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I discovered this Marin Headlands view of the Golden Gate Bridge on one of my very first trips to San Francisco. In my three-plus years living in the Bay Area, I still haven’t found a view to top it. My favorite time to visit is just after sunset, when most tourists are fleeing from the evening breeze and the lights from the Golden Gate are just beginning to glow. If you’re lucky, you might witness an illuminated container ship as it exits the Bay on its way to Asia. This vantage point is on the North side of the Golden Gate—for the active traveler it’s a lovely green hike after a stroll across the bridge but alternately you can dive up. There’s also a closer view at the base of the hill.

Orlando is known for great Asian eats, and this sweet little Thai spot in Winter Park stands apart for its stylish vibe and rainbow range of iced and hot teas and desserts. KrungThep is the Thai name for Bangkok, but much of the menu skews fusion-style, with items like pesto chicken sandwiches and satay sandwiches and toast-style desserts topped with everything from condensed milk and homemade coconut ice cream to Nutella, matcha, and organic honey. Tea-lovers are in heaven here, with herbal, black, and white loose leaf varieties galore. The black and white decor scheme is both blatantly Instagram-able and cozy and inviting. For a quiet chat with a friend or a self-care moment alone, you can’t go wrong while taking a break to recharge here.

Right on Key West’s famous Sunset Pier and next to Mallory Square, Ocean Key is at the center of the action, proven by the flocks of tourists who descend on the pier every evening at sundown. Inside the resort, the contemporary rooms are decorated in tropical colors like bright lime and turquoise, and have bathrooms with rainfall showers and whirlpool tubs and private balconies with views of the Gulf of Mexico or buzzy Duval Street. The angular pool is surrounded by cabanas and day beds; grab a ringside seat for the daily fashion show at Liquid, the kicking poolside bar. Prefer a quieter experience? The spa has a full range of treatments and packages that lean heavily on Asian traditions and ingredients, from Balinese massage to a Javanese rice-and-turmeric body scrub.

The Hungarian outpost of beloved Parisian hotel/restaurant/record label Buddha-Bar may be housed in the neo-baroque Klotild Palace building, in the heart of Váci Street’s pedestrianized shopping district, but the decor is as trendy as you might expect. Influenced by Asian motifs, the lobby and common areas feature dark wood, red patterned wallpaper, and brassy accents; the concept continues into luxurious rooms and suites, the nicest of which have balconies with city views. Of course, the star attraction here is the Buddha-Bar Lounge, where DJs spin global beats every night while chic Budapesters and visitors alike sip on cocktails and snack on sushi. For travelers who would rather find other paths to enlightenment, there’s a spa with sauna, steam baths, hot and cold pools, and a Roman-inspired tepidarium.

Derick Avenue in Cyrildene on the Eastrand of Johannesburg, is home to a whole host of different Asian run stores and restaurants. It is the new home of the original Chinatown which started in Commissioner Street (Now Albertina Sisulu Street) in Newtown. You can get a good bargain on a whole lot of cheap “Made in China” goodies here and once you’re done shopping you can grab some bubble tea from the corner store at the bottom of Derrick Avenue or rest your weary feet and fill your empty tummy at one of the numerous restaurants along the road. If you get to Cyrildene early, get yourself into a restaurant and have some mid-morning brunch or ‘Yum Cha’ which literally translates to Drink Tea in Cantonese. Don’t be too scared to try out something out of the ordinary, it may be the best thing you’ve ever tasted! Derrick Avenue is also a great place to watch Chinese New Year Celebrations as the whole road is closed off to traffic and vendors come out onto the sidewalks to sell the food and wares.

