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The Best Travel Photography of 2023

There's nothing quite like the power of a photograph to truly capture the heart of a place—and awaken the travel bug inside us all. But with social media inundated with images of far-flung destinations, the search for high-quality travel photography can often be a tougher pursuit. So, in place of scrolling, why not let an expert panel of judges filter out the best of the best for you?

This week, the international Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) awards announced their 2023 winners, selected from more than 20,000 images taken by amateur and professional photographers from over 150 countries. The judging of the competition takes place over three rounds; all 16 judges are leading photographers or experts in the field and are not made aware of the identity or nationality of any entrants.

Ranging from ethereal landscapes of the Italian countryside to striking portraits in Pakistan and Russia , the winning shots—including the celebrated work of Travel Photographer of the Year AndreJa Ravnak—reflect a “subtle elegance," says TPOTY founder Chris Coe.

"This comes through in both of AndreJa’s winning portfolios; one takes us into simple landscapes, with delicate colors and a textural beauty, the other into the hop fields, out of season and undressed ready for the next planting," Coe says. “Neither are obvious subjects, neither photographed at an optimal time of year, and yet they are both engaging and rather beautiful.”

Ravnak's winning submissions consists of eight shots photographed in the farmlands of Italy , the Czech Republic , and Slovenia .

“From my personal experience, I know it's not easy to judge photography. Images are not measurable, so being a judge is a complex task and responsibility,” says Ravnak, a professional architect from Slovenia. "Congratulations to all the winners; together, we are enthusiastically documenting this wonderful world, and perhaps this is a small contribution, a reminder to preserve its wonder for future generations.”

Below, see the 2023 winners of the Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) awards, featuring Japan's Lake Shirakawa , volcanic eruptions in Iceland , Shamanic rituals in Siberia , wildebeest migration in Kenya —and more.

Near Pienza, Tuscany, Italy

Overall Winner—The Travel Photographer of the Year 2023 (AndreJa Ravnak, Slovenia) : “Early in the spring, the first rains allow wheat to grow in the rolling fields. Due to the cold nights, the landscape is often shrouded in beautiful mists on clear mornings during this period. This agricultural landscape is sparsely populated, with land being used to its fullest potential. Farms are located on the top of individual hills.”

South Moravia, near Kyov, Czech Republic

Overall Winner—The Travel Photographer of the Year 2023 (AndreJa Ravnak, Slovenia) : “In early spring, the soil is still too cold for growth. An interesting pattern occured while a new orchard was planted on the slope of the hill, making the scene very abstract.”

Overall Winner—The Travel Photographer of the Year 2023 (AndreJa Ravnak, Slovenia) : “In search of suitable land for cultivating fertile soil for agricultural purposes, humans have sometimes covered entire hilly landscapes with fields. Hills without natural vegetation are very exposed to erosion, which creates unusual waves on the slopes. This agricultural landscape looks like a soft, undulating carpet, completely otherworldly, as if it had been created by AI. In addition to erosion, the problem with these intensively cultivated areas is also the increasing exhaustion of fertile soil.”

Savinjska valley, near Zalec, Slovenia

Overall Winner—The Travel Photographer of the Year 2023 (AndreJa Ravnak, Slovenia) : “A tractor driver maneuveres a high trailer with a crew of workers on top, manually tying strings to steel cables for hop growing. In the spring, the fields must be prepared for a new season and new strings must be strung. The process is done by hand, but there is not enough interest in this type of work in Slovenia, so hop growers hire workers from abroad every year. Seasonal workers from Romania are regular visitors to the Savinja Valley.”

Overall Winner—The Travel Photographer of the Year 2023 (AndreJa Ravnak, Slovenia) : “When the hop strings are hung on the top steel cables, an unusual curtain of threads is created in the fields. The threads dance in the wind and sparkle in the sunlight. They look like some kind of unusual art installation.”

Overall Winner—The Travel Photographer of the Year 2023 (AndreJa Ravnak, Slovenia) : “The freely hanging strings need to be stretched and anchored in the ground. This is done by hand and is more often done by women. Here, Aurora, a woman from from Romania, is in a good mood, as the work team has a radio with them and they are playing Romanian music in the field.”

Savinjska valley, near Braslovce, Slovenia

Overall Winner—The Travel Photographer of the Year 2023 (AndreJa Ravnak, Slovenia) : “Once all the strings are manually stretched, the workers ensure that the small hop seedlings start climbing vertically. Once this is done, they leave the Savinja Valley for a few months and return in late summer, when the hops are ripe for harvesting.”

Chinle, Arizona, USA

Winner, Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2023 ( Caden Shepard Choi, USA, age 14) : “The sheep are herded back to their pen at the entrance of the canyon. They walk through a dust cloud formed by the steady kick of their hooves. The sheep are initially reluctant to enter the mouth of the canyon, but when returning home, they show no resistance. After a long day steering sheep, the two herding dogs now playfully trail behind.”

Exton, Pennsylvania, USA

Winner, Young Travel Photographer of the Year Age 15-18 (Lilly Zhang, USA, age 17) : “The mist suspended on Marsh Creek lake's surface, signature to its early fall mornings, the quiet morning light illuminating the fall leaves, and the fishermen amidst the mist. Captivated by the quiet beauty of the scenery, I took this photo.”

Litli-Hrutur volcano, Iceland

Winner, Young Travel Photographer of the Year Age 14 and Younger (Zayan Durrani, USA, age 14) : “My father and I took a trip to Iceland to visit an ongoing volcanic eruption. I took this image on the first day through the window of a small plane. I love how the setting sun cast shadows through the hills onto the volcano.”

The Icelandic highlands

Winner, Landscape and Environment Portfolio (Armand Sarlangue, France) : “A lush mountain range covered of moss in the Highlands, with a river snaking between the reliefs from the above glaciers. It will carry precious sediments along the lands before joining a bigger river system, up to the coasts of Iceland where it will connect with the great ocean.”

Lake Shirakawa, Japan

Winner, Best Single Image in a Landscape and Environment Portfolio (Kazuaki Koseki, Japan) : “For a period from the end of winter to early summer, Lake Shirakawa is filled with water from melting snow and a ‘submerged forest’ appears. The water in the lake changes colour between light blue and light green, and mist, combined with the reflections which look like a submeged forest create a fantastic landscape. In April, the season of sprouting had arrived in the submerged forest. In the soft light before sunrise, the submerged forest quietly welcomed the morning. I chose a bluish time before sunrise to erase the reality and emphasize the fantastic sight, and set the shutter speed to 30 seconds to flatten the water surface.”

La Ventana, Baja California, Mexico

Winner, Nature, Wildlife, and Conservation portfolio (Martin Broen, USA) : “A split shot of a Mobula ray fever cruising below the divers’ boat as part of their annual migration in the waters of Baja California.”

Anilao, Philippines

Winner, Best Single Image in a Wildlife and Conservation Portfolio (Martin Broen, USA) : “A yellow Gobby watches the ocean from the entrance of his crystal palace, a glass bottle at the bottom of the sea of the worst ocean polluter on the planet.”

Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia

Winner, People and Cultures Portfolio (Athanasios Maloukos, Greece) : “The Buryatian shaman Vitalli performs a ritual to connect with the spirits on frozen Lake Baikal, with the sacred Ogoi (Dragon) cape in the background. Siberia is considered the heartland of Shamanism, with Lake Baikal its most sacred place.”

Lagos, Nigeria

Winner, Best Single Image in a People and Cultures Portfolio (Jack Lawson, UK) : “Four members of The Special Eagles, Nigeria's national amputee football team, stand looking out into the ocean at a day on the beach.”

