Passport to Adventure: See Where It Can Take You Visa-Free

 

If you’re an international traveler, you have a passport. Every country issues its own, and they are similar in many respects. They’re designed to provide identification for the bearer and allow him or her entry into virtually every country in the world, as well as entry back into their home country. But some passports, evidently, are better than others.

            The major factor in determining how “powerful” passports are is how many countries are accessible and visa-free for that nation’s citizens. As we know, some countries require a visa, in addition to a valid passport, for legal entry. But not everyone has to have a visa for every country they go to. The consultancy firm Henley & Partners puts together the Henley Passport Index, based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). So, based on that ranking, we know who has the most powerful passport in the world…and it’s not the United States.

            It’s Singapore, the small but economically significant southeast Asian nation. Singapore passport holders can travel visa-free to a total of 195 countries, more than any other nation. There’s a five-way tie for second place between Japan, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, but they’re only three countries behind Singapore.

            Denmark moved up to third place last fall when it gained visa-free access to China. Joining the Danes on the third tier at 191 destinations are Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden. Four other countries are slated to move up after gaining visa-free access to China. They are Portugal, Greece, Slovenia and Norway.

            Where are we at? U.S passport holders currently can travel to 186 countries visa-free. That’s still a lot of countries—the United Nations lists 195 countries, including two non-member observer states (Vatican City and Palestine)—so we are only 9 away from getting complete, visa-free access to the world. Only Singapore is there now.

            Ten years ago, the U.S. and the United Kingdom held first place in the index, but we and our British cousins have been eclipsed by the ongoing global trend toward greater travel freedom. The average number of destinations travelers can now visit without a visa is 111, nearly double what it was back in 2006 (58). But the top-tier nations are advancing faster toward visa-free travel than the lower-ranked countries. Afghanistan, for example, can access only 26 countries visa-free. Those countries moving toward open travel are increasingly making this quest part of their diplomatic efforts.

            So, at present, there are 9 countries Americans can’t enter without a visa. What are they? Well, that’s not necessarily easy to find. The Henley Passport Index doesn’t list them. A quick check of Wikipedia listed 19 countries which require U.S. visitors to have visas, including China, Yemen, Venezuela, Turkmenistan, Sudan, Russia, Niger, Nauru, Mali, Liberia, Iran, Ghana, Eritrea, Republic of the Congo, Chad, Central African Republic, Belarus, Algeria and Afghanistan. Others require an “eVisa upon arrival,” such as Tanzania, which my husband and I visited in October.

            It can get kind of confusing, can’t it? The best way to handle it is to ask us to help you with your passport and visa requirements when you plan your trip with us. If some sort of visa is required by the country you intend to visit, it’s best not to find out when you get off the plane or the ship. Give us a call, and we’ll help you make sure all your credentials are in order.

Escape the Freeze: Discover the Warm Wonders of Tahiti

As this is written, my husband tells me it’s freezing cold in Wisconsin. Where I am, on the island of Tahiti, it’s warming up to about 80 today. Maybe a little rain later. It’ll be a busy day here, but perhaps I’ll get in some poolside sun here at Te Moana Tahiti Resort.

            I should explain. I’m here on a working trip. (Really.) I arrived from Cancún, Mexico, where I’d attended a conference last Thursday. The next day, I flew five hours to Los Angeles, and after a five-hour layover, it was eight hours to Papeete, the capital city in the Society Islands, of which Tahiti is the largest. After arriving on Saturday morning local time, it was right to work, joining nine of my U.S. travel colleagues in a six-day inspection tour, during which we’ll be hard at work on behalf of our clients. (Honest!)

            We’re visiting a dozen new and remodeled properties on some of the most scenic islands in the archipelago, so that when I come home, I’ll be able to help my clients find their next dream vacation. If you choose Tahiti, I want to make sure you’ve made the right choice. So, I thought it might be nice to fill you in on the history and culture of this beautiful place. (See, I really am working!)

            The Society Islands are an archipelago of 14 islands in two groups, the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands. Settled by Polynesians about a thousand years ago, they were first sighted by European explorers in 1767, when a British ship, HMS Dolphin, arrived in search of fresh food. Captain Samuel Wallis and his crew suffered from scurvy, a common affliction on long voyages in the age of sail. The islanders were in need of iron for knives, axes and fishhooks, and so a trading relationship was quickly established. What made the islands especially popular for European sailors was that Tahitian women were renowned for their beauty, along with their eagerness to exchange favors, shall we say, for iron and other goods.

            The islands became a French protectorate in 1843 and a colony in 1880. Today, they are a part of French Polynesia. Generally known by the name of the largest island, Tahiti, the 14 islands have a combined land area of 610 square miles and a population of 276,000. By comparison, the Hawaiian Islands, which are in the same time zone, are much larger and more populous. The seven major inhabited islands of Hawaii total over 6,300 square miles and are home to nearly 1.5 million people.

