tourist destination in aparri

Top Things to Do in Aparri, Philippines

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1. Fuga Island

2. Aparri Park

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Aparri Travel Guide

Experience aparri.

Aparri Welcome Arch

Magapit Suspension Bridge

Ballesteros People's Park

Aparri Marker

Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary - Centro 1, Aparri, Cagayan (Archdiocese of Tuguegarao)

Aparri Public Park

Castle in the Sky

Old Church Ruins of San Jacinto de Polonia

Iglesia Ni Cristo - Lokal ng Aparri - Cagayan East

What to Eat

Chelsea's Diner

Cheese and Stalk Pizza Restaurant

Obin's Burger Zone

Hangout Cafe

Juval's Grill and Restaurant

Gano iTouch Philippines Incorporated

Andok's - Camalaniugan

Ballesteros Resort

The North by C at Al Manor

D' YARD

McDonald's Aparri

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Nestled in a river delta and facing the coast of Babuyan Channel, Aparri is the gateway to the Northern Philippines. International trade took place in the town in the 14th century with our Chinese and Japanese neighbors. Aparri is also famous for its aramang, surfing spots, rich culture, and amiable people. If you crave a different experience, then Aparri is a must-see!

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THE BEST Things to Do in Aparri

Things to do in aparri.

• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Fuga Island

2. Aparri Park

Top Things to Do in Aparri, Philippines - Aparri Attractions

Things to do in aparri.

• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Fuga Island

2. Aparri Park

Top Things to Do in Aparri

Things to do in aparri.

• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Fuga Island

2. Aparri Park

• Southeast Asia
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• North Luzon
• Cagayan Valley and East Coast

Aparri Travel Guide

The municipality of Aparri sits at the mouth of River Cagayan in the province of the same name on the Philippine island of Luzon . The town itself has nothing particular to offer tourists but can be used as a jumping-off point for trips into the relatively unexplored surroundings.

Known as a haven for trekkers, spelunkers and gamefishers, the Cagayan Valley region provides numerous outdoor activities, with ecotourism in the fore. Local and foreign tourists alike continue to discover its 300 or so caves, above all the overwhelming Callao Cave that comprises seven chambers, with a natural cathedral placed in the first chamber which was converted into a chapel by the locals.

The province’s unspoiled forests and mighty mountains are well suited for trekking, mountain climbing and camping, while its clean rivers and seas are ideal for diverse water sports activities such as fishing, boating, kayaking and white river rafting. Aparri is famous for a fluvial parade on the Cagayan River’s lower basin conducted every May and attended by over 100 fishing boats.

Getting There & Away

It takes about 45 minutes to fly from Manila to Tuguegarao City, which is 55kms from Aparri. Air-conditioned buses ply the 485kms from Manila to Tuguegarao on a regular basis.

Things to Do

Aparri attractions.

A nice area to stroll to get a feel for the pulse of aparri.

Side trips from Aparri

This ecotourism region is where you will find endless outdoor activities and the overwhelming callao cave.

Takes place each may in the lower basin of the cagayan, with more than 100 fishing boats attending.

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Top Things to Do in Aparri, Philippines

Things to do in aparri.

• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Fuga Island

2. Aparri Park

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Aparri Delta

Aparri delta is an impressive expanse of land in aparri, where the cagayan river meets the west philippine sea..

Delta is an impressive expanse of land in Aparri, where the Cagayan River meets the West Philippine Sea. Walk into the jetty at the juncture of the river and the sea to find the awesome mouth of the vast Cagayan River. Stand, be blown away, and experience the beauty and power of the Delta.

What can you see?

•    To your left, you can see the Cagayan River. •    To your right, you can see the sea with waves crashing against the break water. •    The children play with the waves, in the surf, and on the shore. •    On the cement walkway, you can see small shrimps being dried under the sun. •    You can see townspeople sorting small shrimps through the day’s catch.  

The Delta is not like any other tourist attractions, but what makes Aparri Delta so majestic and beautiful is because of its size and how it looks like when the crashing waves mix with the calm and peaceful water of the river. The sea has been part of the people's livelihood in Aparri. The Delta is very interesting, and you can spot little shrimps,  “alamang” , that we mostly use as condiments in kare-kare (country’s stew, made from peanut sauce with a variety of vegetables with meat) or for green mangoes that really taste good.

How to get there    

There are two airlines companies that ply route from Manila to Tuguegarao City, the provincial capital of Cagayan. From Tuguegarao, you can ride a bus or van bound for the town of Aparri. After that, you need to ride a tricycle going to the site.

Victory Liner, Dominion, Florida, and Baliwag Bus Inc., are some of the bus companies that have routes to Tuguegarao City. From the city, you can ride a bus or van that has a direct trip to the town of Aparri. Then, you need to ride a tricycle that will bring you to Aparri Delta.   

Accommodations

•    Ivory Hotel and Suites located at Buntun Highway, Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley / Isabela. •    Villa Blanca Hotel can be found at 13 Pattaui St.Ugac Norte, Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley / Isabela •    Mango Suites located at 1 Rizal St. corner Balzain Road, Tuguegarao, Cagayan Valley / Isabela

• http://www.visitmyphilippines.com/index.php?title=Cagayan&func=all&pid=1008&tbl=0
• http://www.dotregion2.com.ph/d2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64&Itemid=77
• http://yvettetan.com/2012/06/11/aparri-delta/

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Cast Away in Calayan Island: Travel Guide + 5 Days Itinerary

Calayan Island is a backpacker’s dream — a remote community island filled with beautiful beach coves, cliffs with breath-taking views and hidden waterfalls. This is our DIY Guide to Calayan Island, including updated rates and other information.

Calayan Island is located in the north of Luzon, just below Batanes Island. It’s part of Babuyan Islands in Cagayan Province. It’s one of the 5 major islands, along with Babuyan Claro, Dalupiri, Camiguin and Fuga islands.

Due to the difficulty in going here, Calayan Remains one of the off-the-beaten destinations in the Philippines .

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Our trip to Calayan Island

Via claveria, claveria or aparri to calayan island, when is the best time to visit, 5 days itinerary to calayan island, places to see in calayan island, other islands: babuyan islands triangle tour, where to eat, where to stay in calayan island, budget and expenses, reminders and tips, what to read next:.

Before anything else, let me tell you about our trip to Calayan Island. Calayan Island has been one of my dream destinations in the country ever since I’d seen photos of a pre-nup couple in Nagudungan Hill online.

In 2016, Hali and I went here along with a backpacking group. It’s one of my best backpacking trips as of yet. We camped along Sibang Cove, walked barefoot along Nagudungan Hills with free-roaming views and took pictures of the coastal views from above the cliffs, and then went on a boat tour to visit the less-accessible areas including Lusok Cave and Bataraw Falls. The natural island features of Calayan Island are truly one of a kind. Just Sibang Cove and Nagudungan Hill are worth visiting alone.

