy Efremychev/Shutterstock

Peak season for diving: December to AprilGood for beginners? Select cenotes are beginner friendly, but having an AOW cert will give you more optionsAverage peak season water temp: Low-to-mid 70 degrees F

Tulum isn’t really shore diving — it’s cenote diving. But the concept is the same, as you’ll park just steps from cenotes (tropical sinkholes) and walk to your entry point. Cenotes are formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock and are usually connected by underground tunnels, creating a network of caverns, tunnels, and open water areas. The visibility is usually fantastic.

Tulum has more than 60 accessible cenotes, and most dive shops go to at least a dozen or so. Some cenotes are cavern-like, with sunlight filtering through openings overhead that creates an ethereal underwater light show. Others are open-air cenotes, resembling shallow lakes with lush vegetation along the edges. The most adventurous dives venture deep into the labyrinthine cave systems, requiring specialized training and equipment. And on some deeper cenotes, you can pass through a sulfur layer that looks like an underwater river.

Cenote diving emphasizes proper technique and respect for the delicate environment, since it doesn’t take much to make a stalactite break (and kicking up silt can reduce your visibility to almost nothing). You don’t need to be a certified cave or cavern diver, but having an advanced open water certification is a must, as is excellent buoyancy control. And you’ll want to carry at least two flashlights. Aktun Ha, also known as Carwash, is one of the closest cenotes to Tulum and very popular with beginner divers.

Entry points vary depending on the cenote. Some have convenient staircases leading down to the water, while others might require a giant stride entry from a floating platform. Most dive shops are located in and around Tulum Town, rather than at Tulum Beach (where traffic is a pain to deal with, anyway). Good options include Koox Diving, the Cenote Guy, and Agua Clara Tulum, among others.

You can dive year-round, but the dry season is December to April and offers the best diving conditions with minimal rain. The shoulder seasons (May/June and September to November) are less crowded and cheaper, but the cenotes will have poorer visibility after heavy rain. If you’re hoping to dive with the bull sharks off Playa del Carmen, visit between November and March.

 Tulum and Playa del Carmen dive resorts

 

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If you’re diving in Tulum, you’ll want to stay in Tulum Town or the northern end of Tulum Beach, as the extra time it’ll take you to drive to the southern parts of Tulum Beach can easily add 45 minutes to your commute. There aren’t any formal dive resorts in Tulum, though there are a few resorts with on-site dive shops in Playa del Carmen (about 40 minutes north), which is also near some divable cenotes. Options include the Iberostar, which works with the highly regarded Dressel Divers, or Ah Xok Suites, partnered with Phantom Divers.

More Tulum lodging recommendations: The 8 Best Hotels in Tulum for Photo-Worthy Jungle Vibes
9 Gorgeous Airbnbs for Your Tulum Bachelorette Party These Top-Rated Tulum Airbnb Rentals Put You Right Near the Beach
Pablo Escobar’s Former Mansion Is Now a Luxury Hotel in Tulum, Mexico
The Rosewood Mayakoba Is the Perfect Mix of Luxury and Wellness Near Playa Del Carmen

Shore diving on the Red Sea, Egypt

Photo: Tunatura/Shutterstock

Peak season for diving: Year-round (more or less)Good for beginners? YesAverage peak season water temp: From the low 70s F to high 80s F

The Red Sea’s water clarity, shipwrecks, and large pelagics are already enough to land it on most divers’ bucket lists. But add in the fact that diving there is relatively inexpensive, and that the resorts along the Red Sea are home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Africa, and it’s no surprise that it’s becoming more and more popular.

If you’re into shore diving, you have multiple places to choose from. While you’ll likely want to do some boat dives to reach the Red Sea’s deeper sites (or maybe even a liveaboard, as they tend to be quite affordable), you’ll find that many towns have resorts with house reefs and easily accessible shore dives.

High season for diving in the Red Sea is spring and fall, with water reliably in the high 70s/low 80s Fahrenheit and visibility reliably exceeding 100 feet. The water is still warm in the off-seasons (summer and winter), but remember that the temperatures on land in summer can be unbearably hot. Visibility can also be a bit reduced in the summer due to the occasional plankton bloom.

If you want to see hammerheads around Marsa Alam, visit between May and July.

Red Sea dive resorts

 

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Marsa Shagra: Near Marsa Alam,  this is an exceptional places to stay, with glamping-style luxury tents (or more traditional rooms) sitting just steps from the Elphinstone house reef. It’s more than a mile long, and guests get unlimited access to diving it, including zodiac rides if needed to the farther corners.Marsa Nakari: This resort is 30 minutes south of Marsa Shagra and owned by the same operation (Red Sea Diving Safari). It has six separate dive sites along its house reef.Wadi Sabarah: A new, luxurious eco-resort and botanical garden with a healthy house reef that’s managed by Emperor Diving. It’s an ideal place to stay before or after heading out on one of the company’s many liveaboard diving trips.Fort Arabesque Resort, Spa, and Villas: This is a great pick around Makadi Bay, just south of Hurghada. It works with Hurghada’s iDive shop, which offers shore diving, boat trips, and speciality options like night diving.Stella Makadi:  A big, luxurious hotel on the beach with lots of pools and a large house reef.Serenity Makadi Beach: Another luxurious hotel with a house reef.Shore diving around Big Sur/Monterey, California

