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Belize is that rare combination of Caribbean sea and Central American jungle that allows for unrivaled adventures. The hotels and lodges here specialize in showing visitors the best side of their enchanted country so whether you’re in Belize for zip lining the jungle canopy or diving into a blue hole, you can find a place to stay that will give you the best, wildest, and most comfortable experience.

Arriving at Viceroy Los Cabos (formerly Mar Adentro) is like getting a glimpse into the future of hospitality. Linked by a seemingly boundless plane of water, a series of minimalist white cubes—housing a rooftop bar, spa, world-class fitness center, movie theater, and more—rises from the desert landscape like a mirage, the work of Mexican architect Miguel Angel Aragonés. The view is memorable at Nido, a ceviche restaurant that sits under a nestlike dome of twigs. Equally striking are the 104 modernist guest rooms. Unlike the region’s traditional stucco and terra-cotta haciendas, they’re serenely spare, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Sea of Cortez and tablets that guests can use to create their own lighting concept.

A visit to Sweden is all about going on journeys: from dog sledding to traipsing through art galleries or down hiking trails. Or back in time courtesy of the Vasa Museum and Drottningholm Palace, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Whether you soak up the midnight sun on a road trip or stay in one city and day trip out to the Stockholm archipelago or that perfect viewing spot for the Northern Lights, you’ll find your perfect Sweden.

If you associate the phrase all-inclusive with the bracelet-wearing, tropical drink–swilling masses, then Marquis Los Cabos will make you do a double take. The adults-only resort offers unique amenities—open-air yoga classes, a 13,000-square-foot spa, tequila tastings, salsa-dancing lessons—plus an architecturally stunning property with nary a cheesy palm-tree motif in sight. The views begin in the alfresco lobby, where a stone arch draws your attention to the horizon, and continue through two curvaceous infinity pools overlooking the Sea of Cortez. The 235 rooms, outfitted with marble baths and works by Latin American artists, are just as inspiring thanks to private balconies that offer views of whales and dolphins in the distance.

Even visitors who have never cared about jewelry before find themselves mesmerized by the black pearls found in French Polynesia, scanning the loose pearls at pearl markets, visiting farms where the gleaming little seeds are cultivated, heading to the Robert Wan Pearl Museum (where, of course, you can buy the lovely items on exhibit). At the Papeete Municipal Market, or Marché de Papeete, browse the spectacular local fruit and fish, but stop by the stands selling locally produced vanilla and fragrant body products made with monoi oil (which is coconut oil infused with the scent of flowers). While you’ll hardly need a souvenir to remember these magical islands, it can’t hurt to pick up a gift made here.

Grilled meats, bite-size vegetarian meze, and grilled octopus and sea bass are some of the culinary delights that await in Istanbul, where Mediterranean, Turkish, and Ottoman cooking methods combine to deeply satisfying (and sometimes surprising) results. Our favorite places to eat in this magical city range from chef Mehmet Gurs’s fine-dining restaurant with a view to humble neighborhood spots for homestyle cooking.

The ocean churns as a 36-ton mammal swims up to the boat. With your arm plunged into the cool water, you await the touch of a California gray whale. Like a house cat craving a scratch on the head, the whale pushes its rubbery skin, rough with barnacles and battle scars from boats and orcas, against your palm. From January through March, hundreds of gray whales settle in Magdalena Bay, on the southwest coast of Mexico’s Baja peninsula. From their feeding grounds off the coast of Alaska, they’ve made one of the longest animal migrations—more than 5,000 miles—to mate, give birth, and raise their young here. Visitors who join local fishermen and outfitters in the bay are practically guaranteed to see whales, and the luckiest will encounter “friendlies,” including proud mothers who nudge their wrinkly black calves toward the surface. Sea Kayak Adventures offers a new trip that combines gray whale sightings in Magdalena Bay with blue and fin whale watching in the Sea of Cortez. From $1,495. (800) 616-1943, This appeared in the January/February 2013 issue.

A little over a mile from where the deer roam in the saguaro-studded foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, sit down for some izakaya-style dining. Japanese “tapas” might not be a completely accurate description for this genre of shareable plates, but you get the idea. Ginza is family-owned, and a nice surprise in this corner of the desert. After an evening hike in Sabino Canyon, sit down for your choice of izakaya-plates or fresh sashimi—Tucson is only a six-hour drive from the Pacific, and a four-hour drive from the Sea of Cortez. And if you’ve never had a bowl of ‘real’ ramen (just say ‘no’ to maruchan), you’re in for a revelation of toothsome noodles in porky broth. A few of my favorites are the sautéed shrimp with mild green chilies, the gyoza, and (for a main course) the bibimpbap-chirashi bowl. Over sushi-rice, you’re served a generous sampling of fresh sashimi, tamagoyaki (slightly sweet rolled omelet), sprouts, and seaweed, with a quail egg as a garnish. Korean-inspired spicy/sweet ‘bibim’ sauce tops it off. Chef-owner Jun Arai’s wife, Diana, is from Mexico, which explains the homemade flan on the menu. Take a hike, then take a seat. After the cactus, kampai!