Do I recommend visiting Calayan Island? Yes! Especially if you’re not a maarte tourist. Remember that this is a remote destination so you will need to go through hours of boat ride to get here and the usual comforts may not be available. That saying, there are proper resorts in the island and locals who can help you explore it.

You can watch our summer video in Calayan Island here:

How to get to Calayan Island

From Manila, if you’re going to strictly travel by land and boat, it will take about 20 hours to reach Calayan Island.

There are 2 ports going to Calayan Island: Aparri and Claveria. Claveria is the nearest jump-off point to Calayan Island.

• From Sampaloc, Manila, ride a Florida bus to Claveria, Cagayan (12 hours, P850). Alternatively, you can take a local flight to Laoag, Ilocos Norte, and then ride a bus (P100) or van (P120) to Claveria (2-3 hours).
• From the bus terminal in Claveria, ride a tricycle to the port (P20).
• From the port, ride a lampitaw to Calayan Island (3.5 hours, P500).
• From Sampaloc, Manila, ride a Florida or RCJ bus en route to Tuguegarao (14 hours, P750). Alternatively, you can take a local flight to Tuguegarao.
• From Tuguegarao, ride a bus to Appari and get off at the bus terminal. Take a tricycle to Veteran’s Port (P20).
• From the port, ride a lampitaw to Calayan Island (5-6 hours, P500).

Boats in Aparri or Claveria leave for Calayan Island once a day at 6-7 AM. You can contact them for confirmation of schedules or reservations.

• M/B Macarra : 0927 3277 889 / 0921 477 9167
• M/B Romina : 0919 663 4954
• M/V Eagle Ferry : 0947 773 3904 / 0939 568 0817

Calayan Airport officially opened this March 2019 . Schedule is not yet updated ( updated as of March 2019 ).

Summer is the best time to visit Calayan Island. Boat travel to Calayan Island during ber-months is considered risky, and there had been incidents in the past when passengers have died. Under rough sea conditions, boat ride can extend to 7-9 hours.

During summer, sea conditions are manageable. There’s also a chance, albeit slim, of seeing dolphins and humpback whales in the open sea during the boat ride.

Ideally, you’ll want to spend 3-4 days in the island. If you’re planning to visit other islands apart from Calayan, allot another day in your itinerary.

Here is a sample 5 days itinerary to Calayan Island:

Day 1 3:00PM Meetup in EDSA

Day 2 5:00AM Arrival in port in Aparri 6:00AM – 12:00NN Boat ride to Calayan Island 12:00NN – Lunch 2:00 – 3:00PM Trek to Sibang Cove 3:00PM – Set camp in Sibang Cove 3:30PM – 6:00PM Explore Nagudungan Hill

Days 3 – 4 Explore Tapwakan rock formation, Bataraw Falls, Caanawan Falls and Malansing Falls, Lusok Cave Explore Caniwara and Cababaan beaches

Day 5 05:00AM Call time, pack up 06:00AM – 12:00NN Boat ride back to Claveria 12:00NN – 1:00AM Back in Manila

Take this as a rough guide. You may need to adjust your itinerary depending on the weather. In our case, we were supposed to be fetched by the boat in our resort but the waves were rough, so we ended up trekking to visit Nagudungan Hill and Sibang Cove. We also missed visiting Malansing Falls altogether.

Here are the spots you can see in Calayan Island. Our favorite would be Sibang Cove and Nagudungan Hill, which are just right next to each other.

• Sibang Cove, Caniwara Cove and Cababaan Cove . Sibang Cove is our favorite beach in Calayan Island. It’s a long idyllic stretch of pure cream sand. The shore is met with strong waves, so you have to be careful when swimming. Caniwara Cove and Cababaan Cove are the other beaches in the island.
• Nagudungan Hill . Aside from Sibang Cove, this is another must-see spot in Calayan Island. It’s a wide pastoral cliff with amazing ocean views. From here, you can also see the coves in the island. During our visit, we saw free-roaming goats and cows in Nagudungan Hill.
• Bangaan Hill . Another hill with great views. There is a cross built here.
• Tapwakan Cliff Diving Site and Beach . From the mainland, you can walk or ride a kuliglig to reach Tapwakan Cliff Diving Site. It is a bit challenging to get up the cliff, so make sure that you’re with a local guide. You will need to cliff jump or swim around the cliff area to reach the small beach cove.
• Bataraw Falls . A small waterfall that you can reach via trekking or boat ride. If the latter, you only need to walk for another 10 minutes to reach the falls.
• Caanawan Falls . This waterfall is more difficult to reach compared to Bataraw Falls. It requires longer trekking into the dense backwoods. Again, going with a local guide is advised.
• Lusok Cave . Lusok Cave is accessible via boat only, as the cave entrance goes directly to the ocean. It has interesting rock formations. Shells grow within the cave walls, which locals gather for food.
• Malansing Cave and Falls .

Here are some of our photos in Calayan Island.

If you have more time for your vacation, at least a week for instance, you can also visit the rest of the islands in the area: Babuyan Claro , Dalupiri, Fuga and Camiguin Norte.

Island hopping depends on your haggling skills. It’s expensive since boats don’t normally go from Calayan Island to Camiguin Norte. I was told by a resident that some fishing boats do, and you can ride along if you’re lucky to chance upon one during your visit. Otherwise, you’ll have to get back to the port in Claveria where there are daily boat trips to either location.

The caveat is that some of you may find the triangle tour too short to do in a single day. A good acquaintance recommends staying longer in each island instead.

You can eat in eateries, ask your accommodation to cook for you (rate is per head) or buy food from the market and cook it yourselves/have your accommodation prepare it for you.

As for us, we had a cook from Villa Innocencia Inn that delivered our food. We paid for the dishes per plate. My favorite home-cooked dishes were  kinilaw and spicy buttered lobster. For the latter, we’d contributed P50 each for one large piece to go along with our main meal. Lobsters are incredibly cheap in Calayan Island.

There are a few homestays and resorts where you can stay in Calayan Island. I’ve listed some of them here, but if you want to know other options, you can contact Calayan’s tourism officer. Your selected accommodation can also help you arrange getting rides for land and boat travel.

