Matador Network's Blog, page 523
February 25, 2022
A dream Maldives vacation is more affordable than you think — with these tips
Known as one of the world’s most luxurious and breathtakingly beautiful destinations, favored by celebrities and crypto billionaires, the Maldives, surprisingly, can also offer an affordable beach vacation destination. Yes, you read that right. The place that is widely considered a paradise for ultra newlyweds to relax on flawless beaches and fantasize about the rest of their lives together is not actually out of reach for ordinary couples. Sure you can spend $50,000 per night to sleep in a suite under the sea, but you can also experience the Maldives on a budget and still have a pretty sweet vacation. From affordable overwater villas to yacht rentals, follow our guide to learn how to have an affordable Maldives beach vacation.
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. See our full Advertiser Disclosure here.
How to experience a Maldives beach vacation on a budget
Photo: Coco Collection
Spread across 1,200 atolls and with more than 140 resorts in all price brackets to choose from, a Maldives beach vacation can easily be experienced on a budget.
No, traveling here isn’t going to be as cheap as backpacking in Southeast Asia, but the nightly rate at some of the resorts is akin to what you’d experience in the Caribbean or Mexico. Except you’re in a super exotic destination in the Indian Ocean, waking up in a king-sized bed in an overwater bungalow on the edge of a pristine white sandy beach.
So how do you do this? Well, first it is important to identify what you want most from your holiday experience before booking. Do you want as luxe of a hotel as possible? Or do you care less about where you sleep and would rather have more cash for activities like the exceptional diving and snorkeling on offer here? Once you figure this out, you can decide what to splurge on and where to save.
Are there cheap flights to Maldives?
Photo: Reethi Beach Resort
One of the most expensive parts of getting to the Maldives is likely going to be your flight, but even this can be done affordably.
That said, this may not be an area where you want to skimp too much as the journey from the US to South Asia takes between 20 and 30 hours. For a flight option that offers a good balance between luxury and cost, the Qatar Airways economy class would be a great choice. It has consistently been voted one of the top economy class cabins in the world. To get the best cheap Maldives packages, consider booking your trip during the low season, which is considered to be from May to November, and book flights that run mid-week, such as on a Monday through Wednesday. You can also use points from your credit card or loyalty programs and sign up for deal alerts on flights to the Maldives for additional ways to save.
How to get around the Maldives
Photo: Reethi Beach Resort
Once in Malé, the capital of the Maldives, depending on how far your resort is from the airport, the final leg of your journey is to take a boat or seaplane.
This is potentially an area for you to save some money too as the speed boats can be more affordable. For example, one resort priced travel to their island by speedboat at $168 and by seaplane at $275. But if you prefer the seaplane or require it as your resort is too far to access by boat, you might find that its unforgettable views of the sandbanks and turquoise lagoons make up for the higher price tag. Generally, the cost of your seaplane will vary depending on the distance you’re traveling to from Malé, so keep that in mind as you select your resort and opt for a closer, affordable, Maldives resort, if available.
When is the most affordable and best time to visit Maldives?
Photo: Reethi Beach Resort
For the best prices on flights and resort stays, you should plan to book your trip to the Maldives during their low season, between May and early November, and avoid their peak season, between late November to February. Thankfully the Maldives is warm and sunny all year round so even during the low season, you can still expect temperatures in the 80’s. The rainy season is from May to October but the rain usually does not last for the whole day so there will still be plenty of time to enjoy the island.
Are there affordable Maldives beach resorts?
Photo: Coco Collection
I do want to mention that there are actually over 1000+ guest houses available to book on Airbnb that may offer some very affordable stays in the Maldives. But booking a resort will give you some additional luxuries that you might otherwise miss.
For example, as the Maldives is a Muslim country, you are not permitted to consume alcohol at all or wear revealing bikinis in public. Whereas on a private resort, you have access to full bars to enjoy your favorite piña colada, you can wear whatever swimwear you like. There are also additional luxuries, such as buffet dining with a large variety of foods to choose from, good WiFi, and free resort entertainment.
When booking an affordable luxury resort option in the Maldives, consider a couple of adjustments. If your heart is set on a five-star resort experience, try booking the beach villa instead of an overwater bungalow to save. You will still have the same access to amenities, pristine beaches, and turquoise blue waters you’ve been dreaming of, for a more pocket-friendly price tag.
At the boutique five-star hotel Coco Bodu Hithi for example, you can save as much as $4500 by choosing an island villa instead of their Coco Residence with a private pool overwater bungalow.
But if you are particularly keen to stay in an overwater bungalow, select a four-star resort over a five-star to save a considerable amount of money while still experiencing a luxury stay.
As an example, Reethi Beach Resort is a lovely four-star resort that has a beautiful overwater bungalow you can book for a six-night/seven-day stay, including airport transfers and daily breakfast buffets for two people, for about $3500 including taxes and fees. For another $1100 you can upgrade to an all-inclusive stay, which if you’re a big foodie, might help you save some additional money overall! A similar stay at the five-star Coco Bodu Hithi Resort starts at over $6000 and they do not offer an all-inclusive option.
How to save on resort bookings
Photo: Reethi Beach Resort
Traveling in the low season isn’t just a good way to save on flights, you can also find the best rates at resorts too. Additionally, check the resort’s site for deals and discounts on their nightly rates and vacation packages. They often list the best offers on their own website and if you find a cheaper offer somewhere else, try contacting the resort’s reservations service to see if they will honor it. You could also find yourself saving some money depending on the credit card you book with as some resorts, such as five-star boutique resort Coco Bodu Hithi, offer 10 percent off when booking on your Visa or your fourth night free when booking on your Mastercard.
