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Why we love it: A top Cabos stay with low-key sophistication and activity-focused fun

Highlights:
- Multi-bedroom villas for easy family vacations
- Activities like water sports, beachfront fitness classes, golf, and more
- One of the best restaurants in Los Cabos, right on property

The Review:
Esperanza has become something of a hospitality legend in Los Cabos, so it makes sense that Auberge Resorts’ sister property, Chileno Bay, has style and substance right out of the gate. Located on one of the area’s only swimmable beaches, the resort makes use of its prime location with a water sports center that offers glass-bottomed kayaks, snorkel gear outfitted with GoPro cameras, and more. If you’d rather stay on dry land, the property also provides access to hiking on UNESCO-protected mountain, camel-back rides through the Baja Outback, and dune buggy excursions on the shoreline.

Of course, no one would fault you for laying low by the triple-tiered pool, which winds down like a river to the beach; relaxing at the holistic spa with a salt inhalation room and reflexology pool; or even simply staying in your room. Here, the 60 earth-and-sea-hued guest rooms provide comfort in the way of spacious bathrooms with soaking tubs and private terraces with outdoor showers; some suites have infinity-edge plunge pools and outdoor hot rubs, while 32 multi-bedroom villas include fully equipped kitchens and expansive rooftop terraces with fireplaces. When it comes time to eat, there’s French Laundry alum Yvan Mucharraz’s modern Mexican restaurant Comal, plus a beachside taco bar and a courtyard coffee shop.

Set within the 24-acre oasis of Montage Kapalua Bay, this pop-up bar and lounge pairs Veuve Clicquot Champagne with Maui’s world-class sunsets. Open Thursday through Sunday from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Champagne Hale (pronounced HAH-leh, which is the Hawaiian word for house) serves a range of bubbly, from Veuve’s signature Yellow Label, Rosé, and La Grande Dame labels to special Rich and Rich Rosé offerings, available for the first time on the island. Pair your sips with light bites like Kualoa Ranch oysters, bigeye tuna tartare, and burrata toast with pickled strawberries and pistachio pesto, then take in the views as the sun goes down over the Pacific. From the bar’s clifftop perch above Namalu Bay, you’ll enjoy stunning vistas of the ocean as well as Molokai and Lanai islands in the distance.

One of the island’s best lookouts, Drake’s Seat offers a panoramic view of Magens Bay and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands to the east. The site is named for Sir Francis Drake, who is said to have kept watch over the harbor from this vantage point. (Was Drake benevolently watching over his own fleet or looking for ships to plunder? The answer will depend on whether you subscribe to the British’s regard of him as a celebrated explorer or to others’ belief that he was a brutal privateer.)

Sometimes the best way to cool down in the Caribbean is to heat things up! And nothing spells relief like a dip in the Ani Villas hot tub – perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking secluded Little Bay Beach, Anguilla.

Over the past 15 years, Wendy Whiteley (known as the “goddess muse” and wife of one of Australia‘s most famous artists, Brett Whiteley) has lovingly restored a once derelict piece of land, owned by the NSW Rail Corporation. It’s a magical place to reflect, talk or read and to simply get away from the city’s noise. The views are spectacular. About 5-10 mins stroll from Luna Park. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Whiteley#Wendy.27s_Secret_Garden This site was visited during AFAR Experiences, May 6-9, 2013: http://www.afarexperiences.com/

One of the best spots to relax in Miami is Bayfront Park, 32 acres of lush grounds that include the Klipsch Amphitheater and the Tina Hills Pavilion. The Fourth of July fireworks and the New Year’s Eve countdown are just two of the community events that occur here throughout the year. From the beach you can watch dolphins jump and play while luxury yachts pass through Biscayne Bay, and you’ll also have great views of the cruise ships and marina. Take the renovated baywalk, shaded by oak and palm trees, past the rock garden and waterfall and several benches. Fitness classes are offered in the park during the week.

Two of Dominica’s top scuba sites snuggle together in southwestern Soufrière Bay: La Sorcière (Witches Point) and, just to its north, L’Abym (the Abyss). Both are dramatic wall dives, poised between steep topside cliffs and a submerged crater. While divers often see turtles here, you should also keep an eye out for frogfish, seahorses, and flying gurnards amid the orange elephant ear sponges, bright as prison jumpsuits.

• Neighborhood: Sentosa Island
• Why we love it: A secluded off-mainland retreat with mahjong and feng shui lessons
• From $1,180

Refreshed in 2021 by Hong Kong designer André Fu, the 112-room Capella Singapore plays up its idyllic beachfront setting. The stylish, ultra-comfortable rooms have a palette of soothing sand, sage, and mineral gray and come with deep soaking tubs and window lounges that frame green jungle foliage.

