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St. Vincent has a long, rather tumultuous history, during which English and French colonists fought tooth and nail with local Carib Indians—and then with one another. Today, everyone gets along just fine, but visiting the island’s historical sites helps put things in perspective.

On the Caribbean island of Tobago, you’ll find sand, surf—and the fastest goats on the planet. Now if they’d just run in a straight line….

Also known as the Papenoo Valley, the Maroto Valley is a magical place once inhabited by ancient Polynesians. If you go with a guide -- I recommend Marama Tours -- you’ll be able to learn about the history of the area as well as learn to forage like they did in the past. The above photo is of a local fruit called noni, whose juice gets rid of mosquito bite itch. A few other natural remedies the group learned include lime can be a deodorant, coconut juice aids digestion and taro is good for strong bones and teeth.

Shopping in Guadeloupe is a thrill. On the one hand you get the best of French goods, from perfumes and beauty products to trendy beach apparel, and on the other you get Guadeloupean arts and crafts. On Grande Terre, Sainte-Anne’s artisanal fabrics will have you renewing your beach closet, while the colorful markets of Pointe-a-Pitre are ideal for stocking up on cooking spices. Guadeloupean rhum—which also comes in delicious fruit flavors—and cacao are sold island-wide, while the shopping malls house French designer brands. The best packing advice for Guadeloupe is to save plenty of luggage space.

Okay, some of these restaurants are technically still in Charleston, but what they have in common is food that merits a trip outside the well-trodden tourist area. Get there however you can, but don’t miss the extraordinary things—soul food, Chinese food, barbecue, French-accented local, whatever!—being cooked up in these remarkable South Carolina kitchens.

With options ranging from fine French cuisine served in white-cloth dining rooms to local joints dishing out classic muffulettas or po’boys, and pouring perfect Sazeracs, New Orleans offers your mouth the makings of a great vacation.

The tattoo art form was invented in the Islands of Tahiti, and today many Polynesians sport beautiful work of art tattoos as symbols of their personal identities. If you’d like to remember your trip with a tattoo of your own, there are many options on Tahiti. In Papeete, pay a visit to Manao Tattoo. The artists here offer a number of traditional Polynesian patterns as well as creative original designs.

Colorful and chaotic, at least by Tahitian standards, Papeete is Tahiti’s capital city and a cultural hub worth exploring. It’s undergoing a bit of a renaissance these days, with an infusion of graffiti street art brightening once gray buildings. Sip cappuccino at a chic sidewalk café while soaking up a rapid-fire French soundtrack, shop the vibrant market for everything from flawless pearls to bright parae, or catch a world-class dance and music performance.

When staying in Shanghai, travelers are spoilt for choice. Whether they’re looking for a boutique hotel within walking distance of the French Concession, an Art Deco landmark overlooking the Huangpu River, or a modern skyscraper with amenities including 24-hour butler service, they’re sure to find a hotel room to suit their needs. The hardest part will be deciding on just one place.

A miniature volcanic archipelago made up of seven idyllic islands, only two of which are inhabited, Îles des Saintes (commonly known as Les Saintes) is one of Guadeloupe’s crown jewels. This reef-hugged set of isles offers French sophistication mixed with a funky, laid-back Caribbean lifestyle. Take a day-trip via daily ferry to Terre-de-Haut, the archipelago’s main island, and enjoy the white-sand beaches, sailing, and snorkeling in the bay or head up to Fort Napoleon on foot or by rental scooter for panoramic views. Make sure to dine at one of the French and Creole bistros along the water, and to try a local tourment d’amour—a crusty-edged, soft-centered tart flavored with guava, pineapple, or coconut.

Drive just over an hour outside of Cape Town and you’ll find yourself in the middle of the Cape Winelands. Here, farms established by Dutch colonists and French Huguenots in the late 1600s now function as South African wine estates, with tree-lined driveways leading to impeccably manicured gardens and gentle hills covered in vines. When visiting, be sure to taste the full-bodied cabernet sauvignons and pinot noirs; the lighter chenin blancs and chardonnays; and unique varietals like pinotage (an earthy red wine) and méthode cap classique (South Africa’s version of Champagne).

If you’re after some of the world’s best art, there’s really no better place to be than France. The country is home to a wide variety of world-class museums, from stalwarts like the Louvre, the Musée D’Orsay, and the Centre Pompidou to lesser-known but equally remarkable institutions like the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Tours and the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Whether you want to see the famously French works of the Impressionists, paintings by Italian and Flemish masters, or more contemporary pieces by the stars of today, you’ll find them all in France.

In the past decade or so, Budapest’s restaurant scene has broadened beyond goulash and stuffed cabbage, with trendy new venues serving both a wider variety of international cuisines and elegant, innovative takes on traditional Hungarian fare.

From ancient kingdoms to reminders of the period of French colonial rule and the “American War,” Vietnam is filled with UNESCO World Heritage landmarks and architectural wonders, like royal palaces and fishermen’s stilted houses. Add in traditional markets, ethnic villages, and otherworldly landscapes, and you have a country that promises surprises at every turn.

Encompassing 35 private villas on the Motu Onetahi coast of Marlon Brando’s very own French Polynesian island, Tetiaroa, The Brando is arguably the most luxurious place to stay in the entire South Pacific country. All of the villas at this all-inclusive resort have their own private pools along with direct beach access, and there’s a gorgeous spa offering a range of healing modalities, including traditional Polynesian taurumi massage. For those who want to add a bit of activity to their stay, there’s plenty to do on the island and in its surrounding waters, from snorkeling and scuba diving to discovering the flora and fauna of the surrounding landscape under the tutelage of a research scientist. Travelers with an interest in Polynesian culture may also want to try their hand at the traditional outrigger canoe, perhaps taking a trip out to one of the surrounding private islets that share an atoll with the Brando.