Here’s some long-awaited good news for Thailand’s embattled tourism industry. The United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has downgraded its warnings for visitors to Thailand.

On Monday, the FCO changed its advisory and is now telling travelers to exercise caution when visiting the country’s 22 flood-stricken provinces, including Bangkok. Previously, it advised against all but essential travel. A statement on the FCO website said: “We now assess that the risk of floods affecting central Bangkok is reducing, though a small risk remains that some of the floodwater affecting the suburbs to the north, east and west of Bangkok could spread slowly towards the centre of the city. This risk will diminish as more floodwater drains into the sea.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Australian and United States governments had yet to downgrade their advice to citizens and are still advising them to reconsider travel to Thailand’s flood-hit provinces, including Bangkok.

The U.S. advisory does, however, note that most tourist destinations, such as Phuket and Chiang Mai, are unaffected by the current flooding and Bangkok’s main international airport, Suvarnabhumi, is operating normally.

Looking for that perfect book that takes you from your reading chair to the high seas of adventure? Look no further than our list of some of the best sea stories of all time. Whether you want a classic tale of survival against the odds, or to be taken on a journey to find secret treasure, this list has got you covered.

The Perfect Storm, Sebastian Junger

Based on true events, “The Perfect Storm,2 is a tale of man versus nature. In 1991 a series of weather systems collide to create an all-powerful storm off the Nova Scotia coast. A crew of fishermen on the Massachusetts-based trawler “Andrea Gail’” were caught unawares in the storm, and were left to battle waves that reached up to 100 feet high. “The Perfect Storm” gives an insight into the extreme dangers of the lucrative business of deep-sea fishing. It tells of the courage of men at sea, and the difficulties faced by loved ones left behind. The book was later adapted into a Hollywood blockbuster, starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg.

The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway

Following the publication of “The Old Man and the Sea,” Hemingway received the The Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. The novel tells the story of an unlucky old fisherman in Cuba who has gone months without catching a fish, but eventually battles it out with a large and valuable marlin. The exercise leaves him exhausted, and fruitless. It’s a tale of overcoming defeat, and persistence in the face of failure. Hemingway is widely regarded for his eloquent way with words, which is excellently displayed in “The Old Man and the Sea.”

Moby-Dick (or The Whale), Herman Melville

The classic American narrative “Moby-Dick” is an old favorite that has been re-told in cartoons, television series and film. The legend is told through the eyes of Ishmael, who sets sail on a whaling ship under an erratic captain. The captain is seeking out one whale in particular, Moby-Dick, who in an early encounter injured the skipper, leaving him with a wooden leg. The book shows us the depths people will go to seek revenge.

Master and Commander, Patrick O’Brian

The first in a series of books that focuses on the relationship between the captain of an English navy ship, Jack Aubrey, and ship surgeon Stephen Maturin, “Master and Commander” is set in the 19th century. Aubrey is promoted to captain as Britain is at war with France, led by one of the greatest military leaders in history, Napoleon Bonaparte. Their ship, “HMS Sophie,” is aging and the crew’s experience lacking, but despite the odds they continue to seek adventure and ultimately victory against the enemy. This story was also given the silver screen treatment, with Russell Crowe starring in a movie adaptation of the novel.

Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson

The ultimate adventure on the high seas — full of pirates, a mutiny and of course a treasure bounty. Characters of “Treasure Island,” such as Long John Silver, have become household names. Jim Hawkins, the son of owners of a seaside English inn, finds a map where the notorious Captain Flint has hidden his treasure. But when a crew is assembled to find it, it soon becomes apparent there are enemies within. This novel was first published in 1883 as a children’s book, but that hasn’t stopped adults of all ages appreciating it for centuries.

From his neatly-trimmed goatee to his love of fast cars and flight, it’s not hard to see why Indian industrialist Vijay Mallya is often referred to as his country’s Richard Branson.

He’s immensely rich and is frequently photographed at lavish events promoting his Kingfisher brand as a lifestyle choice for India’s younger, mobile middle classes.

Like Branson, Mallya’s stable of businesses also includes an airline — Kingfisher Airlines — which risks nose-diving into a sea of debt unless the billionaire can cut costs and lighten its loans.

