

The Treasury in Petra, Jordan; Laura Hinely/Oyster
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With its vibrant big cities, abundant historic and cultural attractions, and diverse natural landscapes, Asia offers more to see and do than most travelers can experience in an entire lifetime. We tried to narrow things down, and pulled together a list of the 50 best places to visit in Asia before you die. Note that…
We’ve come a long way since 1783, when King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, along with 130,000 French citizens, watched as a sheep, ducks, and roosters flew over Versailles in the first-ever hot air balloon ride. Eventually, humans became so comfortable in these pockets of silk and gas that they used them to cross oceans,…
When you live on a planet that’s essentially one giant rock, there’s sure to be plenty of incredible geological features on its surface. Luckily, Earth has more than enough amazing natural sights to go around — including many rocky phenomenon. Here, we’ve rounded up five famous rock formations in some of the most beautiful vacation…
Since the days of, well, cavemen, humans have been using these natural formations as shelters, and for good reason. Caves provide protection from the elements, but they also are natural insulators, typically maintaining comfortable temperatures year round, making for a comfortable home. Some populations have developed caves into much more than simple shelters, using them…
Sometimes a hotel is just a hotel — a place to rest your head and freshen up — but other times it’s an airplane with bunk beds or a lighthouse with a hot tub or an igloo with mesmerizing ice sculptures. In other words, there are hotels that are destinations in and of themselves. The…
Nothing tests a relationship quite like going beyond the geographical confines of one’s everyday life and traveling. Whether your relationship is in the nascent dating period or you’ve put your children through college and now have an empty nest, couples can keep the spark alive by hitting the road together. In fact, a 2013 study…
You’ve probably heard that millennials, and consumers in general, are shifting their buying habits from goods to experiences. Instead of purchasing a new handbag or the latest technology, consumers are opting to splurge on trips to Phuket and scuba diving in the Bahamas. After visiting and investigating thousands and thousands of hotels around the world,…
Oyster hotel investigators have visited over 15,000 hotel properties around the world, so we’ve just about seen it all: crazy luxurious suites, creepy sex motels, itsy-bitsy rooms, castle hotels…but that doesn’t mean that every now and then we come across a hotel stay that even we weren’t expecting. From jail cells to ice rooms (yes,…
When Oyster.com launched in June 2009, our young site covered only (albeit extensively) 250 hotels in a limited set of destinations. But today, we are proud to announce that Oyster has reviewed 10,000 hotels — across 76 countries in six continents. That’s a lot, especially when you consider that our investigators visit and photograph each…
An ideal opportunity to sample new things — local delicacies, cultural pastimes, lively festivals — is while vacationing. If you’re looking for something exhilarating to get the adrenaline pumping, whether from excitement or sheer fright, there are some cities that are perfect for engaging in heart-racing ventures. From scenic hot air ballooning to swimming with…