DISCOVERING a destination that feels like you’re living a fairytale is always fun, but it is even better when the place has less crowds.

Annecy in France is often overlooked by its busier neighbour – Geneva in Switzerland.

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But according to Holiday Pirates, the destination feels as if it’s been “lifted straight from a fairytale”.

The lakeside town can be found near the Swiss border and to get there, travellers can head to Geneva Airport and drive under an hour across the border to Annecy.

And just like a fairytale, the town has its own castle… in the middle of the water.

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Le Palais de l’Isle dates back to the medieval period and sits in the middle of the Thiou Canal, which stretches around two miles long and is an outlet of Lake Annecy – Europe‘s cleanest lake.

The canal flows through the Old Town and is the reason Annecy got its nickname as the ‘Venice of the Alps’.

And travellers can visit the castle as well, which also used to be a prison but is now a museum where you can see the preserved cells and learn about the architectural history of Annecy.

It costs just £3.46 per person to visit.

It isn’t just the castle that makes the town fairytale-like though; visitors can also explore pastel-coloured houses in the Old Town and bridges covered in flowers that cross the canal.

For a nice walk, you can wander the entire length of the canal from Lake Annecy to the Fier River via a flat trail.

On Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, there’s a market in the Old Town as well.

On Tuesdays, the market sells local produce and then on Fridays and Sundays the market is slightly bigger, with other goods such as locally-made textiles also sold.

You’ll find Musée-Château d’Annecy in the Old Town too, where visitors can browse regional sculptures and paintings.

For those who like seeing nature and wildlife, head to Parc Animalier de la Grande Jeanne, which is an open-air zoo with free admission.

Across the park visitors can see different types of deer and goats, with one recent visitor commenting: “The hike included a beautiful lookout point over the city”.

At the edge of the park you’ll find Basilique de la Visitation – a 20th- century cathedral with views of the surrounding mountains from its bell tower.

Also at the edge of the park is Plage des Marquisats, which is a small lake-side pebble beach with crystal-clear water and free entry.

For couples visiting, make sure to cross the Pont des Amours bridge near Jardins de l’Europe – a tree-lined lakeside park; kissing on the bridge is supposed to lead to a lifetime together.

From the town you can rent a bike and cycle your way around Lake Annecy on a 26-mile dedicated loop, stopping off at the quaint villages along the way including the medieval village of Duingt, with stone buildings and narrow alleys.

When it comes to eating in Annecy, there are tons of local cafes and restaurants to choose from.

The destination is known for its melted cheese, including Fondue, Raclette and Tartiflette, which includes potatoes, bacon and melted Reblochon cheese.

Thanks to its lakeside location, a lot of restaurants also serve fresh fish.

If you fancy a pint you can even head to a pub, such as Captain Pub, with a wooden bar and tall stools inside.

You can expect to pay around €4.70 (£4.06) for a pint in most places, or for a glass of wine, €6 (£5.18).

There’s a whole host of places to stay in Annecy.

For example, you could stay at Mercure Annecy Sud Hotel from £74 per night.

The hotel features modern interiors, with a restaurant, pool and spa.

Alternatively, right by the lake you could stay at Hôtel Impérial Palace Annecy from £189 per night.

The hotel was built back in 1913 and boasts rooms with balconies overlooking the lake.

The hotel has two restaurants and a bar that faces the lake, as well as a spa.

If you want a bargain holiday, you could head to Annecy for three nights with Holiday Pirates from just £115.50 per person, in early October.

You’d stay at Hotel Les Muses, with flights included too, to Lyon Airport – which is about an hour and 40 minutes from Annecy.

Or you could fly to Lyon Airport from London, costing from £29 return in June and then hop on a Flixbus from just £13.49 per person, per way.

Alternatively, direct flights from London to Geneva cost from £56 return in June.

You could then hop on a 45 minute Flixbus to Annecy from the airport, costing just £5 per person, per way.

You could even tie in a stay in Geneva as part of your trip and explore the city as well as Annecy.

On The Chequered Flag podcast, former McClaren mechanic Marc Priestley and F1 journalist Rebecca Clancey discuss the rivalry between Mercedes team-mates Kimi Antonelli and George Russell in their bid to top the Drivers’ Championship.

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Samsung Electronics Co. topped the smartphone markets in Central and South America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia in the first quarter on steady sales of its premium Galaxy S26 and budget Galaxy A series smartphones, industry data showed Monday.

According to the data compiled by industry tracker Omdia, Samsung Electronics sold some 12.9 million units of smartphones in the Central and South American market in the January-March period, accounting for 37 percent of the total 34.8 million smartphones sold there over the cited period.

Omdia said the performance was driven by solid sales of Galaxy A series smartphones as Samsung Electronics responded to market demand with a diversified product lineup.

In the Middle East market, where smartphone sales fell 6 percent on-year to 11 million units in the first quarter, Samsung Electronics led the market with a market share of 34 percent on strong demand for the latest Galaxy S26 and Galaxy A series smartphones.

The company also sold 4.6 million smartphones in the Southeast Asian market, accounting for 21 percent of all smartphones sold there in the first quarter.

Omdia said strong sales of the Galaxy S26 series, launched in January, and steady demand for the Galaxy A series helped Samsung Electronics expand its market share in Southeast Asia, where quarterly smartphone sales fell 9 percent from a year earlier.

Earlier, Omdia said Samsung Electronics ranked No. 1 in the global smartphone market in the first quarter with a 22 percent market share.

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Yamal, one of eight Barcelona players named in the 26-man squad, with seven Arsenal players picked by Luis de la Fuente.

Lamine Yamal has been included in Spain’s squad for the FIFA World Cup, named by coach Luis de la Fuente, who also included Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino in the European champions’ roster after his recent return from injury.

For the first time since 1950, Spain’s World Cup squad will not include a Real Madrid player as De la Fuente opted against naming one in his 26-man squad announced on Monday.

Real Madrid’s Dean Huijsen was dropped due to an injury, and veteran Dani Carvajal was also excluded after struggling through an injury-hit campaign.

Along with teenage Barcelona star Yamal, Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams played a key role as Spain won Euro 2024, and he is in the squad despite a season badly disrupted by fitness issues.

Yamal, 18, is a doubt for the first matches of the tournament after suffering a hamstring injury with Barca, which has kept him out since late April.

De la Fuente played down the absence of Madrid’s players, preferring to highlight those who are in the squad.

