New Year in NYC Chinatown: Culture, shopping, food
The Year of the Ox begins Jan. 26 and stores all over Chinatown are selling bright red decorations to mark the new year. But while it’s easy to pick up cheap souvenirs at shops around the neighborhood, it’s also worth spending a day seeking out the unfamiliar. You can sample new dishes, listen to a two-stringed fiddle called an erhu, or even visit a Buddhist temple. Michael Moi, spokesman... [Read more]
Passport cards proving popular in border states
Nearly 740,000 Americans have ordered passport cards, a new document being offered by the State Department to speed border crossings by U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Beginning in June 2009, travelers will be required to present documents proving both citizenship and identity when entering the U.S. through a land or sea border. For Americans who drive to Canada or Mexico... [Read more]
More snow, ice vexes travelers in northern states
Hundreds of holiday travelers spent the night in the nation’s second busiest airport and others faced delayed or canceled flights and highways choked by snow and ice as storms kept up their assault on northern states. More snow fell Wednesday in the Midwest, where the National Weather Service said up to 4 inches was possible in Chicago. The Northwest faced more snow and sleet early Wednesday,... [Read more]
Tokyo Disneyland enjoys a recession boom
Sony and Toyota are struggling. Job cuts dominate the headlines. But one brand name is thriving in Japan amid the economic slowdown — Mickey Mouse. According to the company that runs Tokyo Disneyland, Japan’s busiest theme park will be more packed than ever over Christmas and New Year’s. Despite the bad economy, it’s already been a record year for an escape that’s cheaper... [Read more]
Tourism to Goa takes beating after Mumbai attacks
Beach beds are lined up outside the snack bars dotting the sandy white coastline and dance music booms from bars and restaurants. The only thing missing from Goa’s beaches are the throngs of merrymakers who normally flock here for the hedonistic year-end parties. With the country on alert in the wake of the terror attacks in Mumbai that killed 164 people and nine accused gunmen, Goa officials... [Read more]
Wonton noodles, free shows delight in Hong Kong
Chances are that by the time you get off a plane in Hong Kong, you’ve already spent half of your trip’s budget on that flight. But even with a reputation for being one of the world’s top five most expensive cities to live, Hong Kong can be surprisingly cheap when you travel and eat as locals do. GETTING AROUND: Hong Kong is the land of public transportation, with an underground transit... [Read more]
AirAsia offers 100,000 free tickets to Thailand
Southeast Asia’s top budget carrier AirAsia said Tuesday it would offer 100,000 free tickets to Thailand under a regional marketing campaign to support its tourism industry battered by recent political unrest. AirAsia said it would collaborate with Tourism Authority of Thailand to bring back tourists and businessmen by “reinstating the core message that it is now safe to travel back to... [Read more]
2009 will be the year of the travel deal
The value of the U.S. dollar is surging, gas prices are at their lowest levels in four years, and hotel rates are softening. If you can afford a vacation, 2009 will be “the year of travel deals,” predicts Genevieve Shaw Brown, senior editor of Travelocity. “As long as the economic slowdown continues, deals will abound for people who do have discretionary income to travel.” Pauline... [Read more]
Winter brings Yellowstone wildlife close to road
We were expecting to see plenty of wildlife on a winter outing to Yellowstone National Park, but — silly us — we thought we might have to get through the entrance first. But as we drove through the gateway community of Gardiner, Mont., toward the Roosevelt Arch, the century-old ceremonial north entrance to Yellowstone, we were distracted by the action on the gridiron at Gardiner Public School.... [Read more]
Italian railway launches Rome-Milan high-speed
Just outside Milan, the countryside starts to blur as the Italian Railway’s new Red Arrow high-speed train reaches its maximum velocity of 186 miles an hour. Dario Rigamonti, a consultant traveling to Florence, moved to an empty window seat, and looked outside. “It is impressive,” he said. The speedier service shaves an hour off the lucrative Milan-Rome route, connecting Italy’s... [Read more]