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The national sport of Bhutan is archery. Serious archery. These gentlemen (the Prince was a competitor before he became King) are so good they hit targets we couldn’t even see from the competitors end of the grounds. When they did well they would all do a little jig in celebration. Their equipment was extremely high tech in this tournament but we saw others with what looked like regular gym class style bows and arrows. When in Bhutan you will have no problem findng a tournament to watch - the archery grounds are near the center of town usually near the river.

During my last stay in Florence, I wanted to learn more about the artisan trades, and Bruscoli was recommended to me by a local. I am so glad it was. As I walked along the Arno River on my way to the workshop, I had no idea what an extraordinary little slice of Florence’s history I was about to witness. At Bruscoli, you can learn about the artisan heritage of Florence from Paulo Bruscoli, a fourth generation craftsman and owner of a small shop that sells both Florentine paper and leather products engraved with gold leaf. From stories of the bookbinding tradition in his family and the great flood of 1966 to his extensive collection of traditional engraving tools, the details housed in this small shop bring to life a tradition deeply rooted in Florence’s heritage yet unlikely to continue in the future. Bruscoli is an easy walk from the city center. High-quality leather and paper products are for sale, but Paulo Bruscoli specializes in personalized items, which you can order and pick up later or have sent to you. Mr. Bruscoli speaks English.

Its massive size, centrality to daily life in the capital, and easy accessibility (a Metro station opens up right onto the plaza) makes the Zócalo an ideal place for large-scale temporary exhibits. The government hosts occasional exhibits and makes entry free for residents and visitors alike. Past exhibits have included Gregory Colbert’s “Ashes and Snow,” a show of large-format photos of animals and people, and Willy Souza’s “Mexico en tus sentidos” (“Mexico in your senses”), lush, vivid photos of people and places around Mexico. To see if a show is planned during the time you’ll be visiting, check the website of the Secretary of Tourism.

The beloved Cambodian breakfast dish of nom banh chok is a love-it-or-hate-it dish for most foreigners, who would probably prefer to have this cold to luke-warm noodle dish served hot. The process of making these rice noodles is depicted in bas reliefs on Angkor temples, suggesting that the dish dates back to the Khmer Empire and traveled to Thailand at the end of the Angkorian era. In Thailand, there is a similar noodle dish called kanom jeen. In Siem Reap it’s typically served at street-side stalls and by roaming women vendors who carry baskets of ingredients on their shoulders. Like anything in Cambodia, you can expect to find an array of versions but a favorite comes with a yellow kroeung curry, a mound of thinly sliced banana blossoms, pickled cucumber, and fresh fragrant green herbs.

Often described as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, this 10-mile-long Kauai valley is a kaleidoscopic array of scarlet earth, verdant valleys, and raw volcanic crags. Bands of color streak the corrugated landscape, each representing a different eruption and layer of lava. Waimea Canyon Drive has a series of lookouts; among the most popular is Waimea Canyon (past the Mile 10 marker on Highway 550), where a number of rivers once cascaded down the gently sloping shield volcano. When part of its flank collapsed, the rivers combined with dramatic results. Continue into the mountains to explore Koke’e State Park beyond. Its small, free museum contains a 3-D map, which sheds light on the canyon’s wild beauty, while the gift shop specializes in local art, crafts, and Niihau shell jewelry.

Encyclopedic is one way to describe L.A.’s oldest art institution. Sprawling is another. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art opened in its current Miracle Mile location in 1965 and has not stopped growing, becoming the largest museum in the western United States. Its 135,000-piece collection spans 6,000 years of art. It also includes some of the museum world’s most photographed outdoor sculptures, such as Michael Heizer’s mind-boggling Levitated Mass and Chris Burden’s Urban Light. The museum hosts some 40 exhibits per year, plus a dynamic schedule of events, such as Tuesday film matinees and picnic-friendly Jazz at LACMA (held weekly on “summer” weekend nights—which in L.A. means April to November). While anyone can join free tours throughout the day, docents also lead customized experiences for a fee, which will take you through the galleries before or after hours to marvel at artists as wide-ranging as Henri Matisse, Ai Weiwei, Diego Rivera, and Catherine Opie. Kids are also catered to with a special gallery, Sunday activities, and a free membership, which includes entry for them plus an adult guest any day of the year. Pro tips: Plan to spend several hours at the museum, fueling up on wood-fired pizza midway through the day at Ray’s & Stark Bar. And if you’d like to experience the outdoor sculptures without the crowds, go early in the morning or on Wednesdays, when the museum is closed and gloriously quiet.