“I’m the manager, and I don’t look at where the players come from. They’re ‌national team players; I don’t look at one club or another. I don’t have the same local bias that a fan might have. All I want is for these players to feel proud to represent the national team,” De la Fuente told reporters.

In addition to Yamal, Barcelona’s contingent includes Joan Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres, while seven players called up are based in the Premier League.

“Excitement is the keyword. Passion,” De la Fuente said.

“The reaction of people all over Spain – adults and children ⁠alike – is that they are fully behind the national team. It is an ⁠honour for me to represent the national team.”

Arsenal provide three of Spain’s Premier League-based players in goalkeeper David Raya and midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, while Manchester City’s Rodri gives De la Fuente a commanding presence in midfield.

The coach also addressed the injury concern regarding ⁠Yamal and Williams, who will arrive at the tournament nursing hamstring issues.

“We’re very relaxed. Barring any setbacks, we’ll have everyone available from the very first match. ⁠We’re in close contact with the clubs’ medical teams,” he said.

“We’ll call ⁠on them when we deem it appropriate. I’d like to reiterate that we’ll have everyone in top form and we’ll be able to enjoy watching them in the tournament.”

Spain will arrive at the World Cup carrying the confidence of their European Championship triumph in Germany two years ‌ago, but with the weight of expectation from a passionate fanbase.

Spain’s World Cup 2026 squad

Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, David Raya, Joan Garcia

Defenders: Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Grimaldo

Midfielders: Rodri, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Pedri, Gavi, Fabian Ruiz, Alex Baena

Forwards: Yeremy Pino, Victor Munoz, Mikel Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Nico Williams, Borja Iglesias

JODIE Marsh was once one of the most photographed women in Britain, with her belt-braced boobs becoming one of the defining images of early Noughties celebrity culture.

Back when today’s reality stars were still in nappies, and the world had ‘It Girls’ instead of influencers, Jodie was everywhere – splashed across lads’ mags, starring in her own TV shows and commanding huge pay cheques at the height of her fame.

She even penned books, launched fitness DVDs and became one of the country’s most talked-about glamour models.

Jodie first shot into the spotlight, tipped as the edgy alternative to glamour queen Jordan – now known as Katie Price – with the pair locked in a fierce rivalry as they battled to become Britain’s biggest pin-up.

More recently, it appeared Jodie had finally found peace after quitting showbiz to run an animal sanctuary in Essex.

The model devoted herself to rescuing animals and regularly shared videos introducing followers to meerkats, foxes, lemurs and marmosets living at the farm.

But pals say a string of devastating events slowly pushed her into isolation.

Now the former Celebrity Big Brother star is facing assault charges following an alleged incident at her Essex animal sanctuary – as pals tell The Sun of their fears for the once larger-than-life star.

One friend told The Sun: “After her mum died, something in her just switched off.

“She became far more isolated, and it was worrying.

“The irony is she spent years desperate to be photographed and talked about, but now the last thing she wants is to be the centre of attention.”

Jodie was left heartbroken in September 2020 when her beloved mum Kristina died following a battle with cancer.

The 47-year-old previously spoke of her anguish after claiming her mum was sent home from the hospital during the Covid pandemic despite battling an aggressive cancer.

Friends believe the loss deeply affected the star, who became increasingly withdrawn from public life in the years afterwards.

A pal said: “She only wanted to be around her animals – they are the only thing that brings her any joy.

“She felt safe around them, so she stayed in her own little bubble. “

Three years later, Jodie put her £1.5million Essex farm on the market following bitter tensions linked to the sanctuary and the animals she kept there.

While many local families regularly visited the sanctuary with their children, Jodie also became embroiled in rows with neighbours.

The TV personality previously went to court after attempting to adopt eight lemurs at the sanctuary.

She claimed Uttlesford Council’s refusal to grant a dangerous wild animal licence was unreasonable amid allegations she had previously taken a meerkat to the pub.

Our source shared: “She fell out terribly with her neighbours and absolutely dreaded seeing them – she became convinced they all hated her too, and it caused a lot of anxiety for her.

“Ultimately, she just wanted to live in peace. Having tensions in a place that is meant to be your sanctuary is just the worst.”

Then, in August 2024, tragedy struck when a fire tore through part of the farm and killed two of Jodie’s beloved marmosets.

An emotional Jodie later admitted she planned to “go far, far away” after the devastating blaze.

She said, “I don’t care about my house being destroyed; all I care about is losing two marmosets.”

A close pal explains: “The fire destroyed more than just the house, emotionally, that was the moment she completely unravelled.

“Behind all the glamour and bravado is somebody incredibly vulnerable and sensitive.”

Friends claim Jodie became increasingly isolated following the blaze and breakup of her most recent relationship.

They added: “Some of her friendships have fallen by the wayside because contact dwindled. Her older friends have been worried about her and did try and reach out, but not all of them heard back. She has a very small cirlce around her now. There was definitely some self-sabotage going on on Jodie’s behalf, although it’s not all on her.

“When Jodie is in a tough place, she does have a tendency to pull away, but her mates that have lost contact with her are still hopeful she will come back.”

Her last publicly confirmed partner was builder Mark, but the pair reportedly split in March 2024 after he struggled with the quiet lifestyle at the farm.

A pal said: “She does struggle with loneliness, but she also struggles to trust people, so it’s a bit of a catch-22.

“A lot of people in her life have badly scarred her, so it’s understandable she has her walls up a lot of the time.”

Last month, Jodie appeared in court accused of assaulting a man at the sanctuary. Essex Police confirmed a woman had been charged following an alleged incident at the site.

The former reality star was also accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause or provoke violence against the man and a woman.

Appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court, she pleaded not guilty and was told a trial would take place in May 2027.

With a potential prison sentence looming, Jodie previously claimed neighbours had trespassed onto her land and filmed her animals before posting edited clips online to make them appear “skeletal”.

Speaking about one alleged confrontation, she said: “I’m scared to sleep in my own house. I’m scared to go out.”

Now, friends fear the once vivacious glamour model has completely retreated from the world she once dominated.

One pal told us: “It’s really sad what’s happened to Jodie, and we all really feel for her.

“She’s deleted her Instagram and now fully blocked the outside world from her life. It’s just her and her animals now.

“She lived this mad showbiz life for so long, it’s like she became addicted to the chaos and forgot what being normal was like.

“People think the fame disappeared overnight, but the truth is it was a slow-motion car crash.

