Travel Desk

Holidaymakers are being warned of new rules around spending cash in popular hotspots which are set to be implemented by next summer

While many Brits use debit, credit, or travel money cards when they go on holiday, for some, cash is still king no matter where they go in the world.

But new plans from the European Central Bank (ECB) could see a digital equivalent to physical cash being introduced, and the first step, a cash payment limit in Euros, is set to be enforced as of next summer.

As reported by Majorca Daily News, as part of the move to a digital Euro, the cash payment limit of €10,000 (about £8,500) will be introduced in Spain as of July 10, 2027. It’ll apply to all commercial transactions for goods and services, and can’t be bypassed by making lots of smaller transactions, as linked cash payments will be treated as a single payment under the law.

For transactions between €3,000 and €10,000, merchants will be obliged to verify the customer’s identity before they pay in cash. This ensures that all financial transactions can be linked to individuals, even if cash is used, and aims to prevent money laundering. This could affect Brits looking to pay for hotels or car hire in cash.

EU countries will be able to set their own limits, and France has already confirmed for its own taxpayers the maximum amount will be just €1,000, but for holidaymakers it’ll be €15,000, about £12,800.

Banks in the EU will continue to monitor unusual deposits at cash points, and will also need to report transactions of over €3,000 where large banknotes are used. While it’s unlikely that the average tourist would ever carry this amount, there is also a limit on the amount of cash someone can carry in public when in Spain which is €100,000, about £85,500. which is to deter criminal activities and terrorism.

If you’re travelling between countries, even if you’re within the Schengen area, you’ll need to declare any amounts over €10,000 to customs when you arrive.

The digital Euro plan would create a central bank digital currency (CBDC) overseen by the ECB. It would offer a digital alternative to physical cash, and mean people could make on and off-line purchases free of charge with their Euros stored on a card or mobile app.

A rollout is planned for 2029, and aims to reduce reliance on US payment systems such as Visa and Mastercard. In Russia, huge numbers of people were left unable to make payments when the firms pulled out of the country due to the war with Ukraine, and Europe wants to avoid using US firms for banking functions in a time of political instability.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde claimed in a Euronews interview that the move to a digital Euro isn’t about scrapping cash and coins or monitoring citizens, saying: “Cash will not go away, it will be rejuvenated”.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

Late summer hiking in the Austrian Alps

Haldensee is a clear, sparkling cold lake located at the bottom of the Tannheimer Tal valley in the Austrian Alps (about 90 miles south-west of Munich). We visited last year, just when summer was on its way out, and it was too cold to skinny-dip in the lake (unless you were very brave). Nonetheless, if you’re a hiker, a ski lift takes you up into the Allgäu Alps where you can walk through dense forest to Bad Kissinger Hütte serving refreshing apfelschorle, warming soups and seasonal bakes to refuel for the journey downhill. When going down, we were accompanied by tinkling cattle, ambling along the mountain-side springs, which made the experience so much more memorable.
Kovida

Mountain tracks of Lake Garda, Italy

Northern Lake Garda, where the mountains tower above the lake, is one huge adventure playground: walking, cycling, climbing, boat trips and all manner of watersports on the lake. There are castles, waterfalls and valley cycle trails. The old Ponale mountain road might be the pick for cycling (best on ebike) and walking. It winds through tunnels and clings to the rock with spectacular views over the lake. At Ponale Alto enjoy a hearty pasta dish washed down with a local beer or wine, before returning downhill all the way.
Dave Thomas

Swiss bliss near Mont Blanc

Skip the crowds of Chamonix and spend a week at La Fouly, in south-west Switzerland. Some walking routes are busy (it is a hub for the famous Tour du Mont Blanc walk) but there are plenty of walks to choose from, many of which are not on the main trail. Walk to the Lacs de Fenêtre, where you can hear the gurgling burps of rock ptarmigans at first light, and the shrieks of marmots as you descend back down into the valley. We camped by cool, fast-flowing rivers at Camping des Glaciers in La Fouly.
Daniel

Meadows and cowbells in Slovenia

The loudest sound in Slovenia’s Logar Valley is usually a cowbell. A narrow road runs through flower-filled meadows to the foot of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, but it’s best explored on foot or by bike, stopping at the little farms that sell homemade cheese and apple juice. Follow the easy trail to the 90-metre Rinka waterfall, then linger over lunch at one of the mountain inns to enjoy the view. I stayed overnight in a family-run guesthouse, and by early evening the day visitors had gone, leaving the valley almost silent except for swallows and grazing cattle.
Susanna C

Dragonflies and lilies on Italy’s secret lake

The spring-fed Lago di Monate, between the much larger lakes of Maggiore and di Varese, has possibly the freshest swimming water in Italy, chiefly because of its longstanding ban on motorboats. You can hire paddleboards to cross the calm surface to vast lily beds, blooming in summer and alive with dragonflies. The grassy beach with sunbeds and umbrellas at Il Coppale is very reasonable with evening meal (fresh fish, naturally) on their terrace at about €25 with a view over the lake to the Alps.
Tim Leadbetter

Alpine ambience in Bavaria

Looking for a reasonable budget autumnal trip, a search on the usual sites led us to Bavaria, and the outdoorsy town of Ruhpolding. Alpine atmosphere was immediately delivered, with a charming unpretentious ambience. There is a really impressive waterpark and cool blue lakes, such as Lödensee and Weitsee. Hikes through classical Alpine scenery took us to an alm, a mountain refuge in high meadows where local milk and beer was served with platters of meat and cheese. A little further away the huge Chiemsee gave us a day at the beach. A stop in Munich on the way back allowed us to visit the excellent BMW museum, part of which is free.
Brian Lowry

Cycling the Velosud this summer was the perfect trip to the mountains without having to cycle up or down them. We spent two weeks leisurely following the signposted route in the foothills of the Pyrenees, often alongside rivers, with mountain views every day. It’s all either traffic-free or on very quiet roads, and passes by spa towns such as Salies-du-Salat, the beautiful Foix and Mirepoix, and lovely, low-key but well equipped campsites (always with swimming pool, aperitif and morning croissants).
Rowan

A cross-border trek on the Camino Francés

I’ve walked close to 2,000km of the Camino de Santiago, traversing Spain from the Pyrenees to the Galician coast and following the crashing waves of the Atlantic Portuguese coast in northern Portugal. One of the most stunning stretches of the Camino Francés (part of the Camino de Santiago) takes you from the French Pyrenean town of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to the Spanish village of Roncesvalles. It’s a very tough climb, but it’s well worth the effort. In the early morning mist, as you approach the border with Spain, the panoramic views from above the cloud line will take your breath away. A truly spectacular experience.
Stephen Taylor

Tuscany’s wild side

It’s amazing that the Alpi Apuane are not better known. This raw, jagged cluster of marble peaks forms a dramatic backdrop to the bucket-and-spade beaches of northern Tuscany. These mountains are laced with challenging trails, including the multi-day Via Vandelli, linking Modena to the coast. The valleys shelter quiet, refreshing streams and half-forgotten villages. Above the treeline, the hiker is rewarded with expansive views of the mountains, the sea, and the surreal marble quarries hewn from the mountainsides. This is the wild side of Tuscany.
Robert

Winning tip: The Vosges mountains by train

The Vosges mountains in eastern France are made up of forest-covered rounded peaks called ballons, and are accessible by train. The line between Colmar and Metzeral provides easy access into the Wormsa valley, where forest paths climb past streams to the peaceful Lac du Fischboedle, surrounded by trees. From there you can climb the third highest mountain in the Vosges, Hohneck (1,363 metres), for sweeping views towards the Alps. The food in the region is delicious, especially tarte flambée (flammekueche), a traditional thin flatbread topped with creme fraiche, onions and bacon.
Hannah

The provided text details the historical and economic background of the Central African Republicin observance of its Independence Day. Despite possessing significant natural wealth such as gold, diamonds, and uranium, the nation remains one of the world’s least developed countries. The source traces this struggle back to the devastating impact of the slave trade and the subsequent era of European colonization, during which France established the territory as Ubangi-Shari. Under French rule, the region suffered from exploitative labor practices designed to fund overseas interests. Today, the country serves as a reminder of the complex transition from a colonial dependency to a sovereign state loca … 

Disney California Adventure is on the verge of a transformation. The 25-year-old next-door neighbor to the Disneyland Resort will be doubling the size of its Avengers Campus in the coming months.

Farther down the road will be the arrival of an “Avatar”-inspired area in the current Hollywood Land corner of the park. Walt Disney Imagineering, the arm of the company dedicated to theme park experiences, revealed a detailed model an “Avatar” water ride destined for the park at its all-things-Disney convention D23.

The miniature shows the ride snaking around the Disneyland Monorail, and reveals a landscape that will fully transform the look and tone of California Adventure. It’s green, it’s lush, it’s a little rustic and it looks as if a mini rainforest will be slotted into the park.

A model of the forthcoming “Avatar”-inspired area includes a monorail in a lush forest.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times )

The “Avatar” model is just one part of expansive booth dedicated to what’s currently in development at Disney’s global parks. The centerpiece of the D23 area is no doubt a model of Piston Peak, a “Cars”-inspired land coming to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, which, in contrast to Anaheim’s Cars Land, takes on the feel of a woody town nestled next to a national park.

Elsewhere, Imagineering has revealed a look at the soon-to-be remodeled Avengers Campus, which is deep in development on two new attractions that will effectively double the size of the area. The two attractions will different drastically in style.

One is a previously announced ride featuring the Avengers in battle across the multiverse with King Thanos. At a media preview on Thursday, Disney didn’t show off much of the attraction, Avengers Infinity Defense, but expect a dark ride that will emphasize 3D screens in a battle across quickly changing locales.

A look at the expanded Avengers Campus Disney California Adventure shown at D23. Two additional rides are currently under construction.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times )

The other, Stark Flight Lab, is pitched as a testing of new Avengers technology. It’s an amusement-park-like thrill ride, in which guests will sit in two-person pods and then attach to a mechanical arm that will lift them into the air and attempt to simulate sensations of flight.

“It’s going to be definitely thrilling,” said Emily “Emo” O’Brien, an Imagineer who helps lead creative direction of the Disneyland Resort.

Timetables for the completed Avengers Campus and the “Avatar” expansion were not yet detailed, although the Marvel additions are widely seen as not far off. Disney is expected to reveal more info on both projects, as well as a “Coco”-inspired boat ride coming to the park, at a Saturday evening presentation.

Concept art of an “Avatar”-inspired attraction coming to Disney California Adventure.

