Landaa Giraavaru, Maldives (CNN) — As Beth Faulkner bobbed up and down in the Maldives’ Hanifaru Bay, she did some quick mental math. “There’s probably about 100,” she said in reference to the number of reef manta rays swimming just below her. “Usually it’s about 50 to 60.” “They have no sting, no teeth, nothing […]

(CNN) — A group of Maldivian fishermen lines up at the back of a boat. As they cast their fishing rods and barbless hooks into the water, they lure in fish by throwing tiny baitfish on the surface. The trick is to create an illusion of prey for the tuna. This method is called pole […]

(CNN) — Zoona Naseem led nine children, some as young as eight years old, out towards the open waters of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, rattling off a list of reminders: switch to regulators, inflate buoyancy control devices, adjust the masks. “If you have any problems with your ears, we are not going to […]

The Maldives (CNN) — Set in the impossibly turquoise blue waters of the Indian Ocean, the islands of the Maldives have become a luxury vacation destination with few equals. But in between snorkeling the reefs, topping up your tan and generally taking the word “relaxation” to new heights, there’s the key question of what to […]

(CNN) — The Maldives is reopening to all visitors next month with no restrictions. A spokesperson for the tourism board has confirmed the Indian Ocean destination will welcome back tourists of all nationalities in July. While a previous draft proposal indicated travelers would need to present a medical certificate confirming proof of a negative Covid-19 […]

(CNN) — “We’ll always have Paris,” says Rick in cinematic classic “Casablanca” — but what if Paris was replicated thousands of miles across the globe, in China? That’s the premise of Tianducheng — an unassuming suburb of the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou that also doubles as a large-scale replica of the French capital. Parisian […]

Paris (CNN) — You know it’s spring in Paris when the after-work picnics begin popping up along the Canal Saint Martin. There’s still a chill in the air of northern France and darkness descends before the wine is finished, but after a dark, rainy winter cooped up in tiny apartments, young Parisians can’t wait to […]

(CNN) — If you love flowers while you travel, you don’t have to go outside to enjoy nature’s beautiful. Just check into one of these hotels, from Mumbai to Manhattan to Monaco, for some of the world’s most elegant and opulent floral displays all year round. These 11 will dazzle you with their flowers when […]

(CNN) — For the past century the Art Nouveau Hotel Lutetia has been a Paris icon, known as much for its popularity with artists as its unusual Left Bank location. Now, after closing its doors for a four-year, €200 million (roughly $234 million) refurbishment, the Lutetia is back, adding to the ranks of fashionable luxury […]

(CNN) — Want to spend an afternoon following in the footsteps of Beyoncé and Jay Z? In the striking video, filmed on location in the Paris museum, celebrated works of art including the “Mona Lisa” form the backdrop of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s first musical collaboration as The Carters. The video — which has had more […]