Thursday, July 20, 2023

By The Way: Beat the heat on vacation

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In case you missed it this week: How to prepare for ferocious heat while traveling; how to pick the right rental car for you; and a scam warning for the next time you're looking up an airline's help line.

Editor's note: Submissions are now open for the 24th annual Travel photo contest! Please read the complete contest rules here before you submit your photos here.

Extreme heat

(Illustration by Katty Huertas/The Washington Post; iStock)

The Post is helping you beat the heat

Summer vacationers in Italy, Greece and across much of the United States are facing dangerously high temperatures. Here's information for how to protect yourself on a trip, how hot weather can wreak havoc on flights and where you could go to find cooler climes.

Rules for visitors

(Garry Lotulung/Getty Images)

Bali is trying to crack down on bad tourists. Will it help?

In hopes of shutting down the disrespectful behavior from hard-partying tourists, the government in Bali has implemented new measures to curb bad behavior.

Fake phone lines

(Washington Post Illustration; iStock)

Scammers are using Google results to target desperate travelers

Falling into the trap of "malvertising," where scammers list their numbers on Google under respected companies, can be a costly mistake for travelers.

Car rental help

(Washington Post Illustration; iStock)

The best rental car company for every type of traveler

Whether you're under 25, a long-distance driver or looking for the best car for a short trip, we've got the rental car for you.

From the archive

(Washington Post Illustration; iStock)

How to get refunds if your flight is canceled

Summer storm season can throw a wrench in your travel plans. Here are tips for getting your money back from airlines.

Explore BTW's guides

There's more to see

(Saltwater Eco)

Even if you're not going to the women's World Cup this year, you can still learn about how to traverse New Zealand like a local. At the first hint of summer, Auckland residents flock to beaches at the north of the city. Two hot spots are Goat Island — one of the first marine-protected areas in the Southern Hemisphere — and Tawharanui Regional Park, which offers a tame surf break as well as snorkeling. If you're new to the world beneath the waves, Saltwater Eco offers snorkeling lessons and guided tours for adults and children, which meet at locations such as Goat Island and Tawharanui, where you're likely to spot snapper, blue cod, anemones, crayfish and kina. Check that out and more in our local's guide to Auckland, New Zealand.

On Instagram

"Sometimes you have to travel in the wrong direction to get to the right place — especially in Alaska, where weather rules." As part of The Washington Post's latest podcast "Field Trip," photographer Bonnie Jo Mount (@bonjomo) traveled to Alaska. 👉 Here's what she captured. Tap for the full photo essay, and listen to "Field Trip" wherever you get your podcasts.