(20th Century / Disneyland Resort)

The addition of “Avatar” is especially notable as it veers the park, one that began with a mission to reflect our Golden State, into further realms of fantasy. Cars Land, for instance, could be read, in part, as an exploration of Southern California car culture and an ode to Route 66.

An especially noteworthy aspect of the “Avatar” model was the appearance of the ride to be visible outside of its grand show building, as guests walking through the park will be able to glimpse its boats gliding past them. A model of the ride vehicles appears to show six rows that can accommodate five or six guests per row.

The boats are flanked by cascading waterfalls, and mountains that appear to curve in on themselves. An assortment of mystical critters dot the landscape. Speculation is the attraction will be utilize an updated version of the ride system found in Shanghai Disneyland’s rousing Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

“Over its 25 years it has significantly changed, especially at the time we brought in Cars Land and reimagined Buena Vista Street,” O’Brien said of California Adventure. “I think it’s a park that stands on its own now. It’s grown up.”

Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.

Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.

Ride on,

Todd Martens

P.S.

Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride comes out every Tuesday, but we occasionally publish special editions (like this one!) when we have breaking theme park news. Make sure you’ve signed up to be the first to know.

Given the resilience and diversity of our local mosquito population and our warming climate, Los Angeles doesn’t really have an easily defined mosquito season.

That was one of my biggest takeaways — and bummers — from my conversation with Chris Barker, an epidemiology professor at UC Davis who has studied mosquitoes for almost 30 years, including at his lab.

“I hate to say it, but there are mosquitoes year-round,” Barker said, “and in Southern California in particular, many of your mosquitoes are active year-round, and they don’t go through a reproductive pause, so they’re really just waiting on conditions to be right for biting and for development. In that sense, the warmer [weather], the better for the mosquitoes, and the worse it is for us.”

For this week’s edition of The Wild, our weekly outdoors newsletter, I spoke to Barker about how hikers can best avoid nature’s rudest insect this summer. I wanted to understand what common misconceptions hikers have about mosquitoes, any behavioral changes we can make and what types of trails are most likely to have active mosquito populations. (Spoiler alert: It’s a lot of them.)

First, let’s quickly discuss the mosquitoes that you will find in Southern California, as Barker emphasized to me that we shouldn’t just imagine mosquitoes as one bloodthirsty monolith.

“There are many species of mosquitoes that exhibit a wide range of behaviors, and some species never bite people,” Barker said. “Knowing just a little bit of mosquito biology can help a hiker know when and” where to hike.

Types of mosquitoes found around L.A. hiking trails

In California, there are more than 50 species of mosquitoes, living from below sea level in the desert to above 10,000 feet in our mountains, according to the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Thankfully, our local population is smaller than that and includes:

• Three mosquitoes in the Aedes genus: Often dubbed “ankle biters,” the black-and-white-striped female aedes mosquitoes bite during the day, often around the legs, often multiple times; the most prevalent in Southern California, Aedes aegypti, generally lives where people are, as it depends heavily on manmade water sources to lay its eggs; different species are vectors for different diseases, including Aedes aegypti, which can carry dengue fever.
• Six mosquitoes in the Culex genus: Adults are most active from dusk to dawn; they prefer to bite birds but will bite humans; otherwise, they will rest in cool, shaded dense vegetation; the Southern house mosquito in this genus can transmit West Nile.

Culex mosquitoes bite at dawn and dusk and tend to feed off birds. The Southern house mosquito in this genus can transmit West Nile.

(Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District)

• Anopheles franciscanus: Living in warm sunny pools with algae; not known to carry disease in California; peak biting during dusk and dawn; included in this list to make us all feel a little better, just in case you worry as much as your local outdoors journalist about mosquito-borne diseases.
• Ochlerotatus sierrensis: Also known as “western treehole mosquitoes,” these little jerks lay their eggs in tree holes, especially oaks, laurels and eucalyptus, and emerge in spring, ready to unapologetically ruin your backpacking trip; these mosquitoes will bite in the day and evening, but are especially active at dusk.
• Ochlerotatus washinoi: Also known as “woodland pond mosquitoes,” which makes them sound more charming than they are, these aggressive daytime biters are typically found in floodwater habitats in early spring; not known to carry disease in California.

A quick 101 on West Nile virus

Outside of an itchy bite or, in rare cases, a severe allergic reaction, the most significant health threat that mosquitoes pose to hikers around L.A. is West Nile virus.

West Nile virus is typically contracted by humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people infected with the virus, an estimated 80%, never know it, because they don’t get sick. About 20% of those infected experience flu-like symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Less than 1% develop serious illnesses that affect the central nervous system and usually require hospitalization.

Similar to the lack of clarity around who develops long COVID, scientists have yet to identify why certain people develop serious neurological conditions from West Nile. Advanced age, especially in people 65 and older, is thought to play a role, given that with age, the body’s immune system is slower to respond to threats, according to the National Library of Medicine. Other risk factors are thought to include being male; having diabetes, heart disease or chronic kidney disease; or being immunocompromised, according to research.

In recent years, reported West Nile human cases have typically peaked in early September, according to data analyzed by the L.A. County Department of Public Health. This year, West Nile has been detected in traps and in dead birds across L.A., but especially in Cerritos and Long Beach, according to the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District.

Given all that we know now about our local mosquito population and risks, let’s discuss Barker’s tips and tricks for how hikers can best avoid getting bit.

How L.A. hikers can best avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes

People walk in and around the Arroyo Seco.

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

1. Consider what water source is near.

I personally love hiking along the Arroyo Seco or San Gabriel River, where it’s often shady and cooler than other parts of Angeles National Forest. Unfortunately, mosquitoes love those areas too.

Mosquitoes prefer standing water, but not permanent water, Barker said. For certain species, this could be a segment of the river where the water has stopped flowing, leaving a nice warm pool for mama mosquitoes to lay their eggs, or even a small puddle.

“When I go hiking … especially in the mountains, I always look in the rock homes next to the streams that have captured snow melt water as it recedes,” Barker said. “Those rock holes keep water through much of the summer, and if you look in those rock holes, you often see hundreds or thousands of mosquitoes in individual rock holes. They’re the immatures that are still developing and will come out and eventually bite people and other animals in the area.”

I was honestly happier before I knew that.

2. Consider the day’s forecast and its effect on mosquito behavior.

“Often these mosquitoes are biting from late afternoon into early evening — so all the times we love to be outdoors,” Barker said.

Like us, mosquitoes are most active when temperatures are warm but not extremely hot. “On our hot days in the summer, mosquitoes will wait until the late afternoon, evening or even morning periods to bite instead of the hottest part of the day,” Barker said.

That said, if there’s a light breeze or it is windy, you’re far less likely to get bitten, as mosquitoes are thought to only fly up to 1 to 1.5 mph.

Dunsmore Canyon in Glendale.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

3. Take extra precautions on morning and evening hikes.

Mosquitoes are often most active during these time periods — the ideal summer hiking time. As such, Barker advised hikers to wear baggy light-colored pants and hiking shirts, so that you will remain cool enough under the sun but your skin will be more protected.

You can also pre-spray your clothing with Permethrin, an insecticide that kills and repels mosquitoes.

An Aedes mosquito, commonly called an ankle biter, prefers humans over animals. While Aedes can carry dengue, they do not transmit West Nile virus.

(Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District)

4. Reapply mosquito repellent.

I generally set a timer for around 50 minutes when out hiking to remind myself to reapply sunscreen, but I rarely remember to reapply bug repellent.

“Most people do kind of a one-and-done application and happily go off and hike, and if you hike for hours, especially if you’re using repellent with either a lower DEET concentration or some other alternatives, you often have to reapply those at more frequent intervals,” Barker said.

Mosquitoes inside a storage container are tested after capture by public health workers for West Nile virus. This particular station is in Pacoima.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

DEET has long been found to be a highly effective mosquito repellent, but as I reported back in 2024, DEET has a perception problem. Unlike some repellents, it isn’t naturally occurring, which has caused some members of the public to take pause.

“They want something that’s natural. They forget that strychnine [and] ricin are all natural products,” said Walter S. Leal, a UC Davis distinguished professor in molecular and cellular biology, in a 2024 interview, referencing poisons derived from plants. “Being natural does not necessarily mean it is good, and being synthetic doesn’t necessarily mean it is bad.”

Additionally, people often incorrectly associate DEET with the banned insecticide DDT. “This is a big mistake,” Leal said. “There is no chemical similarity between the two.”

The view from a bench at a lookout point near the Saddle Peak Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

5. Try coastal hikes to avoid mosquitoes.

“Coastal environments sometimes have fewer mosquitoes,” Barker said. “In L.A., you have that strong temperature gradient as you move away from the ocean, and things get warmer in the inland areas. Cooler areas slow mosquito development, and you tend to have fewer mosquitoes right along the coast.”

This excludes areas near tidal marshes, like the Ballona and Los Cerritos wetlands, where certain mosquitoes can become “quite numerous” if not controlled by local vector agencies.

The Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve in Marina del Rey in 2023.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

The coastal breeze also helps hikes along the ocean — like several routes you’ll find in the Santa Monica Mountains or Palos Verdes Peninsula — have fewer mosquitoes.

“And some of the coastal mosquitoes fly inland to find their blood meal hosts before they come back and lay eggs,” Barker said. “So right along the coast is not a bad place to be from a mosquito-biting perspective.”

Did somebody say Type-O Tuesday?

A Joshua Tree and rocks are lit up by the sunrise at Jumbo Rocks Campground in Joshua Tree National Park.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

6. If weather allows, hike in the desert to avoid mosquitoes.

“There is no real escape from mosquitoes, I would say, except possibly in the deserts in areas with less water,” Barker said. “That’s your best escape in California.”

If you head out to Joshua Tree, this generally means hiking before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m., as you will otherwise almost certainly get overheated.

7. Be mindful when taking breaks.

It’s harder for mosquitoes to bite you when you’re moving or when there’s a breeze. Keep an eye out when taking breaks, as this will more likely be the time you get bitten. And often where we like to take breaks is where mosquitoes also like to rest.

A field sample of mosquitoes that could carry West Nile virus is seen at offices of the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health in Hemet.

(David McNew / Getty Images)

“Mosquitoes do tend to rest in areas with vegetation or other vertical structures that protect them from harsh conditions like direct sunlight or strong winds,” Barker said. “The female mosquitoes also search for their blood meal hosts in those areas, which include us.

“Unfortunately for us,” Barker added, “they like a lot of the same areas we do.”

3 things to do

A group of hikers at a Just Trek event.

(Victor Martinez)

1. Celebrate community in Malibu
Just Trek, a local hiking community, will host its seven-year anniversary party at 9:30 a.m. Sunday in Malibu. The group will take a two-mile hike and then hang out at a local beach near a seafood restaurant. Donations appreciated. Register at partiful.com.

