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A visit to Hong Kong isn’t complete without a ride on a sampan. Head to the Aberdeen Promenade along the southwestern shoreline of Hong Kong Island and hop aboard a sampan, one of the small local boats operated mostly by elderly Tanka and Hoklo women who hail from the traditional boat-dwelling seafaring community. For the equivalent of about $10 per person, get a 30-minute ride around Aberdeen Harbour, under Ap Lei Chau Bridge, and past the other junks, houseboats, trawlers, fancy yachts, and even giant cargo vessels and cruise ships. For a voyage with a bit more emphasis on sightseeing, try one of the two popular red-sailed junks—the historic 36-passenger Duk Ling and the replica 80-passenger Aqua Luna—that can be boarded either from the Tsim Sha Tsui Piers or Central Pier 9.

Dumplings are a northern Chinese staple—inexpensive, hearty, and with a variety of fillings—and the boiled dumplings (shuijiao) at Baoyuan don’t disappoint. What sets them apart from your corner dumpling shop is the colored dumpling skins, dyed with juice from spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and purple cabbage. Customize your order by choosing your skin and filling—say, a spinach dumpling filled with cucumber, cilantro, pork, and lotus root, or a cabbage-dyed purple wrapper with bean sprouts, crispy rice, pork, and cabbage inside. There’s no denying that these dumplings photograph well, and that, plus the quirky venue—two dining rooms reached by a stroll through a fake garden and over a bridge—makes this a worthy place for a cheap and cheerful lunch or dinner.

Why we love it: A socially conscious spot that connects like-minded travelersThe Highlights:- Inspiring community vibe
- Comfortable, well-thought-out rooms
- A critically acclaimed on-site restaurant

The Review:
Founded by third-generation hotelier Katherine Lo (her family runs the upscale, Hong Kong–based Langham group), the Eaton brand aims to bring together travelers, locals, and members who share a like-minded sensibility—namely, one centered on creativity, awareness, and making change. As with Eaton’s Hong Kong location, the D.C. outpost—the first in the U.S.—fosters new ideas by providing private and communal working spaces, areas designed to inspire connection and conversation, and a regular calendar of programming.

Those checking in among all this buzz can choose from five comfortable room categories, from cabins to suites. All have a “global nomad” vibe, with colorful textile accents, Himalayan salt lamps, and organic cotton-and-latex pillow-top mattresses, along with Grown Alchemist bath products, healthy mini-bars, Bluetooth speakers, and USB charge points. Some, like the Artist Studios, have wall canvases where you can leave your lasting mark. Once settled in, gather with others at the on-site American Son restaurant (Chef Tim Ma’s Asian-accented spot), enjoy wellness treatments and classes, or do whatever else helps get spark your imagination.

This hotel is on our list of the best hotels in Washington D.C.

The MacRitchie Reservoir is one of four reservoirs in the heart of Singapore at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, where the surrounding forests are protected as national parks to ensure the quality of the water. Though unfortunately not accessible to the public, the ruins of a once-massive Shinto shrine built by the Japanese during their World War II occupation of Singapore are hidden in the overgrown, off-trail jungle near the northwestern corner of the reservoir. There is more to Singapore than meets the eye.

Curaçao definitely runs on “island time,” but it’s worth getting to this café early so you can eat lunch or dinner on the colonial building’s second-floor veranda. Gaze across the bay at Punda’s colorful houses, then savor the gourmet menu. A top pick is the keshi yena, Curaçao’s national dish: cheese stuffed with spiced meat, olives, capers, pickled onions, and prunes. Wash it down with a glass of awa di lamunchi—lime juice with a dash of brown sugar. Other favorite dishes include the fresh fish, the coconut braised-goat curry, and the braised-beef stew (karni stoba).

One of Budapest‘s most history-laden spots, the enormous Heroes’ Square is framed by art museums near the City Park. But the main focal point here is Millennium Memorial, a tall column and colonnade structure completed in 1905 that commemorates the Hungarian conquering of the area a thousand years before (hence the name) and the founding of Hungary in 1896. The statues decorating the memorial depict the seven chieftains of the Magyars, and the figure atop the column is the archangel Gabriel. Fun fact: The first underground subway in continental Europe, built in 1896, terminated here. Be sure to visit at night because the square is even more majestic when lit up.

“9 Streets” (De 9 Straatjes) is a charming, picturesque shopping area in the heart of Amsterdam‘s canal district. Located between Leidsestraat and Raadhuisstraat, this area is named after the nine side streets connecting the main 17th-century canals in the stylish Jordaan neighborhood. Spend a leisurely day browsing in the artisan boutiques, local designer shops, art galleries, cafes, canal-side restaurants, bars and more. You’ll be intrigued by all of the unique, beautiful objects for sale.

