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The Hong Kong-based Swire Hotels launches in the U.S. with their 352-room EAST, Miami, located in city’s bustling financial district. L.A.-based Studio Collective and New York’s Clodagh Design paired up to design the interiors, which mix intricate woodwork with sleek furnishings. Original artwork from notable names such as China-born Zha Songgang and Miami-based Alexander Mijares hangs throughout the hotel, along with photographs that highlight Miami’s colorful scenery and Modernist architecture. Quinto La Huella, an outpost of a famous seafood restaurant in José Ignacio, Uruguay, promises to draw locals and visitors alike, while the hotel’s rooftop space serves Asian-inspired tapas with views of the skyline. From $259

The mercury during summer afternoons can hit 34C (or around 95F). How to stay cool during the hottest time of the day (4-6pm)? Besides seeking shade or air-conditioning, Santiaguinos seek solace in a traditional drink called “mote con huesillos.” Huesillos, sun-dried peaches, are cooked with water and a touch of sugar. The liquid and fruit are chilled and served with a scoop of toothy golden barley. Mote con huesillo is sold by vendors throughout downtown. More than a drink, it’s a satisfying, healthy snack.

Set aside some time to indulge in a spot of pampering and preening. The lanes of Koregaon Park are home to a number of salons and day spas, many of which are adjacent to each other—so you can enjoy a set of salon treatments before stepping next door for a spa appointment. A good spa to visit is Four Fountains, which offers a full suite of therapies for de-stressing, detox, and beauty. Treatments include aromatherapy, reflexology, Ayurvedic massage, and the intriguing coffee and cane sugar body polish.

The French are well known for their delicate baguettes, the ricH butter croissants, and sweet and colorful macaroons. Macaroons or in French ‘le macaron,’ are small round meringue like cookies, made of sugar and eggs, stuffed with light cream or crushed almond cream. There are endless bakeries in Paris, and so many patisseries that sell and serve macaroons but my favorite one was Ladurée, which became a prestigious brand name for macaroons. My most visited Ladurée was the one on 21 Rue Boneparte, a cute cornered patisserie with a colorful magical and tempting gift shop next door.

No guide to Antigua‘s beaches would be complete without including Long Bay Beach. Unquestionably, it’s one of the island’s finest beaches. The sand is almost blindingly white, like someone poured out a billion sugar shakers. The water is exceptionally clear and calm, especially at the eastern end where even toddlers could safely roam the shoreline without the fear of being barreled over by waves. There’s even good snorkeling near the beach’s reef, which you can actually walk out to! So, why don’t I love Long Bay Beach? Well, it can get a bit busy for my taste. There’s several restaurants including Mama Pastas, resorts including Grand Pineapple, and even a clutch of tiny shops selling local goods. So, if you’re like me, get here as early as possible. Maybe go for a morning run on the impressive sand. Then move on as the masses begin to descend.

Sucré opened a couple of years after Katrina swept through a bustling stretch of Magazine Street not far from the Garden District. It quickly established itself as the city’s premier destination for chocolates, macarons, gelato, and, well… basically anything with sugar. The original shop is bright and modern rather than cluttered and fussy, and the intricately decorated confections are neatly housed in chilled cases, like jewels in a vitrine. But there’s nothing precious about the tastes here—it’s all big, bold flavors. If you’re here around Mardi Gras season, ask about the seasonal king cake, all lustrous and gilded. Sucré also recently opened a French Quarter outpost with an upstairs tearoom.

One of the most popular new breweries in town, Black Abbey Brewing Company opens its “fellowship hall” tasting room Thursday through Sunday. Have a seat at one of the communal tables for a bite of cheese, olives and meats while tasting your way through beers like The Rose, a belgian-style blonde, or The Special, a traditional monastic-style beer. Black Abbey’s brews also are available at many restaurants and bars in town.

The smallest holding in the mini-empire of Uri Jeremias, who also owns Akko’s Uri Buri restaurant and Efendi Hotel, this bright and no-frills ice cream shop sits along the old city’s western seafront. These are natural treats, made using local dairy products and no powders or stabilizers. The result is smooth and creamy, and the flavors (up to 16 available at a given time) are ones you won’t find too many other parts of the world, such as date, halva, cardamom, and rose.

Stroll through Otrobanda for more than five minutes and you’ll immediately understand why locals call it the cultural heart of Willemstad. Located across the bay from Punda—Otrobanda literally means “other side"—the district is a fascinating mishmash of restored colonial buildings and run-down alleys covered in fading murals. Along the Breedestraat, the neighborhood’s main shopping road, you can find rows of Chinese and Indian stores, bars, lotto shacks, bakeries, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. The best way to explore this area’s complex past is to join Shirley of Dushi Walks on a two-hour trek to her favorite sites—complete with history, art, and stories from the residents you’ll meet along the way.