And lastly, if you haven’t already, consider joining a resort’s loyalty program. Sometimes you can transfer loyalty points from your airline or credit card to the resort’s loyalty program to put towards the cost of your stay. Joining a resort’s loyalty program can also get you membership perks like free wifi, early check-in or late check-out, and complimentary room upgrades.
How to make Maldives beach activities affordable
Photo: Coco Collection
If you want to save some money on your luxury getaway, don’t get caught up by over-planning your trip with an excessive schedule of excursions and activities. You can just simply relax.
One of the main reasons to visit the Maldives is for the isolated tranquility, the impeccable beaches, and world-class snorkeling experiences, which are all free on arrival. You can pack a couple of snorkels and be on your merry way every morning or afternoon, exploring the vibrant coral reef which is home to some of the most diverse marine life in our seas. If you were to splurge a little, pick one incredibly memorable excursion, I recommend snorkeling with the whale sharks or giant manta rays, and let that be a highlight of your trip!
And additionally, you can expect your resort to have free entertainment options to keep you occupied and various complimentary or cheap activities available such as kayaking or paddle boarding if you want to get a little more active. 
February 24, 2022
Is St. Anton, Austria, the après-ski capital of the world? Here’s what it’s like.
it’s 4:30 pm, and the sun has just dipped behind a mountain peak. You’re outside on a crowded wooden deck, savoring a refreshing draft beer. To one side, a group of older skiers in their expensive Bogner ski jackets celebrate the last rays of sunlight by ordering two more bottles of Riesling. On the other side, a cadre of hardcore skiers who likely spent the whole day out of bounds clink their shot glasses together and down another round of Jäger.
The DJ puts on a German “schlagermusik” song (think modern polka-type music with a dance beat dropped behind it), and suddenly, everyone from the wine drinkers to the Jäger drinkers is singing along, enhancing the beat by pounding their ski boots against the deck. The fact that everyone speaks languages ranging from Dutch to Italian to Portuguese and has no idea what the words are doesn’t really matter (and schlager lyrics are generally nonsensical, anyway).
Photo: Styve Reineck/Shutterstock
Welcome to St. Anton am Arlberg, the biggest resort in Austria’s largest ski area and a destination often called the “world capital of après-ski.”
“It was fun to see people of all ages there. There were clearly really good skiers there and really not good skiers,” says Caitlin, a San Francisco resident who traveled to St. Anton this past January. Caitlin, who grew up skiing in Colorado, preferred not to use her last name. “In general, everyone clearly thought that this was like an important part of the skiing experience, which I thought was really cool.”
In St. Anton, Austria, après is not just “important.” It’s also nearly unavoidable as you’ll have to ski down past the resort’s top après bars on your way back to the base at the end of the day. If you manage to resist Taps, Krazy Kanguruh, and the MooserWirt as you whizz by, then it’ll be the final of the four most famous après-ski spots in St. Anton, Austria, waiting for you at the bottom: the aptly named Basecamp.
Photo: Boris-B/Shutterstock
The first famous spot skiers will pass in St. Anton’s après-ski scene is the Krazy Kanguruh. It opened in 1965 and the fact that it’s still standing attests to the area’s long history of ensuring the fun doesn’t stop after the last run of the day. Since 2009, the Krazy Kanguruh has belonged to Olympic gold medalist and alpine racer Mario Matt.
But if the Kanguruh’s catchy Euro tunes aren’t your thing, you could round the corner in the same building and order a pint at Taps, where the music is more EDM-inspired. Expect the Taps crowd to be a lively group with lots of electronica-loving Swedes, says Nicolas, a college senior who spent four months of his pre-university gap year skiing in St Anton and working at Basecamp.
Photo: Taps Stanton
Nicolas, who also asked to be referred to only by his first name, is one of the dozens of young Europeans who spend the winter living and working in St. Anton, Austria. These “seasonaires” hail from several countries, but most are the aforementioned EDM-loving Swedes and schlager-chanting Brits.
Beyond the seasonaires, St. Anton draws skiers from all over the world who come for some of the best on- and off-piste skiing in the Alps – and for the après. Caitlin says she and her friends shared a table with three South American guys who had skied in Aspen a couple of years earlier but had been disappointed by the party scene. After doing some research, they settled on St. Anton instead.
“They said that they came to St. Anton [from Peru] specifically because they wanted an après scene,” says Caitlin. And the hottest night of the week, après goers will quickly realize, isn’t Saturday: it’s Thursday. Saturdays are actually the quietest since most ski homes are rented on a Saturday-to-Saturday basis.
Photo: Mooserwirt
But regardless of what night it is, locals, seasonaires, and weekend warriors from nearby Vienna and Munich are practically destined to sing schlager, thanks in part to its simple beats and easy-to-shout rhyming lyrics. And there’s no place more known for it than the most popular of the on-mountain après spots: the MooserWirt.
“You would start at Taps or Krazy Kanguruh and you might make your way down to MooserWirt towards like 7:00 PM, before it closes at 8 PM,” says Nicolas. At MooserWirt, the DJ stationed on the second-floor balcony spins jams nightly while overlooking the crowd. Inevitably, every Euro hit the DJs throws on manages to bring the energy level higher and higher, even though it’s only 7 PM. And what gets people going the most is, naturally, schlager. Schlagermusik is such an essential element of the mountain party scene that you can actually buy compilations assembled just for après-ski listening. Though I visited during a time in which COVID-19 regulations required everyone to be seated, the energy level wasn’t muffled. People toasted across tables, sang their favorite tunes even if seated, and, when their big tables had space, made new friends anyway.
