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The capital of the Northern Territory isn’t known for its shopping, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be. Beyond Aboriginal artwork and market handicrafts, there are plenty of stylish boutiques to outfit travelers in fresh swimwear and modern Australian fashion. There are also precious local pearls, second-hand books, natural body products, and anything one could ever want made out of crocodile skin. These great boutiques deserve more than a window shop.

At Salt Water Farm, students return to the land—and the sea—to learn forage, fillet, and feast.

Australians didn’t invent drinking but they may have perfected it. The national love of a good drink meets the sunny climate and lively culture of Sydney and is elevated beyond a tin of Foster’s into something magical. We’re talking sunny warehouse spaces devoted to beer worship and harborside terraces serving experimental wines and sophisticated cocktail lounges full of enthusiastic patrons. Cheers, mate!

Sprawling resorts and boutique hotels dot Curaçao’s southern shore, many with international restaurants and private, man-made beaches. Some even have on-site dive centers for exploring the island’s tropical fish. Stay just up the hill from Jan Theil beach, or choose something in the middle of Willemstad’s Dutch Colonial architecture and UNESCO World Heritage buildings.

A highlight of Bavaria—and Germany in general—Franconia is beloved for its picturesque landscapes, medieval towns, and rich beer and food traditions. Formerly a separate duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, the region is dotted with dense woodlands, national parks, and grapevine-covered hillsides, as well as castles, palaces, and UNESCO World Heritage sites like the old town of Bamberg and the Würzburg Residence.

Interested in eco-adventure, but don’t want to sacrifice luxury? How about a romantic getaway? No worries! One of Belize’s best attributes is its lack of massive all-inclusive resorts where you battle for pool loungers and reservations at restaurants. Instead, the country offers a number of boutique and luxury resorts situated beachside on the Caribbean, or nestled in Central American rain forest.

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….

When Southern Ocean Lodge, the flagship property of Australian hotel brand Baillie Lodges, opened in 2008, it was Kangaroo Island’s first true luxury lodge, known for its cinematic spot atop grass-covered limestone cliffs, with curved guest suites facing the namesake seas. Surrounded on three sides by national parks, Southern Ocean Lodge connected travelers with Australia’s powerful natural landscapes. Then in early January 2020, wildfires consumed more than half of Kangaroo Island, reducing the ecological paradise to sandy hills and blackened branches. Southern Ocean Lodge was a casualty of the blaze.


As AFAR’s Katherine LaGrave reported in her feature on the island, rebuilding began in earnest in February 2022, with the goal of becoming more sustainable: “The new lodge will use 25 percent less energy than the original lodge, and diesel fuel consumption will be halved. There will be rainwater harvesting, reliance on a hybrid solar-and-battery system, and elevated boardwalks to minimize impact on the health of coastal plants. Smart landscaping will create a sort of buffer around the lodge.”



Along with the new sustainable choices, the lodge has replicated the footprint of the original property, with 25 guest rooms slightly reoriented to optimize sea views. A new ultra-premium suite, the Ocean Pavilion, has up to four bedrooms and bathrooms (or two separate suites) with an outdoor terrace and private pool. And the ever-popular main lodge still has a Great Room with a suspended fireplace and a deck with a plunge pool that juts toward the sea.

Amazon headquarters might be in Seattle, but the city still has—and proudly supports—many independent bookstores with enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff members. From general interest to children’s bookstores and even a cookbook store, you can feed your need to read at these bibliophile havens in Capitol Hill and beyond.

San Antonio caters to every traveler with a wide range of accommodations, from a design hotel in the Pearl Brewery district to a Hill Country resort with impressive amenities. Many offer award-winning restaurants or spas, while others put you in close proximity to the River Walk with its Tex-Mex restaurants and live music venues.

The best accommodations in Rio have access to the city’s beaches, views, or both. For a stylish stay, try one of the design hotels that keep cropping up in Rio’s hills, especially in the bohemian Santa Teresa neighborhood.

A week in San Antonio provides plenty of time to explore the city’s many historic landmarks, wander the River Walk, taste your way through the Pearly Brewery, and head out to Hill Country on a day trip or, perhaps, an overnight.

Sweden’s southernmost region, Skåne, feels like its own country. Malmö is its eco-friendly capital, plus there’s historic Helsingborg, university town Lund, and lush, rolling hills in the countryside. They even have their own special dialect. And it’s just a 35-minute dash across the Öresund Bridge from Malmö to Copenhagen, Denmark.

If eating huge plates of pork, deciphering local slang, and snowshoeing through the woods of Québec can’t bring two siblings together, what can?

In Japan’s capital, youth dress up—and let loose—in over-the-top themed establishments.