On Tuesday, Mallya said recent flight cancellations reflected the airline’s move out of loss-making routes and should not be interpreted as a sign of impending doom, despite a doubling of the airline’s second quarter losses announced earlier in the day.

Who is Vijay Mallya?

The fast-living playboy son of one of India’s most successful industrialists was just 28 when he took over the chairmanship of his father’s massive beer company in the early 1980s.

“Everybody thought that I’d fritter away what I had inherited. But I was determined to prove people wrong,” Mallya in 2007.

United Breweries is now one of the world’s biggest brewers. It holds about half of the market share for beer in India and claims that every single one of the country’s tens of thousands of beer outlets stocks at least one of its brands. Kingfisher Premium Lager is also sold in 52 countries worldwide.
But United Breweries is about much more than beer. As well as Kingfisher Airlines, the holding company includes the world’s biggest spirits group, United Spirits, as well as interests in the fertilizer business, engineering, property and broadcasting.

Of all its brands, Kingfisher is the most iconic. It’s the name of a discontinued beer label that the young Vijay stumbled upon when he was going through the UB archives after his father bought the company in 1947.

“Something excited me about Kingfisher, you know, the bird. I saw color, I saw vibrancy, I saw movement, I saw a bit of cheekiness, you know, the kingfisher sort of fishing,” Mallya said.

He revived the beer and later put the bird on the tail of Kingfisher Airlines, which was launched in 2005 and has so far failed to fly into profit.

What’s up with the airline?

Results released Tuesday show the airline’s second quarter net loss doubled to 4.69 billion rupees ($93 million). Revenue rose 11 % as the company sought to cut costs, but it was nowhere near enough to deal with the airline’s reported debt of 65 billion rupees ($1.3B).

Anxious investors have been ditching Kingfisher shares, prompting the company to deny on November 11 that it had sought government aid. It admitted it had asked banks to raise its lending limits, but added that “Kingfisher does not see any risk to its future or long term viability.”

Flights have been canceled as the company tries desperately to reduce operating costs inflated by rising fuel prices. The cuts have angered travelers as well as employees whose pay was delayed.

Despite soaring costs, Indian airlines have been slashing fares to compete with discount prices offered by state-owned Air India. Kingfisher has also invested heavily in the future, ordering five Airbus A380s, the first of which is due to be delivered in 2016.

Is it just Kingfisher?

Despite a huge rise in the number of Indians taking to the skies, the extra traffic has failed to translate into profits. Private airlines are engaged in a price war with Air India, which is being propped up by government funds. Air India is reported to have asked for another 65 billion rupees ($1.3B) in federal aid, and to have agreed with lenders to cut its annual interest payments by 13 billion rupees, according to Bloomberg.
Jet Airways is also reported to be seeking to raise up to $350 million from the sale and leaseback of aircraft this quarter and other asset sales, according to Daily News & Analysis.

The industry’s struggles come despite impressive figures for passenger growth. According to the Centre for Aviation, India had the fastest growing domestic airline market as of September 2011, recording year-on-year growth of 18.4%. Strong growth is expected to continue as the country’s young population becomes wealthier and takes advantage of the fierce competition for their cash.

Outside India, high fuel prices are also taking their toll on the global airline industry. The International Air Transport Association expects the industry to make just $4 billion profit in 2011, down 78% from the figure of $18 billion recorded in 2010.

What does Kingfisher plan to do?

Hours after announcing the second quarter loss, Mallya again insisted the company was not seeking a government bailout. “We have never done it, we will never do it,” he said.

He said the company had asked its lenders to help with its short-term capital needs and for concessions on interest repayments.

Quoting UB Group’s chief financial officer, The Economic Times reported that the airline would launch a rights issue of up to 20 billion rupees ($398M) sometime before March 2013.

As one of India’s richest men, Mallya has plenty of financial clout behind him. As well as dominating the drinks industry, he’s a familiar face in the world of sport.

He sponsors India’s Formula 1 team, Force India, and owns a cricket team in the Indian Premier League. His garages house some 200 vintage cars and he owns the luxury UB City shopping mall in Bangalore, which is filled with top-notch Western brands including Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton and Gucci.