“It’s been very sad to watch, but the one thing about Jodie is she is made of tough stuff and, like she has in the past, she’ll likely pick herself back up again.”

When approached by The Sun for comment, Jodie claimed the biggest ‘nightmare’ for her over the last few years, beyond the fire, is that she has been ‘harassed and stalked’ by her neighbours.

She accuses them of trying to bully her out of her home.

“I find it hard to trust people but the circle I have around me now are amazing and worth their weight in gold,” she says. “I trust them with my life. Everyone who comes to my home never wants to leave because it’s magical here.

“The animals are all so special and my life revolves around them. It’s a shame people like my neighbours are trying to ruin it for me. But good always wins over evil and karma is real. I will come out on top. I always do. Watch me.

“I’m living my best life and my dream life and these people are obsessing over me. That can’t be a fun way to live (being obsessed with another human you don’t even know). I just want to be left in peace to run my sanctuary with my true friends and family.”

You don’t have to be a van-lifer to enjoy a good road trip. Whether it was a dramatic route delivering epic mountain views, a coast-hugging road linking coves, bays and seaside villages, or a cinematic sweep of lowland plains, we’d like to hear about your best experiences on the roads of Europe.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

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Ruben Chorlton-Owen says lots of people are being caught out and paying a heavy price for it

A British traveller is warning anyone heading to Tenerife this half-term to watch out for several “tourist traps” that ensnare visitors every year. Ruben Chorlton-Owen frequently posts his travel advice and tips with his 105,000 followers on Instagram (@rube).

The 24-year-old, from Abersoch, North Wales, has recently been to the popular Canary Island destination. However, while there, he noticed a few things that raised concerns. And now, he is alerting people to several common “tourist traps” that catch holidaymakers out annually, as detailed in a video amassing more than 8,000 views.

If you find yourself requiring a pharmacy, watch out for “fake” establishments selling the same product at inflated prices. He said: “They’re real shops, but they have the same LED signage (as a pharmacy) but in blue colour (rather than green).

“So it’s not entirely illegal and many tourists fall for it. People later find out the product hasn’t worked as it’s not an actual medical product.

“It’s important to find a proper ‘farmacia’ that sells actual drugs to help with any pains or issues. Fake ones also don’t really have a lot in there and also heavily charge way too much for things like sun cream or paracetamol. They’re just tourist shops really.” He also advised Brits to be careful about how they withdraw money once they arrive.

“Make sure you try and get your cash before you come here,” Ruben told creatorzine.com. “Because the local currency exchanges or these ATMs will charge you a high markup and you’ll be getting a very bad deal for your money.”

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While he praises the destination for being “affordable” and “friendly”, there are still risks to be mindful of. He said: “Make sure you use the licensed taxis.

“Not only are they genuine, but they’re also much more affordable than the Uber app. And you’ll also get charged four times the price that it should be.”

Ruben also issued a stark warning for anyone heading back to their accommodation late at night or after a day of drinking in the sun. He recommends giving a wide berth to any shabby-looking areas and narrow alleyways. He said: “It’s full of pickpockets.

“It can be quite dangerous, so just make sure you stay vigilant and you’re not having too much – or use the licensed taxi to get home when it’s late at night.”

And for those fancying a cold beer or cocktail on the beach, Ruben suggests thinking twice, as it could land you with a whopping fine. He said: “If you do like to drink, make sure you don’t do it down the beach. The fines are now a minimum of €750 to €3,000.

“Make sure you just stick to the bars, your hotel room, your Airbnb. Don’t be taking any glass bottles at all down the beach, it really isn’t worth the risk.”

If you’re looking for a cheap UK seaside getaway, one beautiful town has been named among the best and most affordable to visit, with five-star food and a historic castle

Here in the UK, there are countless stunning seaside towns worth exploring, and they’re even more spectacular when the sun is out. But it’s well known that taking a holiday in the UK can sometimes cost more than travelling overseas.

Luckily, the consumer experts at Which? have carried out research into the best and most affordable seaside towns to explore in the UK. And securing one of the top spots is Stonehaven, a charming fishing town with excellent beaches and even better food and drink. According to the experts, costs average at approximately £90 for an overnight stay here on the northeast coast of Scotland.

This scenic harbour town, situated just a brief drive south of Aberdeen, has a rich history, coastal views and authentic Scottish character. One of the town’s main attractions is Dunnottar Castle, a medieval fortress perched on a rocky headland.

Following the cliffside route from the town to the castle ruins provides you with sweeping views of the North Sea, while the town’s lively harbour is an ideal spot to relax and observe the boats arriving.

Stonehaven’s beach is also hugely popular, earning a 4.2 out of five star rating on TripAdvisor. One delighted reviewer said: “This is such a lovely beach! It has a great promenade from the top of the beach where cafes are right to the harbour.

“We had fabulous weather dry and sunny so made the views spectacular. Well worth a visit.”

According to the most recent seaside town survey conducted by the experts at Which?, Stonehaven is also highly rated for its food and drink offerings.

It achieved a five out of five star rating for its culinary scene, making it a particularly brilliant destination for seafood lovers,

The Tolbooth Restaurant is an absolute must for the freshest catch of the day, while the Marine Hotel serves up classic pub grub such as fish and chips, steak or beef stew.

For those with a sweet tooth, Aunt Betty’s is the place to be, where you can treat yourself to an ice cream and savour it while strolling along the shoreline. And for the ultimate Scottish treat , a trip to The Carron Fish Bar — the birthplace of the world-famous deep-fried Mars bar — is unmissable.

Stonehaven’s beach is predominantly made up of pebbles and shingle, with numerous rock pools and fascinating geological features. However, if you fancy somewhere a bit more comfortable, Stonehaven’s seawater lido is well worth a visit.

The Olympic-sized pool is heated and accessible from late May through to September, so you know you can always go for a refreshing swim no matter what the weather is looking like.

Other budget-friendly seaside destinations worth considering include Whitby (£94 per night), Llandudno (£85 per night) and Lytham St Annes (£95 per night).

Golf and Politics: Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) has resigned from the affluent Burning Tree private golf club that lost a legal fight over its refusal to admit women members. The Bethesda, Md., club’s members include many powerful political leaders. Washington wags speculated Nunn was preparing a run for the presidency. Nunn said in Washington, D.C., Tuesday he dropped out for “personal reasons . . . . I have no plans . . . to run for President.”

