Travel Briefs

August 2019 issue

Swim with horses in Cornwall

During high tide in Cornwall, southwestern England, visitors can ride horses in Mounts Bay, near St. Michael’s Mount, with Cornwall Swimming Horses (At The Peep Out, Long Rock, Penzance, Cornwall; phone +44 07460 856167, www.cornwallswimminghorses.co.uk).

All riding is bareback, and no experience is necessary. Upon meeting her horse, the rider is given a riding assessment, then decides whether to ride to the beach or meet her horse there. In the water, the rider may swim on or alongside her horse. From arrival at the stable to swim’s end takes two to three hours.

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August 2019 issue

Tarry at the Taj at a cost

At the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, a new pricing structure with a time limit was introduced on June 23. Entry to the grounds now costs INR1,000 (near $14.40) for three hours, with entry to the mausoleum costing an additional INR200. Anyone staying even one minute beyond the allotted three hours will be charged INR1,000 for another three hours, with the same condition then applying again upon exiting.

(For example, a person spending six hours and one minute on the grounds will be charged an additional INR2,000 when exiting.)

July 2019 issue

Landsailing in Bonaire

On a seaside track on the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire, visitors can each race a 3-wheeled landsailing cart (in Dutch, blokart) powered by the same type of sail used on small sailboats.

Blokart speeds average 18-25 mph but can reach 38 mph in strong winds. Less speedy blokarts are available.

Each guest is given safety instructions and lessons before entering the track, with instructors positioned to assist. The experience costs $30 for 30 minutes or $50 for an hour.

Open daily until 5 p.m. For prebooked spots on weekdays and, in general, on weekends and holidays,...

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June 2019 issue

Barcelona shops tour

In Barcelona, Spain, the “Barcelona Genuine Shops” walking tour visits stores selling handmade goods and restaurants serving traditional foods. The 3-hour guided tour includes food samples, behind-the-scenes access to some shops and a shopping card offering discounts at 80 stores.

Buy a tour ticket for €25 (near $28) at any Barcelona Tourism office or visit bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com and type “genuine shops” in the search bar.

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June 2019 issue

Singapore airport expansion

A new airport terminal known as Jewel (Terminal 4) began operation at Changi Airport, Singapore, on April 17. The terminal provides service for 26 airlines, has more than 280 shops and restaurants and is anchored by a 131-foot-tall atrium featuring thousands of tropical plants in a 5-story garden plus the world’s largest indoor waterfall, cascading from the center of the roof.

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May 2019 issue

Cinque Terre footwear fines

In Italy’s Riviera, on the northwest coast, travelers trekking between the Cinque Terre towns now face fines from €50 to €2,500 (near $56-$2,805) for hiking in flip-flops, heels or other inappropriate footwear. Local authorities said that the fines were being imposed due to the cost of having to rescue so many people unable to negotiate the rugged coastline in the wrong footwear, an occurrence that has been increasing in regularity.

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May 2019 issue

Komodo Island to close

Indonesia is closing Komodo Island to tourists starting on Jan. 1, 2020, in order to protect its famous endemic lizards, the Komodo dragons. The rest of Komodo National Park, which also comprises two other large islands and 26 smaller ones, will remain open.

It was reported that a group had attempted to smuggle 41 of the dragons to sell on the black market, prompting the decision to close the island. The closure will also allow the dragons’ population to grow.

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April 2019 issue

Peggy Guggenheim exhibit in Venice

A special exhibit, "Peggy Guggenheim: The Last Dogaressa," Sept. 21, 2019-Jan. 27, 2020, at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, Dorsoduro 701, I-30123 Venezia, Italy; phone +39 041 2405 411, www.guggenheim-venice.it/inglese/default.html) explores the Venetian life of the collection's founder and her procurement of its art.

A member of the Guggenheim family, whose namesake museums can be found in Los Angeles, Bilbao and Abu Dhabi, Peggy moved into an 18th-century palace in Venice in 1948 and lived there until her death in 1979. In 1980, the Guggenheim...

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