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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.

A trio of 1830s townhouses, Soniat House exudes an Old World elegance, from its wrought iron balconies to its white-jacketed porters. Rooms and suites have just the right amount of character so that they feel of an era without being precious or overly frilly. The hotel renovated all of its bathrooms and some guest rooms, and there are flat-screen televisions, Wi-Fi, and other modern conveniences—but the point here is really to take a step back, put your gadgets away, and enjoy the leafy courtyard. It’s the kind of place where you feel you ought to be wearing a frock and a fascinator (for ladies) or seersucker (for the gents), where time slows and an afternoon cocktail feels very appropriate. Luckily, there’s an honor bar on the first floor next to reception. Pour yourself a stiff drink and take it up to the veranda, where you might catch a ghost tour in progress or just take in the street scene.

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.

It’s as powerful an artistic representation of a country and its people as I’ve ever come across anywhere – Le Negre Marron, or in Creole, Neg Mawon. Translated into English, it’s The Black Maroon. In any language, it’s simply amazing. Commissioned by the Duvalier government to commemorate the landmark slave revolt against France that won Haiti her freedom in 1804, the statue was produced by Haitian sculptor/artist Albert Mangones in the late-1960’s. It’s an extremely moving piece – the left leg extended with a broken shackle at the ankle denoting the hard-fought freedom, a machete in the right hand showing the strength to fight, and the conch shell at the lips harkening to the old and oft-used method of alerting the masses. What makes the statue even more significant today is the fact that it survived the devastating earthquake of January 2010 completely intact. Even as major buildings like the National Palace crumbled all around it, Le Neg Mawon stood firm, resilient in the face of tragedy much like the people of Haiti have for hundreds of years. Le Neg Mawon is located in downtown Port-au-Prince, just a few short blocks from the Marriott Port-au-Prince, the country’s newest and most modern hotel.

The true nature of old Bangkok can’t be sampled at its busy malls and modern shopping districts, but in enclaves such as this timeless thoroughfare in Chinatown. A narrow pedestrian lane, Trok Issaranuphap links two of the area’s main streets, Yaowarat Road and Charoen Krung Road, with Sampeng Lane, another pedestrian-only street filled with small department stores. It’s a portal to the traditional side of the city, especially for those who want to sample street food, as it is filled with stalls and vendors purveying tasty Chinese/Thai snacks and meals such as roast pork and duck and dumplings. The alley’s wet market is a great place to purchase fruit and vegetables. Other attractions include traditional-medicine shops, fortune tellers, and stalls selling assorted bric-a-brac.

This pink-marble waterfront edifice in Piazza San Marco dates back to the 14th century, when it was the residence and seat of government for the doges (rulers) of Venice. Today the ornate Byzantine- and Moorish-influenced Gothic Palazzo Ducale is a symbol of the city, and serves as a museum hosting some of Venice’s most important art, including the famous Bacchus, Venus, and Ariadne masterpiece by Tintoretto. It also runs the popular Secret Itinerary and Doge’s Palace Hidden Treasures tours. After you’re done, treat yourself to a glass of wine in the small on-site bistro, with windows looking onto the Grand Canal adjacent to the Bridge of Sighs.

Cicada Lodge is run by the native Jawoyn people and is the only luxury accommodation in Australia’s awe-inspiring Nitmiluk National Park, roughly four and a half hours from Darwin. The word Nitmiluk (pronounced nit-me-look) means “cicada place” and refers to an Aboriginal creation myth where a Jawoyn man hears the sound of cicadas from deep within a gorge. That’s only the beginning of the indigenous influence here. Aboriginal dot paintings hang on bedroom walls; unheard-of ingredients flavor the foods; and indigenous stories and traditions enliven tours that local guides lead throughout the park’s 13 gorges. The wood-paneled restaurant and pool deck, connected by glass doors, form the centerpiece of the lodge. They serve as the communal gathering place for meals, sunset drinks, and leisurely downtime. In 2014, the lodge won the prestigious Gold Plate award for its modern twist on “bush tucker” (indigenous food).

