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NEWSLETTER 50: JUNE 2020

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Beach Seychelles Opens Up – Slowly

THE Seychelles reopened its airport on June 1, though with restrictions that mean it’ll be a while before tourists head there in any great number. Still, it’s a positive step forward, and an important one for a country that’s heavily dependent on visitors. The opening up of the Indian Ocean island state is likely to proceed in gradual stages. We spent three months in the Seychelles and though it’s undoubtedly a beautiful place, our stay didn’t turn out as we had expected. WATCH this short video – there’s a clue about one of the things that spoiled some of our days. READ MORE in a new, detailed post about our time there. And READ another post about visiting a primeval forest on the idyllic Seychelles island of Praslin.

Phu Quoc

Vietnam’s Banned Fish Sauce Souvenir

ANOTHER country that is reported to be considering inviting back foreign tourists is our favourite destination in Southeast Asia, Vietnam. Foreigners have been banned from entering the country since March 22. There have been just 328 coronavirus cases there, with no deaths. The committee handling COVID-19 is considering opening up some islands, according to the Vietnam Express newspaper. One island that’s been mentioned is Phu Quoc – READ our post about it, and find out why you can’t take its famous fish sauce home as a souvenir. And READ about the popular resort town of Nha Trang.

Tai Kwun Hong Kong Guides Turn Storytellers

WE’VE never been in lockdown in Hong Kong, but gatherings of people stopped months ago. Among them are the events staged at the renovated police HQ, magistrates court and prison block in the centre of Central. Known as Tai Kwun (Big Station), it’s now an arts and heritage centre. The good news is that Tai Kwun is very slowly opening up. In the meantime, the docents (guides) have morphed into storytellers on film so you can see the beautiful buildings and hear their histories. There are three versions of each charming video – in English, Cantonese and Putonghua – WATCH THEM. And READ MORE about how Hong Kong has been affected by the coronavirus.

Royal Ascot Social Distancing Season Latest

WE’RE continuing to update our guide to how the coronavirus has affected the summer social season in England. The season consists of famous sporting and cultural events, some of which date back centuries. Four of the eight iconic events we feature have been cancelled – the Chelsea Flower Show, the Glyndebourne opera festival, Glastonbury, and the tennis at Wimbledon. The Royal Ascot (above) and Glorious Goodwood racing meetings are to go ahead on the scheduled dates, but behind closed doors. The Test match between England and West Indies that was due to take place at Lord’s cricket ground in June will be staged at another venue in July. The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is to become an autumn exhibition – though the new dates have not yet been announced. In normal times, many people travel to the UK to attend these great events. READ MORE

Feedspot grab Top 100-Ranked Travel Blog

AFARANWIDE has been added to a list of the top 100 travel blogs written by couples. The register is compiled by Feedspot, a company that offers services such as data curation and brand monitoring. We’re proud to join the many other great travel blogs in this list.

Amphan Cyclones Bring Tragedy in a Crisis

CYCLONE AMPHAN killed at least 100 people when it swept through West Bengal and Orissa in India, devastating parts of Kolkata, and on to Bangladesh from May 16 to 21. Four million people were evacuated – with shelter space under severe pressure as social distancing rules restricted the numbers that could use them. A 994-square-mile area in the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was damaged, leaving 50,000 homeless. Days later came Cyclone Nisarga, which headed for Mumbai, a city already struggling with 1,400 deaths and 40,000 cases of COVID-19. Our thoughts are with everyone caught up in this tragedy on top of a crisis.

The Maldives Chinese Want to Ditch Tour Groups

A SURVEY of Chinese travellers about hotels in the Maldives (above) has revealed some unexpected results. More than half said they won’t travel until later next year; and three-quarters want to travel independently, rather than in traditional tour groups previously favoured by Chinese holidaymakers. Almost 40 per cent want to book flights and hotels separately, so packages have lost their allure. The good news for the Maldives is that 67 per cent think its isolated islands will offer the safest holiday destination post-pandemic. The survey is by hospitality consulting group C9 Hotelworks and Delivering Asia Communications. It concludes that hotels on the Maldives may change their way of doing business, too. Owed money by tour operators, booking agents and other external suppliers, they will want to regain control over their financing.

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