It can be difficulut to orient yourself in New Orleans.  North, south, east and west? Not in the Big Easy. This city’s directions are determined by bodies of water and how they flow, not by a compass. Here folks say Lake, River, Up and Down. "Lake" is Lake Pontchartrain, north of the city. "River," of course, is the Mississippi. "Up" and "Down" refer to the flow of the river, which heads "down" towards the Gulf of Mexico. So "Down" basically means east, and "Up" basically means west. Confused? We get it. But the best way to get to know the city is to visit it and you'll find it actually makes sense when you’re there.

Cruise around all the top neighborhoods in New Orleans and you'll feel right at home in no time.

CBD and Warehouse District

Best neighborhoods for museums

The Central Business District (CBD) and Warehouse District have long been a membrane between downriver Creole faubourgs (french for "suburbs," although "neighborhoods" is more accurate in spirit) like the French Quarter and the large leafy lots of the Garden District and Uptown. Between offices and forgettable municipal buildings lie some of the city’s best museums, as well as posh restaurants, art galleries and converted condos.

Along Canal St, you'll find theaters like the Joy and Saenger, two Audubon museums and the high-end Shops at Canal Place, plus several upscale hotels. Take the Canal Street Ferry, which runs from the foot of Canal St to Algiers Point and admire New Orleans from the traditional river approach. On the Algiers side, stretch your legs and learn about Louis Armstrong and other jazz greats on the Jazz Walk of Fame along the levee.

Heading south, once you pass Poydras St you're in the Warehouse District. You can walk down pedestrian Fulton St to soak in some of the old warehouse-style architecture. Around Camp St and St Joseph St, you'll find a cluster of some of the city's most important museums, including the Contemporary Arts Center and the National WWII Museum.

Faubourg Marigny & Bywater

Best neighborhoods for biking

Just downriver from the French Quarter, the Marigny and Bywater are both Creole faubourgs. By far the easiest way of exploring these two neighborhoods is by bicycle. On two wheels you're never more than 20 minutes from the edge of the French Quarter and the borders of Bywater.

In Marigny, hit Frenchmen St for a plethora of live music options. When you spin the Frenchmen St musical wheel, Cafe Negril is the stop for reggae, blues, Latin and world music.

From the French Quarter, you can either bike or walk out to Bywater – consider entering via Crescent Park, which connects Marigny and Bywater. In the evening, head out to catch music along St Claude Ave, or see if there’s anything interesting showing at one of the local theaters, such as Marigny Opera House.

The food cachet of these neighborhoods is increasing by the month, and there’s a general bohemian vibe and plethora of good eats here.

One of the city's most famous ghosts, Alastair Crowly, is said to haunt the Dragon's Den. This occult icon supposedly still hangs out upstairs at this famous venue. The bar also hosts a Saturday show called Talk Nerdy To Me. Its a cosplay burlesque show you do not want to miss.

Across Esplanade Ave from the Quarter, the grid-defying street pattern in Marigny and Bywater is speckled with colorful cottages, many of which have been converted into B&Bs. It’s possible to walk to the Quarter from either neighborhood, but if you’re heading back to Bywater at night, you’ll probably want to cab it.

French Quarter

Best neighborhood for doing all the touristy things

Also known as Vieux Carré ("voo car-ray," Old Quarter) and "the Quarter," the French Quarter is the original city as planned by the French in the 1800s. Here lies the infamous Bourbon St, but of more interest is an elegantly aged grid of shopfronts, iron lamps and courtyard gardens. Most visitors begin exploring the city here and some never leave the area.  The Quarter is lovely, but it’s a bit like a theme park: heavy on tourist traffic and light on locals (apart from your bartender or waiter).

Many visitors treat the French Quarter as a sort of adult playground, but skip this side and you'll find a compact neighborhood where historical preservation, incredible dining and great nightlife intersect like nowhere else in the USA. Take a walking tour by the Friends of the Cabildo for an introduction to both the architecture and history of the area. After the tour, meander along the river and consider catching a concert sponsored by the National Park Service at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Finish the evening with dinner at either Coop's Place or Galatoire's, and drinks at French 75.

Spend a day shopping and peruse some galleries as you walk up and down Royal Street. Other top spots include Jackson Square, sprinkled with lazing loungers, fortune tellers, sketch artists and traveling performers and the St Louis Cathedral, one of the best examples of French architecture in the country. And you can’t miss Café du Monde, an iconic fixture on the New Orleans scene, where you’ll want to try a beignet (fried donut topped with powdered sugar).

Garden, Lower Garden and Central City

Best area to eye historic mansions and shop

The Garden District, Lower Garden District and Central City are three distinct neighborhoods, each offering a different experience. Two days is enough time to explore all three.

The charming Garden District features historic mansions, lush greenery, chichi bistros and upscale boutiques. While there, check out Lafayette Cemetery No 1, where above-ground crypts hold tragic tales draped with vines and spreading tree roots.

Between the CBD and the Garden District, the Lower Garden District is somewhat like the Garden District but not quite as posh. Here the houses are pleasant, not palatial. In October this is the neighborhood to explore to see all the amazing ways New Orleans residents decorate their houses for Halloween. The creativity knows no bounds.

The neighborhood has a distinct youthful vibe, and plenty of bars and restaurants for those with university-stunted wallets and university-sized appetites for fun.

Central City, which lies between the CBD and Lower Garden District, has significant civil rights history. It is an historically important African American neighborhood and houses a concentration of community activist organizations working to address the abandoned buildings. It is also home to the Southern Food & Beverage Museum.

Bars in this part of New Orleans tend to attract a student and post-student crowd. Magazine St is, in its way, as much fun as Bourbon and Frenchmen Streets. It’s wild without being ridiculous or idiotic and, while it lacks Frenchmen's live-music scene, it makes up for that with a better variety of bars. Magazine St is also by far New Orleans’ best shopping strip, and as a center for commercial activity it begins in the Lower Garden District, near its intersection with Felicity St. From here, you can follow Magazine west all the way to Audubon Park and shop or window browse in antiques stores and galleries.

Mid-City, Bayou St. John and City Park

Best neighborhoods for exploring

Back in the day, this was the back of beyond: the bottom of the depression that is the New Orleans geographic bowl, an area of swampy lowlands and hidden gambler dens. Today? Mid-City and its adjacent neighborhoods form one of the loveliest residential areas in the city.  A bike ride may be the most pleasant way to explore the "green" sections of these neighborhoods. If you cycle independently, just roll up attractive Esplanade Ave and take it all the way to City Park, stopping at St Louis Cemetery No 3 along the way. Explore the park and the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Starting from the southwest, near Banks St, Mid-City is a mix of commercial lots and residential blocks. Northeast is Bayou St John, ringed with historic houses, and the great green stretches of City Park. In the southeast, Esplanade Ave runs to the French Quarter, passing through the Tremé on the way.

