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For an intimate stay amid Chiang Mai’s mega-resorts, look no further than Sala Lanna. The boutique hotel’s 16 rooms are spare but clean, with free Wi-Fi and low-key comforts like plush bathrobes and iPod docking stations. On-site laundry facilities make it an easy choice for families and guests who want to spend their time exploring Chiang Mai’s hidden corners by bicycle—a tour that can be arranged by the hotel concierge. Of course, no one would fault you if your big plans included nothing more than taking in the Mae Ping River views from the rooftop swimming pool and bar.

If you’re on your honeymoon or traveling with one other couple, Acacia Villa is a great choice. Priced at around the same rate as a four-star hotel room, but you get the privacy of staying in a home. The villa has an open and airy feel and is built facing east so you get the cooling trade winds the islands are famous for. The only downer is it is on the leeward side of Provo -- on the waterfront -- and not on the beach side. That said, Grace Bay Beach is just a short drive away and you do have your own private swimming pool.

There are many reasons to stay at Stargazer, but my personal favorite is the great snorkeling located less than a five minute swim from this gated property’s deserted half-mile stretch of sugar sand and fossil covered beach. The lights of Grace Bay Beach, just a 10-minute drive from this six-bedroom villa, provide a twinkling backdrop when floating in the trio of infinity pools at night. But Stargazer feels wonderfully remote thanks to its secluded residential locale, and privacy of 2.4 gated acres of colorful gardens and indigenous trees. The six bedrooms are located in three buildings, including the impressive 15,000-square-foot main house set up for entertaining.

If all you really want to do on your Bahamian visit is relax on the beach, this is the spot for you. A short ride from downtown Nassau (every taxi driver knows where it is), it has everything necessary for a fun morning or afternoon in the sun: a stretch of powdery white sand, calm waters that are perfect for swimming and surrounding resorts where you can stop in to get a bite, order drinks and rent water-sports equipment.

Why we love it: An all-American dude ranch where guests can play cowboy in luxury

Highlights:
- A superb riding program that brings over 150 horses to the mesquite corral each morning
- Luxury amenities like an outdoor pool and spa to balance out the adventure
- Regular dining events like private-chef dinners and barbecues

The Review:
Founded in 1868, this Tucson guest ranch sits below the Rincon Mountains, overlooking the rolling foothills of Saguaro National Park. It’s often ranked among America’s top resorts and wedding destinations—and for good reason. Not only does it deliver Southwestern charm in the form of pink adobe architecture, but it runs one of the nation’s top horseback-riding programs, with everything from team penning and mountain adventure rides to the signature “Harmony with Horses,” which teaches interspecies communication. The ranch also offers a host of other activities, including yoga, hikes, mountain biking, photography courses, and naturalist-led walks to explore the desert’s edible and medicinal plants. There’s even a kids’ day camp for ages four to 12 with tennis, arts and crafts, swimming, and more.

Rooms here feature exposed beams and brick, punctuated with dark wood furniture and pops of Southwestern fabrics. Each has a desk, coffeemaker, and small refrigerator, while the biggest suite also includes a fireplace and sleeps up to six. When guests start feeling saddle sore, they can rejuvenate with a full-body massage in the spa, or grab a prickly pear margarita at the Dog House Saloon. For a full meal, head to the on-site restaurant, which serves Southwestern cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or attend one of the specialty dining events held each week, including private-chef dinners and cowboy cookouts.

For years now, Koregaon Park has been associated with a hint of mysticism. It all began with the formation of the sprawling Osho International Asharam on the quiet and leafy Lane 1. The commune was established by Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, a controversial philosopher and guru who died in 1990, and is a center for spirituality and meditation. With its distinct black tiles and white marble pathway, the massive property is easy to identify; followers are often seen in maroon robes, on their way in and out. The focus here is on relaxation and de-stressing. Visitors can amble along the green estate, sign up for a meditation workshop, get a massage or some other therapeutic service, mingle with visitors from across the globe over a cup of tea, or even go for a swim.

Even though Smögen is said to be one of the most popular fishing towns, a Swedish friend of mine tells me it still feels like a secret, even for them. These beautiful cozy and colorful fishing huts line the pier with a rocky coastline in the backdrop. The country’s second largest fish auction is held here, and fishing boats bring their catches to market where you can buy just minutes later, right around the corner. I had an excellent sandwich called landgård here, open-faced with shrimp, crayfish and salmon. All so fresh, I’m not sure I knew what fresh fish was until I had a meal in Smögen. Basking in the sun, diving, swimming, or fishing for sport – it’s an exquisite town for vacationing in the summer. It is the perfect place to slow down.

I recently went to Durban to attend a wedding. While I personally don’t consider Durban at the top of list of places to go on holiday in SA, I will say that Durban is great for the sun and the surf. In terms of tourist attractions, Ushaka Marine World is a great place to take the family. You can spend the day having fun at the water park, catch the dolphin show or get in some knowledge and check out the aquarium. The aquarium is themed to resemble a sunken ship with certain rooms even displaying some of the decor and furniture upside down! Those who are brave enough can even venture into the shark tank where you’ll be able to swim with some of the scary predators of the deep blue sea!