It’s on a street named after Vijay’s father, Vittal Mallya Road. Further down the street, you’ll find Kingfisher Towers, “a super luxury residential project” boasting 75 flats and a rooftop helipad.

The troubles at Kingfisher Airlines mark a low point for the flamboyant billionaire, who is often referred to as the “King of Good Times”. It remains to be seen whether Mallya’s airline can ride out these rough times and stay in the air. Mallya certainly believes it can.

South Koreans and Singaporeans who travel frequently to the United States will soon be able to skip the long lines at immigration and breeze through automated kiosks.

The United States has extended its Trusted Traveler program to include travelers from those countries. The initial arrangement is expected to come into effect in January 2012, according to Yonhap News.

Eligible travelers will be pre-screened and allowed to clear immigration and customs at automated kiosks to cut down on waiting time.

Registration for the bilateral program will involve the collection of biometric information such as fingerprints, though the details are still being worked out on both sides.

South Korean travelers will join fellow travelers from Canada, Mexico, Germany and the Netherlands as part of the U.S. Global Entry scheme.

The Global Entry automated kiosks are sited at 20 major U.S. airports, including John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and the Los Angeles International Airport.

The United States announced the partnership at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Honolulu.

Singaporean and U.S. authorities are working on a similar arrangement, which may take about a year to implement, Channel News Asia reported.

The Trusted Traveler program is part of APEC’s long-term goal to increase the number of travelers in the region and to make “the travel process faster, easier, and more secure for travelers.”

Figures from the International Air Transport Association indicate there were 647 million travelers in the Asia-Pacific region in 2009, with the number expected to grow to one billion by 2014.

Bangkok’s slow-moving flood crisis continues to keep residents on edge as waters move further into the city, while uncertainty and mixed messages remain the norm.

In Thursday’s Bangkok Post, Thailand’s Irrigation Department is quoted as saying the city could be dry in 11 days, as over half of the northern runoff has already passed into the sea.

A far less optimistic report in The Nation quotes Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra as saying the volume of water entering the city is much greater than the amount being pushed out.
As of Thursday, parts of Ratchadaphisek Road are experiencing flooding, but most major tourist areas in central Bangkok, such as Sukhumvit Road, Siam and Silom, are still dry. Shopping malls, bars and restaurants in those areas are open, while most major hotels are operating as usual, including those on the Chao Phraya River.

Several riverside communities are flooded, some close to popular tourist attractions like Khao San Road, the Grand Palace and Chinatown, but those three tourist attractions are flood free. For a detailed look at which areas of interest to visitors are affected by floods and which attractions are closed, check out this Google tourist flood map.
In terms of local transportation, the BTS Skytrain and MRT subway are running on their usual schedules, though the Chao Phraya River Ferry has stopped service until the situation eases. Certain MRT stations in flooded neighborhoods are being monitored closely, but all are open as of Thursday.

Expressways are all open and unaffected by floods, including the road to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, which is still dry.

However, the floods have disrupted Bangkok’s food- and water-supply chains. Many convenience stores and supermarket shelves are regularly short of items like bottled water, beer and non-perishable food.
Elsewhere in Thailand

As of Wednesday, all airports in Thailand with the exception of Don Muang are operating as usual.

Don Muang is Bangkok’s secondary domestic airport and is now flooded. Flights have since been moved to Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok’s main international airport, which is unaffected by the floods.

On Thursday, domestic airline Nok Air announced that it would continue to operate out of Suvarnabhumi until January 31, 2012.
Many airlines are waiving administrative fees for passengers who have booked flights to Bangkok and wish to reschedule or cancel their journeys.

For those tourists who don’t want to cancel their Thailand vacations, major tourist destinations such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Sukhothai, Kanchanaburi, Ratchburi, Pattaya, Ko Chang, Rayong, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Ko Samui are all flood free.

Meanwhile, some good news for Ayutthaya residents. Media reports say the flood waters in the ancient capital have subsided in most areas and a massive cleanup is planned for this week. The TAT says tourist attractions there will reopen once they have been restored.

