Travel Briefs

November 2018 issue | Appears on page 60

Indonesia’s tallest statue

In South Kuta on the island of Bali, Indonesia, that nation's tallest statue was unveiled on Sept. 21, 2018. The massive bronze statue, called the "Garuda Wisnu Kencana," depicts the Hindu god Vishnu riding the mythical, bird-like Garuda.

Located at Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park (Jl. Raya Uluwatu, Ungasan, Kuta Selatan, Badung 80364, Bali-Indonesia; phone +62 361 700 808, gwkbali.com), the 246-foot-tall statue — 396 feet tall including the base — has a 210-foot...

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November 2018 issue | Appears on page 60

Pergamon panorama in Berlin

Originally on display for one year in 2011-2012, a panorama depicting the ancient Greek city of Pergamon opened this fall in Berlin at the Pergamonmuseum. Das Panorama (Museumsinsel Berlin, Am Kupfergraben, 10117 Berlin, Germany; phone +49 30 266 424242, www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/pergamonmuseum-das-panorama/home....).

On view until 2024, the panorama offers 360-degree views of an artist's rendition of what Pergamon may have looked like in AD 129. This time, the...

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November 2018 issue | Appears on page 65

Tour Paris in a gourmet restaurant/bus

Aboard a double-decker bus with a kitchen below, you can enjoy a gourmet meal while on a sightseeing tour of Paris with Bustronome (2 avenue Kléber, 75116, Paris, France; phone +33 954 444 555, www.bustronome.com). A free "Audiopen" provides commentary (includes English).

Tours run daily, a 1¾-hour, 4-course lunch (meet at 12:00 or 12:30) and a 2¾-hour, 6-course dinner (7:30 or 8:30). A lunch tour costs €65 (child, €40) or, paired with wine, €85 (near $100...

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November 2018 issue | Appears on page 65

NZ stargazing tour

On New Zealand's South Island, near Lake Tekapo, visitors can take a stargazing tour at the Mt. John Observatory with Earth & Sky (Lake Tekapo; phone +64 3 680 6960, www.earthandsky.co.nz). Mt. John is within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, among places noted for the clarity of their night skies.

On the 2-hour tour, guests view the sky through powerful portable telescopes set up by Earth & Sky or, on cloudy days, tour the Mt. John Observatory, normally...

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October 2018 issue | Appears on page 4

Air Canada data breach

A data breach involving Air Canada's smartphone app may have resulted in the stealing of the personal information, including passport information, of thousands of customers. Authorities are unsure how the breach occurred or who is responsible for it but noted that Air Canada had a weak password system. All customers with an Air Canada account have been asked to reset their passwords using new, more stringent guidelines.

Only customers who used the app to book flights were affected...

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October 2018 issue | Appears on page 4

Low-cost Canada airline

Budget Canadian airline Swoop (www.flyswoop.com) started operating four routes in the US in August, with only one fare class on each flight: from Edmonton (YEG) to Phoenix-Mesa (AZA) [for CAD99 (near $76)] and from John C. Munro Airport (YHM) in Hamilton, Ontario, to four airports: Las Vegas McCarran (LAS) [CAD179], Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL) [CAD179], Orlando (MCO) [CAD169] or Tampa International (TPA) [CAD159].

At press time, tickets were available for purchase for the dates of...

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October 2018 issue | Appears on page 4

Marriott and Starwood combine programs

Marriott International acquired Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide on Sept. 23, 2016. On Aug. 18, 2018, the two companies merged their rewards programs. Members of Starwood's Preferred Guest program now can trade their points in for Marriott Rewards, at a 1-to-3 rate (one Starwood point equals three Marriott points), at www.marriott.com/marriott-rewards/connect-my-accounts.mi.

Points can be used to reserve a room at any Marriott, Starwood or Ritz-Carlton hotel.

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October 2018 issue | Appears on page 4

Cayman Islands hurricane guarantee

Participating accommodations in the Cayman Islands, in the Western Caribbean, offer a "hurricane guarantee" that allows guests to cancel bookings or rebook at a later date with no penalties if a hurricane warning occurs within 48 hours of their scheduled stay.

To see if your accommodation participates in the guarantee, visit www.visitcaymanislands.com/en-us/about-cayman/weather/hurricane-guarantee and click on the link provided.

The Cayman Islands' hurricane guarantee is...

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