When this lousy war is over, tourism will speed the recovery of Ukraine

Simon Calder’s Travel Week [SUBSCRIBE]( [SUBSCRIBE: £1 FOR 3 MONTHS]( February 24, 2023 [View in browser](   [The Independent]( [The Independent]( War and tourism do not mix. Once the guns finally fall silent, though, tourism represents a soft form of humanitarian aid: providing cash, creating jobs and beginning to restore faith in humankind after so many lives have been destroyed by evil. Entrance to the Passage gallery in Odessa before the Russian invasion (Tony Wheeler)     [Get inspired...]( And breathe...]( Find your inner calm with our pick of the best [meditation and mindfulness retreats]( in the UK [I'm an image]( [Mother's Day stays]( Treat your mum this March with a night at one of these knock-out [spa hotels in Cornwall]( [I'm an image]( //link.e.independent.co.uk/click/30645384.31391/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQuY28udWsvdHJhdmVsL25vcnRoLWFmcmljYS1taWRkbGUtZWFzdC9lZ3lwdC9odXJnaGFkYS1lZ3lwdC1jaGVhcC13aW50ZXItc3VuLWhvbGlkYXlzLWIyMjc3NTg4Lmh0bWw/583d2887487ccd777a8b7489B92d81ddb[All about Adelaide]( Where to stay, eat, drink and shop in [Australia’s cool south-coast city](   Simon’s dispatches As I prepared an edition of this newsletter just over a year ago, I made a last-minute change to the Deal of the week. Originally, you would have read of low air fares to a glorious city about to be connected for the first time with the UK. But as Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border through February, I deleted the bargains available on Ryanair and Wizz Air from London to [Odessa]( due to start in March 2022. Neither link, of course, got off the ground. A year on from the brutal Russian invasion, there is no clarity about when it might be safe to return to the pearl of the Black Sea. But when Putin’s lousy war is over and some kind of peace is achieved, tourism will be an essential component in rebuilding Ukraine. To visit a nation after it has undergone immense suffering – with so many parents, spouses and children bereaved by the Kremlin’s vile onslaught – might sound the height of voyeurism. A few “war tourists” will doubtless seek to visit the most devastated cities. But I believe the vast majority of travellers to the ravaged country will be there for the best of reasons: to show their support for the people; to spend generously; and to learn about the struggle with a giant aggressor, as well as the land, its people and its intriguing culture. I had the good fortune to visit Ukraine three times before the war and met some excellent people in the tourism industry, They have experience in presenting the aftermath of tragedy in a way that is illuminating rather than ghoulish. Pre-war and pre-Covid, the nation’s top attraction was the site of a nuclear catastrophe: [Chernobyl](. Trips from Kiev were professionally and responsibly run, with due respect for those who lost their lives during and after [the explosion of reactor number four on 26 April 1986](. During the journey to this Cold War wasteland in northwestern Ukraine, the guides warned: “Do not act as at an amusement park. It is a place of nuclear disaster.” The Chernobyl day tour revealed how close Europe came to a far bigger calamity – and the heroism of the men and women who dealt with the deadly aftermath. Putin’s evil attack on Russia's nearest neighbour will weaken his nation. The many good people who live in the world's biggest country themselves need the benefits that international tourism can bestow. But whether you or I venture there will depend on what happens next in the Kremlin. If, after the eventual ceasefire, the current Russian president remains in office or is replaced by one of his kleptocratic cronies, a visit would amount to tacit support to a pariah regime. St Petersburg could be off the agenda for many years; Odessa will prove a rewarding alternative. The currencies of tourism are peace, love and understanding. Spend them wisely, [Chernobyl: What it's like to visit the nuclear disaster zone](     Enjoying this newsletter? Unlock unlimited, ad-free reading on the website and in The Independent app when you subscribe – plus, benefit from our [welcome offer when you join today](.   