There are loads of neighborhood restaurants out this way that serve excellent New Orleans cuisine (and increasingly, food from further afield). Local restaurants charge local prices; you can eat a lot cheaper here than in the Quarter or CBD.

Tremé-Lafitte

Best neighborhood for culture

Few neighborhoods hold their finger on the city's cultural pulse like the Tremé. This handful of square blocks – arguably the oldest African American neighborhood in the country – has had a disproportionate impact on world music. This is where jazz was invented, by free people of color and the descendants of enslaved Africans, who mixed African rhythms with European syncopation and homegrown improvisation. When you consider jazz led to rock led to hip-hop led to modern pop, just remember, the roots of that musical tree find their soil here.

The historical core of the Tremé is the area between Rampart St, Claiborne Ave, St Bernard Ave and Basin St. Much of this real estate is taken up by Louis Armstrong Park. This is where you'll find some of the most attractive streets in the neighborhood; the area where Gov Nicholls St intersects with Henriette DeLille St is particularly lovely. In general, the neighborhood becomes more rundown the closer you get to Basin St.

Worth a visit is the Backstreet Cultural Museum, where you’ll learn about the city’s deep well of unique African American institutions.

In general, the accommodations here consist of B&Bs, although there are plans for more high-volume hotels near Canal St. There's a large concentration of short-term rentals here; many advertise themselves as "within walking distance of the French Quarter." While technically true, if you're staying anywhere between Claiborne and Broad St, you may want to avoid that walk at night.

Uptown and Riverbend

Best area for growing food options

Uptown is the area where American settlers decided to prove to the original French inhabitants that they could be as tasteful and wealthy as any old-world aristocrat. The views of mansion after mansion on St Charles Ave are worth checking out even if you're not an architecture fan.

If you’ve only got one day, check out the Audubon Zoo in the morning. Enjoy dinner on Freret St, located above St Charles Ave, then catch a band or grab drinks at a local joint such as Tipitina's. Freret Street is getting quite the reputation for its rapidly expanding eating options.

If you’ve got another day, ride the St Charles Avenue Streetcar to Tulane University for a bit of wandering. Continue into Riverbend to check out the shops and restaurants off S Carrollton Ave, particularly along Maple St and Oak St.

Magazine St stretches from downtown to Audubon Park, covering 4 miles in the Garden District and Uptown. To get a handle on its shops, galleries and restaurants before your trip, order the guide published by the Magazine St Merchants Association.

Be sure to check out Terrance Osborn's Gallery on Magazine Street. Osborn is a New Orleans artist who uses broad brushstrokes and eye-popping colors to capture life in New Orleans. His art has been featured by brands as diverse as Nike and Heineken and his Jazz Fest posters are some of the most collected in the world.

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This article was originally published on March 21, 2021 and updated on September 24, 2021

Orient yourself in New Orleans by exploring its best neighborhoods

Centuries’ old statues, maritime forests brimming with wildlife, giant oak trees to shade the hot sun, Savannah ’s city parks are for both quiet moments and the loud adventurous kind. Whether you crave history, outdoor recreation or simply some beautiful vistas, you’ll find them at these parks.

Forsyth Park

Best park for people watching

Forsyth Park covers 30 acres in the heart of the city and is one of Savannah’s largest inner-city parks – think of it as the city's answer to NYC's Central Park. Locals and visitors love Forsyth's relaxed atmosphere. On the north end of the park, you can pose for a picture at the 150-year old Forsyth statue.

This is the perfect spot for a picnic under the trees. The southern end is designed for active types with basketball and tennis courts. Here you can also pay a visit to the Farmers' Markets on Sundays, attend a concert, soak up the sun or play a game of soccer.

Savannah has an open-cup policy, so if you're planning a get-together with friends, grab a bottle of wine. There are also excellent restaurants and bed and breakfasts just steps away from the park, such as The Collins Quarter, Kitchen 320, a.Lure, B. Matthews, and The Mansion on Forsyth.

Skidaway Island State park

Best park to get away from it all

Explore Georgia's maritime forests, salt marshlands and intracoastal waterways at the 588-acre Skidaway Island State Park located about 15 miles south of Savannah on Georgia’s Intracoastal Waterway. The Skidaway Wildlife Management Area, has pristine views, trails and camping in an unspoiled habitat. The wildlife here includes deer, fiddler crabs, reptiles, egrets and migrating birds. A view of the entire island can be seen from an observation tower and interpretive center.

Oatland Island

Best park for animal lovers

The Oatland Island Wildlife Center is an educational facility, park, and nature trail all in one. Located about 10 minutes from Savannah, the park offers an unforgettable outdoor adventure for all ages, combining the intimacy of a zoo with the untamed beauty of nature.

See bald eagles, cougars, falcons, bobcats, red foxes, bison and toothy gators along the two-mile hike through marshes and maritime forests. It’s especially popular with little adventurers, who can walk through the farm area and view wolves up close at the Wolf Wilderness exhibit. There’s also a 185,000-sq-ft educational building on Oatland Island kids will love with over 150 animals on site such as pigs, ducks, sheep and cows.

Tricentennial Park

Best park for history buffs

Tricentennial Park, located in downtown Savannah and in close proximity to hotels like the Alida and the Tryp, is a must for history buffs. As its name suggests, the 25-acre park encompasses three centuries of history. History enthusiasts will enjoy exploring Battlefield Memorial Park, a memorial that pays tribute to the soldiers who fought in the third bloodiest battle of the American Revolution – the Battle for Savannah.

You can also find three museums here – Savannah History Museum, Georgia State Railroad Museum and Savannah Children's Museum. The first is housed in a historic train shed, while the railroad museum and children’s museum are outdoors.

Children can expend their energy exploring the outdoor park and later the whole family can catch a ride on the antique train. If you love learning about history and have little ones who want to play outside, plan to spend an afternoon here.

Daffin Park

Best park for architecture enthusiasts

John Nolen designed Daffin Park in 1907, an 80-acre recreational park on Savannah's east side off Victory Drive. With two circular nodes and diagonal streets lined with tree trunks, Nolen designed this park in a formal Beaux-Arts style.

Daffin Park boasts a lake, two miles of paved eight-foot-wide sidewalks that are also handicap-accessible. There’s a shorter (1/3 mile) walkway that circles the lake. The park also features athletic fields, tennis courts, a volleyball court, a swimming pool, picnic areas, a pavilion and playground. Daffin is the city's largest recreational park and is dog-friendly too.