Kalash Valley, Chitral, Pakistan

Winner, Best Single Image in a Visual Stories Portfolio (F.Dilek Yurdakul, Turkey) : “In Pakistan, an Islamic Republic, there is no coeducation in public schools. Boys and girls receive Islamic education in separate classrooms and schools. The Kalash live within the borders of Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan, yet their schools are still co-educational. Gender diversity and unity are viewed as nothing to fear. Children are educated equally and together.”

La Puna, Argentina

Winner, A Quieter Life category (Ignacio Palacios, Australia/Spain) : “Walking on a white sand dune in La Puna, Argentina.”

Reutte, Austria

Winner, Above, Eye Level, Below category (Josien van Geffen, Netherlands) : “Under the Highline 179 suspension bridge, you get a completely different view when you look up. The bridge and the people on it now appear like a scene from an old video game.”

Petra, Jordan

Winner, Leisure and Adventure category (Andrea Peruzzi, Italy ): “As the last rays of the sun illuminate the iconic Treasury of Petra, a Bedouin enjoys jumping between the overhanging rocks. At sunset, it’s as if the once-lost city has two profoundly different souls, divided between day and night. When tourists leave this iconic destination, the Bedouins reawaken the ancient soul of Petra by repopulating the site, to eat around the bonfires and stay connected to the traditions handed down by their ancestors.”

Maasai Mara, Kenya

Winner, People's Choice Vote (Rohan Neel Shah, Kenya, age 16) : “A young wildebeest lost in the Great Wildebeest Migration madness. He stands there confused whilst other wildebeest rush to cross the river.”

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Road Less Travelled

Wander profoundly, travel deeply, surrender wholly of don't go at all... Take the Road Less Travelled. Awe-inspiring stories, photos and media from the most incredible destinations and cultures on planet earth.

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Top 100 photos from around the world, sydney’s northern beaches, capture the world: the ultimate guide to inspiring travel photography.

Top 100 Travel Photos from Around the World

Posted on 24th February 2020 1st February 2022 Author Ben Farrell

In celebration of my new book, Capture the World: The Ultimate Guide to Evocative Travel Photography & Inspired Digital Storytelling , I’ve curated my top 100 travel photos from around the world.

Nothing opens the mind like travel. New places and cultures have a transformational power that expands our consciousness, pushing us deep into a place that’s both overwhelming yet grounding. Quantum physics teaches us that what we ‘see’ as reality is anything but . Not only is our perception merely an illusion but even this, we perceive through a cluttered and bias lens of past experience , likes, dislikes, and long-held beliefs. This static and rigid schema begins in childhood and solidifies as our ego expands and we begin to subconsciously filter out what we don’t consider valuable.

The problem here is we miss so much. We stop appreciating the raw, present experiences and instead edit, rehearse and re-run life in our head . Yet, travel has the power to break down this arrogant veil and get us seeing the world anew again. It makes us present and appreciative as well as imbues an understanding that our way of living is only one among many yet, we’re all connected as humans across cultures as a giant diverse web of collective consciousness .

For me, I think it’s important to capture these moments. To freeze time and light of a moment and make it immortal. Travel photography is powerful and serves as not just a reminder of our travels and the vastness of the globe but also inspires us to wander profoundly, travel deeply and surrender wholly… to take the Road Less Travelled. I did, and that has made all the difference.

This collection spans countries, continents, and cultures. So, strap yourself in for a visual journey taking in the top photos from around the world. Don’t forget to register for a discounted copy of my upcoming travel photography book/eBook to learn how to take your own travel photography to the next level.

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The 55 Most Beautiful Places in the World

From cloud forests to glacial lakes, these destinations are the world's best sights to see.

Anne Olivia Bauso is a travel writer and hotel expert based in New York City. She has written hundreds of hotel reviews, from 5-star Ritz-Carlton properties to treehouse eco-resorts in the jungle.

From sky-blue lakes in Canada to sandstone beaches in Seychelles, beauty abounds in every corner of the Earth. Focusing largely on national parks , mountains, beaches, deserts, and other natural wonders , we’ve compiled the world's most beautiful places to inspire your next dream destination. 

• Best tourist destination: Iguazú Falls, Argentina and Brazil
• Underrated hidden gem: Fairy Meadows National Park, Pakistan
• Best for families: Grand Canyon, Arizona
• Best for couples: Anse Source d'Agent, Seychelles
• Best for solo travelers: Railay West Beach, Thailand

Join us for a journey to some of the most beautiful places in the world, like the red rocks of the Grand Canyon and the abundantly colorful Great Barrier Reef.

Iguazú Falls, Argentina and Brazil

Altogether, the 275 cascades on the Argentina-Brazil border form a mind-blowing, panoramic waterfall. The overwhelming sight of Iguazú Falls, combined with the sound and energy of water rushing at up to 450,000 cubic feet per second in the rainy season, is pure magnificence.

Fairy Meadows National Park, Pakistan

Tahreer Photography / Getty Images

Near the foot of the world's ninth-highest mountain (Nanga Parbat), Pakistan's Fairy Meadows offers sublime mountain scenery and wildlife, including brown bears, markhor, and Himalayan ibex. To get to Fairy Meadows, you’ll have to hire a Jeep but be forewarned, the road there is not for the faint of heart.

Grand Canyon, Arizona

Don Eim/Travel + Leisure

Offering some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet, the Grand Canyon truly merits the term "breathtaking." The vast geologic wonderland, one mile deep and up to 18 miles across, displays countless layers of colorful rock and practically hypnotic vistas.

Anse Source d'Argent, Seychelles

Pinpointing the most beautiful Seychellois beach is like splitting hairs, but Anse Source d'Argent gets extremely high marks for its sugar-white sand framed by dramatic granite boulders and sparkling aquamarine water. The sweet shoreline is relatively secluded from the resort crowds on La Digue Island.

Railay West Beach, Thailand

Dmitrii Guldin / Getty Images

On the Railay peninsula's west side, Krabi's famous karsts meet a simply stunning jade-green lagoon. The vertical cliffs block access from the Krabi mainland, making Railay reachable only by boat, adding to its incredible appeal.

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

There's no better way to experience Patagonia's rugged natural beauty than in Torres del Paine National Park . The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is home to its namesake granite towers (the park's name is a combination of the Spanish word for “towers” and the Tehuelche word for “blue”), as well as sparkling lagoons and otherworldly glaciers.

Bagan, Myanmar

It's hard to truly grasp the magnitude of Myanmar's Bagan Archaeological Zone , dominated by thousands of temples, pagodas, and stupas. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site on a bike, or for an eagle's-eye view, take a hot-air balloon ride at sunrise to see the temples scattered across the lush landscape.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Costa Rica

This magical, misty, and well-preserved cloud forest in northwestern Costa Rica is a successful template for sustainable ecotourism. Along with its sister cloud forest, the Santa Elena Reserve, Monteverde is a practically untouched paradise home to thousands of plant, animal, and bird species (including the radiant quetzal), visible from jungle paths and nail-biting steel bridges hanging over the canopy.

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Zambia

One of the world's largest waterfalls, Victoria Falls spans the Zimbabwe and Zambia borders. As a destination, "The Smoke That Thunders," as it is known in the Bantu language family, is a hub for white-water rafting, helicopter rides, big-game safaris , and other thrilling adventures.

Whitehaven Beach, Australia

Whitehaven Beach mesmerizes from above with swirls of white and blue hiding amid the offshore islands of Queensland. Part of Australia's Whitsunday Coast, the star attraction is remarkable for its amazing combination of pure silica sands and vivid blue-green waters.

Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar

On a dirt road near the west coast town of Morondava is a stretch of tall and ancient baobab trees unique to Madagascar, and all that remains of a once-dense forest. The centuries-old giants are especially magnificent cast in the light of a sunrise and sunset.