According to the TAT, train services to northeastern Thailand are operating as per normal, while services to the northern provinces are operating between Hualamphong station in central Bangkok and Chiang Mai, though are being rerouted around flooded areas, adding approximately two hours of travel time.

Train services to the southern provinces are operating from Hualamphong station or Nakhon Pathom if required due to flooding in Bangkok’s western suburbs. The State Railway of Thailand is providing shuttle bus services between Hualamphong station and Nakhon Pathom when needed. Contact the SRT Call Center at 1690 for the latest updates and information.

Long-distance inter-provincial bus services from Bangkok are still operating, though some are taking alternative routes to avoid flooded areas of Thailand, resulting in increased travel times. Buses from Bangkok to southern provinces are leaving from a temporary station with shuttle services to and from the Southern Bus Terminal, also known as Sai Tai Mai.

Call 1490 for the latest bus schedule and route information.
Thai flood resources

Thailand blogger Richard Barrow’s Thaitravelblogs.com offers continuous updates on the flood situation. Click here to follow him on Twitter. Barrow also offers some advice to tourists wondering whether they should cancel their plans in this article.

Bangkok blogger and writer Newley Purnell posts a daily roundup of flood-related news, maps and information on his blog, Newley.com.

English-language news websites the Bangkok Post, The Nation and state-run MCOT all have in-depth coverage of the Thailand floods.

The TAT’s news site offers semi-regular updates on the floods. Tourists can also call the TAT Information Line at 1672 to check local conditions, or visit the Thailand Meteorological Department website for updated weather forecasts.

For visitors in Thailand looking to assist with the country’s flood relief efforts, the Bangkok Post has compiled a list of organizations accepting money and/or supplies.
Child-rights organization Plan has been assisting with the crisis by delivering supplies to flood-hit communities. For more on their work and other flood-related news, follow them on Twitter.

Impact Your World page has links to international organizations assisting with Thailand’s flood relief efforts.

A Facebook page and Twitter account called “Thai Flood” has been set up to offer English updates on how volunteers can help and what supplies are needed.

Hong Kong food culture misconceptions for beginner eaters, seasoned gourmands and Hong Kongers themselves:

1. Wontons: The bigger the better

The same principle for apartments, budgets and hot tubs should surely apply to your food as well — the bigger it is, the more of it there is to love.

But in the case of wontons, Hong Kong chefs argue the opposite.

“One bite, one wonton — that’s the best,” says So Kong Shing, owner of Mak An Kee, an offshoot of the famed Mak’s Noodles.

The Cantonese shrimp wonton is said to have evolved from pork dumplings from northern China. Over the decades, wonton sizes have gotten larger to impress customers who want value for money.

Different wonton shops have their own recipe and Mak An Kee follows one that is representative of the traditional style. No tennis ball wontons here.

“We have been making wontons for 40 years, each one is made from a shrimp seasoned with shrimp roe, flounder and pepper. They should be bite sized,” says So.

Celebrity chef Wan Tak Kong agrees and strives for wontons as small as marbles. It’s considered a test of the wonton chef’s dexterity to be able to handle the delicate wonton wrappers for such tiny dumplings.

2. Sweet and sour pork is for foreigners

Scene: Non-Chinese people at a Chinese restaurant. Line: The waiter recommends sweet and sour pork. Reaction: Snickering by Chinese companions about gwailos and their stereotypical love of sweet and sour pork.

The sweet and sour pork lives in legitimacy limbo. Does it belong with its hyphenated cousins (such as the lemon chicken and chop suey) as an American-Chinese invention?

Derived from Jiangsu Province’s historical dish of pork in sugar and vinegar sauce, the Cantonese version has been around since the 18th century. Sweet and sour pork is very Chinese.

Even Hong Kong celebrity gourmand Chua Lam went on a quest on his show “Chua’s Choice” to find the legendary hawthorn sauce sweet and sour pork, said to be a lost Cantonese recipe.

The morish sweet and sour pork is such a crowd-pleaser — it’s no wonder that foreigners find it to be an easy way to appreciate our cuisine.

So, Chinese food snobs, give it a break — “gu lo yuk” is legit.