The unofficial symbol of St. Louis, the Gateway Arch is the tallest man-made monument in the United States, rising 630 feet into the air. It sits at the center of Gateway Arch National Park, which was established in 1935 to commemorate Thomas Jefferson’s vision of a transcontinental America. In 2018, the park emerged from a five-year, $380 million renovation, which added a grassy pedestrian walkway over the interstate as well as a revamped museum with new exhibits about the construction of the arch and how the expansion of the United States affected Native American communities. Tour the new sites, then take the four-minute, vertigo-inducing tram to the top of the arch, where you can see up to 30 miles east and west on a clear day.

One of the best views of Florence can be savored from the Piazzale Michelangelo, a short walk across the Arno River from downtown Florence. For a fun afternoon head to the square and enjoy an enchanting panorama of the city, followed by a relaxing alfresco lunch at one of the nearby restaurants. The Piazzale Michelangelo is also worth a visit at night to get a very different glimpse of Florence. The lights of the Duomo and the buildings surrounding it make for a magical nighttime scene.

Step off the beaten path that leads to Jim Morrison’s grave at Père Lachaise and head instead to the lesser-known, yet extraordinary Montparnasse Cemetery. Locals bring metro tickets to leave on Serge Gainsbourg’s grave in honor of his song “Le Poinçonneur des Lilas (The Lilas Ticket Taker).” Nearby rest the poet Baudelaire and eternal lovers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. A married couple by the name of Pigeon share a tomb that is as surprising as their family name. Susan Sontag opted for a minimalist grave, while artist Niki de Saint Phalle chose a rainbow-colored mosaic cat for the grave of her assistant Ricardo. Brancusi’s The Kiss sculpture stands at the head of his grave. Stop at a guardian’s kiosk when you enter the tranquil space and ask for a map of the luminaries who have made this their eternal resting place.

Why we love it: Epic views and high style on the South Island

The Highlights:
- Design that maximizes the views
- A small size that makes for an intimate, exclusive experience
- Access to a variety of outdoor adventures

The Review:
Set in the South Island’s Ahuriri Valley, on 6,000 pristine acres bordered on three sides by conservation parks, is your own slice of natural paradise. Opened in late 2018, The Lindis is a striking, contemporary lodge that blends into the landscape, with a sloping roof that mimics the mountain and river backdrop and, inside, floor-to-ceiling windows framing magnificent views.

There are just five rooms to choose from—two master options and three lodge suites, all with private indoor and outdoor lounge spaces, fluffy king beds, and gas fireplaces. (Master suites also have separate living rooms and oversized bathtubs.) Beyond the accommodations, there are endless activities to choose from, from horseback riding, fly fishing, and e-biking to eco- and buggy tours and spectacular stargazing. Fuel up for your adventures with the lodge’s refined, contemporary cuisine, crafted by house chefs using locally sourced ingredients—think South Island crayfish, foraged porcini mushrooms, and Wild Fiordland venison—and paired with fine New Zealand wines from the well-stocked cellar.