• TPS Homestay : 0939 915 8667 / 0929 837 5737, P250 per pax
• Pagdagusan Homestay : 0998 510 0621  / Facebook , P250 per pax OR P1500 per head per day including meals
• Villa Inocencia Inn : 0949 600 1931, P250 per pax
• San Jose Inn: 0921 534 9231, P250 per pax
• Apollo Beach Resort : 0947 8939 619 / 0999 7151 283, P500 per night

During our visit in 2016, we stayed in Villa Inocencia Inn, a two-story house with 6 rooms. I’d say it’s okay but it requires necessary upgrades: including running water and functional door lock in all bath rooms, electric fans for all rooms, clean mattresses complete with bed sheets. Among the things listed here, this was the one that really bugged me. Like other accommodations in Calayan Island, the rent overnight there is cheap.

We took this trip in 2016 and we spent about P6000 each for this 5-day Calayan Island itinerary.

Here are the updated rates:

Here are some notes:

• Boats do not have standard rates. It depends on the boat size and how many you are in the group. Please don’t haggle too low and support the locals in the island, since visitation is normally limited during summer only. The same goes for land transfers via habal-habal or kuliglig.
• Depending on where you are staying, you might or might not need land transfers. As for us, we stayed at Villa Innocencia Inn. From there, we walked to the Tapwakan Rock Formation and then to Sibang Cove for an overnight stay. From Sibang Cove, we went island hopping. Then we went back to our resort.

For a 5 days trip, a safe budget would be P6600 – 8000 per person.

Here are a few basic reminders you need to know before setting off to this northern island in Babuyanes.

• Waterproof your hand-carry on the boat ride. You may also bring a raincoat if you wish.
• During our visit, there was no signal from Globe network; Smart and SUN are fine.
• There is no ATM machine in the island; make sure to bring all the cash you need and a little more in case you get stranded.
• No electricity in the island from 12 midnight to 12 noon.
• We were told there wasn’t any market but there’s a store that sells refrigerated meat. If you want to eat fresh seafood, inform your hosts ASAP so they can buy from fishers in the morning. I’m not sure if it’s the same all over the island or only in Barangay Dadao where our inn was located.
• Prepare for the possibility of being stranded for a few days . Schedule your trip when you can afford to take a longer leave at work, for instance.

More tips here:

• While in Aparri, drop by Ten-Ten’s pancit cabagan restaurant and order their pancit specialty. It’s just a few-minute drive from Aparri port.

For safety purposes, always get updated on the weather conditions and watch out for gale warnings.

• Eric, Calayan tourism officer : 0947 893 9619

Tour guides in Calayan:

• Kuya Sonny, tour guide : 0998 324 9288
• Kuya Cesar, tour guide/boatman : 0918 617 0327
• Ate Connie, Calayan Island-Babuyan Claro-Camiguin Norte tour : 0921 534 9231

Do you find this Calayan Island itinerary and travel guide helpful? Have anything else to add? Feel free to post in the comments section below. 🙂

If you like remote/off-beaten beaches, we also recommend visiting the ff places:

• Travel Guide to Balabac, Palawan

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Katherine Cortes is a long-time backpacker and a freelance writer/editor. She likes beaches, snorkeling trips, and relaxing staycations (preferably with bath tubs!).

19 Comments

Hello, is there data or internet connection in the island?

Hi, thank u for the informatioan. Ang ganda po! ask ko lng po if need po ba magpareserve ng boat ride going to calayan? thanks po.

Grabe. Ang ganda! Di ko akalaing may ganito pala malapit sa Cagayan. T_T Sayang nung pumunta kami sa Palaui, malapit lang sya.

Katherine Cortes

Ah yeah off-beaten kasi e. 🙂

Hello! Calayan is my parents’ hometown (basically my province) and I really feel proud and happy whenever I get to read travel stories about the island. 🙂 Just to add, if you’re commuting, there are also Florida and RCJ bus rides that go straight to Aparri or Claveria. 🙂

Thanks for the info! Will update the guide. 🙂

hi sir, san po kayong port sumakay? sa claveria o sa aparri? may passengers boat naman sila. right? thank you

Is it advisable for a solo traveller? Are there group travellers that I can possibly join if going solo is too expensive? Thanks in advance!

Mark Anthonie

do you avail a package tour? and if you do.. what agency?

Does this mean that it’s going to be a bit expensive for a solo traveller? Thanks

Yes. Every travel that involves a boat ride is expensive for a solo traveler.

I was wondering if you have a pic of the Town centre where the municipio is located close to the Catholic church/school n the elementary school nearby. I was in Calayan some 30 yrs ago. I wonder how the Town centre now looks.

Hi Toni. I don’t think we’d seen the municipal hall.

@Toni, the town center especially the church had improved a lot. The elementary school looks good as well. I think there are also some tables for picnic at the right side where the palm trees are of the docking area.

@Katherine the municipal hall is the building across the covered court and the same building connected to the MV Eagle Ferry payment office.

I will be going home to Calayan on the 26th of April!

Jenny Garcia

Hi, are you also planning to go to Calayan? Maybe we can join you. We are 3 and planning to depart on OCt 3 and stay until Nov 3.

What time was your departure from Manila to Aparri?

thank you! this is very helpful to me. I’m planning to visit Calayan island before summer ends. May I ask what month was your visit? since the only thing that concerns me is the weather. thank you. 🙂

We visited last May. 🙂 I think even if you visit during summer there’s still a chance to get stranded so what I’d do is prepare some extra cash.

You can also read about our visit here: https://www.taraletsanywhere.com/calayan-island-cagayan/

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APARRI PARK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• 1.1 Climate
• 2.3 By plane
• 3 Get around

Aparri is a town of about 69,000 (2020) in northern Cagayan . It lies at the mouth of the Cagayan River which drains into the Bashi Channel. This article covers only the mainland portion; Fuga Island , while administratively part of the town, is considered its own destination.

Understand [ edit ]

Aparri had been an important trading post for its location north of Luzon. While its port remained operational as a critical link to Calayan despite being largely destroyed by frequent typhoons, the town is still a major commercial center for northern Cagayan as it houses large tobacco plantations that account for much of its local income.

The original inhabitants of Aparri are the Ibanag, an ethnic group which have inhabited the area long before the Spaniards arrived. Ilocanos and Filipino Chinese also have settled here since colonial times.

Climate [ edit ]

Aparri has a monsoon-influenced climate, with a short dry season between February and April, and rain for the rest of the year.

The town is at the typhoon belt, and is also an important location for typhoon tracking by the national weather agency, PAGASA, which has a meteorological station at the port.

Get in [ edit ]

By bus [ edit ].

• Dalin Bus Line . Three daily trip leaves from Baguio via Tuguegarao. Terminal near CityMall. ( updated Oct 2019 )
• Victory Liner . One daily trip depart from Sampaloc, Manila at 3:30PM. Terminal near Shell. ( updated Oct 2019 )

By car [ edit ]

The Cagayan Valley Road (Route 101) terminates here. It spurs off AH26 at Magapit, at the municipality of Lal-lo

By plane [ edit ]

The nearest airport is in Lal-lo ( LLC  IATA ) or Tuguegarao ( TUG  IATA ).