2. Behold native botany in L.A.
The L.A. Parks Foundation will host From Trail to Seed, a botany-focused nature walk, from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the Fern Canyon Trail in Griffith Park. Botanist Terry Huang and park ecologist Ryan Kinzel will lead the group as they take a moderately challenging route through the park. $20 donation requested. Register at los-angeles-parks-foundation.givecloud.co.

3. Use your nature skills in Baldwin Hills
The Nature Nexus Institute needs volunteers from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday for a habitat restoration event in the Baldwin Hills. Volunteers must wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. The work site will include traversing uneven terrain. Learn more at the institute’s Instagram page.

The must-read

Jackie the eagle.

(Friends of Big Bear Valley)

Jackie, arguably the world’s most famous bald eagle mama, died Monday morning after a mysterious illness that veterinarians at the Ojai Raptor Center worked hard to combat. She was 14. Jackie and her mate Shadow transformed into avian all-stars after Friends of Big Bear Valley installed live cameras of their nest. Millions of people across the world tuned in to witness the two eagles raise their young and live their lives in our local mountains. That included Anny Liu of Altadena, who started watching Jackie and Shadow and their little eaglets after losing her community to the Eaton fire in 2025. “Jackie and her family gave me hope and gave me giggles and smiles that I thought were lost with the fires,” Liu wrote to The Times via a reader callout. “My heart felt lighter when I watched her even to this day as we try to rebuild. Never in my life did I expect an eagle would help me so much emotionally and mentally.”

May we continue to allow ourselves to feel these deep connections with our animal neighbors, as it leads to us wanting to protect their homes and, in turn, protect our world.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

Do you want to help repair damage from the devastating fire that burned across Santa Rosa Island? The California Institute of Environmental Studies needs volunteers to help implement emergency fire recovery work on the island, including rolling erosion control wattles on steep slopes to better protect the Torrey Pine forest from erosion caused by winter rains. To learn more, you can email Destinee Rabelo, the center’s restoration ecologist field lead, by using the email linked in the organization’s Instagram post. Have fun out there!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

YOU don’t need a celebrity budget to jet off to Europe’s most stunning beach destinations.

We’ve scoured Wowcher‘s holiday deals to find the best beach breaks with return flights included, slashing prices by up to 56%.

Whether you fancy living the high life at a five-star resort in Mykonos, floating in a rooftop infinity pool in Malta, or soaking up the sun on Turkey‘s Turquoise Coast, we’ve got you.

Here are the top sunny stays you can book right now from £99pp – before they sell out.

Malta – £99

With this gem of a deal, you can soak up the Malta sunshine from this four-star hotel’s rooftop infinity pool for under £100pp – saving up to 46% off full-price.

This stylish spot has sweeping views over the Mediterranean, plus a spa to unwind in and multiple bars and restaurants to pick from.

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The hotel sits in the charming hilltop village of Mellieha, which is home to Malta’s longest sandy beach and historical landmarks like the 17th-century St. Agatha’s Red Tower.

The deal also comes with return flights from your pick of London Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Southend, London City & Manchester airports, plus you can pick the number of nights you stay.

Book a 4* holiday to Malta with return flights included from £99pp

5* Algarve holiday – £99

Bag a beachfront break to Portugal with this £99 stay at a luxurious 5* hotel in The Algarve, saving up to 56% off full-price breaks.

The glamorous resort, named Wine & Books by the Sea, boasts a huge, glimmering outdoor pool surrounded by palm trees and bright white parasols.

Indoors, the Library Spa has a heated indoor pool and offers treatments like aromatherapy massages and soothing facials.

When you fancy exploring the local area, this resort sits in Portugal‘s Reserva Natural dos Salgados, where wildlife like flamingos wander the wetlands.

Book a 5* holiday to The Algarve with return flights included from £99pp

Antalya – £159

Antalya’s Citrus Park Hotel has everything you’d want in a Turkey holiday – comfy sea view rooms, a huge hotel breakfast spread, and the golden sands of Konyaalti Beach a short walk away.

This hotel comes with some pretty amazing views, sitting on the beachfront and framed by dramatic mountains.

Just a short walk away you’ll find a promenade lined with bars, cafes, souvenir shops and water sports stations.

You can save 30% on the holiday with this Wowcher offer, which also includes breakfast during your stay and return flights from London, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh or Manchester.

Book a holiday to Antalya with return flights included from £159pp

Fuerteventura – £179

This 4* Fuerteventura hotel places you right in the heart of the action.

There’s white sands just steps away and a plethora of beachfront bars and restaurants.

There’s a huge swimming pool here with a dedicated kids section, plenty of loungers, plus a poolside bar serving up fruity cocktails.

The hotel is a short stroll from Corralejo Harbour, where you can hop on a ferry to the island of Lobos, or even take a day-trip to Lanzarote.

Book a 4* holiday to Fuerteventura with return flights included from £179pp

Mykonos 5* – £299

A 5* holiday to Mykonos sounds like something only celebs can afford. But this Wowcher offer means you can book one for under £300.

The offer includes a stay at Saint John Hotel Villas & Spa, home to its own private beach, gourmet restaurants and infinity pool facing the sea.

Here you’re also perfectly positioned to explore the best of Mykonos – with its white windmills, Mykonos Town and Little Venice all nearby.

This offer can save you up to 22% off full price, giving you some extra cash in your pocket to hit the island’s stylish bars and clubs.

Book a 5* holiday to Mykonos with return flights included from £299pp

Menorca – £179

Majorca’s quieter sister island Menorca offers all the same stunning beaches and scenery – but in a more relaxed, peaceful setting,

This Wowcher bargain includes flights plus a stay in the beachfront Aparthotel Sol Parc, surrounded by scenic pine woodlands.

Here you’ll get a spacious apartment plus access to multiple swimming pools and sports facilities like beach volleyball, mini golf, basketball and a tennis court.

Even better, you can walk directly out of the building onto the beach where there’s clear waters to paddle in and a restaurant overlooking the sea.

Book a holiday to Menorca with return flights included from £179pp

Prices correct at the time of publication.

AND just like that, the solar eclipse is over… until next year where you can see another in several European destinations.

The solar eclipse will return on August 2 next year, with some European destinations getting a total eclipse, including Spain again.

Alongside Spain, Gibraltar, Tunisia, Morocco and eight other countries will also experience a total solar eclipse.

Meanwhile, the UK will once again see a partial eclipse.

Unlike yesterday’s celestial event, this solar eclipse will take place in the morning in most destinations.

But the hype caused by yesterday’s event is already creating hype for next year’s.

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Gibraltar, for example, you can fly from the UK for between £170 and £190 return, on average.

Looking at flights for next year around the solar eclipse, prices are already rocketing.

If you were to head out on July 29 and return on August 3, direct flights from Manchester will set you back at least £453 return and £739 return from London.

Alter the dates slightly and it is still expensive – flying out on July 30 and returning on August 4 will set you back at least £419 direct from London.

Even if you flew out the day before and then headed home straight after the eclipse, you’ll be set back around £400 for direct flights.

Adele Cooke, Senior Consumer Reporter and Consumer Champion at The Sun, who is from Gibraltar, said: “The next eclipse may still be a year away but Gibraltar is already buzzing with excitement.

“The total eclipse will be visible over Gibraltar and the uninterrupted views over the Strait make it a great place to watch the event.

“The eclipse will be visible for a full four minutes, one of the longest durations of anywhere in the world.

“Friends and family have already booked their flights home to be there on August 2 and prices are already climbing.

“But there’s no need to worry about missing out.

“There are dozens of flights from the UK to Malaga every day, and the Spanish airport is just an hour and a half’s drive from Gibraltar.

“Set up price alerts now so you’ll be notified when prices drop.
Meanwhile, website GibStay.com can help you find affordable accommodation.

“If accommodation in Gibraltar is out of your price range then consider staying in one of the nearby towns and driving down for the event.

“Estepona, Soto Grande and Tarifa are all around an hour’s drive away.

“You could book a villa and make a week of it.

“In August temperatures in southern Spain average between 21 and 28 degrees, while the region gets less than 8mm of rainfall for the entire month.”

For Spain, major cities and locations that will be under the path of totality include Cadiz, Malaga and the coast of Almeria and Granada in southern Spain.

If heading to Cadiz, you’ll need to head to Jerez Airport, which is about a 40-minute drive from the city centre.

Direct return flights for the days around the solar eclipse to Jerez Airport from London are already around £495.

This is still more than the average £170 to £350 return trip to the city usually costs in August.

Malaga seems to be one of the only destinations that hasn’t risen… yet.

Average direct return flights to Malaga from the UK in August usually cost £170 to £270.

There are currently direct flights still available heading out at the end of July and returning on August 3 for £187.

There are currently lots of hotels available for affordable prices too.

You don’t have to go to Spain though, you could fly to Morocco instead for £230 return.

Here’s the full list of countries you could head to where there will be a full solar eclipse on August 2:

• Algeria
• British Indian Ocean
• Egypt
• Gibraltar
• Libya
• Morocco
• Saudi Arabia
• Somalia
• Spain
• Sudan
• Tunisia
• Yemen

Most of these destinations will experience a total eclipse mid morning on August 2.

A REGIONAL UK airport has issued a warning for all travellers heading to the airport from this weekend.

The Metro at Newcastle Airport will close between August 15-23 for repair works.

No trains will run between the airport and South Gosforth across the week while repairs are carried out on the tracks, stations and cabling.

Trains will be cancelled from 5am on August 15 to 11:59pm on August 23.

During the nine-day disruption, there will be replacement bus services.

Travellers are being advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for travelling.

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Trains will be running elsewhere on the line.

Travel North East states on its website: “Your journey will take longer, so please plan ahead and leave extra time for travelling.”

Newcastle Airport recently completed a major upgrade that including refurbishing the departures area by adding 450 new seats.

This was part of a larger project that will grow the airport from eight million passengers by 2035 and nine million by 2040.

The project will include a three-storey airport extension with more restaurants.

There will also be two additional luggage carousels and 20 new plane stands by 2040.

A British travel content creator has shared her thoughts after visiting Los Angeles admitting she should have a listened to a warning she received when exchanging her currency

A British woman who visited Hollywood recently has explained how the “reality” surrounding Tinseltown is “definitely not what you think”.

Travel content creator Jasmine admitted she had been warned about Los Angeles by her local Post Office’s staff when she changed her pounds to dollars. “A lady on the counter asked if I was going anywhere nice and I told her was going to LA and she looked at me a bit gone out,” she began in a TikTok video. “I was a bit confused at this point and she asked if I had ever been before and that it would not be what I thought it’d be.”

