Travel

PARIS — The State Department reissued its France travel advisory on October 21. The country stays at Level 2, "exercise increased caution," and the stated reasons are terrorism and civil unrest. The department says violence and rioting have occurred in recent weeks and may continue. It tells Americans to stay away from demonstrations and crowds. The U.S. Embassy in Paris had earlier reported partial curfews in some cities after protests turned violent. The Louvre, Musée d'Orsay and Musée Picasso closed on Saturday, October 24, citing security concerns over planned marches. Several central Paris metro stations were also shut that day. Further demonstrations have been announced for early November. Flights to French airports are reported to be operating, and no official guidance tells Americans to cancel trips. Travelers are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

SYDNEY — Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport took its first passengers on Sunday, October 25. A sold-out Jetstar flight to the Gold Coast left just before 11:30 a.m. local time. On Monday an Air New Zealand flight from Auckland became the first international arrival. The airport at Badgerys Creek is 45 to 60 kilometers west of central Sydney and runs 24 hours a day. Kingsford Smith airport, by contrast, has an overnight curfew. Singapore Airlines is due to start daily service on November 23. Vietjet, Fiji Airways and Qatar Airways have also announced routes. Chief executive Simon Hickey says the airport could serve more than 250 destinations by the end of 2027. The airport was designed to grow to 82 million passengers a year over the coming decades. Cost estimates differ by outlet.

LA PAZ, Mexico — Mexico's environment ministry, Semarnat, has set the 2026-27 whale shark swimming window in the Bay of La Paz at October 1 to April 30. A notice dated September 17 says tours run only when the average of the two latest official counts reaches six sharks. Boats are capped at 56 a day, a ceiling reached only at 14 or more sharks, with 112 permits issued. Swims were suspended in late January 2025 when counts fell to nine, five, then one. Operators expect the 2026-27 season to open around mid-November, as it did on November 12 last year, with peak numbers from December to March. Swimmers snorkel in 2-8 metres of water; scuba is not allowed with the sharks. Divers pair the trip with Cabo Pulmo or Sea of Cortez dive sites. From Memphis, connect through a U.S. hub to La Paz or Los Cabos, about two hours away by road.

TOFO, Mozambique — On Mozambique's Inhambane coast, whale sharks are seen year-round but peak from October to March as warm water and plankton blooms draw juveniles close to shore. Operators say the shoulder months of October and November overlap with the last passing humpback whales, which run June to November. Manta Reef, a cleaning station, is the signature dive, with deeper big-animal sites such as Office Reef. Reefs here range roughly 12-30 metres. Visibility is changeable and typically 8-20 metres, and it can fall to 5 metres. Surf launches and deep, surgy water suit intermediate to advanced divers. Whale shark safaris are snorkel-only and need no certification. Cyclone risk peaks from December to February, so late October to November is calmer. There is no direct route from Memphis. Expect a long multi-leg trip via a U.S. hub and southern Africa to Inhambane.

BELIZE CITY — BermudAir flew its first Fort Lauderdale–Belize City service on Monday, landing at Philip Goldson International Airport. The Belize Tourism Board joined the airline at a ceremony marking the launch. Flights run every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Belize officials describe the route as another connection to a United States market that is important to the country's tourism industry. The tourism board points visitors to the barrier reef, inland rainforest and Maya temples. Memphis travelers would first need to reach Fort Lauderdale, then take the new flight. That adds a connection and a Florida overnight if the schedules do not line up. Fares, aircraft type and seasonal changes were not stated in the launch coverage. Before booking, check the State Department's current Belize advisory at travel.state.gov, since conditions can vary by region.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Delta has announced year-round nonstop flights between Salt Lake City and Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, starting June 7, 2027. SkyWest will operate two flights a day on CRJ-550 regional jets with a premium cabin layout. Delta says Sedona is about 50 minutes from Flagstaff by road, and the Grand Canyon's South Rim about 90 minutes. Delta pitches Flagstaff itself for outdoor recreation, a historic downtown and stargazing. Only American Airlines currently serves the airport, so Delta would become the second carrier. Memphis travelers would connect through a hub, either Salt Lake City on Delta or an American hub, rather than flying nonstop. Flagstaff is in the United States, so no State Department country advisory applies. The airline has not said which fares will be offered.