Starfish cling to the seafloor in a forest of giant kelp. Photo: Ethan Daniels/Shutterstock

Peak season for diving: Late fallGood for beginners? No, it’s best to have an AOW cert and experience in cold waterAverage peak season water temp: Mid-to-high 50 degrees F

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, just south of Monterey in Big Sur, is a unique underwater experience accessible via shore diving and one of the prettiest state parks in California. This marine protected area is home to healthy kelp forests, rocky reefs teeming with life, and frequent sightings of charismatic fauna like otters.

Diving is done from Whaler’s Cove, via a boat entry ramp. It’s not difficult, but it can get slippery, so make sure you have booties with grip. There can also be waves and currents, so take your time with the surface swim on your way out to sites like Middle Reef and Worm Patch.

The main draw to shore diving at Point Lobos is the fact that the underwater world at Point Lobos is a kaleidoscope of color. Dozens of fish species live in the safety of the kelp forests, including colorful (and easy to spot) garibaldi. You’ll also likely see plenty of sea stars, rockfish, and eels, and otter and harbor seal sightings are very common, too. If you’re lucky, you may even see a few sharks or notice whales breaching in the distance.

Diving at Point Lobos has a daily cap of 20 divers and reservations are mandatory for all divers. You can make them up to two months in advance via the park website. There are no dive support facilities in the park, so make sure you have all your own gear or go with a guide from a shop like Spangler’s Scuba or Sac City Scuba. Both operators can take you to other shore dive locales around Monterey, too.

The best shore diving conditions around Point Lobos are in the summer, from roughly May to October. Expect calmer seas and better visibility (up to 60 or 70 feet, if you’re lucky), as well as slightly warmer temperatures. However, the water is always on the chilly side, only peaking in the low-to-mid 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Most people wear dry suits, though a head-to-toe seven-mil kit should be fine for one or two dives if you aren’t dry suit certified.

Big Sur/Monterey dive resorts

 

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If you’re diving at Point Lobos, you’ll want to stay in the southern part of Monterey or Carmel-by-the-Sea. You could also stay in Big Sur at one of the smaller resorts along Highway 1, but just remember that they’re mostly along one-land roads, which means traffic can be pretty bad in the peak season and on weekends.

Shore diving in Curaçao

Photo: NaturePicsFilms/Shutterstock

Peak season for diving: Year-roundGood for beginners? YesAverage peak season water temp: Low 80 degrees F

Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island very close to Bonaire, has nearly 40 shore diving access points, some of which have multiple sites within them, making it a haven for divers seeking freedom and flexibility. It’s not as many divers as Bonaire, but the island is larger with more developed towns and more choices for large luxury resorts, making Curaçao potentially a better pick for groups who want diving to be only part of their vacation.

Most of the best shore diving sites are on the island’s south coast, which is surrounded by a healthy reef. Since many of the coral formations begin just steps from shore, shore diving is popular with divers of all levels, and dives can be as shallow as 30 feet or so. Entry points vary, but many of the most popular sites have purpose-built entry platforms or sandy beach areas where you can be in shallow surf to put on your fins and tank.

Like Bonaire, Curaçao’s reefs are very healthy and robust. This is for several reasons, one of which is that the islands are rarely hit by hurricanes, which can damage and destroy shallow reefs. Angelfish, butterflyfish, and colorful juveniles are a common sight, as are sea turtles, barracuda, and even the occasional octopus. The clear water, shallow depths,  and brightly colored critters also make it very popular with underwater photographers, as photos retain more color the closer you are to the surface. If there’s one site not to miss on the island, it’s Alice in Wonderland, with reliably clear water and some of the brightest reefs you’ll ever see outside of a fish tank.

Year-round, visibility is generally excellent, ranging from 60 to 100-plus feet, depending on location and season. While some divers may opt to wear just a rashguard, most divers will likely want a three-mil wetsuit to stay warm during multiple days of diving.

Curaçao dive resorts

 

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Many resorts near the best shore diving sites on the southern coast cater specifically to divers, with on-site dive shops, gear storage, tank fills, and easy access to house reefs for shore diving. Budget-friendly options like guesthouses and vacation rentals are also available. Popular dive-specific resorts on Curaçao include:

All West Curaçao: A beachfront building with multi-room apartments and unlimited tanks, on its own house reef. Packages include car rentals.Lionsbeach Dive Resort: A full-service resort with a house reef, on-site dive shop and four on-site restaurants.Sunscape Curaçao: An all-inclusive resort (owned by Hyatt) with a house reef that’s part of the Curaçao Underwater Sculpture Garden.Marazul Dive Resort: A small, laid-back resort with beachfront villas, a house reef, and lots of nearby dive shops.