Beyond the striking design, standout amenities include a three-tier infinity pool and an award-winning art collection (there are more than 900 pieces on-site). Also notable is the Capella’s Culturalist activity calendar, which offers lively mahjong lessons, farm-to-table cooking classes, and a sidecar tour with a feng shui master who explains how the ancient Chinese philosophy influenced the placement of Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay Sands and the mystical Merlion statue.

Hemingway’s Restaurant has the best sunset views of one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Grace Bay, from a pier-like patio. The restaurant at the Sands at Grace Bay Hotel makes blended-just-right Pina Coladas topped with an extra dollop of rum. Sip and keep watch for the resident dolphin JoJo, who has been patrolling the turquoise waters off this picture-perfect crescent of sand for more than a decade – there’s even a bell to ring if you see him, although who knows if it’s the same dolphin. After you get tipsy, order dinner. In addition to conch, the restaurant is known for steak and fresh-caught fish cooked only in olive oil. At lunch, the fish tacos are my favorite dish. There is live music twice a week.

Islands of the Caribbean with historically strong ties to Great Britain aren’t exactly known for letting it all hang out but just to the south of Galley Bay Resort and Spa, is Antigua’s one-and-only clothing-optional stretch of sand: Eden Beach. Intrepid (or maybe a little fool-hardy) travelers can borrow bikes from Galley Bay to make the trip, but be warned: there are several steep hills standing between you and taking it all off, but, as I found out on my last visit, that just makes the payoff that much sweeter! The beach is much larger than you might expect with lots of private nooks. There’s even an exotic mini-islet within swimming distance from shore. The place is positively picturesque. But you’ll have to show some restraint. There’s a strict “no cameras allowed” policy out of respect for your fellow nude neighbors.

Deep within Grand Cayman, one finds another restaurant on the water. Be careful not to sit too close to the edge on the deck, however, the breeze might blow you right off. Inside the restaurant is a different story. All the tables and chairs are close together, making your dining experience intimate yet open to that of your neighbor and you can’t help smiling at those sitting next to you. Written on a savvy chalkboard one finds the specials of the day, of which you will find rarities like chicken liver pate and ceviche. The food is fantastic and the drinks are phenomenal. I personally recommend anything with mango in it. Once you’re good and full it almost feels necessary to sit and talk with the wait staff before leaving. The close knit environment makes it all the more friendly. Calypso Grill is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Grand Cayman and I definitely recommend it to seafood lovers or just food lovers in general.

I discovered this Marin Headlands view of the Golden Gate Bridge on one of my very first trips to San Francisco. In my three-plus years living in the Bay Area, I still haven’t found a view to top it. My favorite time to visit is just after sunset, when most tourists are fleeing from the evening breeze and the lights from the Golden Gate are just beginning to glow. If you’re lucky, you might witness an illuminated container ship as it exits the Bay on its way to Asia. This vantage point is on the North side of the Golden Gate—for the active traveler it’s a lovely green hike after a stroll across the bridge but alternately you can dive up. There’s also a closer view at the base of the hill.

Hong Kong’s tram system dates back to 1904 and still plies some of the same routes, stopping on average every 820 feet. Locals affectionately call the trams Ding Ding because of the bells rung when the trams approach a stop. The main line runs across the whole northern edge of Hong Kong Island, along what was once the waterfront, between Kennedy Bay and Shau Kei Wan Road, passing through the Central Business District and bustling Causeway Bay area. The six routes cover 19 miles and more than 100 stops. Most cars are double-decker and were rebuilt in the 1980s or later, but No. 120 dates back to the 1950s and still sports seats made of rattan and teakwood.

Named after the reef it overlooks, the Alexandra Resort, located about halfway down Provo’s famed beauty, Grace Bay Beach, is a great spot for families or couples. Rooms are in groups of four-story buildings circling a lagoon-style swimming pool. There is also 600 feet of pink-sand beach in front of the hotel leading directly into the emerald waters of the South Atlantic. Beyond its mid-range accommodations and excellent location, the Alexandra recently debuted a new restaurant, Asu, which has a fantastic location right on the beach and does a barefoot al fresco dinner -- book for sunset and then after the sky blackens lantern baskets provide a romantic glow.

Gaze at the beautiful floor to ceiling mosaic that pictures the marine life and coral reef in Grand Cayman as you climb the double helix staircase to the top of the 75ft observation tower. Located in Camana Bay, this tower offers 360 degree panoramic views of Seven Mile Beach, George Town, and the North Sound. Not up for the big climb? No worries, there’s a full service elevator available to take you to any floor for observation, including the very top.