3. Ingredients + soy sauce = Chinese food

An Italian friend once said, “Soy sauce is like the olive oil of Chinese food. People think you can add some to anything and it turns Chinese.”

Basta! Soy sauce may be our flavor-enhancer of choice, but the golden rule in Hong Kong cooking is this: The more fresh the ingredients are, the less sauce is needed.

The most distinctive thing about Cantonese cooking is its freshness. Home cooks love to steam and blanch farm-fresh ingredients, adding just slivers of ginger to lightly steamed fish, or dabs of salt and spring onions to poached chicken.

Besides, using soy sauce alone won’t give any depth to the flavor of food. Soy sauce is more of a foil for other herbs, spices and pickles.

4. Street vendors use thousand-year oil

Hong Kong mom’s tell their kids to stay away from street-food stalls, especially the ones that sell deep-fried food. Because they are bad for you.

Mom says the oil used for frying has never changed. The stalls just use the same vat of oil over and over again.

We call it “ten-thousand year oil” and the ancient grease is supposed to be what makes that fried squid so scrumptious and so deadly.

But unscrupulous street-food stall owners are like Hong Kong’s culinary bogeymen. Sure, the bottom line matters to them alot, but stall owners are not out to get you with dirty vats of rancid oil.

“I have to face the smoke and grease from cooking everyday. I’m more afraid of getting sick from it than you are!” says Mrs. Ho, the owner of hugely popular Chuen Cheong Foods.

Her husband is in charge of frying their famous stinky tofu while Mrs. Ho herself fries pigs intestines, stuffed peppers and other Hong Kong street food. They use a new wokful of soybean oil each day.

5. Chinese dining etiquette is strict

The Chinese dining table can feel like a secret club where everyone knows all the unspoken rules and if you don’t know them you risk getting kicked out.

Relax. Most Chinese people don’t remember all the dining etiquette either.

Just know this single underlying principle for behaving properly at the table: Be humble and be considerate to others.

Why should we never be the first to take food from a dish that was just served? Because we place other peoples’ hunger above ours.

Why should we only take a little bit of food from the plate each time? Again, we’re sacrificing our cravings for fellow diners’.

The dining table is a theater of exaggerated good manners. Just play along. If you don’t know what to do, just ask. We’re not all unforgiving icebergs like the Lindo Jong character in “The Joy Luck Club.” And that’s another misconception.

I don’t often feel short in Tokyo — I’m practically a giant here at 190 centimeters. But standing under the new Tokyo Sky Tree makes me feel positively miniscule.

At 634 meters, the Sky Tree is now the tallest tower in the world. It’s as imposing as Godzilla but multiple monsters in height. So, when owner Tobu Railway invited press to this steel colossus in Sumida Ward near Asakusa, I jumped at the chance.

I’d seen it from afar many times, but was still hit by an ant-versus-mountain awe I got at the bottom. Donning a hard hat, I walked through a forest of giant steel tubes — the Sky Tree’s exterior steel mesh — into the unfinished lobby.

An express elevator whisked me up to the first observation deck at 350 meters in less than a minute.
Cheaper than a helicopter

The view is a visual tsunami — Tokyo spreads out to the horizon like a vast circuit board, with Mount Fuji lording over all on clear days.

It’s a 360-degree helicopter panorama on the cheap: When it officially opens in May 2012 as a broadcast tower for digital TV and radio, admission will be ¥2,000 to the first observation deck, and an extra ¥1,000 for the second, at 450 meters up. It was off-limits when I visited, but will feature an “air corridor” glass outer walkway.

As one of the world’s highest observation decks, it’s sure to be a ticket to vertigo.

Eyeing Tokyo Bay from my lofty perch, I couldn’t help but think about earthquakes. Tokyo rides a tectonic bronco and is overdue for a big jolt. Building a stovepipe over half a kilometer tall seems insane, not to mention the fact that the ground below it is about as strong as tofu.

Standing up to quakes

“The anti-quake measures in this structure can reduce quake vibrations by 50 percent,” says Hirotake Takanishi, PR manager for Tobu Tower Sky Tree.