Get around [ edit ]

See [ edit ].

• 18.35956 121.63005 1 Aparri Marker , Loriga Gallarza Street ( at the port ). Open 24 hours . It faces the mouth of the mighty Cagayan River. Free . ( updated Oct 2019 )
• Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary . Despite its rather obscure history, it is one of the town's primary destinations. ( updated Oct 2019 )

Do [ edit ]

The town has some stretches of beach, largely unvisited, but the waves are good for surfing.

Buy [ edit ]

• 18.35385 121.6425 2 Novo Mall-Aparri , De Rivera Street ( across from the public market ). Has a Savemore and a Novo department store. ( updated Oct 2019 )
• 18.35472 121.64154 3 Aparri Public Market , Rizal Street . 7AM–7PM . ( updated Sep 2023 )

Eat [ edit ]

• Chelsea's Diner . 9AM - 9PM . ( updated Oct 2019 )

Drink [ edit ]

Sleep [ edit ].

• Hotel Aparri , National Highway, Minanga . ( updated Oct 2019 )
• Ryan Hotel , Rizal Avenue . ( updated Oct 2019 )
• Versoza Hotel , Magsaysay Boulevard . ( updated Oct 2019 )

Connect [ edit ]

Go next [ edit ].

• Calayan — An island that is home to some endemic species such as the Calayan rail

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Top Tourist Attractions in Aparri

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Best Things To Do in Aparri, Philippines

Aparri is a small place in Philippines and can be easily explored within a day. There aren’t many things to do and attractions to visit in this town. Also, being a small town, there are fewer accommodation options. People usually consider making a quick stop here before heading to the neighboring cities. You can halt here for a quick snack and take a little break from your journey.

You can check out the list of the cities near Aparri and find out the top things to do in these towns. So, the next time you are in Aparri, you can decide which neighboring city to visit for a memorable trip.

• Tuguegarao Airport
• Things to do in Tuguegarao City
• Things to do in Sanchez Mira
• Things to do in Dingras
• Things to do in Laoag City
• Things to do in Pinili
• Things to do in Pasuquin
• What to do in Aparri in 1 day
• What to do in Aparri in 2 days

THE BEST Things to Do in Aparri

Things to do in aparri.

• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Good for Couples
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Fuga Island

2. Aparri Park

Malaysia's $100 billion ghost town really wants to draw in tourists. It's not working.

Wendy Noble lives 15 minutes away from Malaysia's Forest City , across the border in Singapore. One Friday, after a tiring week at graduate school, all the 25-year-old wanted was to lounge by a beach.

A quick scroll through online photos of a pristine beach and luxurious golf resort inspired her and her roommate, Ree Nemis, to head to Forest City the following day.

Country Garden, one of the largest developers in China, spent $100 billion building Forest City . The developer promoted it as a "living paradise" meant to house 700,000 people in luxury high-rise condominiums and villas.

The reality turned out to be different. Today, Forest City is a ghost town — one of several abandoned or near-abandoned housing projects in the Malaysian state of Johor, and part of Country Garden's portfolio of problems . The Chinese developer had over $190 billion in liabilities as of June, is seeing massive sales slumps , and contributes to China's ongoing real-estate crisis .

Forest City has shown it wants to shed its reputation as a ghost town, writing in a press release in March 2023 that it's a place to experience "coastal resort life" and branding itself as a "popular short-haul tourist destination." Forest City added in the press release that at least 15,000 people had visited its local waterpark from August to September 2022.

"The destination has been attracting not only local travelers but also many tourists coming from afar," Syarul Izam, the vice president of Forest City, said in the press release.

But this hasn't done much to transform its image.

I first visited Forest City for BI in May 2022, shortly after Malaysia opened international borders to quarantine-free travel.

Back then, rows of skyscrapers gave way to a nearly empty beach. I saw roads that didn't have a single car on them and just a handful of people in the development's mall. The nearby hotel looked abandoned, with dragonflies breeding in the discolored swimming pool.

Given Forest City's ongoing attempts to draw in tourists, I decided to visit again this year.

The Malaysian state of Johor received 16.6 million tourists last year . I took a 30-minute car ride across the border from Singapore, through Johor, and into the estate one weekend in early March.

The facilities that looked run down in 2022 were now in better shape. The pool was available for hotel guests to use.

Over the 48 hours I spent there, I saw several dozen people at the development's public attractions, which include the waterpark, artificial beach, and mall. Many of them were speaking Malay.

It was more people than I saw two years earlier — but it still felt like a ghost town.

One of the difficulties of reporting on Forest City is that official data on visitor and resident numbers is hard to come by. Country Garden, which has a 60% stake in the estate, did not respond to multiple requests for comment from BI. The remaining 40% of the estate is owned by Sultan Ibrahim, who was crowned the king of Malaysia in January. Representatives for Sultan Ibrahim did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

In September, Forest City told Reuters that some 55,000 people visit its showroom each month and said the two hotels on site are "always fully booked." I visited Forest City's golf resort — one of the two hotels in the estate — and found several dozen people dining and checking in there. But around the area where the showroom is located — a mile away from the beach and waterpark — there were only a handful of people, mostly families looking for a spot to have a picnic.

Tourism numbers aren't the only ones hurting: The estate is also having trouble enticing and holding onto residents.

In 2022, one expert familiar with Johor's real estate market told me that several thousand people were living in Forest City. In August, Country Garden told Bloomberg there were 9,000 residents living there. In September, Country Garden told Reuters some 28,000 properties have been built so far. The developer did not state how many properties it plans to build.

Adilah Zain, a professor of tourism at MARA Technological University in Malaysia, told me there's at least one bright spot in Forest City's tourism outlook.

"Forest City is able to attract the weekend tourists," Adilah said, referring to tourists like Noble and Nemis.

In recent months, the development has held events, including golf tournaments and triathlons, to try to draw visitors. The weekend of my visit, Challenge Malaysia, a local triathlon, was being held at the beach. Photos posted online by the event's organizer showed about a hundred people participating in the race.

I spoke to several people who traveled to Forest City for the triathlon. Shawn and Gary, Malaysians who appeared to be in their late 20s, told me they had traveled six hours to Forest City from their homes in Kuala Lumpur to take part in the race.

"I didn't know what to expect," Shawn said of Forest City. "We've heard it's quite run down, and it turned out it's not that bad, but I'd rather go somewhere else if not for the event."

"I wouldn't come here. There's nothing here. It's quite dead," he added when I asked him if he would return.

One entrepreneur who owns a food business in Forest City said that for them, tourism doesn't translate into much profit.