Lake Mayer Park

Best park for fitness fans

Located on 75 acres and about 15 minutes from Savannah, Lake Mayer Park contains a freshwater lake, a jogging and cycling track, along with 18 fitness stations and a 1.7-mile trail loop.

The complex also features a baseball and softball field, tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, handball courts and a dog exercise area. Two pavilions are available for rent, along with plenty of parking and restrooms. A fishing pier and a boat ramp leads to the well-stocked lake where you can catch bass, catfish and perch.

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Chippewa Square

Best park for art lovers

Chippewa Square, one of Savannah’s 22 squares located in the historic district, is a great place to sit under shady live oaks right in the center of the city. Savannah’s squares are rather small, with most measuring 200 x 200 ft.

Part of the 1994 movie, Forrest Gump, was filmed in this famous square. You’ll immediately recognize the scene where Tom Hanks sat at the bus stop (if you can’t, don’t worry there’s a sign).

Art fans should check out the Gallery Espresso and Roots Up Gallery to support the local art scene. The Savannah Art Association Gallery also represents many local artists showcasing mediums such as pottery and folk art.

Architecture buffs should head to the Philbrick-Eastman House. The grand Greek revival style home which dates back to 1847, features beautiful columns and a fence surrounding it with medallions of prominent Savannah historical figures.

Wormsloe Historic Site

Best place for photographers

Wormsloe, located 15 minutes from Savannah’s historic district, is one of the city’s oldest estates. Dating back to the 1700s, the site is situated among giant oaks and Spanish moss. View the oldest standing structure in Savannah – Wormsloe Village – as you stroll through this timeless environment.

From the 1500s to the 1800s, Tabby (a substance made from shells, sand and lime) was used in the southeast to build houses, which you will see here. A museum dedicated to Wormsloe's history can be toured by visitors. Wormsloe's beautiful scenery and rich history are a delight for all ages.

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Planning a trip to the Lone Star State can be overwhelming, choosing between the desert mountains of West Texas, the beaches of the Gulf Coast or the river-bound cities of Austin, San Antonio and Dallas.

And while Hollywood cliches may conjure up images of weathered cowboys and dusty saloons, there is a wide variety of museums, architecture, outdoor adventures and, of course, delicious food you won’t want to miss. We’ve rounded up some of the best things to do across Texas.

Soar to new heights from San Antonio’s Tower of the Americas

While San Antonio is home to some of the state’s oldest architecture and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas, don’t miss some of the exciting modern architecture as well. Wander around the Hemisfair area for dinner, ice cream and park activities. Currently in the first phase of an extensive restoration, Hemisfair is the original site of the 1968 World’s Fair.

The sky deck of the nearby Tower of the Americas may be a bit of a tourist trap, but the view from the top is well worth it. Skip an overpriced meal in the revolving restaurant and enjoy a late-night snack at Dough Pizzeria Napoletana or ice cream from Paleteria.

Take a dip in a Hill Country swimming hole

While there are several natural springs to choose from in the sprawling Texas Hill Country, the quaint tree-lined town of Wimberley boasts two of the best. Just a short drive from the town’s main street, Jacob’s Well is one of the state’s largest fully submerged caverns.

Water from the Trinity Aquifer flows from an extensive underground cave system, maintaining a temperature of 68F — the perfect way to beat that scorching Texas sun. Nearby, Blue Hole Regional Park offers an equally scenic swim, shaded by towering cypress trees. Be sure to make advance reservations for both highly sought-after swimming destinations.

Head to Lockhart for barbecue and more

While legendary barbecue pitmasters hold court across the Lone Star State, some of the longest-lasting legacies still call Lockhart home. Kreuz Market, Black’s Barbecue and Smitty’s Market are some of the best, but the mouth-watering brisket and smoked sausage are not the only reason to head to Lockhart.

Be sure to admire the Caldwell County Courthouse and wander the historic downtown square, grabbing a refreshing drink at Old Pal Bar or a root beer float from Commerce Cafe.

Get outside at Austin’s Lady Bird Lake

Creating a 10-mile loop along the Colorado River in the heart of downtown Austin, the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail is a top destination for locals and tourists alike. Nearby Zilker Park is the perfect place to enjoy a picnic with a view of the city’s growing skyline or venture downtown for brunch at one of Austin’s best restaurants.

La Condesa is an upscale pit stop not far from the north shore of the river, while a further detour to Better Half Bar and neighboring Hold Out Brewing is a good place to while away an afternoon. In the evening, make a reservation at P6, the scenic rooftop patio of the Line Hotel for fantastic sunset views over Lady Bird Lake.

Learn how Texas became Texas at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park

About halfway between Houston and Austin, a humble little state park is known as the place “Where Texas became Texas.” Here, in a wooden schoolhouse at Washington-on-the-Brazos, delegates from across Texas gathered to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836.

A digital copy of it is on display at the Visitor’s Center, which features an exhibit on the events that led to that declaration, as well as Texas’ subsequent fight for independence from Mexico. The park is always worth a stop, but it really comes alive on the first weekend in March for live reenactments of the 1836 Texas Army Camp.

Step back in time at the Fort Worth Stockyards

If you want to step back in time, look no further than the historic stockyards of Fort Worth. This is the destination for anyone wanting a front-row seat for an immersive experience of the history of cattle drives in Texas. A genuine herd of longhorns parades East Exchange Avenue twice a day, or you can see them up close and personal at the Livestock Exchange Building on weekends through the summer.

Wave to Big Tex at the Dallas State Fair

Perhaps the most famous cowboy in Texas, Big Tex resides in Dallas at the historic Fair Park, home to the annual State Fair of Texas. Big Tex has been the event’s mascot since 1952 (though he almost burned down in 2012 due to an electrical fire). He stands at the heart of the fair, which also features a full auto show, live performances and the famous ferris wheel.

America’s largest since it debuted in 1985, the views across Dallas and down at the fairgoers below are unforgettable. But most memorable of all, of course, are the endless booths of fried foods on display. From fried Oreos to fried bubblegum and cotton candy tacos, vendors introduce crazy new experiments every year.

