Bali’s Tourist Tax is Live
Valentine’s Day showed no love for foreign visitors in Bali: you’ll now need to pay US$9.60 to enter the once-bucolic, now-crowded island as of yesterday. As this article notes, they’re not alone: taxes that will reportedly be used to offset the damages from overtourism are planned or implemented already in at least five other destinations, some levied specifically on cruise ship passengers. Meanwhile though, Turkey dropped its visa charge for U.S. travelers this year.
High-capacity Gadget Charger
Small travel chargers are convenient, but they typically get your phone to 100% just once or twice before running out. This POWERADD Pro charger I took on my last two trips is heavy, but its 65 watts and 20,000 mAh stats delivered 5 full phone charges or 3+ tablet charges at high speed before running out. It can supposedly charge up a Macbook to 50% in 30 minutes. Ideal for places where outlets may be scarce, when on the move all day, or when going off the grid for a while.
Dubious Digital Nomad Visas
The new year has brought more announcements on the digital nomad visa front, though the appeal may be limited. The one for Japan requires $68K in annual income (which will rise when the yen does) and the Korean one requires $66K, plus that one is only for salaried workers with great insurance, not company owners. Read the details before making plans when you see these giddy announcements taking off in the media.
The Highest Airport Premiums for Uber
You’ve probably already experienced this: your ride from the airport with Uber costs far more than the ride to the airport when you return. To gain access, Uber often pays hefty fees to the airport authorities, which is passed on to you. This study highlights which airports are the worst and the #1 spot goes to Santiago, Chile, with a premium of 203.5%. Others where the fare is at least doubled are 3 in Australia and 4 in the USA, including Orange County (CA) and Boston. The worst in the UK was Gatwick (UK) at 70.3%.
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