“I wonder how party people, who do not speak German, could remember all these senseless lyrics,” muses Klaus Höfler, an Austrian journalist and extreme athlete, in a Whatsapp conversation with me as I mention where I am.
Photo: Mooserwirt
He mentions lyrics like “knallrotes gummiboot” (“bright, red rubber boat”) and the ever-popular “Wie heisst die Mutter von Niki Lauda? Mama Lauda,” which translates to “What’s the name of Niki Lauda’s mother? Mamma Lauda!” Interestingly, “Mama Lauda,” sounds a lot like the words for “make it louder” in German, and it’s a line that the song – and après-ski revelers – repeat over and over.
When the MooserWirt doors close at 8 PM, finding your skis or board among the hundreds of pairs leaning against the outdoor wall is a chaotic affair. Hopefully, you’ll snap into the skis you started your day with, though it may be challenging depending on how many pints you’ve had. But finding your skis is not a guarantee, and I’ve known at least one skier who ended up with another pair of skis permanently.
“It is kind of weird, the concept of skiing down right after having a lot of alcohol. It seems like it doesn’t encourage the best behavior,” notes Caitlin, who says that in St. Anton she broke her normal rule of never mixing drinking and skiing. On the other hand, she adds, “It means that the only people there are the people who’ve been skiing all day.”
In St. Anton, Austria, the après-ski bars aren’t just a few steps from the parking lot. While you can take a bus or walk around 20 minutes from the village, the most direct and popular method for getting there is to ski in (and ski out). That means the vast majority of your bar and dance floor neighbors are still in their ski clothes, adding to the laid back feel.
But that doesn’t mean they’re all just wearing black Helly Hanson thermals. The shops of St. Anton are packed with brightly-patterned base layers to serve as the perfect après-ski outfits, along with wacky one-piece suits that seem more designed for drinking and socializing than making turns. And it’s not unusual to see skiers showing off their fashion, as I did when one skier at the Mooserwirt removed his jacket to reveal a shiny yellow, 1970s-style polyester shirt – unbuttoned halfway down, naturally. Outside, a half-dozen guys around a table were wearing one-piece ski outfits in shades ranging from peach to deep purple.
Photo: Mooserwirt
“They go skiing in outfits just to wear to après,” noticed Caitlin, amused. She says she and her friend “sort of jokingly put funny sunglasses in our pockets or hats to wear at après to cover the helmet hair.”
Even though skiing down in the dark could lead to a bruise or two, the fact remains that most partiers aren’t driving home. For Nicolas, that’s one of the reasons that après skiing is so much better in many European mountain villages than in other countries.
“These European ski resorts, the reason they’re so charming is that there’s a town and you don’t have to drive everywhere, and no one has a car,” says Nicolas. “It means that everyone stays in the towns, and because you don’t need to drive, you can drink.”
A car is especially unnecessary in St. Anton since the trains from Zurich, Vienna, or even nearby Innsbruck stop in town. That makes it a top choice for young people, especially as it’s less expensive.
“Historically, St Anton is where students went, and wealthy families would go to Lech. And so that made it always the place where you’d have better partying, because there were 20-year-olds,” says Nicolas. He says the 20-year-olds, whether staying for a weekend or a season, usually bunk up in apartments to save money.
In general, skiing overall is less expensive in the Alps. Nicolas said he was shocked to discover that at California’s Palisades resort near Lake Tahoe, a single-day lift ticket could cost over $200. A one-day pass at St. Anton costs 61 euros, or around $69.
Photo: Styve Reineck/Shutterstock
Nicolas thinks that’s another reason Europeans are more relaxed with their long and sometimes wine-infused ski lunches: they aren’t trying to get their money’s worth with as many ski runs as possible. And they’re ready to start the party early.
“The scene in St. Anton was very much that the going-out was at 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM,” says Caitlin. What you do after that is up to you.
“The best part about après-ski partying is that you wind down,” says Nicolas. “People get really quite drunk [at après]. Like, you’ll have like five or six drinks at these places, and then you have dinner, you kind of eat off your drunkenness, and then reasonable adults go to bed.”
Younger folks, says Nicolas, will go clubbing.
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Ocean lovers can now have their cremated remains turn into a coral reef
People are looking for meaningful, alternative, and more environmentally friendly ways to be buried. That’s led to the rise in people choosing to compost their remains, be buried with a tree, or to even be buried in a quickly decomposing fungi coffin. It’s not just land-bound options: The latest trend returns your body to the ocean and uses human remains to help new reefs grow.
The service is offered by Eternal Reefs, a charity based in Florida. It works by using artificial reef balls made of pH-neutral concrete that human ashes are put inside. Then those reef balls are seeded in seabeds around the US to promote new reef growth. To be close to their loved ones, family and friends will know and can travel to the GPS coordinates where their loved one is located. The charity believes the service is popular with people who love the sea with a desire to help re-populate marine life. As we see the decimation of reefs worldwide, it’s crucial to preserve reefs as they assist with protecting shorelines and marine ecosystems.
It’s important to note that becoming a part of an artificial reef still requires cremation, which, on average, releases 882 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere for each cremation, according to The Guardian. And the artificial reefs also use concrete, which is a material with a high carbon footprint.
However, these reef balls really do help populate oceans with plants and other marine life. As seen with other artificial reefs around the world, structures can provide food and shelter for a diverse array of marine life.