Uyuni Salt Flat, Bolivia

The world's largest salt flat covers 4,000 square miles of the Bolivian Altiplano. In the dry season, it's an endless white sheet of salt tiles made all the more dazzling by clear, sunny skies. From December to April, however, regular rains create a mirror effect that merges lake and sky. No matter when you see it, Salar de Uyuni is one of the most captivating sights on earth.

Hạ Long Bay, Vietnam

With hundreds of jungle-covered karst cliffs rising out of emerald green waters, Hạ Long Bay is a photographer's dream. Hop on a boat or kayak to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site 's beautiful islands and surreal cave systems.

Lake Atitlán, Guatemala

Nicholas Schmidt/Travel + Leisure

Lake Atitlán in the Sierra Madres offers a combination of Indigenous culture and waterside serenity. It likely comes as no surprise that a place this tranquil is also a popular destination for yoga retreats. Cross the gorgeous crater lake by boat and explore various pueblos, shop local markets for Mayan crafts, and sleep in treehouse accommodations.

Le Morne Brabant, Mauritius

A freestanding basaltic mountain hulking over a bright blue-green Indian Ocean lagoon certainly makes for spectacular scenery. When viewed from above, the surrounding sand and silt form an optical illusion that appears to be a massive underwater waterfall at this mythic place — and there is a fascinating history to uncover. Thanks to its isolation and near-inaccessibility, Le Morne sheltered people who escaped enslavement during the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Acadia National Park, Maine

From rocky shorelines shrouded in mist to conifer-cloaked mountainsides, Acadia National Park is a wild place of sea, stone, and forest. Visitors flock here to hike, fish, climb, camp, and experience the end-of-the-world feel in New England's only national park.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

The mighty Okavango , the largest inland delta in the world, is a vast network of winding waterways and animal-attracting lagoons. Navigating through reed-studded channels in a mokoro (traditional canoe) and spotting hippos, leopards, and elephants is one of the world's great travel experiences for nature lovers.

Maasai Mara, Kenya

This famed wildlife preserve (next door neighbor to the Serengeti) is one of the world's most enchanting ecosystems . The Mara's golden grasslands stretch to the horizon, interrupted by graceful acacia trees and rumbling throngs of wildebeest and zebra — and their stalking predators.

Beautiful Forests Around the World

Cat island, the bahamas.

Cat Island is a secret nirvana hiding in plain sight in the Bahamas . Sparsely developed and off the main tourist track, Cat Island is resplendent in miles of nature trails and wondrous pink sands sprawling under the Caribbean sun. Far from the mega-resort scene of busier islands, the mood on Cat Island is very laid back, so expect to find local vibes and small family-owned hotels.

Zhangye National Geopark, China

Distinct rolling bands of orange, cream, yellow, brown, and russet against jagged mountain peaks make this geological anomaly in the Northwestern province of Gansu look like a psychedelic scene on Mars. Boardwalks have been built throughout the park allowing visitors to see the stripes up close.

Glencoe, Scotland

The Scottish Highlands are filled with astonishingly scenic glens, but Glencoe Valley is perhaps the most famous (and infamous, due to a brutal 17th-century massacre that marked a pivotal moment in Scottish history). Today the valley is a haven for hikers, mountaineers, and whisky lovers — the 19th-century Ben Nevis Distillery is a short drive away.

Mount Kōya, Japan

The Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi founded this mountaintop temple town in 819. Today, the sacred and serene place is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains more than 100 temples, including the head temple Kongobuji, featuring gorgeous gilded sliding doors and ceilings carved with flowers. Within the ancient complex is a mausoleum and cemetery surrounded by a cedar forest with old-growth trees up to 600 years old.

Dead Sea, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel

Name aside, the Dead Sea is a lake and one of the world's saltiest, at that. (In fact, the saline water has such a high density that it keeps bathers afloat.) Set between Jordan, Palestine, and Israel at the Earth's lowest elevation, it's known for its beautifully clear and tranquil waters (with nearly 10 times more saline than the ocean) and its surrounding mineral formations, sandy beaches, nature preserves, natural pools, and waterfalls.

Zion National Park, Utah

Elisabeth Pollaert Smith /Getty Images

Glorious Navajo Sandstone cliffs, rainbow-colored canyons, and incredible biodiversity make Zion one of the most popular (and most scenic) national parks in the U.S. Utah is famous for its many gorgeous national parks, but in Zion, you can enjoy unique hikes like The Narrows, a slot canyon trail following Virgin River upstream — just make sure you go in the right season .

Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland

Dominated by a 3,000-square-mile ice cap of the same name, Vatnajökull is a chilly, Icelandic wonderland of caves, craters, glacier-filled calderas, and waterfalls. Perhaps the most famous cascade is Svartifoss, plunging over hexagonal lava-rock columns.

Pamukkale, Turkey

Pamukkale's electric-blue thermal pools and white travertine formations, naturally formed by slowly crystallizing calcium carbonate, make for gorgeous vacation photos. Its location is quite remote, so you will need to set aside a day or two for this special trip, but with steaming hot waters and a name that translates from Turkish to "cotton castles," it's worth the experience as well as the view.

Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park, Hawaii

Nā Pali translates to "the cliffs" in Hawaiian, a deceptively simple name that might not fully prepare travelers for the epic glory on display on the Kauai coast. The staggering coastline is too rugged and vertical for road access, so the only way to see it is by boat, air, or seriously intense hiking trails.

Table Mountain, Cape Town

Ascending iconic Table Mountain tops the to-do list for most travelers in Cape Town. Adventurous hikers can go on foot, but there's also an aerial cableway that gently sweeps up to the 3,563-foot summit. Either way, the top offers insane panoramic views of the South African capital and the Atlantic.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Built nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Incan citadel whose engineering ingenuity and head-spinning views rival the extraordinary beauty of its Sacred Valley setting. It may be a hotspot for tourism now, but the rest of the world has only known about its existence since it was rediscovered in 1911.

Lucerne, Switzerland

Xantana/Getty Images

Picture a serene alpine lake fringed with soaring Alps. Now add in a walkable medieval town and you've got the setting for this long-popular Swiss destination . Don't miss Mount Pilatus (via the world’s steepest cogwheel railway) and the Rigi for nature trails and a famous viewpoint overlooking three lakes.

Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina and Virginia

The Blue Ridge Parkway may lack Highway 101's ocean scenery, but it trades Pacific views for peaceful Appalachian beauty. Stretching 469 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Shenandoah National Park , the 45 MPH, no-trucks route winds past overlook after overlook, letting road-trippers marvel at the mountains' dreamy blue hue.

Pulau Tioman, Malaysia

This isn't a tropical island getaway with a wild party scene or a string of upscale resorts. Pulau Tioman is more of a floating nature preserve, with local character and a strong sense of environmental conservation (coral rehab and sea turtle preservation are major focuses for the island's Juara Turtle Project ). The island, off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the South China Sea, is popular for its dive sites, shipwrecks, and tropical rainforest.

Damaraland, Namibia

Damaraland region is an almost mystical vision of red-earth desert plains, flat-topped mountains, a petrified forest, and well-preserved ancient Bushmen rock paintings. Though it looks like a scene from Mars, Damaraland is rich in wildlife, home to lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes, and the critically endangered black rhino.

Matira Beach, French Polynesia

The South Pacific calls up many visions of spectacular beaches . The otherwordly Bora Bora 's Matira Beach gets singled out for its miles of pearly white, flour-fine sand, and breathtaking bright turquoise lagoon.

Cirque de Gavarnie, France

Cirque de Gavarnie is a popular hiking destination in the Pyrenees and one of the most beautiful in France . Called "the Colosseum of Nature" by Victor Hugo, the Cirque is a ring of sheer granite mountain walls enclosing a picture-perfect green valley. It's astounding even before you add in three-tier Gavarnie Falls pouring over a 922-foot drop.

