The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added the United States' northern neighbor to its list of places it urges Americans to avoid traveling.

The agency upgraded Canada along with Curaçao to its list of Level-4 destinations. That designation is assigned to countries it urges Americans to avoid traveling due to the number of COVID-19 infections.

The CDC also moved Armenia, Bahrain, Belarus, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Zambia and Zimbabwe to Level 3 status indicating high levels of COVID-19. El Salvador, Fiji, Kuwait, Liberia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Democratic Republic of Congo and Togo moved to Level-2 indicating moderate levels of COVID-19.

The list of destinations the CDC asks Americans to avoid continues to grow as the spread of the new Omicron variant, alongside a surge of Delta-driven infections, triggers new obstacles to overseas travel.

The current advisories aim to inform US residents about risks associated with traveling overseas, so people can make better-informed decisions about travel and enjoy relatively safe trips. If you plan to travel soon, here's what you need to know about the latest travel guidelines.

Read more: What you need to know about finding and paying for healthcare abroad

What is a travel advisory?

The ongoing risks associated with COVID-19, particularly as new variants emerge, present challenges and uncertainties for travel. To make the experience a little less confusing, the Department of State has aligned its security travel advisories with the CDC's science-based Travel Health Notices to warn travelers about dangers and COVID-19 threats overseas.

Level 4 travel advisory

Level 4 is the highest alert. Countries that register more than 500 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 28 days per 100,000 population are designated to the CDC's Level-4 list. Under CDC guidelines, people are asked to "avoid travel" to Level 4 destinations—but if they must travel, they should be fully vaccinated.

The Department of State takes this information into account, also looking at factors such as political instability, natural disasters and the threat of terrorism or violent crime. "[Level 4] is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks," the Department explains. In the context of COVID-19, Americans are urged to avoid travel to these places due to increased infection rates and COVID-19 variants such as the Omicron.

What countries are at Level 4?

Many popular European destinations have been designated Level 4 recently as the region battles another wave of COVID-19, prompting lockdowns in Austria and Slovakia, and the cancellation of Christmas markets in winter-friendly travel spots like Germany. Some Caribbean destinations are also sitting at the highest alert, such as Barbados and Belize where cases are rising. South Africa and neighboring countries are also here, just days after South Africa alerted the world to the emergence of the Omicron strain.

Other destinations at Level 4 include Bonaire, Botswana, Croatia, Chad,  the Czech Republic, Denmark, eSwatini, France, Finland, Gibraltar, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Lebanon, Malawi, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, the UK and more.

Level 3 advisory

The CDC advises unvaccinated Americans to avoid nonessential travel to Level 3 destinations, where risks associated with COVID-19 remain high. Some popular destinations designated Level 3 include Australia, the Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Peru, South Korea, and Thailand.

Read more: International tourists can now travel to Canada - here's what to expect

Level 2 advisory

Level 2 places are considered "COVID-19 moderate" destinations by the CDC. When traveling to these places people are asked to "practice enhanced precautions". The CDC also urges unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 to avoid nonessential travel to Level 2 destinations. Some countries currently at Level 2 include Argentina, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Fiji, Jamaica, Rwanda, and Zambia,

Level 1 advisory

Level 1 destinations are considered "low-risk" countries. People traveling to these places are asked to "exercise normal precautions" by the Department of State. Given the scale of the pandemic, not many countries are considered low-risk. Some countries at Level 1 include India, Kenya, Paraguay, the Philippines, Djibouti, Senegal, and the British Virgin Islands which recently revised its entry requirement s to make it easier for fully vaccinated travelers to visit the islands.

Should I cancel my trip to a Level 4 country?

The answer is up to you. Travel advisories are guidelines, not rules. You are still permitted to travel to these places, but if you choose to go to a country the government is advising you to avoid, you do so at your own risk. In some extreme cases—that is, countries where there is civil unrest, widespread violence and political instability—the Department warns that some consular services may not be available to you and advises travelers to "always have a contingency plan for emergency situations".

Read more: What do I do if my flight gets cancelled⁠—and can I get a refund?

If I do travel, do I need to quarantine?

It depends on your destination. These travel advisories and travel health notices are set out by the US government and the CDC, not the governments of the individual countries. For example, Ireland is at Level 4 but the Irish government is permitting Americans to travel there.

Will my travel insurance cover me in a Level 4 country?

It depends on your plan and provider. We asked several travel insurance experts for information on the impact travel advisories have on your insurance; find out how your health insurance covers getting COVID-19 while traveling abroad, and how to choose travel insurance that covers COVID-19.

How often do these advisories change?

The Department of State confirms it reviews and updates travel advisories "as needed, based on security and safety information."

Anyone considering heading abroad should read the entire travel advisory for their destination at Travel.State.gov; in addition to the destination's border restrictions and entry requirements—and stay up-to-date on local public health guidelines.

For more information on COVID-19 and travel, check out Lonely Planet's Health Hub.

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US Travel Advisories: Americans urged "do not travel" to Canada

Whether winding through the overgrown foliage towards a quiet hamlet of the Bulang people – or climbing up through the tea plantations of the Hani – travelers interested in the intersection of culture and landscapes have long been drawn to this border region where China, Laos, and Myanmar (Burma) meet. Only in recent years has it truly hit mainstream consciousness.

Why go to Xishuangbanna now?

A boom in domestic tourism and infrastructure investment by the Chinese government has seen massive growth in Xishuangbanna (that's 'Banna for short) over the past decade, and with it increased connectivity to adventure experiences. While multi-day jungle treks are still very much possible (if a little harder to find than before), for many visitors the main outdoor draws are now easily-managed day trip experiences. Explore the vast rainforests of the region by daylight but return to a fancy new hotel or resort complex at night. For the moment both types of travel exist side-by-side, offering a plethora of options for nature lovers who make the trip out.

Best time to visit Xishuangbanna

The period from November to April in this tropical region is best for outdoor activities with lower temperatures and less rainfall. The September to October shoulder season can be pleasant if not perfect and with lower crowds in popular tourist destinations, but do try to avoid the intense heat and heavy rains from May to August.

Organizing a guided trek

Most local tour agencies can arrange treks of some variety, though you'll want to make your expectations clear in terms of both daily distance and acceptable ruggedness, especially for those that rarely deal with foreign tourists. Both the Mekong Cafe and the Forest Cafe in Jinghong can arrange treks and guides, while the Meimei Cafe doesn't offer booking services but has priceless old binders packed with information on where to go and how to get there.

Visit Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in Menglun

China's largest botanical gardens mix exquisitely manicured pathways and wild tropical jungle in an easy day trip from Jinghong. Most visitors stick to the front section of the arboretum and with over 12,000 varieties of plants, set in distinct thematic zones, there's plenty to explore. But nature lovers with a sense of the offbeat will want to head to the back wilder section of the preserve. Here you'll find 250 hectares of true jungle with just a handful of pathways and signs to break the illusion of deep-forest immersion.

Stand eye-to-eye with monkeys in Sanchahe Nature Reserve

Sanchahe Nature Reserve offers an attractive jungle experience without having to work for it – a cable car whisks visitors from one end of the park to the other and elevated walking bridges on the return give visitors a decent chance of seeing wild birds and monkeys flying through the branches. The managed elephant experiences here are a turnoff for many visitors, but it's possible to visit the reserve while avoiding this section of the park.

Trek from Bulangshan to Menghun

This two-day trek that most independent visitors can navigate without trouble travels through bamboo forests and light jungle cover to explore less-remote areas between Menghai and Menghun. Overnighting in the Bulang village of Laomawo, it also gives hikers a chance to stay with a local family and see rural life firsthand. Meimei Cafe's website includes detailed directions on navigating this trek independently, or it (and most other local agencies) can arrange guides for you.

Swim in cascading Mandian Waterfalls

An easy, one-day outing from Jinghong, the series of cascading falls collectively known as the Mandian Waterfalls make an excellent trip both for the dense jungle hiking trail and the refreshing swim beneath a booming 20m (65.6ft) waterfall at the lowest and tallest of the fall's cascades. It's a sweaty bike-and-hike combo to get out from Jinghong or a quick van transfer and 2.5km (1.6-mile) hike up, but well worth it to experience raw nature so close to the capital's tourism bustle.

Zip over a jungle river

Adventure seekers looking for a bit of speed can zipline across a small ravine in the Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park. After the short but thrilling ride, head into Hani and Aini cultural villages next door or walk up to the Nine Dragon Falls to admire a little more of the area's natural splendor.

Head underground into Fairyland Cave at Mengyuan

Unusual in this region of Yunnan, the 1.4km (.9-mile) Fairyland Cave at Mengyuan leads visitors underground to a fantastical show of stalactites and stalagmites in bright neon hues that long-time China travelers will no doubt be familiar with. After visiting the cave itself, the surrounding jungle territory also warrants another hour or two of exploration.