Explore WWII naval history aboard the USS Lexington

Docked in the bay at Corpus Christi, the USS Lexington is an Essex-class carrier that fought in WWII and was the oldest working carrier in the US Navy before it was decommissioned in 1991. Nicknamed the “Blue Ghost,” the ship arrived in its permanent home in Corpus Christi in 1992, where it now hosts a number of gripping exhibits. The flight deck is among the most popular, featuring twenty different aircraft from the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

Right next door, the Texas State Aquarium is the state’s largest aquarium and features a dazzling array of marine wildlife from the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

See the stars at McDonald Observatory

You probably know that the “stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas,” and there’s no better place to test that idiom than the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis. A research unit of the University of Texas at Austin, the observatory offers interactive educational exhibits and regular evening programs for stargazing. Don’t miss the Star Party, which requires advance booking and features night sky constellation tours and access to state-of-the-art telescopes in the Rebecca Gale Telescope Park.

Stay at the Indian Lodge at the Davis Mountains State Park, and don’t miss the 75-mile scenic loop through the Fort Davis Mountains while you are in the area. Winding through Limpia Canyon and past Mount Livermore, the drive is the highest public highway in Texas — and one of the most unforgettable experiences in the Lone Star State.

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While it’s possible to visit several cities in Texas on one trip, combining some of the more popular destinations will likely require a rental car and a long drive – or two. If you want to see both Austin and Big Bend National Park, for example, be prepared for an eight-hour road trip (one way).

If you want to visit both San Antonio and Dallas, gear up for a five-hour trek on Interstate Highway 35. And although there are enough Willie Nelson albums to fill over 70 hours of driving, we’ve grouped some of Texas’ best destinations by region to help you make the most of your travels in the Lone Star State.

Austin

Austin became the capital of Texas in 1846, and the University of Texas was established in 1883. For about a hundred years, the city remained a sleepy college town and political seat until the tech boom of the 1980s attracted more businesses and residents. Known for its rich history of live music thanks to televised performances from the Austin City Limits studios, the city is still the best spot in Texas to catch a troubadour on every corner.

Be sure to browse the local boutiques on South Congress Avenue, such as Allen’s Boots. Founded in 1977, the store’s red boot sign and extensive collection of Western wear has made it a go-to shopping destination for decades. Two-step across the street to South Congress Hotel for a drink in the hotel’s lobby bar before catching live music at the legendary Continental Club down the street.

Texas Hill Country

A trip to Austin or San Antonio pairs well with a day trip or short venture to Texas Hill Country, where wine lovers and beer experts will feel equally at home. Visit Altstadt Brewery for a tour and taste of German-style beer, or head to William Chris Vineyard in Hye for an afternoon among the grapes.

Southold Farm and Cellar is another top vineyard in the region, but if alcohol isn’t your thing, make a pit stop at any of the local peach stands along Highway 290 for a sweet taste of summer. For an outdoor adventure, take in the views from nearby Enchanted Rock, or watch the bats emerge from the abandoned railroad tunnel at Old Tunnel State Park.

San Antonio

While no trip to Texas is complete without a visit to The Alamo, there are several other worthwhile museums and attractions in San Antonio. Be sure to wander the Pearl Brewery campus, where the swanky Hotel Emma holds court as queen of luxury. Try a drink in the hotel’s Sternewirth bar, where you can sip a cocktail in one of the renovated silos from the bygone brewery.

A short drive to the Witte Museum will give you an immersive experience of Texas history, while an afternoon at the McNay Art Museum is the ideal spot for a picnic on the grounds after wandering the galleries.

Houston

Houston also boasts its share of galleries, especially the Menil Collection, whose vast exhibits span human history from the Paleolithic era to the 20th Century and contemporary art. But the biggest draw to Houston is NASA’s Johnson Space Center, home to Mission Control, which led the Gemini and Apollo missions and the first lunar landing.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the history and future of space exploration, as well as a glimpse of space artifacts such as spacecrafts and the largest collection of moon rocks on public display.

Galveston

Not far from Houston is the port town of Galveston, which was once one of the largest port cities in North America before it was devastated by a deadly hurricane in 1900. Today, the island city remains a top Gulf Coast destination and one of the state’s best beach towns. Go ghost hunting at the historic Hotel Galvez, or head to the Bryan Museum for a chronological exhibit of Texas history and an impressive collection of local art. Animal lovers will enjoy the aquarium and rainforest exhibits at Moody Gardens, while architecture aficionados will appreciate a walking tour of the historic churches and homes like Bishop’s Palace.

Shiner

About halfway between San Antonio and Houston, Shiner is home to one of the state’s oldest and most popular breweries, the Spoetzl Brewery. Take a tour of the brewery, which started as a tin house in 1909, to learn how the Bavarian beer was first made by Kosmos Spoetzl. Then, sample different Shiner brews from the current brewmaster, who is only the sixth in the history of the company.

Combine the trip with a drive through Gonzalez, where the first shots of the Texas Revolution were fired in October 1835. Or venture slightly further for a walk through the jungle-like trails of Palmetto State Park.

Dallas

Among the many reasons to visit Dallas are the plethora of professional sports teams in the area. Whether you’re a fan of football, baseball, basketball or hockey, Dallas is home to several state-of-the art arenas and stadiums such as the American Airlines Center, which hosts both the NHL’s Dallas Stars and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

Nearby Arlington hosts both the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and the MLB’s Texas Rangers. Downtown Dallas is also an art lover’s destination, and the Nasher Sculpture Center and nearby Crow Museum of Asian Art are quieter attractions for a rainy day.

Big Bend National Park

Texas’ only national park is also one of the largest in the country, as well as the least visited thanks to its remote location. Separated from neighboring Mexico by the Rio Grande, Big Bend National Park is known for its scenic vistas and many hiking trails. Over 1200 plant species call the park home, along with over 450 species of birds.

But celestial beings remain one of the park’s biggest draws: certified as an International Dark Sky, the park boasts some of the best stargazing in the continental US. The Santa Elena Canyon is a main attraction, where temperatures can rise above 110°F (43°C) in the summer. Enjoy slightly lower temps from the Chisos Mountains, which offers lodging and unforgettable views over the whole park.

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Thailand has postponed the reopening date of Bangkok, Chiang Mai and other popular destinations to tourists until November to allow more people to be vaccinated. However, Phuket and Ko Samui will continue to welcome visitors under special tourism programs.

Thailand had launched the Phuket Sandbox program, where fully vaccinated tourists are permitted to travel to Thailand without quarantining provided they stay in Phuket (and Phang-Nga, Surat Thani or Krabi) for at least 14 days before traveling to other parts of the country. The program was due to be extended to five more places in October: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan.

But Reuters reports that it will now launch on November 1, to give the cities more time to meet vaccination targets necessary for a safe reopening. "Cities we’ve targeted have not reached 70% vaccination rates and so we have to push out the date to November," Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn told the news agency.