Each 550 to 4,000 pound ball has space for marine plants and animals such as corals and algae to grow on them in just a few weeks. The organization currently has 3,000 memorial reefs across about 25 sites. A reef ball will cost you between $3,000 and $7,500. A similar company, Neptune Memorial Reef, which is also based in Florida, also provides memorials for $1,295. The latter company’s artificial reef is home to 56 species of fish, along with crabs, sea urchins, sponges, and coral. When complete, the Neptune Memorial Reef will have 250,000 memorials covering 16 acres, making it one of the world’s largest human-made reefs.
So if you love the sea, this is one way to be sowed into it.
Etiquette at dark tourism sites
Travel isn’t always supposed to be fun. A lot of the time, travel is about learning and pushing your personal boundaries. Often, the best way to do this is by visiting places that make you uncomfortable, whether it be memorials, ghost towns, or concentration camps. Though emotionally taxing, dark tourism destinations are incredibly powerful, and perhaps even more worth your time than the lighter, more obvious attractions you’ll find in a travel brochure.
Before you go, however, remember that visiting Chernobyl isn’t like visiting the Eiffel Tower. While emotional preparation is necessary before touring some of the world’s more troubling sites, there’s also a different etiquette to keep in mind.
Tourist misbehavior has been rampant at the Auschwitz concentration camp, for example. In January 2022, a Dutch tourist was fined for doing a Nazi salute at the gates of Auschwitz while posing for photos, CNN reports. The same week, a visitor from the Czech Republic was banned from Venice for posing topless on a war memorial.
These seem like obvious things that shouldn’t be done. Other things can be less obvious, however. We got in touch with dark tourism experts for everything you need to know before visiting the darkest places in human history.
How to prepare for a visit to dark tourism destinationsChances are, if you’re visiting the site of a tragic historical event, one of your chief objectives is to learn. But don’t rely on getting all the information from the site itself. To ensure you get the most out of your experience, come prepared with questions in advance.
“Read up on the places in question ahead of time,” advises Dr. Peter Hohenhaus of dark-tourism.com. “Some places do an admirable job with interpretive information, especially most of the concentration camp memorials in Germany, but in other cases information can be scant or presented wrongly, such as at some prison memorial sites like Hoa Lo in Vietnam or the disturbingly revisionist Yushukan war museum in Tokyo.”
Put away food, drinks, and your phone when visiting dark tourism destinations
Photo: hanohiki/Shutterstock
Bad tourist behavior is, unfortunately, all too common.
“There are often tourists talking loudly about unrelated topics or laughing at these sites, which is not very respectful,” says Sian Alison of Dark Tourist Trips, a company that creates itineraries for self-guided day trips. “I have actually asked people to be respectful and lower their voices on occasion. I have also witnessed people dropping litter, eating, and drinking.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, inappropriate photo-taking is one of the biggest issues. Visitors seem to be stuck on auto-pilot, succumbing to the familiar muscle memory of taking an abundance of pictures while on vacation.
Hohenhaus recommends staying “in the moment” as much as possible. Try to put aside any distractions, and immerse yourself in the destination.
“At such sites,” he says, “what is important is place authenticity, getting a feel for the atmosphere, even aura, of a place where some significant dark chapters of history played out. So concentrate on that aspect.”
One way to do this, of course, is by refraining from excessive photography, and particularly selfies. “Being at a dark site is not about yourself,” he says, “but about the place and the victims who may have suffered there. Pushing yourself into the foreground instead, by taking grinning selfies or generally being boisterous, is therefore disrespectful.”
“I was a little shocked by the extremely excessive selfie-taking by domestic visitors at the Jallianwala Bagh massacre memorial site in Amritsar, India,” Hohenhaus says. “I don’t know if these people were just ignorant of the very tragic events that took place there or really didn’t care. Similarly, I’ve seen people munching chocolates right by the crematoria at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp memorial – even though it says in the house rules that consuming food and drink or smoking were not allowed.”
Understand that visiting dark tourism destinations can be a coping mechanismPeople are fascinated by the more disturbing aspects of human history. It’s why true crime podcasts are so popular. In addition to simply being an educational experience, tragic historical sites stir emotions that more traditional destinations don’t.
“There has always been a fascination with morbid curiosity,” Alison says. “Dark tourism is perhaps one of the oldest forms for tourism in the world. It dates back as far to when public executions took place and when people used to attend gladiator and lion fights at the Colosseum.”
Alison also believes such sites illuminate difficult areas of history that can’t be fully grasped in textbooks or museums. More importantly, they provide a space for conversation.
“Dark tourism teaches people the horrors of the past by allowing you to also pay respect,” Alison says. “This form of tourism opens up difficult topics and allows deep conversations to take place. I think people are attracted to dark places to pay respect, to learn more about a tragic historic event, to be educated, and of course, simple curiosity.”
Curiosity always tends to grow when the subject matter is taboo or sensitive. But Hohenhaus suggests that our fascination with the morbid and tragic goes beyond mere curiosity, and is actually a coping mechanism for the darker elements in our own lives.
“We see our world becoming more and more threatened by political, sociological, ecological crises,” he says, “so people seek to learn about dark pasts they can relate to, and which may help them better understand the present.”
Dark tourism is not all about morbid curiosityUsually, you take a vacation to have fun – not to become emotionally unsettled and worry about breaking strict etiquette. So why do people do it? Clearly, there’s immense value in visiting the sites of tragic events that won’t necessarily send you home with a warm and fuzzy feeling.
“Visiting places with a dark past is a way to keep those tragic memories alive, and perhaps stop these mistakes from happening again in the future,” Alison says. “It allows people to understand more about an event and educates the younger generation that may not have been around during the time of the event.”