"They come to the beach but don't spend a cent," the entrepreneur, who declined to be named for privacy reasons, told me.

"There's no point if it's crowded and the people don't spend," they said, adding that many visitors bring their own food rather than spend at eateries in the area.

One attraction that appeared to be pulling visitors — and has gotten them to spend money — is Forest City's golf resort, which has 298 rooms and cost almost $600 million to construct .

Adilah said local golfers and tourists have been buying packages to play golf. There's no official data on how many people have stayed at the hotel since it opened in September 2018, but I saw at least 50 guests — a mix of golfers and locals on family holidays — at the hotel's lobby and swimming pool.

Chandran, 28, a tourist from Singapore who had dined in one of the handful of eateries at the golf resort, said he thought it looked modern and luxurious.

"Next time, I want to book the suite at the hotel. My friend said he booked a room after he saw an advertisement for it on Booking.com , and it's great," he said, adding that the nightly rates were much cheaper than in Singapore. A night at the hotel starts at around $90.

As for the rest of Forest City, though, Chandran had a different take.

"It's a bit creepy. Most of the houses are empty," he added.

March 25, 2024: This story has been updated.

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How tourist operators in Far North Queensland are fighting for survival after series of disasters

For three months, Julian and Jackie Pagani have been burning hundreds of litres of fuel a day to power a campsite no-one can visit.

Usually their camping ground at Cape Tribulation, nestled between World Heritage-listed rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef, swells with visitors this time of year.

But since Cyclone Jasper and a subsequent flooding event wreaked havoc on Far North Queensland last December, no-one has been able to get into the remote coastal village.

There's only one road into Cape Tribulation, and it's impassable.

"We haven't had any tourist trade since the cyclone so we are three months in with no income, no trade," Ms Pagani said.

"We don't know where to go from here, we don't know when we can reopen the doors, we don't know what to tell our staff, we don't know what to tell the bank."

Cape Tribulation has no mains power so for the Paganis, powering the campground is an expense that doesn't stop — even if the tourists do.

"[The diesel generator is] burning hundreds of litres of fuel a day because we have to keep everything on, including our sewage treatment plant," Mr Pagani said.

"After three months, it's a lot of money without an income."

Other tourism operators in the close-knit rainforest community are also doing it tough. The hotel rooms are vacant and cafes are empty, leaving businesses in the region teetering on the edge of financial ruin.

Ms Pagani puts it plainly: "Without tourists, we don't have Cape Tribulation."

"It won't exist if we don't open to tourists, there's no other way to make an income here, all other residents work in tourism."

A 'horrific start' to the tourism year

It's been three months since Cyclone Jasper and a subsequent flooding event wreaked havoc on Far North Queensland — the jewel in Australia's tourism crown.

About $280 million has been lost in cancelled bookings across the region between December and January and hotel occupancy rates remain as low as 30 per cent in some areas.

"We've had an horrific start to the year," Queensland's Tourism Minister Michael Healy conceded.

About 400,000 tourists normally visit the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation, located about a three-hour drive north of Cairns, each year.

The region recorded almost 3 metres of rain after Jasper crossed the coast near Cape Tribulation and the deluge caused a 56-metre landslide that effectively severed the rainforest village from the rest of the state.

Locals band together

Despite the devastation, Ms Pagani said local businesses had joined forces to help her pull off the couple's wedding on New Year's Eve at their isolated campground – the only business the town has seen in three months

About 170 family and friends were ferried in on a commercial reef tourism boat, cutlery and dinnerware was borrowed from nearby resorts, and food and drinks purchased from local businesses.

"We had planned our wedding a long time ago and we weren't going to let the cyclone stop us," Ms Pagani said.

Lawrence Mason, who runs a café and shop at Cape Tribulation, supplied alcohol, soft drinks and water for the wedding.

"We've been closed for more than 90 days so it was wonderful to see locals supporting other locals at such a difficult time," he said.

Empty rooms and water woes

Even parts of Far North Queensland that are accessible to visitors are still feeling the pain months after the cyclone.

Bryce and Lee Tozer, who manage the Cayman Villas resort in Port Douglas — a destination favoured by US presidents and singers Kylie Minogue and Ed Sheeran — said their occupancy rates were "significantly down" this Easter.

"I've spoken to many people around town and we all have similar stories, the phones aren't running hot, " Mr Bryce said.

"We need to get the message out, especially to people in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane that we are here and open, the reef is here, all the resorts are open for business, all sitting here and waiting for you to come."

Mr Tozer said publicity surrounding the town's water woes — Port Douglas is on level-four water restrictions as a result of flooding damage to treatment plants — had also impacted visitor numbers.

There have been several instances where the town has been left without water at short notice, forcing some tourists to bucket pool water to flush their toilets.

Local mayor Michael Kerr said council was working through the water issues and restoring road access to Cape Tribulation with the help of the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

"It's important to remember we are still open for business. The bars, cafes, restaurants, the reef tours, they are all open and if you love the tropics, please come and see us," Mr Kerr said.

He said the council hoped to open the road into Cape Tribulation by Easter, but it would be weather-dependent.

Millions poured into lure visitors back

Both the Queensland and federal governments have poured millions of dollars into advertising campaigns, discounted flights and holiday vouchers in a bid to entice visitors back to Far North Queensland.

In Cairns and Port Douglas, occupancy rates this Easter period have been about half of what they were last year, Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) figures show.

Mr Healy said in addition to the cyclone, flooding and road closures, there were other factors that had also contributed to the region's poor tourist numbers.

"Fundamentally, this comes down to access, and if we're looking at aviation into the region, and the prices are high, that is a big deterrent," he said.

"Eighty-seven per cent of our tourists get off at the [Cairns] airport so pricing, especially around that holiday period, is very important."

However, a sprinkling of international tourists have found their way to the region despite the hurdles.

English visitor Paul Oakley said he and his wife were aware of the natural disasters but chose to forge ahead with their journey and hadn't been disappointed.

"If you're helping out the tourism here, it's a really good thing and we are pleased that we did come," Mr Oakley said.

"We had expectations about what Australia would be like and it has more than exceeded those. Queensland in particular is beautiful. We have had trips to the Great Barrier Reef and it has just been wonderful."

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These are the top 20 travel destinations for summer 2024, according to google flight searches.

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It’s time to start thinking about your summer travel plans.

Whether you want to go across the globe or stay within the county, Google Flights has something for everyone on its list of the top destinations for summer 2024.

The list — which is based on the destinations most searched for by travelers within the U.S. on Google Flights for travel between June 1 and Aug. 31, according to The Points Guy — shows a lot of the trendy, expected locations, but it has some surprising outliers as well.

