This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its authentic location you may go to the hyperlink bellow: https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/27/travel/japan-trains-private-rooms-tourist-tax-intl-hnkand if you wish to take away this text from our web site please contact us [ad_1] This week in journey information: vacationers are dealing with excessive warmth, one of many world’s hottest trip locations is tripling its vacationer tax, and a gold bar is up for grabs in Finland. Japan has damaged its tourism document yearly for the reason that pandemic. As increasingly more individuals take the nation’s well-known Shinkansen high-speed trains, Japan’s rail system has rolled out a elaborate new product: personal rooms. Starting this October, some vacationers going from Tokyo to cities like Kyoto and Osaka could have the choice to buy a ticket for the “Supreme Class.” These are personal cabins with lockable doorways that assure privateness on board, and the most important rooms even have small sofas. Travelers in these automobiles can regulate the lighting and air-con to their very own preferences, too. That’s not all. A brand new sleeper automotive service referred to as “Luna Azul” (Spanish for “blue moon”) will provide lie-flat seats alongside the Tohoku route, which carries individuals to prefectures like Aomori and Akita in northeast Japan. It’ll debut someday subsequent 12 months. However, not all of the modifications in Japanese tourism will essentially be welcomed by guests. The nation’s “sayonara tax” will enhance from ¥1,000 (about $6) to ¥3,000 ($18.50) on July 1. The payment is added to the price of airfare, not requested in individual. According to the Japanese authorities, the cash raised from the tax goes towards supporting infrastructure. The solstice was this week, however it has already felt like peak summer time for many people around the globe. Record excessive temperatures throughout Europe, Asia and the US are affecting vacationers throughout the peak season. If you have already got your summer time trip deliberate, don’t panic. We have some useful suggestions for navigating journey throughout scorching climate, akin to visiting outside points of interest early within the morning, taking breaks, and staying hydrated not simply by consuming water however by consuming salads and water-filled fruits like melons and grapes. One of the basic summer time trip meals is ice cream, however consuming it quick sufficient to keep away from melting is all the time a problem. In Turkey, they’ve solved that downside with dondurma, a stretchy, chewy ice cream that by no means drips. It is available in beautiful Mediterranean flavors like pistachio and bitter cherry, too. Peleliu, Palau: This Pacific island was home to one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. These days, there are still leftover pieces of the war." class="image_large__dam-img image_large__dam-img--loading" onload="this.classList.remove('image_large__dam-img--loading')" onerror="imageLoadError(this)" height="1125" width="2000" loading="lazy"/> Palau, a rustic within the northern Pacific Ocean close to Taiwan and the Philippines, solely will get just a few thousand vacationers yearly. Its most well-known attraction is a crater lake full of a uncommon, unhazardous jellyfish species that you just may acknowledge from getting used as a typical Mac laptop wallpaper. The nation additionally performed a small however important position within the Pacific Theater in World War II. Peleliu, one among Palau’s islands, was occupied by the Japanese. Late within the conflict, the US invaded the island in a multi-week siege that precipitated hundreds of deaths on each side. Now, guests to Peleliu can discover the island’s cave programs and see tanks, cannons and different objects left in situ. Haeundae’s golden sand beach becomes a canvas as Busan hosts its 20th Sand Festival, where towering sculptures showcase coastal beauty and craftsmanship. CNN explores the artistry behind the event through the eyes of a veteran sand sculptor." data-duration="01:06" data-source-html=" • Source:
 
 CNN
 " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/260616-spirit-of-busan-digvid-16x9-thumbnail.png?c=16x9" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/260616-spirit-of-busan-digvid-16x9-thumbnail.png?c=16x9" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="
 By Kriti Gandhi, Gawon Bae, Yoonjung Seo and Gyeongmin Kim
" data-timestamp-html="
 
 
 
 Updated Jun 27, 2026, 6:30 AM ET
 Published Jun 27, 2026, 6:30 AM ET
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PUBLISHED Jun 27, 2026, 6:30 AM ET
 
" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="false" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2026-06-18T05:44:33.629Z" data-video-section="travel" data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/18/travel/video/spirit-of-busan-haeundae-sand-festival-digvid-hnk-spc" data-branding-key="destination-south-korea" data-video-slug="spirit-of-busan-haeundae-sand-festival-digvid-hnk-spc" data-first-publish-slug="spirit-of-busan-haeundae-sand-festival-digvid-hnk-spc" data-video-tags="cprog" data-breakpoints="{" video-resource--media-extra-large="" data-display-video-cover="true" data-details=""> Haeundae’s golden sand beach becomes a canvas as Busan hosts its 20th Sand Festival, where towering sculptures showcase coastal beauty and craftsmanship. CNN explores the artistry behind the event through the eyes of a veteran sand sculptor." data-check-event-based-preview="" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2026-06-18T05:44:33.629Z" data-video-section="travel" data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/18/travel/video/spirit-of-busan-haeundae-sand-festival-digvid-hnk-spc" data-branding-key="destination-south-korea" data-video-slug="spirit-of-busan-haeundae-sand-festival-digvid-hnk-spc" data-first-publish-slug="spirit-of-busan-haeundae-sand-festival-digvid-hnk-spc" data-video-tags="cprog" data-media-metadata="{"adKeyValuePairs":{"spec":"destination_south_korea"},"boltId":"44f8be81-dc06-5e4f-9aaa-4f82cf31c6a1","branding":"destination-south-korea","cepFedSegs":"wbd:231,wbd:233,wbd:1555,wbd:16BC,wbd:2PCF,wbd:2JP8,wbd:CFW,wbd:5P1,wbd:KKV,wbd:9QH,wbd:YP5,wbd:CGX,wbd:5PD,wbd:5QQ,wbd:FGF,wbd:5C3","cepParams":"231=cep_tags&233=cep_tags&1555=cep_iabt&16BC=cep_sent&2PCF=cep_tags&2JP8=cep_tags&CFW=cep_tags&5P1=cep_tags&KKV=cep_tags&9QH=cep_tags&YP5=cep_tags&CGX=cep_tags&5PD=cep_tags&5QQ=cep_tags&FGF=cep_tags&5C3=cep_tags","cepTopics":{"231":"cep_tags","233":"cep_tags","1555":"cep_iabt","16BC":"cep_sent","2PCF":"cep_tags","2JP8":"cep_tags","CFW":"cep_tags","5P1":"cep_tags","KKV":"cep_tags","9QH":"cep_tags","YP5":"cep_tags","CGX":"cep_tags","5PD":"cep_tags","5QQ":"cep_tags","FGF":"cep_tags","5C3":"cep_tags"},"description":"Haeundae’s golden sand beach becomes a canvas as Busan hosts its 20th Sand Festival, where towering sculptures showcase coastal beauty and craftsmanship. CNN explores the artistry behind the event through the eyes of a veteran sand sculptor.","firstPublishSlug":"spirit-of-busan-haeundae-sand-festival-digvid-hnk-spc","headline":"Shaping the shore: Inside Busan’s sand festival","id":"me325f409e1e3b7c14c2340b79ffab863af4178d1f","isAdSensitive":false,"mediumId":"me325f409e1e3b7c14c2340b79ffab863af4178d1f","sectionName":"travel","source":"CNN","stellarId":"L19jb21wb25lbnRzL3ZpZGVvLXJlc291cmNlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9jbXFqMTFwYWcwMDAwM2I2cXVnZXlpdGVv","trt":"66.88","videoTags":[],"videoUrl":"https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/18/travel/video/spirit-of-busan-haeundae-sand-festival-digvid-hnk-spc"}" class="video-resource"> Shaping the shore: Inside Busan’s sand competition Shaping the shore: Inside Busan’s sand competition 1:06 Every summer time, South Korea’s southern metropolis of Busan holds a sand artwork exhibit on stylish Haeundae Beach. This 12 months, for the twentieth anniversary of the competition, CNN met a veteran sand sculptor, who walked us by means of among the most intricate items. The web’s new favourite meals is inflicting a purple craze. Spoiler alert: it’s not matcha. Hong Kong’s Terminal 2 is now open. It’s the newest frontline within the Asia airport wars. Finland has an concept for learn how to spend your summer time. Join the midnight solar treasure hunt for an opportunity to win $23,000. Can you cross the US citizenship check? How properly would you do? Take this quiz and discover out! [ad_2] This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its authentic location you may go to the hyperlink bellow: https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/27/travel/japan-trains-private-rooms-tourist-tax-intl-hnkand if you wish to take away this text from our web site please contact us