For Hoenhaus, his time visiting dark sites has given him a more comprehensive view of the world.
“I genuinely do think that I’ve learned more about the world through these past 15 years of exploring dark tourism than through my entire formal education or academic career,” he says.
He also lauds the ability of these destinations to steel visitors against propaganda through education and example.
“It makes you less susceptible to propaganda and misinformation,” he says. “When you’ve seen firsthand the results of Communist, Nazi, or other propaganda, then you just see through current examples of propaganda more clearly, and are better able to identify it. In general, visiting dark places makes you think, and that’s always a good thing.”
Expert recommended dark tourism destinations
Photo: Mikhail Gnatkovskiy/Shutterstock
When we think of dark tourism destinations with a tragic past, we tend to think mainly of concentration camps, but there are other equally powerful sites that deserve our attention.
For Hoenhaus, “visiting places like the Titan Missile Museum in Arizona, Le Redoutable nuclear missile submarine in France, or the former Soviet nuclear test site in Kazakhstan are all very exciting, particularly because all these sites used to be extremely off limits.”
While those might be his personal favorites, Hoenhaus also recommends more popular destinations in dark tourism, including Auschwitz, Chernobyl, the 9/11 Museum in New York City, the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Choeung Ek Killing Fields, and Tuol Sleng in Cambodia.
As an alternative to Auschwitz, Hoenhaus recommends checking out the Majdanek concentration camp near Lublin, Poland.
“It’s far less crowded than Auschwitz,” he says, “and it offers at least as much place authenticity because it was liberated as early as in the summer of 1944, when the Soviets captured the site before the fleeing SS personnel had the chance to destroy all the evidence of their deeds.”
Alison adds the Paris Catacombs to the list, as “it is a site that takes you away from all the heavy tourism sites in Paris and allows tourists to experience something unique and different.” He also recommends Alcatraz prison off the coast of San Francisco. “Its location on an island is just spectacular,” he says, “and it is interesting to hear of the tales of prisoners and the dark past associated with Alcatraz.”
Turns out 10,000 steps a day is kind of BS. Here’s the real magic number.
if you’re one of those people who won’t leave the house without your Apple Watch or obsessively does laps around your office to make sure you hit your 10,000-steps-per-day goal, that’s great — but it’s probably not really making a difference.
According to publishing findings from a study that followed more than 2,000 adults for over a decade, 10,000 steps a day doesn’t have much bearing on health factors like your lifespan, risk of coronary or heart-related diseases, or overall mental health or stress levels. But what’s most surprising is what did have a bearing on overall life expectancy, and it’s easier than taking 10,000 steps: taking 7,000 steps.
Over a decade of research, researchers from the University of Massachusetts supported by the National Institutes of Health studied a mix of men and women between ages 38 and 50. Participants wore step counters for 10 hours a day to gather a daily step average per week. Researchers grouped participants into three groups to analyze the data: those who walked fewer than 7,000 steps a day, those who walked anywhere between 7,000 and 10,000 steps a day, and participants who took more than 10,000 steps a day.
Their findings showed a huge difference between the first and second groups. Subjects who walked at least 7,000 steps a day were between 50 and 70 percent less likely to die prematurely from health-related causes (as opposed to automobile accidents, for example) than participants who walked fewer than 7,000 steps. However, the difference between people who took 7,000 steps versus 10,000 steps was negligible, indicating that 7,000 steps a day, not 10,000, may be the best number to aim for to have positive outcomes on your health.
Of course, walking 7,000 steps a day isn’t a magic bullet for good health and physical fitness, and what’s far more important is whether you live an overall healthy lifestyle. But if you are shooting for that 7,000-step goal, it may be easier than you think, especially if you’re on vacation. Walking the length of Barcelona‘s famous La Rambla covers 3,937 feet, which means someone 5 foot, 6 inches would need to walk it approximately four times to reach 7,000 steps (according to this handy calculator). Walking one length of Santa Monica’s famous 3.5-mile-long beach will measure in at nearly 8,000 steps for that same person while walking the length of Boston‘s famous 2.5-mile Freedom Trail will get you almost there at 5,600 steps.
More like thisWellness9 ways you’re sabotaging your health while traveling (and how to fix it)
PLAY Airlines is selling $129 round-trip flights to Iceland, Paris, and more
It’s only a matter of time before flight prices shoot up, so if you’re after a European getaway, now is the time to go after what you want. An Icelandic airline called PLAY is helping make it happen.
The low-budget airline wants you to “pay less, play more,” and is offering flights to amazing destinations like Paris, Copenhagen, Dublin, Berlin, Gothenburg, and London starting at just $129 round trip from Orlando International Airport (and yes, that includes all taxes and fees). Ticket sales for seasonal flights between September 2022 and April 2023 are available now.
“The Orlando market appealed to PLAY because there is strong demand for flights to Orlando from Iceland and Europe, with travelers going to the state for golf trips, to rent homes, and to visit parks and attractions,” PLAY Airlines CEO Birgir Jónsson tells Matador. “Prices in the Orlando market are generally high, and PLAY will offer the lowest prices between Florida and Europe. Floridian travelers will be able to visit top European destinations and travelers flying to or from Orlando International Airport will have quick access to destinations in Florida via South Florida’s high-speed train service, Brightline.”
If you’re looking for your next vacation, you’re not alone. Recent data shows that almost two-thirds of Americans are planning their next vacations, and many are branching out internationally. Jónsson also noted the winter season is the perfect trade-off. European travelers can escape the cold weather and arrive in sunny Florida, while American travelers can visit Europe’s winter festivals and markets.
