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A purveyor of luxurious aromatherapy spa products and natural skincare, Thann is recognised as a global leader in its field. Set up in 2002, it is the most famous of the Thai spa brands; their sleek-looking candles, diffusion oils and naturally perfumed skin care products gracing spas around the world. With collections that are usually inspired by Asia, the brand is known for its seductively scented showrooms, dotted around Bangkok. For a special shopping experience combine some retail therapy with a spa treatment at the brand’s Thann Sanctuary spa at CentralWorld.

This soul food joint thrived for two decades in its unassuming nook on the peninsula’s East Side before being discovered by diners outside the neighborhood. It’s managed its transition to Southern food darling well, retaining its modest checkered floor, plywood walls, and red leather booths while also embracing the new attention by launching a website. Fortunately—and most importantly—the family-run operation hasn’t altered their recipes for favorites like their heaping plate of crab rice, fried local shark steak, or savory lima beans stewed in smoked neck bones and pigtails. Daily specials feature harder-to-find items like oxtails and stew gizzards, but it’s not all offal—you’ll certainly leave smiling after a plate of fried chicken or a hefty baked turkey wing.

Irish bars tend to be a gathering place for local expat communities, and in Istanbul, that role is played by James Joyce—just off Nevizade Street in Beyoğlu. This bar has the typical attributes of a hospitable Irish establishment with its hearty menu, international beers, wooden bar stools and booths, and country-style ambience. James Joyce hosts live music acts every night of the week and telecasts international sporting events on its big screens. Visit here to bump into your fellow countryfolk.

For authentic souvenirs from all over the world, head to the West Side Bazaar. The incubator on the Grant Street Corridor supports refugees, immigrants, and low-income entrepreneurs on their path to becoming successful business owners, providing them space to pursue their dreams. Start in the stalls, where you’ll find everything from Rwandan peace baskets and Burmese puppets to Sudanese jewelry and macramé art by an Iraqi woman named Nadeen Yousef. Afterward, refuel with your choice of Mexican cuisine, Asian snacks, Ethiopian fare, halal food, and more.

A visit to Hyderabad may not be complete until you have savored the cuisine at Paradise Food Court. The Secunderabad location—considered the largest sit-down restaurant in all of India—has multiple spaces, including Paradise Cafe, Paradise Bakery and Confectionery, Paradise Roof Garden, and Paradise Heights. But whatever you do, make sure to try the biryani—a fragrant mixed rice dish cooked with meat or eggs. Hyderabad has more varieties of biryani than any other South Asian destination, so come hungry and sample the goodness.

To many gastronomes, the subtle flavors and spicing of Khmer cuisine makes it one of Southeast Asia’s great food secrets. That’s certainly the view of French chef Joannes Riviera, who has taken inspiration from Cambodia’s unsung culinary traditions to create one of the region’s biggest restaurant success stories. Cuisine Wat Damnak has received numerous accolades since opening for business in 2011. Using only the freshest local produce (think juicy tropical fruit, bamboo shoots, and fish from nearby Tonle Sap), Riviera devises regularly changing tasting menus that burst with creativity. Recent hits include a fish sour soup with green banana and rice paddy herb, and a duck confit curry with fresh rice noodles. Dinner is a steal at just $27 for five courses or $31 for six.

Adorned with more than 20,000 blue handcrafted İznik tiles, stained-glass windows, and the golden brushstrokes of a 17th-century calligrapher, the Blue Mosque is the legacy of Sultan Ahmet I (1590–1617). The young sultan audaciously wished to outdo the builders of Hagia Sophia, commissioning six minarets to match the number at Mecca’s Sacred Mosque (which now has seven minarets as a result). Today, this magnificent mosque is a place of worship for thousands who visit from around the world.

Feldman’s—modeled on the classic Jewish deli one would expect to find in New York City—has landed and is thriving on the east side of Salt Lake City. The deli’s hot half-pound sandwiches include multiple variations on the Reuben (sauerkraut or slaw, pastrami or turkey, corned beef and pastrami, etc.) as well as items like beef tongue, which are hard to find in Utah. At breakfast, order a plate of eggs and salami, try a bagel with a schmear or one of the sandwiches for lunch, and go for a bowl of matzo ball soup with some pierogis for dinner. If you know New York delis, the available-all-day dessert selection will make you happy: rugelach (rolled pastry filled with cinnamon and nuts) or blintzes with fruit compote, or maybe a nice slice of Black Forest cake? Feldman’s also regularly offers live entertainment in the evenings.