“We’ve run simulations showing the Sky Tree will withstand an 8.0-magnitude earthquake, and can withstand even stronger ones, but we can’t say definitely what its upper limit is.”

Takanishi pointed to an ancient construction technology borrowed from Japanese temples that’s at the center of the tower.

The shimbashira is a central column of reinforced concrete that is structurally separate from the exterior steel truss. It acts as a counterweight when the tower sways. Engineers are confident because five-storied pagodas with shimbashira columns have never been toppled by quakes in Japan.

The Sky Tree suffered virtually no damage in the March 11 quake and aftershocks that hit Tohoku as well as the Kanto area. Obayashi Corporation, which began construction in July 2008, continued after a brief delay and the Sky Tree will be complete in February 2012.

It’s already transforming the sleepy Shitamachi neighborhood of Narihirabashi into a major tourist draw, and will add a 31-story office tower, restaurants and the inevitable slew of souvenir shops. Think Tokyo Tower on steroids.

“If visitors come and see the local area and not just the Sky Tree complex, that will be positive,” says Shinkichi Tani, a retiree who lives in nearby Azumabashi.

“People have started flocking here since it topped Tokyo Tower in height, and there’s no sign of it stopping.”

Tani is making the best of his new neighbor by loaning visitors a free convex mirror that reflects the tower for souvenir snapshots. It’s the only spot around that actually makes the Sky Tree look small.

Tucked away in the Canadian province of Manitoba for several weeks each autumn is the largest wild polar bear concentration in the world.

An estimated 1,000 or so polar bears gather near the small town of Churchill, waiting for Hudson Bay to freeze over so they can hunt seals and other marine mammals.

This annual migration provides tourists, photographers and scientists from around the world the unique opportunity to view polar bears up close and personal.
“The most inspiring element of this adventure is the opportunity to lock your gaze with a wild polar bear,” said John Gunter, the general manager of Frontiers North Adventures, an outfitter that hosts tourists to the remote region each year.

The bears are intriguing to watch. “Each has his or her own personality — just like humans,” said Robert Buchanan of Polar Bears International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the worldwide conservation of the polar bear. “Some bears are shy, some are playful, while others are grouchy or aggressive.”

There are some 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears around the world. Polar bears top the food chain in the Arctic, and people view them as a majestic symbol of the far north, said Buchanan.

Yet despite their mighty presence, polar bears are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, with eight of the 19 polar bear subpopulations in decline, according to Krista Wright, the executive vice president of PBI.

Annual migration cycle of polar bears is changing

Each summer, the ice melts on Hudson Bay, forcing polar bears ashore. Once on land, without access to seals and other marine mammals, the bears enter a state known as walking hibernation. They live off their fat reserves and spend most of the summer resting and conserving energy, said Steve Amstrup, the chief scientist who studies the bears for Polar Bears International.

Some polar bears will roam up to 900 miles along the coast in search of food, such as berries, grasses and kelp, but these don’t meet their nutritional needs, he said.

As autumn approaches, the bears migrate back to the Churchill region, where the annual freeze-up occurs sooner than elsewhere. As soon as the bay freezes, they scatter across the ice to hunt. The bears catch their prey from the surface of the sea ice. They remain there until the ice melts in summer and then the cycle repeats itself.

Over time, global warming and diminishing sea ice habitat have been the greatest threats to the bears, since this environment substantially reduces hunting opportunities, said Wright.

The ice has always melted each summer on Hudson Bay, forcing polar bears onto land. However, Wright said global warming has increased the amount of time the bears are separated from their main source of food, which is a problem.

PBI reports in just 20 years, the ice-free period in Hudson Bay has increased by an average of 20 days, cutting short the bears’ seal hunting season, leaving them with little or nothing to eat.

The U.S. Geological Survey projects that two-thirds of polar bears will disappear by the year 2050, as climate change melts sea ice.

How to view the polar bears during migration

The most accessible and safest place in the world for tourists to view wild polar bears is in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area during the autumn months, Buchanan said.

“Polar bears do gather in places like Russia’s Wrangel Island to wait for freeze-up, but the tourism infrastructure isn’t there, as it is in Churchill,” he said.