To take advantage of this great deal, all you have to do is head to the PLAY website and be sure to book by February 27. This special deal is only available for the new flights out of Orlando, so you may need a connecting flight from your home airport to get you there.
The best Dallas airport hotels to bookend your trip
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is among the nation’s busiest, connecting not only to major cities domestically and globally but to many vacation destinations popular with Texans, such as Colorado mountain towns. The airport is surrounded by a plethora of quality hotels, and here we distill the top Dallas airport hotels at which to bookend one or both sides of your stay in the area.
We hope you love the Dallas airport hotels 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. See our full Advertiser Disclosure here.
Headliner hotels near Dallas AirportTop Marriott Bonvoy hotels near DFW AirportTop Hilton Honors hotels near DFW AirportTop IHG Rewards hotels near DFW AirportTop Wyndham Rewards hotels near DFW AirportTop budget hotels near DFW AirportHeadliner hotels near Dallas Airport
If you’re a member of Hyatt’s World of Hyatt Rewards program, you can cash in at DFW – though all travelers are in luck. The company operates three hotels inside the airport, meaning you don’t even need a transfer to get to the terminal (unless you count an elevator ride as a transfer, of course).
Grand Hyatt DFW
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Among the world’s foremost examples of an airport hotel done right, the Grand Hyatt DFW puts you to sleep in the hotel’s Terminal D. Hot breakfast is served daily, and the hotel offers an elevated outdoor pool that lets you soak or swim while watching planes take off and land. How cool is that? The hotel features a grab-and-go cafeteria for a meal on the way to your flight in the morning, along with a cocktail bar and onsite restaurant overlooking the tarmac. Rooms are classy, clean, and comfortable, with free WiFi and a work desk. If traveling for business, there’s no better option among Dallas airport hotels. Insider’s tip – outside of Japan, no airport hotel in the world serves better sushi.
Airport shuttle: Yes24-hour front desk: YesFitness center: YesPrice: From $263 per night
Hyatt Regency DFW International Airport
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Located at Terminal C, the Hyatt Regency DFW International Airport offers class and comfort within a two-minute walk to airline check-in. The ACES Lobby Bar serves food and drink with a cool view of airport, but the real treat at this Dallas airport hotel is the in-room experience. A 55-inch flat screen TV, complimentary hi-speed WiFi, and dedicated workstation are offered in each room. The hotel also offers grab-and-go meals, a nice outdoor pool, and a hot breakfast. Insider’s tip – yoga classes are offered onsite, so you can feel nice and limber before take-off.
Airport shuttle: Yes24-hour front desk: YesFitness center: YesPrice: From $195 per night
Hyatt Place DFW
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Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Located in Southgate Plaza near the rental car facility, Hyatt Place DFW is the perfect place to crash after arriving late or after dropping off a rental car before a flight the following morning. It puts you nearby to dining and offers an onsite bar and lounge in which to relax. Although the hotel’s restaurant serves up top-notch American fare and has a solid beer menu considering you’re in an airport there’s no reason to go anywhere if you don’t want to. Hyatt Place hotels are clean and efficient, making this an ideal choice for before or after flying.
Airport shuttle: Yes24-hour front desk: YesFitness center: YesPrice: From $133 per night
Top Marriott Bonvoy hotels near Dallas AirportTownePlace Suites Dallas DFW Airport
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
TownePlace Suites Dallas DFW Airport puts you just up the road form the airport in a comfortable suite with a kitchenette, kettle, and an onsite bar. It’s ideal for families as the hotel offers suites that cater to kids and offer multiple sleeping areas. There’s also a shared kitchen and business center in the hotel, along with convenience amenities for grab-and-go satisfaction. If traveling with a group or family, this is the best of Dallas airport hotels due to its convenience for larger parties.
Airport shuttle: Yes24-hour front desk: YesFitness center: YesPrice: From $125 per night
The Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
The Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport is the utmost combination of luxury and convenience. The BlueFire Grille serves classy southwestern TexMex fare that pairs well with its cocktail and beer menu. The hotel features a grab-and-go market for a quick bite before or after your flight. In-room, relax upon the brand’s signature Westin Heavenly Mattress with a view out over the airport. The lounge features plenty of space to set up a laptop or pop open a book.
Airport shuttle: Yes24-hour front desk: YesFitness center: YesPrice: From $161 per night
Top Hilton Honors hotels near DFW AirportDoubleTree by Hilton DFW Airport NorthPhoto: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
DoubleTree Hotels make the perfect airport stay due to their utter efficiency and unparalleled comfort. That’s because of its expansive interior lobbies for dining and lounging, convenient services like front desk concierge and a gift shop, and an all-suites layout that is ideal for both business and family travel. There’s also a large pool perfect for passing time with the kiddos. Because of the hotel’s consistency, this Dallas airport hotel is the perfect bookend option to book on both ends of your trip.
Airport shuttle: Yes24-hour front desk: YesFitness center: YesPrice: From $122 per night
Home2 Suites by Hilton Irving/DFW Airport North
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
The perk of Home2 Suites by Hilton Irving/DFW Airport North is that it puts you and your family in a suite setup at an affordable rate. With room prices consistently below $180 for a room with a kitchen, couch, and workspace, you’ll have room for your party to relax. Also onsite is a market, an outdoor pool, and common lounge spaces. Rooms are outfitted simply and comfortably, designed for a seamless experience.
