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At Lizard Island, luxurious amenities meet an ecologically diverse island paradise. The sole resort on the island, the exclusive spot features 40 rooms as well as 24 private beaches, all but guaranteeing your own pristine sliver of paradise. Accommodations range from posh villas set apart from one another (including the two-bedroom, cliff-top villa, with its 26-foot pool and endless views of the Coral Sea), to garden-view rooms with private terraces and pathways leading directly to Anchor Bay beach. Furnishings follow a tranquil white-and-gray color scheme, while amenities include LCD smart TVs and Apple docking stations. Guests also receive their own motorized dinghy, standup paddleboards, clear-view sea kayaks, and snorkeling gear for exploring Giant Clam gardens and the schools of brightly colored fish in the surrounding waters. The more adventurous can even arrange for private deep-sea dives to locations accessed exclusively by the Lizard Island Marine & Dive team, ensuring you’ll have the coral reefs all to yourself.

Tucked on the corner of Hopkins Avenue and Monarch Street, White House Tavern occupies one of Aspen’s oldest buildings, a small Carpenter Gothic–style white house that was built in 1883. The offerings here don’t change from when the restaurant opens for lunch at 11 a.m. to when the sky darkens and the cocktails start flowing into the night. The menu is made up mostly of hearty salads (Thai steak and noodle, kale with rotisserie chicken) and tasty sandwiches, including an incredibly crispy chicken sandwich and a flavorful, perfectly cooked prime rib au jus piled high on a homemade roll. The cocktail list is short and tends toward the classics—negroni, margarita, martini—but the wine list is surprisingly ambitious.

Hobart’s most famous cobblestoned square was once known for whalers and sailors. Today, it’s inhabited by artists and food purveyors, who mix and mingle every Saturday at the Salamanca Market—the largest outdoor market in Australia, which boasts some 300 food and craft vendors. Sample locally produced cheeses, chocolates, and jams; browse jewelry, ceramics, photography, wool scarves, and bowls hand-hewn from local Huon pine; or do your organic grocery shopping for the trip. Also on this blessed square is the Salamanca Arts Centre, a collection of 1830s Georgian sandstone warehouses converted into more than a dozen galleries and performance spaces. Look for timeless tunics and capes by designer Leonie Struthers at The Maker, and some of Australia’s best cheeses at the Bruny Island Cheese Co.

In the 1850s, a rugged hill overlooking Sydney Harbour was capped with the Sydney Observatory at the behest of English astronomer and clergyman William Scott. What started as a sandstone structure used primarily for time-keeping and navigation developed into an observatory that has been illuminating the southern sky for more than a century. Sydney has much more light pollution today, but the original retractable copper dome does a good job of blocking it out to bring distant constellations and nebulae into view. The resident astronomer will target planets such as Jupiter and Saturn as well as only-in-the-southern-hemisphere sights such as the Southern Cross constellation or the astronomer’s favorite: Jewel Box, a rare cluster of glimmering stars whose different colors reflect distinct ages.

The Argentine restaurant that took Sydney by storm in 2010—and even rose from the ashes of a fire that originated in its charcoal grill—finally outgrew its Cleveland Street Surry Hills digs and reopened on Holt Street in late 2016. The old parilla and asado fire pits were transplanted to the new location, this time positioned behind the counter of the open kitchen, and the rockabilly vibe lives on, albeit in a bright, plant-filled, parquet-floored space decorated with vintage sports and movie posters. Old menu favorites like the grilled Wagyu skirt steak and deep-fried Brussels sprouts can now be paired with a seafood cocktail, or wood-fired pumpkin tamales smothered in mole. End with the flan or melon ice cream served in the rind.

Built in the 1920s by a Croatian businessman, Palacio Astoreca underwent two years of refurbishment and restoration before opening its doors as a boutique hotel in 2012. The work was carried out to a meticulous degree, maintaining the original parquet floors, and adding splashes of color with art deco furniture and modern art, including one piece by Switzerland’s Frédéric Clot. The stucco-and-brick mansion rises up from the streets of Chile’s port city, Valparaíso, like a piece of red-and-white confectionary.

A statement staircase winds up to the 23 rooms, some of which have stand-alone bathtubs. And the basement level is home to a small spa with an open-air, wood-fueled hot tub set alongside a living wall. The reception level and entrance hall open out onto a terrace where lunch, tea, and cocktails are served, allowing guests prime views over the hilly city and Pacific Ocean. There are quiet corners for those seeking a solitary moment, including a library and a piano bar, which comes to life in the evenings with live music.

Travelers seeking spacious accommodations in buzzy South Yarra would be wise to choose this MGallery by Sofitel property on shop-lined Chapel Street. The smallest of its 111 guest rooms start at a roomy 410 square feet and feature plush king beds, black-marble bathrooms, and smart TVs, while its largest split-level suites are nearly quadruple in size—one has its own private spa bath and sauna, while another houses a dining table for 10 and a baby grand piano in the living room. The interiors scream personality, with a bold color palette of hot pink, turquoise, and lime green and decorative elements like gray-and-black leaf decals. After a day spent shopping in the nearby boutiques, unwind in the gym and sauna, then chill out in one of the plush lounge chairs on the seasonal rooftop deck or around the indoor pool, which is covered in a retractable glass roof that opens during warm weather.