Want to stay conveniently close to downtown Seattle‘s attractions without paying downtown-Seattle hotel prices? Or would you rather be a short walk away from Capitol Hill’s vibrant shopping, eating, and bar scene? Either way, the Gaslight Inn B&B is an affordable option. Located in Capitol Hill (it’s right on the #10 bus line that goes through the Hill and downtown in about 10 min.), the Gaslight has eight rooms, including two that are for single guests. Amenities include a heated pool, free wifi, the owners’ art collection, a library, and free continental breakfast. From the Gaslight, you’re just a block away from French patisserie Bakery Nouveau and the dining and shopping options on 15th Street, and it’s a short walk to the Pike/Pine area that’s the heart of Capitol Hill. Also walkable are Cal Anderson Park and Volunteer Park, where the Seattle Asian Art Museum is located. You can’t beat the Gaslight’s central location as a home base for your Seattle exploration.

New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago get a lot of the good press when it comes to the arts and art museums, but the Detroit Institute of Arts helps Detroit give these cities a run for their money. The diverse collection is spread out over 100 galleries and includes African, Asian, Islamic, and modern and contemporary art (and the list goes on). But don’t ignore the local contributions to the art world. Make sure you take proper time to stand before Diego Rivera’s enormous Detroit Industry fresco to give you some historical context before exploring the rest of the city.

How a complex of German-built factories became one of East Asia’s hottest art destinations is also the story of modern China. When construction on a number of electronics factories began in Dashanzi in 1956, the area was farmland. Joint Factory 718 was built and a decade later divided into smaller factories, including Factory 798. By the mid-’90s, the factories had shut down and Beijing’s Central Academy of Fine Arts, lured by cheap space, had moved out to Dashanzi. Interest snowballed, and soon more artists were setting up shop in these abandoned industrial spaces. Today, 798 is a powerhouse of contemporary Chinese art, with major galleries like UCCA, Long March Space, and Pace Beijing, as well as a few restaurants, shops, and even hotels.

The tram gives Portland visitors stunning views of the city, river, and mountains beyond. Grab the streetcar from downtown out to the waterfront. You’re delivered to the lower terminal for the three-minute ride carrying you 3,300 feet at 20 MPH to the upper terminal at OHSU. Linger for photo ops then head back down to explore. If it’s nice, skip the streetcar and walk back along the river. Daily workout, check. Roundtrip cost: $4. At the lower terminal, the Daily Cafe is an easy find in the atrium of the OHSU Clinical building as you disembark the pill-shaped car, built with precision by the Swiss. Head for the river and stroll along the shore in any weather. Double back along SW Bond Ave and consider lunch at Bambuza Vietnamese Bistro. Check out the pricey high-rise condos on the market in the real estate office windows, then relax in one of the pocket parks to people watch. It snows in Portland. A couple of times a winter, even downtown gets dusted and it’s a huge mess. I’ve dreamed about getting my ski gear on, grabbing my boards and heading for the PDX Tram at the South Waterfront. I’d casually climb aboard with the patients and medical folks heading up to “Pill Hill” and blow their minds.

As soon as the ferry pushes away from Kabataş ferry terminal on Istanbul‘s European side, you can feel the frenetic pace of the city slipping away. Sipping a coffee on the ship’s bow, the beautiful scenery and azure Bosphorus waters enchant as the boat makes stops on the Asian side, then on to each of the five Prince Islands (Adalar), just around an hour’s journey away from the city. Büyükada is the largest of the five islands. With no cars on this idyllic and relaxed isle, horse-drawn carriage and bicycles remain the main modes of transportation -- both of which can be hired at the ferry terminal upon arrival. An afternoon’s cycle can cover the whole island, and caters to stopping at the stunning scenic bluffs, hidden beaches, and clifftop cafes along the route at your own pace. In town, mansions boast swaths of bougainvillea and visitors dine al fresco at restaurants serving fresh seafood. Tasty ice cream can be bought near the ferry for the journey home. Go on a weekday to miss the weekending Istanbul crowd, to whom the island’s charm is no secret.

