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Why we love it: A private island resort where guests can truly disconnect

The Highlights:
- Just eight casitas and 400 acres of nature
- A strong commitment to sustainability
- A hyper-local culinary program

The Review:
Off the Pacific coast of Panama, near the border with Costa Rica, floats a lush island that indigenous people dubbed Palenque, or “sanctuary.” Once home to an ancient, pre-Columbian community, the island stood empty for hundreds of years—save for the all the wildlife, birds, and flora—until Ben Loomis arrived. For five years, the architect and designer lived on site, sleeping in a hammock by night and getting to know the land by day. Eventually, he put both his background and love for nature to use by creating this private island resort, dedicated to the principles of sustainable luxury.

There are just eight beachfront casitas and one Villa Estate on the 400-acre island, so privacy is a given. Each of the 650-square-foot casitas has direct beach access, an outdoor tub, organic bath products, daybeds and hammocks, artisan-made furnishings, and a mini-bar stocked with local juices, snacks, and beers. Standout amenities include binoculars, a yoga mat, and a meditation cushion, plus a water bottle to use around the resort; Wi-Fi is free, but “island speed.” In addition to the main beach that fronts the casitas, guests have access to six other sandy stretches, along with nature walking and hiking trails, a main infinity pool, a spa, and complimentary use of kayaks, snorkels, and paddleboards. Meals are full of fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients and vibrant Panamanian flavors; rates include three meals a day, along with snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. An Island Foraging experience brings you closer to the culinary process as you learn to fish using ancient techniques, pick goodies from the island’s orchards, and hunt for wild ingredients along rainforest trails. Off-island excursions like whale watching, island hopping, and more can also be arranged, but with the run of a place like this, it’ll be hard to leave.

A visit to the incredible 365-island archipelago (also called the San Blas Islands) within the communal lands of the Guna Yala indigenous nation provides some extraordinary seaside experiences. The islands making up the outer archipelago are unspoiled and feature gorgeous white-sand beaches, turquoise seas, and a one-of-a-kind encounter with Guna culture. Visitors lodge in natural-material huts (cane walls and interwoven palm-frond roofs) or—if you’re in the mood—sleep under the stars in palm-strung hammocks. Local women sport colorful dress made in the style known as mola, a traditional Gula artisanal weaving technique. A highway was built several years back that lets you travel from Panama City to Puerto de Cartí in as few as two hours.

I’m not sure at what age humans develop the skill to stand still and appreciate scenery, but based on a scientific survey of kids who live in my house, it’s not age seven. (On a trip to the Canadian Rockies, as my wife and I snapped photos of the relentlessly picturesque mountains, my son, Luke, investigated how quickly he could break his toy helicopter.) Luke expects Mother Nature to be his playmate. At Bandelier National Monument, about an hour’s drive from Santa Fe, New Mexico, she is. The visitor center offers kids a booklet of activities that, when completed, earn them a Junior Ranger patch. (You could call it a bribe. We prefer the term incentive.) The scavenger hunt sent us off on the Main Loop Trail in search of birds, trees, and bugs, as well as the feature that sets Bandelier apart and makes it perfect for kids: cave dwellings. Ladders of salvaged wood lead to rooms that the Pueblo people carved out of the cliffs here over 800 years ago. “I don’t want to go up, Daddy,” Luke said. “It’s too steep.” “You’ve got this, buddy,” I said. “Just take it slow.” There were no lines of impatient parents pushing their children to race up the ladder. (We saw no more than 20 people on the trail.) Luke could climb the rungs at his own pace. He paused in triumph at the top, then set off to wander the caves. While Mom and Dad squatted—“Watch out for your bald head, Daddy”—Luke could explore without even hunching. After about 45 minutes, we were walking back toward the visitor center. We crossed a nearly dry creek by hopping hand in hand from one downed log to another and were back in time for lunch, before hunger, fatigue, or boredom could set in. It was a parent’s—and child’s—dream hike. This appeared in the August/September 2014 issue.

Often described as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, this 10-mile-long Kauai valley is a kaleidoscopic array of scarlet earth, verdant valleys, and raw volcanic crags. Bands of color streak the corrugated landscape, each representing a different eruption and layer of lava. Waimea Canyon Drive has a series of lookouts; among the most popular is Waimea Canyon (past the Mile 10 marker on Highway 550), where a number of rivers once cascaded down the gently sloping shield volcano. When part of its flank collapsed, the rivers combined with dramatic results. Continue into the mountains to explore Koke’e State Park beyond. Its small, free museum contains a 3-D map, which sheds light on the canyon’s wild beauty, while the gift shop specializes in local art, crafts, and Niihau shell jewelry.

Less than an hour from Christchurch, the spectacle of the Waimakariri River Gorge awaits. The icy river flows from the Southern Alps, making for pristine water and scenic mountain views. Opt for a jetboat ride, or if you prefer to stay dry, a horse trek can take in the same serene beauty and is suitable for even beginning riders. Combine either mode of transportation with a visit to a hill country farm for a true Canterbury country experience.

The Exumas are a stunning archipelago of remote islands and cays strung between Nassau and Long Island, and around a dozen of these tiny islands are protected within the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park. Established in 1958 as a preserve where no fishing is allowed, it was the first marine protected area in the Caribbean. It has been highly successful at maintaining the fragile beaches and marine life found in the area. Visitors can take boat tours to the park to go diving and snorkeling on the many healthy reefs and to explore the secluded tropical islands, where endangered Bahamian iguanas roam the beaches. On Big Major Cay, you can go swimming with the pigs at Pig Beach and give them fresh water, as their water supply is limited.