Explore the Xishuangbanna jungle canopy

Unique in Xishuangbanna, the Sky Tree Scenic Area's aerial walkway takes travelers to the top of the rainforest on a 2.5km (1.6-mile) walk through the canopy 36m (118ft) above the forest floor. High among the jungle's giants, the call of birds and interplay of light and wind and water dripping from the foliage above gives an indelible perspective on an otherwise familiar habitat. Height-averse visitors can also explore land-based walks and river cruises on the same territory.

Walk to the Hani village of Aini

Among the most popular of easy day hikes near Jinghong, the half-day trip to Aini village is an accessible way to explore Pu'er tea plantations and experience local Hani culture within public transport distance via a connection in Menghai. Forest Cafe also runs an extended version of this that continues through banana plantations and rice paddies to a small Bulang village then through another tea-growing area back to public transport and Jinghong.

Meditate beneath the One Tree Forest

Dedication to meditation beneath a towering banyan tree has real religious significance in Buddhism, a callback to the Buddha himself, and Daluo village's towering banyan remains popular among visitors thanks to the association. A stunning natural beauty, with nearly 40 aerial root systems reaching back down towards the earth, a single glance makes it clear why this one massive tree could itself be considered a whole forest.

Hike from Mengsong to Yako and Bulangshan

This once-popular three-day trek still has some appeal, but many of the region's former favorite hikes are now increasingly encroached upon by development. From the eleven Akha cultural villages of Mengsong and Guangming, a trail through the Banna jungle winds to the village of Yako and the opportunity to spend a night in the home of a local family – eating local dishes and interacting directly with Akha hosts. Continuing on to Bulangshan, however, a very different trekking experience unfolds – occasional swathes of clear-cut forest and regular crossings of newly-constructed roads show the march of progress deeper and deeper into Xishuangbanna's jungles. Meimei Cafe's website includes detailed directions on navigating this trek independently, or it can arrange guides as can other local agencies.

Xishuangbanna is on our 2022 Best of Travel list. For more stories from some of the world’s most exciting destinations click here.

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. Lonely Planet recommends that travelers always check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before traveling during Covid-19.

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China's Xishuangbanna: 10 best outdoor adventure experiences

Mount Everest is the pinnacle of adventure tourism. For the Sherpa people of Khumbu, it is also both a livelihood and the source of unspeakable hardship.

Sitting on a wooden bench overlooking Namche Bazaar, a remote mountain town in northeastern Nepal, I watched a caravan of mules carrying cooking gas cylinders make its way toward the main road.

It was late afternoon, and the cloudless mid-November sky revealed the towering peaks of Kongde Ri, which flanks the town from the west, and Thameserkhu, from the east, in all their glory.

Namche is the biggest town in the Khumbu region, home to Everest. Ever since the mountain was first summited by Tenzing Norgay, a native of Khumbu, and Sir Edmund Hillary, of New Zealand, in 1953, Everest has single-handedly turned the region into a tourism powerhouse. Khumbu is also home to Nepal’s largest population of Sherpas, an ethnic group with roots in Eastern Tibet.

Since that first Everest ascent, hundreds of ethnic Sherpa from the region have gone on to work as porters, cooks and guides on mountaineering expeditions. The integral role Sherpas have played in Nepal’s mountaineering and trekking industry has made the term ‘sherpa’ synonymous with expedition staff, even though not all ‘sherpas’ are ethnic Sherpa.

I wanted to travel to the region from my home in Kathmandu to shine some light on Sherpa stories, which are so often overshadowed by those of foreign mountaineers and bucket list vacationers.

A town for mountaineers

The most popular way to reach Namche is by boarding a small propeller plane and flying into Lukla’s Tenzing Hillary Airport (elevation 2860m) from Kathmandu. Often called the world’s most dangerous airport, the airport has a runway measuring just 527 meters. Just south of the runway is a steep 600-meter drop into the valley below, and to the north are steep mountains, leaving pilots with no room for error. Since there are no motorable roads in the area, to get around you need to be ready to walk. The 19-km trekking trail from Lukla to Namche meanders up and down precipitous pine- and rhododendron-forested hills and past sleepy Sherpa villages.

For a town where everything from bathroom tiles to rice needs to be flown in from Kathmandu and then carried on the backs of porters and animals, Namche is surprisingly well-appointed. The narrow alleys of the town are lined with cafes that serve cappuccinos and freshly baked pastries. Restaurants feature burgers, biryani, pizzas and poutine. There are banks and clinics. Stores sell both knock-off North Face jackets and genuine ones, which cost twice the monthly salary of an average Nepali.

“Once the goods land at the Lukla airport, we have to manage porters and mules to get the goods up here,” said Pasang Tsering Sherpa, owner of Sherpa Barista, a cafe that serves delicious blueberry apple pie and chocolate mud cake. “It’s not easy running a business here in Namche, but compared to what my father did for a living, I have it much easier.”

Like many of his generation, Pasang’s father once worked as a porter for mountaineering and trekking outfitters. “Back then, people had few options but to work as porters to earn some money,” he said, “But it is that hard-earned money that helped lay the foundation of the bustling Namche that you see today.”

While expedition tourism had once been the town’s lifeblood, the younger generation has found other pursuits within the industry – hospitality, for example – to be a more lucrative path. Plus, it's a lot safer.

Deeper into the mountains

After two days in Namche, I trekked west to the village of Thameteng. The trail began with a short, but steep climb and the tall rhododendron trees quickly gave way to shorter juniper shrubs. I was nearing the end of the treeline.

I was heading to Thameteng in the hopes of meeting Ang Ngimi Sherpa (in Nepal it is common to keep the name of one’s ethnic group as a surname). Mountaineering has historically provided people from the Khumbu region with much-needed employment, but not without a price. In more than a hundred years of Everest expeditions, a total of 312 people have died on Everest: 99 of those – or one-third of the total deaths – were Sherpas. In April 2014, Ang Ngimi’s husband was one of the sixteen Sherpas killed when an avalanche swept across Mount Everest’s notorious Khumbu Icefall. At the time of his death, the father of four had already worked as a climbing guide for six years.

I arrived in the village of Thame (3800m), where I’d be spending the night. Set on a broad flat valley, the village is situated at the base of the Kongde Ri (6187m) and Tengkangpoche (6550m) mountains. From Thame, the village of Thameteng is just a 20-minute hike.

When I reached the top of the hill separating the villages of Thame and Thameteng, a man who introduced himself as Kami Rita Sherpa gave us directions to Ang Ngimi’s house. Kami, 40, told us that he started working as a porter when he was only 16 and that he summited Everest for the thirteenth time in April 2021. When the spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) climbing seasons end, many like Kami return from the mountains to their villages and help their families in the fields and tend to yaks.

When I reached Ang Ngimi’s house, I found the door locked. My heart sank. Many I had met in her village had told us that she might have already left for another village up in the mountains to graze her yaks.

But then I heard the footsteps of someone running down the steep juniper-covered hill that rose behind the house. It was Ang Ngimi. She was wearing a dark grey chupa, a traditional dress worn by many ethnic groups native to Nepal’s mountainous regions.

She said she didn’t have time to talk – that she had heard her son was sick at school in Namche. “There’s no cellular network in this village so I need to go somewhere else to make a call,” she said. “If he is very sick, I am going to leave for Namche right away.” "Isn't it too late to head to Namche now?" I asked, noting that it was a 4-hour trek away. But she had already disappeared farther down the hill.

When I finally caught hold of Ang Ngimi, she was standing outside one of the many lodges in the region built to offer meals and basic rooms to trekking groups. She had come to use their telephone, the only one in the village. When she saw me coming, she wiped her tears and smiled. Her son only had a mild fever – she could wait until the morning to make her way to Namche.

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Meeting the widows of Everest

Over cups of sweet milk tea in the lodge’s brightly lit dining hall, Ang Ngimi told me how she had single-handedly raised her four children, now aged 20, 18, 16 and 14.

“I never really liked the fact that my husband worked as a climber,” she said. “Every time he left to join mountaineering expeditions, I would be so distressed and worried about his safety that I would have trouble sleeping at night.”

She said that after the death of her husband, she received one million rupees (about US$8370), as insurance compensation. Alpine Ascents, the company that hired her husband, has sponsored her children’s education as well. After the calamitous 2014 spring Everest climbing season, which resulted in the death of 16 climbing guides, the government raised the mandatory minimum insurance cover for sherpas on Everest to Rs 1.5 million from Rs 1 million.

Even with the help, the sudden loss of her family’s income meant that Ang Ngimi had to take whatever small opportunities came her way to make money in these remote, desolate mountains.

“I grow and sell potatoes, go up in the mountains to cut grass, which I sell to families that raise livestock, and take care of my yaks. During the climbing season, I also drive my yak train and transport cargo to Everest Base Camp,” said Ang Ngimi. “It is challenging but when has life never been challenging in these mountains?”

