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Stillwater is a longtime favorite in Launceston for its location on the Tamar River in a lovingly restored 1830s flour mill. Original beams, polished timber floors, and water views set the scene for seasonal dishes such as whiskey-cured Huon salmon; slow-roasted Flinders Island rack of lamb (flavored like ocean salt from the sea-swept grasses the lamb eat); and Cape Grim steak (which hails from the capital of clean air). The same owners run Black Cow Bistro a few blocks up the road, which is doing more incredible things with Cape Grim cuts. Save room for the sweet basil panna cotta with strawberries and breadcrumbs. You can hike it off at Cradle Mountain tomorrow.

At Mosquito Bay Beach—also known as Starfish Beach—on Vieques Island in Puerto Rico, you’ll find tons of colorful starfish. While the beach itself is small, it’s still beautiful and perfect for a scenic walk. You won’t get bored searching for sea creatures in the water.

The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa has a lovely pool overlooking the sea. Perfect for relaxing and taking it easy and doing absolutely nothing. But if you do feel like going out and about, the main town, Kuah, and its jetty is pretty close by.

The beauty of running a seafood restaurant that’s not located near the sea is that there’s no regional bias—and Current takes full advantage of this. Chef Alan Brines is able to draw inspiration from seafood meccas such as San Francisco, Boston, New Orleans, Seattle, and others. Located just east of downtown, the simple single-story brick building has been refurbished with a modern feel and can be rented out for private events. Current also hosts special events from time to time, including wine pairings from notable American winemakers.

The terraced organic garden that steps down the hillside in front of the Stanford Inn (above Mendocino Bay) provides some of the vegetables and herbs for the innovative cuisine in the hotel’s Ravens’ Restaurant. A stroll through the farm, with a visit to the donkeys and horses and llamas, helps work up an appetite for the vegetable-based whole-food meals that raise the bar on all-vegan fine dining. Innkeeper Jeff Stanford puts his ethics on the plate: Vegan for both health and philosophical reasons, Stanford collaborates with certified nutrition consultant Sid Hillman and the Ravens’ chefs to create dazzling meals, including one of the most innovative and tempting brunch menus I’ve ever encountered. The Inn, a large boutique hotel with panoramic ocean views, an organic farm, luxury amenities, and a bookstore and wine shop, gains additional points for being dog-friendly--even in a special dining area.

Move over, canvas safari tent; Tanzania has a new lodging option, this one in the form of a space-alien-looking dome. Set back from the famous Ngorongoro Crater and its plethora of lodges, the Highlands domes’ wild, remote, forest-edge location is one of the key selling points. The accommodations were custom-built to make it easy to take in incredible views. Asilia, the safari outfitter that owns these dwellings, prides itself on the authenticity of the experience, so trips to visit local Maasai communities are low-key and varied, with a different village visited each day. At more than 7,500 feet above sea level, evenings are chilly, but each dome tent is fitted with a high-output woodstove to keep guests cozy all night long.

After hopping off a boat off the coast of San Cristobal Island, you enter the freezing water of the Kicker Rock channel (or Leon Dormido). Above you Blue-Footed Boobies perch on the rock, while Frigate birds fly in the clear blue sky. Underneath you an aquatic world awaits, filled with playful Sea Lions, Razor Surgeon Fish, Parrotfish, Sea Turtles, and if you’re lucky you might even spot some (or 40) White-Tipped Sharks...Don’t worry, the locals swear the sharks are vegetarians!

North of Santa Teresa, in Playa Hermosa, you’ll find sushi master Koji Hyodo carving yellowfin tuna, red snapper, and sea bass at his tinkling, tin-roofed restaurant, Koji’s. His signature Koji Roll wraps spicy tuna around fresh shrimp paste and avocado. Then the entire roll is drizzled with a secret sauce and dipped in crunchy tempura bits. The grilled octopus is lightly fired, then sprinkled with sea salt; his lobster sashimi, sliced so thin you can almost see through it, starts with a crunch and finishes sweet.

