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Martinique’s Route Des Rhums is something of the ultimate single island rum tour. The big reason for this being there are 10 different distilleries spread across Martinique’s 425 square miles! TEN! Two of the best are Distillerie Neisson and Plantations Saint James Martinique. All of them produce what’s called rhum agricole, but all you need to know is Martinique rums are the only rums in the world that have been granted the prestigious Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designation. Awarded by the French government agency Institut National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO) in recognition of the finest agricultural products (wines, cheeses, butters, etc), the AOC designation is an incomparable stamp of excellence in the culinary and spirits world.

One of the most romantic drives in Jamaica takes you just outside Ocho Rios and onto the A3 highway, through “Fern Gully": a stunning three-mile gorge surrounded by sky-scraping, 30-foot fern trees. You’ll feel as if you’re on a completely different island as you pass through this natural, green tunnel, once a riverbed. Pull off to the side where possible to stop and take in the views, and even a walk. Because this is a road often taken by visitors and is one of Jamaica’s natural wonders, there are vendors lining up the road, but not so many that it spoils the view. Keep an eye on the road at all times—there might be a man on leaf-adorned stilts appearing before you. Never a dull moment in Jamaica.

When the Hôtel du Vieux-Québec poured nearly $3 million into renovating what was once an 18th-century nunnery in 2014, it was already recognized for its green leadership and sustainability: it’s the only carbon-neutral hotel in the province and the only one in Canada to use 100 percent biofuels. Today this boutique property on Rue Saint-Jean, convenient to all old-city attractions, furthers its ecocommitment with features like rooftop gardens that not only grow organic produce for its clients and employees but help with cooling. The hotel keeps five beehives as part of the Urban Honey Project, which helps pollinate city gardens, and the honey is used at the hotel restaurant. All of the 45 rooms and six apartments are unfussy yet comfortable, and even standard rooms have mini-fridges and a work desk. Guests are particularly fond of the continental breakfast basket that’s hung from your door each morning (so long as you book directly through the hotel) and the espresso maker and fresh fruit available anytime in the lounge.

Had the tastiest Laing Pizza during a trip to CamSur (Camarines Sur), Bicol Region, Philippines. This is a great example of fusion food which combines an Italian pizza with a very local Filipino dish called Laing. Laing is a dish made of gabi (taro) stem and leaves and coconut milk, which originated from the Bicol Region. Since Bicol is one of the few regions in the Philippines that love to eat spicy food, Laing is heavily spiced with siling labuyo (red hot chilies). Different versions have come about adding a bit of bagoong (fermented shrimp) or meat to the dish. With the Laing Pizza we ate, the spicyness of the Laing combined with the gooey cheese of the Pizza simply wakes up those taste buds! I would definitely want to go back for more :-) You can try this at the cafe inside Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC) in Camarines Sur, which is a popular venue for several world events involving wakeboarding. You can also do some wakeboarding yourself or get some lessons if you’ve never tried it. It’s fun! There are several accommodation options inside the complex from budget to high end.

Active from the 13th to 15th centuries and considered an influence on the pre-Renaissance movement, the Sienese School of painting is identifiable by its themes—always religious, and usually with a focus on Biblical miracles—and its signature style, a dreamy mix of Roman, Gothic, and Byzantine influences that often feature dazzling gold backgrounds. Opened in 1932, this museum boasts one of the world’s largest collections of Sienese School works, as well as a number of Renaissance and late-medieval pieces from Italian artists. Wander through the impressive building—a combination of two 14th- and 15th-century noblemen’s palazzi—to find works like Duccio’s Madonna and Child, Michelino da Besozzo’s Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine (celebrating the “calling” of Siena’s native daughter), and Bartolo di Fredi’s expansive Adoration of the Magi. Paired with a visit to Florence’s Uffizi, coming here offers insight into the differences—and longtime rivalry—between the two cities.

Just behind the Pantheon hides the church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, a gem in its own right. The only Gothic church in Rome’s center, it’s a breath of fresh air from over-the-top Baroque opulence. Plus, it has gorgeous frescoes by Filippo Lippi (an early Renaissance master), the body of Italy’s patron saint Catherine of Siena, the tomb of painter Fra Angelico, and a statue done—at least partly—by Michelangelo himself.

This intimate, 110-seat restaurant has been hailed as one of the West Village’s true gems since it opened in 2008, both due to the chef’s fresh take on classic Italian cuisine and the inviting ambiance the cozy, dimly-lit eatery exudes. An open kitchen grants diners front-row seats to a culinary production with a rotating cast of fresh pastas starring tagliatelle, orecchiette, and garganelli. Seafood also features prominently in the form of charred octopus, roasted cod, scallops or Arctic char. Oenophiles will delight in the extensive list of Italian wines by region, including an impressive 2,500-bottle cellar that also plays host to private dinners. Just be sure and save room for dessert; the buttery olive oil cake flies out of the kitchen every dinner. Don’t have time to make it down to L’Artusi for dinner? The weekend brunch menu is equally divine.