And as Jasmine’s clip continued in California, it appeared the Post Office clerk clearly wasn’t wrong. “As soon as I got there I understood exactly what she meant,” she said.

On a dreary looking day, Jasmine headed to Mel’s Drive-In Celebrity Bar to order French toast. There, she continued: “It was exactly what she said it’d be and absolutely nothing like I had imagined.”

While Jasmine acknowledging Hollywood does boast some “fantastic places to go”, she couldn’t help but highlight other “really run-down places” as she strolled the Walk of Fame.

“There’s definitely a misconception of what LA actually is, especially when you are from the UK,” she mused. “If I had known what it was really like, I probably would have planned my trip a whole lot differently and missed Hollywood completely.”

Jasmine added that on her return to the UK she was regularly asked if she visited the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “It actually makes zero sense because it’s probably the worst place in LA to go,” she said as she ate a hot dog. “Just be mindful if you are going there from the UK, it’s not going to be how you imagine.”

In a follow-up video, Jasmine headed out for an early morning walk where she showcased little more than “all the cleaning crew out” and areas that were “dealing with homelessness”.

“There was rubbish and human waste on the floor, which can be a real issue,” she slammed. “It definitely gave me a bit of a reality check.”

Jasmine did offer praise for Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, however. “We tried so much amazing food there and experienced so many different sides of the city,” she enthused. “I guess what surprised me the most about LA is that every area feels so different. You can go from Hollywood to beaches to food spots all in one trip.”

Writing in response, a frustrated local asked: “No one in LA cares for Hollywood. Why do you guys always come to Hollywood? That’s like the last place we ever go to!”

A second person agreed with Jasmine: “I went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was absolutely shocked.” A third fumed: “Totally agree, I was massively disappointed, especially Hollywood, that was like a crack den.”

However, a fourth TikTok user exclaimed: “Los Angeles is gorgeous. You just need to have realistic expectations and stay slightly off the beaten track to see the real LA Hollywood and Downtown are must avoids.”

JUST like their sunlounger-hogging cousins, the beach blaggers start early in their bid to grab as much precious sand as possible.

With multiple guy ropes and pulleys stretched across the sands, they construct complicated cabanas and tents that occupy nearly EIGHT times more space than a standard umbrella while providing no extra shade.

It’s been an increasing problem on busy Mediterranean beaches but now the selfish beach-dwellers with their sand-stealing contraptions are beginning to invade UK shores.

As millions of us escape to the UK’s gorgeous beaches to cool off in the heatwaves, we’re increasingly having to fight for every square inch of sand stolen by these modern monstrosities.

A traditional beach umbrella takes up around 0.5sq metres of sand -whereas the new modern beach cabanas can take anything from four to nine square metres of prime shoreline.

That’s the equivalent of a small studio apartment!

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Once set up, the hoggers then begin emptying multiple beach buggies of chairs, tables and more to furnish their tented encampments.

And what’s even more irritating, once set up they promptly disappear – for HOURS – leaving everyone else on the beach scrabbling for a little bit of space or helplessly trying to navigate their way through the ropes and chains.

Just last month I watched a family set up not one but THREE different huge marquees on the sands of Fuengirola complete with a huge barbecue and full dining table and chairs.

But as they start to lay claim to British beaches, authorities across the Mediterranean and beyond are beginning to fight back against the sand grabbers with confiscations, strict bans and heavy fines.

On Spain’s Costa Blanca, municipal wardens and local police are doing early morning sweeps. Anyone who plants a tent, cabana or even an umbrella before 9.30am to reserve a spot – or leaves their gear unattended for more than three hours – has their kit confiscated by council trucks.

Those wanting to reclaim their possessions must go to a warehouse – after paying a €250 (£210) fine!

And with wildfires raging across Europe, these tented constructions caught the attention of concerned authorities in Sardinia. 

When the forest of pop-up structures and guy ropes physically blocked beachgoers from evacuating safely from a wildfire, authorities moved swiftly to ban them.

 And Greece has now expanded its ‘untouched beaches’ protection law, designating more than 250 beaches where pop up structures and commercial sunbeds are banned to give the public back their sand.

And even Australia’s Prime Minister has weighed in on the subject after social media was flooded with videos of popular Gold Coast and Sydney beaches completely swallowed by rows of interlocking 2metre x 2metre ‘Cool Cabanas’.

Anthony Albanese declared that using cabanas to reserve spots was ‘not on’ adding: “One of the great things about Australia is that everyone owns the beach. It’s a place where every Australian is equal. It’s a breach of that principle, really, to think that you can reserve a little spot as just yours.” 

Of course, as temperatures soar and with heatwaves getting ever more common, we all still do need to make sure we have ample shade on the beach.

And no doubt, for young children and babies it is essential their delicate skin is protected. No one is arguing against small tents for children to escape the worst of the sun’s rays.

They can be picked up online and in shops from as little as £6. 

Absolutely fine by me. Babies, of course, take up very little space.

But as our beaches become ever more crowded in the peak summer months, those of us who don’t fancy paying a fortune to rent a lounger for £50plus a day need other options.

What’s wrong with a towel and beach umbrella with a good, hardy base that either is filled with sand or screws into the ground to avoid being blown away in the wind. 

With a basic umbrella and a low-rise beach chair plus a towel for stretching out, there’s no need to take up so much space.

It’s time UK councils took a leaf out of Europe’s book and kicked the sand-grabbers off our shores for good! 

WINTER Wonderland tickets have dropped today with a whole host of new attractions and cheaper tickets.

The UK’s largest Christmas event has released its tickets for this year’s event which will run from November 19 to January 3.

And this year there will even be £1 tickets available.

All entry tickets from Monday to Thursday throughout November will be off-peak and priced at just one quid per person.

New attractions at this year’s event include a K-Pop circus as well as a frozen ‘Neverland’.

Gandeys K-Pop Dragon Circus, will debut exclusively at Winter Wonderland featuring storytelling, comedy and “breathtaking visuals with an electrifying soundtrack”.

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The Magical Ice Kingdom will then be home to ‘Neverland’ in association with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity).

Inside, people can explore ice sculptures and for the first time ever, visitors will be able to step though the Jolly Roger and into a world inspired by Neverland with Peter Pan and Wendy.

Fan favourites will also return including The Giant Wheel, which is the world’s largest transportable wheel, stretching 70 metres high.

And of course, there’s the UK’s largest open-air ice rink too.

Little ones are left out of the fun, as Winter Wonderland is home to the UK’s largest free Santa’s Grotto as well.

Also new for this year, is The Coaster Pass which allows visitors to head on all the rollercoasters.

There’s The Explorers Pass, which gets fans access to the most loved attarctions including the Real Ice Slide and the Haunted Mansion.

Great for families, there’s The Sand Land Unlimited Ride Pass, where you can go on the 16 Santa Land rides as many times as you like for £27.50.

There are three different advance entry ticket options including off-peak for £1, standard for £5.50 and peak for £8.25.

Entry fees are also waived when visitors spend £25 on activities in advance.

THERE’S last-minute, and then there’s “I could be sitting on a sun lounger by next Wednesday” last-minute.

Well, we’re at that exact point in late summer when airline and hotel booking engines do some very interesting things.

Flights with remaining empty seats need filling, hotels want their final unoccupied rooms gone, and package prices are suddenly sitting far below where they were just a few weeks ago.

So, I’ve been digging through our live booking data to track down the destinations offering the absolute cheapest last-minute summer holidays on the board.

These aren’t bottom-of-the-barrel options either, by the way.

Every deal below includes return flights, accommodation, food and drinks, with these particular all-inclusive holidays starting from just £315 per person.

Here’s the breakdown from number eight down to the single cheapest steal on the map.

You’ll need to move fast though, because these departures are all within the next two weeks.

8. Skanes, Tunisia (from £430pp)

If you want guaranteed August heat and a fully-loaded hotel setup without paying top dollar, Skanes is the place to look.

This purpose-built coastal strip sits directly between Monastir and Sousse, meaning the resorts come with massive swimming pools, palm gardens, and access to sandy beaches.

It’s quieter than the major Tunisian city hubs, but our recent booking data shows holidaymakers have been landing stays here for an average of £82.86 per person, per night – in the school holidays!

You can lock in a five-night, all-inclusive stay at the four-star Hotel Liberty Resort from 22 August, with return flights from Cardiff, for just £430pp.

The property is a brilliant family base with a massive outdoor pool network, but the real insider win here is the hotel’s private, free return shuttle down to their dedicated beach plot.

It means you can swap the poolside lounger for the sea in under three minutes without doing a hot, dusty trek in the August heat.

7. Marmaris, Turkey (from £408pp)

Marmaris came in as the second-cheapest resort overall, averaging just £75.43 per person, per night for extreme last-minute bookings this summer.

It remains one of Turkey’s best all-rounders because it caters to every type of traveller – whether your sightseeing limit is walking from your lounger to the snack bar, or you want a buzzing marina, waterfront seafood spots, and boat trips around the pine-clad bay.

I tracked down a five-night, all-inclusive package at the four-star Hawaii Hotel, flying from Birmingham on 21 August, for just £408pp.

The hotel sits right on its own section of shingle beach, but the standout feature here is easily the location.

Because it sits right on the border of the main seafront promenade, you can enjoy a quiet, self-contained resort atmosphere during the day and walk straight out into the bustling town centre after dinner without ever needing a taxi.

6. Sunny Beach, Bulgaria (from £378pp)

Sunny Beach has built its entire reputation on being dirt cheap, and the latest figures show it still thoroughly earns that crown.

Recent breaks have been averaging just £76.90 per person, per night, making it the third-cheapest resort in my research.

And in Sunny Beach, its broad, sandy beach stretches for miles, packed with waterparks, family attractions, and beachfront bars.

You can bag a five-night, all-inclusive stay at the three-star Yunona from 20 August, flying direct from Manchester, for just £378pp.

Getting five full days of accommodation, food, and drinks – plus flights included – for under £400 in peak August is nuts.

And at Yunona, I love the sheltered design – because despite sitting right in the heart of the resort near the main attractions, the pool area is entirely enclosed by the hotel block, creating a surprisingly quiet and relaxed sanctuary away from the main strip’s noise.

5. Playa del Ingles, Gran Canaria (from £373pp)

Playa del Ingles serves up reliable sunshine all year-round, but summer is when I think it’s at its best.

It’s one of Gran Canaria’s liveliest spots, boasting a huge beach, sprawling shopping centres, and the famous Maspalomas sand dunes right on your doorstep.

