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Overwater bungalows have become synonymous with tropical luxury, but Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, curiously had none to call its own until this Momi Bay stunner opened in April 2017. Set on the island’s west coast, about 45 minutes from the airport, the 250-room resort features 114 luxury bures (wood-and-straw huts), including 22 that sit over a man-made lagoon, with vaulted ceilings and deep soaking tubs; all of the accommodations have balconies or terraces with expansive views, plus woven pendant lighting that resembles local fishing nets, crisp white linens, and dark wood accents. A kids club, indoor and outdoor play areas, and pool just for the small set keep little ones occupied while parents lounge at the spa or an adults-only infinity pool—the place to be during swim-up bar sunsets (another infinity pool is open to all guests). After your sundowner disappears, head to Goji Kitchen & Bar, a teak-and-rattan restaurant serving updated Fijian favorites like cassava-chip nachos and pineapple-glazed fish.

Music producer turned hotelier Chris Blackwell has made a name for himself converting Caribbean properties (Pink Sands on Harbour Island, GoldenEye in Jamaica) into jetset destinations with studios where his rock-and-roll friends can kick back while recording their next album, but it all began at Compass Point. Bob Marley, the Rolling Stones, and Eric Clapton have all stayed in some of the resort’s 18 rainbow-hued stand-alone huts, which are inspired by the colors of Bahama’s Junkanoo carnival and are simply furnished to encourage engagement with the outdoors; though the interiors are air-conditioned, most have sea-view balconies that are sighted to catch ocean breezes. In keeping with the theme, each comes with a surround-sound system and a library of CDs by artists who have recorded at Compass Point, but you’re just as likely to keep them off, preferring instead to listen to the waves that crash on the hotel’s small beach.

Many people pass up visiting the Dingle Peninsula in favor for the famous “Ring of Kerry” drive in Ireland. However, this beautiful place packs a big punch. The town itself has plenty to do including a beautiful harbor and an aquarium, not to mention shopping and plenty of pubs. We decided to take a rental car (yes, the driving is on the left hand side) and make the scenic loop in a day. The views are not only spectacular, but full of history. On one turn, we discovered a famine era house, on another, beehive huts that were built by monks centuries ago. There is a beach and even a nature center there to enjoy. Even though the twisty road is about a car length wide, the drive is easy. Other drivers are conscientious, and of course, everyone takes a leisurely pace to enjoy all the sights. I suggest that you take a picnic lunch with you. Not only will you avoid the high restaurant prices, but you will find a spot with a beautiful view and make a wonderful memory too.

Welcome to Northern California’s Desolation Wilderness, the perfect place to hike near South Lake Tahoe. Lake Aloha is a well-deserved and divine place to take a dip after having tackled the climb up from Echo Lake. I’d suggest parking your car at the Echo Lake parking lot. Make sure you have everything you’ll need for a 12+ mile hike. From the parking lot, you’ll cross the small dam (leaving the boat dock behind you) and then turn left at the trailhead and start your hike up and along Lower and then Upper Echo Lake, along the Tahoe Rim Trail. Eventually that turns into the Pacific Coast Trail that will take you along Tamarack Lake before a quick jaunt to the Lake of the Woods. From there, you’ll have some uphill climbing and some scrambling over serious boulders as you head up to the endless and enchanting Lake Aloha. Because you’ve worked so hard to get there, you’ll find yourself one of only a handful of people—if any—that made it, and it’s the perfect place to eat the lunch you’ve packed and take a quick dip to cool off. You still have a big return trip to get back to the trailhead but at least it’s mostly downhill this time. If you’re tuckered out by the time you see the signs for the water taxis at the dock on Upper Echo Lake, there may be another option to cover the final three miles. If it’s before 6:00 p.m., head into the hut and use the on-site phone to ask for the boat service provided by Echo Chalet. It costs $12 per person, one-way.