            Being much smaller and less populated than Hawaii, Tahiti is known for its intimacy, not to mention its natural beauty and friendly people. The average daily high temperature is about 80 degrees, varying only slightly from the warm season (November-March) to the cool season (April-October). The heat, high humidity and volcanic soil have combined to cover much of the islands with dense tropical forests, but there are plenty of hiking trails on the islands, not to mention some of the world’s most beautiful golf courses. Swimming and diving are very popular tourist pursuits, of course. Transportation from the international airport on the big island of Tahiti to the outlying islands is by small plane or boat. Another popular way to see the islands is by cruise ship. In 2015, my husband and I spent a very pleasant week aboard the Paul Gaugin, which carries only 330 guests and stops at all the major islands in the chain.

            The ship is named after one of the most famous people ever to live here, the French post-Impressionist painter and sculptor Paul Gaugin, who spent his most prolific periods in the islands in the late 19^th century. One of his sculptures sold for nearly $31 million a few years ago.

            And speaking of ships, one of history’s most famous, HMS Bounty, arrived in Tahiti in 1788 on a mission to collect breadfruit plants and transport them to British colonies in the West Indies. Over its five-month stay, most of the sailors lived ashore with Polynesian women. When Captain William Bligh ordered them back to the ship for the voyage home, many of the Englishmen weren’t pleased. Led by Lt. Fletcher Christian, they mutinied, set the captain and some loyalists adrift in an open boat, and set out to live their lives. Some returned to Tahiti, and others sailed to isolated Pitcairn Island, where their descendants live to this day. The “Mutiny on the Bounty” was made into five movies, with some very famous actors starring as Christian: Errol Flynn (1933), Clark Gable (1935), Marlon Brando (1962) and Mel Gibson (1984). Brando was so entranced with Tahiti, where his movie was filmed, that he bought a nearby 12-island atoll, Tetiaroa, and built a home there. A new resort, the Brando Hotel, opened there in 2014, and I can attest to its beauty.  

            Tahiti is on the bucket list of a lot of Americans, for good reason. We can help you get there. Give us a call!

Sue Tindell

 

Get Ready for 2025-26 Adventures: Discover Tahiti, Greenland, & More!

Many of our clients are now planning their 2025 travel, and some are booking into ’26. Cruises are filling up fast, and many foreign attractions are starting to limit visitors, so it certainly pays to plan ahead, perhaps way ahead. But sometimes just deciding where to go is the hardest part. Let’s take a look at some exotic locations you may want to visit in the next year or two.

·         Tahiti. The Society Islands of the South Pacific, best known by the name of their biggest island, top a lot of bucket lists, and for good reason. An eight-hour flight from Los Angeles, Tahiti lies in the same time zone as Hawaii, so jet lag is minimal. A part of French Polynesia, the islands are well-known for their glistening beaches, pristine waters and friendly natives. Each of the islands in the group have something to offer, but my favorites are Bora Bora, for its over-water bungalows, and Moorea, with its natural beauty that invites hiking and exploring. Another is Rangiroa, which has beautiful pink sand beaches. The Brando resort on Tetiaroa is the place to go for understated, Robinson Crusoe-style luxury. In the coming week, I’ll be spending several days among the islands, scouting out new and remodeled properties.

·         Greenland. The world’s largest island, which is politically a part of Denmark, has long been considered too remote to visit, at least easily, but that is changing. Just last week, a new international airport opened in the capital city of Nuuk, and next summer United Airlines will start offering non-stop flights to Nuuk from Newark. Previously, U.S. tourists had to fly through Oslo or Copenhagen. Greenland hosts about 130,000 tourists per year, arriving by air or ship, to hunt and fish, explore its Arctic tundra and see its wildlife, ranging from whales to musk ox to reindeer and polar bears.

·         East Africa. My husband and I spent nearly all of October exploring Kenya and Tanzania. First came our climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro, a bucket-list item if there ever was one. If you’re ready for the challenge—or think you might be—we’ll be happy to set you up with an experienced, reliable outfitter for what will surely be one of your life’s greatest adventures. Or maybe a safari is more your style. Our recent safari took us through five camps, winding up in the marvelous Serengeti, where we got up close and personal with rhinos, giraffes, elephants, even lions. (Not too close with those.)

·         Lovable cities. Maybe exploring new urban landscapes is more your cup of tea. And speaking of tea, London has just been crowned the best city in the world by marketing consultants Resonance and Ipsos, which ranked world cities based on “livability, lovability and prosperity.” The capital of the United Kingdom is renowned for its museums and nightlife. Paris is next, thanks to its shopping and sightseeing; leading the way for the French capital is the newly restored Notre-Dame Cathedral, which opens this weekend after a five-year-long renovation from the devastating 2019 fire. New York is third on the list, with its Broadway shows and top-tier dining. Rounding out the Top 10: Tokyo, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, Dubai, Berlin and Singapore.

There’s truly something for everyone waiting for you out there. Ready to explore in ’25? Give us a call!