While my data shows the resort averaging as little as £83.43 per person, per night, live deals offer a way to beat that average significantly.

I found a five-night, all-inclusive deal at the Green Field aparthotel, flying from Bristol on 19 August, for £373pp.

That works out to £74.60 per person, per night – nearly £9 below the resort average.

What makes this three-star property a standout for me is the apartments – every unit comes with its own kitchenette and a wide private balcony, giving you a proper, spacious living area to retreat to rather than feeling crammed into a standard hotel room.

4. Icmeler, Turkey (from £370pp)

Icmeler is the calmer, considerably greener neighbor to Marmaris.

The resort wraps around a sheltered bay, surrounded by mountains, with a beach, canal, and quiet seafront tavernas.

While our booking data shows travellers currently paying an average of £79.43 per person, per night here, live availability drops well below that baseline – even when you’re looking at the very last-minute.

I clocked a five-night, all-inclusive break at the four-star Club Munamar Beach Resort, flying from Bristol on 19 August, for £370pp – bringing the nightly cost down to just £74 per person.

The hotel features three separate pool zones, an excellent entertainment team, and its own private beach section.

They even provide reserved sunbeds and shades exclusively for guests, saving you from paying daily commercial beach fees down on the main shore.

3. Maspalomas, Gran Canaria (from £340pp)

Maspalomas actually registered as the most expensive of these eight resorts in the recent booking data, averaging £89.43 per person, per night.

However, hunting through live availability reveals a massive price loophole that completely flips that narrative.

You can lock in a five-night, all-inclusive package at the Maspalomas Oasis Club, departing Bristol on 19 August, for £340pp.

That slashes the daily price down to just £68 per person, per night – more than £21 below the resort average.

The property itself is a low-rise, bungalow-style complex in the quiet Campo Internacional area. 

And the apartments even have a duplex layout – instead of sharing corridors in a noisy multi-story block, you get your own self-contained bungalow with a private ground-floor terrace surrounding the pool.

2. Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote (from £338pp)

Puerto del Carmen came in as the absolute cheapest overall resort for super-last-minute holidays, with guests paying an average of just £73.15 per person, per night, according to the data.

That’s remarkable value given that Lanzarote is one of the most reliable options for guaranteed weather in Europe.

I even spotted a five-night, all-inclusive holiday at the three-star BLUESEA Los Fiscos, flying direct from Manchester on 22 August, for £338pp – coming out at just £67.60 per person, per night.

And this place is an apartment-style hotel tucked into the hillside above the old town.

The absolute best feature here is the elevated panoramic terrace, Because it sits above the main harbour, the pool bar serves up sweeping, uninterrupted views across the Atlantic Ocean while you grab an evening drink. Beauty.

1. Laganas, Zante (from £315pp)

Laganas takes the number one spot on our board for the absolute cheapest complete holiday package.

While it’s famous for its nightlife strip, move away from the main strip and you’ll find the protected Zakynthos Marine Park, traditional tavernas, and excellent boat trips out to spot loggerhead turtles.

While average bookings sit at £87.62 per person, per night, the live deals reveal a massive price drop that you can take advantage of.

You can secure a five-night, all-inclusive stay at the four-star Majestic Hotel and Spa, flying from Bristol on 19 August, for just £315pp.

That works out to a rock-bottom £63 per person, per night for return flights, accommodation, and all your food and drinks in peak August.

The hotel sits right in the heart of the action, featuring a massive central pool deck and an on-site spa, making it the ultimate budget launchpad for anyone wanting to be right in the center of the resort energy.

THE most beautiful beaches in the world have been revealed and good news – you can find a number of them in the UK.

Compiled by Big 7, the top 50 for 2026 are a mix of very well-known spots to some very hidden islands.

The study looks at a number of factors, such as cleanliness, social media mentions and expert knowledge.

You’ll have to hop on a long flight to find the no.1 beach, as that was given to Anse Source d’Argent in the Seychelles.

The website praised it for looking like “it should be on the front of a postcard,” with its calm waters and and shallow lagoons.

In second place was Entalula Beach in the Philippines – which you can only get to by boat – followed by Indonesia’s Pink Beach which yes, has pink sand thanks to the red coral mixed into it.

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When it comes to Europe, the highest ranked beach was Cala Macarella in Menorca, which came in eight place.

The Spanish island beach was praised for being the “quieter and smaller sibling of Majorca and Ibiza” as well as its soft sands and turquoise waters.

But if you don’t want to go too far, then the three in the UK are easy to get to.

Porthcurno Beach in Cornwall came in ninth place, and was the only English beach to make the list.

The website stated: “Porthcurno Beach is easily one of England’s most beautiful.

“With the clear waters and bright sands of Porthcurno Beach, it’s easy to imagine that you’re in the tropics.”

This was closely followed by Luskentyre Beach in Scotland, which just missed out on making the top 10 by being in 11th place.

Also compared to the Caribbean, they stated: “The white sands and turquoise waters make it hard to believe that you’re closer to Norway than Cornwall.”

And then in 31st place was the only Welsh beach to make the list, with Whitesands Beach making the cut.

It states: “Located on Wales’ spectacular Pembrokeshire coast, Whitesands Beach proves that you don’t need tropical weather to enjoy a stunning beach.

“Rolling surf foams onto the golden sands, while the rugged cliffs which provide the backdrop to the beach make Whitesands a favoured spot for families, hikers, and surfers alike.”

Other highly rated European beaches include Ksamil Beach in Albania (19th) which is often called the Maldives of Europe.

There is also Navagio Beach in Zante (21st), Haukland Beach in Norway (25th) and Palombaggia Beach in Corsica (28th).

Beaches in Madeira, Sardinia and Iceland also made the top 50.

World’s 50 Best Beaches

1. Anse Source d’Argent, Seychelles
2. Entalula Beach, Philippines
3. Pink Beach, Indonesia
4. Sandy Lane Beach, Barbados
5. Ee Motu Beach, Cook Islands
6. Whitehaven Beach, Australia
7. Matira Beach, French Polynesia
8. Cala Macarella, Menorca, Spain
9. Porthcurno Beach, UK
10. Mirissa Beach, Sri Lanka
11. Luskentyre Beach, UK
12. Starfish Beach, Vietnam
13. Tortuga Bay, Galápagos Islands
14. Keem Beach, Ireland
15. White Beach, Philippines
16. Unawatuna Beach, Sri Lanka
17. Eagle Beach, Aruba
18. Copacabana Beach, Brazil
19. Ksamil Beach, Albania
20. Boulders Beach, South Africa
21. Navagio Beach, Zakynthos, Greece
22. Dhigura Beach, Maldives
23. Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island, India
24. Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
25. Haukland Beach, Norway
26. Railay Beach, Thailand
27. Horseshoe Bay, Fiji
28. Palombaggia Beach, France
29. Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland
30. Santa Monica Beach, Cape Verde
31. Whitesands Beach, Wales
32. Chumbe Island, Tanzania
33. Champagne Beach, Vanuatu
34. Le Morne Beach, Mauritius
35. Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, USA
36. Plaua Kenepa Grandi, Curacao
37. Piha Beach, New Zealand
38. Playa Varadero, Cuba
39. Playa Blanca, Colombia
40. Bavaro Beach, Dominican Republic
41. Long Beach, Cambodia
42. Fteri Beach, Greece
43. La Jolla Cove, California, USA
44. Shoal Bay East, Anguilla
45. Playa Akumal, Mexico
46. Sugar Beach, St Lucia
47. La Pelosa Beach, Sardinia, Italy
48. Karon Beach, Thailand
49. Seixal Beach, Madeira
50. Manly Beach, Australia

A CRUISE company has cancelled a number of sailings due to low water levels across Europe.

Riviera Travel has cancelled 10 European river cruises and changed six other services in parts of the Rhine, Danube, Moselle and Main rivers.

The cancellations and changes come after a week of high temperatures across parts of Europe as well as little rainfall.

The UK cruise company said it had no other choice but to cancel some sailings, while six others that were due to run on the Rhine and Danube have been altered.

All passengers due to head on a Riviera Travel cruise are being updated multiple times before they travel, from two weeks to 72 hours as the company continues to monitor river levels.

If you are due to travel with Riviera but your sailing is impacted, the company will try to make other arrangements including coach transfers, itinerary changes and ship changes if needed.

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If your cruise is cancelled though, you will get a full refund.

And it isn’t just Riviera Travel that is impacted.

Luxury cruise company AmaWaterways has said: “Due to unusually low water levels on sections of the Rhine and Danube rivers, operational adjustments on select sailings have been deemed necessary.

“As river conditions continue to evolve, modifications may include changes to ports, embarkation or disembarkation locations, motorcoach transfers, ship scheduling, or other itinerary elements.

“Please know that every adjustment is made with the comfort and safety of guests as our highest priority. Guests on affected sailings will be contacted individually via email.”

And Emerald Cruises and Tours has said: “Europe continues to experience an extended period of dry weather, with above-average temperatures and limited rainfall across many regions.

“As a result, water levels on parts of the Danube, Rhine and Main Rivers are significantly lower than usual and are impacting river navigation.

“Some stretches are currently not navigable due to water levels, and our teams are implementing alternative arrangements where required to maintain the best possible experience for our guests.

“All guests due to join impacted cruises departing up until 31 August 2026 should have received an initial notification.

“In circumstances where itinerary adjustments are required, Scenic Group, which includes Scenic and Emerald Cruises, is committed to supporting our guests throughout their journey.”

TUI and Viking also previously warned of disruptions.

Currently, the Danube is at the lowest level ever recorded and the Loire, which is France‘s longest river, has even partially dried up in areas.

The Rhine, which flows through Germany, has also dropped in level.

Everyone knows the stars of Southern California’s driving landscape: Pacific Coast Highway, the cinematic connector of beach cities; Angeles Crest Highway, a stunning and winding mountain route; and “The Snake,” Mulholland Highway’s infamous roadway that reopened late last year.

A sign along California 33 near Ojai.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

But there’s a less-traveled route that feels just as quintessentially SoCal: California 33 to Hudson Ranch Road, passing through Ojai, Maricopa, New Cuyama and Frazier Park.

Parts of this road curl in on themselves into tight, technical twisties — catnip to car enthusiasts and motorcyclists. But this two-lane motorway also showcases the splendor and diversity of the rugged region, from the forested mountains and canyons in Ventura to the jagged rocks and chaparral of the desert vistas, making it appealing to thrill seekers and sightseers alike. While roadways like the 5 serve to get you from one point to another quickly and efficiently, this one begs you to relish the journey.

