Travel Tips

Flights and your rights, travel insurance, safety, visas, health, money and tipping. Before, during and after the trip.

A safari vehicle with a pop-up roof in tall grass next to a resting lioness in the Maasai Mara, Kenya
Money & Tipping

Who Expects a Tip? Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific

In Tokyo a tip can be handed straight back, while in Cape Town and on a Kenyan safari it is part of someone's wage. Here is how tipping really works across more than 20 countries, from service charges on the bill to car guards and trekking porters.

Outdoor restaurant tables and umbrellas below a yellow colonial building on Plaza de Santo Domingo in Cartagena, Colombia
Money & Tipping

Tipping in Latin America: Mexico to Argentina, Country by Country

A 10 percent line on the bill can be a legal service charge, a polite suggestion or nothing at all, depending on which border you just crossed. Here is how tipping really works from Mexico and Central America to the far end of South America.

White sand and calm turquoise water at Eagle Beach on Aruba under a clear blue sky
Caribbean

Best Time to Visit the Caribbean, and the Truth About Hurricane Season

The temperature hardly changes all year, yet prices, crowds, rain and storm risk do. Here is how the Caribbean calendar really works, month by month and island by island, from Carnival in February to the quiet, cheap weeks of September.

Mayan ruins on a rocky clifftop above a white sand beach and turquoise sea at Tulum
Safety

Is Mexico Safe? A State-by-State Guide, Plus Belize and Roatán

Mexico's safety warnings range from "normal precautions" to "do not travel," sometimes within a few hours' drive. Here is what the U.S. and UK advisories actually say about Cancún, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta and other favorites, which everyday risks matter more, and how Belize and Roatán compare.

Brightly colored woven Mexican craft toys with tassels piled closely together
Money & Tipping

Money in Mexico and Central America: Pesos, Dollars and Real Costs

Dollars work almost everywhere from Cancún to Roatán, but they are rarely the cheapest way to pay. Here is how currencies, ATMs, cards and prices really work in Mexico's resort towns, Belize, Honduras and Costa Rica.

Booths, tables and a long counter inside a classic American diner in Philadelphia
Money & Tipping

Tipping in the USA and Canada: Who to Tip, How Much and Why

A blank tip line, a card reader suggesting 25 percent, a service charge you almost missed. For visitors used to service being included, North American tipping is full of unwritten rules. Here is how it really works, from Las Vegas to Montreal.

White sand, beach umbrellas and loungers on Grace Bay, Providenciales, with a tour boat on turquoise water
Money & Tipping

Tipping in the Caribbean: How Much to Tip, Island by Island

A 15 percent line already on the bill, a resort that forbids tips, a law that sets the gratuity for you. Tipping in the Caribbean changes from island to island, and the habits from home do not always fit.

White sand and turquoise water along Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman, with beach umbrellas and hotels under a blue sky
Safety

Is the Caribbean Safe? Crime, Hurricanes, Bugs and Sharks

The Caribbean is not one destination but more than two dozen, and the risks range from street crime in a few cities to rip currents, dengue mosquitoes and a beach tree you should never touch. Here is an honest, island by island look at what to watch out for.

Panoramic view over Gustavia harbor on Saint Barts, with red roofs, anchored boats and green hills under a blue sky
Caribbean

Who Owns the Caribbean? Flags, Languages and Passports by Island

Some Caribbean islands are independent nations, others are part of France, the Netherlands, Britain or the United States. Here is who runs which island, and what that means for your passport, your wallet and the side of the road you drive on.

Outdoor restaurant terrace under pine trees at the Miradouro da Graça viewpoint in Lisbon on a sunny day
Money & Tipping

Tipping in Europe: How Much to Tip in 26 Countries

Used to leaving 18 or 20 percent at home? In Europe the rules change at every border, and some lines on the bill look like tips without being tips. Here is how tipping really works in restaurants, cafes, taxis and hotels from London to Istanbul.

Colorful colonial buildings along the Handelskade waterfront in Willemstad, Curaçao, under a blue sky
Money & Tipping

Caribbean Money Guide: Currencies, Cards and Costs, Island by Island

Barbados dollars, EC dollars, euros, florins and a guilder that only arrived in 2025: the Caribbean runs on a dozen currencies. Here is how to pay on each island without losing money on the way, and where your budget goes furthest.