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

Known for their ability to combine comfort with luxury, Dominica’s best accommodations range from oceanfront cabanas and cliffside condos to a hotel in a former military fortification and an eco-lodge on a working fruit plantation. Many focus on sustainability and adventure travel, while others highlight local art, world-class spas, and proximity to Dominica’s best beaches.

Why we love it: A sprawling retreat offering high design and a beachfront location

The Highlights:

• Guest rooms with private plunge pools or whirlpools
• The only Thalasso therapy wellness spa in Baja
• Five separate pools, plus 4,000 square feet of beachfront

The Review
Though the Baja Peninsula has welcomed a slew of luxury properties over the past few years, it seems the 128-room Solaz is only in competition with itself. First, there are the sophisticated stone-and-wood interiors, which balance high-tech details (remote controlled lighting) and luxe amenities (outdoor showers, private plunge pools) with locally sourced decor and wall sculptures by Mexican artist César López Negrete.

Guests even have the option to add personal butler service, which can arrange everything from swimming with whale sharks to ordering a bottle of local wine from the property’s wine cellar. Outdoors, the landscaping features endemic desert plants like agave and cacti, with a hardly a palm tree in sight.

Then there’s the spa, a 10,000-square-foot refuge that features the region’s only Thalasso therapy seawater treatments and a Himalayan salt igloo. Five pools (including two sleek infinity ones that overlook the Sea of Cortez), four dining outlets (a Mexican breakfast spot, a seafood restaurant, a poolside cafe, and a coffee lounge), a beachfront fitness center, and 4,000 square feet of white-sand shoreline complete the desert dream.

Why we love it: Modern luxury on the Sea of Cortez

The Highlights:
- Direct access to one of Los Cabos’ few swimmable beaches
- The largest spa in the area with lots of wellness programming
- Spacious and comfortable rooms

The Review:
Spread over 39 acres on the scenic coastal corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, Montage’s first international resort is part of the 1,400-acre Twin Dolphins planned community—so named in honor of the legendary Hotel Twin Dolphin, said to be the first luxury hotel in Los Cabos, and a favorite getaway of stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Bing Crosby, and Lucille Ball back in the day. Today, vacationing celebs—and the rest of us—will find a contemporary, desert- and sea-inspired retreat with 122 rooms and suites (ranging from coastal and ocean view options to multi-bedroom suites), three group-friendly Casas (which come with extras like a butler, private pool, and complimentary BBQ night), and 52 furnished residences. All are comfortable and equipped with necessary conveniences (including Nespresso machines), but you’ll probably spend little time in your room as there’s so much to do and explore here.

Take advantage of the hotel’s location on Santa Maria Bay—one of the only swimmable beaches in the region—with some snorkeling or diving, or hang out in a beach cabana or around one of the three pools (which offer some adults-only areas). Guests can also head to the 40,000-square-foot Spa Montage for hot and cold plunge pools; fitness, yoga, and meditation classes; and treatments inspired by Mayan and Aztec traditions. (The Spa also has an in-house shaman who leads nightly stargazing and meditation sessions.) When hunger strikes, savor modern Mexican fare at Mezcal or visit the beachfront Marea, which transforms from day to night to offer two distinct dining experiences.

Sunshine, surf, sea breezes, and an overflowing platter of curry prawns with rice. Welcome to Zeebop by the Sea, an award-winning eatery that specializes in Goan and South Indian cuisine. With the rolling dunes of South Goa as a backdrop, the ambience here is simple and unadorned. Don’t let the plastic tables and chairs distract you from the superstar menu: Try the stuffed crabs or the catch of the day, often red or black snapper, kingfish, or mackerel. Finish your meal by sipping a cocktail crafted with feni, a local spirit traditionally made from cashew fruit. Feeling active? Order your meal and head out to the beach; the waiters will call you when your food is ready.

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

Few cities in the U.S. can claim to be ‘sandwiched’ by a National Park; Tucson might well be the only one. Saguaro National Park is divided into Eastern and Western divisions that flank the city--plenty of wilderness hiking within a half-an-hour’s drive from the middle of town. If you’re here, like most visitors, in the winter, a perfect half-day’s hike is up to Wasson Peak in Saguaro National Park, on the western edge of the city. Seven-miles round-trip with a nearly 2000-ft elevation gain: it’s a moderate climb with 360-degree views from the top. (You do NOT want to hike this in the summer; there is no shade.) At 4687ft/1428m, it’s low compared to some of the 9000+ ft peaks on Tucson’s other horizons, but the panoramas are unbeatable, and the trek up through a saguaro forest is unforgettable. There are several routes, but perhaps the most popular is the Kings Canyon trailhead--directly across the road from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Hike the peak in the morning (give yourself around four hours so you can enjoy lunch and the view from the summit), and spend the afternoon visiting the animals across the road. (A new aquarium featuring the Sea of Cortez just opened; fall through spring also offer ‘raptor free flight’ demonstrations.) (From the top, the views: trail to the peak, looking south toward the distant Santa Rita mountains, looking over the NW part of the city to the forested peak of Mt. Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mtns.)