The first Tasmanian winery to achieve biodynamic certification has a new restaurant and tasting room that doubles as a biodynamic wine information center. Sample limited-edition bottles such as the Settebello single-block pinot noir at the cellar door, or order your favorite vintage alongside a rustic Italian dinner at farm-to-table Osteria.

Redwood National Park is best known for its redwoods, obviously, but there’s also a long coastline right there. The Klamath River Overlook—where the river meets the Pacific—gives you a spectacular vantage point over the water and is a prime spot to watch for whales. There’s a resident pod that hangs out near the overlook, but you can also see migrating whales during November and December, as well as in March and April. You’ll have to bring binoculars and keep your eyes peeled for their spouting; if the weather’s clear, you can sometimes see them feeding just a few hundred yards from shore. Rangers will often lead whale-watching programs during peak months, so check for information and schedules.

On a promontory within Bouddi National Park, overlooking a secluded bay and a short walk to an empty rust-red beach, Pretty Beach House lives up to its (classically understated Aussie) name. It’s hard to believe this intimate retreat is only a 90-minute drive from Sydney city center. Its location is spectacular and historic—spot the 2,000-year-old Aboriginal rock drawings on a nature walk nearby.

There are four guest pavilions, each outfitted with wood-burning fireplaces, deep-soaking clawfoot tubs, and sun-drenched decks overlooking Broken Bay and Angophora treetops (three have their own private plunge pools). Dining is included in the stay, and it’s exceptional: Celebrated chef Dean Jones takes freshly caught seafood and local produce and crafts them into modern Australian dishes, which you can enjoy anytime you like in the Beach House’s safari-chic dining room or poolside beneath the shady gums.

If the coffee scene in Paris is as robust as it is today, it’s thanks in large part to Thomas Lehoux, one of the city’s star baristas and co-owner of Ten Belles, just off Canal St-Martin. He collaborated with two Englishwomen, Anna Trattles and Alice Quillet from Le Bal Café, to open this intimate espresso bar in the fall of 2012, and success was immediate. Lehoux and his team turn out some of the finest, if time-consuming, drip coffees in the city, while Trattles and Quillet serve up a small menu of comforting fare—soups, sandwiches, and salads—that rotates daily. The Anglo-inspired desserts—cakes, scones, peanut-butter brownies, and raspberry crumb bars—go down beautifully with a host of coffee drinks. Escape the crowds by heading to the mezzanine, where there are usually seats available, along with a view of the bar from above. But if the weather permits, grab one of the stools and take your coffee outside, or opt for a takeout cup and enjoy it alongside the canal.

One of the best views of Florence can be savored from the Piazzale Michelangelo, a short walk across the Arno River from downtown Florence. For a fun afternoon head to the square and enjoy an enchanting panorama of the city, followed by a relaxing alfresco lunch at one of the nearby restaurants. The Piazzale Michelangelo is also worth a visit at night to get a very different glimpse of Florence. The lights of the Duomo and the buildings surrounding it make for a magical nighttime scene.

Nestled within the paddies of a fully operational rice farm, the Four Seasons delivers an immersive experience that’s steeped in tradition. When not exploring Chiang Mai’s ancient temples, guests can learn how to make regional curries at the resort’s cooking school, help farmers plant rice sprouts, or bike through leafy grounds overlooking Doi Suthep mountain and the Mae Rim valley. The 99 elegantly appointed guest rooms, each with teak flooring and Siamese artwork, offer a plush landing spot come evening—that is, if a lemongrass-infused massage at the spa doesn’t do the trick. The resort also has something no other hotel does: two resident water buffaloes.

Even during Antigua Sailing Week, when English Harbour is chock-a-block with yachts from all over the world, the 28-room Inn at English Harbour remains serenely detached from the chaos. The inn is five minutes by water taxi from the center of things at historic Nelson’s Dockyard, but its tucked-away location on a white-sand beach backed by 19 leafy acres (and a no-kids-under-10 policy) ensures tranquility. Four snug rooms, with marble floors and queen beds, occupy two beachside cabanas, while 25 more generously proportioned suites, all with dark mahogany floors, four-poster king-size canopy beds, and verandas or balconies, are in three wooden buildings sitting farther back among the tropical greenery. Although the Terrace Restaurant and Stone Bar are in the property’s original stone house, the rooms, despite their colonial look, are relatively modern, which means there is a flat-screen TV, an iPod docking station, and Internet access.

The carefully curated inventory of this shop across from the Hotel le Sirenuse is pretty much perfect, starting with a line of signature scents, L’Eau d’Italia, which evokes the magic of Mediterranean summers. Among your sublime choices are drinking glasses with swirls of color, made by the famous Venetian glassblower, Carlo Moretti; plates handmade in Milan by the owner’s sister, Costanza Paravicini; sophisticated beach cover-ups, the chicest bikinis, and bespoke swim trunks. In short, beautiful things sold in a beautiful space in one of the most beautiful destinations in Italy: Be prepared to want every single item.