I began the trek from Thame to Thamo late in the morning and arrived late in the afternoon. I settled down for lunch at Mt Everest Camp 2 lodge, an establishment run by 70-year-old Ang Riku Sherpa. Ang Riku's husband was also on Everest in 2014 when the fatal avalanche struck. His body was never found.

The fateful 2014 Everest expedition was supposed to be Ang Riku’s husband’s last expedition, after which he planned to retire and run the lodge with his wife.

Ang Riku now runs the lodge alone, doing everything from cooking to cleaning. Depending on the season, the small garden outside her house provides her with carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, radishes or pumpkins. For our lunch, she picked spinach and carrots from her garden and made a vegetable curry.

“My husband and I were supposed to run this place together, and now I am doing it alone. It does get very lonely at times,” she said as she began to cry. “It’s easier when there are tourists at the lodge. But in the last two years, with very few tourists coming into the region, I have had much more free time. I miss him more these days. But life’s got to go on until it stops, right?”

At Tashi Dele Restaurant and Lodge, across the road from Ang Riku’s lodge, I met Lhamo Choeki Sherpa. Her husband went missing after being struck by an avalanche near the summit of Baruntse (7162m) in 2010. With 19 Everest summits, he was an acclaimed climber, and his death shocked Khumbu’s tight-knit mountaineering community. He left behind two sons, who are now 24 and 22.

Lhamo, a calm and soft-spoken woman, insisted that we first drink something before we got talking. She also requested that I not ask her about the details of her husband’s death. It was clear that the grief was still deep.

She told me that when her husband was alive, they lived in Kathmandu, where her kids went to school. Today she gets by with the lodge and by selling potatoes in the off-season. One of her sons sends money back from the United States, where he moved with a scholarship in 2018.

Before I left, I asked Lhamo what she thinks generally about mountaineering as a profession.

“I understand people have compulsions that lead them to work in the mountains, but the profession puts families through a lot of mental and emotional anguish, and in worst-case scenarios, unbearable grief,” she said.

The Nepali mountaineer reclaiming the Himalaya

From grief to triumph

But then there is Nima Doma Sherpa, a native of the village of Khumjung, one of the largest villages in the Khumbu region. I met Nima in Kathmandu before making my trip to the Khumbu region. Her husband also died on an expedition up Everest in 2014.

“His death broke me completely,” she said. “Several Nepali and foreign journalists interviewed me, and I told them I would never look at the mountains again.”

Two years after his death, Nima moved to Kathmandu to be closer to her children who went to schools in the city. In 2017, unable to find professional opportunities away from the mountains, she started working as a trekking guide.

“While working as a trekking guide, I started thinking about my late husband’s dream to summit Everest,” she said. “He died before he could fulfill that dream, and I thought that the best way to honor his memory was by summiting Everest and so I began preparing for it."

After months of training – both physical and psychological – in May 2019, Nima and another widow of a mountaineer reached the top of the world's highest mountain.

On my final morning in Namche, I woke up early and walked around the town for one last time. Most shops were still closed. Half-asleep workers were busy getting their restaurants ready to welcome tourists coming for breakfast. In one of the narrow alleys, I watched an elderly woman stoop and burn juniper leaves, a daily Sherpa ritual.

On my return trek to Lukla, I met a group of teenage Sherpa boys returning home from school. I asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up. One said he wanted to be a doctor; the other said a teacher. One said he wanted to go to New York; the fourth one giggled and said he wanted to become a pilot. Not a single one of them said they wanted to be a mountaineering guide.

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Nepal is on our 2022 Best of Travel list. For more stories from some of the world’s most exciting destinations click here .

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. Lonely Planet recommends that travelers always check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before traveling during Covid-19 .

Tragedy and resilience among the Sherpa people of the Himalaya 

Mérida is one of Mexico’s finest colonial cities.

Steeped in some 400 years of history – with architecture and leafy plazas to match – the city is the cultural hub of the Yucatán Peninsula. Mérida is home to the region’s best museums and restaurants, bustling markets and a vibrant nightlife. Every day of the week, visitors and locals enjoy free events – from regional dance and spoken word performances to live concerts and light and sound shows. And the bustling capital makes a good base for exploring some of the region’s most iconic sights, too – think Maya ruins, hidden cenotes and even pink flamingos.

Here are the best things to do in and around Mérida.

Walk (or bike) the streets on a Sunday

If you can swing it, plan on spending a Sunday here. For the weekly Domingo en Mérida event, downtown streets close to vehicles and avenues fill with pedestrians, folk art vendors, street performers and food carts selling steaming elote (corn on the cob), marquesitas (stuffed crepes) and other mouthwatering antojitos (treats). The sounds of live dance and music performances, and the applause and laughter of audiences, fill the plazas throughout the day. Come early to join locals on the Bici-Ruta, a 3-mile (5km) bike route through the historic center – bike rentals are cheap and easily found on the main plaza.

Take a city tour with an expert

A great way to learn about the complex history of Mérida – one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the Americas – is to join a tour. The city tourist office runs free 1.5-hour walking tours that depart daily from the Palacio Municipal; guides focus on key colonial-era buildings and plazas in the historic center. Keep an eye out for the carved stones integrated into many buildings, remnants of the Maya temples and palaces that once stood here.

Soak up the Plaza Grande’s charm

Plaza Grande is the heart of Mérida and one of Mexico’s most charming plazas, lined with towering laurel trees and iron benches, with views of the city’s historic buildings all around. All over the square, S-shaped “ tú y yo ” chairs are favored by women in colorful huipiles and teens texting with friends, while children in too-big sneakers run past. On weekends and evenings, food carts and artisan stands fill the plaza. Time your visit to watch the folk-dance performance called vaquerías, complete with live music, poetry and dancers spinning in traditional dress.

Admire Yucatecan art

Take in some of the region’s most gifted painters and sculptors at Museo Macay, Mérida’s modern art museum. Housed in the ornate 16th-century Palacio Arzobispal, the museum has an impressive collection of works by such well-known artists as Fernando Castro Pacheco and Fernando García Ponce. For folk art, head to the Museo de Arte Popular de Yucatán, a renovated casona (mansion) showcasing magnificent textiles, ceramics and woodwork created by master artisans near and far.

Hit up a cantina

Sip on an artisanal mezcal or throw back a local beer at one of Mérida’s old-school cantinas, today transformed into atmospheric hotspots with fading Talavera tile floors, crumbling stone walls and breezy courtyards. Live music fills the air most nights, and each round brings bigger and better botanas (appetizers). Popular locales include La Negrita, Pipiripau Bar and La Fundación Mezcalería.

Get serenaded by street musicians

Once a stagecoach stop, the pretty Parque Santa Lucía is surrounded by arcades that today are home to some of the finest restaurants in Mérida, their tables spilling out onto the leafy plaza. On Thursday evenings, treat yourself to a gourmet Yucatecan meal and a creative cocktail while Serenatas Yucatecas, a city-sponsored concert of trova (troubadour-type folk music) is presented on an outdoor stage. The event has been presented since 1965 and draws hundreds each week, so be sure to come early for a good table.

Learn about the ancient Maya

Located in the heart of the Maya world, Mérida unsurprisingly is home to outstanding archaeological museums – must-sees for anyone with even a passing interest in the region’s history. The Gran Museo del Mundo Maya is the heavy-hitter – a world-class museum with multi-media exhibits on the ancient and modern-day Maya plus over 1,100 well-preserved artifacts, including ornately painted ceramic pieces, ceremonial items and intricate sculptures. Don’t let its tree-like shape bemuse you: the building was designed to look like a ceiba, a tree sacred to the Maya. On weekend evenings, a Maya-themed light-and-sound show is projected onto the exterior walls for passersby to enjoy.

Explore Maya ruins

Just 50 miles (80km) south of Mérida lies the Ruta Puuc, a driving itinerary connecting five unique Maya ruins: Labná, Xlapak, Sayil, Kabah and Uxmal. Comprising a popular (if fast-paced!) day trip, the sites can be accessed by accessed by rental car, bus or organized tour; staying overnight in the village of Santa Elena allows you to linger and explore a bit more of each. Every one of these ancient sites is notable for unique Puuc-style architecture and scale – though the crown jewel is Uxmal, one of the great Maya cities, complete with towering temples and astonishing facades carved with animal-form deities. In the evening, a light-and-sound show is projected onto Uxmal’s most prominent structures.

Watch a flaming ball game

There aren’t many places in the world you can watch pok ta pok, the Maya ball game. Every Wednesday evening in front of Mérida’s Catedral de San Ildefonso, the city hosts a re-enactment of the ancient sport – sans human sacrifice. Players are barefoot and decked out in body paint and loin cloths, using only their hips to launch a solid rubber ball – weighing as much as 9lbs – through an elevated stone hoop. If that weren’t enough, the ball is lit on fire as the crowd cheers at each pass. It’s a spectacle, yes, but one well-worth seeing. Players often linger afterwards for photos with fans.