* Kennedy Clan: Another Kennedy wedding is due in the fall. Kara Kennedy, 30, daughter of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, will marry Michael Allen, a Washington, D.C., architect. The date and site of the wedding were not announced.

* Hear This: Sixty guests gathered at the French ambassador’s home Wednesday to honor Revolutionary hero Marquis de Lafayette over dishes from the menu at Lafayette’s wedding feast in 1774. A town crier announced guests for the meal of oysters in caviar sauce, filet of sole, squab and venison.

* Maples Syrup: Ivana Trump’s lawyers want to question Marla Maples and they want Donald Trump to limit the documents he is demanding from his wife. He says he is seeking items showing “any threats made or undue influence” on his wife, all her personal diaries since 1976 and other writings. Jay Goldberg, one of his attorneys, said the documents would “demonstrate without question the infirmity of her claim” about threats and influence. Goldberg dismissed her plans to call Maples as posturing.

Prediction: 3rd

It was the perfect season for Manchester City as they claimed their first league title in a decade – and in manager Andree Jeglertz’s debut campaign.

With no Champions League football to distract them, City were able to throw everything at the WSL title and they swept up the opposition.

They went on a 13-game winning streak between September and February and, at one point, had a 12-point lead over Chelsea.

They also kept key players Khadija Shaw and Vivianne Miedema fit, with the two scoring a combined 31 goals – half of the club’s overall tally.

With a squad packed with talent and depth, City will hope to compete on several fronts in Europe next year, but must replace Shaw, who looks set to leave.

North Korea will convene a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) next month for an interim review of state and party policies for this year, state media reported Monday.

The WPK’s political bureau has decided to hold the second plenary meeting of the ninth central committee in late June, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The meeting will be convened “in order to have an interim review of the implementation of the party and state policies for 2026 and discuss the work in the second half of the year and a series of important issues,” the KCNA said, without providing further details.

The North has recently been holding plenary meetings regularly at the end of June and December, while also convening them when important issues need to be discussed.

It remains to be seen whether North Korea will make major decisions regarding its policy stance against South Korea or the United States at the upcoming meeting, amid speculations Chinese President Xi Jinping may visit the North soon.

The planned June meeting comes as North Korea seeks to implement follow-up measures for decisions made at the ninth party congress held in late February.

The following month, the North revised its constitution to add a new territorial clause, defining its territory as the land bordering China and Russia to the north and South Korea to the south, while removing all references to unification with South Korea.

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The endlessly exploitable Spider-Man is back in “Spider-Noir,” a retro tale set in a recognizable New York in an inconsistent 1933 (to judge by a preponderance of cultural referents). There is a comic-book precedent for this version of the character, called simply the Spider, though research tells me that, costume and superpowers aside, he is different in nearly every respect. I don’t suppose that will be an issue for most of you.

Shot in “authentic” black and white, the eight-episode series, which premieres Monday on MGM+ channel and streams Wednesday on Prime Video, is something of a stunt, but one that offers a reasonable, (imperfectly) period-appropriate approach to the material. (Stylistically, it belongs to a later decade.) An available colorized version, which seems primarily a sop to younger viewers who refuse to watch anything in black and white, works less well, flattening and softening the image, making the special effects look less special, the expressionist photography less expressive and ordinary scenes more artificial. You can probably tell which I’d choose, but you do you.

Nicolas Cage, in his first live-action television role, plays Ben Reilly, a down-at-the-heels private eye, spiking his morning coffee with whiskey helpfully provided by his knowing secretary, Janet (Karen Rodriguez), and barely scraping by on the occasional divorce case. Five years earlier, as the Spider, he was a super-powered guardian of the people; but he gave it up after the love of his life was murdered on the Spider’s account. In this variation, she’s the one who told him that with great power comes great responsibility, that well-worn Marvel homily, quoted in this world as if it were the work of Abraham Lincoln and not Stan Lee. But Reilly, who calls himself a coward and claims to be no hero, regards his mutant abilities as “a part of me I wish never existed. With no power, there’s no responsibility.”

Naturally, in the Spider’s absence, things have gone to pot in Gotham. “The city’s a mess,” says Reilly’s best and only friend, unemployed reporter Joe “Robbie” Robertson (national treasure Lamorne Morris, keeping it real, relatively speaking). “The people could use a hero.”

“Well, I hope they find someone,” says Ben.

Robbie Robertson (Lamorne Morris) is a journalist and Ben Reilly’s best friend.

(Aaron Epstein/Prime)

Nevertheless, you will not be surprised that, much against his will, Reilly will fall into a web, tee-hee, of intrigue; involving the city’s bootlegging crime boss, Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson, serving a full Irish breakfast), whose superpower is that he has very nice hair; Silvermane’s sort-of mistress, femme fatale nightclub singer Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li), a bird in a gilded cage; and Cat’s bodyguard, Flint (Jack Huston), who has gone missing. Nor will it shock you to learn that other super-powered entities will turn up, to give our hero — who soon enough will be swinging through town, somehow never losing the fedora perched atop his masked head — someone his own size to pick on him.

To coin a phrase, some are born super-powered, some become super-powered and some have superpowers thrust upon them, and in every case this comes with a serving of tragedy and trauma, for heroes and villains alike. If there’s a theme to “Spider-Noir,” beyond “make another Spider-Man show,” it’s this, and there’s a spine of sadness that runs through the series, its best and most depressing feature (and, taking “noir” at is word, fitting to the genre).

The photography and production design, achieved through whatever combination of backlot shoots, dressed locations, digital environments and black magic, work better and worse (though never bad) from shot to shot, but Alfred Hitchcock used background projections and model trains, and it’s nice to see Manhattan before those pencil-thin supertowers began polluting the skyline. (It’s the city as King Kong first knew it.)

The pacing can drag at times. The music goes everywhere but the represented period and characters quote lines from movies yet to be released. The writing and the acting boldly flirt with cliche and caricature, which, as the show is about 100% pastiche, drawn from films more than three-quarters of a century old, could scarcely be avoided and isn’t really a problem. (In a way, it’s the point.) You may spot a scene pinched from Orson Welles’ “The Lady From Shanghai,” narrative echoes of “Casablanca,” a line playing off James Cagney’s final words in “White Heat,” just off the top of my head.) But the overall what and why of the story is clever and the conclusion satisfying.