Many tourists visit the polar bears via a tundra buggy, an all-terrain vehicle that provides a safe haven for polar bear viewing and photography. The experience is somewhat like going on an Arctic safari, and only two tour operators in the area provide this service, Frontiers North Adventures and Great White Bear Tours.

The buggies resemble wide buses, sit high off the ground, and are designed for the rugged conditions. The all-terrain vehicles move as fast as 5 miles per hour along a network of 24 miles of ungroomed and often rock- and snow-covered trails inside the Wildlife Management Area. The buggies carry between 10 and 40 people at a time and a typical trip lasts about eight hours.

Sometimes, polar bears will walk right up to the buggies.

“During their first interaction with a wild polar bear many guests are brought to tears,” said Gunter. “As a host, it’s really fulfilling for me to watch and feel our guests’ experiences with the bears.”

The optimal time to view the wild polar bears is in October and November, when visitors can typically see between 10 and 30 polar bears a day.

To reach the Churchill area, most travelers fly or drive to Winnipeg, the provincial capital, then catch a 620-mile chartered or commercial flight north to Churchill. Hotel rooms during the peak season average about $250 U.S. per night.

An all-inclusive package, including airfare, can range from $2,450 to $8,700 per person.

For wildlife enthusiasts who can’t make the trip to Manitoba, a live HD camera video feed of the polar bear migration ritual and other indigenous animals is available.

Starting this week and throughout the month of November, is a nonprofit multimedia organization created to inspire lifelong learning.

Stream times will vary based on polar bear activity and news events of the day.

first live stream will be Tuesday, November 1, at 4 p.m. ET. Users can check the schedule for future show times.

“The polar bears are among the most magical of our planet’s endangered species, and much like the tigers of Asia, have come to represent the many consequences of global warming and industrialization,” said Charles Annenberg Weingarten, filmmaker and founder of explore.org.

“By providing a window into their worlds, we are giving people a chance to come together to cherish the bears and an opportunity to share their plight in a compelling way.”

Buchanan said the video project is a powerful way to inspire people to care about polar bears and their Arctic. “When you look into a polar bear’s eyes, it changes your life forever,” he said. “You want to do everything you can to save them.”

Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River hit a record high of 2.53 meters on Sunday, with spillover from the swollen river and runoff from the north flooding several Bangkok districts, including Thonburi on the west side of the river.

In addition to the growing number of waterlogged streets, many Bangkok riverside communities are experiencing tidal flooding, some close to popular tourist attractions like Khao San Road, the Grand Palace and Chinatown. Visitors should follow the situation closely given the lack of certainty.

Yet, as of Monday, major tourist areas in central Bangkok, such as Sukhumvit Road, Siam and Silom, remain unaffected by floods. Shopping malls, bars and restaurants in those areas are open, while all major hotels are operating as usual, including those on the Chao Phraya River.

In a statement released to its guests, the riverside Mandarin Oriental Bangkok said: “The hotel’s management team is monitoring the situation very closely and working around the clock to ensure the hotel stays unaffected. Effective flood management measures continue to be implemented.”

Some public transportation, including the BTS Skytrain and MRT, is running as normal, though the Chao Phraya River Boat has stopped service until November 7. Traffic has reportedly eased significantly in the city center, as many drivers are opting to leave their vehicles parked on raised ground.

The floods have also disrupted Bangkok’s food and water supply chain. Many convenience stores and supermarket shelves are short on items like bottled water and non-perishable food, though the city’s small, family-owned shops don’t seem to be affected.

In response to Bangkok’s ongoing flood issues, Thailand’s Tourism Authority announced Monday that it has canceled the city’s upcoming Loy Kratong Festival, including all dinner cruises and festivities along the Chao Phraya River.

Elsewhere in Thailand

As of Monday, all airports in Thailand with the exception of Don Muang are operating as usual, including Bangkok’s main international aiport, Suvarnabhumi. Last week, Airports of Thailand told state-run MCOT that Suvarnabhumi is not at risk of flooding.
Many airlines are waiving administrative fees for passengers who have booked flights to Bangkok and wish to reschedule or cancel their journeys.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says major tourist destinations such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Sukhothai, Kanchanaburi, Ratchburi, Pattaya, Ko Chang, Rayong, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Ko Samui are all experiencing normal weather conditions.