Price: From $123 per night
Top Wyndham Rewards hotels near DFW AirportWingate by Wyndham — DFW North
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Wingate by Wyndham — DFW North is the ideal place for business travelers to post up. That’s because of the hotel’s ample workspaces and conference rooms, excellent WiFi, and seamless transition from the lobby to in-room experience. Take advantage of the expanded continental breakfast, quiet rooms, and Downlite bedding topped by EnviroLoft down alternative comforters. Easy, peasy.
Airport shuttle: Yes24-hour front desk: YesFitness center: YesPrice: From $84 per night
Top IHG Rewards hotels near DFW AirportHoliday Inn Express Hotel and Suites DFW/Grapevine
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Holiday Inn Express is the more efficient and more well-trimmed cousin to the common Holiday Inn. This makes it perfect for an airport hotel stay, as you know what you’re going to get – a clean, comfortable room, a hot breakfast, and a smooth experience. There’s also a nice lounge and an outdoor pool/hot tub area. Here, you also have the added bonus of a free shuttle not only to the airport but to anywhere within a five-mile radius of the hotel. So, you could head out for a night on the town (or at least to dinner) and get back to the hotel without ever having to hit that Uber app.
Airport shuttle: Yes24-hour front desk: YesFitness center: YesPrice: From $118 per night
Top budget hotels near DFW AirportRed Roof Inn — DFW Airport North
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Photo: Booking.com
Red Roof Inn provides its iconic hospitality experience defined by a streamlined, economical experience that tugs at a higher-end experience while remaining affordable. Rooms are clean and comfortable, and while you won’t find amenities like a restaurant or coworking-ready lobby, you will have friendly service and a quiet stay. Suites are available, as well.
Price: From $54 per night
More like thisWhere to StayI stayed at TripAdvisor’s #1 hotel in New York City. Here’s what it’s really like.February 23, 2022
Map of all 423 National Park sites
Jason Barnette is a writer and photographer, but most importantly, he’s a road trip expert. Barnette spends between eight and nine months of the year on the road, touring the United States at a slow pace. And like every solo road tripper worth their salt, Barnette likes a good map. That’s why he created a map of all 423 National Park sites.
Barnette is the man behind Road Trips & Coffee, a blog for all who, like him, think that driving is the best way to get an up close and personal view of the US. Whether that’s the mountains, the people, the beaches, the cities, the historic sites, or the remote roadside gas stations, Barnette wants to see it all on four wheels, and he wants to inspire others to do the same.
Barnette has one big road trip project for 2022: drive to every state capital in the continental US in the span of eight months, starting from South Carolina. Since that’s an awful lot of time spent on the road going from one capital to another, Barnette decided to fill the days in between destinations by visiting nearby National Park sites. Rather than wing it last minute, he spent two long days creating a map of all 423 National Park sites — and he made it accessible to anyone so you can use it to plan a road trip of your own.
Out of the 423 National Park sites in the US, Barnette has only visited 46 so far (he went to the first one, Blue Ridge Parkway, in 2011). His big state capital road trip would allow him to tour 80 more of them.
But bumping his National Park sites numbers isn’t Barnette’s goal. He doesn’t count countries obsessively, and he certainly has no interest in rushing to see every National Park site.
“I want to stay in every National Park site I visit long enough to experience it and write about it,” he tells Matador in a phone interview.
Barnette is actually the model slow traveler. Not only does he spend no more than 100 miles per day on the road, but his main road trip rule is to not use any interstate highways during his drives. While honorable and a lot of fun, this self-inflicted limitation has its downsides — his future Alaska road trip, for one. While not planned just yet, it’s Barnette’s ambition to drive to the Last Frontier in the next few years.
“It’ll probably take me four to five months to get there, and four to five months to get back,” he explains, unfazed. You have to admire that kind of patience and dedication to his favorite mode of travel.
Photo: Jason Barnette
Barnette’s US state capitals-themed road trip this year is not Barnette’s first “roadeo.” In 2017, he drove the path of the solar eclipse from Charleston, South Carolina, to Paducah, Kentucky, and it took him three months to complete the 1,000-mile trip. In 2018, he spent 30 days driving the 441-mile Natchez Trace Parkway. Last year, he spent another 30 days on the road driving everywhere from the mountains to the beaches in North Carolina. In 2022, if his state capitals road trip doesn’t pan out, he’s decided to drive the Great River Road for six months from Louisiana to Minnesota, checking out every nook and cranny of the Midwest.
No matter where he goes from now on, he’ll have his map of all 423 National Park sites handy, so he won’t miss a thing. And so can you.
Fly the most miles in this travel competition to win a free roundtrip ticket to France
Right now, stories about major scammers across the world, from the Tinder Swindler to Anna Delvey, have taken front and center stage. But that’s not exactly a new phenomenon. One of the most iconic criminals was Frank Abagnale Jr., who spent years impersonating a pilot, traveling from place to place on the run from the FBI in the 1960s before he was eventually caught in France and sent to prison. Twenty years ago, Abagnale’s story got the movie treatment with Catch Me If You Can, an iconic DiCaprio-Hanks movie (Leonardo DiCaprio plays Abagnale).
To celebrate the anniversary, App in the Air is inviting travelers to download its app for a competition to catch the most miles in 2022.
From now through the movie’s anniversary on December 26, app users are invited to “catch as many flights as they can” and track their flyer miles. The user with the most flyer miles at the end of the year will be rewarded a roundtrip flight credit to France to explore the country Frank escaped to before being captured by the FBI. The winners will be announced on the movie’s anniversary. To be eligible, you must be a resident of the UK or US and be 18 years or older.
