Travel

WASHINGTON — The State Department reissued travel advisories for 13 Middle Eastern countries on Oct. 23-24, citing a heightened risk of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces. The National reported the list: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Syria, Yemen and Israel. Warning levels did not change. Saudi Arabia, Israel and the UAE stay at Level 3, 'reconsider travel,' and Iraq stays at Level 4, 'do not travel.' The Saudi notice says Houthi strikes on civilian airports have caused casualties and severe travel disruption, and that the fighting could escalate rapidly. A State Department official told The National the updates reflect recent strikes, not new Houthi capabilities. Riyadh's main airport has only partly reopened, and many carriers have extended suspensions. Americans should expect further cancellations and airspace closures.

FORT WORTH — American Airlines and Southwest Airlines together logged more than 2,000 delayed flights across the U.S. on Friday, Oct. 23, according to FlightAware figures reported by The Dallas Morning News. American said a vendor problem was keeping some customers from booking and checking in for flights. It told passengers to arrive early. Just after 2:30 p.m. Central it said systems were back to normal. The airline has not named the vendor. Southwest, which had more than 800 delays by the paper's count, said its problems were unrelated to American's outage. Dallas-Fort Worth and Love Field were less affected than other airports, the paper said. Both airlines serve Memphis International Airport, and no Memphis-specific disruption was confirmed. Passengers booked on either carrier this week should check flight status before leaving for the airport.

KOROR, Palau — Palau's best diving window runs from November to April, when Scuba Diving magazine says seas are calmest and visibility is at its best. Blue Corner, German Channel and Peleliu are the draws, and depths run from shallow cleaning stations to walls dropping beyond 300 meters. The season opens under a shadow. Two divers, a Singaporean instructor-certifier with more than 5,100 dives and a Chinese diver with 243, vanished from the liveaboard Black Pearl at Peleliu Wall on September 7. They had reversed their ascent and gone back down. The five-day search ended September 11 with neither recovered, and the cause is unresolved. Undercurrent's October issue lists a further Peleliu loss. Authorities call Peleliu advanced-only because of downcurrents. Visitors pay a $100 environmental fee, which is built into airfares. Getting there from Memphis is a long, multi-connection trans-Pacific trip with no nonstop.

KRALENDIJK, Bonaire — Bonaire remains the simplest serious dive trip for a Memphis diver: more than 80 sites, most reachable from shore, at depths mostly of 5 to 30 meters and suitable for all levels. Reaching it normally means a US hub connection to the island rather than a nonstop from Memphis. Reef health is the caveat. Researchers told Dutch broadcaster NOS in August that coral now covers about 5 percent of the seabed, against more than 60 percent fifty years ago. The figures are preliminary and unpublished. Wageningen coral researcher Erik Meesters blamed warming water, worsened by El Niño, along with disease. Stony coral tissue loss disease and bleaching have hit the island over two years. Reef Renewal Bonaire reports planting 20,000 coral fragments, and in October Toucan Diving began training instructors for its restoration program. Visiting divers can take part.

ADELAIDE — The first of two new Kangaroo Island ferries, Wanggami, starts carrying passengers Tuesday, Oct. 27, between Cape Jervis and Penneshaw, according to Glam Adelaide. Its twin, Ruwi, is crossing to Port Adelaide on a voyage expected to take about two weeks, weather permitting. After final preparations the operator, SeaLink, expects Ruwi in service by the end of November. Each vessel is 10 metres longer and 2 metres wider than the older ferries and carries about 65 percent more vehicle lane length. Drive-through loading means drivers no longer reverse aboard. With both ships running, daily departures will nearly double. Travelers with mobility needs are advised to book Wanggami during the transition, because loading arrangements on the older SeaLion 2000 remain temporary. From Memphis, the usual route is a connection through a U.S. gateway to Sydney or Melbourne, then on to Adelaide and a drive to Cape Jervis. The Southern Hemisphere summer is the main season. Check the State Department advisory for Australia and local bushfire alerts before booking.

ROATÁN, Honduras — Air Canada will start winter flights to Roatán from Montreal on Dec. 12 and Toronto on Dec. 13, running to mid-April, according to the Roatán Tourism Bureau and Simple Flying. The Montreal flights operate Saturdays and the Toronto flights Sundays. A local airport guide lists nonstop service from Atlanta (Delta), Dallas–Fort Worth and Miami (American) and Houston (United). A Memphis traveler would connect through one of those hubs. The island is known for coral reefs and diving, and the dry winter and spring months are the usual high season. On safety, TheTravel reports that the State Department's Honduras advisory is Level 3, Reconsider Travel, with a Do Not Travel section added Aug. 25. The same report says the Bay Islands are better policed. It advises avoiding Coxen Hole, Los Fuertes and Suampo at night. Check travel.state.gov before booking.