Shark Bay, Australia

Shark Bay: where the red earth of Australia's westernmost point meets the teal waters of the Indian Ocean. The bay is home to one of the largest and richest beds of seagrass in the world, as well as rare stromatolites — rocky-looking, cauliflower-shaped microbial reefs and some of the oldest life forms on Earth.

Lofoten Islands, Norway

The Lofoten archipelago bursts dramatically out of the Norwegian Sea. Between the jagged peaks and steep slopes are quaint fishing villages, secluded coves, scenic backpacking and biking trails, and dreamy white-sand beaches. You can even get there by train via the Ofotbanen , a luxury rail service that takes you from Oslo up to the Arctic Circle.

Los Cabos, Mexico

Flanked by the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California, Los Cabos ' symphony of natural features — desert, mountains, sea, and plenty of sunshine — and yes, raucous party scene, have made it one of the most popular vacation destinations in North America. Its cobalt-blue waters are a hub for diving, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, and whale watching.

Taormina, Sicily

Frans Sellies/Getty Images

Taormina has all the elements for a gorgeous Mediterranean destination : ancient ruins, a charming old town, and a setting backed by Mount Etna, an active volcano you can summit by foot. One of the highlights is visiting the beach of Isola Bella, a small storied island that you can walk to during low tide.

Dal Lake, India

The snow-capped Zabarwan Range rises above Kashmir's romantic Dal Lake, a long-time Himalayan escape for Indians fleeing the south's heat. During the summer, veranda-clad cedar houseboats bob along the lake's western edge while floating markets and brightly painted taxi boats drift by.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The world's largest barrier reef is an unrivaled experience for snorkelers and divers. The sensational underwater world is made up of 2,900 individual reefs, 900 islands, and a mind-boggling diversity of marine life.

Wulingyuan Scenic Area, China

Thousands of tapering quartz sandstone formations spiral skyward in this 100-square-mile stretch of karst terrain in China's Hunan Province . Beneath the towers lie valleys, streams, waterfalls, caves, natural bridges, and dense green forests.

Banff National Park, Canada

Canada's oldest national park showcases the majesty of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta. Banff is known for its staggering peaks, dense pine forests, hot springs, animals — grizzlies, bighorn sheep, and moose all call the park home, and almost eerily azure glacier-fed lagoons, such as the postcard-perfect Peyto Lake.

Wadi Rum Reserve, Jordan

Wadi Rum is a stunning red desert landscape filled with canyons, dunes, mountains, springs, archeological sites, and stone archways. Brave hikers can cross the largest, Burdah Rock Bridge, which is more than 200 feet above the ground.

Milford Sound/Piopiotahi, New Zealand

Tessa Desjardins/Travel + Leisure

Glaciers carved this awe-inspiring valley , leaving behind craggy peaks with sheer drops into glistening waters. Part of UNESCO World Heritage Site Te Wahipounamu , the South Island's Milford Sound is blessed with waterfalls, rainbows, rainforests, and a diversity of wildlife — everything from black coral to bottlenose dolphins, with seals and even penguins in between.

Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Blissfully isolated 217 miles off the Brazilian mainland, this lovingly preserved archipelago offers pristine beaches and clear waters abundant in marine life perfect for world-class snorkeling. The remote island is also a hub for honeymooners looking for a slice of paradise.

The Algarve, Portugal

Surrounded by the Atlantic to the south and west, Portugal's Algarve region looks and feels like a wild respite. Wind-sculpted cliffs and headlands frame big, sandy beaches popular with surfers and dotted with secret coves and grottoes.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Solitary Mount Kilimanjaro is one of Africa's most stunning icons, rising more than 19,000 feet from coffee and banana farms up to snowy volcanic peaks. Along the way to "The Roof of Africa," hikers trek through distinct climate zones, from rainforest to high-altitude desert to the arctic-like summit.

Mount Fuji, Japan

Both an active volcano and an emblem of serenity, Mount Fuji is one of the world's most magnificent sights. You can hike to the sacred landmark's summit for sweeping views or simply gape at it from Lake Kawaguchi and elsewhere in the beautiful Five Lakes region . Head to the spa town of Hakone in winter to pair crisp Fuji views with steaming hot springs.

Li River, China

The Li River carves through the lowland farms and jagged karst terrain of northwestern Guangxi, creating some of China's most picturesque scenery (the area is so pretty, it appears on the 20 yuan banknote). A four- to five-hour river cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is the most popular way to experience Li River, though travelers wanting more autonomy can rent bamboo rafts or hike — the natural moon-shaped arch of Moon Hill makes a glorious lookout.

Lake Como, Italy

Lake Como has been one of Italy's most popular vacation spots since the time of the Roman emperors. This unabashedly high-rolling resort area still attracts a posh crowd with its lush gardens, cinematic palaces and villas, and sun-soaked alpine shores. Take the funicular to the tiny village of Brunate for an amazing panorama.

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Like so many of Earth's most stunning sights, Crater Lake is the result of earth-altering, volcanic forces. Its 1,943-foot depth makes it the deepest lake in the U.S. , filled with mesmerizingly deep blue waters fed by rain and snow. View its perfection from hiking trails, boat tours, and the 33-mile Rim Drive around the caldera. Keep in mind, some attractions like boat tours and the scenic Rim Drive close for the winter season.

Big Sur, California

Makito Umekita/Travel + Leisure

Even considering California's 840 miles of monumental coastline, it's hard to rival the beauty of Big Sur . Thick redwood forest, foggy canyons, and rocky cliffs tumbling into the Pacific define this area (the name refers to both the town and the coastal region), made all the more famous for its freewheeling NorCal vibes and Old Hollywood history.

Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina and Tennessee

With half a million acres split by Tennessee and North Carolina, this famous park 's wondrous mountain scenery encompasses hardwood forests, steep-sided ravines cut by rivers and streams, and brilliant wildflowers in bloom from spring to fall. Hikers have 150 trails available to them, from the Appalachian Trail’s Charlies Bunion hike to the more challenging Rainbow Falls route.

Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

The scenery alone — waterfalls, calderas, misty bamboo forests — makes Volcanoes National Park a worthy contender of any travel list. The mystical setting is all the more special for hosting buffaloes, birds, golden monkeys, and the elusive mountain gorilla.

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Top Ten Tech Tips for Travel

By Suzanne Myklebust Thursday, September 26, 2024 No Comments Share This:

Your desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone can do so much more on a vacation than just take pictures…and can start working for you long before you go on a trip. Here are the top ten tech tips for travel from the experts at Senior Planet. Tech can help you:

1. Compare Prices Online

  Online travel sites offer convenience and savings: you can search across all major airlines and cruise lines and compare prices. Being flexible with dates can help lower travel costs. Weekend or holiday season flights are always more costly; some online booking tools allow you to select a range of dates, and then provide price comparisons against those dates.

For more information about booking travel online, navigating online travel sites, and more, visit www.seniorplanet.org/travel .

2. Build an Itinerary Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Generative AI models like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or Microsoft Copilot can build your itinerary. Just type a question (aka a prompt) like a Google search and ask AI for ideas and sample itineraries. For example, you could ask AI to plan a four-night trip to Stockholm for spring 2025, flying in from NYC, then ask for ideas for a walking tour through Old Town Stockholm and recommend restaurants, accommodations, daytrips and more. To learn more, visit seniorplanet.org/AI .

3. Try Google Maps

Once you plan your trip and arrange your itinerary, Google Maps (or other map alternatives) can get you the best way to get around. Try it for driving, walking, public transit directions, or finding hotels, restaurants, or attractions – and even filter for accessible routes. To learn more, watch our Google Maps App tech demo .

