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Beaches and Islands

Militants attack in the Philippines

In the Philippines’ Central Visayas region, four Filipino security officers were killed during fighting with militants on the popular tourist resort island of Bohol on April 11. Five militants were also killed. The gunmen had gone upriver in three fast boats to a remote village near Inabanga, and the officers showed up to investigate.

The Islamist militant group Abu Sayyaf, an ally of Daesh, is suspected of perpetrating the attack. Abu Sayyaf operates out of the island of Mindanao, the country’s southernmost major island. Bohol is just north of Mindanao.

Spotting fake online reviews. Solid-ice hotels. Best beaches in Australia

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 492nd issue of your monthly foreign-travel magazine.

For the first time since he took the column over from ITN’s founder, Armond Noble, in March 1999, our editor, David Tykol, is not writing the “Boarding Pass.” He needed some time off to attend to family matters, and he gave me the instructions to “write whatever you want.” So buckle your seat belts and please place seat backs and tray tables in their upright positions, ’cause this might get bumpy.

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New Zealand quake

An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred off the coast of New Zealand’s South Island, near the city of Christchurch, on Nov. 13, killing two people. Tsunami waves measuring more than eight feet struck the east coast of the island shortly afterward. 

Dozens of aftershocks, some with magnitudes of more than 6, occurred after the quake. Damage and landslides closed several major roads on the island, isolating some towns.

RETURN TO THE SOLOMON ISLANDS

“RETURN TO THE SOLOMON ISLANDS” — 10 days, 9 nights in Western Pacific, May 28-June 6, 2017. Highlights: From Los Angeles to Honiara on Guadalcanal to board MV Bilikiki for 8-day cruise to Florida Islands of Gavutu, Tulagi and Tanambogo and to Russell Islands of Puvuvu and Banika/snorkel at a P-38 wreck in waters near runway/swim ashore at Kennedy Island/Gizo tour/on Guadalcanal, American Memorial, Red Beach. $5,490 ppdo or $9,980 single. Valor Tours (Sausalito, CA; 800/842-4504, www.valortours.com).

To Sua Ocean Trench, Samoa

Visitors to Samoa's volcanic island of Upolu most likely have looked down into the To Sua Ocean Trench, the spot shown in our September 2016 mystery photo. Found in the village of Lotofaga, on the south coast of the island, the hole was formed when volcanic seismic activity caused a large part of the ground to fall away.

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