By Katie Sehl
Destination to watch
Explore Armenia’s Wild Side
No seed to “scream inside your heart” here. Between off-roading at Yell Extreme Park and wild skating or rope jumping on a Scream of Soul outing, it’s no wonder the PATWQA International Travel Awards have named Armenia the Destination of the Year for Adventure Tourism. Feel the need to shout from the mountain slopes? Take part in one of Shanti Travel’s multiday hiking tours with summit of the four-peaked volcanic massif, Mount Aragats.
On Track
All Aboard Europe’s Rail Revival
A rail renaissance is sweeping across Europe, driven by investment in new network and the rise in sustainable travel. Last year, Rail Europe added routes in Benelux, Eastern Europe and Denmark to its 33-country network. A new route between Paris and Berlin, operated by Deutsche Bahn and SNCF, cuts travel time from 13 to eight hours. Meanwhile, with the 2025 Jubilee underway, Italo has expanded its service beyond Italy’s borders to destinations like Ljubljana and Zagreb.
Earth-friendly
Asia’s First Wildlife Adventure Park
Thirty-six species of animals. Thirty-two acres of lush forests and vast caverns. And nearly 7,000 native trees and shrubs. Opened in March, Rainforest Wild Asia is the newest addition to Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Reserve. More than 75 percent of the animals that call it home are endangered, including the Philippine spotted deer, the rarest member of the species. The fun continues with a host of family-friendly activities, such as the canopy Jump, where thrill-seekers can experience a free fall from a 66-foot-high platform.
Cruise News
A New Wave of Mega-ships
The launch of Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida, this August marks a sea change in the way we cruise: bigger and more over-the-top than ever. With six record-breaking waterslides and more than 40 dining venues, the 5,610-passenger sister to the world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, is the latest in what will become a fleet of four mega-ships by 2027, with options to add two more. And in September, Brilliant Lady will embark on its inaugural sail as the fourth supersized vessel in Virgin Voyages’ Lady fleet.
Travel Size
Don’t Sweat Your Deodorant
Thwart errant odors on the fly with Meow Tweet’s vegan, all-natural deodorant line, packaged in backyard-compostable push-pop tubes. Made with certified organic and fair-trade plant and mineral ingredients, the sensitive-skin formula means there’s no need to stop at your pits: Why not deodorize your feet and décolletage, too? With scents like cedar spruce, eucalyptus lemon and rose geranium, you’ll reach your destination smelling like a breath of fresh air.
Meow Meow Tweet Deodorant Stick, US$5.85 (0.5 oz)
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Now Open
3 New Hiking Routes
The Wadi Rum Trail, Jordan
See the dramatic sands, cliffs and canyons of Jordan’s valley from an entirely new vantage point. Developed in collaboration with local Bedouin tribes, this new 75-mile desert trail offers an exciting mix of hiking, scrambling and rock climbing.
Snowies Alpine Walk, Australia
The view alone from Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest peak, justifies this four-day, 35-mile hike. Take in snowcapped mountains in winter and wildflower meadows in summer, and keep your eyes peeled for occasional kangaroo or wombat.
The Path of Peace, Italy
Trentino’s significance to European history is felt along this revamped 308-mile mountain route, which takes trekkers from the Tonale Pass to Marmolada, passing fortress, trenches and fortifications preserved from the First World War.
On Trend
Surf’s Up
Top surfers, such as Brazilian three-time world champion Gabriel Medina, will be among the first to catch waves at the world’s largest complex pool in São Paulo. Spanning more than 290,000 square feet, the pool uses Wavegarden technology to generate more than 20 types of waves – tech that will soon be used in up to 70 new projects around the world. Across the pond, plan are underway to open London’s first wave pool, in Edmonton, with tech from Canadian engineering firm Endless Surf.
Reading List
Dive into These Beach Reads
One Golden Summer, Carley Fortune
The latest from the author of This Summer Will Be Different is set in a fictional lakeside town in Ontario, but may just inspire real-life getaways. Her last novel, set in Prince Edward Island, sparked a bump in tourism to the province’s red shores.
Atmospher E, Taylor Jenkins Reid
Billed as a love story among the stars, Jenkins Reid’s follow-up to Daisy Jones & The Six takes readers to Houston in the 1980s, where new recruits prepare for the liftoff of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program. The epic tale follows Joan, a capcom, who finds love that rocks her world.
Room on the Sea, André Aciman
By the author of Call Me by Your Name, Room on the Sea is a collection of three novellas bound by obsessional love, missed connections and regret. In one story, a chance encounter with a mysterious guest at an Amalfi Coast hotel alters everything for a group of friends.
Local Lingo
Hwyl
(n.) A two-syllable, four-letter Welsh word with infinite significance. Pronounced “hoo-eel,” hwly is used in Wales to express the pure state of euphoria that arises from being fully in the moment. “Basically, it means you feel really good,” says Maxine Hughes, resident Welsh-language expert on the TV series Welcome to Wrexham, for Visit Wales’ Feel the Hwyl campaign, celebrating 2025 as the Year of Croeso (“welcome”).