Ultimately, nearly every resort and hotel on the island is used to having divers visit, and the sheer number of dive shops means you won’t have to walk far from your resort to find one. Like in Bonaire, most divers do self-supported dives by renting a car and driving to the entry points, rather than going on guided dive trips.

What is shore diving?

Photo: Arseniy Bobrov/Shutterstock

Choosing between shore diving and boat diving depends on what you’re looking for in your underwater adventure. Shore diving offers a taste of freedom and convenience. You can pack your gear, head to the beach, and explore the underwater world directly from the shore. There’s no waiting on other divers or having to plan your day around a boat schedule. You set your own pace and dive whenever you’re ready, as many times as you want. However, shore dives are typically shallower and limited to whatever you can reach in a short swim from land.

Boat diving provides a more structured experience with a guide or divemaster at the helm. They take care of navigation, brief divers on the site, and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Divers will need to follow the guide and have access to an expert to help them assemble and check their gear, which can be good for beginners.

Boat trips can also reach deeper sites and offshore locations, opening up a wider world of marine life encounters, wrecks, or underwater walls that wouldn’t be accessible from shore. The downside is that boat diving typically comes with a higher price tag compared to shore diving, plus crew tips. And you usually don’t get to do more than two dives per day on a boat-diving scuba vacation.

Pros of shore diving

Shore diving entires can be as basic as simply walking into the water. Photo: Alexandr Jitarev/Shutterstock

Shore diving boasts several advantages for scuba enthusiasts. First and foremost, it offers incredible freedom and flexibility. You ditch the rigid schedules of boat trips and dive on your own terms. This spontaneity is a big draw for many divers, as is the fact that it’s cheaper (you only need to factor in gas and parking, especially if your resort package includes unlimited tanks).

Another perk is the ease of logistics. With shore diving, there’s less gear to lug around since you enter the water directly from the shore, and you don’t have to haul your stuff in and out of a crowded boat or get ready in a hurry to time the currents correctly. You also don’t need to do backroll entries (though that’s a skill every diver should know), and you can say goodbye to getting seasick before your dive starts. Shore dives can also be a great way to develop your self-reliance as a diver. Since there’s usually no dive guide on hand, you’ll hone your navigation skills and become more comfortable planning and executing your dives.

Cons of shore diving

You’ll skip the hassle of dealing with a boat, but may still have to carry your dive gear along beaches or down rocky and slippery staircases. Photo: blue-sea.cz>/Shutterstock

While shore diving offers freedom and budget-friendly perks, there are also some drawbacks to consider.

One challenge is entry and exit. Unlike the ease of climbing onto a boat platform, shore entries can be tricky, especially with factors like waves, currents, or uneven rocky terrain. These conditions can make carrying your gear and navigating entry/exit points more difficult and potentially hazardous. They can also be quite easy, but it really depends on the site and conditions.

Another con is self-reliance. Without a dive guide on shore dives, the responsibility for navigation, dive plan execution, and awareness falls entirely on you and your buddy. This can be daunting for new divers and requires a strong foundation in dive safety procedures, gear assembly, and some basic navigation skills.

Finally, shore dives typically limit you to shallower depths. Breathtaking coral reefs and interesting underwater features are often accessible from shore, but if you’re hoping to encounter specific marine life like sharks or explore deeper wrecks and walls, boat diving may be the better option.

Tips for shore diving

Always dive with a buddy. Photo: Juice Flair/Shutterstock

Be good at navigation: Most tropical shore diving is done at your own leisure, so you usually won’t have a guide. Fortunately, navigating on shore dives is easy: go left or right from the site buoy, and turn around when you get to your halfway point. You’ll want to have you own compass to make sure you keep going in the right direction (and should pay attention to your depth, obviously). Using your own compass on shore dives is a good way to practice in an easy navigable environment, which can be a useful skill on future dives.Always dive with a buddy: No exceptions. Don’t shore dive alone, ever.Swimming: You may have a surface swim to get to the buoy or site marker. Take your time and don’t exhaust yourself by fighting the waves too hard to get to the buoy. Scuba diving is not a race and it’s fine to have a nice leisurely float before you descend.Booties: You will definitely want booties for shore diving almost anywhere in the world. You’ll need to carry all your gear through parking lots, down cement stairs, across rocky beaches and across sea shells — the list goes on. You’ll want booties with some grip that protect your feet, not just a thin Aqua Sock.Go against the current: If you start your shore dive and notice a gentle current, start your diving by diving against the current. This is basic diving 101, but it’s a good thing to remember for shore dives.Turtle navigation: If you get lost on shallow shore dives (like those in Bonaire or around hotels with house reefs), you can always navigate sea turtle-style. After doing your requisite safety stop, make a slow ascent to the surface, then just look around until you see your car or entry point.Shore diving with a guide: Guides are rare for shore dives in tropical and resort destinations. But for any shore dive in a new location with any factor that compounds the difficulty — be it a tough entry/exit, poor visibility, cold water, or strong currents — you’ll want to bring a local guide with you the first time. In any place you’ve never dived before, it’s a good idea to have someone with you who knows the site, conditions, and entry/exit routine. Shore diving without a local divemaster can be extremely risky. More like thishttps://matadornetwork.com/read/beginner-scuba-diving-gear/

What Happens When Someone Falls Overboard on a Cruise Ship?