Every afternoon about 5:30 PM, islanders and connoisseurs of sunsets arrange themselves at their favorite beach side vantage point on the west and south shores of Oahu for a chance to see the legendary “green flash”. In all of my years of living in Hawaii, I have only seen it twice, but sometimes I think it was a result of a very strong Mai Tai and staring at the sun too long. If you’d like to try for a glimpse of this phenomenon, you might as well be sitting in a comfortable spot with a great drink in hand. SWIM is a poolside bar with views over the statue of Duke Kahanamoku out to Waikiki beach. On an upper deck of The Hyatt Regency Waikiki, you are above street level so nice treetop and beach views are yours. I recommend the Lychee Martini ( pictured). The pupus are really good here too and if you plan it right, might serve as dinner. If not, hop over to SHOR American Seafood Grill. Visible across the pool with indoor or outdoor seating, start with amazing Baby Kona Abalone with garlic herbed butter, the tremendous seafood tower or the catch of the day you pair with a sauce you select from the list like Pineapple Shiso Relish, Hamakua Mushroom, Soy Radish etc. Insider Tip : Valet your car gratis with purchase – so get your ticket stamped and tip your valet.

Designed by Thai architect Khun Lek Bunnag—who has garnered a reputation for building luxury resorts that highlight the natural beauty of southeast Asia (Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai; Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve)—the centerpiece of this peaceful boutique property is a 330-foot swimming pool that’s anchored by four massive gold-leaf columns and meanders through a forest-backed eight-acre garden. Vast domed and wood-covered rooms are controlled with iPads and express a fusion of modern Thai and Indian aesthetics—think sleek marble surfaces, whimsical panelled walls, and silk throw pillows. Guests are mostly couples and child-free travelers unfazed by the freestanding bathtubs that sit next to king-size beds and showers separated from sleeping areas by glass sliding doors. The many unfenced walkways over the swimming pool and other water features make the hotel unsuitable for very young children, though older kids might appreciate outdoor movie screenings.

Wymara Resort Turks & Caicos (formerly the Gansevoort aims to be as much a scene as it is a hotel. Of course, with tots wandering through the lobby with sand buckets, it isn’t quite the party you might have in South Beach or NYC. But then, trendy urbanites don’t have this—the white-sand beach of Grace Bay, or an infinity pool with wood-deck islands that can be reserved for sunbathing, private dining, or just making everyone else feel less important. The 91 rooms are designer chic, with an open floor plan and plenty of space to stretch out. Also available for booking are seven luxury oceanfront villas, located on an elevated hillside overlooking the bay and Turtle Tail. Each features four to five bedrooms as well as two private pools, expansive indoor-outdoor living areas, sunken outdoor lounge areas with firepits, and over-the-water swimming platforms with direct ocean access. Stelle, the Mediterranean-influenced restaurant, has a DJ who spins on Friday nights. And Exhale Spa counterbalances the chill party vibe with sunset yoga in an outdoor pavilion.

The Maya name for Laguna Bacalar means the Lake of Seven Colors, and spending a little time here will show you why it’s such an apt moniker: from turquoise to cobalt blue to jade green and everything in between, the colors of this fresh-water lake seem to shift and change against its white-sand bottom. When you’re ready to do something else besides admire the breathtaking view, you can go swimming or kayaking, enjoy spa treatments and yoga, or adventure off to a nearby cenote and fort. And there are plenty of comfortable hotels and good eats in the town of Bacalar. This oasis in the middle of the jungles of Quintana Roo is the perfect off-the-beaten-track destination for travelers ready to escape the touristy Riviera Maya madness. It is also a refreshing rest stop on the way to the ancient Maya ruins of Dzibanché, Kinichná, and Kohunlich.

An oasis so idyllic, you might first think it’s a mirage, Hotel Fellah is an eight-acre retreat that fuses Moroccan culture with a hipster design aesthetic and a farm-to-table ethos. Locals, artists in residence, and guests mingle in the art center and library, and at the educational farm, kids groom donkeys, milk goats or collect eggs that are sold in neighboring villages. The small café opposite the swimming pool is run by Touco, a resident of nearby Tassoultante village. Don’t miss his tagine, or—even better—pick ingredients from the garden and ask him to show you how to make it.

Near the northern end of Andros Island, about 15 minutes by air from Nassau, remote Kamalame Cay is worth the effort it takes to get there. The 96-acre private island features 34 rustic-chic rooms and suites, all within steps of a white-sand beach, as well as a central Great House where guests come together to sip wine before dinner and share stories afterward (of course, many opt for a secluded, candlelit meal set up somewhere along the three miles of shoreline). A range of seaside activities keep everyone from the kids to newlyweds to the occasional celebrity happy. There’s a freshwater swimming pool, an over-water spa, world-class fishing off the coast, and entertainment by local “rake-and-scrape” bands. And for those who live in fear of being unplugged, relax. Kamalame Cay offers hotspots around the island for full cell service (if you want it) and Wi-Fi in the reception area.

Islands of the Caribbean with historically strong ties to Great Britain aren’t exactly known for letting it all hang out but just to the south of Galley Bay Resort and Spa, is Antigua’s one-and-only clothing-optional stretch of sand: Eden Beach. Intrepid (or maybe a little fool-hardy) travelers can borrow bikes from Galley Bay to make the trip, but be warned: there are several steep hills standing between you and taking it all off, but, as I found out on my last visit, that just makes the payoff that much sweeter! The beach is much larger than you might expect with lots of private nooks. There’s even an exotic mini-islet within swimming distance from shore. The place is positively picturesque. But you’ll have to show some restraint. There’s a strict “no cameras allowed” policy out of respect for your fellow nude neighbors.