From its striking colonial-inspired exterior and elegant marble lobby to the uninterrupted views of the Hanoi Opera House, the Hotel de l’Opera evokes the spirit of an old world performance hall. The Old Quarter hotel’s cynosure is the nine-story atrium where velvet jewel-toned sofas, tasseled curtains, and an emerald tufted-silk wall behind the marble concierge counter have the dramatic effect of a theater foyer. The theme continues in the guest rooms: Moody walls, Hollywood-style vanity mirrors, and metallic accents nod to performers’ dressing rooms. Take in the sights from the third-floor pool terrace, which looks straight down Trang Tien Street to the iconic landmark, then head to the Fée Verte bar for cocktails before dinner at Café Lautrec, honoring the 19th-century painter and Hanoi’s ubiquitous French influences.

A Japanese man making Neapolitan pizza in Vietnam’s business hub might seem like an unlikely scenario, but it perfectly describes Pizza 4P’s. The restaurant now has multiple outlets, including one in Hanoi, but the original spot discreetly tucked away in an alley just off Le Thanh Ton Street is still the most atmospheric. The name is a nod to the owner’s wish in life—for peace—and informs his drive to deliver a pleasurable experience to diners. The pies, as popular with tourists as they are with Saigon residents and the Japanese expat wives who frequent the place on weekday afternoons, are ideal: charred, chewy, pliable crusts; tart tomato sauce; and creamy, homemade mozzarella, crafted by hand outside the city of Da Lat (for an unforgettable meal, order a pizza topped with a whole, unsliced burrata).

Creamy travertine floors and castle brick walls of pearl-stone tiles fuse with Asian antiques and dark teak furniture in the Caribbean-meets-Indonesian design at Villa Balinese, on an elevated crescent fronting Providenciales south shore. From the original local art to the antique Moroccan vases and curved bamboo chairs, it makes a bold and seductive statement throughout -- and best of all, every piece of furniture in this villa rental is hand-picked and meticulously placed by its owners. With just three bedrooms, but 4,200-sq-ft of space and 30-foot vaulted ceilings, it’s impossible not to be transfixed by the Alice-in-Wonderland dimensions and sexy stark vibe encountered here. Entering the grand entrance foyer, the eye is drawn almost immediately to the impressive sunken living room, where a wall of floor-to-ceiling glass windows slides open onto a grand marble pool terrace with panoramic ocean views. The infinity pool running the length of the house was constructed with emerald-colored tiles, creating a vibrant contrast with the turquoise-hued sea it disappears into. A 50" plasma TV, which can be raised with a remote click from a recessed hiding place and swiveled to face the pool, is another one-of-a-kind design example. There is no beach access on-site, but the crystal-clear sea running parallel to the property can be reached via a ladder dock. Please note that children under 12 are not allowed, but this property works great for couples or older families.

Chef/owner Aaron Silverman’s farmhouse restaurant, in the heart of Barracks Row, serves creative (and Michelin-starred) cooking inspired by his travels and culinary training in the American South, Mexico, the Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia. Pork sausage and lychee salad is a menu mainstay; most other dishes are rotated out frequently to make way for “new stuff,” anything from grilled cucumber with coconut and anchovy to jumbo lump crab with squash blossom. Groups of six to 12 can make online reservations, all others should be prepared to wait a while. Line up before the 5 p.m. opening time to snag a seat at the counter facing the open kitchen and wood-burning stove.

Ideally situated on the cusp between major financial, retail, and historic districts is the Westin Chosun Seoul. Built during the Japanese occupation of Korea, the hotel survived through World War II and is the oldest in the country. Originally the Chosun Hotel, it was designed by German architectural firm Goetheland. Constructed in 1914, the European-style building was unique among its distinctly Asian counterparts. The Chosun was known for opulence and imported luxury goods from Europe and North America: a crystal chandelier from Tiffany’s in New York, silver dining utensils from Germany, and linens from Ireland. The hotel was also the first in Korea to build an elevator, host a ballroom dance, and serve ice cream. Most of the original building was demolished in 1970, and the modern hotel was rebuilt in its stead. Fortunately, the view hasn’t changed in a century. The hotel overlooks the picturesque Hwangudan Temple (“Temple of Heaven”).