Of the many draws of this upscale property on 26 pine-clad acres, the biggest is arguably its beach, one of the longest private stretches on Lake Tahoe, where guests can relax in cabanas and lounge chairs, rent jet skis, boats, or kayaks, and even stay in one of the 26 luxury beachside cabins. The lobby, with its massive timbers, flagstone walls and fireplaces, and huge windows, recall some of the great National Park Lodges; the rooms, however, are modern and spacious, swathed in soothing neutral colors. (Rooms on the upper levels of the 12-story tower have the best views.) And because the resort resides on the Nevada side of the North Shore, there’s a 20,000-square-foot casino. Other amenities include a spa, fitness center, and an indoor/outdoor swim-out pool that—along with a lazy river and water fountains—is heated year-round, as well as a kiddie pool and two large whirlpools. And no need to leave Fido behind: the resort accepts your furry friends, too.

A stunning combination of rock formations, pristine beaches, sloping mountains, and the glittering East Vietnam Sea surround this dreamy resort—so it’s no surprise that many of its key activities revolve around nature. Depending on the season, scuba diving, mountain hiking, and sailing are big draws, but you can enjoy sunset cruises, kayaking, beach yoga, and early-morning fishing excursions with the chef any time of year. Excursions to Nha Trang, the countryside, the Cai River mud baths, and more can also be arranged, but there’s plenty on property to keep guests occupied—not least the spacious villas, many of which are set along the cliff tops or beach and feature private pools. The Six Senses brand (which also oversees a sister Vietnamese property in the Con Dao marine park) highlights wellness, holistic living, and sustainability, and you’ll find plenty of evidence of that here, from the local organic produce used in the restaurants and bars to the traditional therapies and integrated wellness programming offered at the spa. Other can’t-miss activities include a private dinner in the mountain-set wine cave and an aerial yoga session—but maybe not in that order.

Just a 45-minute floatplane ride from Anchorage along the banks of the Talachulitna River and Judd Lake, this multistructure resort combines a six-room flagship lodge, which was renovated in 2017, with a lakeside bar and dining room (and 500-bottle wine cellar); a private four-room lodge; and two smaller individual cabins, all with views of either the Alaska or Tordrillo ranges. But guests don’t come here to just ogle the mountains—they take them on. With Olympic gold medalist Tommy Moe and Alaska heli-ski pioneer Mike Overcast behind the resort, plus access to 1.2 million acres of untrammeled terrain with runs that top out at 7,500 feet, world-class heli-ski adventures are practically guaranteed. And an exclusive partnership with Winterlake, another notable resort nearby, allows guests to heli-ski even further north into the Tordrillo Range and Neacola Mountains.

Across the Cumberland River from downtown, residential East Nashville got its first taste of hipster cool in 2016 when this Instagram-friendly bed-and-breakfast opened in a renovated Queen Anne mansion. Like its sister property in Brooklyn, Urban Cowboy’s eight suites and freestanding cabin are each uniquely named—Midnight Rider, the Lion’s Den—and decorated with geometric inlaid woodwork, Southwestern-inspired designs, and handcrafted furniture, plus custom wallpaper and copper and claw-foot tubs. The communal music parlor encourages interaction among guests with a collection of gently worn instruments, as does the all-weather fire pit, where blankets and good cheer are plentiful, especially after enjoying craft cocktails and wood-fired meals at Public House, the property’s on-site restaurant and bar.

For families who want a full-service hotel and non-partiers who can afford it, the Four Seasons Hotel is, at 424 rooms, one of the few moderately-sized (by Las Vegas standards) upscale accommodations on the Las Vegas Strip. Without a casino and situated at the extreme southern end of the Strip, putting it out of earshot of much of the frenzy, nothing about the hotel connotes “Vegas.” It could be a Four Seasons just about anywhere: the same serene ambience, the same classically stylish rooms, the same attentive staff, and the same bending-over-backwards for children. One of the secrets of the hotel’s success, however, is that the Four Seasons is actually a five-floor hotel-within-a-hotel, with a private passageway connecting it to the casino of the giant Mandalay Bay Resort. The pairing works because Four Seasons guests have their own private driveway, entrance, check-in, and concierge service. And if the quiet pool at the Four Seasons should prove too tame for a kid with his heart set on tubing down a lazy river, the Mandalay Bay attractions are all available to him, too.