“A road like this forces your mind to focus on the immediate needs of car control, while rewarding it with the beauty of the natural world,” says Dave Coleman, a Mazda R&D engineer from Long Beach who incorporates Hudson Ranch Road into his drives to and from the Bay Area. “While driving, there just isn’t enough mental bandwidth left to worry about the stressful things in life.”

This route brings people together, including me and my car enthusiast friends, who regularly go on these driving excursions — gas prices be damned. “We drive these roads for the excitement and euphoria, just like people go to Disneyland,” says Matt Kometer, a SkyLink supervisor from San Pedro who drives a 2026 Mazda MX-5 Miata. And, unlike Disneyland or the traditional getaways that involve a hotel stay or a flight, these outings can be put together in a manner of hours.

I was a passenger on a recent Sunday pleasure cruise with a caravan of nine cars, which started in Ojai and ended at the base of Mount Pinos in the Los Padres National Forest. That’s 28 miles as the crow flies, but our route, with a detour for lunch in Cuyama, swelled the journey to more than 100 miles.

An 2026 Audi RS 3 heading to the lunch stop in Cuyama.

(Caroline Pardilla)

If you’re planning a trip of your own, a few things to note before you hit the road: Always check the road conditions, top up the tank because there’s only one gas station in Cuyama, download maps because cell service is spotty, and, if you’re caravanning with friends, it’s nice to bring walkie-talkies to stay in contact. The tunnel section of 33 in Wheeler Springs will be closed Aug. 28-31. Check the Caltrans website for updates.

Here’s a play-by-play of our day on the road.

10 a.m.: Breakfast at Pinyon on Ojai Avenue

Arriving from all corners of the L.A. Basin, the drivers meet up and fuel up at Pinyon Ojai, a pizza restaurant on Ojai Avenue. The shop serves single-origin coffee from Ventura’s Beacon Coffee and breakfast sandwiches featuring house-made bagels. Street-side seating affords prime car spotting, which today includes a right-hand-drive Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SUV and an immaculate brown-on-tan Mercedes-Benz SL Pagoda two-seater. Those who time their trip for the second Sunday morning of every month can check out the cars and coffee event a few blocks away at Westridge Midtown Market.

In the restaurant, the friends catch up, chatting about the cars they drove here, the progress of their current car projects and the route for the day. There is an air of anticipation. For many in the group, it’s their first time driving this route. Miatas feature heavily in this crowd, but there are also high-performance rides, like a Porsche 911, a first-generation Audi R8 and an Audi RS 3.

Traveling the canyon on the two-lane highway through Wheeler Springs and Wheeler Gorge is beautiful but slow going, past houses and campgrounds as well as high rock walls that threaten to rain down scree. Three narrow, dark tunnels along the way throttle speeds because of the sudden contrasts from broad daylight. Highway 33, at a modest 3.5% grade, meanders over and along creeks that are invisible from the road but marked by riparian vegetation.

Drivers gather around their cars while stopping along State Route 33.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

After the road opens up, the drivers make short work of the curves while maintaining a respectful distance from one another. Occasionally, a leisure driver bunches up the group until they pull over at the next turnout to let the faster drivers pass. The series of switchbacks with hairpin turns offer a satisfying run up to Pine Mountain Summit. “That’s some world-class sports car fun there,” says Alex Vendler, a cinematographer from Glendale who drove up in a 2003 Miata. The 5,160-foot-high summit allows us to catch our breath and take in the views of the San Rafael Mountains in the west.

Chris Floren of Torrance poses in front of his “Viccup,” a 1960s truck draped over a Ford Crown Victoria.

(Caroline Pardilla)

1 p.m.: A break and more car talk at roadside motel Cuyama Buckhorn

The Buckhorn Restaurant at Cuyama Buckhorn, a midcentury roadside hotel refurbished in 2018, serves as the perfect respite. It’s about 10 miles off our route but is an air-conditioned oasis of burgers, pie a la mode and endless ice water.

If there’s a downside to stopping in the “hidden valley of enchantment,” it’s the distinct lack of shaded parking. But at least there are plenty of spots in front of the hotel. Through the diner’s large front-facing windows, we watched a cowboy mosey past on his horse, checking out the variety of vehicles.

A group of friends has lunch at the Buckhorn Restaurant at Cuyama Buckhorn.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Even though there are 12 of us walk-ins, the hostess immediately pushes several tables together to accommodate the group. The dynamics of this long table invite several different conversations to break out — all about cars. “I have a Miata, and I want a Miata,” says Vendler. Apparently, his tablemate William Benedict, a software engineer from West Hollywood who drove the R8, was skeptical about all the love for the Mazda roadster. Elsewhere, motorsports manager Chris Floren of Torrance is getting props for the surprising prowess of his sleeper “Viccup” — a Ford Crown Victoria police car with a ’60s-era pickup body draped over it. Another group discusses how “One Battle After Another” features the most Nissan Sentra SE-R content of any movie.

After last-minute gulps of water, everyone filters back into the heat of the desert and hurries to air out the cars’ ovenlike cabins. There is a mini photo shoot with Floren’s truck in front of the vintage hotel sign, and then we jump in the cars and backtrack up the 33/166 toward Hudson Ranch Road.

The Hudson Ranch Road is more fun in a Mitsubishi Evo IX.

(Caroline Pardilla)

3:30 p.m.: A ‘roller coaster’ of a road and a reunion in Pine Mountain Club

Unlike Maricopa Highway 33, Hudson Ranch Road features coarser asphalt, no guardrails and more passing zones than turnouts. Kometer said it should be a tarmac rally stage while professional stunt driver and Long Beach local Sarah Fairfield, who piloted the second ’26 MX-5 on this trip, equated it to a roller coaster. The road was originally built in the ’30s to accommodate traffic heading to the ski resort, which closed in the ’70s. Now, the group deems it the highlight of the day. “It let me enjoy the act of driving without having to go too fast,” says Karl Buchka, an aerospace engineer from El Segundo who drove up in the 911.

Although the friends were separated on this leg, having each taken the route at their own pace, they reunite at Pine Mountain General Store in Pine Mountain Club. The Village Center convenience store beckons with shaded parking and a freezer full of frozen treats. Between bites of a chocolate ice cream bar, Coleman proposes continuing on toward Santa Clarita, via the twisties on Bouquet Canyon and Spunky Canyon roads. With competing commitments, however, most of the drivers reluctantly bow out.

A look back at the caravan on the 166/33, heading toward Hudson Ranch Road.

(Caroline Pardilla)

In any case, the daylong cruise served its purpose of resetting the week and reconnecting the friends. “A lot of what this hobby or lifestyle or whatever is about is ultimately an excuse to spend time with friends, and to make new ones,” says Jason Kavanagh, a turbopump engineer from Mid-City who brought a Mitsubishi Evo IX to the outing. “So, yeah, the road is a means to that end.”

The drivers at Pine Mountain Club Village. From left, Matt Kometer, William Benedict, Alex Vendler, Dave Coleman, Sarah Fairfield, Jason Kavanagh, Chris Floren and Derek Dicker.

(Caroline Pardilla)

The Russian River was running low and slowly. A few miles outside Guerneville at Steelhead Beach, several men stepped into the water, laden with flotation devices. A duck, a flamingo, a unicorn …

“Don’t you know?” asked Anna Deurloo, standing by me on the shore. “It’s Lazy Bear Week! That’s why the river is full of bears: big hairy men with beards. And Speedos.”

Deurloo, who lives in Guerneville, had made glittery bandannas for her crew of bears to wear at the annual celebration. Out on the water, Joe Souza of Long Beach adjusted his blinged-out headgear, hollering that he’d been coming to Guerneville every summer for more than 20 years.

“It’s a nice place to meet our friends from all over the country,” Souza said, “and get tricked into this river.”

1

2

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1. Steelhead Beach is a popular starting place for warm-weather floats down the Russian River. 2. Families play in the Russian River near Johnson’s Beach. 3. The view from Korbel Winery includes vineyards and forest along the Russian River. (Photographs by Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

When the weather is warm, the Russian River draws dawdlers of all kinds, including LGBTQ+ vacationers, longtime locals and Bay Area families. On summer weekends, thousands show up in Guerneville with kayaks, canoes, inner tubes — just about anything that will float, preferably with a cooler attached. Then they spend hours gliding downstream past scenery that might as well be a Northern California highlight reel: vineyards, redwood forests and eventually a beach scene full of driftwood and sea stacks.

They know that time is of the essence. Many places on the river in and around Guerneville shut down November through early May because it gets cold and rainy and the river can run high and fast.

But for now through early October, with little rain and seasonal dams controlling the water’s flow, this might be California’s laziest river.

Still, for plenty of Californians, including me, this corner of Sonoma County is little-known territory. I’ve just gotten my first good look at the area, which is about 85 miles north of San Francisco, and I’m glad I arrived when I did.

For years, as Sonoma County’s wine country has grown ever more pricey and elegant, the communities of the lower Russian River have clung to their rustic, quirky and more affordable ways, in part because of the area’s vulnerability to changing seasons.

But the riverside scene is evolving. Since the pandemic, several new or revamped lodgings have boosted glamping and other upscale elements in a territory once better known for old cabins. At privately owned Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville, where parking was free in the old days, the fee is up to $10 a day. In the Johnson’s Beach lodgings, long known for summer-camp vibes, some rooms now come equipped with luxury linens and a French press. On the menu at the River Electric, there’s a “high-low dog” — a hot dog with black caviar — for $40. In other words, the lower Russian River is edging up-market.

“There’s a lot more new blood up here. A lot of new people in the last five years,” said Robert Baba, who runs Ideal Hardware in Forestville.

“Prices are going up and hotels are getting more posh,” said Michael Rex, owner of Guerneville’s Russian River Bookstore. But still, he said, “there’s a lot to do here where you don’t have to spend a dime.”

Here’s what I found in four days as a Russian River rookie.

River guide Keith Chandler prepares to kayak at the Russian River estuary at Jenner on the Sonoma County coast.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Forestville: Stepping into the river

If you want to imagine time standing still, start at Burke’s Canoe Trips, which has been renting canoes and kayaks for decades. At Burke’s, which sits at the edge of Forestville (population: about 3,300), most customers rent a watercraft ($95 per canoe, $60 per kayak) before noon, drift 10 miles down river to Guerneville, then catch a Burke’s bus back to where they began.

The river water is shallow, often 3 to 5 feet deep. The beaches are pebbly. The redwood groves begin within stone-skipping distance of the Burke’s property and follow the river downstream. Drinking water and sunblock are vital. Sightings of blue heron, egrets and river otters are common. (Burke’s also has camping with hot showers and fire rings, at $20 per person per night.)

