Each month, we bring you recommendations, odd notes, and useful tools to help you better navigate an interesting world.

Are These Gardens Hiding Looted Asian Gold?

according to legend penangs tranquil botanic gardens may be hiding a valuable secret
According to legend, Penang’s tranquil botanic gardens may be hiding a valuable secret.
©KEITH HOCKTON

The Penang Botanic Gardens started life as a privately owned spice plantation in the 1830s. In 1884, they were established as botanic gardens by the British. Today, the lush and tranquil gardens cover 29 hectares in the heart of Penang, Malaysia.

In December 1941, the Japanese occupied Penang, and earmarked existing tunnels to store torpedoes that would later be used by Japanese, German, and Italian submarines.

But when the war ended in 1945 and the British returned, they found the retreating Japanese had collapsed the tunnels entrances.

Full of armaments, the British decided to leave the tunnels alone. In 1987, the Penang government covered them up to dissuade any would-be urban cavers.

Watch my video tour of the area around the tunnels below:

To this day, the tunnels have never been disturbed, and no one knows exactly what’s in them. Rumor has it they may be the final resting place for some of General Yamashita’s missing gold. Yamashita was head of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1937 to 1945, and is said to have looted gold (6,000 tons of it), jewelry, and artifacts from all around Southeast Asia during WWII.

When the tide of war started to turn against the Japanese, they decided to hide the loot (potentially worth $22 billion today) from the Allies, to be collected when the war ended. For decades treasure hunters around Southeast Asia have searched for the missing haul of gold, but to no avail.

The common theory is that it’s buried in caves, tunnels, and underground complexes around the Philippines. But as captured soldiers were interrogated after the Japanese retreat from Penang, a rumor emerged that the tunnels in Penang held not only unexploded arms… but also the missing gold.

If you’re visiting the gardens, follow the signs to the Lily Pond. Take the second pathway on the right, and about 20 feet in, look to the left. You’ll see large cut granite boulders. That’s the start of the entrance to the tunnels. —Keith Hockton

New: Get Endless Flights for One Price

fly to the caribbean and over 120 other destinations with the gowild
Fly to the Caribbean, and over 120 other destinations with the GoWild! Pass.
©JMICHL/iSTOCK

If you’re planning a trip to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America (including Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, or the Bahamas)—or several of these destinations this summer, check out Frontier Airlines’ new wallet-friendly “GoWild!” pass.

Starting May 2, 2023, this deal offers an unlimited number of flights—on the airline’s domestic and international routes—at a fixed cost.

You can choose between an annual plan, which clocks in at $1,499, while the summer plan (for travel between May and the end of September) costs just $499 (right now, these are listed as limited-time prices).

Frontier is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and serves around 120 destinations in the U.S. as well as those overseas locations (you’ll find its route map here.)

If you’re considering multiple trips this year, or if you’re just a frequent flyer, the GoWild! pass could save you a ton of money.

For example, in May, a round trip from Atlanta to Guanacaste, Costa Rica, could cost you $265 alone.

Even though you’ll still need to pay taxes and fees, just two trips this summer would likely make this “all-you-can-fly” pass a worthwhile investment.

Sign up to get your pass here. —John Wallace

Spend a Night With Gypsies on the Rhone

It’s a balmy summer night, and the tsk-tsk-tsk of cicadas provides a gentle backdrop to the lusty, pop-infused beats of flamenco guitars.

When the foot-stomping begins—chairs pushed aside in anticipation—it’s difficult to know whether to hit the dance floor, savor one more bite of slow-roasted paella, or order another glass of perfectly crisp rosé.

This is Patio Camargue, a gitane (gipsy) village in the southern French city of Arles.

Loud, uncompromising, and full of regional flare, the village is a unique slice of Mediterranean culture, with quite possibly the warmest hospitality you’ll find north of the Spanish border.

At the foot of the protected marshlands of Camargue National Park (affectionately known as France’s “cowboy country“), Patio Camargue was created by musician Chico Bouchikhi, formerly of the internationally renowned Gypsy Kings. His new group, Chico and the Gypsies, is an Andalusian-inspired spinoff of Gypsy Kings, and it takes center stage during the festive summer season.

Patio Camargue hosts its dinner concerts at Gipsy Beach, the village’s vibrant outdoor restaurant along the banks of the Rhone, and lets guests dip their toes into the romance of la vie bohème.

Concert goers dine on traditional tapas, southern barbecue plates known as grillades, and heaping platters of paella. Sangria, rosé, red wine, a cheese plate, and French pastries are included in the dinner/concert prices, which run from €55 to €95 ($60 to $103).

If you’d like to up the nomadic ante, traditional gypsy caravans known as roulottes are available to stay in for €110 ($120) a night.

As colorful as Patio Camargue’s founder, the roulottes are a harmony of bright yellows, blues, and reds, with mellow pastel interiors filled with patchworks of comfy pillows. Cozy bed nooks round out the bohemian vibe, with use of shared bathrooms and a communal breakfast at Gipsy Beach. —Tuula Rampont

Madrid’s Annual Ode to Sheep

Every fall in the streets of Spain’s capital, you’ll feel the cobblestones shudder under stampeding hooves.

But in Madrid, it’s sheep pouring through the streets, not bulls.

Part folk tradition, part modern theater experiment, the Transhumance Festival is a modern take on ancient folkways and traditions of cattle migration, now revived as an annual performance. Thousands of sheep, often trailed by herds of oxen, goats, and other farm animals, parade down the central streets of Madrid, bleating and blocking traffic on the way.