The most popular destination for summer 2024 is London while, perhaps surprisingly, Paris — which will host the upcoming Summer Olympics — only landed in the second-place spot.

Tokyo came in third, a jump from its eighth-place ranking in 2023.

Rounding out the top five is Rome at No. 4, and the first destination in the U.S. at No. 5 — New York.

Cancun might have been in second place last year, but it’s not as popular in 2024, dropping into sixth place.

Seventh, eighth and ninth place were all within the U.S. as well, with lots of travelers searching for Orlando, Las Vegas and Seattle, respectively.

Finishing up the top 10 is Athens — but not the one in Georgia: Greece is a hot travel destination for this summer.

Other popular U.S. destinations in the hotter months include Los Angeles, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Honolulu, Denver and Boston.

Madrid and San Juan, Puerto Rico, both broke into the top 20 for the first time in spots 18 and 20, respectively.

Top summer 2024 destinations, according to Google Flights

• Athens, Greece
• Los Angeles
• Fort Lauderdale
• San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Aurora Tourism in Iceland: You Can Seek, but You May Not Find

The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights — especially this year, which is a peak time for solar activity. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found.

In Reykjavík, Iceland, aurora borealis tourism is a booming business. Hopeful tourists board buses to head out into the night in search of the northern lights. Credit... Sigga Ella for The New York Times

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By Amelia Nierenberg

Amelia Nierenberg spent four nights searching for the northern lights in Iceland.

• March 25, 2024

From the outside, it may seem like the northern lights dance across Iceland’s skies each night. On Icelandair ads, planes fly across shimmering curtains in the sky. On social media, travelers gaze at the green bands above them . The lights are even on some recycling bins in Reykjavík, the capital: “Keep Iceland Clean.”

In the past decade or so, an aurora borealis industrial complex has boomed in Iceland. Many rent a car and go out on their own, but there are northern lights big bus tours and northern lights minibus tours and northern lights Super Jeep tours . There are private guides and boat cruises . There’s an observatory base camp . There’s even a museum .

But the lights can be elusive.

“Tourists sometimes expect, like, ‘At what time do you turn them on?’” said Björn Saevar Einarsson, a forecaster at Iceland’s meteorological office , chuckling. “Like we have a switch in the back room.”

This year, the letdowns are especially intense.

The northern lights, which are also called the aurora borealis, are most visible when there are solar flares, which are big eruptions on the sun that send charged particles toward Earth. This year, the sun is approaching the peak of its 11-year cycle of activity , which some assume means that the displays could peak, too.

But the enhanced solar activity doesn’t necessarily mean the northern lights will be brighter or more frequent, scientists wearily explain. Instead, they mostly mean that the lights can be seen farther south than usual: In recent months, they have been visible in Arizona , Missouri and southern England .

That doesn’t mean much for Iceland.

In fact, Icelanders and scientists said, this winter is nothing special. Sometimes, the lights are there. Sometimes, they aren’t. Just like always.

Hunting the lights

But nothing special, with the northern lights, is still very special. And so tourists keep coming .

Last month, I joined the fray. For four nights, I looked for telltale sky shimmers in and around Reykjavík.

I booked my tickets riding high — this was the best year yet, right? But as I learned more, and as my flight neared, my hopes ebbed. Scientists and tour leaders gently told me that the skies were cloudy and the solar activity seemed quiet.

“Just to let you know the forecast doesn’t look too good” Inga Dís Richter, the chief commercial officer at Icelandia , a tourism agency, wrote in an email two days before I planned to take a minibus trip with Reykjavik Excursions , one of its tour operators.

“But,” she added, “this can change.”

To find the lights, guides and travelers often rely on aurora forecasts, which overlay cloud cover and solar activity. They check them constantly, like a bride with an outdoor wedding in mid-April.

Some of the forecasts are free, like the aurora forecast run by Iceland’s meteorological office or Iceland at Night , which includes space weather. (Some are not — Aurora Forecast , which costs $12.99 a year, sends alerts.) Many people also turn to Facebook pages , where enthusiasts hungrily swap sightings.

Luck, though, is everything.

“There’s only one thing less predictable with the northern lights, and that’s the Arctic weather,” said John Mason, a global expert on the northern lights. “An aurora forecast is barely worth the paper that it’s written on.”

The guides work hard to explain the science, and set expectations. Most companies offer a free rebooking option if the lights do not show.

On my first night of aurora stalking, despite Ms. Richter’s warnings, I joined an expectant group on the Reykjavík Excursions minibus. For $88, I got a seat on the 19-person bus, which left the city’s central bus station at 9:30 p.m.

Over the next three to four hours, we would drive through the Icelandic night together. I’d either see something astonishing with these strangers — the sky, banded with light — or shiver with them shoulder-to-shoulder, awkward in the cold.

As we pulled onto the road, Gudjon Gunnarsson, the guide, set the mood early. “We are going hunting for the lights,” he said, emphasizing the word “hunting,” “similar to going out fishing in a lake.”

He drove for about 45 minutes, letting Reykjavík’s glow fade behind us. The city has about 140,000 people, and no real skyscrapers, so there’s limited light pollution. Although the northern lights can appear over the city, it’s best to see them in total darkness.

Then he paused and consulted with another guide.

“It is too cloudy here,” he told his flock. “So we will keep driving.”

But as we kept driving, clouds turned to a dense fog, so thick that the moon all but disappeared.

Mr. Gunnarsson turned off the main highway about an hour after we left Reykjavík. He parked in a parking lot. Or maybe it was a side street? The darkness was so deep that I could only make out the moonlight on the ocean, and only then after my eyes adjusted.

We disembarked and stood dutifully beside him, staring up at the sky. Then, one woman pointed toward Reykjavík. Were those the lights? (No. That was light pollution.)

Christof Reinhard, 65, who owns a medical laser company and was visiting with his family from Paris, mused that our search was a little bit like a safari. Sure, the desert is amazing, but it’s much better with lions. Or, maybe, was this more like a whale watch?

“Instead of a boat,” he said, “you have a bus.”

Mr. Gunnarsson watched the group stomp their feet and bend into the wind. Fifteen minutes. Then, half an hour. The clouds hung thick above. “There’s nothing happening here, as you can see,” he finally said to relieved chuckles. “It’s one of those nights where you just have to give up.”

Tourists can get mad, Mr. Gunnarsson and other guides said. It’s rare, but it does happen.

“It’s the trip that has our worst reviews,” said Eric Larimer, the digital marketing manager for Gray Line Iceland , a day tour and airport transport company.

A wake-up call for the aurora

For some, the joy is in the search, even if there is no find. A few focus on astronomy, often opting to stay at Hotel Rangá , which is just off the main ring road (Route 1) near Iceland’s south coast.