If you’ve ever spent time at sea on a cruise ship, you probably have given some thought about what would happen if you, or any other passenger or crew, were to fall overboard. While it’s not a scenario that anyone likes to imagine while trying to have a relaxing vacation, it’s an intrusive thought cruisers experience, especially those who have been on long sailings like transatlantic crossings during which land is nowhere in sight for days on end. While overboard incidents are very rare, they do happen, and there are official measures and protocols in place to prevent and deal with these occurrences.

How often do people fall overboard on a cruise ship?

Photo: Pau Peset/Shutterstock

Reassuringly, overboard incidents are extremely rare. A report from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) indicates that between 2009 and 2019, a total of 212 people fell overboard on cruise ships, with only 48 having been rescued. While over 200 people falling overboard in the space of 11 years might seem like an awful lot, in reality, the average incident rate for all cruise passengers over this period was 0.0004, a spokesperson for CLIA explains in an email.

The Department of Transportation tracks and publishes every incident that happens on board cruise ships that dock in the United States, including assaults with serious bodily injury, suspicious deaths, firing or tampering with the vessel, homicides, kidnappings, sexual assaults, rapes, thefts over $10,000, and missing persons. The quarterly reports published by the DOT indicates that between January and March 2024, one US national has gone missing on board a ship from Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

Overboard incidents are almost never the result of someone losing their balance under normal circumstances. “Unfortunately, the vast majority of cases of individuals going overboard are a result of unsafe or reckless behavior, or some form of intentional act,” a CLIA spokesperson says.

What is done to prevent overboard incidents?

Photo: eldar nurkovic/Shutterstock

A variety of measures are taken to keep passengers and crew safe at all times, the most common-sense of which is to repeatedly “urge passengers to exercise due caution/diligence,” Ira Breskin, senior lecturer at the State University of New York Maritime College and author of The Business of Shipping (9th edition), explains in an email.

Blocking access to the outer decks during inclement weather with high winds or rough water is another way cruise lines keep passengers safe from falling overboard or just falling and hurting themselves. Cruise lines use barriers stretched across doors leading to the outside, as well as large printed notices, to inform passengers of the potentially dangerous situation.

Another obvious method to keep people from falling overboard is to erect railings that are high enough to prevent incidents. According to CLIA, “By law, railings must be 42 inches tall. This height governs the railing of ships sailing not only in the USA but elsewhere in the world.” Note that 42 inches is the minimum height required, and many cruise lines opt for even higher railings.

Also by law, cruise lines must equip their ships’ public spaces with video surveillance, as well as technology capable of capturing images of passengers or detecting passengers who have fallen overboard.

“The detection systems that have been prototyped since the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act was enacted [in 2010] have sought to be sensitive enough to detect a person going overboard and alarm a ship’s crew, but not be triggered by other objects such as birds flying by and causing false alarms,” the CLIA spokesperson explains.

MOBtronic is one such sophisticated system, with sensors placed in strategic locations around cruise ships for immediate detection in case of an overboard incident.

What happens when someone falls overboard during a cruise?

@cnn A man was saved by the US Coast Guard possibly 15 hours after he fell overboard on a Carnival cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico. CNN correspondent Nick Valencia shows footage of the helicopter rescue. #cnn #news #fyp ♬ original sound – CNN

While overboard incidents are very rare, when they occur, they often end in death. Depending on the circumstances of the fall, a person may die on impact with the water or with the vessel. Those who survive a fall face a multitude of dangers at sea and are very hard to find, explaining why only 28.2 percent of those who fell overboard between 2009 and 2019 were rescued.

Miracles do happen, however, as proven by the story of a crew member on board NCL’s Norwegian Getaway who fell overboard near Cuba in July 2018 and survived the ordeal. After spending 22 hours in the water, he was spotted by a crew member on a different cruise ship, CCL’s Carnival Glory, and subsequently rescued. Coast guards surveyed more than 1,630 square miles of ocean looking for him.

No matter what, cruise line have strict protocols they adhere to when someone falls overboard, including alerting the local coast guard, stopping the ship, and turning it around to find the person who fell overboard. In an email, a CLIA spokesperson explains that “often, smaller boats that can move at high speeds are deployed from the ship to search for the person.” According to Breskin, other vessels present in the area where the person has fallen can be requested to participate in a search. When someone falls overboard on a cruise ship, time is of the essence: Potential injuries from the fall, the temperature of the water, and the movements of the water, among other dangers, are all factors that can accelerate a person’s death, hence the importance of detection systems. Whether or not a person is successfully rescued after falling overboard, an investigation is conducted to determine exactly what happened.