I love this beach. Squeeze past the Buccaneer, bypass the golf course, keep going and don’t look back. Park at the end of the line, pick through the sea grapes and there it is: Shoy’s. A sweet little crescent of a beach that’s sure to leave a smile on your face.

Rugged Monhegan, aka the Artists’ Island, lies about a dozen miles out to sea, and is reachable only by passenger ferries. About 60 hardy souls live here year-round, most making a living from the sea. If you get a sense of déjà vu when visiting Monhegan, it’s likely because so many of the island’s icons and vistas have been painted by American masters, including Robert Henri, Rockwell Kent, Jamie Wyeth, George Bellows, Edward Hopper, James Fitzgerald, Andrew Wyeth, Alice Kent Stoddard, Reuben Tam, and William Kienbusch. Artists and art lovers come in summer; bird-watchers flock here in spring and fall. Hiking trails access remote rocky beaches and craggy headlands. Go for the experience, the art, and the hiking, and don’t miss the museum at the lighthouse.

Covering nearly two thirds of Basse-Terre island, Guadeloupe National Park is an astounding 54,000 acres of lush rain forest, plus offshore mangrove and coral reefs. Some of the island’s best-known sights are inside the park, including active La Grande Soufrière volcano at its center, 4,800 feet above sea level. The park also contains famous waterfalls like Carbet Falls and the Cascade aux Ecrevisses, and Les Bains Jaunes thermal pool is a refreshing swim after conquering one the park’s many hiking trails. Nature lovers will swoon over the 800-plus species of flora and fauna here, ranging from orchids to bats to the endangered agouti (a type of small rodent). You can explore Guadeloupe National Park on your own or go with an outfitter like Vert Intense, an eco-friendly operation that knows every inch of this vast green escape, and also offers canyoning.

The miniscule, idyllic island of Granita de Oro (meaning “little grain of gold”) is one of 38 small, wild islands that comprise Panama’s Isla Coiba National Park, in the Gulf of Chiriqui. The cyan-blue waters here swarm with a jaw-dropping array of sea creatures—not just coral reefs swarming with tropical fish, but moray eels, manta rays, sharks, and sea turtles. While snorkeling and diving are the most obvious pursuits here, many travelers enjoy just kayaking, sunning, and picnicking on the powdery beach. Traveling with an intimate group can heighten the experience of exploring Central America. The ship used for Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Costa Rica & Panama trips accommodates just 62 passengers.

Just a mile off Messinia’s coast is the beautiful Proti Island, which is said to resemble a crocodile in shape, and is a haven for history buffs. On land, you’ll find archeological sites and ruins from ancient temples and citadels. Additionally, Proti Island is great for diving due to its clear visibility, 15 dive sits and mix of reef, cave, wall, wreck, canyon, and drift diving. As you swim through turquoise Mediterranean waters, keep your eyes peeled for blue-spotted rays, painted combers, damselfish, sea turtles, and myriad colorful corals and sponges. One company that can take you diving off Proti Island is Navarino Sea by Aqua Divers Club, a Padi Five-Star IDC Resort.

This iconic bar sits on stilts above the sea at the Hotel Bakoua in the sultry resort area of Trois-Ilets, just across the Bay of Fort-de-France from the island’s capital city. People don’t come here for the drinks (stronger and better can easily be had elsewhere). They don’t come for the snackfood, or to ogle the topless beauties on the shore either (okay, perhaps a few are attracted by the latter). No, instead they come for the vibrant sunshine, the spectacular views across the Bay, and the soothing sea current that massages those who wade into the waters surrounding the bar.

I’ve been all over the California coast and Point Lobos is my favorite place to hike. We have hiked every trail in this reserve and never tire of this magical place. You can see many animals, such as sea otters, seals, elephant seals,sea lions, squirrels and deer that are often in little pockets near the trails. Most of the hikes are easy to moderate, you can make them longer by combining them or just hike smaller parts. There is a whalers cabin that has been transformed into a little museum at one end of the reserve.