Cage, who voiced a different version of the “Spider-Noir” character in the animated “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” is a good choice for the weary gumshoe. (The series is about 75% detective story, 25% superhero) Metafictionally, he’ll bust out an Edward G. Robinson imitation, mouth Cagney dialogue sitting alone at the movies. But the main model is Humphrey Bogart, whose looks Cage’s recall more than a little; Bogart played Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe in the films most associated with those characters, whose mordant humor creator-writer Oren Uziel seeks to replicate here, with fair success. One can forget that Cage, who finds a middle way between doing a bit and playing a person, is a good comic actor, and not merely a weirdo.

Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management executed a highly active rebalancing strategy for the week ending May 22, 2026. The latest trading data reveals a distinct shift away from certain legacy chipmakers and streaming tech, rotating capital heavily into digital asset infrastructure, next-gen aviation, AI hardware, and

A coalition of conservation groups wants Southern California to get 85% of its water locally, up from the 50% it gets now, by 2045, and says a new plan shows how.

It’s urging state leaders to scrap plans for a 45-mile tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and consider asking voters to approve a bond measure to fund local water solutions. The 34-page strategy was released as critical decisions loom for local officials, California’s next governor and legislators.

Over the last century, Southern California has grown and thrived thanks to giant aqueducts it built to bring water from hundreds of miles away — the Eastern Sierra, the Colorado River and Northern California.

But with water costs rising and climate change jeopardizing these distant sources, there is growing interest in finding ways to get more water locally.

The allied groups are calling for recycling more wastewater, capturing more stormwater, improving efficiency and cleaning up contaminated groundwater.

“We have to prioritize our investments, and prioritizing them in local water makes the most sense,” said Bruce Reznik, executive director of the group Los Angeles Waterkeeper.

The coalition includes fishing groups, environmental organizations and Northern California’s Winnemem Wintu Tribe.

Its plan calls for a “new urban water renaissance” in California that prioritizes local water. This approach would reliably yield more and cost far less than Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed Delta Conveyance Project beneath the Delta.

The state estimated in 2024 the tunnel would cost $20.1 billion, but opponents say it could cost three to five times more.

“Local water is reliable, it’s more affordable, and it’s more flexible, so that we’re not committing California ratepayers to higher bills that they don’t need,” said Kyle Jones, a water expert and consultant who helped prepare the plan for the coalition.

Southern California imports about half of its water from other regions.

The coalition’s plan says the region can secure up to 2 million acre-feet of local water per year. It estimates the costs of more conservation and efficiency, more stormwater and groundwater cleaning, and more water recycling at $44 billion over two decades. The Delta tunnel, in contrast, could cost $60 billion to $100 billion, it says.

Whether the tunnel project is ultimately built may hinge on whether large water agencies, including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, decide to participate and pay for it.

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1. Cranes rise above the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys. 2. When completed, Los Angeles will nearly double recycled water for 500,000 residents. 3. Storage tanks sit behind a fence before being placed in the ground at the plant. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

“Metropolitan Water District really does have a significant choice on it, that not just impacts their ratepayers but impacts every single person in the state,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of the group Restore the Delta. “Are we going to spend $20, $60, maybe upward to $100 million on a tunnel? Or are we going to invest significant money in local solutions that provide water resiliency and sustainability for everyone in California? That is what is at stake right now.”

The Metropolitan Water District already is planning a large new facility in Carson to transform wastewater into purified drinking water. Los Angeles and San Diego are also building water recycling plants.

“At the same time, water imported from the northern Sierra and the Colorado River provides the foundation of water supply reliability for Southern California,” said Shivaji Deshmukh, the MWD’s general manager.

He noted that the MWD invests in water efficiency and capturing stormwater, and has helped reduce per-person water use by more than 40% since 1990.

The agency’s 38-member board last year adopted a climate adaptation strategy that sets goals for lining up additional water.

Los Angeles city leaders and L.A. County supervisors have also set goals for becoming more locally self-sufficient.

The advocates who wrote the policy plan said these efforts should accelerate and expand. They pointed out that the Colorado River’s reservoirs are falling to perilously low levels, and native fish in the Delta are in decline as the pumping of water takes an ecological toll.

“Climate change is exacerbating the challenges in those ecosystems, meaning that less and less water will be available to import,” said Ashley Overhouse, water policy advisor for the group Defenders of Wildlife. “All the while, the cost of water is continuing to rise.”

About 20 other environmental groups endorsed the coalition’s strategy.

“We have got to do a better job in the next 100 years than we did in the last 100 years, if we truly want to create a place of abundance once again,” said Frankie Myers, a member of the Yurok Tribe in Northern California. “This idea that we can steal … and divert water however we want with no consequences has got to end.”

Construction continues at the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys in October 2025.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Benjamin Bass, a UCLA scientist who studies how climate change is affecting the Colorado River and other water sources, joined the group as they presented their proposal in an online briefing.

“Traditional sources for imported water are less reliable than they used to be,” Bass said. “The most reliable source of water in the future is local water.”

Other experts have reached similar conclusions.

Researchers at the Pacific Institute, a water think tank in Oakland, have examined improvements such as fixing leaks in pipes, switching out inefficient washing machines and toilets, and replacing thirsty lawns with plants suited to the state’s Mediterranean climate.

In a 2022 report, they found that a set of standard practices and technologies could reduce total urban water use by 30% or more.

Former captain Gary Mabbutt hopes Ben Davies will have a future at Tottenham Hotspur after the club avoided relegation to the Championship.

Wales skipper Davies, who turned 33 last month, sees his Tottenham contract expire next month.

The defender has not played since suffering a serious ankle injury in January, but Mabbutt believes he should be offered the chance to stay at a club he has represented for 12 years.

“Ben’s a great lad,” said Spurs great Mabbutt.

“What he has given to the club so far… it was just so unfortunate the injury he received. It was devastating for him and or us because Ben’s a player you can always rely on.

“Certainly I hope something will be done with his contract, whether it be still on the playing side or maybe looking a bit more to the future, but hopefully still with Tottenham Hotspur.”

May 25 (UPI) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio tamped down expectations Monday for progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz after signaling a day earlier that he might have “good news” within hours.

Speaking to reporters at India’s Palam Air Base in New Delhi on Monday, the United States’ top diplomat said an agreement was “still a work in progress.”

“We thought we might have some news last night, maybe today,” he said, adding the holdup is that it takes time to hear back from the Iranians.

“I’m very confident — we should all be very confident — that we’re either going to have a good agreement or we’re going to have to deal with it another way. We’d prefer to have a good agreement.”