Dance under the stars

On Tuesday evenings, follow the sounds of big-band music to Parque Santiago, just west of the historic center. You’ll find yourself at Rembranzas Musicales, a free outdoor dance party, when the park fills with locals twirling to the Cuban-inspired sounds of danzón and salsa. When the musicians take a break, grab a seat at one of the park-side restaurants, mostly simple eateries specializing in local favorites like panuchos (stuffed fried tortillas), salbutes (deep fried tortillas with loads of toppings) and aguas frescas (fruit-based drinks).

Cool off in a cenote (or three)

Set aside a full morning to visit the Cenotes de Cuzumá, arguably the most striking of the many cenotes in the Mérida region. A series of three limestone sinkholes, the cenotes are freshwater pools found deep underground, complete with stalactites hanging from the stone roofs and rope-like tree roots reaching toward the cool, impossibly clear waters. At mid-day, ethereal shafts of light only add to the drama. Arriving at the site, located on an old henequen plantation, visitors are carried by horse-drawn trukes (rail carts) to the cenote entrances – a fun, tooth-jarring ride through overgrown fields. Be sure to wear your swimsuit and take care descending the ladders, which can often be slippery.

Float among flamingos

Even if you’re not into birding, the sight of thousands of pink flamingos eating, strutting and curling their long necks will amaze you. Reserva de la Biósfera Ría Celestún, 60 miles (96km) west of Mérida, is home to one of the world’s largest colonies of American flamingos – the largest and pinkest of the flamingo species. While boat tours are offered year-round, flamingo numbers spike to over 35,000 from November to March, when mating season is in full gear. If you’re on a budget, it’s easy to arrange a boat share with fellow visitors.

Wander through the market

For a slice of local life, wander Mérida’s main market – Mercado Municipal Lucas de Gálvez – a mammoth, warehouse-like building bursting with colors and aromas; neat piles of tropical fruits and buckets of flowers; hanging animal parts; and stalls filled with religious icons. For cheap eats, head to the second floor, where traditional comidas corridas (two-course lunches, served with a drink) are served at mom-and-pop eateries.

Buy folk art

As the region’s largest city, Mérida is a hub for the finest of Yucatecan crafts, from linen guayaberas and colorful hammocks to handcrafted jewelry and jars of artisanal honey. For those who like to browse, upscale boutiques and sidewalk markets dot almost every block in the historic center. For one-stop shopping, head to the state-run Casa de las Artesanías, a brick-and-mortar shop showcasing the work of some of the best local artisans; prices are fixed and fair.

Stroll along Mérida’s most elegant boulevard

The grande dame of Mérida’s avenues, Paseo de Montejo is a wide, tree-lined boulevard designed to emulate Paris’s Champs-Élysées. The stretch is dotted with 19th-century mansions that showcase the strong architectural and social influence of Europe on the city (and the spectacular wealth of Mérida’s former henequen barons). Today, many of these homes have been repurposed as fine restaurants, boutique hotels, high-end shops and even museums. Join Meridanos for a late-afternoon stroll along the avenue – stopping into the Casa Museo Montes Molina or Palacio Cantón and finishing up with a meal at Ku’uk – and feel what upper-class life might have been like during Mérida’s most refined era.

Lie out on the beach

If you’re aching for a beach fix, do like locals do and head straight to Progreso, a quick 21-mile (33km) bus ride north. There, you’ll find a laid-back beach town with a wide expanse of soft, tawny sand dotted with palapa shade next to an undulating malecón (boardwalk). Calm days bring emerald waters and sweet ocean breezes; in the winter nortes (strong northerly winds) cloud the water but bring visions of kiteboarders flipping and flying in the distance. For a party-like feel, come on a summer weekend, when the beachfront restaurants and bars are bustling with sun- (and party-)seeking Meridianos.

Merida is on our 2022 Best of Travel list. For more stories from some of the world’s most exciting destinations click here .

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. Lonely Planet recommends that travelers always check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before traveling during Covid-19.

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Markets, Maya monuments and more Mérida must-dos 

Writer Brian Ashcraft travels to Kagawa Prefecture with an empty stomach and a singular mission: Eat noodles.

It's almost 7am and I’ve already been driving for two hours. The morning sun glows hot over the water as my Volvo races across the Onaruto Bridge, a pearl-colored crossing suspended over a narrow strait. In a few hours, the tourist boats will arrive, bringing people to view the Naruto whirlpools that swirl below. The kids are asleep in the backseat and my wife snoozes on the passenger side. I have one thing on my mind: noodles.

Scotland might have the malt whisky trail and Kentucky a bourbon one, but I, a whisky writer, am not heading to Kagawa in search of something to drink. I’m here to stuff as much Sanuki udon in my stomach as humanly possible.

Located on the island of Shikoku in Japan's Island Sea, Kagawa, or “Sanuki” as it was once known, is the smallest of the country's 47 prefectures. It’s also one of Japan’s most beautiful spots, filled with traditional villages and overflowing with excellent sake. I live a few hours away in Osaka, where I've called home since 2001, so this pilgrimage is within easy driving distance – and long overdue.

Welcome to Udon-ken

These days Kagawa is sometimes called “Udon-ken” or “Udon Prefecture,” because it is a place that’s synonymous with wheat flour noodles. Although Kagawa didn't invent udon, one theory suggests that a forerunner arrived there from China in the 8th century. The earliest depiction of udon restaurants in Kagawa date to a folding screen from the early 1700s. In it, a shirtless man with a topknot is seen kneading flour, while in a thatched-roofed shop up the street, a man with a knife slices the white dough into noodles. This is not the only place in Japan where the udon noodles are made or eaten, but Kagawa makes more udon than anywhere else in the country.

In 2009, Japan's agriculture ministry announced that the tiny prefecture used 59,643 tons of wheat flour for udon, which was double the second-place Saitama Prefecture. Kagawa, with its wheat fields and salt mines, has historically had what it needed to make the best noodles possible. Although the vast majority of wheat flour is now imported from Australia to save some yen and meet demand, the technique and know-how are forever Kagawa’s.

I spent the night before my road trip poring over recommendations on Japanese websites, but it's not like finding a place to eat Sanuki udon is difficult. You cannot walk down the streets of any town in Kagawa without stumbling upon a noodle shop. They’re easy to spot: Just look for the restaurants with “udon” written in Japanese (うどん) or, easier still, the places with long lines out front. There are an estimated 600 to 800 udon restaurants in Japan’s smallest prefecture, which, at 725 sq miles, could easily fit in Rhode Island. This means that there are more udon restaurants than convenience stores in Kagawa, an impressive feat in konbini -crazy Japan. For the connoisseurs, the reputations of certain establishments have become legendary.

Udon: It’s what’s for breakfast

Since this is an all-day affair and many shops don’t open until 10 or 11, we make a beeline to our first stop, Udon Baka Ichidai, down an inconspicuous side street in the city of Takamatsu. It opens at 6am and is only closed on New Year's Day. You'd think that would satiate the demand, but when we show up a bit after 8, there's already a line out front. Inside, the walls are covered with celebrity autographs. The faithful patiently wait for their morning bowl.

dai (large), chuu (medium) and sho (small) © Said Karlsson / 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="d3ff1b10-094d-4329-af89-b943591994d2" data-langcode="en" title="Three bowls of udon in different sizes: dai (large), chuu (medium), and sho (small)">

When devoting an entire day to udon, you must know how to order. Some shops are self-serve, while others serve you. If you’re planning on hitting multiple restaurants, be aware of available sizes. Sho is small, or one helping of noodles, while chuu, or “middle,” is two helping of noodles, and dai is three. Some restaurants might do one and a half helpings for chuu, or might not even have sho on offer. Generally, if you're planning to sample a variety of  Sanuki udon, pace yourself by going with the smallest size. The good news? Udon is cheap! One little bowl might cost as little as a dollar, with a piece of tempura thrown in for another buck.

Crack! I watch my youngest son open a raw egg into a small bowl. He beats the egg with his chopsticks and then pours it over the noodles, sprinkling green onions on top. Not bad for an 8-year-old. He slurps down some noodles, looking up only to smile. Sanuki udon is served in a handful of ways. This style is kamatama udon, with kama short for kamaage or "just from the boiling pot" and tama short for tamago or "egg." This style is so popular in Kagawa that Takamatsu’s professional soccer team is called Kamatamare Sanuki and features a bowl of noodles on its crest.

Other popular styles include kake udon, which is noodles in a soup broth, and bukkake udon, which is served with less broth or splashed with soy sauce. In Kagawa, the helpings of chopped green onions are generous, and the tempura sides are almost compulsory. Once we finish our morning snack, we’re out the door in search of the next spot.

