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Kalaf Epalanga, the poet and vocalist of the Portuguese-Angolan music group Buraka Som Sistema, shares the secrets of the Baixa neighborhood. As told to Anja Mutić.

Chefs bring fresh flavors from Portugal’s former colonies to Lisbon’s plates.

AFAR chose a destination at random—by literally spinning a globe—and sent Scott Hocker on a spontaneous journey to Croatia.

Don’t let the eerie name fool you. Namibia’s Hoanib Skeleton Coast, a 310-mile stretch of sand scattered with animal bones and shipwrecks, is home to plenty of life: the Himba bushmen, fur seals, and desert-adapted flora whose sole water source is the morning fog that rolls in off the Atlantic. Getting here, however, is tricky. The shoreline, which is a national park, fringes the Namib Desert—where some of the world’s tallest dunes can be found—and is accessible only by tiny plane. Willing to wing it? Stay at Wilderness Safaris’ new eight-tent camp where, when not relaxing on your own deck, you can take to the sky for a tour of the coast. From $565. This appeared in the October 2014 issue.

Johannesburg is home to a good variety of people and cultures from all across Africa. Some of the more prominent culture clubs in town are Nigerians, Zimbabweans, Angolans and Ethiopians who all bring a little bit of their traditions and stylings into their businesses in Johannesburg. If you’re looking for a good African meal, Little Addis Café aka Kassa’s Kitchen in the Maboneng Precinct is a great place to go! Run by the very friendly Kassa, this homely, venue is watched over by a large portrait of the most prominent Ethiopian leader, Haile Selassie. If you can’t find place inside, there’s always a nice spot in the shade on a sunny afternoon on the sidewalk, I had the veggie and meat combo which was served with traditional injera (Ethiopian flatbread). Using your hand to eat is the only way to do the traditional meal justice!

Built in 1576 by the first Portuguese governor of Angola, the Fortress of São Miguel presides over Luanda Bay, which it once defended. Since then, the polygonal fortification served for a time as an administrative center and a military garrison; today, it’s home to the Museum of the Armed Forces, with displays of tanks, combat vehicles, weapons and cannons used in Angola’s War of Independence and also in opposition to South Africa’s military interventions in the 1970s and ‘80s. From the fort there are panoramic views of the city and the bay.

Also called Ilha do Cabo, this spit off Luanda is a tropical playground by the sea for wealthy Angolans and expats working in the country’s oil industry. The entire strip—it’s actually a peninsula, not an island, and is connected to the mainland by a bridge—is loaded with chic clubs and restaurants designed for those who want to see and be seen, and also to spend. Many serve fresh seafood and offer outdoor seating by the water. If your schedule allows, come here to catch the sunset over the Atlantic.

Despite its name, Ilha do Mussulo (Mussulo Island) is actually a sand bank formed by sedimentation from the Kwanza River. Accessible by boat—and by jeep when the tide is low—Mussulo is where residents of Luanda head when they want a break from the pace of the capital. The expansive white-sand beach is scattered with coconut palms, and the waters of the bay are calm, which makes conditions ideal for any number of water sports; you may want to join the locals who are windsurfing, snorkeling and water-skiing.