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Airbnb Debuts Icons Category With Experiences Like Staying in the ‘Up’ House and Hanging With Kevin Hart

You likely know Airbnb for its original purpose: finding a place to stay just about anywhere in the world. Maybe you also know it for the exclusive, limited opportunity stays, like a book-filled night at the Hidden Library of St Paul’s Cathedral. On May 1, Airbnb took a step toward making the latter a bigger focus with a new Icons category that puts guests at the center of major cultural locations both real and imagined.

“What I’m about to show you is a decade in the making,” Airbnb cofounder and CEO Brian Chesky said at the launch even in Los Angeles on May 1. He went on to say that 10 years ago, he went to Ikea to get furniture with his roommate and cofounder Joe Gebbia. They passed a show bedroom, and they said, “we should put this on Airbnb,” Chesky recalled. It was a hit. “So we said let’s do it again.”

The last Blockbuster in Bend, Oregon, was decked out like a living room in the ‘90s and tapped into a deep sense of nostalgia. After the Barbie movie, a house in Malibu was transformed into a Barbieland house complete with all the small details. These limited-time offerings and others like it proved extremely popular.

“They capture people’s imagination and step into other people’s worlds, and that’s what Airbnb does best and has always been about,” Chesky said. “So we asked, ‘what if we took this magic to the next level and you find them right in the app?’”

The inside of the house from Up recreated by Airbnb. Photo: Ryan Lowry

The update comes two years after Airbnb launched its Categories section. At the time, Chesky called the update “the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade,” and it came about as a response to the mass of new location-independent workers. It opened the door for users to book a place by type of accommodation rather than destination. Over the past two years, Categories grew to make it easy to find an Airbnb by style (like tiny homes, churches, or windmills), interest (like golfing or skiing), accessibility features, and much more. There’s even an OMG! category for places that don’t seem real like an underwater bungalow or yellow submarine.

Matador’s guides to the best of Airbnb Categories: 10 Remote, Off-The-Grid Airbnbs Where You Can Get Away From It All The 11 Most Beautiful Converted Churches You Can Stay in Around the World on Airbnb Airbnb Just Made Windmills a Category, and These 9 Have Us Planning a Trip Airbnb Now Has a Towers Category. These 9 Will Climb Your Bucket List Airbnb Launched a Tiny Homes Category, and We’re Already Planning Trips Around These 11 11 Properties in Airbnb’s New OMG! Category You Won’t Believe Are Real These Are the Coolest Properties in Airbnb’s New Play Category These Beautiful Accessible Properties Showcase the Best of Airbnb’s Adapted Category These Are the Most Impressive Listings in Airbnb’s New Trending Category These Unique Abodes Showcase the Best of Airbnb’s Top of the World Category

Icons get their own category on the homepage. Each is limited, with a countdown that shows when it goes live for guests to request to book the stay or experience. While most are free, there aren’t any Icons priced more than $100 per guest (and there are “no cleaning fees,” Chesky joked at the launch event). In its inaugural year, more than 4,000 digital golden tickets will be available and new opportunities announced through October.

A new room in the Musée d'Orsay designed in partnership with Airbnb, with the Olympic torch near the bed against the clock tower. Photo: Frederik VercruysseThe room rentable with Airbnb Icons at the Ferrari museum in Italy. Photo: Thomas PriorPhoto: AirbnbCustom bus that Airbnb guests will stay on for a week with Feid on tour. Photo: SismatycBollywood star Janhvi Kapoor, whose family home is part of the stays on the new Airbnb Icon category. Photo: House of PixelsPhoto: Eric OgdenA room in Airbnb's 2D X-Mansion. Photo: Holly Andres

To start, Airbnb announced the first 11 Icons experiences:

Up house: A recreation of Carl’s home from Disney and Pixar’s Up, complete with more than 8,000 balloons in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The 40,000-pound house was built with input from structural engineers to be able to lift off the ground with a crane, and the Airbnb team brought the actual house to LA for the launch event. Walking inside, the home feels like stepping into the movie, from the small details (everything was made by hand to match, like Carl-sized binoculars and a rusted toy) to the balloon strings that sing like in the movie. Side by sides of stills from the movie to the real house look nearly identical.Ferrari Museum: A room complete with a bed made from the same leather as Ferrari seats, as well as VIP tickets to a Formula 1 race in Emilia-Romagna and a lap with Ferrari ambassador driver Marc Gené in Maranello, Italy. Eight Formula 1 cars that have won championship races are elevated around the bed on 3,000 meters of metalwork (the same length of a track). It’s all hand-painted in Ferrari red, and straight across from the bed are the 110 trophies Ferrari has won.X-Men ‘97: A recreation of Marvel’s X-Mansion in Westchester, New York. Every detail of the house was hand painted to look like walking into a comic book, even the plants, and Chesky reminded people a couple of times that they were looking at photos, not renderings. While the 2D feel is a trip, the true magic is in the details. Professional stunt coordinators are in the Danger Room to train for a mission, and the computer runs on a Microsoft operating system from the ‘90s.Kevin Hart’s Coramino Live Lounge: Rather than a sold-out arena, 30 guests will get an intimate evening of tequila tasting in a custom-built speakeast with Hart and a stand-up performance from Hart and other comedians.Museé d’Orsay: A stay at the art museum’s clock room where guests can watch the Olympics opening ceremony on the Seine in Paris. The room was designed by the same person behind the Olympic torch, which hands in the room near the bed. In the morning, guests get the museum to themselves with a private tour — “quite literally a night at the museum,” Chesky said.Live performance with Doja Cat: A living room performance by Doja Cat highlighting her favorite songs and latest album.Prince’s Purple Rain house: A stay in Prince’s iconic Minneapolis house, open to the public for the first time, complete with rare, never-before-heard tracks during an exclusive studio session and a bedroom recreated to look just like the Purple Rain movie.Khaby Lame game night: A stay with TikTok famous Khaby Lame at a gaming loft he designed in Milan along with a Fortnite Battle Royale face off and pizza from his favorite pizzaria.On tour with Feid: Reggaeton artist Feid has an Icon experience to join the FERXXOCALIPSIS World Tour for a week, including rehearsals, backstage access to every show, and a ride in the tour bus. He approached Airbnb about inviting fans to follow along with him and his band, and a neon-green bus was decked out both inside and out. It’s truly like going on tour, with sound checks, backstage passes, and sleeping on the bus with the band.Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor’s home: A stay at the Kapoor family home in Chennai, India, that includes beauty secrets and eating southern Indian dishes with Kapoor.Headquarters from Inside Out 2: A stay at a recreation of Headquarters, where Joy will act as host and show the behind-the-scenes of emotions. “There are rooms for each of the emotions,” Chesky said. “Joy, anger, and my personal favorite emotion, anxiety.”

“Icons are just the beginning of where we’re taking Airbnb,” Chesky said. “When I was a kid most of my life was experienced in the real world. Nowadays it’s through a device. We’re focused on creating magic in the real world, and everything we do is in service to this.”

Along with the new Icons category, Airbnb updated the way that groups can book and interact with hosts and added new features to make hosting easier.

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Airbnb Just Made It Much Easier to Book Group Trips

Since Airbnb launched in 2008, it’s become a go-to for group trips with family and friends. It’s much easier, after all, to have a proper get together when you’re all in one big house rather than cordoned off in separate hotel rooms. According to Airbnb, 81 percent of bookings are for group trips.

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Still, the app wasn’t designed for groups. A new update announced on May 1 fixes that. The update allows guests to share their Airbnb wishlists, opening up a more collaborative way to add homes, notes, and vote on listings. The messages tab gets a redesign so that everyone on the trip can message with the host in a group thread. Once a trip is booked, guests can send invites to others in their group with digital postcards from artists around the world, and those invites will have the full address, WiFi password, and check-in instructions.

Photo: Airbnb

“Airbnbs are just better when you’re traveling with other people,” Airbnb cofounder and CEO Brian Chesky said at the launch event in Los Angeles on May 1. But there were issues with choosing a home with a group and wishlists were hard to share. Guests would instead lean on screenshots of messages from the host and other “workarounds like a spreadsheet,” Chesky said as an image of a spreadsheet showed on the screen behind him. “You should never have to use a spreadsheet while traveling, but people do.”

Photo: Airbnb

These changes make it much easier for things like booking the perfect Airbnb for a bachelorette party, from Palm Springs to Tulum to Jackson Hole and more. Or maybe it’s a family-friendly Airbnb with a lazy river or bowling lanes.

To top it off, Airbnb’s dedication to design flows through in the group booking updates. Posters, which Chesky described as a design that “harkens back to the golden age of travel,” were designed by artists around the world to show local scenes.

 

New host upgrades

 

Photo: Airbnb

Hosts will also benefit from Airbnb’s 2024 summer release. Based on host feedback, Airbnb instituted an expanded earnings dashboard with interactive performance charts and automated earnings reports. The Listings tab now allows for more control of photo tours, and hosts can now more easily switch between their host account and guest account. On the messaging side, AI-suggested quick replies are now available (which can come in handy when there are a bunch of guests messaging at once).

Interested in becoming an Airbnb host? Check out Matador’s guides before getting started:Everything You Need to Keep Stocked as an Airbnb HostEverything You Need To Know To Become an Airbnb HostHow to Set Up an LLC for Your Airbnb Rental Properties9 Weird and Humorous Things You Can Expect as an Airbnb Host

Along with the change to group booking and host features, Airbnb announced an Icon category that features rare, limited experiences around the world.

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Why 36,000 Feet Is The Optimum Altitude For Airplanes

There’s something very calming about the pilot’s announcement that the plane has reached cruising altitude. If you’re an anxious flyer or are iching to stroll the aisles, reaching this height brings a sense of freedom. However, you will note that it’s not always a height of 36,000 feet. Often it’s 35,000 or 40,000 feet. Each flight is unique. Commercial airplane pilots don’t just pick their cruising altitude at random. Many factors go into this calculation that prioritizes efficiency, safety, and passenger comfort. Most commercial airlines will fly between 30,000 to 42,000 feet; here’s why.