Read more: You can travel to Thailand quarantine-free via Phuket - this is how to do it

Sandbox programs

Under the extension, tourists will have to stay within designated areas in their destination for seven days after arrival but they will be able to travel freely within that area—they won't be confined to their hotels. As part of the program they will need to download the MorChana contact tracing app and take regular COVID-19 tests to monitor their health. If the program is successful, the AFP reports that it will be extended to more regions including Chiang Rai, Rayong and the ancient province of Sukhothai.

To facilitate the extension of the sandbox program, officials are seeking ways to make regular COVID-19 testing more affordable for tourists, with the possibility of introducing antigen tests by November. "We will try to halve the RT-PCR price and allow tourists to use antigen test kits for their second and third tests," Yuthasak Supasorn, the governor of TAT, told the Bangkok Post. "The package price should be universally applied to every province... including the Phuket Sandbox."

Details on the sandbox extension are still scant, particularly on the itinerary available to tourists within the designated areas and the documentation required to take part, but we will update this article when more information is available.

Read more: Do you need a visa to go to Thailand?

Samui Plus

Meanwhile, fully vaccinated tourists can also visit Thailand under the Samui Plus sandbox scheme which covers the islands of Ko Samui, Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Tao. Tourists participating in the program just need to isolate for about a day or so in one of the program's certified hotels while waiting for their RT-PCR test result. According to the TAT, they can then roam the islands freely without sticking to a designated route.

Visitors from overseas staying 14 nights must stay at a certified hotel on Ko Samui only for the first seven nights, after which they can move to another certified hotel on Ko Samui, Ko Phangan or Ko Tao for the remaining seven nights of their trip. Once they've completed 14 days on the islands, only then are they permitted to travel to another destination in Thailand; if they plan on staying for a shorter period of time, they will not be able to travel from the islands.

Tourists are also required to purchase medical insurance with COVID-19 treatment coverage of at least US$100,000, and all relevant health documentation must be completed in English before traveling to Thailand.

Travelers from 70 countries are permitted to take part in the program, including those from the US, UK, and most European countries. Children under 18 are not required to be vaccinated if traveling with fully vaccinated parents or guardians, but must have tested negative for COVID-19 no later than 72 hours before travel. For more information on the Samui Plus program, see here.

This article was first published on September 14 and updated on September 24, 2021.

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It’s easy to lose 48 hours in Portugal’s dashing, duel-hilled, sun-drenched second city. Sliced by the slow saunter of the Duruo river and ribboned together by the rails of its sunflower-yellow trams, you could spend a lifetime sighing at its breathless beauty, in awe of its curves and cobblestones and its clinquant Klimt-esque sunsets.

Best day trips from Porto

Think: Emotive churches, evocative poetry, a passionate fado guitarist playing mournfully in a riverside tavern. Get ready to go giddy. Here are some suggestions of how you could spend a weekend in Porto.

Call ahead to reserve for Friday evening dining

After arriving down in Porto, head towards the river. The Ribeira district is magnetic for tourists and lovestruck couples – and for good reason: it’s loud and lively and boasts some of the best views in town. Get acquainted with the fabulous Portuguese wine selection at the Wine Quay Bar. Order a side of local cured hams and cheeses to tide you over until dinner.

Call ahead for a table at Tapabento to try modern petiscos (Portuguese sharing plates) like freshly-shucked oysters drizzled in shallot vinaigrette or tangy Azores cheese with walnuts and rocket. Then wander uphill along the bustling pedestrian street Rua das Flores to take in the remarkably intricate architecture of one of the city’s oldest streets.

Start your Saturday with an espresso and custard tart

Do as the locals do and keep breakfast low-key with an espresso and a pastel de nata (yes, Portuguese custard tarts are a perfectly acceptable breakfast choice). Pick from any of the traditional cafes dotted around the city, but we’d plump for the determinedly archaic Confeitaria do Bolhão, a patisserie that has been doing the business since 1896. And still, locals can’t get enough.

From there, it’s a 10-minute saunter to Igreja do Carmo for some rococo to knock-o your socks off. Adorned in blue-and-white azulejo tiles from tip-to-toe, this 18th-century church is an architectural dazzler and a must for Instagrammers. Note the sliver of a house separating Carmo from its neighbor Igreja das Carmelitas, which kept the monks separated from the nuns.

Carry on south towards the unmistakable spire of the Torre dos Clérigos. The 249ft (76m) tower is the artistry of Nicolau Nasoni, who is oft considered the architect of Porto, and Clérigos is arguably his most famous contribution. Pay €6 ($7) to spiral up the 240 steps for a sweeping view of the city. The old staircases are narrow and often crowded, so if you’re claustrophobic or impatient, give it a miss and wander along Porto’s main avenue, Avenida dos Aliados, instead.

Stroll the cobblestoned streets on Saturday afternoon

Tonight will be spent on the town, so line your stomach with Porto’s famous multi-layered meat sandwich, the francesinha. Wrapped in cheese, drowned in tomato sauce and crowned with a fried egg, this artery-clogging masterpiece has more layers than the movie Inception (and takes just as long to finish). Send your medical bills to tried-and-trusted belly fillers: Capa na Baixa and Café Santiago.

The afternoon goal is to cross the river for a port tasting, but let your food settle with a stroll along Porto’s undulating cobblestones. Pass the baroque Igreja de Santo Ildefonso and wander through the Batalha district to reach the mighty Sé, a cathedral where centuries’ worth of architecture is bundled into one structure.

It’s elevated position sets up a walk across the top level of the Ponte de Dom Luís I to reach the cross-river city of Vila Nova de Gaia – home of the port wine lodges. Mosey down to World of Wine (WoW), a dazzling, new €105 million ($143 million) cultural district squeezed inside former port wine cellars.

There are six museums, five restaurants and an entire afternoon’s worth of fun to be had here. The Wine Experience and the immersive Pink Palace – an Insta-ready whirl through the rosé industry – are both worth a peek, but for a real taste of the city’s fantastic fortified wine, head a wee bit further out and take a personalized tour at Croft, which ends with a port tasting.

Remember locals don't start to party until midnight Saturday

Make the most of being on the south side of the Douro and watch the sunset from Jardim do Morro. Then take the metro back to Porto for a pre-dinner drink at Capela Incomum, a 19th-century chapel that’s been wonderfully transformed into a hushed and reverent wine bar. Locals don’t often eat until 9pm, which leaves you plenty of time to grab a taxi to the esteemed O Paparico, a romantic stone-walled restaurant which looks traditional but is anything but. Expect gastronomic fireworks using local produce like liqueur-laced Rendufas figs drizzled in a sweet fig vinegar.