The hotel looks unassuming — low-slung and wooden — but it’s one of the most famous in Iceland. (The Kardashians stayed there . So did the Real Housewives of Orange County .) A standard room costs more than $300, depending on the season.

But Rangá doesn’t just cater to celebrities. It also draws astronomy buffs, enticed by its “aurora wake-up call” service and its observatory, which has state-of-the-art telescopes.

“One thing is to sell them,” said Fridrik Pálsson, the hotel’s owner, speaking of the northern lights. “Another thing is to deliver them.”

About 20 years ago, before the northern lights industry took off, he delegated the night security guard to monitor the sky. The guard pokes his head out every few minutes to look for the telltale flicker. If he sees the lights, he alerts the guests.

The service aims to address one of the main issues with hunting for the northern lights: They are usually only visible on winter nights, when it is very cold, very windy and very late.

“To be a good northern lights observer, you need the constitution of an insomniac polar bear,” Dr. Mason said.

My room phone, alas, stayed silent. But I did dream about the lights — great Wonka colors swirling, strangely, behind the Chrysler Building.

Mr. Pálsson built the observatory, too. Even if the lights didn’t show up, he figured, the stars are still magnificent — and, for city dwellers, also rare. The hotel contracts astronomers to work the telescopes and explain the stars to guests.On my second night in Iceland, as twilight slipped below happy-hour skies, I crunched across the snow to the observatory with Saevar Helgi Bragason, an Icelandic science communicator who leads the astronomy program.

He bent into a toddler-size telescope, focusing it on the moon’s craters. They looked clearer than the hotel, just a short walk away. It was too early for the lights, he said. And that evening seemed too cloudy (on Earth) and too quiet (on the sun).

Mr. Bragason joked that the lights can get in his way — they create a mist over the stars he really wants to see. But tourists often come specifically to see them. And sometimes, he said, as they wait impatiently, they can miss the real wonder.

“You’re left with these beautiful skies above you,” he said. “Basically, literally, another universe opens up.”

Creating a lights season

Hotel Rangá was a pioneer in Iceland’s northern lights tourism industry: About two decades ago, people came to Iceland for the long summer days, and left as daylight slipped farther south.

“I found it rather stupid in the beginning,” admitted Mr. Pálsson, the owner of Rangá, speaking of northern lights tourism.

But spreading tourism throughout the year made sense. Partly, that was an environmental concern. The tourists would crowd the country’s extraordinary natural sites over just a few months. It was also economic. When the visitors left Iceland, tourism jobs would ebb with the sunlight.

So the northern lights, which are reliably visible from September to March, became the backbone of the country’s winter branding, said Sveinn Birkir Björnsson, the marketing and communications director at Business Iceland , which promotes the country.

“To be able to sell this product of cold and darkness, you have to have something to offer,” he said.

Now, even though June, July and August are the busiest months, tourism has evened out over the seasons. In 2023, there were about 1.1 million international visitors to Iceland during the aurora months, based on departures from Keflavík Airport, according to data from Iceland’s tourist board . From April to August, there were about 1.1 million, too.

About a decade earlier , when tourism overall to Iceland was lower, there were about 336,000 departures from the main airport in colder months, and about 446,000 in the spring and summer.

The winter travelers are drawn by the lights — and the hot springs, glaciers and icy waterfalls. It’s also cheaper than the summer season.

Some try to visit volcanoes , but the country recently warned tourists to avoid the lava flows — Iceland is living in an unusually active period of seismic activity . In January, lava flowed into a small town and last week a volcano erupted with just 40 minutes’ notice near the Blue Lagoon thermal springs, one of the country’s biggest attractions.

The final attempts

Near midnight on my last night, a Sunday, I drove to the Grótta Lighthouse , a popular spot on the outskirts of Reykjavík.

A few die-hard experts had warned me off — many tourists go there because it’s darker than most of Reykjavík, but then don’t think to turn off their headlights. It was also raining, greatly diminishing my chances of seeing the lights.

But I only had three hours before I had to leave to make my predawn flight. I felt a little desperate, a little dazed. I parked, and approached two people who were sitting in the rain on a wet wall, looking at the water in the darkness. I climbed over seaweed, and introduced myself. What would it mean to them, I asked, if the lights suddenly appeared?

“It’d be a little bit like the cherry on top,” said Catherine Norburn, 29, who was visiting from England.

She and her husband were set to fly out the next morning. They had not yet seen the lights.

“We don’t have high hopes,” said her husband, Reece Norburn, 29, “but it’s now or never.”

We didn’t see the lights. And I didn’t see them later, even after pulling off the highway halfway between Reykjavík and the airport at 3:30 a.m., half convinced by a shimmery cloud.

But I did spend more time looking up at the sky. And it’s a marvel.

In New York City, where I live, the night sky blooms orange-mauve. In Iceland, the nighttime darkness is just that — darkness. Clouds roll, breaking the deep blue. Stars actually shine. Northern lights or no northern lights, it was still cosmically beautiful.

Amelia Nierenberg writes the Asia Pacific Morning Briefing , a global newsletter. More about Amelia Nierenberg

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

Italy :  Spend 36 hours in Florence , seeking out its lesser-known pockets.

Southern California :  Skip the freeways to explore the back roads between Los Angeles and Los Olivos , a 100-mile route that meanders through mountains, canyons and star-studded enclaves.

Mongolia : Some young people, searching for less curated travel experiences, are flocking to the open spaces of this East Asian nation .

Romania :  Timisoara  may be the most noteworthy city you’ve probably never heard of , offering just enough for visitors to fill two or three days.

India: A writer fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Darjeeling, in the Himalayan foothills , taking in the tea gardens and riding a train through the hills.

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

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You can watch the solar eclipse from One World Observatory in NYC: How to get tickets

A total solar eclipse will pass through parts of the United States on Monday, April 8, meaning the shadow of the moon will plunge a narrow strip of land into darkness in the middle of the day.

Some tourist destinations, such as Niagara Falls , are going big for the eclipse. The state park is offering "free and open-to-the-public programming" leading up to April 8, the park said in a news release.

Another tourist destination offering a unique place to watch the eclipse is One World Observatory . Located on top of One World Trade Center in New York City, the observatory is offering the public a chance to witness the eclipse from the "highest observation deck in all the Western Hemisphere," according to a news release.

Tickets are $94 for adults, $92 for seniors and $88 for children ages 6 to 12. Children five years old and younger can enter for free. Tickets are on sale now on One World Observatory's website .

A ticket gets you entry to the observatory, one pair of solar eclipse viewing glasses, a voucher for one complimentary beverage of your choice, a commemorative One World Observatory pint glass, a commemorative souvenir photo and 10% off at the retail shop, according to the news release.