Pack your bikini and a bottle of cold Ticinese rosé and head to the campanile-spiked hills above Locarno. In Switzerland’s sunny and steep-sloped Italian-speaking Canton Ticino, locals and visitors alike love a bracing dip in the cool mountain water—and there’s no better place to witness this than at the historic Ponte dei Salti (Jumping Bridge), a double-arched bridge across the Verzasca River where bronzed young Ticinese plunge into the river’s lustrous emerald depths. From the city of Locarno, the intense hike to the ancient Roman relic hugs the Verzasca River and passes through chestnut groves, vineyards, fragrant pine forests, and the iconic Contra (or Verzasca) Dam where scenes from the James Bond thriller GoldenEye were shot. If your time is limited, take the 45-minute PostBus to the bridge (included with a Swiss Travel Pass) and walk down. Or take the bus all the way to the end of the road in the Alpine village of Sonogno, where a jade-colored waterfall pool, the river’s source, awaits.

Constructed from local stone in the 13th century, the tower—the gate to Old Town—was renovated to its former glory in 2003. The lion relief sculpture on the front facade is a reminder of the town’s Venetian rulers, while the plaque honoring the first Croatian king celebrates the island re-joining Croatia in the 20th century. Climb to the top terrace to enjoy breathtaking panoramas of the Strait of Pelješac, its archipelago and the Old Town’s rooftops.

For those who aspire to travel as trendsetters in Jamaica, it helps to know that Port Antonio, way out on the eastern end of the island, is the destination to head for. And the address to shelter at is the Trident Hotel, whose 13 waterfront villas would not look out of place on South Beach. Nor would the crowd that hangs around its infinity pool or in its restaurant, Mike’s Supper Club, where local musicians and the occasional celeb sit down to knock out tunes on the 1917 Ferrari-red grand piano. The Trident Castle, a kind of fantasy annex, is a former private residence whose grand rooms, sea-view terraces, and dollhouse-size chapel make it ideal for destination weddings. A hard road to get there? Not for guests who avail themselves of the helicopter pad.

Set in the former headquarters of a 19th-century bank, Hotel de Rome forms a major part of Bebelplatz, the historic square best known as the site of the Nazis’ infamous book burning in 1933. Across from the stately Opera House and the equally handsome Humboldt University, the hotel has retained the bank’s neoclassical exterior. Parts of the interior are original, too, most notably an elegant staircase that winds up to the fourth floor (the first three floors are also original), and the former bank vault, which has been transformed into a spa that is accessed via the vault’s original steel door. The high-ceilinged guestrooms and suites are suitably sumptuous, with marble in the bathroom and furnishings of mahogany; the color palettes, however, were devised by designers Olga Polizzi and Tommaso Ziffer and are ultra-contemporary. The hotel also has a swanky restaurant, a popular cocktail bar, and a rooftop patio with splendid views of Bebelplatz and the city beyond.

Cap your trip to Machu Picchu with a pisco sour on the Orient-Express train ride back to Cuzco. After boarding this luxury train for dinner and the return journey, everyone meets in the bar car for a drink. Live music, the rocking of the train, and the excitement from just experiencing Machu Picchu is a buzz to remember. Soon all the passengers are dancing as they travel through the steep mountainsides under the stars. —Lauren Maggard This appeared in the August/September 2013 issue. Image courtesy of Orient-Express

Soon after conquering Constantinople and defeating the Byzantines in 1453, Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II commissioned the beginnings of the Grand Bazaar to reinvigorate trade with the city. More than 550 years later, the bazaar is one of the oldest covered markets in the world, with a labyrinth of 61 streets connecting over 4,000 shops selling all manner of treasures and souvenirs, from jewelry to silk carpets. Make a beeline for Sivasli Istanbul Yazmacisi, whose quality textiles are popular with interior decorators. Looking for currency exchange shops? You’ll find the best rates in Istanbul here.

Since 1986, this kitchen supply store has been selling whimsical, New York-centric plates, bowls, barware, dish towels, and other entertaining doo-dads you’ll suddenly feel you can’t live without. Want a set of glasses frosted with an image of the Brooklyn Bridge to commemorate your NYC visit? Placemats edged with a print of Manhattan’s skyline? Fishs Eddy has them both, and a whole lot more. Just take care as you navigate through the towering stacks.

A pilgrimage to this enchanting park is a must for any Antoni Gaudí fan. Located atop Carmel Hill to the north of the city, the park was inspired by English landscape gardens, but its fantastical elements make sure you know it was created by Catalonia’s most eccentric architect. Though there are multiple entrances, the most impressive is via a grand staircase guarded by an enormous, mosaic-tiled dragon. It leads to a sprawling plaza with a mosaic-covered cement bench stretching some 328 feet around the perimeter. Park Güell was originally designed as a gated residential development, but it failed; a show home built to lure buyers is now the Gaudí House Museum (not included with park admission). Visitors should reserve an online ticket to avoid lines.