If you’re interested in buying (or browsing) musical instruments in Istanbul, then head to Galip Dede Caddesi in Galata, between Istiklal Street and the Galata Tower. Here you’ll find an enormous range of percussion instruments such as darbukas, davul, frame drums and symbols; stringed instruments including the bağlama and saz; or Middle Eastern wind instruments like the mizmar. Western-style instruments are also available. If you have the time to shop around, it might also pay to visit the shops on Ataturk Caddesi in Unkapani, just down from the aquaducts in Fatih.

Opened in 2013, The Chedi Andermatt enjoys a unique location in the charming village of Andermatt in the Ursern Valley. Designed by architect Jean-Michel Gathy, the luxurious hotel draws on both Alpine and Asian influences, spanning traditional styles and materials (oakwood paneling, local stone, murals inspired by 17th-century European artist Rubens) as well as contemporary elements like soft leather chairs. Rooms are full of light thanks to panoramic windows (which also afford views of the Swiss Alps, Andermatt Village, and Furkapass, where the James Bond film Goldfinger was set), but also cozy at night with fireplaces. In the plush bathrooms, guests will also find large tubs, heated stone floors, and rain showers. The hotel has all the perks you could dream of, from an indoor lap pool and relaxation lounge with several fireplaces to four dining outlets, The Wine and Cheese Cellar, and a walk-in cigar humidor. This is one of those places that’s almost impossible to leave.

Belly up to this Wailea bar, which dazzles with a display of blue-glass Japanese fishing floats, for Hawaii’s best mai tai. Here, chef Peter Merriman, a pioneer of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, brings his genius to the classic cocktail, adding a thick head of honey-lilikoi (passion fruit) foam. Be sure to also score a table for later, as Monkeypod Kitchen does double duty as one of Maui’s top restaurants. Menu standouts include such seasonal dishes as kiawe-roasted squash ravioli, coconut-corn chowder, Hamakua wild mushroom pizza drizzled with truffle oil, and bulgogi pork tacos with Asian pear and house-made kimchi.

James and Connie Roberts, the husband-and-wife team behind Toutant, opened Dobutsu in 2018 with the aim of bringing quality seafood to Western New York. At their Larkin Square spot, the menu highlights American and Asian Pacific fare, with a strong focus on fish dishes like Caribbean jerk snapper and grilled Nova Scotia salmon—though options like Wagyu beef ribs and tomahawk pork tonkatsu are also available. The Hawaiian poke bowls are especially popular, served with either bigeye tuna and sesame soy, or marinated Atlantic salmon and ginger miso. If you’re celebrating something special, opt for the omakase and let the kitchen choose your courses and wine pairings.

A city as ancient as Istanbul has many layers of history, and you’ll have to go below the surface to see the Basilica Cistern, the largest of the underground cisterns. Built in the sixth century for the Byzantine emperor Justinian, the atmospheric reservoir is supported by 336 columns, many of which have been repurposed from other ruins over the centuries. The Medusa-head column bases are a favorite to photograph, along with the carp that swim silently in the dimly lit waters. The cistern is located between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, and the best time to visit is simply whenever the line looks short, especially on a hot summer day—it’s always cooler underground.

After a morning of wandering Istanbul‘s winding streets, it is a treat to find a delicious eatery like Datli Maya, ready to welcome you with brick-oven baked bites in the form of lahmacun (similar to a thin-crust pizza) and other delicious menu items, and a cup of sweet tea. Dine in on the cozy second floor, then get a pastry or cake to go on your way out for later. It’s easy to find in the streets of the trendy Cihangir district, with its bright turquoise shopfront and location across from a public gazebo. Lovely space, tasty food, nice people, great find.

Situated in Cancun’s hotel zone, this stellar all-inclusive resort offers 234 guestrooms and suites in one of the area’s most popular locations with easy access to restaurants, shopping and nightclubs. The all-inclusive plan allows the opportunity to savor exquisite international gastronomy, premium beverages and activities at both Sunset Royal and sister property Sunset Marina Resort & Yacht Club. Ground and water transportation between the two is also provided. A collection of five restaurants offers a range of dining options ranging from bountiful buffets to Italian and Asian fusion cuisine. The Moonlight Theater showcases nightly entertainment, along with an international buffet. Activities range from fitness classes and beach volleyball to Mexican handicraft workshops and nightly theme parties. Snorkel and scuba lessons are given at the Marina Club Lagoon and private yacht rentals are available at the Admiral Yacht Club. For signature facial and body treatments and massages, Ya’ax Ché Spa beckons.