Known for generations as the Pink Princess, this legend opened its doors in 1885 and remains one of the largest and most celebrated hotels in Bermuda. Fresh off a $100 million renovation in 2016, the 170 rooms and suites are now what you’d expect from a Fairmont-managed property—clean, modern, and comfortably luxurious, all with water views—while public spaces have been elevated by an exceptional collection of modern art (Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, and Ai Weiwei are just some of the luminaries who grace the walls). The new infinity pool has gorgeous views over the harbor, the spa offers treatments and fitness classes in partnership with noted brand exhale, and the marina’s water-sports team can organize everything from kayak and Jet ski rentals to paragliding lessons. Guests also have exclusive access to a private beach club on Sinky Bay—just 20 minutes away from the hotel via complimentary shuttle—which features water hammocks and snorkeling-friendly waters. Back at the resort, dining options include the buzzing Marcus, serving signature dishes from celebrated chef Marcus Samuelsson, and more casual options highlighting fresh seafood and local rum.

Mount Kilimanjaro is a treasure of Tanzania and a popular attraction for tourists wanting to conquer Africa’s tallest mountain. Because of its fame and relatively easy ascent—if you don’t count the altitude sickness—this hike attracts more than 16,000 climbers a year. If you want to climb in relative peace, take the Northern Circuit detour, which avoids the busiest trails.

While some Great Barrier Reef resorts require private plane charter, this 57-room boutique resort is located on Hamilton Island—the only one in the Whitsundays with a commercial airport—meaning it’s easily reached by a direct flight from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or Cairns. Each room, situated on the tranquil, white-sand Catseye Beach, has a bright Aussie vibe, with lots of natural wood, Aesop toiletries, and private terraces or balconies offering palm-fringed ocean views. The resort’s adults-only policy ensures bliss awaits at the infinity pool overlooking the beach, or below on the portion of Catseye reserved for Beach Club guests. Also on offer is complimentary watersports gear, from snorkeling equipment to catamarans. The resort can even arrange for helicopter and seaplane rides, or diving excursions to secluded sections of the Great Barrier Reef.

Many friendly squirrels will greet you while walking through the Company’s Garden, a park and heritage site located in the heart of Cape Town’s City Bowl. This garden, along with Kirstenbosch and Arderne, are the most beautiful green spaces with historical significance in the Western Cape. These particular gardens date back to the 1650’s, when the Dutch utilized the natural spring water running down from Table Mountain to establish a small area for agriculture. Now, City Parks is re-establishing part of the garden as an educational tool. You can bring a picnic or grab a bite at the small Garden Tea Room. There are several museums set on the periphery of the garden, including two of the best rainy day museums: the South African National Gallery and Iziko South Africa Museum & Planetarium.

This J-shaped peninsula southeast of Hobart is home to natural, historic, and man-made surprises. The Three Capes Track is an awe-inspiring way to take in the landscape, home to Australia’s tallest sea cliffs; Shipstern Bluff (“Shippy’s” and “Devil’s Point” to locals), known for giant waves and shark encounters; and the Totem Pole and the Candlestick, two dolerite sea stacks popular among crazy rock climbers and rappellers. Port Arthur is Tasmania’s most famous convict site, and a variety of tours—including a lantern-lit ghost tour—are designed for families. Before you leave, toast the trip of a lifetime at McHenry Distillery, one of the world’s most southern distilleries, with a sloe gin made from locally foraged berries.

This city is laid out in a grid system—seven streets by seven streets. Although established in 1751, Frederiksted was rebuilt in 1878 in a Victorian gingerbread style following a great fire due to a labor revolt. St. Patrick’s church, which was constructed in the 1840s, is an impressive sight. Other buildings of note include the Customs House and the eponymous fort. Steps from the pier, Frederiksted Beach has chair, umbrella and paddleboard rentals.

Set smack bang on the beach at Canggu’s Batu Bolong surf spot, Old Man’s is where surfers rinse off the salt and head in for a beer and a bite to eat. The beer garden’s open and airy atmosphere is enhanced by strings of lights and awesome murals by Australian artist Lucas Grogan. You really can’t go wrong at Old Man’s: Prices are affordable, it’s family- and dog-friendly, and the sunset is spectacular. Drop by and see what the hype is about.

Across the Cumberland River from downtown, residential East Nashville got its first taste of hipster cool in 2016 when this Instagram-friendly bed-and-breakfast opened in a renovated Queen Anne mansion. Like its sister property in Brooklyn, Urban Cowboy’s eight suites and freestanding cabin are each uniquely named—Midnight Rider, the Lion’s Den—and decorated with geometric inlaid woodwork, Southwestern-inspired designs, and handcrafted furniture, plus custom wallpaper and copper and claw-foot tubs. The communal music parlor encourages interaction among guests with a collection of gently worn instruments, as does the all-weather fire pit, where blankets and good cheer are plentiful, especially after enjoying craft cocktails and wood-fired meals at Public House, the property’s on-site restaurant and bar.