Tip of the week: Vigo back on the flight map The westernmost Spanish mainland city, Vigo – where the Roman Empire met the Atlantic – is back on the flight map from Britain. From 28 March [Ryanair]( will fly three times each week from London Stansted to the Galician city. Vigo can be easily combined with [Santiago de Compostela](, 40 miles northeast, or [Porto]( in Portugal, 80 miles south. [How to make the most of 48 hours in Vigo](   Deal of the week: Day trip to Calais for £58 [Eurotunnel]( is seeking to fill its Le Shuttle vehicle-carrying trains between 27 February and 23 March – by offering day-return fares from Folkestone to Calais priced at £58 for an average sized car, the driver and passengers. The company says: “Whilst Brexit might have made many aspects of our lives a little trickier, one upside is tax-free shopping in the EU for UK residents.” [How to get the most out of a French booze cruise trip post-Brexit](   Question of the week: Indulgent trip for a special birthday? Q We want a special-occasion holiday to celebrate a 50th birthday. Budget is around £6,000 for two. What do you recommend? A Fly overnight to [Singapore]( with a morning arrival in the city-state. Check into the Marina Bay Sands hotel, which will make quite a dent in your funds but will buy you the right to swim in the infinity pool 478 feet above the city – an amazing experience. Take a bus across the Malaysian border to Malacca and absorb the Portuguese ambience. From nearby Tampin take the daily train to Butterworth and a ferry across to the island of [Penang](. Check in to a beach hotel on the north coast for two nights, building in a visit to George Town, the isle’s capital. Fly to my favourite Thai island, [Phuket](, for more indulgence at rather lower cost. After a couple more days, take a morning ferry to [Koh Phi Phi]( – the idyllic island beloved of backpackers – and continue later in the day to Krabi, a mainland resort. One more hour in the air and you are in [Bangkok](, acclimatised to the [Thai way of life]( and ready for the big city. Spend two more days here ticking off the sights, in particular the Grand Palace with its amazing Buddha statues. You could simply fly back to the UK with plenty of stories to tell – but if you can spare the time and stretch the budget, fly to [Chiang Rai and travel overland (about three hours) to Chiang Khong]( on the Lao border. Cross into Laos and take a two-day slow boat down the Mekong to the blissful city of Luang Prabang. [Wander through the world in Singapore, with its rich cultural heritage]( STAT OF THE WEEK £22 Loss per second at [London Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport](, during 2022. What you might have missed... - Flying high?: The UK's best (and worst) airlines revealed]( - On the right track: Buy your train tickets before 5 March]( - Down under: [A year on from reopening, Australia's visitor numbers are well short of 2019]( SIMON'S DIARY       Every day from Monday to Friday I tackle a top travel story, or explore a topic in more detail than usual in ‘Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast’ – available free on [Spotify](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Pocket Casts]( or [Acast](.         Every day from Monday to Friday I tackle a top travel story, or explore a topic in more detail than usual in ‘Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast’ – available free on [Spotify](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Pocket Casts]( or [Acast](.         I find the easiest way to rush out stories is to tweet them. It’s also an easy way to contact me. My direct messages are open and I read all DMs, though regrettably I can’t respond to every one. Let me know your thoughts [@SimonCalder](         I find the easiest way to rush out stories is to tweet them. It’s also an easy way to contact me. My direct messages are open and I read all DMs, though regrettably I can’t respond to every one. Let me know your thoughts [@SimonCalder](         Each Saturday and Sunday I take questions live at 5.30pm British time on Instagram Live – from wherever I happen to be in the world – so please do come and say hello. Follow me on [@Simon_Calder](         Each Saturday and Sunday I take questions live at 5.30pm British time on Instagram Live – from wherever I happen to be in the world – so please do come and say hello. Follow me on [@Simon_Calder](         Or you can find me on TikTok. Come and have a look at what I have been up to as I bring you top travel topics and report on the latest changes in a minute or less via [@caldertravel](         Or you can find me on TikTok. 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