Of course, flying just to rack up some flyer miles is not environmentally friendly, so if you decide to enter, keep in mind the many destinations there are to see. Enjoy all of the fantastic places 2022 has to offer with new and easy direct flights from the US to countries like Jordan and Mexico. And keep in mind, flights are expected to go up soon, so buy those tickets before it’s too late.
I stayed at TripAdvisor’s #1 hotel in New York City. Here’s what it’s really like.
My first thought upon entering the Margaritaville Resort Times Square is just how sparkling clean and quiet it is. Just outside the door, on the corner of 7th avenue and West 40th street, Midtown Manhattan is hustling and bustling away as it always is — tourists carting shopping bags crowd the sidewalks, street hawkers sell their wares, cars honk and speed through intersections.
But an oasis awaits just through the doors of Margaritaville — at least it did in February, when my partner and I packed our five-month-old baby into the car and made the trek from New Jersey to Manhattan to find out why the Margaritaville Resort Times Square is, as the hotel’s website puts front and center, the highest rated New York City hotel on TripAdvisor.
Margaritaville Resort Times Square is at the epicenter of activity for out-of-towners who are in New York City for a certain type of experience. It’s just walk or short cab ride from Madame Tussauds, the Hard Rock Cafe, Theater District, and that giant H&M on the corner of 42nd street. Maybe the guest is in town to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child or Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, or to do a little shopping without straying too far from the hotel. Especially for first timers, the iconic billboards, flashing lights, bus tours, and the M&M’s store in Times Square are an undeniable draw, and Margaritaville is right in the middle of the action. Basically, if you want to visit a part of New York City that’s one of the most visited tourist locations in the world without ever stepping on a subway (which is certainly valid), this hotel is probably appealing.
Photo: Margaritaville Resort Times Square
But there’s actually much to recommend the Margaritaville Resort Times Square for people who live in New York City, or at least nearby. Hear me out!
I’m not from New York, but I lived there for about eight years before I moved to New Jersey, so I know how overwhelming, noisy, and chaotic it can be. All these characteristics are part of the city’s charm, but there’s no shame in needing a break, and Margaritaville is — perhaps counterintuitively for some New Yorkers and New Jerseyans raising their eyebrows skeptically at me right now — kind of perfect for that.
Yes, it’s kitschy. There is a giant blue glass flip flop standing sentry in the lobby. But that’s part of what makes it so delightful. Margaritaville knows exactly what it is, and leans into that identity hard. It’s a retreat where it’s okay to let loose and forget all about your responsibilities. Which is exactly what we proceeded to do as soon as we got settled (within reason because, well, we brought our baby).
There are three bars in the hotel, each with a different vibe. We started at the Landshark Bar and Grill (which is breastfeeding friendly, by the way; before I started drinking I fed my daughter without incident or weird stares). This restaurant offers totally decent seafood (I recommend the ceviche and coconut shrimp), but more importantly it has a drinks list that’s longer than the food menu.
The drinks are simply delightful – certainly on the sweeter side, but like a trip to the beach in a cup. Desperate to escape the dreary slate gray skies hovering over New York City, I ordered pretty much anything with blue curacao as a main ingredient, which made me feel not only like I had been transported to warmer climes, but that I was truly on vacation. No way would I ever drink a bright blue cocktail garnished with a slice of pineapple followed by a shot of something pink that tasted slightly of watermelon in my regular life, but this is Margaritaville, baby! There are no rules!
There’s really no reason to leave Margaritaville because there’s plenty to do inside the resort. The outdoor pool is heated and open throughout the year, though I can’t attest to its ambience or temperature, as we thought it was too cold to venture a dip with a baby in tow. And if you’re looking for a more sophisticated take on Margaritaville, there’s a bar for that, too.
After relaxing in our room for a while (my only complaint about the room: the shower pressure was so weak it kept turning on and off), we decided to check out the hotel’s rooftop bar, It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere, where we traded tropical margaritas for Champagne. The bar offers heat lamps and outdoor seating, and the wooden tables and dark blue interiors inside convey a more mature, low-key atmosphere. As a big plus for parents, they didn’t object to us parking our large stroller tableside.
Photo: Margaritaville Resort Times Square
If you don’t have a dinner reservation, there’s no need to panic. The third restaurant and bar is the tiki-themed Margaritaville Restaurant, the resort’s go-to spot for dinner. Full disclosure: We had planned to eat dinner at the Margaritaville Restaurant, but a moody baby required that we order room service instead. Which brings me to what I loved the most about my stay at Margaritaville: You can bring any drink that you purchase at the bar back to your room.
As a first-time parent who leaves the house infrequently, this seemingly small amenity of the hotel was actually a blessing. After we successfully rocked the baby to sleep and laid her down in her bassinet, my partner and I ordered room service and quietly rolled two chairs into the bathroom, where we ate in silence (the bathroom was sparkling clean, I promise, and it’s not like we were eating off the floor). After we were done, I grabbed a key card, tip-toed out the door, and headed straight to the bar where I ordered my partner and I our first round of drinks, and brought them back to our room. For the rest of the night, we switched back and forth grabbing beverages from the Landshark bar while our baby snoozed peacefully next to the bed. Unable to watch television, we laid in the bed and giggled, showing each other memes on our phones and laughing at inside jokes. It was ridiculously fun, oddly romantic, and very much needed.
Maybe I dismissed the Times Square Margaritaville as a tourist trap for out-of-towners at first, and maybe you still do. But if you need a getaway from the city while in the city, it’s worth giving Margaritaville a try.
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