Will travel for noodles

I could eat udon all day. I am eating udon all day. But udon wasn’t always my first choice for noodles. I spent a good deal of my twenties hunched over bowls of ramen, but as the years have gone by, udon's savory broth and silky noodles have won me over. The dashi soup is subtle and savory, and the noodles are big and chewy. Made from wheat flour, salt and water, udon is a deceptively complex dish. Changes in the temperature and humidity can impact how firm and chewy the noodles are, for example, which is why Kagawa’s most discerning udon shops will adjust their ratios accordingly. Over repeated bowls, there are nuances to be discovered.

After stopping by Udon Sakaeda, just a few minutes away from Udon Baka Ichidai, we're back in the car and heading to the third stop of the morning, Sanuki Udon Gamou, where another long line has formed. According to the Japanese food blog Tabelog, Gamou is the most popular Sanuki udon restaurant in the country, and the line snaking up the street is proof of that. I'm handed a bowl, and a delicate umami aroma from the broth tickles my nose as I start slurping. Gamou's udon is a perfect balance of chewy noodles, crunchy green onions,and savory soup. This is worth the wait.

While slurping my noodles, I hear customers talking in dialects ranging from Kyushu to Hokkaido, a testament to how popular Sanuki udon has become across the country. It wasn’t always like this. The rest of Japan didn't really go gaga for Sanuki udon until the 1980s and early 1990s, when the dish was featured in magazines and on Japanese TV. This started an udon-fueled tourist boom which continues to this day. Even though they can get it elsewhere, people travel from all over Japan to eat the prefecture's thick, always al dente noodles. Kagawa, and Shikoku in a larger sense, excel at serving Japan what it wants, whether that’s untouched natural beauty, traditional Japanese culture, some of the best sake in the country or, yes, just really tasty noodles.

Looking through the restaurant’s window, I see a taxi pull up. It looks like any other Japanese cab, white-gloved driver and all. But atop the Toyota is a bowl with the word “Udon” spelled out in plastic noodles. Two young women hop out and get in line.

Sanuki udon isn’t only a tourist draw; it’s now a brand. Marugame Seimen, founded in 2000, has spread across the country, serving up delicious udon at reasonable prices. It's gone global, with outposts in London, Moscow and Texas. While it takes its name from Marugame City here in Kagawa, the chain is actually headquartered in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. There are only two Marugame Seimen restaurants in all of Kagawa, even as the name of the town doubles as a brand further afield. Marugame is good. But sitting here on an old metal stool in rural Shikoku, bowl of udon in hand, is much better. "Are you ready to go to the next place?" my wife asks. I check my watch. It's not yet 11. Oh, yes. You bet I am.

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Shikoku is on our 2022 Best of Travel list. For more stories from some of the world’s most exciting destinations click here .

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. Lonely Planet recommends that travelers always check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before traveling during Covid-19 .

Following the Udon Trail on the Japanese island of Shikoku

Shikoku’s Kagawa Prefecture, formerly known as Sanuki, may be the smallest of all of Japan’s 47 prefectures, but for those into exploring off the standard tourist route, Shikoku offers plenty of intrigue.

Island hop in the Inland Sea, hike up a Fuji look-alike with locals, search for your doppelgänger among 500 temple statues or try one of Japan’s legendary noodle dishes – Sanuki udon.

Enjoy the burgeoning arts scene

Fuelling interest in the creative movement is renowned “art island” in the Inland Sea, Naoshima. While Yayoi Kusama ’s Yellow Pumpkin has become a symbol of Naoshima, her massive Red Pumpkin at the port invites exploration from the inside.

Formerly rural and remote, with a shrinking population, Naoshima has morphed into a world-class center for contemporary art. Even Japan’s most lauded architects have contributed to the change with museums, a boutique hotel and even a bathhouse.

All have been designed to enhance and complement the island’s natural beauty and existing settlements. Even the population is blossoming thanks to a number of Japanese leaving the big cities and resettling in the area to open cafes and inns.

The artistic magnetism of Naoshima is rubbing off on nearby islands, and for the 2022 Setouchi Triennale festival, a total of 12 islands and two mainland ports are involved in an "arts extravaganza" running through spring, summer and autumn, that will include visual arts, music, drama and dance.

On the Kagawa mainland, a can’t-miss museum is the Takamatsu City Museum of Art, located in the city’s main shopping district in the formerly austere Bank of Japan building. The Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum, east of Takamatsu city, was where the American-Japanese sculptor based himself for many years. The garden is a testament to the hope Noguchi had for art lovers.

Why Kagawa is the perfect prefecture for sustainable travelers

Peek into the Japan of yesteryear

Takamatsu city’s Ritsurin-kōen, renowned as one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens, was constructed in the mid-1600s as a walking garden for the enjoyment of the daimyō (regional lord). Stroll the park trails which wind around a series of ponds, bridges and islands. Drop into the Sanuki Folkcraft Museum or sip matcha (green tea) at teahouses scattered around the gardens.

East of the city, in Yashima, is the “village museum” of Shikoku-mura. There, traditional houses and buildings were relocated from all over Shikoku and neighboring islands to re-create a village from a bygone era. The fine kabuki stage came from Shōdoshima, famed for its traditional farmers' kabuki performances, is among the top attractions.

Marugame Castle is one of only 12 castles in Japan to have its original wooden donjon intact. The castle dates from 1597 and is known for its exquisite stone walls, moat and 1000 cherry trees that explode with blossoms every spring. It’s an easy ride by bicycle from Marugame Station.

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Take part in the 88 Sacred Temples Pilgrimage

In centuries past, most visitors to Shikoku were pilgrims trying to attain enlightenment on the 88 Sacred Temples of Shikoku Pilgrimage. The 1400km (870-mile) pilgrimage circuit has been walked for 1200 years. The last 22 of the 88 temples are in Kagawa.

The great saint of Shingon Buddhism, Kōbō Daishi, who established the pilgrimage and attained enlightenment on Shikoku, was born at Zentsū-ji, Temple 75. Trust in Buddha as you venture into the basement of the Mie-dō and traverse a lengthy passageway in pitch darkness. By moving carefully along with your hand pressed to the passageway's wall, painted with mandalas, angels and lotus flowers, you're said to be safely following Buddha's way.

Mountain-top Temple 66, Unpen-ji, “the temple in the clouds,” features 500 mesmerizing and life-like Rakan statues and is reached by its own aerial ropeway. It’s said that everyone has a doppelgänger among the 500 and looking for yours is a delight.

Temple 85, Yakuri-ji, accessed by a retro cable car that’s bound to keep kids (both young and old) happy, sits under the high cliffs of Goken-zan, east of Takamatsu.

The last of the 88 temples, Ōkubo-ji, is in the mountains in the southeast of Kagawa. But if pilgrims want to do things properly and truly complete the circle of Shikoku, they will have to return to Temple 1 in Tokushima Prefecture, for a circle is like the search for enlightenment, never-ending.

Shikoku’s most-celebrated Shinto shrine is Konpira-san, formally known as Kotohira-gū and dedicated to the guardian of mariners. If you tell a Japanese person you’ve been to Kagawa, they’ll ask if you climbed Konpira-san, famous for its exhausting 785-step climb up to the main shrine and 1368 steps to the inner shrine.

Sample tasty Sanuki cuisine

Mention Kagawa Prefecture to any fan of Japanese cuisine and they'll likely mention the udon noodles first.

This is udon-ken (udon prefecture) and various versions of the thick, wheat-flour noodles can be found on almost every corner.

Hone-tsuki-dori is a grilled or baked chicken-on-the-bone dish, said to have originated in Marugame and is popular prefecture-wide. Try it at Ikkaku, open since 1952, a short walk from Marugame Station.

Kagawa's coastline between Shikoku and Honshu is known as the “fish tank” because it produces a variety of fresh seafood year-round. Hamachi, Japanese amberjack or yellowtail, is much-loved and often eaten on rice as hamachi-don, a Takamatsu favorite.

Takamatsu’s lively central arcades and entertainment district are packed with eating and drinking establishments – try hearty Ofukuro (translates roughly to “Mom’s home cooking”) on Tokiwa Shinmachi shopping street for local delights. Take a look at the daily specials behind the main counter and choose what looks good.

Shōdo-shima, one of many Inland Sea islands in the prefecture, is known throughout Japan for its production of soy sauce and olives. Popular olive-influenced dishes abound, especially “olive pork” and “olive beef” from stock raised on an olive-enriched feed mix.

Walk Shikoku's northern coast

On the northern coast of Shikoku and separated from the rest of the island by a line of mountains, Kagawa features some fascinating landscapes. North of the mountains are plains dotted with countless tame-ike (water-collection ponds), essential for agricultural production in centuries past.