“Transhumance,” means the mass migration of animals from the mountains to the grassland with the seasonal cycle, and it’s a word you won’t forget after witnessing this festival. Dancing and singing along the route, colorful groups of shepherds lead the procession that finishes in front of Madrid’s City Hall.

Everything about this parade screams surreal theater, from the large wooden shepherd shoes to the clicking castanet music. Spain has always been a country of peculiar festivals—a place that celebrates the unusual and absurd, and the Transhumance Festival is a spectacular bonus to any fall trip to Madrid.

First held in 1994, the festival was intended to reconnect people to the land. After the animal parade, the festival continues with other environmentalist themes: art exhibits, live music concerts, street theater performances, and lots of incredible tapas. The next festival is scheduled for October 22, 2023 (subject to change). —Sally Pederson

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS FOR EUROPEAN FLIGHTS

delayed canceled flights to or around europe could earn you compensation
Delayed/canceled flights to or around Europe could earn you compensation.
©D. LENTZ/iSTOCK

Summer is approaching and that means travel season… with lots of Americans hopping on flights to and around Europe.

But these days, travel is often a mishmash of delays, cancelations, and rerouting. So, before you fly, familiarize yourself with European Union Rule 261.

This EU regulation sets standard compensation amounts in cases of cancellations, delays of three hours or more, or for travelers who are denied boarding due to overbooking. Depending on the circumstance, you’re potentially eligible for compensation of between €250 and €600 as long as your flight:

• Is within the EU, and is operated either by an EU or a non-EU airline.

• Arrives into the EU from outside the EU, and is operated by an EU airline.

• Departs from the EU to a non-EU country operated by any airline.

This means you’re not covered if your flight originates outside the EU and arrives into the EU on a non-EU airline. Think: New York to Dublin on a U.S. carrier. That flight is not covered, but the same route on British Airways or Virgin Atlantic is.

Many EU airlines have a claims page on their website, making compensation easy. Most U.S. carriers do not. You’ll have to wade through whatever complaint options they have in order to begin the process… but it’s certainly worth the trouble if they owe you €600.—Jeff D. Opdyke

in parts of china baijiu is also called liejiu it means harsh alcohol
In parts of China, baijiu is also called liejiu… it means “harsh alcohol.”
©ZHIKUN SUN/iSTOCK

Whenever I’ve traveled abroad, and especially now that I live in China, I try hard to follow my Don’t Be an A-hole™ rule and maintain a polite and gracious openmindedness around other people.

As an example, in Barranquilla, Colombia, during Carnaval, I accepted a shot of aguardiente (“firewater”), even though everyone celebrating in the little bar was throwing back from the same glass. This was pre-pandemic, but still not something I would normally do. DBAA™ prevailed.

But DBAA™ hits differently in China. Local hosts have cajoled me into trying such delicacies as chicken feet (meh), bee larvae (okay), durian (puke), stinky tofu (I don’t have enough words right now), 1,000-year eggs (pretty tasty), and chicken anus (delicious).

So far, I’ve managed to avoid eating rat and snake, among other things. One thing you cannot get away from in China, though, is baijiu. Baijiu (pronounced bye-j’yo) is a grain spirit, most commonly distilled from sorghum. I’d never even heard of it before, but apparently it’s the world’s most popular liquor. More baijiu is produced in a year than whisky and vodka combined.

When I moved from North Carolina to Shenzhen, China to teach English at an international school in 2019, I was reeling from the shock of it all. It was my first time living abroad, my first time ever in Asia… it was a lot to take in. I checked into my hotel and walked until I found a little supermarket. I bought a couple cans of soda and a pint bottle of clear liquid, adorned with a red star. It cost less than a dollar. I figured it was cheap vodka.

I poured some of the liquor into a teacup and added Sprite. When I raised the cup to drink, toxic fumes singed my nostrils and I thought I might pass out. I sniffed again, carefully. Paint thinner? I touched the tip of my tongue to the liquid’s surface and decided maybe I wasn’t ready to die.

I’ve since been offered the pricier version of baijiu at many dinners. And I’m told it’s quite smooth. My sweet and charming local hosts always insist that I ganbei! (the Chinese equivalent of “cheers”) with them. But I haven’t been able to yet. What an A-hole. —Ashley Atkins

Ditch Your Bags With This Door-to-Door Overseas Luggage Service

avoid the hassle of lost and delayed luggage by having it delivered to your door
Avoid the hassle of lost and delayed luggage by having it delivered to your door.
©RICHLEGG/iSTOCK

Traveling with luggage these days is a hassle. There’s the additional charges, the weight limits, and the constant wondering if your bag will arrive at your final destination at the same time as you do.

The most savvy travelers opt for carryon luggage. But what if you need more than just a carry-on bag? Or what if you’re moving overseas for a prolonged period of time and need to ship bigger items?

SendMyBag is a global shipping service that can be used to eliminate the hassle of transporting your luggage to over 100 countries, such as Costa Rica, Japan, Mexico, and Portugal.

All you need to do is book through the website, print off the labels they provide you, and SendMyBag takes care of the rest. It offers a door to door service and the company will collect your luggage ahead of your flight, and have it waiting for you upon arrival at your final destination. It also offers comprehensive online tracking, so you can see exactly where your bag is at any given time.

SendMyBag ship bags, boxes, and even luxury items like bikes and golf clubs. The cost to ship a 33-pound bag from the U.S. to mainland Portugal costs approximately $110. Check out SendMyBag for more information and to get a quote. —John Wallace

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