The party scene doesn’t kick off until around midnight, so enjoy the evening air after dinner by pulling up a beanbag beneath the Passeio dos Clérigos olive trees at Base, a trendy open-air bar. Once the Clérigos clock strikes midnight, join the throngs of partygoers spilling out onto parallel streets Rua da Galeria de Paris and Rua de Cândido dos Reis, which are packed wall-to-wall with nightclubs and bars.

Despite looking like a jumbled garage sale at first glance – given its shelves of toys, vintage clocks and model cars – Galeria de Paris is worth a pit stop. Then follow the human tide to find other hotspots and dance until the sun comes up. The locals dress down with comfy shoes for a reason.

Spend Sunday morning checking out the galleries

If Saturday is a late one, join the rest of the city but enjoying a lie-in. Grab breakfast and a specialty brew at Noshi Coffee (where vegan, vegetarians and gluten-free diets are well catered for), then wander along Rua do Rosário and Rua de Miguel Bombarda to browse concept stores and galleries.

Stop for a tea in the peaceful garden of Rota do Chá, then follow Bombarda to the end and turn left into the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal. Watch the peacocks parading the grounds for photos and scope out the small gardens scattered across the park’s eight hectares (20 acres). Eventually zigzag your way back down to the river, pit stopping at the new Miradouro Ignez roof terrace for a snack or a drink with a knockout view.

Spend a lazy Sunday afternoon on the Douro River

Hire a bike at Biclas & Triclas and sweep west along the Douro River to find some lunch. Choose from fresh fish barbecued on the street (follow your nose and the plumes of smoke), pizza overlooking the river at Casa d’Oro, or Portuguese share plates at Casa de Pasto da Palmeira. Brave the waves thrashing the Farol de Felgueiras jetty then continue around the bend as the Douro becomes the North Atlantic. Follow the coast to the beachside suburb Matosinhos or cut across to Portugal’s largest urban park, Parque da Cidade. Backtrack along the river to return your wheels.

bifana (pork sandwhich) and beer at local institution Conga - Casas das Bifanas is a chilled way to start Sunday evening © Emily McAuliffe / Lonely Planet" data-embed-button="images" data-entity-embed-display="media_image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"","image_link":""}" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="771df815-0464-420f-91f4-55c20a6365f4" data-langcode="en" title="Bifana at Conga_EmilyMcAuliffeConga_Emily McAuliffe (1).jpg">

Don't leave without trying a famous bifana

Keep things low-key with a beer and a bifana at Conga - Casa das Bifanas. This no-frills joint is a local institution and specializes in Portugal’s traditional thick-filled pork sandwiches. It's best to also take the opportunity to grab a pre-departure pastel de nata from Manteigaria or Fábrica da Nata. Perhaps even buy a box of the flaky, crispy, custard-filled tarts to take home with you.

This article was originally published on August 21, 2019.

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Classy, cultural Bath in southwest England is famous for its exquisite architecture and Bridgerton backdrops.

While the Roman Baths and Georgian Royal Crescent are must-see sights, there’s also a cool, contemporary city to explore. True, the city can be expensive. But avoiding peak times brings accommodation prices down. Add superb shops, arts and music venues and some surprising outdoor activities, and you have an appealing city break for couples and friends.

Tour Bridgerton filming locations

When it premiered in late 2020, Bridgerton quickly became Netflix's biggest-ever series. A record 82 million households watched in the first month. Set in Regency London, the show was filmed extensively in Bath and city buildings are clearly identifiable behind the action.

The Visit Bath website lists the locations so you can do a self-guided tour taking in Lady Danbury's mansion, the home of the Featheringtons and the Assembly Rooms, the settings for those lavish balls. Or book a tour with BritMovie Tours for an anecdote-filled, two-hour guided promenade around Bath’s Bridgerton locations – spiced with scandal, naturally.

Soak like a Roman in a rooftop pool

Bath was born of geothermal springs which flow from the earth at a toasty 46°C (114ºF). Those arch lovers of luxury, the Romans, spotted their potential and built a state of the art bathhouse. Almost two centuries later, the Thermae Bath Spa means you too can blissfully float in mineral-rich waters.

The complex has massage jets, whirlpools, an ice chamber and steam rooms. But the big draw is the open-air, rooftop pool. Schedule an evening session, and you could be soaking under the stars with views of illuminated rooftops as the steam rises all around.

Experience the Roman Baths

Although the Roman Baths are undeniably a tourist attraction, they’re also the key to unlocking both Bath’s historic narrative and the city you see today. The Romans built the sumptuous bathing complex in 70AD and today the cluster of atmospheric pools, courtyards and exhibits are brought vividly to life by projections, soundscapes and CGI displays.

The baths are beside a temple to the healing goddess Sulis-Minerva. It’s this connection between the geothermal waters and health that has  helped the city flourish and has funded grand building projects – from the Roman era to the spa town and tourist hotspot it is today.

Book tickets online and aim for a slot first thing in the morning. Or check the baths' What’s On page for special events like T’ai Chi on the Terrace overlooking the Great Bath.

Delight in the Royal Crescent

An exquisite semicircle of grand honey-colored homes, Bath’s Royal Crescent is another of the city’s can’t-miss sights. The terrace of 30 houses sweeps for 150 meters around a manicured lawn and was built between 1767 and 1775.

This gorgeous place inevitably featured as a backdrop in Bridgerton . One of the houses, the museum No 1 Royal Crescent, appeared as the Featheringtons’ home. Book a visit to see lavish Georgian furnishings, and the pots and pans of the servants’ quarters. After a June 2021 reopening, the story of the house and its residents has been brought to life by new digital projections and soundscapes.

Discover the Circus & the Georgian Gardens

After visiting the Royal Crescent, one of Bath’s big draws, many visitors take in the Circus en route from the city center as a bit of a sideshow. This means they miss an intriguing insight into the city’s past. A ring of 33 graceful townhouses split into three semicircular terraces, the Circus features stonework with beautiful emblems and symbols.

A short stroll away, down Gay St and back along Royal Ave, sits one of Bath’s unsung sights. The Georgian Garden is set behind No 4 The Circus. The compact space has been restored to resemble a typical town garden dating from around 1760. Complete with authentic plants and a copy of an elegant 18th-century garden seat, the space provides a rare glimpse into life behind Bath’s grand Georgian facades.

Book a Reading Spa

Novelist Jane Austen lived in Bath in the early 1800s. Mary Shelley wrote much of Frankenstein while in the city. So what better to do in a geothermal town awash with literary links than indulge in a Reading Spa? Run by the beautiful bookshop Mr B's Emporium, these one-off experiences allow you to sit down with a bibliotherapist over coffee and cake to discuss what you love to read. They then scour the shelves for armfuls of books to suit your tastes. All you have to do is decide which to take home.