4. Use Bluetooth Trackers

Bluetooth trackers, like Airtags and Tiles, can be put in luggage or other valuable items so that you can see their location in real time using an app on your phone. To learn to set an Apple Airtag, watch our Tech Tip Videos, “ How to Set Up a New Airtag ” and “ How to Share an Airtag with your Contacts .”

5. Read the Fine Print

Check the fine print and details for each vendor you research for flights, lodging, car rentals and more. Consider things like extra fees, cancellations, or refund policies, as well as travel insurance, and what insurance your credit card offers in emergencies. You may have to hunt for the fine print online – but you’ll be glad you did.

6. Download the Apps

Before you travel, download the apps of all your online ‘travel partners:’ the online travel service you used to book your trip, and especially the airline you are using. Airline apps can allow you to check-in, get a mobile boarding pass, show you flight information, help you rebook if needed, get alerts of flight changes, and even make in-flight purchases. Your phone’s digital wallet can also be a good place to store boarding passes, museum tickets, and discount cards to use during your trip.

7. Explore Vacation Rental Options

Vacation rentals can be a cost-effective and fun alternative to hotels. Platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, Interhome, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, Tripadvisor, VRBO, Home Exchange, and Trusted Housesitters usually offer more space and a kitchen (a cost saver). However, vacation stays are not always less expensive than a hotel, so use sites like Booking.com to compare prices.

8. Review Restaurants Beforehand

Online reviews on social media or Yelp can help you check restaurants at your destination before you arrive. You can find photos of the ambiance and preview dishes and menus, too; you can often book a table online or give them a call to confirm. Besides Yelp, check Instagram, TikTok, or AI for restaurant reviews and recommendations. For more information, visit seniorplanet.org/socialmedia.

9.  Download a Rideshare App

Most cities have taxi cabs available but rideshare apps like Uber or Lyft are useful alternatives to have on your phone. You can request to be picked up and dropped off at locations of your choice. You can also schedule rides in advance.

10.  Share the Final Itinerary with your Fellow Travelers 

It’s smart for everyone in your travel group to know the plan. You can take a screenshot of the final itinerary on your phone or computer and email or text it to everyone traveling in your group. However, for safety’s sake, make sure neither you nor your travel companions post the itinerary or any pictures of your trip online for public consumption. Save the vacation pics for after you are all safely at home.

Have you tried any of these tech tips?  How did they work for you? Let us know in the comments!

Suzanne Myklebust  is Senior Planet’s Director of Communications. Suzanne is based in New York City and has a background in public relations, marketing, and communications strategy specifically in the field of aging.

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Hurricane Helene prompts mass travel changes from airlines, cruises

Delta and more have sent passengers updates on flights impacted by the storm.

Hurricane Helene has prompted an array of weather alerts from airlines to cruises to ensure travelers can safely avoid areas where the Category 2 storm is expected to hit.

Airlines and cruises with routes in the region began taking preventative measures earlier this week and sent more updates about the potential impacts to itineraries on Thursday as the storm barrels towards Florida and the Southeast.

The National Hurricane Center said there is "significant additional strengthening expected before landfall" on Thursday morning, adding "there is danger of life-threatening storm surge along the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula and Florida Big Bend."

See below for a full list of airports, cruise ship ports and other areas that have been impacted.

Air travel impacted ahead of Hurricane Helene: Airport closures, airline changes

Nearly 900 flights across the country have already been canceled due to Helene, according to Flight Aware , with the biggest impacts seen in Tampa, Fort Myers, and Atlanta as of time of publication.

While all airlines are required to offer a full refund to customers if a flight is canceled or significantly delayed due to reasons within the airline’s control, per the Department of Transportation, that rule does not encompass weather-related delays or cancellations.

Florida airport closures

As of time of publication, three major Florida airports have announced temporary closures due to the storm.

Tampa International Airport suspended all commercial and cargo operations at 2 a.m. Thursday and said it will remain closed to the public until it can assess any damage after the storm.

Tallahassee International Airport and St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport have also closed and officials at each said they will be closed to the public until damage assessments are completed after the hurricane.

Other regional airports including Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport near Panama City Beach, Orlando International Airport and Jacksonville International Airport are currently open but have advised all travelers to check with airlines directly for the latest flight status and information.

American Airlines

American issued a travel alert for the Gulf of Mexico that affects 23 airports, with 16 of those in Florida, including Tampa and Sarasota.

For passengers who bought tickets of any fare class before Sept. 23 for travel between Sept. 24-27, the change fee will be waived. Changes must be booked by Sept. 27, and travel must be for the same travel origin and destination.

Delta Air Lines

The Atlanta-based carrier shared a weather advisory for Hurricane Helene due to forecasted path, explaining that "travel may be impacted to/from/through" 26 destinations.

"Check flight status frequently for up-to-the-minute information about your flight plans, or get updates sent directly to your mobile device or by email with One-Time Notification," the airline stated.

As of time of publication, the advisory covers 12 airports in Florida, including Jacksonville, Sarasota and Tampa, as well as select airports in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Mexico and Cuba.

Travelers scheduled to fly through one of the listed airports through 27 can rebook tickets by Monday, Sept. 30.

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue announced in a travel alert that flights to multiple Florida destinations have been canceled on Thursday and Friday: Tallahassee and Tampa, as a result of the airport closures, as well as Fort Myers. The airline also canceled all Sarasota flights for Thursday.

All JetBlue flights to Orlando and Jacksonville are operating at this time, as well as Atlanta, Savannah and Charleston.

The airline said it will waive change, cancel fees, and fare differences for customers with travel on Sept. 26-27. Flights can be rebooked by Wednesday, Oct. 2.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines issued the travel advisory "based on the forecasted weather conditions" where the carrier's "scheduled service may be disrupted."

It lists 10 Florida airports where scheduled service may be disrupted through Friday, plus Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte, Greenville/Spartanburg, Myrtle Beach, Nashville and Savannah.

United Airlines

The Chicago-based airline listed eight airports in Florida, plus one in Cuba and three more in Mexico, that would be impacted.

Passengers who purchased a plane ticket before Monday, Sept. 23, for travel on Tuesday through Friday, Sept. 24-27, to, from, or through any of the affected airports can rebook without a change fee for travel through Friday, Oct. 4.

Frontier Airlines

The budget carrier issued a travel alert for passengers traveling in or out of six Florida airports on both Thursday and Friday, Sept. 26-27.

Royal Caribbean, Carnival and MSC Cruises change course, update itineraries

The sunshine state and its ports are at the center of the cruise industry, accounting for nearly 60% of all U.S. embarkations, according to the Cruise Lines International Association , where multiple sailing itineraries have been impacted by Hurricane Helene.

One ship is currently stuck at sea, while two more are skipping planned stops and multiple ports, including Port Canaveral, have closed as a result of the inclement weather.

Royal Caribbean

Five ships routes have been impacted, according to a travel update from the cruise line’s parent company Royal Caribbean Group.

Serenade of the Seas, which disembarked from Tampa on Sunday, changed both its Tuesday and Wednesday stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya for Freeport and Nassau, Bahamas. The ship is now set to return to Tampa on Sunday, two days later than originally scheduled delaying the next scheduled voyage that was originally set to leave on Friday.

"Due to Hurricane Helene and the planned closure of Port Tampa, our previous sailing will be delayed in returning," the cruise line stated . "As a result, our sailing will now depart on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 4:00pm. We kindly ask that you arrive during the arrival window you originally selected for an on-time departure."

Independence of the Seas departed Miami on Saturday and changed Tuesday’s planned stop in Cozumel to Nassau, Bahamas.

Mariner of the Seas, which left Saturday from Galveston, Texas, also swapped out Cozumel on Tuesday for a day at sea.

Wonder of the Seas will scrap most of its planned stops, skipping Cozumel, Roatan in Honduras, and Costa Maya. The ship, which left from Florida’s Port Canaveral on Sunday, will add stops in St. Thomas and St. Maarten instead.

