The world’s best beaches, according to Lonely Planet

02.03.24

In travel news this week: Flight attendants are fed up with unruly airplane passenger behavior, the world's largest cruise ship sets sail, and Lonely Planet is coming out with a new guide to the world's most incredible beaches.

By Maureen O'Hare

🏖️ World-class beaches

Anse Source d'Argent in the Seychelles. (Art Kowalsky/Alamy Stock Photo)

Touching grass is great, but when it comes to reconnecting with nature, one of the finest ways has to be feeling the sand between your toes. Travel behemoth Lonely Planet's new guide to the world's "Best Beaches" includes blockbuster spots such as Rio de Janeiro's Ipanema and Thailand's Ao Maya, as well as private resort paradises such as Zanzibar's Mnemba Island.

Go early in the morning to enjoy the blinding volcanic splendor of Sarakiniko in Greece. At the end of the day, sunsets over the Baltic Sea are particularly delightful at Dueodde, on the Danish island of Bornholm. Cabo San Juan del Guía on Colombia's Caribbean coast is worth the two-hour hike to get there, says Lonely Planet, while the ferry ride required to Anse Source d'Argent in the Seychelles is part of the fun.

✈️ Misbehavior in the sky

Guys, some of you aren't hearing right. They're flight attendants, not fight attendants, and they are sick and tired of unruly passenger behavior.

This week's story of a passenger showing "indications of intoxication" being restrained on a JetBlue flight points to this widespread malaise. There have been customers sliding down the evacuation slide, hitting and biting flight attendants and forcing aircraft to divert from their intended destination, and it's time to change the tide.

Smart travelers are mindful of bad behavior after getting off the plane, too. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have put together this roundup of the 15 best anti-theft bags you should consider taking on your next trip.

🇯🇵 Spotlight on Japan

The Japanese yen has been falling in value against other currencies, which means that it's a good time to plan your dream vacation to the Land of the Rising Sun. And while you'll want to get Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka off your bucket list, there are some lesser-known spots that are well worth a visit, too.

San'in is Japan's least populated region but is home to some of its finest treasures. The high-speed rail system doesn't reach here, but those who make the effort will be rewarded with 5,500 square miles of organic farmland, ancient artistic cultures and historic islands with unique ecologies.

In Hiroshima prefecture, Tomonoura is a quiet coastal village where you can also escape the crowds. The Japanese know it as the filming location for Marvel's "The Wolverine," as well as the inspiration for Studio Ghibli's animated "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea."

🚢 Cruise news

The world's largest cruise ship, all 1,200 feet and 250,800 gross tons of her, set out from the Port of Miami on its maiden cruise. The buzz around the $2 billion Icon of the Seas has been huge — but not everyone is impressed.

The longest cruise in terms of duration might set sail in May, if Villa Vie Residences' three-and-a-half-year journey goes according to plan. The precedent set has not been good — Life at Sea's dream of a three-year cruise spectacularly fell apart last year.

Tensions in the Red Sea are disrupting cruise voyages, with Royal Caribbean, Carnival Corporation and MSC Cruise among those adjusting their itineraries.

And finally, nearly 140 people on a three-week leg of a Cunard Cruise Line voyage got sick with gastrointestinal illness at the end of January. The CDC reported that the cause of the outbreak isn't known.

🇭🇰 The dim sum capital of the world

Dim sum set. (Courtesy Legacy House)

This is our essential guide to Hong Kong's best dim sum: where to find it and how to eat it, from classic no-frills joints to Michelin-starred adventures.

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