Unfortunately, there’s a big backlog for in-person sessions. Mr B’s bespoke reading subscriptions – where a dedicated bookseller selects a book for you each month – are a good alternative while you wait.

Clamber up Bath Abbey’s tower

Bath’s famously fabulous architecture has visitors tracing trails from the Roman Baths to the Georgian Royal Crescent. But the best way to see these exquisite buildings initially is to actually look down on them from the roof of Bath Abbey.

During the medieval abbey’s Tower Tours, you’ll climb 212 steps, navigate a stone spiral staircase, weave past bell ropes and emerge onto the roof for panoramic views. From here, the city’s architecture and street plan appears like a giant animated map.

Go to a great grassroots gig

Touring all that gorgeous architecture can leave you gasping for a pint. Handily Bath is blessed with some brilliant, beautiful pubs, including locals’ favorite, the Bell Inn. This ethical, lively, live-music pub is owned by the customers – around 500 of them bought it in 2013.

The inn is a living-wage employer and is part of the Musicians’ Union Fair Play Venue Scheme, which helps performers get a fair deal. The Bell is also home to seven real ales, bar billiards, a real fire and live music sessions three times a week spanning jazz, blues, Cajun and folk.

Cycle through a musical, mile-long tunnel

In a city of splendid sights, the idea of cycling through a tunnel might seem odd. But Bath's Two Tunnels Greenway is a unique cycling experience. It runs from East Twerton, east of the city center, to Midford, 3.8 miles to the south.

After views of the Royal Crescent, riders enter the Combe Down Tunnel. At 1672 meters – or a little over a mile – this subterranean stretch is the longest traffic-free cycling tunnel in Europe. It’s also packed with interactive sound and light installations. Your movement through Passage, an installation by United Visual Artists and the composer Mira Calix, triggers audio-visual displays set in 20 separate alcoves. It’s an unforgettable ride.

Hire a row boat

If visitors stray from Bath’s streets, they probably hop on a boat trip from Pulteney Bridge. But a more atmospheric way to explore is by walking a mile north east of the city center to hire your own craft from the Bath Boating Station.

This Victorian boathouse hires out vintage wooden rowing boats, Canadian canoes and punts. You then get to propel yourself along some 2 miles of river, looking out for birds like kingfishers, herons and moorhens en route to the Bathampton Mill pub.

Make your own bauble

Bath Aqua Glass specializes in making aquamarine artworks using techniques that haven’t changed much since Roman times – many of the pieces echo styles of the era. Most visitors spot the shop near Bath Abbey. But if you walk 10 minutes north to the outlet on Walcot St, you can watch the artisan glassblowers at work.

The doors to the workshop are often open to disperse the heat. But if you visit on Friday or Saturday you can head inside for a closer look. Or you can book activities including choosing the colors for a personalized bauble, crafting your own glass artworks, or hiring a glassblower for the day.

Enjoy superb shopping

Bath’s shops are some of the best in the west. High-quality independent stores line the narrow lanes just north of Bath Abbey, Milsom St is good for upmarket fashion, while the SouthGate shopping center has all the high street brands.

Bookworms love Mr B’s Emporium and Topping & Co – the latter has rolling library ladders and free pots of coffee. Walcot St, the city’s self-styled Artisan Quarter, has the Bath Aqua Glass outlet, the workshop and store of renowned weaver Katherine Fraser, and the fabulously pungent Fine Cheese Co shop and cafe.

See a film in an art deco cinema

In a city rich in history, it’s fitting that one of its independent movie spaces is historic too. The Little Theatre Cinema was built by community theater pioneers in 1935, primarily to screen newsreels and documentaries.

Since then it has added a second screen, and it now focuses on art house films and foreign language flicks. It also holds special autism-, toddler-, child- and dementia-friendly screenings, and it still has an art deco feel.

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Yellowstone National Park is the United States’ second most popular national park, with more than four million visitors a year – up a whopping 35 percent over the last decade alone.

Squeezed between record demand and a multi-billion dollar budget backlog, the National Park Service is facing some tough questions over Yellowstone’s sustainability. Some are even muttering if visitation continues to skyrocket, a daily cap on vehicles entering the park might one day be necessary.

In response, Yellowstone National Park and its main concessionaire, Yellowstone National Park Lodges, have made great strides in recent years to steer Yellowstone’s mass visitation towards a sustainable footing. You can do your bit by supporting the following projects. You might even save a few bucks in the process.

The complete guide to Yellowstone National Park

Food & Drink

Feeding Yellowstone’s visitors is a mammoth task that creates mammoth waste. The park’s concessionaire is doing its part by keeping 63% of waste out of landfills through aggressive recycling programs and composting. It also works with Montana ’s Western Sustainability Exchange to link with local farms and food producers to supply the majority of its restaurant food. Eat, drink and be sustainable with the following programs:

Drink local craft beer: Let’s start with the easy one. All empty beer bottles can be recycled in park bins, where they eventually may make their way to into furniture throughout the park. In recent years, Yellowstone has partnered with GeoMATRIX out of Bozeman, Montana to create benches, picnic tables, bathroom vanities, window sills and countertops from recycled glass and fly ash.
Reusable coffee cups: Buy a cool Yellowstone coffee cup and you get a quarter off any coffee (fair-trade available) in the park’s restaurants and cafeterias. After a week you’ve earned your money back and saved half a dozen paper cups.
Compostable cutlery: Plastic knives and forks in the park’s restaurants are biodegradable, as are the to-go boxes, napkins and cups – so put them in the compost rather than the trash.
Drink wine: Another easy one. Several bars in the park now offer wine on tap; a more sustainable way of packaging and transporting wine. But no, you still can’t order it by the pint...
Eat local: More than 60 percent of the park menu items are now sourced from local or organic sources, from organic Montana lamb and grass-fed bison and locally distilled Wyoming spirits. Locally sourced produce means a smaller transport footprint, fresher food and healthier communities. The green leaf on park menus highlights sustainable options and details the local producers. Vegan options like lentil dal and portobello wraps offer the lowest carbon footprint.

The War on Waste: Recycling and Resources

Record numbers of visitors means record resources consumed – including more than 1700 rolls of toilet paper per day alone! Yellowstone National Park Lodges projects range from the big (the new Canyon Lodges are LEED certified) to the tiny (cutting back on plastic wrapping on its cute bear-shaped soaps), but everything helps. Meanwhile, light fixtures in the park are slowly being replaced with low-wattage fixtures that direct light only downward, saving energy and boosting dark-sky views.