Canoes await paddlers at Burke’s Canoe Trips in Forestville along the Russian River.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

A cat sleeps alongside a Jesus statue and beach gear at Burke’s Canoe Trips in Forestville along the Russian River.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

“People know that no matter how the world is doing, when they come to the river, it’s going to be like it used to be,” said Linda Burke, second-generation owner of the business.

“It could be 1946 when you’re paddling,” said Ted Schroeder, longtime manager at Burke’s.

But even at Burke’s, things change: Demand is up for kayaks, down for the metal canoes, which are heavier.

Along Front Street, Forestville’s tiny commercial core, you could get a corn dog for $3.30 at Carr’s Drive-Inn, which looks like a time capsule from 1979. Or you could get some wood-fired pizza on the big, bright patio of Sonoma Pizza Co., which opened in 2022; or maybe a cup of organic ice cream at Angela’s (since 2023).

If you want to go luxe, you can eat or sleep at the Farmhouse Inn, a 6-acre property on River Road that includes 18 rooms and cottages, a pool and some spa services amid lushly landscaped grounds. Its restaurant occupies an 1873 farmhouse. (Nightly rates start around $440.)

For a lot of people, however, Forestville is just a place to slip into the lazy river — often at Steelhead Beach, half a mile downriver from Burke’s.

Glamping tents are a central part of Dawn Ranch, near the Russian River in Guerneville, Calif.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

As glampers arrive, Guerneville gets fancier

Guerneville (population: about 4,500) is the hub of human activity on the Lower Russian River. River Road becomes Main Street there, and in summer its shops and restaurants buzz with people. Riverfront recreation at Johnson’s Beach is a block away. A network of redwood forest trails awaits 2 miles up the road in Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Preserve.

Be warned, however, that on weekends, Guerneville is often short on parking. Consider parking for the day ($10) in the big dirt lot at Johnson’s Beach, which has food, drinks, rental kayaks, canoes and inner tubes, campsites, historic bungalows, modern tiny cabins, canvas cabanas and a four-bedroom lodge. There are about 35 units in all, open mid-April through October. (The bare campsites start at $55, historic bungalows at $165.)

“It’s a lazy river and walkable to town, so we can camp and eat at restaurants,” said Kim Loda of Oakland as her son, Axel, 10, showed off his juggling skills near the Johnson’s Beach snack bar. “I don’t know why my family didn’t bring me here growing up.”

The River Electric, a resort along the Russian River in Guerneville, Calif., includes glamping tents.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Guerneville grew up as a 19th century logging settlement, prospered as a weekend getaway for San Franciscans arriving by ferry and train in the 1920s, slumped in the ‘30s and suffered extensive flooding in the 1960s. It entered a new chapter in the late 1970s, when a handful of gay entrepreneurs began buying up and revamping rustic resorts and bars.

First, in 1978, was a riverside getaway called Fife’s. Another early gay-owned venture was the Rainbow Cattle Company bar, still in business on River Road, a.k.a. Main Street. (Every week on Give Back Tuesday, the bar stages raffles, offers $5 dinners and earmarks 10% of revenue for charities.)

When the 1980s and 1990s arrived, Guerneville suffered deeply — from the AIDS epidemic and from repeated floods.

Nimble & Finn’s sells ice cream inside the Guerneville Bank Club building in Guerneville, Calif.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Yet a generation later, the community has gained ground.

Since 2008, entrepreneur Crista Luedtke has built a series of businesses, including Boon Eat+Drink and Boon Hotel+Spa. The Guerneville Social Club, “Russian River’s First Queer-Owned Social Club,” is due to open with a restaurant, bar and shop in 2027. Lazy Bear gatherings have been staged every July since 1996 by the nonprofit Lazy Bear Fund to raise money toward LGBTQ+ community health. There’s also a Russian River Pride parade Sept. 19.

Cars park along Main Street on July 30 in Guerneville.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Timing my visit to avoid weekend crowds, I ate a dinner of chicken in tasty mole negro at Three Cultures Kitchen, which opened last year. I got ice cream at Nimble & Finn’s, lunch at Coffee Bazaar and a $15 sandwich to go at the Korbel Winery, which offers a deli, tasting room, wine shop and free tours at its scenic site about 3 miles west of Guerneville. I also browsed at Russian River Books & Letters.

“I ended up here because of the pandemic. It just went on and on, so I decided to open the bookstore,” said bookshop owner Michael Rex. Since that time, Rex said, he’s seen a growing number of remote workers.

Most notable among the new and renovated Guerneville resorts: Dawn Ranch and the River Electric, both with a glamping focus, both with docks on the river.

Dawn Ranch, dramatically upgraded in 2023, is a 22-acre, all-ages property that once held the Fife’s resort. The verdant grounds feature 86 cabins, cottages, chalets and glamping tents (open year-round) that share bathrooms and showers. There’s an upstairs restaurant, spa services, a pool and boathouse bar, along with a dock and private beach at the end of the short trail that feels like a secret path.

The tents, which start at about $300 nightly, have furniture, electricity and Wi-Fi, but if you show up on a 93-degree afternoon, as I did, your un-air-conditioned tent will be about the same temperature. That’s when it’s time to jump in the pool or river.

The Russian River runs past a dock at Dawn Ranch in Guerneville, Calif.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

The River Electric is sited on long-idle, flood-prone 12-acre expanse of riverside land that old-timers remember as the site of J’s Amusement Park in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. In 2025, the current owners unveiled a newfangled resort with a restaurant, two pools (one of them round) and 46 furnished, electrified tent units, which start at about $260 nightly.

The resort stays open until Oct. 31. Then, by design, most of the resort will be carted away or submerged when the river rises.

“Everything except the concrete, we take off-site, Which is wild,” said River Electric’s Jessica Baker, who gave me a tour. The resort also sells day passes for $38 and hosts many weddings and special events.

Yet another glamping option is Guerneville’s Autocamp Sonoma, which opened in 2016. It doesn’t have river frontage, but it includes 25 Airstream trailers and 10 glamping tents in the shadow of a redwood grove.

Stand-up paddle-boarders are common at the Russian River estuary, next to Jenner on the Sonoma County coast.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

This is how the river ends: with roaring wind on an empty beach

Heading west from Guerneville, you roll through Monte Rio, seeing more redwoods, cabins and glimpses of river.

You might spot the 11-room Inn on the Russian River, a recently upgraded property whose riverside perch includes a private dock and summer rates of roughly $260 to $430 nightly.

Kayakers often come across harbor seals in the Russian River estuary at Jenner on the Sonoma County coast.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

What you’ll need to imagine is the Bohemian Grove, which hides in the nearby forest, serving as a haven for the rich, powerful, famous and all-male members of the Bohemian Club since the 19th century.

Gathering every July at that 2,700-acre compound, club members, who have included Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon and Bob Weir, are said to stage a ritual “cremation of care,” burning an effigy of “care” in front of a 40-foot owl statue. (Suddenly, Burning Man seems a little less original.)

Anyway, a casual tuber or kayaker can’t float all the way to the Pacific from Forestville. (Obstacles include seasonal dams at Johnson’s Beach and Vacation Beach.) But if you drive the river road past Monte Rio and the historic but touristy shops at Duncans Mills, you reach the coastal hamlet of Jenner. That’s where the water flows into the Pacific, where the Russian River goes from mild (in summer) to wild.

To see the converging waters and feel the roaring wind, you can drive to Goat Rock Road and Goat Rock Beach. Or you could stop for a snack at Cafe Aquatica, whose patio fronts the water’s edge.

Or you could do both, followed by a night at River’s End, where a restaurant and five woodsy guest rooms enjoy sweeping views of the river, sea and sea stacks.

Kayakers paddle through sunset on the Russian River estuary, which looks out at the sea and sea stacks near Jenner.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

I did that. And on my last morning along the river, I got up early and met Keith Chandler of Jenner-based Watertreks Ecotours at water’s edge. Then we paddled around the estuary on a pre-breakfast kayak tour.

“I never get tired of this,” Chandler told me.

Some tours go out by night, focusing on bioluminescent plankton. We skirted Penny Island, where native Pomo people lived and farmed for generations before immigrants from Europe arrived. In fact, Chandler’s boss, Suki Waters, is part Pomo. Jenner might be small, but river, sea, natives and newcomers all converge there.

For a good chunk of this morning, however, there was just two of us in a kayak, sidling up to egrets, cormorants and harbor seals, watching pelicans glide in formation over the long, empty beach where the Russian River ends.

Shaved ice might be the perfect summertime treat. Melt-on-your-tongue ice crystals and endless combinations of fruity syrups, condensed milk, red beans or even cereal flakes mean that you can customize them to your liking and never get bored.

In L.A., in addition to your typical American snow cones, there’s a global array of shaved ice at our fingertips, including Korean bingsu, a milk-based ice with an ultra-fine, powdery texture that’s topped with sweet red beans or rice cakes, and Japanese kakigori, with ice shaved into delicate, fluffy shards and flavored with sweet, poured-over syrups.

Then you have Hawaiian shave ice, with powdery ice topped with island flavors like guava, passion fruit and pineapple. It often features a hidden scoop of vanilla ice cream or dairy-free Dole Whip and toppings like sweet condensed milk, mochi balls or toasted coconut. All around town, you’ll find raspado vendors selling the Mexican treat, traditionally made by hand-scraping a block of ice and topping it with sweet syrups, condensed milk and savory chili-lime seasonings.

Mewame owner Ben Kang moved to L.A. from Korea six years ago and started out as an employee at a local shaved ice shop.

“When I used to work at my previous job, a lot of people asked if we have dairy-free options,” said Kang.

Kang, who is lactose intolerant, was inspired to open Mewame in West Hollywood last summer, serving bingsu-inspired treats that are completely dairy-free, swapping condensed milk for oat or coconut milks.

From late-night bingsu in Pasadena to matcha kakigori at an NYC-founded ramen shop, L.A.’s shaved ice shops are a refreshing escape from the unrelenting sun.

PASSENGERS face further disruption in Europe as an Italian airport remains closed following a volcanic eruption for yet ANOTHER day.

Catania Airport in Sicily has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights since the weekend due to Mount Etna erupting and will remain closed until at least tomorrow.

Over the past few days, 700 flights have been cancelled with others diverted to neighbouring airports including Palermo.

As a result of the disruption, families who have had their flights cancelled have been left stranded, with videos on social media showing travellers sleeping on the airport floor and even luggage belts.

In its latest statement, the airport said: “Due to Mount Etna’s eruptive activity, the closure of Sector B3 has been extended, resulting in the suspension of arrivals and departures until 2:00 AM on August 14.

