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If you’re staying in the Soufrière area, head north to nearby Anse la Raye, a fishing village that hosts a fun Friday night fish fry. It’s not as crowded or boisterous as Gros Islet’s weekly jump-up, but it’s lively enough to give a taste of island “liming,” or hanging out with friends at the end of the workweek. Order your fish of choice, throw back some cold beers, and glimpse a slice of laid-back fishing-village life.

Co-owner Diego Luna, one of Mexico‘s most internationally recognized movie stars, helps draw celebrities and other see-and-be-seen folks to La Bipo, his bar in the Coyoacán neighborhood. Designed as a cantina-style watering hole, La Bipo has a full cocktail bar and plenty of beer options. Decor is inspired by Mexican pop culture. As one example, the menu evokes lucha libre by appropriating the same kind of font used for posters promoting Mexican wrestling.

Hardly a “shack,” the stylish and cosmopolitan Ortega is a superb place to dine in New Zealand‘s capital city. Of course, seafood is a major focus on the menu, with highlights including lobster-and-prawn ravioli, or sautéed paua (New Zealand abalone) with braised pork cheek in an unctuous Asian-style sauce. Befitting its location in the best craft-beer city in the land, Ortega sports a beer list that’s diverse and well-considered, combining top drops from Wellington makers like Garage Project, Tuatara, and ParrotDog, and other excellent beers from around New Zealand and the world. Booking ahead for one of Wellington’s best restaurants is recommended, especially on weekends.

It’s fun to imagine that Xcalak, a sleepy coastal village south of Mahahual on Mexico’s Costa Maya, is what the entire Caribbean coast of Mexico looked like before the creation of the Cancún megaresort in the 70s. No Spring breakers, no cruise ships, no thumping beachside clubs, no big hotels. Just white sand and palapas, palm trees and pelicans, hammocks and fishing boats. Just you in secluded relaxation away from it all. Several clean and basic hotels are located on the old coast road and fresh, cheap seafood is abundant at local favorite Toby’s. Dive and snorkel trips can be arranged at XTC Dive Center (www.xtcdivecenter.com), located about 300m north of town.

Dieppe Bay is ringed by black sand—a reminder that St. Kitts was formed by volcanoes. It’s also the site of the first European settlement in the eastern Caribbean, a French colony established in 1538 that was destroyed by the Spanish just two weeks after its founding. Beyond its historic significance, however, Dieppe Bay is simply a peaceful, palm-lined beach on the north end of the island. An offshore reef keeps the water calm for swimming and snorkeling, and Arthur’s restaurant is nearby for when you’re craving some fresh fish and vegetables.

This sweet restaurant in West Ashley serves up all the Southern classics, from fried green tomatoes to pimento cheese and grits, but makes everything with local ingredients. The grits come from nearby Edisto Island, and much of the produce is sourced from Johns Island. Come at lunch for one of the delicious (and enormous) po’boys, or swing by for dinner and pair fried pork chops with beer, wine, or cocktails from the extensive drink menu.

With just a few tables and a handful of barstools, this bar may be tiny, but it packs a lot of character into its diminutive space. Walls are decorated floor-to-ceiling with a mix of beer posters and racy street art; at the small wood bar, eight curving brass taps dispense top-notch Belgian-style draughts like La Chouffe and La Trappe. Around 50 specialty beers are also available by the bottle, many of them rare craft brews. During evenings, the bar even manages to squeeze in a DJ, who spins funky old-school jazz.

There are plenty of places to grab a burger and a beer in the Smoky Mountains, but not many are as memorable as Local Goat. It’s one of the few restaurants in the Gatlinburg area to source local ingredients, and the kitchen’s attention to detail shows. In addition to the signature gourmet burgers, there’s also a diverse selection of entrées that range from teriyaki kebabs to shrimp and grits. It’s also the place in the area with the widest variety of beers from around Appalachia—the diversity of Local Goat’s extensive tap lineup is impressive.

There are some things that are universal, including people’s love of a good dive bar. If you’re looking for a low-key vibe with cheap drinks and greasy bar food, look no further than Cuckoo. Set in the trendy Garusogil shopping area, this unfussy bar and restaurant with graphitized walls and a raucous party vibe is often packed with 20-something locals playing Korean drinking games and downing copious amounts of soju. Although it may serve fried beef tripe, clam soup and stir-fried chicken gizzards with garlic, the beer is cheap and cold and that’s something that can be understood in any language. 4, Dosan-daero 17-gil, Gangnam-gu

Pink has never looked as good as it does on this former colonial mansion turned restaurant perched above Castries. Sit out on the veranda, and take in glorious tropical garden views stretching all the way to the sea. The Caribbean menu is just as special: Dishes include christophene au gratin, grilled fish of the day, fish cakes, lamb curry, and more, all served on the owner’s handmade ceramic plates. Desserts don’t disappoint, either—think guava cheesecake and coconut ice cream. For a sunlit pink treat, head here for Sunday brunch.

Modest in keeping with the sometimes understated influence of its namesake, the Camille Pissarro Gallery is a rare treat in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. One of the original French Impressionist painters, Pissarro was born on the island in 1830. The gallery is located in his childhood home, the loft section of a merchant’s building at 14 Main Street. Several of Pissarro’s Caribbean-inspired works are on display at the gallery, along with those from about two dozen other artists, including Jenine Wesselman and Sylvia Kahn.

While Chamonix boasts a plethora of exquisite fine-dining restaurants, the area has a rugged, often wild side too. Step forward, Micro Brasserie de Chamonix or MBC as it’s known: Towers of nachos covered in glowing cheese, jugs of beer dripping with froth, and a clientele more chug than chic make this fun spot ideal for après-ski. Run by Canadians, this microbrewery offers a wide selection of real ales and lagers brewed in the onsite fermenting tanks and vessels. Classic Canadian poutine, slow-cooked ribs, and a wide selection of burgers satisfy the appetite after a long day on the slopes.

If you’re driving out to the beaches or bars of St. Kitts’ southeast peninsula, make sure to stop for an envy-inducing photo op at the top of Timothy Hill. Up here, your 360-degree view includes the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, Friar’s and Frigate bays, Nevis, and the hilly peninsula itself.

North Star Pinball (or North Star Machines à Piastres, if you were wondering how to say pinball machine in French) is pretty much what you would expect from its name, a bar with a collection of about two dozen vintage pinball machines, most dating from the 1960s to the 1990s. There’s a long list of beers in bottles and on tap, cocktails (including seasonal specials), housemade ginger beer, and a short menu of bar snacks—pickled eggs, pepperoni, mixed nuts. Right on “the Main,” as locals refer to boulevard St-Laurent, the bar draws a loyal group of regulars who appreciate this no-attitude place.

The bay of Les Saintes ranks among UNESCO’s list of most beautiful bays in the world—and it’s not hard to see why. The views, whether on approach from the sea or from atop one of its bluffs, make up a dreamy Caribbean postcard, with the bluest of waters punctuated by small sailboats and a few docks, and its shores lined by sugar-white beaches. Under its surface, coral reefs thrive, making it an excellent snorkeling and diving destination. Lazying on a catamaran drifting across the bay is also a worthwhile experience, whether you get into the water or not.