Beaches and Islands

Smoking was banned at 20 beaches in Thailand after complaints about too many discarded cigarette butts. At one location in Phuket, Patong, more than 101,000 butts were cleaned up at one time along the 2.5-kilometer beach. 

At each of the beaches where smoking is banned, which include popular spots all along the coasts, smoking is allowed outside of the beach area, and containers are provided at beach entrances for smokers to discard their cigarette butts. Those caught flouting the ban could face up to a year in prison or a fine of up to THB100,000 (near $3,000).

6-day, 5-night “moderate-to-strenuous” trek in Patagonia. Departures Jan. 15 & Feb. 17, 2018.  Highlights: Fly from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams, CHILE/Omora Ethnobotanical Park/on Dientes Circuit, Salto Lagoon, Ventarrón path, Guerrico Valley/climb Virginia Pass for view of Tierra del Fuego. From $1,677 ppdo. Customized trips too. Lost World Adventures (Decatur, GA; 800/999-0558, www.lostworld.com).

The month of September saw a series of devastating hurricanes hitting the Caribbean, killing at least 47 people and reducing a number of islands to rubble. The hurricanes caused damage of some sort on nearly every Caribbean island.

7 days, 6 nights in IRELAND. “Easy” hiking; average 5 miles per day. Departures May-September 2018. Highlights: Meet in Cork/in Kinsale, 15th-century Charles Fort/Cape Clear Island/Sheep’s Head Way/cable car to Dursey Island/Ring of Kerry/on Skellig Michael, 7th-century stone beehive huts/Dingle pub for music. €1,595 (near $1,900) per person, double occupancy (ppdo). Single supp., €250 ($300). Wilderness Ireland (Unit 3, Sligo Airport Business Park, Strandhill, Sligo, Ireland; in US, 844/235-6240, www.wildernessireland.com).

8-day, 7-night cruise in ECUADOR, Feb. 25-March 4, 2018. Highlights: Fly from Quito to San Cristóbal/take 20-passenger yacht to Genovesa for nesting seabirds, Prince Philip’s Steps nature walk/on Fernandina, search for sea turtles, crabs, marine iguanas/on Isabela, Wolf and Cerro Azul volcanoes, marine life/on Santa Cruz, Darwin Research Station. $4,700-$5,600 ppdo, per cabin type. Single, $8,225. Naturalist Journeys/Caligo Ventures (Portal, AZ; 866/900-1146, www.naturalist journeys.com).

An earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of the island of Lesbos, Greece, on June 12, injuring at least 10 people and damaging buildings across the island. The earthquake was felt as far away as Istanbul, Turkey.