What's New in Travel
"What's New in Travel" is where we address some of the latest noteworthy issues facing travelers this year. We've also gathered some new happenings in the travel industry, like the introduction or trends in travel, new destinations, activities, new ships and new travel opportunities.
Check back often as we continue to expand this page and add new information!
South Africa's breathtaking wine region thrives!
The Western Cape region in South Africa harbors picturesque landscapes and pleasant climes -- the perfect location for wine production. Wine connoisseurs can visit towns such as Stellenbosch to hear heartwarming stories of the passion that winemakers display in perfecting their craft before taking in the views with a glass of exquisite wine in hand.
New Year Celebrations in Laos!
Tourists -- join in the countrywide water fights and frenzied merriment with which Laotians greet the Lao New Year! Held in April, Visitors can find the best street parties and parades in Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which offers a mix of traditional and European architecture. More somber rituals offer a glimpse of the sacred Buddhist roots of the celebrations.
"The Year of the Maya" highlights ruins in Mexico
The Global Heritage Fund is touting 2012 as the perfect time to visit the numerous Mayan sacred sites throughout Mexico and Central America, in celebration of the end of the 13th Maya Calendar. Travelers can visit Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico, a UNESCO World Heritage site that offers intriguing temples and pyramids amid a lush jungle, or the ancient settlement of Chichen Itza in the Yucatan Peninsula, with monuments and structures that display a mix of the Toltec and Mayan styles of architecture. For the finale, visitors can witness the start of the winter solstice on top of La Danta pyramid at El Mirador in Guatemala.
Tourists find history, culture outside Copenhagen, Denmark
Magnificent castles and a variety of museums entice travelers to venture out of Denmark's capital of Copenhagen and out into the glorious countryside. Visitors can take a tour around the Museum of National History in Frederiksborg Castle, which is itself a striking piece of historic architecture. The town of Roskilde, once the royal capital of the Danish empire, houses a 12th-century cathedral and the Viking Ship Museum, which features five restored Viking ships.
Pyrenees Mountains combines skiing, Spanish coziness
Ski enthusiasts can discover a unique skiing experience in the Spanish Pyrenees Mountains, where quality slopes merge with the laid-back Spanish way of life. The perfect white powder and trimmed pines in this largely unknown skiing destination will surprise many travelers. The food, though, will easily remind them of the Spanish penchant for delicious comfort food and a homey atmosphere.
Chilean Patagonia offers adventures in a variety of landscapes
A multitude of experiences await travelers to Chilean Patagonia, where dramatic weather changes allow visitors to experience all four seasons in a single day. Hiking, glacier viewing and mountain climbing provide thrilling moments amid landscapes that can change in mere moments, offering different, stunning views of the same area.
Johannesburg, South Africa, reinvents itself as an arts haven
Over the years, determined members of the arts community in Johannesburg, South Africa, have transformed abandoned office buildings in the downtown area from slums into a thriving arts scene. The area now draws art lovers with its galleries of modern and traditional art, while a bustling bar and restaurant scene has sprouted up to cater to a thriving nightlife.