Despite the TAT’s assurances, tourists should check ahead with tour operators, hotels and airlines before traveling.

In its latest update, released Sunday, the TAT says flood waters in Ayutthaya and some other central provinces have begun to subside, although many areas are not yet fully accessible. Tourist attractions in Ayutthaya will reopen once they have been restored.

Train services from Bangkok to Chiang Mai have just resumed from Bangkok’s Hualamphong train station as of Monday morning, though trains would re-route via the east to avoid flooded areas. Contact the SRT Call Center at 1690 for the latest updates and info.

Long-distance bus services from Bangkok are still operating, though some are taking alternative routes to avoid flooded areas of Thailand, resulting in increased travel times. Call 1490 for the latest information.

Thai flood resources

Thailand blogger Richard Barrow’s Thaitravelblogs.com offers continuous updates on the flood situation. Click here to follow him on Twitter. Barrow also offers some advice to tourists wondering whether they should cancel their plans in thisGo article.

Bangkok blogger and writer Newley Purnell posts a daily round-up of flood-related news, maps and information on his blog, Newley.com.

English-language news websites the “Bangkok Post,” “The Nation” and state-run “MCOT” all have in-depth coverage of the Thailand floods.

The TAT’s news site offers semi-regular updates on the floods. Tourists can also call the TAT Information Line at 1672 to check local conditions, or visit the Thailand Meteorological Department website for updated weather forecasts.

For visitors in Thailand looking to assist with the country’s flood relief efforts, the Bangkok Post has compiled a list of organizations accepting money and/or supplies. Bangkok’s Dusit Thani Hotel is accepting donated supplies too.

A Facebook page and Twitter account called Thai Flood has been set up to offer English updates on how volunteers can help and what supplies are needed.

Australia’s Qantas Airways resumed flights Monday after a government labor board ordered it to end a dispute with its unions that grounded the airline over the weekend.

“Qantas can confirm that all domestic and international services have resumed from mid-afternoon on Monday 31 October,” the airline’s website said. “We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and stress our customers have faced over the past days and months.”

Labor relations tribunal Fair Work Australia ordered an end to the labor dispute “to avoid significant damage to the tourism industry” after Qantas grounded its jets Saturday afternoon.

The airline grounded 447 flights and, ahead of the order to end the dispute, had announced it would lock out its unionized pilots, engineers, ramp, baggage and catering crews effective Monday evening.

The dispute with the unions has dragged on for 14 months, the labor board said.

Qantas argued that the unions’ demands would leave the airline “seriously impaired or destroyed.”

The labor board gave the two sides three weeks to reach an agreement, with a possible three-week extension if talks were making progress.

The decision “provides certainty for Qantas passengers,” company CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement following the decision. He apologized to passengers.

The Australian and International Pilots Association said it hoped for a “positive outcome” from the talks, calling the decision to ground the airline a “gross overreaction” to its demands. “It is a sign that the current management has lost touch with the traveling public, its workers and the basic Australian ethos of free speech,” the union said in a statement.

The labor dispute involves three unions representing air and ground staff of Australia’s largest domestic and international airline.

Union officials have accused the airline of planning to outsource ground jobs at a cost of thousands of Australian jobs and of putting profits first. Pay and working conditions have also been at the center of the disputes.

The industrial action is aimed at ensuring Qantas will not have enough funds to set up overseas operations that will jeopardize job security, union officials said.

Joyce has come under fire for grounding the fleet, which was preceded by weeks of tension between the airline and its workers.

It’s “a maniacal overreaction,” said Richard Woodward, vice president of the Australian and International Pilots’ Union.

The decision to ground the Qantas fleet, stranding thousands of passengers around the world, was unnecessary and grossly irresponsible, he said in a statement.

In a statement, the Transport Workers Union of Australia described the cancellations as “disgraceful” and aimed at destroying the airline.

Qantas, which has its headquarters in Sydney, is the second oldest airline in the world, and marked its 90th anniversary last year.

It employs about 32,500 people and flies to more than 180 destinations worldwide, according to the company website.