The United States is seeking to have Iran restore shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz before negotiations enter a subsequent phase focused on Iran’s nuclear program.

Rubio said what is on the table for opening the strait is “pretty solid,” but there is “a very real, significant time limit” to negotiations on the nuclear issue.

“Hopefully, we can pull it off,” he said.

Rubio is in India until Tuesday to discuss energy security, trade and defense cooperation with senior Indian officials. Meanwhile, U.S.-Iran negotiations have been ongoing through Pakistani and Qatari mediators.

After reporters that negotiations were edging toward completion, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson later Monday said that talks were focused on ending the war, with no discussions yet on its nuclear enrichment program, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

The spokesperson also voiced skepticism over U.S. reliability, stating there is no guarantee Washington will hold up its end of the agreement once one is reached.

Speaking alongside Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at a joint press conference on Sunday, Rubio said that he believed more news about the agreement would come from President Donald Trump.

“But I do think perhaps there is the possibility that over the next few hours the world will get some good news, at least with regards to the straits,” he said.

The on-again, off-again negotiations have been conducted amid a fragile cease-fire called in April in the war that began in late February.

Trump has sought a new agreement to prevent Iran from securing a nuclear weapon since 2018, when during his first administration he unilaterally withdrew the United States from a landmark Obama-era multinational nuclear accord called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Calling it “defective at its core,” Trump has criticized several aspects of the JCPOA, including its sunset provisions easing restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program.

Critics have rebutted his accusations, saying that not all aspects of the JCPOA were to expire and that the expiring provisions afforded time were intended to afford time for further diplomacy.

A small boat believed to be part of the Global Sumud Flotilla that was carrying aid for Gaza has washed ashore in Alexandria, Egypt. Activists were intercepted and detained by Israeli forces in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea last week.

That sound of breaking glass? It’s Hong Kong-born conductor Elim Chan, 39, shattering a particularly stubborn ceiling after being named the first woman to lead the San Francisco Symphony in its 115-year history. Her title is currently Music Director Designate, and when she officially steps into the job of music director in September 2027, she will become the first woman to lead a major American orchestra.

Chan arrives as the orchestra’s 13th music director at a precarious moment for the organization, which in 2024 was rocked by the resignation of its last music director, Esa-Pekka Salonen, who declined to renew his contract after five years and said he didn’t share the same vision as the orchestra’s board of governors. Like many arts organizations, the symphony is still struggling with a pandemic-precipitated drop in attendance and a shrinking budget.

Fans will get their first chance to see Chan in action on June 5 and 6 when she’ll take the stage in a program including Richard Wagner’s Prelude from “Tristan und Isolde,” Hector Berlioz’s “Les Nuits d’été” wih mezzo-soprano soloist Sasha Cooke, and Claude Debussy’s “La Mer.”

“In Elim Chan, we have found a musician of unusual gifts and a leader of equal substance — a rare combination, and the one behind her remarkable international rise,” said San Francisco Symphony Chief Executive Matthew Spivey in a news release. “What sets her apart on the podium is the conviction she brings to the music itself. Works orchestras have played a hundred times sound newly made under her hand, lit by a feeling for structure, color, and emotional architecture that audiences hear before they can name.”

Chan studied piano and cello in Hong Kong before moving to the U.S. to attend Smith College. She went to graduate school at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she ultimately earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 2015. The year before that she became the first woman to win the prestigious Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition, and was named assistant conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Chan made her conducting debut with SF Symphony in January 2023 and has conducted the orchestra twice since. A rep for the the group said the feedback they’ve received from “our Orchestra, press, our audiences, and donors has been remarkable.” Chan is, indeed, a electrifying presence to behold onstage, a fact that no doubt played a major role in the search committee’s decision.

And now audiences get to delight in her fresh, invigorating approach to the conductor’s podium. Glass ceilings should be broken more often.

I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt rooting for something new and different. This is your arts and culture news for the week.

The week ahead: A curated calendar

FRIDAY

David E. Frank and Nicolet Anton in “Limonade Tous les Jours: A Paris Love Story” at City Garage.

(Paul Rubenstein)

Limonade Tous les Jours: A Paris Love Story
Romance in the City of Lights from Obie Award-winning playwright Charles L. Mee, in which a young chanteuse and a reserved American in his 50s ponder amour amid classic French cabaret songs.
8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 4 p.m. Sundays, through June 28. City Garage, 2525 Michigan Ave., Building T1, Santa Monica. citygarage.org

Three Lives
Written, directed by and starring Alex Xander Luu, this solo theater performance shares the dramatic, sometimes humorous, story of the Luu family’s escape from Saigon in 1975 through the perspectives of a father, son and grandson.
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 2 and 8 p.m. Sunday. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. sierramadreplayhouse.org

David Call and Lena Dunham in the movie “Tiny Furniture.”

(Joe Anderson / IFC Films)

Tiny Furniture
Multi-hyphenate Lena Dunham’s breakout 2010 indie feature about a new college graduate adrift in New York City screens with “Welcome to Bushwick a.k.a The Crackcident,” an episode from Dunham’s series “Girls.”
7:30 p.m. Friday; 6 p.m. Saturday. The Eastwood (Oxford Underground), 1089 N Oxford Ave. eastwoodpac.stagey.net

SATURDAY

Daisuke Ryu in Akira Kurosawa’s 1985 film “Ran,” screening Saturday at the Academy Museum.

(Winstar Cinema)

Darkness and Humanity: The Complete Akira Kurosawa
The series continues with 35 mm screenings of “Ran,” the filmmaker’s 1985 adaptation of Shakespeare’s “King Lear” transported to 16th century Japan; and “Kagemusha,” a 1980 feudal epic executive produced by George Lucas that helped revive Kurosawa’s career and cement his legacy.
“Ran,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday; “Kagemusha,” 6:30 p.m. Sunday. 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org

“Cut Piece,” 1964, performed in “New Works of Yoko Ono,” Carnegie Recital Hall, New York, filmed by David and Albert Maysles. Part of the exhibit “Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind” at the Broad.

(© Yoko Ono)

Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind
The first solo museum exhibition in Southern California of the singular artist, musician and activist, organized in collaboration with Tate Modern, London, includes work from her seven-decade career; direct participation by visitors will be invited in many of Ono’s transformational works.
Through Oct. 11. The Broad, 221 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. thebroad.org

Artist Kyungmi Shin, whose solo exhibition “My Fantasy’s Burdens” is currently showing at Perrotin Los Angeles, talks with Aleesa Pitchamarn Alexander on Sunday.

