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A clifftop eco-hotel surrounded by 50 barely touched acres on the bucolic North Kohala coast, Hawaii Island Retreat feels as far away as it gets. There are no TVs in the guest rooms, no air-con, and Wi-Fi only in certain spots. Solar and wind power provide all the electricity, while much of the fruit and vegetables are grown right on the property. Resident goats and bees supply the cheese and honey. The inn has 20 simply-furnished bedrooms in the main house, overlooking groves of cedar and pine trees, plus seven yurts a stone’s throw away, so it’s possible—likely even—that a guest might spend days here and rarely see another soul. The owners, a local spa therapist and natural healer and her physician husband, opened the property in 2009 with the express purpose of creating a wellness-focused retreat, which is why guests can sign up for classes in yoga, tai chi, and meditation, as well as facials and massages. Outdoor massage tables, placed under a tent, overlook a deep green valley. There’s also a mediation rock. So health-minded is this little retreat that it’s become a popular spot for guests recovering from serious illness or simply in search of a detox. Various packages have a wellness or spiritual theme.

In many ways, the Fairmont Orchid is the quintessential Hawaiian luxury resort. Its big, elegant lobby is blooming with purple orchids and birds of paradise, its enormous, 24-hour swimming pool wends its way around black rock islands, and its 32 lush acres include tropical gardens and a white-sand beach that frames an aquamarine cove. The 540 guest rooms and suites, located in two six-story towers, all have lanais; half have ocean (or partial water) views, the others overlook the spotless grounds. It’s the dream Vacationland, and as such, the mood is jolly round-the-clock. Cheerful staff oversee the long list of activities—canoe excursions, petroglyph hikes, stand-up paddle-boarding, and about a zillion other options are available both on property and off (some activities are complimentary, others cost extra)—and the crowd tends to be a fun-in-the-sun bunch. On any given day, there might be a Canadian family in a heated volleyball game on the beach, or a group of Silicon Valley execs soaking in the hot tub.

Carve out a day to spend at the award-winning Spa Without Walls, where the Hawaian-influenced treatments are performed in 17 treatments rooms, some with ocean views and private outdoor spaces. Them, fuel up on Japanese meats and sushi, fresh seafood, robatayaki (grilled) items, beachside classics, and more at the numerous dining outlets. Along with repeat guests, the hotel’s most frequent visitors are the giant sea turtles that regularly hang out at the Orchid’s beachfront. They’ve become such an integral part of the property that even guests at other hotels drop by for a peek.

Thailand has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and this itinerary takes you to the best of the best.

From pad Thai to khao soi and everything in between, eat your way through Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui with this itinerary.

In this week’s episode of Unpacked by AFAR, journalist Sally Kohn travels to the Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, to learn what it’s like to live and work there.