The northern coast is surprisingly mountainous. Goshikidai, west of Takamatsu city, is an extensive lava plateau known for its picturesque scenery. The 292m-high (958ft) table-top plateau of Yashima, impossible to miss to the city’s east, was the site of a decisive battle in the Genpei Wars (1180–1185) between the Taira and Minamoto clans.

Kagawa even has its own version of Mt Fuji, 422m (1385ft) Iino-yama, known as Sanuki-Fuji for its resemblance to Japan’s highest mountain. It’s a 2- to 3-hour return hike to the top and you’ll share the trail with locals getting their daily exercise, chatting buddies and even dog-walkers.

Prefectural boundaries stretch out into the Inland Sea between Shikoku and Honshu, all part of Setonaikai National Park, Japan’s first national park designated in 1934. Kagawa’s islands, including Naoshima, Teshima and Shōdo-shima, are all in the park.

While Naoshima is firmly on visitor itineraries as “art island,” those wishing to enjoy less-visited isles will enjoy the art installations on Teshima and mountainous Shōdo-shima’s olive groves and Kanka-kei Gorge, another spot for a great day walk.

Shikoku is on our 2022 Best of Travel list. For more stories from some of the world’s most exciting destinations click here .

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. Lonely Planet recommends that travelers always check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before traveling during Covid-19 .

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Lonely Planet has produced this article for Kagawa Prefecture Tourism Association. All editorial views are those of Lonely Planet alone and reflect our policy of editorial independence and impartiality.

5 reasons to visit Japan's Shikoku’s Kagawa prefecture

Hornstrandir is one of Europe’s last wildernesses: a breathtakingly beautiful, hard-to-reach nature reserve of soaring mountains and precipitous cliffs.

Perched on the furthest tip of Iceland’s far-flung Westfjords, it has limited accommodation and transport links, a very short season and challenging terrain. If you plan properly it’s perfectly possible to experience the exhilarating beauty of this pristine wilderness. Here's how to plan a visit.

Tucked into Iceland’s northwest corner, the 589-sq-km Hornstrandir Nature Reserve (227-sq-mi) has an end-of-the-world feel. Waterfalls thunder down mountains, the midnight sun kisses the ocean, cliffs plummet to the sea and the mighty Drangajökull glacier overlooks the scene.

Hornstrandir occupies a jagged, fjord-scored peninsula and access is largely by fleets of ferries running from the Westfjords’ biggest town, Ísafjörður, some 30km (18.6 miles) south.

The nature reserve is one of Iceland’s most important strongholds of the protected Arctic fox and is also home to a wealth of seals, whales, puffins, sea eagles, black guillemots and Arctic terns.

Hornstrandir’s mountainous interior is edged by a string of campgrounds, huts and hostels, often at ferry drop-off points. Hiking trails snake between accommodation and ferry sites, opening up memorable multi-day hikes.

The reserve is all but uninhabited. Designated a nature reserve in 1975, its last few farmers moved out in 1952 – a handful of their descendants return in the summers to their restored homes. Today, Hornstrandir is managed by the Environment Agency of Iceland, which has produced this handy map.

When to visit Hornstrandir

The season on Hornstrandir is short. Ferries only run between June and August. The actual visitor season is shorter still – between late June and mid-August when the handful of hostels and huts are open. Many of Hornstrandir’s regular visitors say the best time to visit is an even narrower window, arguing only July gives the best of the notoriously fickle weather.

Where to hike

Hornstrandir is a hiker's paradise. The most popular route is the Royal Horn (or Hornsleið) a four- to five-day hike which crisscrosses the peninsula from Veiðileysufjörður in the south via Hornvík in the north and back to Hesteyri in the south. It takes in the sheer Hornbjarg bird cliffs, mountain passes, an abandoned village and glacier fjords.

Alternatively, some use the Old Doctor’s House, a cafe-turned-guesthouse in Hesteyri, as a base for day hikes. Others venture to even more remote ferry drop-off points and strike out from there.

The Environment Agency of Iceland has an online hiking map.

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Guided tours of Hornstrandir

The harsh terrain prompts many to join guided treks. In fact, if you don’t have extensive mountain experience and top-notch gear, it’s the wisest and most enjoyable choice.

Firms include West Tours, Borea and Wild Westfjords – all with bases in Ísafjörður. They offer Hornstrandir hikes of varying lengths ranging from a half-day tour around the abandoned village of Hesteyri to 6-16km day hikes (3.7-9.9 miles) and six-day backpacking expeditions.

Other options include single- or multi-day kayaking tours, Arctic fox photography trips and wildlife watching tours.

They’re hugely popular experiences – book early to be sure of a space.

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Where to stay

You’ll need to love camping to enjoy Hornstrandir – the 16 campgrounds are bare-bone affairs. You have to stick to designated locations; wild or backwoods camping isn’t allowed. The Environment Agency map shows campgrounds.

Hornstrandir has a handful of hostels offering “sleeping bag accommodation” – basically a bed in a private room or dorm without bed linen; you bring your own sleeping bag and towels. But as you’re carrying a lot of camping kit, that shouldn’t be a problem.

The most useful hostels are:

Old Doctor’s House – Hornstrandir’s famous guesthouse-cafe is set in the abandoned village of Hesteyri on the southwest coast – its pancakes are legendary.
Hornbjargsviti – Right beside a lighthouse, bunk bed accommodation and campsite on Hornstrandir’s northeast shore.
Reykjarfjörður – Just outside Hornstrandir’s far southeast edge. Basic sleeping bag accommodation, campsite and two houses sleeping three to five people. Plus – blissfully – a geothermal pool and hot tub.

What gear and skills do you need to visit Hornstrandir?

Hornstrandir is a hazardous outdoor environment. If you’re striking out on your own, be aware there are no services, no phone signal and even in summer, you’re likely to encounter snow, fog and raging rivers.

Some of the trails are partly marked with cairns, others are routes on a map rather than clearly-defined paths on the ground – a detailed map, a compass and GPS are essential.

If you’re planning your own trek, you’ll also need to carry all gear, including clothes, tents and stoves, as well as food and rubbish. Campfires are banned. Good-quality waterproof clothes and boots and a robust tent are also a must. The Environment Agency lists useful tips and the reserve’s rules.

Wardens warn that people routinely underestimate the challenges and dangers posed by Hornstrandir. Going on a guided trip ensures you’ll be safe enough to enjoy all that extraordinary scenery.

How to get to Hornstrandir

Iceland has a strong record of allowing travel by fully-vaccinated visitors, but you’ll need to check the latest COVID-19 rules and travel advice.

The Westfjords are some 450km (279.6 miles) north of the capital Reykjavik – a 5-6 hour drive. Reykjavik has plentiful car hire options, including some at the country’s main entry point, Keflavík International Airport.

Icelandair operates a 40-minute flight from Reykjavík Domestic Airport (50km/31 miles from Keflavík) to Ísafjörður.

Ísafjörður has good accommodation options, although as elsewhere in Iceland in the summer, reserve rooms well in advance.

The mountainous landscape means there are no roads into Hornstrandir. Between June and August ferries, run by West Tours and Borea, shuttle from the main town of Ísafjörður and nearby Bolungarvík to a ring of drop-off points in Hornstrandir.

Strandferdir also operates boats between June and mid-August from Norðurfjörður on the Strandir coast to the eastern side of Hornstrandir.

Ferries don’t run every day to each pick-up point, some operate only once or twice a week. You also need to book your return ferry in advance, so if you don’t arrive, they know to send out rescue teams.

Drop-offs, routes, accommodation and collection all need to be planned thoroughly. Or join an organized trip and let the guides handle the complex logistics.

Where to go for more information

Hornstrandastofa Iceland’s Environment Agency has a new Hornstrandir Visitor Centre in downtown Ísafjörður. Between September and May it’s open Monday to Friday from 1pm to 3pm. Between June and August it’s open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 4pm.

The agency’s useful Hornstrandir information webpage is full of essential info to help you get the most out of your trip.

The region’s tourist office has an office in Ísafjörður and can also advise over the phone.

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The Westfjords are on our 2022 Best of Travel list. For more stories from some of the world’s most exciting destinations click here .

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. Lonely Planet recommends that travelers always check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before traveling during Covid-19 .

The ultimate guide to Hornstrandir, Europe's last wilderness

Auckland is the gateway to New Zealand for most travelers, and there's a huge amount to see and do in the country’s largest city. But, like the rest of New Zealand, it definitely isn’t the easiest place to travel on a budget. Accommodation, in particular, can be expensive and eating out for every meal is sure to cut into your trip budget.

However, there are many affordable and even free attractions in Auckland and with a little local know-how, it’s definitely possible to see the city without breaking the bank. Here are a few tips for traveling in Auckland on a budget.