(Todd Gray)

Kyungmi Shin
The L.A.-based artist will discuss her work, including the current exhibition “My Fantasy’s Burdens,” with Aleesa Pitchamarn Alexander, curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Cantor Arts Center and co-director of the Asian American Art Initiative at Stanford University. “My Fantasy’s Burden” includes both paintings and ceramics by Shin, featuring the artist’s practice of interrogating the Asian American diasporic identity, focusing on the cultural, economic and scientific consequences of colonialism.
4 p.m. Saturday; the exhibition concludes May 30. Perrotin Los Angeles, 5036 W Pico Blvd. perrotin.com

SUNDAY
Bob Dylan double feature
It’s the music icon’s 85th birthday and what better way to celebrate than with screenings of his 2021 concert film “Shadow Kingdom,” directed by Alma Har’el, and the 1987 musical melodrama “Hearts Of Fire” — one of Dylan’s forays into acting — directed by Richard Marquand.
7:30 p.m. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. americancinematheque.com

Stephen Schwartz performs during the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction and awards gala in 2025.

(Charles Sykes /Invision / AP)

An Evening With Stephen Schwartz
Katharine McPhee, Joey McIntyre, Loren Allred and other performers join the celebrated composer-lyricist for a benefit concert to help the Altadena Music Theatre recover from the Eaton fire. Schwartz has won three Oscars, three Grammys, four Drama Desk Awards, a Golden Globe and the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theater, in addition to six Tony nominations for shows including “Wicked,” “Pippin” and “Godspell.” Preceded by a VIP cocktail hour.
7:30 p.m. Manoukian Cultural Performing Arts Center, 2495 E. Mountain St., Pasadena. altadenamusictheatre.com

Arts anywhere

New and recent releases of arts-related media.

An Evening with Nicole Scherzinger

The lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls crowned her triumphant, Olivier- and Tony-winning turn as Norma Desmond in the musical revival of “Sunset Boulevard” with a series of solo concerts at prestigious venues (including Walt Disney Concert Hall). The latest edition of “Great Performances” captured Scherzinger’s performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall in October 2025, when she sang showtunes, covers and songs from her own repertoire. 9 p.m. Friday on PBS and streaming on the PBS app

“Reading Pictures: A History of Illustration,” by D.B. Dowd.

(Princeton University Press)

Reading Pictures: A History of Illustration

In this visual chronicle, D.B. Dowd, a professor of design and American culture studies at Washington University in St. Louis, follows this unique art form from relief prints and woodcuts in ancient China and Japan, through the development of the printing press in 15th century Europe, and on to modern developments such as illustrated news, recreational reading and ad-driven consumer culture. Dowd reconsiders the traditional narrative to view illustration in the context of race, gender, literacy and cultural memory. The book examines the integration of reading and looking, the increasing prevalence of images in the digital age, and what it means to be literate in the 21st century. Princeton University Press: 400 pages, $60

— Kevin Crust

Culture news and the SoCal scene

Kylie Victoria Edwards and Daniel Yearwood in “Brigadoon” at Pasadena Playhouse.

(Jeff Lorch)

Theater lovers rejoice: “Brigadoon” at the Pasadena Playhouse may be the “best local staging of a musical” Times theater critic Charles McNulty has seen in 20 years covering the scene for The Times. The revival, directed by Katie Spelman with an updated book by playwright Alexandra Silber, is “the high-water mark so far of Pasadena Playhouse producing artistic director Danny Feldman’s ongoing reexamination of the American musical canon,” McNulty writes. In the same column, McNulty notes that another classic musical revival, “Flower Drum Song” at East West Players, does not hit its mark.

The Skirball Cultural Center‘s latest exhibit takes on the genesis of Punk rock in the 1970s, and traces its rise from the UK to New York and Los Angeles. The exhibit, “Outsiders, Outcasts, Rebels + Weirdos: Punk Culture 1976-86,” pegs punk’s year zero to 1976, “when the Ramones debuted their self-titled record. That same year, the Sex Pistols cursed on live TV, John Holmstrom and Legs McNeil co-founded Punk magazine, and the Damned released the first British punk single, ‘New Rose’.”

Erin Davis, son of Miles Davis, poses for a portrait during Musichead Gallery’s photography exhibition marking a centennial celebration of the jazz musician.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

As the world celebrates the centennial of jazz legend Miles Davis, a unique photo show is happening at Musichead Gallery on Sunset Boulevard. “The show celebrates the late jazz musician’s centennial through imagery captured over a career spanning nearly five decades,” writes staff writer Julius Miller, noting that some of those photos have not even been seen by members of the Davis family.

Times classical music critic Mark Swed sat down for an exclusive interview with Los Angeles Philharmonic Music and Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel as he readied to play his final shows with the orchestra at Walt Disney Concert Hall before departing for the New York Philharmonic. “I’m living here and I’m not living here,” Dudamel told Swed. “The connection will always be here.”

Swed also weighed in on two performances marking composer Philip Glass’ 90th birthday (which arrives at the end of January): Paris Opera’s “shocking” new “noir” production of Glass’ “Satyagraha”; and a UC Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures-commissioned show called “Philip Glass and the Poets,” which premiered at Campbell Hall featuring readings by performance artist Taylor Mac and dancer/choreographer Lucinda Childs.

Lisa Waund’s work in the Joy Department at the Hospital of Emotions at St. Vincent Medical Center.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

The Times got an exclusive first look inside the soon-to-open Hospital of Emotions, which features 70 artists in a takeover of 80 rooms at the shuttered St. Vincent’s Medical Center on the outskirts of downtown L.A. The sprawling immersive art project is divided into various departments including joy, fear and sadness, and shines a spotlight on wellness and mental health.

Meow Wolf L.A. won’t open until later this year, but The Times got an early look at a new character that will be featured in the immersive art space. Its name is WoWoW and it’s the creation of the experimental video art collective Everything Is Terrible. Read all about the “20-foot-tall, 1,000-pound amoeba-like creature” here.

Guests enjoy wine and friendship at the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation’s weekly wine tasting.