Even in winter, when much of Yellowstone is shut down except for the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Canyon Yurt Camp, the snow coaches run by Yellowstone Park Lodges are a new, semi-customized fleet that runs cleaner and quieter than the old models with mat tracks that look like they belong on a tank. The new fat-tire style coaches use three times less fuel and are 14 decibels quieter, too.

Softer footprint: Save yourself $5 a day on your park accommodation room rates by foregoing housekeeping when staying for more than one night. Around half of the guests currently participate, saving 300,000 gallons of water and 150,000 kWh of electricity annually.
Less waste: Several park restaurants offer smaller portions for a reduced fee in an effort to minimize waste. Straws are only supplied on request.
Bring your own water bottle: Yellowstone National Park Lodges no longer sells disposable plastic bottles of water. Dozens of water stations have been set up around park infrastructure, so filling up is easy. If you have to buy water, then easy-to-recycle, aluminum canned water is available.
Recycle bear spray and propane canisters: Anyone hiking in Yellowstone’s backcountry should carry bear spray, but most are never deployed and you can’t take them on a flight back home. The solution: take your bear spray to any backcountry office or to Bozeman airport. Drop your propane gas canisters at any park campground.
Shorter Showers: If every Yellowstone guest limited their shower to five minutes, the park would save 3 million gallons of water annually. This is important because climate change is already having a noticeable long-term effect on snowpack levels in Yellowstone, with 30 fewer days with snow on the ground per year, and 60 to 80 fewer days below freezing, compared to 50 years ago.
Electric vehicles: Don’t be intimidated by those Wyoming pickups, bring your electric car. There are now charging stations at Mammoth, Canyon, Old Faithful Lodge, Lake Hotel, Grant Village (under construction) and the Yellowstone Forever store in Gardiner, plus the gateway communities of West Yellowstone, Jackson and Cody, so you are never far from a charge.

Bonus: Go fishing

Being a sustainable park visitor doesn’t mean missing out on any Yellowstone fun. In case even these ideas sound like too much hard work, just to go fishing. Invasive species are a serious problem in Yellowstone, and none are worse than lake trout, which have decimated the endemic cutthroat trout since being introduced illegally in the 1980s.

If you do catch a lake trout, gut it and take it on ice to the Lake Yellowstone Dining Room or Lake Lodge Cafeteria and they will cook it for you and serve it with sides for a discounted meal. Every lake trout caught saves 45 native cutthroat trout a year. Never did doing the right thing taste and feel so good.

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This article was originally published on August 20, 2019.

Experience Yellowstone National Park sustainably: your guide to going green

When dreaming of a Fiji vacation, the image in most travelers’ minds is one of palm-thatched resorts on beaches of the softest sand and a gently lapping turquoise sea. It looks like a picture of exclusive luxury, but this South Pacific nation is a surprisingly accessible destination for those without movie-star bank balances. With 333 islands, there’s something for everyone, so here’s the lowdown on how to enjoy the best of Fiji without spending a fortune.

Choosing a resort

Whether you’re looking for relaxation, romance or rollicking adventure, there are plenty of resorts offering affordable accommodation. Many even have a range of options on the price scale, sometimes with a couple of basic rooms alongside more expensive private beachside cottages.

It’s also possible to save money in Fiji on those little extras that you might expect to have to pay for elsewhere. Family-friendly resorts offer complimentary or low-cost kids’ clubs to keep little ones occupied throughout the day and into the evening. Meanwhile, many resorts include equipment rental in their packages – for example kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and snorkels are often available to use free of charge. Check with your resort in advance.

Viti Levu and Nadi

Almost all visitors to Fiji start their trip at Nadi International Airport, on the western coast of the country’s largest island, Viti Levu. Approximately the same size as the Big Island of Hawai’i, the island offers Fiji’s widest array of resorts and experiences for all kinds of travelers.

And while Viti Levu offers so much, don’t rush out of Nadi. This affordable and colorful town is bursting with places to visit like the local handicraft market, colorful Hindu temple and a growing number of hip eateries. Nearby Wailoaloa Beach is a great place to take in one of Fiji’s famous sunsets, enjoy a casual dinner and even join in a game of rugby with some locals.

Denarau Island

Just a 20-minute, taxi ride south of Nadi Airport lies the man-made island of Denarau, home to many international brand resorts, an 18-hole golf course and the Port Denarau marina complex with restaurants and shops catering to all tastes and budgets. Many day-trippers on excursions from the port use the market, deli and wine shop here for provisions.

Even though Denarau is well known for its luxury resorts, not all will break the bank. The Radisson Blu and Wyndham Resort are both popular with families, while the apartment-style The Terraces and The Palms at Port Denarau are perfect bases for exploring the outer islands.

Coral Coast

The southern coast of Viti Levu is one of Fiji’s most popular places to stay; pristine, white sand beaches, gentle waves and accessible coral reefs have lured visitors –  especially families – to the Coral Coast for decades. Just a 1- to 2-hour drive from Nadi Airport, the region is also easy to reach. And it’s not just the beaches that tempt – the area is also known for tons of activities like the Sigatoka River Safari and Eco-Trax electric bike excursion.

Some of the Coral Coasts’ smaller resorts offer great value and experience for travelers. Check out the 36-room Yatule Resort on Natadola Beach, one of Fiji’s finest, or really get away at Likuri Island Resort. It’s a 10-minute boat ride off the mainland, but it feels like a world away.

The Mamanuca Islands

Just off the west coast of Viti Levu and easily reached by regular ferry service from Port Denarau, the 20 or so Mamanuca Islands are a popular destination for those looking to chill out, surf and sail.  For those staying on Viti Levu, many of islands offer day trip experiences; the music-filled journey to Tivua Island on an old sailing ship is one of the most popular.

Want to spend more time in the Mamanucas? Check in for a few nights at the affordable Treasure Island Resort and take part in their turtle conservation program, or book a group of friends into Musket Cove and Marina- a perfect spot for surfing Cloudbreak, Fiji’s most iconic surf spot.

The Yasawa Islands

Farther north than the Mamanucas, the Yasawa Islands are more remote and isolated; the 2-4 hour ferry ride from Denarau (for those who can’t afford a seaplane) has kept many tourists away. Famous for their long, white sand beaches, today the islands are dotted with small, casual beachfront resorts where relaxation is paramount.

Looking for some action in the Yasawas? Visit the moss-covered chambers of the sacred Sawa-i-Lau caves, or, between June and September, swim with the manta rays on their migration through the islands. There are plenty of budget-friendly places to stay up here: Barefoot Manta and Blue Lagoon Beach Resort offer a range of options for travelers.

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