Last summer, Tim and Kathy Turner took a break from the Mont Blanc hiking circuit for a night at Refuge des Mottets, a French backcountry lodge decorated with cowbells and old iron cookware. The Turners, from the United States, were the only trekkers there besides the jovial members of a French hiking club. All enjoyed a hearty, family-style dinner of beef bourguignon, tomato salad, and homemade bread. After the meal, the lodge’s owner pulled out an accordion, and the club burst into song. “Everyone was swaying back and forth, locked arm and arm,” says Tim. “These were classic French anthems—tunes that every Frenchman knew.” For more than 200 years, hikers from Europe and farther abroad have explored the ancient hunting and trading routes that make up the 112-mile Mont Blanc trail. Named after the highest peak in the Alps, the trek winds through France, Italy, and Switzerland, looping around the Mont Blanc Massif range, past conifer forests, glacial waterfalls, and alpine meadows covered in bright blue gentians and golden buttercups. The co-owner of tour company Distant Journeys, Andrea Ellison Mulla, led the Turners on the 12-day trip. “Andrea often knew three generations of locals at spots along the route—the grandmas, mothers, and daughters,” says Kathy. “We’d stop by a hotel or shop whether we needed to or not, just to say hello or have a coffee.” At night, the travelers stayed in comfortable mountain village lodges, some with wooden balconies draped in red and pink geraniums, or at rustic, family-owned refuges. Tim recalls, “Cultural barriers break down very quickly at the refuges. Everybody comes together to wash the day’s hiking clothes in tubs and string them up on clotheslines. Then you sit down at big, communal tables for a meal of risotto or polenta, plus plenty of beer and wine.” As the Turners experienced, sometimes a spirited round of singing follows. What the couple will remember the most, though, is the way the Europeans approached the trail. “They know how to hike. They just slow down and enjoy it all,” says Tim. “In the States, we’re too damn fast. You don’t need to get there as quickly as possible. Talk to people along the trail. Stop, take off your backpack, have a snack. You’re on vacation.” —Kelly Lack

The Dassenech are a nomadic tribe that live in the region where Ethiopia borders Kenya and Sudan. We visited one village situated along one of the banks of the Omo River. Getting there was not easy though. We started with a long, bumpy ride over dusty, unpaved road. At the riverbank, we crossed to the other side in very simple, hand hewn dugout canoes. We then trudged across a treeless sandy plain where the wind was blowing so hard I could barely see. I think I still have dust and sand in trapped crevices I never knew my body has. The village itself was not attractive at all – clusters of small flimsy domed huts fashioned from tree limbs and lined with corrugated tin dotted the desert floor. To compound the ugliness of it all, trash was flying about everywhere. The one bright spot in the harsh Dassanech world are the women who are known for wearing head pieces fashioned from bottle caps and any other small metal items that can be strung up. I saw zipper pulls, padlocks and even ball chains adorning many a woman’s head. Considering what little they have, I admire the Dassanech women for being so creative in coming up with ways to beautify themselves. Just as we were about to leave, I caught sight of this young girl whose face captivated me. It took me doing some silly antics to get her to warm up to me but in the end, her smiling eyes and toothy grin melted my heart. Surrounded by rubble, I found a small ray of loveliness.

A few minutes north of Tulum, Xcacel (pronounced “ish-kah-sel”) is one of the region’s more unspoiled coastal areas. The beach has long been a local favorite, especially on Sundays, and in-the-know tourists are showing up now, too. Natural vegetation lines the shore and while there are no restaurants or beach clubs, there is a building with restrooms and showers. The best snorkeling is along the coral reef at the north end, and a small, swimmable cenote lies nearby. Sea turtles lay eggs here, in spring and summer, so take care not to trample nests; local conservation projects collect modest entrance fees to support their efforts.

A visit to the incredible 365-island archipelago (also called the San Blas Islands) within the communal lands of the Guna Yala indigenous nation provides some extraordinary seaside experiences. The islands making up the outer archipelago are unspoiled and feature gorgeous white-sand beaches, turquoise seas, and a one-of-a-kind encounter with Guna culture. Visitors lodge in natural-material huts (cane walls and interwoven palm-frond roofs) or—if you’re in the mood—sleep under the stars in palm-strung hammocks. Local women sport colorful dress made in the style known as mola, a traditional Gula artisanal weaving technique. A highway was built several years back that lets you travel from Panama City to Puerto de Cartí in as few as two hours.

Karachi Bakery is a Hyderabad institution, renowned for its cakes, cookies, biscuits, pastries, and chocolates. Open since 1963, the establishment remains one of the most innovative bakeries in India. Be sure to sample the fruit biscuits, Osmania biscuits, almond cookies, and mithai—traditional Indian sweets. To avoid the crowds, especially during festivals and holidays, place your order online prior to visiting.

I strolled along the cool white sands of Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic as the sun lit up the azure sky. Puffy clouds floated by and gentle breezes ruffled the fronds of the tall gorgeous palm trees that lined the beach. It was another beautiful day on Bavaro Beach. (I have read that Punta Cana is considered one of the - if not the- most beautiful beaches in the world). I must say that having been to many beaches, I agree that it is stunning. Punta Cana has seven Blue Flag Beaches.These beaches must meet stringent standards: clean water, safe swimming areas, and ensure that no waste will pollute the beach, and all is subject to inspection. The long beach (Punta Cana beach is 63 km. long) offers swimming, jogging, kayaking, volleyball, parasailing, fishing trips, snorkeling, parties on party boats, and shopping at the beach huts at the southeast end of the beach. Most of these activities are offered through the hotels ( generally all-inclusive) and they offer even more fun activities on the hotel grounds such as several pools, swim-up bars, restaurants on the beach, palapas to sit under and relax, spas, aerobics on the beach or in the pool, beach massage,and wine-tastings. In the evenings most hotels have several restaurants, cocktail parties, shopping, a casino, and shows. Bavaro Beach is a tropical paradise and I highly recommend it. Non-stop flights from New York, Philadelphia & Miami. Good site: www.colonialtours.com