Visit in February or March for lower prices

Auckland is definitely a summer city and the peak season for tourism runs from mid-December to the end of January. This coincides with the summer school holidays in New Zealand and it’s a particularly expensive time to travel around the country. Schools usually go back in late January or early February, so visit after the holidays for cheaper accommodation and transport.

Late February and March are lovely months to visit the city – the weather is warm and not as humid as the peak summer months, and accommodation costs are a bit cheaper. There are also many free events to enjoy at this time of year, including free music performances and outdoor movie screenings at Auckland’s beautiful parks and beaches.

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Seek out accommodation with a kitchen

Eating out for every meal in Auckland is a surefire way to burn through your budget, so try to eat in for at least some meals during your stay. The best way to do this is to stay in accommodation with a kitchen – either a hostel with a shared kitchen or an Airbnb rental or serviced apartment.

Groceries and cooking ingredients are much more affordable than restaurant prices, so pop to the local supermarket and prepare some of your meals at home. If you prefer to stay in a hotel, try to find one with breakfast included in the rate. Often the prices are not much more than room-only rates, and the cost of buying breakfast every morning in Auckland (even just coffee and a muffin) can quickly add up.

Head to Dominion Rd or Sandringham for delicious, cheap eats

Some of Auckland’s best food is also some of the most affordable. Running southwest of the center towards Mt Eden, Dominion Road is Auckland’s version of Chinatown, and it’s the best place to sample delicious and authentic Chinese food for a very reasonable price. You’ll find food from many different regions of China represented on Dominion Road; the eateries are usually simple, but the quality of dishes speaks for itself.

Regardless of where you’re staying in Auckland, you can usually find good Asian food somewhere close by, and usually for a reasonable price. For excellent Indian food, head to the district of Sandringham, not far from Dominion Road.

The popular food markets that circulate through various suburbs in the city are also good places to get food at a more affordable price. The roving Auckland Night Market, held in different locations on different days of the week, is a good place to start.

Get lunch near the university

If you’re staying in the city, eat lunch where the students do. There several cafes and other small eateries in High St, Chancery Square and Lorne St in the city center that serve good lunch deals at bargain prices. Think dumplings, noodles or tacos, all easy to take away and eat in a nearby park – nearby Albert Park is a good option. There are also several Asian restaurants in these areas that serve authentic Asian food at pocket-friendly prices.

Enjoy Auckland’s natural features for free

Many of Auckland’s best and most popular attractions are free. The city has a beautiful coastal location and you can find amazing views simply by walking up any hill (or dormant volcano). Grab a picnic from a local grocery or deli and enjoy the best of what the city has to offer – the outdoors on a sunny, summer day.

For some of Auckland's best views, head to the impressive crater at Mt Eden for just the price of a bus ride from the center. If the weather's warm, take a picnic to Cornwall Park atop One Tree Hill, or spend an afternoon relaxing at the beach – there are plenty to choose from around Auckland and all are easily accessible from the city center.

Get a HOP card for a discount on public transport

If you’re spending a couple of days in Auckland, you can save a lot by using public transport to get around the city. Just buy an Auckland Transport HOP card when you arrive in the city – they're available from many shops or from Auckland Transport customer services centers dotted around the city. HOP cards cost NZ$10 (US$6.75) and you can then add credit as needed, gaining a 20% (or greater) discount on standard bus, train and ferry fares in Auckland, excluding the SkyBus from the airport and the ferry to Waiheke Island.

HOP cards are prepaid and you can transfer between Auckland Transport buses, trains and ferries and pay just one fare across the zones you’re traveling through. You can also buy a day pass for NZ$18 (US$12) to travel as much as you like on trains, buses and ferries in the city.

Take the red bus around the city center

If you'll be spending most of your time in the city center during the day, then taking the red CityLink bus is a great way to go. The bus service follows a circuit through the inner city between 8am and midnight and the fare is just NZ$1 (US$0.67), but you can travel for free if you transfer from another bus or train using a HOP card. It's a good option when you want a break from walking, but the routes aren’t always the most direct and you’ll still need to pay to travel further from the city center.

Explore Auckland on foot

There are some stunning walks in Auckland, so don't feel obliged to go everywhere by public transport. The city has a number of rewarding walkways reserved for pedestrians, offering a pleasantly traffic-free way to get around the city. How far you walk is up to you; if you’re up for a challenge, try the Coast-to-Coast walkway which takes you from Auckland city, through Auckland Domain and Cornwall Park, to Manukau Harbour.

For a pretty and accessible option starting in the center, just walk along the harbor. You can go west past Silo Park along Westhaven to the foot of the Harbour Bridge (and onto Ponsonby for lunch if the fancy takes you). Alternatively, go east and walk along Tamaki Drive to popular Mission Bay – a good place to have fish and chips (another cheap eat). If you don't want to repeat the walk in reverse, just take a bus or Uber back to the city.

Cruise the harbor for less with the Maritime Museum

The New Zealand Maritime Museum in downtown Auckland offers what is probably the cheapest harbor cruise in the city. Just NZ$53 (US$36) gets you a cruise around Auckland Harbour in a historical boat, as well as entry to the museum. You'll pay much more for a cruise with a boat operator at the harbor. Getting out on the water is a wonderful way to see Auckland from a different perspective, and the bobbing boats all around you will give you an inkling as to why Auckland is often called the City of Sails.

Visit Auckland Museum on ANZAC Day

If you find yourself in Auckland in April, head to Auckland Museum on ANZAC Day (25 April). On this important memorial day for the Kiwi and Australian troops who died in service in World War I, entry to the museum is free, and there's a beautiful dawn ceremony outside the museum in Auckland Domain park at sunrise, with smaller ceremonies taking place elsewhere in the city.

Daily budget

Hostel room: NZ$20 (US$13.50) for a bed in a dorm, NZ$70 (US$47) for a private room,
Basic room for two: NZ$150–250 (US$101–169)
Self-catering apartment (including Airbnb): NZ$150–200 (US$101–135)
Public transport ticket: NZ$18 (US$12) for a day pass, NZ$10 (US$6.75) for a HOP card
Coffee: NZ$4.50 (US$3)
Sandwich: NZ$12 (US$8)
Dinner for two: NZ$80 (US$54)
Beer/pint at the bar: NZ$11 (US$7.50)

Auckland is on our 2022 Best of Travel list. For more stories from some of the world’s most exciting destinations click here .

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. Lonely Planet recommends that travelers always check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before traveling during Covid-19.

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For centuries, Puerto Ricans have been marching to the beat of their own drum. From busy markets to schoolyards, restaurants, colmados (grocery stores), funerals and bass-bumping cars passing by – there isn’t a moment in Puerto Rico that isn’t punctuated by a musical melange.

Homegrown genres like reggaeton and salsa dominate the radio airwaves and attract thousands of revelers to improvised dance floors and outdoor bars night after night, while traditional genres like bomba and plena offer a gateway into the idiosyncrasies and history that define the Puerto Rican experience.

Salsa is in the blood

Though the origins of the name salsa have been disputed among academics and fans since the sound came into popularity, the music’s roots go as far back as the 1930s and 1940s in Cuba, with the development of one of its premier cultural exports – the son montuno (mountain sound). When US diplomatic relations with Cuba were still open, son montuno migrated to New York City along with the movement of other Spanish Caribbean peoples, including Puerto Ricans, Dominicans and Cubans.

Salsa exploded in the US in the late 1960s and throughout the 70s in the Caribbean medley that was New York City. Bands formed mainly of Latinos like Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, Johnny Pacheco, Machito and Héctor Lavoe became popular household names thanks largely to the creation of the Fania record company.

The salsa sound

Salsa has always maintained its Cuban roots when it comes to instrumentation – ever-present are the bongos, congas and timbales – but Puerto Rican musicians added more traditional elements, such as the infusion of bomba and plena, danza (a traditional ballroom genre derived from Spanish influence), and música jíbara, a type of folk music that originated in Puerto Rico's mountainous region.

In its essence, Puerto Rican salsa is a representation of the Puerto Rico-NYC emigration pipeline, with artists like Lavoe, Bobby Valentín and the Lebrón Brothers bringing their style to the island.

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But home-grown musicians helped develop Puerto Rican salsa as well. Rafael Cortijo y Su Combo rose to prominence in the 1950s with their experimental infusion of guaracha, another fast-paced genre that developed in Cuba, and songs about social issues like racism and poverty. You can hear this in a song like “Mataron al Negro Bembón”.

While there was a sonic evolution of salsa from the 50s to the 90s, the genre, at least in Puerto Rico, has stagnated a bit and remained mostly in its last incarnation, salsa romantica – a sound punctuated by slower melodies and lyrics about love gone wrong.