(Janna Ireland / Barnsdall Art Park Foundation)

Barnsdall Friday Wine Nights are returning for a 17th year. The event is set to begin May 29 and run through Sept. 11, every Friday evening from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. Located on the West Lawn of Frank Lloyd Wright’s magnificent Hollyhock House, the gathering occupies one of the city’s most magical outdoor spots. A $55 general admission ticket gets you four glasses of wine from Silverlake Wine, along with a rotating lineup of food trucks. DJs also regularly perform throughout the series. Best of all: Proceeds support arts programming and preservation at Barnsdall Art Park. A rep for the event notes that, “this year’s fundraiser is especially critical amid proposed budget and staffing cuts to the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.”

Break out your best picnic basket and blanket: Independent Shakespeare Co. has announced this summer’s Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, which runs outdoors every year at the park’s Old Zoo. This year’s lineup includes the Bard’s “Coriolanus” and “The Comedy of Errors.” Performances are free, but registration is requested at www.IndieShakes.org.

— Jessica Gelt

And last but not least

Times restaurant critic Bill Addison declares the 10-table Wilde’s the new “crown jewel” of Los Feliz.

Bryn Edwards left Kidwelly in Wales around a decade ago to start a new life in Sydney, Australia, and says there are two major reasons he would not consider moving back

A Welsh man has revealed two key reasons why he has no plans to return to his former home in Kidwelly after moving to Australia a decade ago. Bryn Edwards was keen to experience life on the other side of the globe after the Global Financial Crisis left the UK feeling “quite depressing”.

He originally travelled on a working holiday visa, but ultimately chose not to return home after establishing his own company, Edwards Carpentry Renovations, and settling down with his young family in Sydney.

Speaking about what drew him to Australia specifically, Bryn explained: “Initially, when I left, it was only meant to be for a year. I found the UK quite depressing after the Global Financial Crisis and the weather was getting to me, so thought a year in sunny Australia would be great.”

Two advantages of Australia

Bryn was far from let down when he touched down in Oz and has since discovered two major benefits, the first being the climate.

He says the balmy weather enables him to embrace an “outdoor lifestyle” and indulge his love of sport throughout the year, even signing up to the Tech Waratah Rugby Club after playing frequently in Wales.

Australia is renowned for its year-round sunshine, with temperatures exceeding 20C during most months.

While he favours the sought-after sun-drenched Australian way of life, which draws thousands of British expats, his hectic schedule means he believes his work-life balance was marginally superior in Wales. He said: “I would say that I used to have a better work-life balance, but now I have my own business I probably work a little too much.”

And this is where the second advantage becomes apparent. Bryn notes “pay over here for trades is a lot better, with more disposable income compared to the UK, where I felt it was barely covering my bills”.

Never returning

When questioned whether he’d contemplate returning to Wales, the father-of-two confessed that the freezing winters and living costs in the UK would discourage him.

He disclosed: “I don’t think I would [move back]. I have a family over here, nice house, and a business. I also don’t think I could deal with the winters anymore.”

Nevertheless, he still “misses his family and friends from back home”, and occasionally experiences nostalgia for “the cold nights, but not very often”.

Bryn also wishes he’d seized the chance to travel more while residing in the UK, as Australia is isolated from other nations by vast stretches of ocean, rendering overseas holidays far more lengthy.

Describing the “distance” as the main drawback to living in Oz, Bryn remarked: “The [downside] is the distance to the UK, also the distance to everywhere else. I wish I had travelled around Europe more when I lived in the UK – it was very accessible.”

POWDERY sands, vibrant wildlife, crystal waters and less crowds – one Caribbean island has it all.

South Caicos is one of the islands found in Turks and Caicos, a British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

The picturesque island often known as the fishing capital of the archipelago, with a variety of sea life including eagle rays, hawksbill sea turtles, nurse sharks, parrotfish, bonefish and conch.

Despite historically having a prominent fishing and salt industry, today the island remains largely untouched and according to Travel and Leisure, it is becoming the next Caribbean hotspot.

When it comes to things to do on the island, a lot of the top activities revolve around the local wildlife.

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For example, you can go bird watching at the salt ponds across the island.

These salt ponds were operational until the 1960s, but today stand still as a haven for birds including wild flamingos.

The salt ponds aren’t just home to birds though; you might even catch a glimpse of a wild donkey.

Another wildlife-based activity you can do from the island, is heading on a boat tour to see whales such as humpbacks, between January and April.

Thanks to the island being largely underdeveloped, it is also a great spot to stargaze as there is little light pollution.

Cockburn Harbour is the main town on the island and here, visitors can expect to see dramatic cliffs and reefs – which make for great snorkelling spots.

The town itself boasts Bermudian style buildings as well as stone walls down each street and is the best place to try some of the local cuisine such as conch fritters and conch salad, spiny lobster in garlic butter and whole boiled fish.

Another popular spot to visit nearby, is The Boiling Hole, which is a tidal pool connected to the ocean via underground caves.

If you head to the outskirts of Cockburn Harbour, you’ll see the salt salinas (marshes and ponds) as well.

Away from the main town, head to Highland House and Government Hill, where you’ll find a ruined colonial home that has views of the town as well as the surrounding area.

Down from Highland House, you can visit Highlands Beach – a rugged spot backed by limestone rocks and sand dunes, that also makes a great start or end point for hikes.

At the north end of the island, there’s the remote Plandon Cay Cut and beach, and if you want a more swimmin-g friendly spot, head to Long Beach, which stretches on for 1.25 miles.

This spot is often thought to be the best on the island for snorkelling as well.

If you happen to be on the island in May, you can experience the Annual South Caicos Regatta where there are a number of parties, boat races and games.

There are even beauty pageants, Maypole dancing and float parades as well.

In fact, it is the oldest native festival across the Turks and Caicos islands.

When it comes to places to stay in South Caicos there are a few options – though be warned they do come with a bit of a price tag.

For example you could stay at the Sailrock South Caicos, an SLH Hotel, from £611 per night.

The hotel features a variety of suites and villas as well as a spa, Ridgetop Spa Cabanas, sailing experiences, snorkelling and sand volleyball.

There’s also Marriott’s Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa which was named one of the best new hotels of 2025 by Travel and Leisure.

Inside, there are around 100 rooms for guests to choose from as well as a sprawling swimming pool, spa and a number of experiences including sunset cruises and flyfishing sessions.

A stay at the resort costs from £525 per night.

The best way to get to the island is by catching a short 20-minute flight from Providenciales.

A one-way flight between London and Providenciales in June costs from £362 per person.