Ras Abrouq Beach is located 50 miles west of Doha on the edge of the Ras Abrouq Reserve, which also known as Bir Zekreet. This remote, rocky beach is popular with windsurfers and campers who come for the picturesque half-moon bay and the striking limestone outcroppings that are shaped like gigantic mushrooms. Ras Abrouq is a few miles away from Film City—an abandoned film set—and close to a nature reserve where you can spot Oryx, gazelle, and deer. There are no facilities, no paved roads, no nearby gas stations, and no stores to buy water. If you’re making the trek out to Ras Abrouq, bring a four-wheel drive vehicle and be sure to pack plenty of water. The things that make this beach hard to access, however, are what make it worth visiting. The place is worth a trip just for the limestone formations, the silence, and the clear water.

The Coronado Bridge links San Diego to Coronado Island—and the present to the past. In the span of just 2.12 miles, you’ll travel from the digital age to a century when “electrified” hotels were practically unheard of. When the Hotel Del Coronado debuted in 1888, its electric lights and telephones made a sensation—as did its resplendence. In 1892, a young guest named Noel proclaimed in a letter to her family back east that “the red and the white between the bluest sky and the bluest water is like a beautiful dream in a fairy story.” Legions of A-listers have checked in ever since, as a who’s who of vintage portraits attests. But while a stay here is delightfully nostalgic—featuring bike rentals, beachside cabanas, and evening clambakes—the 757-room hotel doesn’t live entirely in the past. Take advantage of its upscale spa, spin classes on the beach, and restaurants serving updated takes on coastal cuisine along with creative cocktails. In the historic Victorian Building Suites, you’ll find modern coastal-chic interiors, streaming TVs, and, of course, Wi-Fi. The Beach Village Suites include additional modern luxuries—like a Sub-Zero fridge and dedicated concierge to help you fill it.

Designed by Gunnar Asplund, one of the big names of 20th-century Swedish architecture, this beautiful graveyard is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the final resting place of actress Greta Garbo. A wonderfully peaceful combination of great architecture and shady woodlands, there’s nothing gloomy about this extraordinary resting place. In fact, an hour or so spent walking here is bound to lift the spirits.

One of the world’s highest active volcanoes (with an altitude of 4000 meters, or over 13,000 feet), Cotopaxi is also one of Ecuador’s most photographed landmarks. Its snowcapped peak is beautiful but deadly: as an active volcano where mud and rock slides are common it has to be closely watched. In August 2015, the president of Ecuador declared a state of emergency because of Cotopaxi’s increased rumblings. Although warnings by Cotopaxi National Park staff and local seismologists are critically important to heed, visitors invariably come back with tales of scenic treks, condor sightings, and bucket-list bravura. Best to come prepared, the altitude makes appropriately warm and protective gear a must. High altitude also means faster fatigue—a thorough check up before you embark and altitude medication may be lifesavers when planning your trip to this paradise.

Fushimi Inari Taisha on Inariyama mountain is dedicated to the Shinto gods of rice and sake, but Inari is also the god of merchants and that brings a lot of businesspeople to worship here. Everyone else stops by to see the thousands of vermilion torii, or gates (each of which is funded by a Japanese company). They lead to the main shrine, which was built in 1499. Walking underneath the gates is like passing through a fiery tangerine tunnel, and visitors leave behind tiny torii replicas as part of their prayer.

The home of St. John Brewers, among the leaders of the recent craft-beer revolution in the Caribbean, is a must-stop for all beer lovers visiting St. John. At the Tap Room, you can sample the brewery’s very latest beers, sometimes even while they’re in mid-development. Look for a plain black tap among the lineup of more colorfully ornate ones behind the bar. New beers in development are often available there. Feedback from customers goes into finalizing the brews.

A quieter version of Uluru’s Sounds of Silence or Tali Waru desert dinner, this Kings Canyon spinoff offers a four-course meal in a rugged wilderness setting blanketed by the same southern night sky. The moon and flickering fire provide the only light, while soft music and rustling oak trees create a romantic background for intimate conversation. Sparkling wine and canapés are followed by a menu focusing on the fresh local produce of the Australian outback.

Atop Cap Diamant (Cape Diamond), at the city’s highest point, the Citadelle overlooks Old Québec, the St. Lawrence River, and the Plains of Abraham. There have been defensive structures here as early as the French period—in fact, the location of Québec City was chosen because Samuel de Champlain saw the strategic advantages that Cap Diamant offered. The fortifications you see today, however, date to the 19th century: They were built after a failed attempt by Americans to conquer Québec City during the War of 1812. Students of World War II history may be familiar with the Citadelle as the site of the Québec Conferences, when Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Canada‘s prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, met to plan their countries’ strategies during the war. The Citadelle is still an active military base; the museum inside is devoted to the 22nd Regiment, which makes its headquarters here.

Opened in 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is home to animals, animated attractions, and thrilling rides for the entire family. The animal lovers in your entourage will swoon over the fun, informative Kilimanjaro Safari Rides, during which you’ll take an open-air vehicle across the “savanna” to spot herds of giraffes and elephants, while thrill seekers will love the roller coasters, rafting rides, and character meet-and-greets. There are also exhibits on everything from gorillas and okapis to hippos, flamingos, and living coral reef, as well as the new Pandora—The World of Avatar area, which features 3-D rides and other, milder attractions for little ones. Standard admission tickets include enough to keep you busy for two days, plus you can add on experiences like evening safari rides, dining packages, and behind-the-scenes tours with naturalists to learn about the day-to-day care of the African elephant herd.