“Passengers are kindly advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport.

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“Further updates will follow in the coming hours.”

Evgenia Filimianova, 39, was caught up in the chaos after flew to Sicily last week from London to attend a friend’s wedding.

However, when she was due to fly to Athens from Catania earlier this week, her flight was cancelled just 30 minutes before it was due to depart.

Evgenia said: “We were having a very nice day in Taormina, at the wedding, enjoying our time there, but we could see the eruption and the volcano spewing lava.

“The locals seemed very chill and we didn’t get any emergency texts or direction from the people at the hotel, so we weren’t too worried.

“But then I started reading about travel. As soon as there is ash, the airports start closing.”

She added that there were loads of people “sleeping on the floor” when they arrived at the airport, with most other flights and buses already booked up.

Catania Airport isn’t the only spot impacted by the eruption either – Malta International Airport cancelled 19 flights earlier this week as well, with more delayed today.

A SUPER affordable UK waterpark is set to undergo a major refurb and will get new attractions.

Time Capsule in Coatbridge, Scotland, is set to undergo a £2.5million modernisation project.

As part of the project, there will be a new themed tipping bucket attraction, health suites and a Clip ‘n Climb arena.

The changing areas will also be upgraded, as well as the areas around the pool and the soft play area.

Plans include replacing the water flumes later this year as well.

The project will take place over the remainder of this year and add to already completed projects which include a refurbished gym.

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Councillor Geraldine Woods, Convener of the Communities Committee, said: “The Time Capsule has been at the heart of leisure and family life in North Lanarkshire for more than 30 years, and this investment demonstrates our commitment to its future.

“These exciting improvements will enhance the experience for everyone who visits, while creating modern, accessible facilities that encourage more people to be active and enjoy everything the venue has to offer.”

Councillor Jim Logue, Leader of North Lanarkshire Council, added: “This significant investment is about protecting one of our most valued leisure facilities and ensuring it continues to serve our communities for many years to come.

“Many of the new features have been designed to celebrate Coatbridge’s industrial heritage, creating a unique visitor experience while complementing the Time Capsule’s role as one of North Lanarkshire’s flagship leisure destinations.”

The Time Capsule waterpark is one of – if not the most – affordable indoor waterpark in the UK, with adult tickets costing less than a tenner (£9.55 per person) and kids tickets costing £7.90 per person.

Under threes go free and kids aged three or four-year-olds cost £5.25 per person.

In comparison, Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool costs from £22.31 per person over the age of eight and from £13.96 per child between the age of three and seven.

And Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent costs from £17.50 per person.

Inside, you will find high-speed flumes including Tornado Tantrum – a high-speed raft ride, where four people ride together – and Storm Chasers –10hmetre-igh speed flumes.

For those who aren’t a big fan of thrills, you can enjoy the lazy river called Riptide River.

There’s also Cove Island, which is a gentle splash area for toddlers.

And of course, if you want a gentle splash or swim there is a 25-metre pool.

Away from the waterpark, the attraction has an ice rink and gym too.

FINDING somewhere to stay can be boring, but it doesn’t have to be…

If you are heading off on a staycation this summer, instead of opting for the same old hotel, why not consider something a bit more quirky?

There are a tonne of holiday homes out that that have something weird or unusual about them.

So we’ve picked out the best ones across the UK for you to check out – and some are a bargain.

Helipod, Lincolnshire

Never been in a helicopter before? How about staying the night in one?

Helipod in Lincolnshire is a converted helicopter that you can stay in at the former RAF Wainfleet in Friskney, near Skegness.

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The helicopter sleeps two guests with prices starting from £50 a night, which is just £25 per person per night.

Inside the helicopter you’ll find a double sofa bed, TV, mini fridge and a kettle.

Station Masters House, Scottish Borders

Switching from one mode of transport to another, you could stay inside a train station house in the Scottish Borders.

Known as Station Masters House, Saughtree Station used to once be a working train station and to get to the house, you have to head along the original platform and once inside you’ll find a spacious kitchen as well as a lounge with a Smart TV.

There’s then three bedrooms in total – one on the ground floor, and then another double and twin room – while outside there is also a patio area ideal for soaking up the sunshine.

Stays cost from £531 per night, which would work out at £88.50 per person per night.

The Old Chapel, Herefordshire

The Old Chapel is a two bedroom converted chapel, surrounded by countryside.

Inside, you’ll find an open-plan living space with a Smart TV, as well as two bedrooms.

Both rooms have an ensuite as well and there is an outside area with a lawn, patio and furniture.

Stays cost from £146 per night, though there is a minimum stay of four nights.

Tree House near Aberaeron, Ceredigion

If you always dreamed of having a tree house when you were a little kid, now is your chance to (sort of) live out that dream.

Tree House near Aberaeron in Ceredigion, Wales, is what it says on the tin – a tree house in the woods, with an open-plan airy living area.

There is one double bed and a sofa bed, ideal if also with kids.

Outside the tree house there is even a small veranda and also a hot tub.

Nant y Garnedd, North Wales & Snowdonia

If you are a fan of Lord of the Rings, make sure to head to Nant y Garnedd in Wales.

Somewhat resembling a hobbit hut, you can stay in a single storey hut built into the hillside.

The accommodation sleeps up to four people, has its own little kitchen and lounge as well as an outdoor area.

Bookings must be a minimum of three nights, which costs from £689 – working out at £229.67 per night.

Sprat & Winkle, Horsebridge

Sprat and Winkle is a converted 1922 railway carriage that sleeps up to four guests.

Inside, there are two bedrooms with ensuite shower rooms, a living area and a small kitchen.

Just a short walk away is a pub too, in case you fancy a tipple – if not, you can soak up the sunshine in the garden.

There’s a minimum stay of three nights, which costs from £538, working out at £179.34 per night.

Fingal Hotel, Edinburgh

Fingal Hotel in the Scottish capital isn’t your regular hotel – instead you will be sleeping on a boat.

Complete with a sun terrace, restaurant and bar onboard, you’d be staying on a former Northern Lighthouse Board ship that is permanently docked in the Port of Leith.

There are 23 custom designed cabins onboard as well as Art Deco styling throughout.

A one-night stay for two adults costs from £279.

Cley Windmill, Holt

If none of the above tickle your fancy, you could stay inside a windmill.

Cley Windmill in Holt is both historic and pretty, with its own terrace and garden.

Inside, you will find rooms with their own bathrooms, as well as a restaurant and bar.

Rooms cost from £150 per night for two adults (£75pp), with breakfast included.

Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel, York

Love all things witchy? Check in to the Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel in York.

Found inside a historic building in the city centre, the hotel has a range of rooms including family options.

You can expect quirky details, stone walls, historic paintings and four poster beds.

Stays cost from £169 per night, for two people.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive weekend away in autumn, you don’t need to go far, as this UK city has been named the cheapest for a budget-friendly break and it’s packed with history and culture

Autumn can be an excellent time for a weekend away, and if you’re looking forward to exploring some cities in the cooler weather, then you might want to consider some hidden gems in the UK.

Research carried out by ticket sellers SeatPick has shown the best UK cities for a budget friendly concert weekend, but you don’t need to have plans to see a gig to enjoy the top destination. There are plenty of historic and cultural sites to enjoy, and its famous for its buzzing nightlife.

Newcastle upon Tyne took the top spot to be crowned the UK’s cheapest city break, beating Liverpool into second place and Birmingham into third. Gilad Zilberman, CEO at SeatPick said: “Newcastle combines a vibrant nightlife with one of the UK’s most affordable city-centre accommodation.

“With average hotel prices of just £79 per night, a walkable centre and plenty of bars and restaurants close to major venues, it’s one of best-value cities for turning a concert into a weekend away.”

One of Newcastle’s most iconic sights is the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, and it’s worth visiting at night when its lit up to get the best photos. At weekends, visit the Quayside Sunday Market for a relaxed day walking along the waterfront with food stalls and arts and crafts.

The 12th century Newcastle Castle is also a major landmark. Walk through the rooms and enjoy immersive experiences that bring its past to life before heading to the roof for panoramic city views. Another place to see the city from above the rooftops is from Grey’s Monument. Climb 164 steps up the narrow winding staircase, but be warned, it’s not for the claustrophobic or those who get tired after a couple of flights of stairs.

You might prefer to stay on the solid ground of Grey Street, enjoying the historic vibes of its Georgian architecture, exploring colourful art galleries, or simply sitting in one of its many international restaurants, classic pubs, or stylish bars. You’ve also got major shopping streets and centres just a short walk away, with lots of independent stores among high street favourites.

Newcastle also has a lively cultural scene, and in the evening you can enjoy performances at the Victorian-era Tyne Theatre & Opera House, or the contemporary Northern Stage which has performances from Shakespeare to family-friendly shows. The city is also famous for its nightlife, its compact centre making it easy to go out without spending a fortune in taxis. Popular areas for nights out include Collingwood Street, sometimes known as the The Diamond Strip because of its stylish bars and Bigg Market which has inexpensive and vibrant clubs.

Of the second place choice, Gilad said: “Liverpool combines a thriving music scene with one of the UK’s best-value city breaks. Its compact city centre means fans can explore the Royal Albert Dock, Bold Street and the Cavern Quarter before heading to the M&S Bank Arena or nearby venues without relying on taxis for longer journeys.” While Birmingham was praised for its “excellent transport links and a compact city centre”.

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Hayley Newland says after the crowd settled down, she was easily able to walk up to the pool and find a bed with no wait

A British holidaymaker has captured the moment hundreds of guests queued from 7.30am before racing for sunbeds when a hotel pool opened in Benidorm. Teaching assistant Hayley Newland, 39, from Brighton, was staying with her family at a hotel when she witnessed the scramble.

Hayley said she had never experienced anything like it, despite being familiar with the infamous holiday sunbed rush. The footage shows a large crowd waiting behind a barrier before security guards open the pool area at 9am.

As soon as the barrier lifts, guests stream through in a bid to claim their spot. Hayley said the same thing happened every morning during her 10-day stay, with some holidaymakers beginning to queue as early as 7.30am. She said: “It was madness, I have never experienced anything like this before. I would watch this all happening from the breakfast hall.”

Despite the dramatic scenes, Hayley said the rush was ultimately unnecessary – as she had no trouble finding sunbeds once the crowds had dispersed. She said: “Once the chaos was over, I would go and find some beds for my family with no problem.”

She described it as “chaos for no reason”, but admitted it was also entertaining to watch. The footage is likely to reignite the debate among holidaymakers over whether it is ever worth getting up at the crack of dawn to bag a sunbed.