One of Australia’s most acclaimed restaurants happens to be in Hobart, where chef Analiese Gregory plays with local, foraged, and homegrown ingredients in her daily-changing menu. One night, you might find burrata curd tossed with saltbush and fermented Jerusalem artichoke. Another, it’ll be licorice-seasoned lamb ribs, grilled for everyone to see in the 10-tonne Scotch oven, which emits the smell of burnt honey. The modern concrete dining room, housed in a 1923 Ford showroom next to the old Mercury newspaper offices (reimagined as the Press Hall), is outfitted with blond wood tables and animal-hide rugs. House-made wines and tangy desserts—perhaps strawberry gum milk sorbet scooped over rhubarb and damson plum sauce—add to the fun.

Set stoically atop a handsome steed, the statue of Jean-Jacques Desalines bears every bit the exalted “Father Of A Nation” status you’d expect from the only person to have a holiday celebrated in his honor in Haiti. The statue is the centerpiece of a collection of memorials honoring Haiti’s heroes set in the Le Champs de Mars area of downtown Port-au-Prince. Here, big, broad boulevards intersect among a series of squares, parks, and wide open spaces, each bearing statues of Haiti’s legendary statesmen creating what’s easily the most impressive public space I’ve come across along my Caribbean travels. I got to tour around Champs de Mars on my last visit to Haiti in early-December 2017 while staying at the Marriott Port-au-Prince. Haiti’s newest and nicest hotel sits just a few blocks from the area, though walking to Champs de Mars from the Marriott isn’t advisable. What little sidewalk space exists between the two is jammed with locals selling all manner of goods along the road. There’s really just no room to walk until you get to Champs de Mars. Take a taxi then enjoy the sights, history, and local art for sale all throughout the various squares and parks.

If visiting a miniature version of a country the size of a postage stamp makes no sense to you, stay away from Madurodam, a top tourist attraction in Den Haag featuring historic Dutch towns, ports, canals, roads and monuments re-created on a 1/25 scale. On the other hand, if you fancy learning about the history of a nation that would be underwater were it not for Dutch ingenuity, by all means visit this interactive park that tells the story behind the battle against water, as well as many historic venues that still exist in Holland today.

The Twelve Apostles impresses from the moment you turn off the coastal highway between Camps Bay and Llandudno beach and make your way up the winding driveway. Perched at the base of the mountain range for which it takes its name and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the views are swoon-worthy. Located about 25-minutes drive from Cape Town’s city center, 12A is adjacent to Table Mountain National Park and is a great escape from the city for a few nights.

Beyond the views, this luxury boutique has a distinct colonial-era vibe complete with period dress for employees, and decor that is old-world posh with a hint of flamboyance. No two rooms are the same, neither in size nor how they’re laid-out, which gives 12A its distinct boutique feel. But all feature plush fabrics in varying hues, many of which match their wallpaper, along with reproduction antiques and lots of mirrors and artwork. It’s definitely creative, although at times a bit over-the top. I loved the marble and glass modern bathroom with a deep soaking tub and bespoke bath products. The bed was also super comfy and the linens quality. Not all rooms have the same views either, so try to book one of the upstairs rooms where you’ll have either a sea or mountain view and a private terrace.

The service is five-star and so is the food. The onsite Azure Restaurant does excellent fresh seafood in romantic environs at dinner and the best buffet spread in town for breakfast, which should be taken on the outdoor patio when the weather is nice. For sunset head to the Leopard Bar, which pairs stunning views of the sun sinking into the Atlantic with an impressive port and cognac selection, along with a full bar. Also onsite are two swimming pools, an award-winning spa -- guests don’t have to book a treatment for complimentary access to the property’s hydrotherapy pool and flotation tank either -- plus a 16-seat movie theater.

Your introduction to Andaz Mayakoba begins with mangroves and a cenote, or at least an architectural tribute to these natural features of the Playa del Carmen landscape. The elegant pillars that support the towering porte cochere mimic the angled roots of the mangrove trees nearby. A tall passageway, lined with dark wood, leads to an open-sided lobby.