First of all, planes differ in their capabilities. “The range of an aircraft depends on its certification,” says Tomasz Lipiec, a commercial airline’s A320 Rated Senior First Officer. “The Airbus A320 family is capped at FL398 (39,800 feet), while the Boeing 737NG operates at FL410 (41,000 feet),” Lipiec goes on to explain.

However, the main reason an aircraft will fly at a specific altitude is for fuel optimization shares Lipiec. As you ascend, the air thins out, reducing drag on the aircraft. This translates to less resistance against the plane’s forward motion, allowing it to fly faster while burning significantly less fuel. Airlines operate on tight margins, and maximizing fuel efficiency directly translates to substantial cost savings.

Jet streams at these altitudes can also propel aircraft forward, says Lipiec. “My record is 180 knots (almost 280 mph) of tailwind, resulting in ground speed in excess of 650mph,” he shares. Catching a tailwind can significantly increase ground speed. That’s why you often are pleasantly surprised when your pilot announces that the flight time is reduced, and not so when the wind works against the aircraft on the return leg.

The higher altitude also places commercial flights above most weather systems. This significantly reduces turbulence, creating a smoother and more comfortable journey for passengers. Lipiec reminds us that hazardous weather is often unavoidable. “Storm cells,” he says, “occasionally extend beyond an aircraft’s capabilities.” In these instances, pilots often fly horizontally to avoid causing turbulence.

Safety is another crucial factor. Flying high grants pilots precious time in the event of an emergency. Should an engine malfunction or another critical issue arise, the extra altitude gives pilots more time to react, diagnose the problem, and initiate necessary procedures, potentially leading to a safer outcome.

However, there’s a limit to how high commercial planes can fly. As you climb even further, the air becomes exceedingly thin, posing challenges to engine performance. Jet engines require a specific amount of oxygen for efficient combustion, and the rarefied air at extreme altitudes can hinder this process. Additionally, the risk of encountering stall conditions, where the wings no longer generate enough lift to keep the plane airborne, increases significantly at very high altitudes.

You can rest assured you’re in good hands. Commercial airplanes operate within a carefully selected altitude range that balances the benefits of fuel efficiency, smooth flight, and safety. “Pilots and operators carefully evaluate all relevant factors to ensure a smooth and secure flight experience,” says Lipiec.

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CLEAR Vs. TSA PreCheck: You Can Now Get Both at the Same Time

If you’ve ever checked in your bags, wandered to the airport security line, and promptly thought “we are definitely going to miss our flight” when you saw how long it was, well, there’s now yet another way to avoid that.

When TSA PreCheck launched in December of 2013, it had just seven airline partners and was only available in about 40 airports. Today, the government-run service is available at more than 200 airports with 93 participating airlines, allowing approximately 32 million travelers to use expedited security lines without removing their shoes, laptops, or liquids.

And while signing up for PreCheck is pretty easy, the final step of the process — going to an interview at an approved TSA PreCheck office — can be quite difficult if you don’t happen to have an office near you.

Both CLEAR and TSA PreCheck aim to shorten how long it takes for travelers to get through airport security lines. Photo: Jim Lambert/Shutterstock

But as of late April 2024, TSA PreCheck has a new partner, and it’s one you probably recognize if you travel a lot: CLEAR.

“The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it is expanding TSA PreCheck® with CLEAR, which is now offering TSA PreCheck enrollment services at participating airports,” wrote the April 30 release. That means you can apply for CLEAR and TSA PreCheck online at the same time, rather than having to do each separately. It also means you can do the in-person part of the application at a CLEAR airport office, instead of having to go to a TSA office. With the announcement, CLEAR becomes TSA’s third PreCheck enrollment partner, along with IDEMIA and Telos. Travelers never had to decide between CLEAR vs. TSA PreCheck, but now, getting them both will require only one application process.

Right now, there are only three CLEAR enrollment centers, at Orland International Airport, FL; Sacramento International Airport, CA; and Newark Liberty International Airport, NJ; but more will be opened in the coming months.

CLEAR vs. TSA PreCheck

Photo: Michael Vi/Shutterstock

TSA PreCheck and CLEAR are both tools to get you through TSA security lines faster, but they work in different ways. When it comes to CLEAR vs. TSA PreCheck, the latter is run by the government and lets you use a special security lane with less strict procedures. These lines are usually much shorter, as they’re available only to TSA PreCheck holders, and also move faster, as PreCheck holders don’t need to pull out laptops or remove shoes. It’s not the same as Global Entry, though Global Entry holders automatically get TSA PreCheck, too.

But CLEAR is a private service that speeds up the part before the security check: the identification check, where you show your license or passport to a TSA officer. CLEAR members can use the fingerprint or eye scan kiosks at select airports to bypass the ID check, going right to the security scans. If you have both CLEAR and PreCheck, you may be able to go straight from the CLEAR kiosk into the TSA PreCheck security line, though some airports may still funnel you back into the general security line. Without TSA PreCheck, you’ll need to use the general security line, even if verify your identity with CLEAR.

