Travel Briefs

May 2015 issue

ASEAN Passes

Members of AirAsia’s “BIGshot” frequent-flyer program can purchase an ASEAN Pass for MYR499 (near $138) or an ASEAN Pass + for MYR888.

Each pass has a value in “credits,” 10 for the ASEAN Pass, 20 for the ASEAN Pass +. For flights to any AirAsia destination in the 10-country ASEAN region (which includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), each route costs from one to five credits.

ASEAN Passes are good for one year from the time of purchase, but, once activated, the points must be used in 30 days for the ASEAN...

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December 2008 issue

Lisbon taxi vouchers

The average taxi ride within Lisbon, Portugal, costs €8-€15 (near $14-$26.50) and from airport to city, €12-€18. Fares are capped with a Taxi Voucher Lisboa, sold at the Lisbon Tourism booth in the airport arrivals hall, at the Lisboa Welcome Center and at Palácio Foz.

Depending on day or night service, vouchers cost €12.07 (near $16.75) day/€14.49 night in Zone 1; €15.37 day/€18.44 night, Zone 2, or €20.96 day/€25.19 night, Zone 3, with fares to Estoril, Cascais or Sintra €38.42 day/€46.09 night.

Phone +351 218 450 660 or visit www.askmelisboa.com. Tours are available for €...

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December 2008 issue

Swims with horses

On Bazaruto Island, Mozambique, guests at the Indigo Bay Resort can swim in the Indian Ocean with some of the resort’s six South African Boerperd horses, floating on their buoyant bodies.

Usually offered once a week (at high tide) with a horse trainer and subject to weather and tide conditions, the activity is complimentary to resort guests, both novice and advanced riders. Regular trail riding in forest and on dunes is also available.

Including full board, nonmotorized watersports, park fees and riding privileges, resort rates range from $330-$557 per person per day for a...

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November 2008 issue

Bathe an elephant

In Ayutthaya, Thailand, you can ride, feed and bathe an elephant at the Royal Elephant Kraal & Village, about an hour away from Bangkok, where the Elephantstay (Royal Elephant Kraal & Village, 74/1 M.3 Tumbol Suanpik, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, 13000, Thailand; phone [66] 80668 7727, www.elephantstay.com) program is involved in the research, rescue and rehabilitation of elephants.

Package prices (cash only, on arrival), available year round, range from 4,000 baht (near $118) for one person for one day to 77,000 baht ($2,271) for two people for 14 days/13 nights; the latter...

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June 2015 issue

Delta’s pet-tracking GPS

On March 31, Delta Air Lines became the first airline in the world to introduce a pet-tracking GPS device; it’s called the PT300. 

Along with its location, the device, which is placed in the pet’s carrier, collects data on the ambient temperature and on its orientation so Delta employees know if the pet is in danger of overheating or if the crate is askew. Due to cellular restrictions, however, it can transmit data only before and after a flight. 

When the PT300 is transmitting, an owner can track and monitor his pet by going to www.deltacargo.com, clicking on “Track a...

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October 2014 issue

Hilton digital check-in

In a service that will be available at 4,000 properties in more than 80 countries by the end of 2014, members of the Hilton® HHonors™ program of the Hilton (800/445-8667, www.hilton.com) group of hotels will be able to check in and select rooms online or using mobile devices. 

A reservation, which can be made up to a year in advance, must be made to use the service. After 6 a.m. on the day before the stay, the guest may browse the hotel’s floor plan and choose any vacant room plus optional services to be delivered prior to arrival. Photos of different rooms can be seen. The guest...

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September 2015 issue

Deported from UAE for Facebook post

In Abu Dhabi, an Australian woman was fined $2,700, spent 53 hours in custody and was deported from the United Arab Emirates on July 15 for posting a picture to Facebook of a car parked across two handicapped parking spaces near her apartment and adding criticism.

Though the woman’s post did not identify the driver of the car, a complaint of “writing bad words on social media” was filed under the UAE’s Cybercrime Law, resulting in her arrest and conviction. UAE’s Cybercrime Laws were enacted in 2012 to reduce online dissent against the government. 

October 2008 issue

Le Boat rentals

Crown Blue Line, Connoisseur and Emerald Star, after years of working as sister companies, have come together as Le Boat (980 Awald Rd., Ste. 101, Annapolis, MD 21403; 800/734-5491, www.leboat.com).

The newly combined line offers self-drive canal boating in France and other European countries, with budget to luxury boats available. Examples — for boats out of Burgundy or Alsace, prices run $900-$2,405 per week in off-season, depending on the type of boat chosen, and $1,710-$4,555 in high season.