Grandeur of the Seas will visit Nassau and Freeport in place of planned Wednesday and Thursday stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel. The cruise departed from Tampa on Monday.

Carnival Cruise Line

Both Tampa and Jacksonville ports closed Wednesday evening ahead of Hurricane Helene's projected landfall.

"Our Fleet Operations Center in Miami continues to actively monitor Hurricane Helene, which is now entering the Gulf of Mexico," the company said on its website . "The safety of our guests and crew remains our priority and our ships are sailing a safe distance from the storm."

Given the forecasted track of Helene over the next few days, Carnival announced that eight ships' itineraries are currently under watch. Click here for full details and planned changes.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Fantasy left from Port Canaveral on Saturday and canceled its Tuesday call at George Town to replace it with a sea day.

The Disney Wish is the only ship that's currently impacted by the storm, a representative for Disney Cruise Lines confirmed to ABC News.

The ship was originally scheduled to arrive on Friday morning at Port Canaveral, which is currently "closed and has ceased all Port operations," with its next departure that was slated for Friday afternoon.

Now, the Disney Wish will arrive later than originally scheduled, the DCL representative said.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

An earlier version of this story was originally published on September 27, 2024.

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You're not my mother! Screech owlet and female Red-bellied Woodpecker, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

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Tesla’s 'Full Self-Driving' Can Only Travel 13 Miles Without A Driver Stepping In

Over a test route that covered more than 1,000 miles with tesla’s full self-driving system running, drivers had to step in more than 75 times.

For years, Tesla has proudly paraded its advanced driver assistance system, Full Self-Driv ing as being the real deal. It’s claimed the system can navigate traffic, manage highway driving and repeatedly claimed it’s the future of driving , despite the number of crashes, collisions and even deaths linked to the system mounting. Now, a new study has looked into just how far the system can actually drive before needing assistance from a human, and it’s not very far.

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Automotive research company AMCI Testing wanted to find out just where the limits of Full Self-Driving lay, so it set out to cover more than 1,000 miles on the streets of California, reports Ars Technica . While undertaking the driving, its researchers had to step in and take the wheel from the Tesla system more than 75 times.

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Safety drivers riding in the Full Self-Drive equipped Teslas had to take control of the car almost every 13 miles, reports Ars Technica, due to run-ins with red lights and, in some instances, cars coming in the other direction. As the site reports:

The dangerous behavior encountered by AMCI included driving through a red light and crossing over into the oncoming lane on a curvy road while another car was headed toward the Tesla. Making matters worse, FSD’s behavior proved unpredictable—perhaps a consequence of Tesla’s reliance on the probabilistic black box that is machine learning? “Whether it’s a lack of computing power, an issue with buffering as the car gets “behind” on calculations, or some small detail of surrounding assessment, it’s impossible to know. These failures are the most insidious. But there are also continuous failures of simple programming inadequacy, such as only starting lane changes toward a freeway exit a scant tenth of a mile before the exit itself, that handicaps the system and casts doubt on the overall quality of its base programming,” Mangiamele said.

Those shortcomings with Autopilot and FSD have been well-documented, with owners reporting that their Teslas have failed to recognize everything from rail crossings to parked police cars . In some instances, the issues FSD has when it comes to recognizing obstacles and hazards in the road has led to crashes.

However, AMCI is keen to point out how far the system has come in recent years, as Electrek reports . The research firm said that anyone getting in a FSD-enabled Tesla for the first time is sure to be hit with a “sense of awe” on first impression, which could then lead to issues further down the road, as Electrek reports:

Guy Mangiamele, Director of AMCI Testing, explains: “It’s undeniable that FSD 12.5.1 is impressive, for the vast array of human-like responses it does achieve, especially for a camera-based system. But its seeming infallibility in anyone’s first five minutes of FSD operation breeds a sense of awe that unavoidably leads to dangerous complacency.

When drivers are operating with FSD engaged, driving with their hands in their laps or away from the steering wheel is incredibly dangerous. As you will see in the videos, the most critical moments of FSD miscalculation are split-second events that even professional drivers, operating with a test mindset, must focus on catching.”

Those miscalculations come for everyone, whether they’re fully-trained test drivers or regular people just going about their daily business. And while AMCI was happy to share how many times it was forced to take the wheel , Tesla hasn’t been so forthcoming with the frequency with which actual Tesla owners step in and take control of their Tesla.

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Closures to disrupt London Underground and Overground all weekend

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The London Underground will be hit by planned closures this weekend as engineering work is carried out.

From early Saturday to end of day Sunday a number of stations will be shut on both the Underground and Overground networks.

The District Line will be partly closed between Turnham Green to Richmond, while the Metropolitan Line will be close completely.

The Piccadilly Line will also see closures from South Harrow to Uxbridge, and the DLR will be partly shut at Bank and Tower Gateway to Poplar and West India Quay.

Those travelling on the Elizabeth Line on Sunday will see closures at Liverpool Street and Whitechapel to Shenfield, with trains not stopping at Acton Main Line, Hanwell and West Ealing.

• 14h ago What is happening on the M5?
• 14h ago Flooding hits Chiltern Railway trains at Banbury
• 16h ago Are you affected by the weather?

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Which London Overground stations will be closed this weekend?

Saturday 28 September – South Acton to Richmond.

Sunday 29 September – Barking to Barking Riverside, Sydenham to West Croydon, Romford to Upminster, South Tottenham to Barking until 12:30, Euston to Kilburn High Road until 12:00 and after 20:30, Camden Road to Stratford after 22:15.

Which London Underground stations will be closed this weekend?

District Line – Saturday 28 September to Sunday 29 September. Turnham Green to Richmond.

Metropolitan Line – Saturday 28 September to Sunday 29 September. No service on the entire line.

Piccadilly Line – Saturday 28 September to Sunday 29 September. South Harrow to Uxbridg,

DLR – Saturday 28 September to Sunday 29 September. Bank and Tower Gateway to Poplar and West India Quay

Elizabeth Line – Sunday 29 September. Liverpool Street and Whitechapel to Shenfield. Reduced service between West Drayton and Maidenhead and at Heathrow Terminal 4. Trains will not stop at Acton Main Line, Hanwell and West Ealing.

Delays hit Thameslink trains between London and Orpington

The Friday rush hour could be eventful due to the impact of flooding across the rail network.

Now a points failure is affecting Thameslink trains between London, Sevenoaks and Orpington.

Journeys could take half an hour longer than usual and passengers might have to use alternative routes.

Here is the affected route.

• Between Welwyn Garden City / Finsbury Park / London Blackfriars and Sevenoaks, and also between Luton / Kentish Town and Orpington

⚠️ There has been a points failure at Bromley South. ℹ️ We are having to operate with a reduced number of lines, so trains will be delayed or cancelled. Please see below for more information. — Thameslink (@TLRailUK) September 27, 2024

Tankers remove 8,000,000 litres of floodwater on A421

The A421 remains closed and no reopening time has been confirmed yet following flooding on Sunday which left the road flooded and cars trapped.

An army of tankers have been pumping water out of the flood pond which has revealed debris and abandoned vehicles.

By the end of last night, enough water had been removed to fill three Olympic-sized swimming pools, National Highways said.

But that’s not the end of the efforts to clear the road – a further 60,000,000 litres of water still needs to be emptied out of the flooded spot.

💧 By the end of last night, we’d removed around eight million litres of water from the A421 which is more than you’d find in three Olympic-sized swimming pools. There’s lots more work to do and we’re predicting there’s around 60 million litres of water to clear. #WeatherReady pic.twitter.com/xgdml77e5x — National Highways (@NationalHways) September 27, 2024

When is the M25 slip road closed near ULEZ?