Why we love it: A wilderness retreat full of natural beauty and rustic luxury

The Highlights:
- A wide range of accommodations, including luxurious glamping tents
- More than enough activities to keep the entire family entertained
- A spectacular spa with fireplaces in each treatment room

The Review:
Nestled deep in the Ozark Mountains, Big Cedar Lodge was built in the early 1920s as a lavish country retreat for two prominent Missourians. It was purchased in 1987 by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, who turned it into a fishing camp, then converted it to a high-end wilderness resort spread over 4,600 acres of wooded hollows. Today, it’s a popular place to connect with the great outdoors—amid some serious luxury. Overlooking the blue-green Table Rock Lake, the resort is focused on water recreation, offering activities like fishing, water-skiing, tubing, and rides on just about any boat you could imagine. A favorite choice is the Goin’ Jessi, an exact replica of a 1934 Chris-Craft named after Waylon Jennings’s wife, on which guests can take hour-long tours with champagne. Also on-site are two full-service marinas, four golf courses, and a 50,000-square-foot entertainment center with everything from go-karts, bumper cars, and laser tag to a ropes course, bowling alley, arcade, and climbing wall.

When visitors aren’t busy having fun, they’re spending quality time in Big Cedar Lodge’s plentiful accommodations, which range from lodge rooms to cottages to private log cabins with stone fireplaces, private decks, and jetted tubs. For something really unique, however, book an overnight experience at Camp Long Creek, an area just minutes from Big Cedar with camp huts, cabins, and glamping units right on the lake. (Outfitted with king canopy beds, chandeliers, and outdoor living spaces with a fire pit, shower, and galvanized tub for alfresco bathing, the tents are particularly exceptional.) Dining options are equally varied, from a casual café to a fine-dining restaurant to a wine-and-whiskey cellar. Still, the Cedar Creek Spa & Salon is alone worth a visit, thanks to its beautiful stained glass windows, hand-hewn timber ceiling, and stone floors crowned by chandeliers. There’s even an ice room and a candlelit grotto with body jets, plus 12 treatment rooms equipped with fireplaces and robes that are warmed up for post-treatment relaxation.

For a taste of Miami by way of St. Lucia, look no further than Sugar Beach. Set on a white-sand crescent between the Piton mountains—within a 100-acre former sugar plantation studded with shady palm trees—the resort’s white-on-white cottages have all the amenities worthy of a five-star retreat, from sumptuous Egyptian cotton linens to butler service and access to a private chef. (No wonder Gwyneth Paltrow and Matt Damon have stayed here.) But don’t linger too long in your room. The coral reefs in the bay are home to triggerfish, turtles, and exotic sponges that can be viewed on an instructor-led dive or snorkel trip, and whale-watching, waterfall hikes through the rain forest, and adventure tours on ATVs await. If you have more leisurely pursuits in mind, the tree-house spa offers treatments using locally sourced ingredients for the ultimate in relaxation.

The table in the foreground is part of the Ak’Bol café, where one can eat healthy food for good prices--lots of vegetarian food, smoothies, and coconut French toast. At the end of the pier is the location for yoga. I went on a Wednesday, which was a 9 a.m. “all levels” class, though I can’t imagine it would suit a beginner--this was challenging, inspiring yoga, well worth the $15 US.

There’s a legend about the origin of Warsaw in which a peasant named Wars is directed to the site by a mermaid named Sawa—hence the Polish name of the city, Warszawa. Today, Sawa serves as the official emblem of Warsaw, and statues of the syrena (meaning both “mermaid” and “siren” in Polish) are scattered all over town. The most fascinating version can be found in the Powiśle district near the Świętokrzyski Bridge. Polish sculptor Ludwika Nitschowa created the statue in 1936, using Krystyna Krahelska, a student of ethnography at the University of Warsaw, as his model. As the story goes, Krahelska was also a poet, girl scout, and soldier of the Polish Home Army, but died at only 30 years old on August 2, 1944, just a day after the start of the Warsaw Uprising.

Being a guy from the Jersey Shore (which has nothing to do with that television show!), I love the sea front. The seaside resort of De Panne in Belgium is a place worth visiting. Sure, Belgium is usually rainy and cold but there are hot sunny days too, so it is advisable to hit the coast and check out De Panne. Its a typical Belgian seaside resort with lots of cafes and restaurants and a very big sandy beach. What I like about De Panne is the old style mobile cabanas, which were once popular along the Jersey Shore going back a century. The town was also the home of Belgium’s King Albert during WWI, since it was the only area that was not occupied by the Germans.