Travel

WASHINGTON — Rep. Young Kim, a California Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Oct. 29. She asked him to move mainland China from Level 2, "Exercise Increased Caution," to Level 3, "Reconsider Travel." Her letter cites the continued detention of Americans, including Min Zin and Youlin Chen, and asks that their cases be named on the advisory page. Kim argues that the risk in China comes from the state itself, so it is nationwide, unlike the largely non-state risks in Level 2 allies such as Italy or Germany. The department's Oct. 19 update had already added a wrongful-detention indicator and language on exit bans and surveillance, but the level did not change. The department has not publicly said whether it will act. Level 3 countries are reviewed more often than Level 2 countries.

MEMPHIS — Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM) said on Nov. 2 that its parking guidance system should be fully installed and running in November. The airport authority reported the installation is 98% complete in the economy garage and 75% complete in the three-story garage. The system is one part of the airport's Terminal Modernization and Seismic Program. That program recently reopened the Pedestrian B Tunnel on Sept. 2. In August the airport was renamed for FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith. The airport served 4.8 million passengers in 2025, up from 3.59 million in 2021, according to airport officials. It now offers 36 nonstop destinations, compared with 31 in 2021. The authority did not give an exact launch date for the guidance system.

DESTIN, Fla. — Okaloosa County plans to sink the SS United States on Thursday, Nov. 12, about 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach. Operations are due to start at 10 a.m., weather permitting, and no backup date has been announced. The ship is to be flooded in a controlled way, without explosives, and settle upright. The county's plan puts the seabed near 180 feet, with the upper deck about 55 to 60 feet down. That puts the top of the wreck within recreational range, while the hull and lower decks are deep or technical territory. The county says compartments judged unsafe have been sealed. Final depths will be confirmed once the ship is on the bottom. The Okaloosa County reef program lists the wreck as suited to divers of all levels, though some local divers doubt the top deck is shallow enough for most recreational certifications. From Memphis, Destin is roughly an 8-to-9-hour drive. Flights into Destin-Fort Walton Beach or Pensacola typically connect through a hub. Charter boats from Destin will run the site once it opens.

WILLEMSTAD — Curaçao has a new five-star, all-inclusive resort for divers. TUI BLUE Curaçao took its first guests on Oct. 20 and officially opened Nov. 1. It sits at Groot Santa Martha on the quieter west coast, on the former Coral Cliff Hotel site, about 24 km from the airport. Ocean Encounters runs daily boat dives to the nearest west-coast sites. The announcement came from a sponsored release by Dive Travel Curaçao. The island also placed in the Top 10 for health of the marine environment in the 2026 Scuba Diving readers' awards, with more rankings due at DEMA this week. Undercurrent's seasonal planner rates June through November as the best diving months. It says November is a transition, with warming water and easing winds, but plankton blooms can reduce visibility. A free 2027 guide covers more than 70 sites. Curaçao is generally easy diving suited to all levels. From Memphis it typically takes one connection, and Bonaire is a short hop away for a two-island trip.

PORLAMAR — Margarita Island, a Caribbean beach destination off Venezuela's northeast coast, regains a scheduled international link on Nov. 26. Copa Airlines will fly Panama City–Porlamar three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, using Boeing 737-800s. Flight CM651 leaves Panama at 9:50 a.m. and lands at 1:36 p.m. Separately, Aviation Week reports that Qatar Airways starts a Doha–Bogotá–Caracas service today, after a delay linked to the Venezuelan earthquake. Copa's Caracas service is reported to be temporarily suspended while Maiquetía airport infrastructure is repaired. The State Department rates Venezuela Level 3, Reconsider Travel, in an advisory issued June 27 after the June 24 quake. It lists seven areas as Do Not Travel, mostly border and interior states, and Nueva Nueva Esparta is not among them. U.S. citizens need a Venezuelan visa, which is not issued on arrival, and consular help is limited to emergencies. From Memphis there is no known nonstop. Travelers would connect through a U.S. hub to Panama City.

ABU DHABI — Etihad Rail began carrying passengers June 30 on an introductory Abu Dhabi–Fujairah route. The trip takes 1 hour 45 minutes, and it links the capital with the Gulf of Oman coast, which most visitors skip. Introductory fares started at 55 dirhams for Comfort class and 120 for Premium. The operator published a phased timetable: Dubai and Al Dhaid stations on Sept. 30, Al Dhafra stations on Dec. 30, and Sharjah on March 30, 2027. The Abu Dhabi–Dubai run is projected at 57 minutes. Trains reach 200 km/h and carry up to 400 passengers. Reports from the June launch do not confirm whether the September stations opened on schedule, so travelers should check the operator's app and website before planning. The cooler months from November to March suit the east coast best. From Memphis there is no nonstop to the UAE. Travelers would connect through a U.S. or European hub, and should check the State Department's current UAE advisory before booking.