Drivers have been warned of upcoming weekend road closures on the M25 in Surrey near the ULEZ border.

The exit slip road at junction 10 will be closed over some weekends in October and November, meaning unassuming drivers might enter the Ultra Low Emission Zone if not following the diversion signs.

It will close over the weekend at 9pm from Fridays October 4 , October 18 and November 1 .

The junction – known as Wisley Interchange – normally connects the A3 and M25, and while both roads remain open, drivers cannot use the slip roads.

National Highways said: ‘While the Ultra Low Emission Zone across London will remain in force during these closures, the signed diversion routes have been designed to ensure that drivers would avoid any charges.’

Drivers should follow them or check on the TfL website ‘whether their vehicle would be subject to charges.’

Two out of the seven listed diversions take drivers onto the A243 past the Chessington World of Adventures which is inside the ULEZ.

Motorists are advised to plan their journey in advance.

Train delays after tree falls on railway

Flooding is not the only woe on the railways today – a tree blocked the railway in Suffolk, causing disruption to Greater Anglia passengers.

It has since been removed and the lines have reopened between Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds, but the coast is not clear until service recovers back to normal.

And that might not be until 4pm.

The blockade means trains are queueing, so cancellations, delays of up to 20 minutes or revisions are still possible.

Greater Anglia tickets can be used on selected alternative trains.

ℹ️ #Elmswell – Alternative Travel Options; Greater Anglia tickets are being accepted on LNER services between London Kings Cross and Peterborough London Underground will be conveying Greater Anglia customers via reasonable routes Customers travelling between Ipswich and… — National Rail (@nationalrailenq) September 27, 2024

Northern line suspended in north London

The London Underground Northern line is suspended between Finchley Central and High Barnet due to a faulty train.

This is causing severe delays between Finchley Central and Camden Town.

The rest of the line has minor delays, the latest TfL travel status update shows.

Motorists warned not to drive through floodwater

Kate Marks, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: ‘Environment Agency teams continue to be out on the ground, supporting local authorities in responding to surface water flooding.

‘We urge people to plan their journeys carefully, follow the advice of local emergency services on the roads and not to drive through flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.

‘People should check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation as well as following @EnvAgency on X for the latest flood updates.’

Some trains out of King’s Cross still delayed after heavy flooding

Trains between Peterborough in the east Midlands and London King’s Cross are still delayed because of flooding.

Elsewhere, the Marston Vale line in Bedfordshire, which operates services between Bedford and Bletchley, is suspended until Monday because of standing water on the track.

All lines were blocked between Bicester North and Banbury in Oxfordshire, with disruption expected until 3pm.

Delays on M25 after crash in Surrey

Traffic has stopped on the M25 in Surrey after a smash at junction J10.

The crash happened on the clockwise carriageway at Wisley Interchange at about 1pm.

Traffic appears held in both directions on approach to the interchange as well as on the A3 due to an unrelated exit ramp closure after flooding.

M25 exit ramp closes after flooding

Heavy rain and flooding closed the exit ramp on the M25 in Surrey.

The closure of the ramp on A3 northbound to the M25 at junction J10 Wisley Interchange is causing congestion and delays on approach.

The exit ramp was also shut yesterday after becoming waterlogged before reopening until further downpour today.

Road floods at London Euston

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Pedestrians and drivers tried to navigate a huge puddle outside Euston Station in central London following heavy rain in London.

The drain appeared overwhelmed by the downpour on the A501 outside the station.

However, the road remains open as usual and traffic appears largely unaffected.

It comes after the Met Office issued a weather warning for heavy rain in England, which as submerged roads, railways and even a football stadium .

National Highways tells curious people to stay away from A421

The highways authority hit out at nosey people after the A421 flooding and closure for a fifth day has dominated headlines.

It asked members of the public to stay away from the area so that work can continue to reopen the carriageway.

Martin Fellows, the regional boss of National Highways, urged people to ‘stay away from the water’ after people had been seen swimming and canoeing at the site.

He told ITV News: ‘Please stay away from the water. We’ve had somebody trying to canoe down here and people swimming in it as well.

‘It is dangerous – it is dangerous to drive through, it is dangerous to access this water – please stay away and stay safe.’

We are working around the clock to tackle the significant rainfall on the A421. We understand people are curious but request that members of the public continue to support us by staying away from the area so our work to resolve the issue can continue to progress at pace. — National Highways (@NationalHways) September 27, 2024

No reopening date has been confirmed as work to clear the deluge continues.

What roads look like in Hitchin after flooding

One of the areas where some roads have been flooded is Hitchin in Hertfordshire.

Around 20 residents were evacuated after homes were flooded on Green Lane, the fire service said.

It comes after the Met Office issued weather warnings as further heavy rain is set to soak roads and railways and bring possible flash floods.

Railway blocked at Wimbledon

Some lines towards Surbiton, Kingston, have been blocked due to an investigation on the tracks.

This affects South Western Railway (SWR) services which could be delayed until about 2pm.

⚠️A problem currently under investigation is affecting the railway at Wimbledon. Trains may be cancelled, delayed or revised because of this problem. More information: https://t.co/imkvCCexC2 — SWR Help (@SW_Help) September 27, 2024

BMW driver is rescued on flooded road

One SUV driver was rescued after becoming trapped in flash floods in Hall Green, Birmingham.

Footage shows the car dangerously close to a nearby bridge as fast-flowing water reached above the bonnet.

The emergency services rescued one driver yesterday who was not injured.

Flooding on tracks in Surrey affects Southern trains

Southern passengers in Surrey have been warned of disruption after flooding blocked the railway between Caterham and Purley.

All lines are blocked after heavy flooding on the railway at Whyteleafe.

National Rail said disruption is expected until midday.

What is happening on the M5?

In case you missed it, part of the M5 near Bristol turned into a mini river after the downpours caused flash flooding in the early hours of the morning.

Three drivers were rescued from stranded vehicles, the fire service said.

The motorway was closed both ways, wreaking havoc on the rush hour commute.

Now the carriageway has reopened southbound between J14 Falfield and J15 to the M4.

But it’s not all clear yet for those heading north as that direction remains shut between J16 Almondsbury and J14 so that trapped cars and debris can be recovered and cleared.

Footage shows several vehicles trapped in the floodwater.

Flooding hits Chiltern Railway trains at Banbury

The railway line used by Chiltern Railway trains has been blocked again after heavy rain and further flooding between Banbury and Bicester North .

Trains could be cancelled, delayed by up to half an hour or the schedule revised, with disruption expected to last at least until 3pm today.

It comes after railways on the Chiltern Mail Line in the area were submerged in floodwater on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, buses replace Chiltern Railway trains between London Marylebone and Aylesbury until 3.35pm today due to emergency cable repairs.

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NYC Mayor Eric Adams charged with bribery and wire fraud in scheme spanning nearly 10 years

New York City Mayor Eric Adams received more than $100,000 worth of free plane tickets and luxury hotel stays from wealthy Turkish nationals and at least one government official in a nearly decadelong corruption scheme, according to a 57-page federal indictment unsealed Thursday. 

In return for free travel benefits and illegal campaign contributions, Adams performed favors for his foreign benefactors, including pressuring the New York Fire Department to allow a Turkish consulate building to open despite serious safety concerns, the indictment says.

The alleged international pay-to-play scheme began after Adams became the Brooklyn borough president in 2014 and helped to underwrite his successful mayoral campaign seven years later, the indictment says. It continued into this year, even after federal officers seized Adams’ electronic devices and raided the home of his chief fundraiser, according to the indictment.

“This was a multiyear scheme to buy favor with a single New York City politician on the rise,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said at a news conference.

Charged with five counts, Adams, 64, becomes the first sitting New York City mayor to be indicted in the modern era. 