CLEAR is available at 70 airports as well as some other large venues, like Madison Square Garden in NYC and the Chase Center in SF. But it’s not without controversy, and a new bill proposed on the West Coast would ban the use of CLEAR at California airports, claiming it’s inequitable and not fair to other travelers.

Of course, there’s a cost to the convenience. While TSA PreCheck on its own is $78 (total) for the first five years, followed by a $70 renewal fee every five years, CLEAR is far pricier, setting users back $189 per year. Since it’s not available at all airports, it’s worth checking if your usual airport has a CLEAR line before springing for both programs.

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Take In The Best of French Ski Country at the Grand Hotel Courmayeur

Resting at the foot of Mont Blanc, Courmayeur consistently ranks as one of Italy’s top alpine resorts with four seasons of mountaineering activities. The Grand Hotel Courmayeur Mont Blanc, by R Collection Hotels, is a modern mountain retreat 500 meters from the heart of the village. You’ll appreciate magnificent views of Western Europe’s highest peak and roll-out-of-bed proximity to the Aosta Valley’s pistes, trails, and cable car from this five-star spa hotel.

Geneva Airport is a two-hour drive from the Grand Hotel through the French Alps and the Mont Blanc Tunnel. Turin is a similar distance in the opposite direction and Milan adds only an extra 30 minutes behind the wheel. While Courmayeur is internationally acclaimed and even a popular self-drive destination for British skiers and summer adventurers, you’ll find yourself mainly in the company of Italians on a weekend getaway.

We hope you love the Grand Hotel Courmayeur Mont Blanc! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

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Luxury suites at Grand Hotel Courmayeur Mont BlancPhoto: BookingPhoto: BookingPhoto: Booking

Get a preview of what’s in store from your room where you’ll feast on uninterrupted views of the Italian Alps. All 72 rooms and suites are scattered across three stylish chalets wrapped around a central building containing the lobby, restaurant, bar, and spa.

Most units have a private balcony and all are turned out with hardwood flooring, warm wooden accents, and contemporary bathrooms. Beds are made up with mattresses by Simmons and extravagant leather headboards to ensure a restful night’s sleep before hitting the slopes or trails.

Couples will appreciate the additional space afforded by the junior suite as well as the full-with balcony and deep soaking tub. Larger suites accommodate up to six guests and are designed with families in mind.

Exploring northern Italy’s Aosta ValleyPhoto: BookingPhoto: Booking

Ski season is the reason rooms sell out months in advance at the Grand Hotel Courmayeur Mont Blanc. The Courmayeur ski area is divided between the Checrouit and Val Veny sectors. There’s a handful of blue runs for beginners but this resort is tipped toward competent skiers, boarders, and free-riders. Much of the terrain is glacial with crevasses and moguls and there is the possibility to go heli-skiing. Val Ferret is one of the most spectacular Nordic ski terrains with snowshoeing and fat biking also available.

If you wake up to clouds, scan an eye over the webcams for Chamonix on the French side of the massif. Also included in the Mont Blanc Unlimited lift pass, the French resort is a perfectly doable day trip and only half an hour’s drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking this mountain resort shuts up shop when the wildflowers bloom. It’s quite the opposite; those 62 miles of runs become a playground for hikers, mountain bikers, and climbers whereas Val Ferret is repurposed as a golfing and yoga haven. Five miles south of town, the Dora Baltea River delivers the best rafting, kayaking, canyoning, and fishing in the Aosta Valley.

Courmayeur is known for the Skyway Monte Bianco which takes you to the highest point in Italy and the closest Mont Blanc lookout point. Enlist a guide to lead you down the unmarked Vallée Blanche or grab a bite to eat in the clouds before taking the cable car back down to 1,224 meters.

Family-friendly activities including ice skating, climbing, tennis, and golf are available in all seasons at the Courmayeur Sports Center.

The hotel operates a regular shuttle service to the Dolonne lifts and Skyway station in Entrèves. A public bus covers the same circuit and passes by the property.

Après-ski, après-hike in CourmayeurPhoto: BookingPhoto: BookingPhoto: BookingPhoto: Booking

Tuck into hearty alpine cuisine with a view of the Brenva glacier from the wood-clad La Fourchette at the Grand Hotel. This light-filled restaurant draws inspiration from Italian, French, Swiss, and Austrian cooking and creates a fine dining experience in a relaxed setting. The Equinox Lounge Bar is an extension of La Fourchette and offers an equally dramatic perspective of the Mont Blanc massif and an all-weather terrace.

Courmayeur village maintains a cheerful après scene in traditional chocolate-box taverns. The Grand Hotel Courmayeur Mont Blanc is a 10-minute walk from the car-free Via Roma where you’ll find a mix of restaurants, bars, and cocktail lounges with ad hoc live music. Things wind down early in town but for a wilder night, have reception call you a taxi to Shatush where DJs spin until the wee hours in Entrèves.

The Wellness Center at Erre Spa comprises a gym, indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and herbal tearoom. These facilities are enough to straighten out aches and pains although a full menu of massages and treatments will see you right after a bumpy journey down Diretta.

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