However, salsa dura – a sound that originated in NYC that emphasizes instrumentation like the piano, horns, bass and percussion – can be heard from loudspeakers in colmados all around the island, and in bars like El Boricua in Río Piedras, La Factoria in Old San Juan and the spots Mijani and Taberna Los Vázques in the Placita de Santurce, which was founded more than 100 years ago as an outdoor market.

Best places to hear salsa

Your best bet to find live orchestras and bands playing salsa is to visit hotel lobbies in San Juan, like the Embassy Suites Hotel & Casino and the renovated Fairmont San Juan Hotel which has an amazing musical history and keeps its original 1960s-style lobby and a live cabaret. As is custom for locals on a night out on the town, be ready with formal wear and dancing shoes when going to these hotels.

For a more casual hang, head over to Taberna Los Vázques in the Placita de Santurce, an open-air market that also serves food, and usually has salsa from Friday to Sunday.

Inside La Factoría in Old San Juan you can dance salsa at their secret bar, Shing-a-Ling, which hosts La 51 salsa band on Sundays and Mondays. El Boricua in Río Piedras also has a ton of salsa in their jukebox, along with a dancefloor, where you can find sweaty partners passionately dancing the night away any day of the week.

Feeling more adventurous? Check out some of the new salsa orchestras like Orquesta El Macabeo and Pirulo y La Tribu, or plan your trip around the Día Nacional de la Zalsa an event hosted yearly by the premiere salsa station on the island, Z93.

Keeping the bomba tradition alive

According to Folkways Recordings – a branch of the Smithsonian Museum, bomba dates back to the early Spanish colonial period on the island. It's music born out of the transatlantic slave trade and formed out of the distinct musical traditions enslaved Africans brought with them to Puerto Rico in the 17th century.

The music is communal, with drummers playing the subidor or primo (barrel drums) and the singer playing the cuá (smaller drum played with wooden sticks) and the maracas. The circle formation the drummers play in is called the batey or soberao.

Highly-skilled dancers dressed in a traditional, heavy white cotton skirt or, if it’s a man, a guayabera shirt and slacks, are usually invited to the middle of the circle to make the piquete – footwork that directs the drummer’s beat.

Much like in the 17th century, bomba lyrics today are highly political. To the enslaved, bomba music was a source of political and spiritual expression.

The lyrics convey a sense of anger and sadness about what the enslaved people endured. The songs themselves “served as a catalyst for rebellions and uprisings,” Folkways writes. Today, bomba is both an indictment of sociopolitical conditions and a celebration of life on the island.

Where to go to see bomba

Bomba can be heard almost anywhere there’s nightlife, but live drummers and dancers can be experienced weekly at La Terraza de Bonanza in Santurce, El Boricua in Río Piedras and La Vergüenza in Old San Juan on Sundays. All of the venues feature outdoor spaces. Locals tend to spill onto the street for fresh air or for more room to dance.

The vibe is pretty rowdy and noisy, and people tend to go to these places after work, so you’ll get a variety of dress codes. Opt for casual with comfortable shoes and breathable clothes – it's likely to get very hot.

Those looking for bomba dance lessons can always visit the legendary Don Rafael Cepeda School of Bomba and Plena and El Batey de los Hermanos Ayala.

To get a fuller appreciation of bomba, head to the town of Loíza Aldea for Las Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol, an annual celebration held at the end of July that celebrates the rich bomba and Afro-Puerto Rican culture.  Hear from two of the great bomba families (the Cepedas and the Ayalas) who are responsible for keeping the tradition alive and educating younger Puerto Ricans in the art.

Plena: El Periódico Cantao’

Plena is a uniquely Puerto Rican genre developed from the sounds of bomba in the early 20th century. It features one rhythmic current played with three panderos (an instrument similar to the tambourine but without the metallic cymbals): the requinto, seguidor and punteador, all instruments autochthonous to Puerto Rico, and not to be confused with Spanish string instruments. Like bomba, it's heavily percussion-based.

European instrumentation like Spanish guitars and accordions have been added from time to time, but these are mostly experimentations, and you’d be hard-pressed to find pleneros currently using them.

The major hubs for plena are Ponce, Mayagüez and the barrio of Santurce in San Juan.

Best places to go to hear plena

While you can listen to plena in most of the same places in bars like El Boricua, La Vergüenza Puerto Rican Chinchorro and La Terraza de Bonanza, one of the biggest gatherings of pleneros takes place yearly at the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián.

There, pleneros from all over the island get together on the street corners of Old San Juan and teach each other the traditional coros (choirs) of their regions and share history.

Since plena lyrics are mostly kept through oral tradition, these gatherings keep the genre alive and help new generations of musicians learn the styles from all over the island while preserving the music for future generations.

Reggaeton's global impact

Reggaeton is a genre born out of the island's streets in the early 1990s. Its lyrics encapsulate the young, urban and Afro-Puerto Rican experience, social justice, sexuality and a fight for legitimacy in the cultural canon.

Its origins are rooted in the Jamaican migration to Panama and the Panamanian reggae en Español fusion. Panamanian artist El General is known as the father of the genre.

When the sound reached Puerto Rico, musicians and DJs quickly departed from reggae en Español, which was just Jamaican reggae songs translated into Spanish, and created something of their own.

Reggaeton incorporates Jamaica's dancehall "riddim" (or instrumental track) with the heavy percussion beat present in all Puerto Rican music with fresh lyrics laid on top.

Daddy Yankee, DJ Nelson, DJ Negro, Ivy Queen, La Sista, and the supergroup The Noise spearheaded reggaeton in the underground scene on the island and, eventually, exported it throughout the US and Latin America.

The mid-90s saw reggaeton, along with its performers and fans, become vilified by the Puerto Rican government. Police raided underground parties, clubs, record stores and concert venues, citing concerns about morality, obscene language, drug and weapons trafficking and explicit sexuality.

The raids, part of a police operation called Mano Dura Contra el Crímen, served to turn public opinion against the genre and demonize its artists and fans. While the stigma continues to this day, specifically among older generations, reggaeton’s crossover into the global market has made the music ubiquitous on the island, and one of Puerto Rico’s most famous cultural exports.

Where you can hear Reggaeton

You don’t have to go far to hear to reggaeton – you’ll likely be greeted by a passing car blasting the style from its sound system, in neighboring houses and in the beloved chinchorros (small snack shack) all around the island.

For a club vibe, head over to Piso Viejo in Calle Loíza or Aguardiente in Santurce. You can also listen to new, LGBTIQ+ reggaeton and trap artists like Villano Antillano in queer-friendly clubs.

Pop hits in Puerto Rico

Without a doubt, reggaeton is one of the country's most popular and exported genres, but pop music has also created waves globally.

The pop explosion on the island began during the mid-1960s and 70s, with cultural critic Alfred D. Herger introducing audiences to the newest sounds and top hits from the world’s music charts on his TV shows Teenager’s Matinee and Canta la Juventud.

Both shows started the careers of pop icons like Lucecita Benítez and Chucho Avellanet and opened the floodgates for the development of big pop artists during the 80s like Menudo, Chayanne and Ednita Nazario.

Best places to hear pop

Artists like Ricky Martin, Bad Bunny, JLo, Kany García, Pedro Capó and Marc Anthony are responsible for Puerto Rican pop's mass appeal. And today, you can hear their music and other top hits in nightclubs and bars like Brava, La Respuesta and El Local.

Brava is a nightclub at the Fairmont San Juan Hotel, and it’s usually high-end, so dress to impress as you party until dawn. Places like Brava usually have dress codes, so they might not allow tennis shoes or super casual street clothes.

El Local and La Respuesta are super chill about dress codes and are low-key hangouts, so go as you are and be ready to have some fine Medallas, a beloved local beer.

Rock and punk presence on the island

It might be surprising to some, but Puerto Rico also has a big rock and punk scene that's been thriving since the 90s with mid-size venues opening up and booking local and independent acts.

One of the most famous bands to come out of the scene is Dávila 666, with their gritty, urban brand of garage rock. Other bands you’ll likely hear about from any underground rock fan in San Juan are Campo-Formio, Alegría Rampante, Avandra, Moths, Sr. Langosta, Fullminator and Neysa Blay.

There isn’t a unified sound that identifies the rock scene. Just between the bands mentioned above, you'll find hardcore punk, pop-rock, metal, prog rock and jazz-rock fusion.

Best places to hear rock

San Juan venues like La Respuesta and Club 77 have become renowned for hosting some of these bands and for fostering the independent rock scene. Recently, both venues have been embroiled in sexual harassment accusations and claims of unsafe environments. Both venues have addressed and denied the claims. You can read La Respuesta’s statement here.

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Puerto Rico is on our 2022 Best of Travel list. For more stories from some of the world’s most exciting destinations click here .

Safety recommendations and restrictions during a pandemic can change rapidly. Lonely Planet recommends that travelers always check with local authorities for up-to-date guidance before traveling during Covid-19 .

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