The details of the criminal case come at a time of extraordinary turmoil for the Adams administration. In the past two weeks alone, the city’s police commissioner , top lawyer and schools chancellor have announced their resignations.

Adams, in a defiant address shortly after the indictment was made public, vowed to fight the charges and stay on as mayor.

“We are not surprised. We expected this,” Adams said. “I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments.”

Several prominent politicians have called on the Democrat to resign, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. , and state Sen. John Liu, D-Queens.

But the most powerful political figures in New York — Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries; and Gov. Kathy Hochul — have not joined the others in calling for Adams to step down.

Hochul, who has the power to remove the mayor, released a lengthy statement late Thursday in which she stopped short of urging Adams to leave office.

"While I review my options and obligations as the governor of New York, I expect the mayor to take the next few days to review the situation and find an appropriate path forward to ensure the people of New York City are being well-served by their leaders," Hochul said. "We must give New Yorkers confidence that there is steady, responsible leadership at every level of government.” 

The mayor is scheduled to be arraigned Friday on charges that include bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national.

"The indictment of a sitting mayor is not just another headline," said James Dennehy, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office. "It is a stinging reminder that no one is above the law or beyond reproach, and it serves as a sobering moment for all of us who place our trust in elected officials."

The indictment centers on Adams’ relationship with a handful of well-connected Turkish nationals: a senior diplomatic official, a promoter, a university chairman, an airline manager and a luxury hotel owner.

They provided Adams with free travel and entertainment benefits as well as illegal campaign cash, according to federal prosecutors. 

As he was locked in the 2021 mayor’s race, Adams and his staff worked to disguise the foreign money by funneling it through U.S. citizens, the indictment says. His campaign received more than $10 million in matching public funds as a result of the false certifications, according to the indictment. 

From 2016 to 2021, he received free business class tickets or upgrades on seven trips to India, France, China, Hungary, Ghana and Turkey and other countries — a value of more than $123,000, the indictment says. 

Ahead of one trip to Istanbul, an Adams staffer requested that the Turkish airline manager charge him a “real” price to conceal the travel gift, the indictment says. 

“How much should I charge?” the airline manager asked in June 2021, a few weeks before the Democratic primary.

“His every step is being watched right now,” the Adams staffer replied, according to the indictment. “$1000 or so. Let it be somewhat real.”

Prosecutors say Adams kept fake paper trails and deleted messages to hide his misconduct — in one instance assuring a co-conspirator he “always” deleted her messages.

In September 2021, the Turkish government official told Adams it was “his turn” to support Turkey after the official had helped arrange straw donations to his campaign, the indictment says. The official insisted that a new Turkish consular building, a 36-story skyscraper, be opened in time for a high-profile visit by Turkey’s president. 

But there was a problem: It would have failed a fire inspection. Adams began pressuring the then-fire commissioner to do what was necessary for the building to get approval to open, the indictment says. Soon the official responsible for assessing the safety of the building was told he would lose his job if he failed to approve the skyscraper, according to the indictment. 

When Adams delivered the news that the building would be approved to open in time, the Turkish official responded with effusive praise, it says.

“You are Great Eric, we are so happy to hear that,” he wrote, according to the indictment. “You are a true friend of Turkey.” 

Adams offered a similar sentiment in his reply, it says. 

“Yes even more a true friend of yours,” he wrote, according to the indictment. “You are my brother. I am hear [sic] to help.”

Adams’ foreign benefactors celebrated his election victory two months later, according to the indictment. The promoter reached out to Adams and others saying he would soon be president of the U.S., it says.

“The president is our brother from now on, sir,” the promoter wrote to the Turkish university owner, according to the indictment. “May it be auspicious for all of us.”

“He is most likely going to assign me as a representative, sir,” the promoter added, it says. “I’m going to go and talk to our elders in Ankara about how we can turn this into an advantage for our country’s lobby.”

The Turkish Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Adams' lawyer, Alex Spiro, told reporters that the indictment left him with a sense that prosecutors knew the case was overblown.

“You could almost picture them trying to cobble this together and try to tell a story so that they could say, ‘corruption, corruption’ at a press conference," Spiro said.

The Adams administration still faces other federal investigations. Investigators working a separate probe searched homes and seized phones belonging to multiple top officials close to Adams this month. Police Commissioner Edward Caban, who was among those whose phones were seized,  resigned Sept. 12 .

Authorities also seized the phone of Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, a former police officer who owns a nightclub security business. Federal investigators were looking into whether bars and clubs in midtown Manhattan and Queens paid James Caban to act as a police liaison and whether those clubs were then afforded special treatment by local precincts, according to sources familiar with the matter.

There is also a  public corruption investigation  and another federal probe that resulted in a search of homes belonging to  Adams’ director of Asian affairs .

Williams, the U.S. attorney, said the foreign bribery and campaign finance investigation is not over. "We continue to dig, and we will hold more people accountable," he said.

FBI agents appeared to make that clear hours before the indictment was unsealed, when they descended on Adams' home, Gracie Mansion, in the predawn darkness. The agents seized Adams' phone for the second time, according to his lawyer.

"They send a dozen agents to pick up a phone when we would have happily turned it in," Spiro said.

He described the law enforcement action as "an effort to create a spectacle."

The FBI declined to comment.

Jonathan Dienst is chief justice contributor for NBC News and chief investigative reporter for WNBC-TV in New York.

Tom Winter is a New York-based correspondent covering crime, courts, terrorism and financial fraud on the East Coast for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Rich Schapiro is a reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

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Freddie Freeman sprains ankle, won’t travel with Dodgers to Colorado

X-rays on Freeman’s ankle were negative, and he’ll stay in Los Angeles to rest and prepare for the NLDS, which starts on October 5.

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LOS ANGELES — Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman sprained his ankle in the seventh inning of Thursday’s division clincher , and won’t travel with the team to Colorado for the final weekend of the regular season.

Freeman grounded out and landed awkwardly on his right foot while passing bag at first base, and rolled his ankle. He walked off the field with a noticeable limp, and was replaced on defense in the top of the eighth inning.

“I’m not too worried about it. We’re going to be cautious,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “There’s no reason for to play him this weekend. We could ahve potentially if we needed it. We don’t need it. We’ll make sure he’s rested up and ready to go next Saturday.”

Freeman himself told reporters that X-rays were negative.

Freddie Freeman said he won’t travel with the team to Denver. He’s going to stay back for treatment. Added that he has never sprained an ankle before, but is”going to do everything I can” to be ready for Game 1 on Saturday. — Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) September 27, 2024

The Dodgers clinched the National League West on Thursday and will be no worse than the No. 2 seed in the NL , meaning they get a bye past the wild card round. Game 1 of the NL Division Series is on Saturday, October 5 .

“It’s swollen. he’s not going to go with us to Denver. We’re going to keep him away from altitude. He’s just going to treat the heck out of it, and start moving around. I have every expectation he’ll be ready for Game 1,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Getting the bye was huge, because it gives him seven or eight days to get back and be ready for that first round.”

Freeman doubled earlier in the game Thursday, his 35th of the season. He finishes the regular season hitting .282/.378/.476 with a 137 wRC+, 22 home runs, 89 RBI, and 81 runs scored in 147 games. In his three years with the Dodgers, Freeman leads the majors in doubles (141), is second in hits (563), and third in runs scored (291).

In This Stream

• September 26: Dodgers 7, Padres 2
• Walker Buehler did his job in another big game
• Freeman sprains ankle, won’t travel to Colorado
• Dodgers vs. Padres game XIII chat

More From True Blue LA

• Shohei Ohtani set records in first year at Dodger Stadium
• Dave Roberts wins 8th division title: ‘We never get too far ahead of ourselves’
• Notes: Kershaw, Ohtani, Roberts
• Dodgers 2024 game results

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