This Nashville institution often has a line out the door and wrapped around the building. (“It moves fast!” everyone will tell you.) Once inside, the scene is no-frills, but it’s not the atmosphere you’re here for—it’s the people, the tradition, and the pancakes, of course. You can choose from flavors like traditional buttermilk; Caribbean with shredded coconut, banana, and powdered sugar; Swiss chocolate chip; sweet potato; and many, many more. Everything is made from scratch, including non-pancake dishes like omelets, sandwiches, and salads.

Rum is the Caribbean’s signature spirit, its production documented in the region since colonial times. Just as there are dozens of varieties of rum, Caribbean travelers can select from a wide variety of rum distillery tours. The one offered at Cruzan Rum Distillery highlights the rum-making prowess of the 19th-century Nelthropp family, considered Cruzan rum royalty by many. The Nelthropp family endeavored to craft a spirit incorporating the “warm, tropical breezes that circulate through the open-air warehouses of the distillery.” A sip after your tour will allow you to judge whether they managed to capture St. Croix in a bottle.

Quebec really knows how to throw a party. It may be cold, but the Quebecois absolutely love it. The Hotel de Glace is just one example. Covering 32,000 square feet, this glistening example of “ice engineering” is just too much fun to pass up. If you’re feeling adventurous, make a reservation and spend the night, all of the rooms are themed differently with unique ice carvings in each room. The hotel will provide you with arctic-style sleeping bags designed to keep you warm well below zero. If perhaps you would like a libation, there is a bar that serves signature drinks. I sampled a Hotel De Glace cocktail that consisted of vodka and ice cider served in a shot glass carved from ice. After dark, the hotel comes to life with beautiful colored lighting that really highlights the structure. For a bit more fun for you adrenaline junkies, you will find a climbing wall made of ice, the gauntlet is now thrown down. For more information visit the hotel’s web site at http://www.hoteldeglace-canada.com. Photograph by www.xdachez.com

Never has a yummy treat been mired in such controversy as the Whoopie Pie. First, how did this burger-shaped cake with the sugary cream filling get its name? Does the name come from the exclamation that schoolchildren shouted upon opening their lunch bags to discover these delights? Or does it come from the Amish farmers, who were rewarded with these portable “pies” in their lunch boxes? My vote (and Pennsylvania Dutch lore) favors the school kids. But wait—there’s more controversy! While I am one hundred percent certain that these little cakes called pies originated in my lovely state of Pennsylvania, it seems that the state of Maine has also laid claim to their origin, even going so far as to name the Whoopie Pie as its “official state treat.” Other research points to somewhere in New York state as their birthplace. We may never know… There was a time not long ago when Whoopie Pies felt much like a prized local secret because no one outside of Pennsylvania had ever heard of them (excepting, I guess, some of those Mainers). These days, though, you can even find Whoopie Pies in the bakery sections at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. But the most authentic and delicious version can only be found at the Amish bakery Beiler’s in the Reading Terminal Market. My personal favorite is the pumpkin flavor, but the chocolate is also delicious. Or maybe try the oatmeal, or the red velvet. Better yet, try one of each—they’re portable!

Diani Beach is a 25km strip of pale, sugary sands backed by the cerulean Indian Ocean. As one of the more developed towns on the Kenyan coast, there’s a great variety of restaurants, cafés, bars and shops here. Also on offer are activities from horse riding to kite-surfing and tours of the ancient Kaya Forest. Popular haunts in Diani include the Forty Thieves Beach Bar - renowned for their fun beach parties and tasty pizzas, as well as Ali Barbour’s restaurant – set inside a candle-lit cave which opens out onto the starry night’s sky above. However you choose to spend your time in this idyllic costal location, one thing is for sure: as the sun sets, castling a golden glitter on the sea below, and the beach-front restaurants lay flickering lanterns on the sand, there are few other places in the world you will want to be.

Countless people have made the arduous trek to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery in Bhutan but I would venture to say that few have ever made it to the spot shown in the photo. This small, unassuming structure, nestled high up in the crook of the mountainside, is located just before you ascend the last set of 800 steps to reach the base of the Monastery. Continue on your trek to Tiger’s Nest but on your return trip, check out the place. You’ll be in for an nice treat! When I entered the building, a friendly monk greeted me. He waved me towards a collection of cups and told me to help myself to a cup of tea. After that long hike to the Tiger’s Nest, a cup of restorative tea and a short break was a bit of welcomed relief. Next to the cups were tea bags, sugar and flasks that contained a concoction of warm water and milk. I made my own brew and walked around while I sipped on it. I heard the sound of monks chanting. I later learned that this place is a Meditation Hut; a place where monks come to pray and chant. They are commonplace throughout Bhutan. I also found out that the tea is free! The monks offer it as a service to pilgrims coming to the monastery. If you are hiking up to Tigers Nest Monastery, be sure to stop for tea at the Meditation Hut. Please consider bringing tea bags or sugar to leave behind as a contribution.