What is the path of totality for the total solar eclipse?

Before entering the U.S., the eclipse's path of totality will travel over a portion of northern Mexico. It will pass into Texas around 1:30 p.m. local time. It will then cover portions of the Midwest and East Coast and touch southeast Canada before it moves out to sea, according to  NASA .

Several major cities will be in its  direct line of darkness , including Dallas; Little Rock, Arkansas; Indianapolis; Cleveland; Buffalo, New York; and Burlington Vermont. This animated map shows the path and local time the total eclipse will pass across the nation.

How do I watch the 2024 solar eclipse?

There's a few ways of watching the eclipse:

• Get the full experience in person : If you're in a narrow band of U.S. land that spans from Texas to Maine, you will see the moon block the sun and its shadow cast a night-like darkness over Earth for a few minutes. You'll be able to look up without eye protection and see the outline of the moon.
• Watch from outside the path of totality : Much of the U.S. will get a partial view of the eclipse that isn't nearly as impressive as being in the path of totality. Earth won't be plunged into darkness and you'll have to wear protective eyewear to see the moon partially block the sun.
• Watch a livestream : Check back on April 8 for a video feed from the path of totality. It's not the same as being there in person, but hey,  at least you won't have to sit in traffic .

What time is the solar eclipse on April 8?

The eclipse will begin in Texas at 1:27 p.m. CDT and end in Maine at 3:35 p.m. EDT, but the exact time of the eclipse varies by where you are in its path.

You can search by zip code  to find the exact time for your location.

Where is the best place to watch the eclipse?

Texas is considered the best state for eclipse viewing . There's a good chance the skies will be clear and it's location along the southern path of the eclipse means totality will last a little longer.

What is a solar eclipse?

Any celestial object like a moon or a planet that passes between two other bodies can create  an eclipse  by obscuring the view of objects like the sun.

A total eclipse occurs when the moon appears as the same size as the sun and blocks the entire disk, leading to a period of darkness lasting several minutes. The resulting "totality," when observers can see the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, known as the corona, confuses animals – nocturnal creatures stir and bird and insects fall silent.

Contributing: Joel Shannon, Doyle Rice, Eric Lagatta, Kayla Jimenez, Cybele Mayes-Osterman & Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X  @GabeHauari  or email him at [email protected].

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These Are the Most Popular Summer Travel Destinations, According to Google

Google shares a little peek into where people are looking to travel this summer.

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Travelers are just chuffed with London this summer, and are planning to head there in droves.

That’s according to Google, which named the city in the United Kingdom the most popular destination for summer 2024 . The list reflects searches in the United States on Google Flights for travel from June 1 to Aug. 31, the company shared with Travel + Leisure . 

London was followed by its neighbor to the south, Paris, which is always a good idea, of course. The European cities were then followed by Tokyo, which jumped up to the No. 3 spot on the list this year after placing just eighth in 2023. 

Trips to Rome and New York rounded out the top five spots on the list of popular summer destinations.

Cancun , typically a perennial favorite, dropped to No. 6 on the list this year after placing second in 2023.

Travelers are also searching for trips to the dreamy beaches of Bali, which came in as the top spot for solo travel, followed by searches for solo trips to Japan, Maine’s Acadia National Park, Turks and Caicos, and (T+L’s 2024 Destination of the Year ) Costa Rica.

In fact, solo travel has been so popular this year that searches reached an all-time high in January.

Travelers are also searching Google for specific activities, like the top things to do in Las Vegas for couples or the best things to do with kids in Orlando. But Google said Turks and Caicos is the most popular destination when it comes to both family travel and a couples trip.

Beyond making it easy to find flight options, Google Flights also helps travelers save money on dream getaways by telling customers when prices have specifically been lowest so they can better predict when they should purchase a flight. The search engine also offers flight tracking and alerts .

• Destinations

‘Many holes’: Problem with new Bali tourism tax levy

Thousands of tourists are reportedly dodging a new Bali rule with officials blaming “flaws” in the system.

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Thousands of tourists are reportedly dodging Bali’s new tourism tax fee following “flaws in the system”.

The 150,000 IDR ($15) tourist levy came into effect on February 14 and it’s expected to bring in more than $18 million this year from Aussies alone.

However, top tourism officials have acknowledged it is not running as it should with the majority of tourists entering the holiday hotspot (around 60 per cent) not paying the fee.

Instead, around 5000 people per day are paying levy, a lot less than what officials had hoped, according to national publication The Bali Sun .

Top tourism leader, Wayan Puspa Negara, told reporters this week the current system “has many holes” with fellow stakeholders criticising the system, rather than blaming tourists.

“At the airport, there are no payment counters that intensively charge fees,” Mr Puspa Negara said, according to The Bali Sun .

“So far the payment system uses an application, and the existing offers can only attract a few foreign tourists so we need to add more counters [at the airport].”

He suggested that airlines take on some of the responsibility of checking that tourists have paid their tourism taxes. He also added tourism attractions in Bali could be doing more to support the new system.

“Hotels, restaurants and tours attractions can all be end points, where foreign tourists are checked whether they have paid or not.”

Last week, head of the Bali Tourism Department, Tjok Bagus Pemayun said tourism officials are confident foreigners are aware of the new system.

However, Mr Puspa Negara disagrees, suggesting the government carry out a more “intense and massive outreach”.

“Especially in countries that are the largest source of foreign tourists to Bali,” he added.

As of March 26, tourism police units have been conducting spot checks to ensure travellers have paid the fee.

“We will target tourist attractions in Bali including Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Ulun Danu Beratan and also Tampaksiring,” Head of the Bali Tourism Department,” Tjok Bagus Pemayun said last week, according to The Bali Sun .

It has been supported by leading tourism stakeholders on the island, including the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association.

It involves tourists showing their Tourism Tax Levy Voucher, which they will receive via email from LoveBali after payment.

The voucher consists of a QR code that will need to be shown to the inspectors.

How to pay the tourist levy

You can pay the $15 fee via the lovebali.baliprov.go.id website or Love Bali app.

You will need to enter your details, including your passport number and arrival date.

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Then you can choose your payment method and once successful, you will have a ‘Levy Voucher’ sent to your email.

It is important to make sure the voucher is valid and active as your will need to present it at scanning checkpoints when entering Bali.

There will also be a counter to pay the fee by debit or credit card at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport or Benoa Harbour, but this is not the method encouraged.

Police will be patrolling the streets of the popular tourist destination for one reason — and foreigners will need to be prepared.

This overseas destination is soaring in popularity among Australian travellers, giving Bali a run for its money.

A highly respected Australian surfer, remembered as one of Bondi’s best boardriders, has died in a remote corner of Indonesia.