At the center of the lobby, aptly called El Sanctuario, a shallow circular pool reflects the sky through an opening in the ceiling above. The Andaz—which opened on the Mayakoba development in late 2016—has 214 guest rooms and suites, all in low buildings carefully placed on the delicate limestone crust of the peninsula. Some of the buildings surround pretty lagoons and offer easy access to the resort’s restaurants, Casa Amate, the fine-dining option, and Cocina Milagro, which serves three meals a day in a pavilionlike space overlooking the property’s pools.

A spa, fitness center, shop, and kids’ club are also an easy walk away. The balance of guest rooms are in a separate complex of buildings beside the beach. A clutch of umbrellas and lounge chairs on the white powdery sand before an impossibly blue sea presents a stunning picture. In the beachside portion of the resort, another pool and two casual restaurants, OllaTaco and OllaCeviche, add up to a slightly funkier vibe.

Guests are transported around the grounds by golf carts and are encouraged to use bikes parked everywhere. Lagoon boats make regular stops between the four resorts at Mayakoba, and guests are encouraged to take a daily cruise of the winding waterways with a naturalist guide. Andaz staff are young, attentive, and warm.

Colorful street-style murals, depicting animals and fish, splash across the buildings’ exterior walls. Inside the airy guest rooms, artfully tiled sections of floors and walls add fields of color and interest to an otherwise mild, sunny palette. Architect Ronald Zürcher has channeled the extraordinary local beauty—the light and darkness of the region’s beaches and jungles, the vivid pops of color of flowers and birds, the sacred hush of the cenote—and designed a gorgeous and intimate boutique resort.

In the center of the Founder’s Chapel of the Batalha monastery of Santa Maria da Vitoria, you will find the tombs of King John I and his wife Queen Philippa of Lancaster. Their sons’ tombs are also there.

One of their sons was Prince Henry the Navigator. Henry was born in Oporto in 1394 and I visited his birthplace while in that grand city which is Portugal’s second largest.


Henry was always interested in the sea and navigation. His father appointed him governor of the province of the Algarve and he founded a school of navigation and an observatory in Sagres. Sagres is located at the south western tip of the Algarve. It is a wild and beautiful rocky outcrop. There are remains of Henry’s school there.

I stood on the grounds as the wind whipped the area on a sunny day. You could almost see the caravels coming into the near-by ports their sails snapping in the wind.

The maritime trade started by Prince Henry the Navigator enabled Portugal to become a wealthy world power (14th to 16th centuries). The ship he designed called the caravel was lighter and faster than vessels of the time. Because of Henry’s work, other navigators explored the seas and discovered many new sea routes.

The Prince died in 1460 and left a very impressive legacy. Henry’s tomb is a large marble structure and is marked. I went up to the tomb that is beautifully preserved in Batalha’s chapel.

There is a lot of history in that chapel. When in the monastery, don’t miss the Founder’s Chapel.

Less than two hours from Barcelona, in car or via TEISA buses (during the week), La Fageda is a leafy green wonderland after too much time spent in Barcelona’s hectic city center. This beech forest is unique, growing at a much lower altitude than usual for the Iberian Peninsula.In the fall, the vivid red leaves on the trees are especially stunning. No motor vehicles are allowed in the forest itself, but you can hike, bike-ride, or explore the reserve on horseback or even in a horse and buggy for a reasonable fee (reserve ahead). Inside the reserve, visit La Fageda’s dairy farm--you can learn about how the yogurt and ice-cream is made (in Catalan or Spanish), pet the calves, and taste some of La Fageda’s products. Beyond la Fageda, in the larger area of La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, there are volcanoes, Olot and Sant Feliu de Pallerols’ old towns, and a medieval castle to see, as well as numerous routes for hiking, biking and horseback riding.

Parque de Oueste is a shady park toward the north of the city. The park is known for its rose gardens, as well as being home to the Temple of Debod, a gift for the Egyptian state in 1968. The overlook of the park offers beautiful views of the Royal Palace and the larger Casa Del Campo. It’s an ideal spot to split a bottle of wine with friends and watch the sunset after a long day of exploring Madrid.