In the Magazines: November 2011

It's a month for superlatives, from the Best of the World to the Best in the World, with stops at Best American Cities. Happy globetrotting with our favorite magazines: Afar, Budget Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, and Travel + Leisure.

AFAR
On the cover: Travel Differently: 12 Surprising Journeys, which isn't one feature but rather several stories, including: 

- Ryan Knighton in Cairo: A blind man explores post-revolutionary Cairo through sound, touch, smell, and taste.

- Where New Zealand's Wild Things Are: Ethan Todras-Whitehall volunteers at a recovery program for the nearly extinct (and sex-crazed) kakapo parrot.

- Native Hawaiian Constance Hale reveals The Secrets to a Real Luau.

- Caribbean Dreams: A special feature on where to eat, stay, and go this season.

- Maine's Homegrown Revival: Michael S. Sanders, self-proclaimed metrosexual wannabe farmer, enrolls in a seaside cooking school to fulfill his locavore fantasies.

- Textile designer Suki Cheema chats with Julia Cosgrove about his favorite markets in India, Russian subway stations, and why getting lost leads to the best travel experiences.

BUDGET TRAVEL
Articles are posted online throughout the month so we will add them as they go live.
 

On the cover: Cathy Newman discovers what inspires photographers in The Venice of Your Dreams. Big, gorgeous photo portfolio inside.

Highlights:
- Dream Trip: How to do Australia Right: Live Down Under like a local, by Andrea Minarcek.

- Grand Canyon Three Ways: Matt Jaffe and Josh Sens have itineraries for a few hours, a few days, and a week.

- The United Nations of Restaurants: Marisa Robertson-Textor checks out the international culinary scene in New York City's Hell's Kitchen.

- Latest Turnaround: Sant Antoni, Barcelona: Rocky Casale reports from the artsy, under-the-radar neighborhood in the Eixample District.

- Road Trip: The Pacific Coast Highway: Rachel Levin travels the lesser-known stretch north of San Francisco for a more affordable version of the classic Californian route.

 CONDE NAST TRAVELER
On the cover: Best in the World ranks the 1,285 hotels, resorts, airlines, cruise lines, islands, and cities as picked by readers.  Numer one on the Top 100 Travel Experiences is the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong.  

Highlights:
- Bhutan or Bust: Adam Platt visits the happiest place on earth. 

- Tales of the South Pacific: Bob Payne has the 101 on the islands.

- Wendy Perrin's Golden Rules of Travel: What she doesn't know isn't worth knowing. Her top tips: Book plane tickets on Tuesdays, and fly on Saturdays.

- The Road Well-Eaten: Oliver Schwaner-Albright takes a culinary road trip along Route 5 in Chile.

- 6 Perfect Days in...Southern Brazil: Brook Wilkinson plots the ultimate tropical vacation.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER
On the cover: Best of the World ranks the must-see places for 2012, including Istria, Oman, Iceland, Sri Lanka, and Pittsburgh.

Highlights:
- The Ratings Game: Christopher Elliott explains how to make sense of hotel rating systems. Answer: Don't try to.

- The Perfect Airport: Margaret Loftus compiles a guide to best airport features. Most interesting thing learned: Seoul Incheon (ICN) has a rooftop golf course, casino, and ice skating rink.

- Through the Forest Dark: An except from Scott Wallace's new book, The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon's Last Uncontacted Tribes.

TRAVEL + LEISURE
On the cover: Actor and travel writer Andrew McCarthy skips resorts and ziplines and goes Into the Wild in Costa Rica. Destination: Osa Peninsula.

Highlights:
- Drumroll for America's Favorite Cities, ranked according to best people, food, quality of life, culture, and more. New Orleans wins big, topping the lists for friendly, fine dining, flea markets, antique shops, cocktail hour, singles/bar scene, and live concerts. San Juan, incidentally, has the most attractive people, and Portland, Maine, is the safest.

- Global Vision Awards 2011: T+L recognizes inspiring players in the travel industry, including Ranco La Puerta for community building and Kimpton Hotels for corporate greening. (Keep up the good work, y'all.)

- Sydney's Next Great Neighborhood: FATHOM contributor Mark Ellwood explores the food, shopping, and arts scene in Surrey Hills.

- Ines de la Fessange's Paris Shopping Tips: Alexandra Marshall gets the chicest addresses from the former Chanel muse and current creative director for Roger Vivier. 

- Willamette Valley's Boutique Vineyards: Bruce Schoenfeld tours Oregon's anti-Napa.

- Finally, some useful tricks of the trade: How to Avoid Airline Fees, Latest Airport Terminal Makeovers, and The Best Airport Apps.