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The craft cookies, cakes, and ice cream churned daily here from local milk and fruit are as creative as they come. Ask for a nostalgic Australian treat, and you might be offered a Mit Mat (a ganache-filled play on the Tim Tam), a Ro-Vo (a room-temperature spin-off of an iced VoVo), or a Jatz pie (like a caramel slice topped with a mosaic of Arnott’s Jatz crackers). The bloke behind the brilliance is none other than Alistair Wise, son of cookbook author Sally Wise, who spent a stint working with Gordon Ramsay. This emporium of happiness—and envy, to be sure—also whips up scrumptious savories including a mean scallop pie and a buttery poached chicken “sanger” with bacon, lettuce, hummus, mayo, and hard-boiled egg.

Start by seeking out the country’s beer-brewing monks.

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.

Lyons Cottage, built in 1925 on the corner of Knuckey Street and the Esplanade, is famous for being the first residence in Darwin built of stone. It originally housed executives from the British Australian Telegraph Company; today it’s a café and gallery run by Aboriginal Bush Traders, a nonprofit community initiative. Visitors can shop for artworks, jewelry, clothing and woven fabrics made by Aboriginal artists and artisans. The garden is a pleasant spot for coffee, tea or lunch under a frangipani tree. The café serves dishes made with indigenous produce, such as bush tomatoes and Kakadu plums. And the building’s history is preserved in a hologram exhibit that tells stories of the Overland Telegraph line, which first linked Australia to the rest of the world in 1872.

A bright space in Darwin’s Parap neighborhood, Nomad Art Gallery emphasizes limited-edition prints and collections produced by contemporary Australian Artists as well as Aboriginal art centers around Northern Australia. The focal point is cross-cultural collaborations between artists and master painters and etchers. In addition to the prints shown in exhibitions and sold online and through the shop, visitors can purchase textiles, books, and small sculptures.

A journey into Morocco’s Berber territory, where tradition and modern life meet.

Set on the grounds of a cacao plantation turned hotel, Boucan’s open-air restaurant is just one more fine-dining option with impressive views, in this case, St. Lucia’s verdant hills and Petit Piton. But the difference between Boucan and the others is that Boucan offers a menu informed by its immediate surroundings, throwing a hint of cacao into many of the dishes. Chocolate balsamic vinegar, cacao butter dip, chocolate onion soup—a meal here is a unique experience. Dessert, of course, is divine; opt for the molten chocolate cake. For more insight, ask for a walking tour around the plantation’s cacao groves. Better yet, sign up to take part in a tree-to-bar chocolate-making experience.

On a promontory within Bouddi National Park, overlooking a secluded bay and a short walk to an empty rust-red beach, Pretty Beach House lives up to its (classically understated Aussie) name. It’s hard to believe this intimate retreat is only a 90-minute drive from Sydney city center. Its location is spectacular and historic—spot the 2,000-year-old Aboriginal rock drawings on a nature walk nearby.

There are four guest pavilions, each outfitted with wood-burning fireplaces, deep-soaking clawfoot tubs, and sun-drenched decks overlooking Broken Bay and Angophora treetops (three have their own private plunge pools). Dining is included in the stay, and it’s exceptional: Celebrated chef Dean Jones takes freshly caught seafood and local produce and crafts them into modern Australian dishes, which you can enjoy anytime you like in the Beach House’s safari-chic dining room or poolside beneath the shady gums.

In the 1920s and 1930s, this heritage-listed property on tree-lined St. Kilda Road was an automobile showroom that sold the ultimate status symbol—the Rolls-Royce. Now it peddles another sort of luxury good: the boutique hotel stay. In the lobby, the Royce Hotel honors its Art Deco past with an arched ceiling in imitation hammered gold and lovingly restored wrought-iron chandeliers, but a zebra rug and curved mirrored walls anchor the design in the present. Some of the property’s 100 rooms and suites feature two levels and soaring bay windows, while others have kitchenettes, spa baths, and balconies with views of the city skyline, but you’ll want to venture out for the contemporary Australian specialties, including grilled steaks prepared from a selection of local grass-fed beef, at the hotel’s chic 100-seat restaurant Dish. Central though it is, there’s no lack of green space nearby: The hotel is situated between the sprawling Royal Botanic Gardens and Fawkner Park, while buzzy South Yarra is just a 15-minute walk away.

Where to eat the best tapas in Madrid, Sevilla, Barcelona, and San Sebastián—plus how to order them like the locals do.

Set on St. Lucia’s westerly Anse Cochon beach, Ti Kaye is a secluded, adults-only oasis that feels worlds away from the rest of the island. Each of the 33 cliffside, gingerbread-style houses feature outdoor showers and verandas with double-wide hammocks, and some even include plunge pools. Since there are no TVs, the focus remains squarely on the picturesque beach, home to a PADI diving center, crashing waves, and breathtaking sunsets. The same is true in the resort’s two open-air restaurants (don’t miss the banana pancakes at the beachfront grill) and treetop spa. Rum connoisseurs can schedule a tasting in Ti Kaye’s wine cave, but if you crave a rowdier scene after all the relaxation, know that it’s a 20-minute drive to the nearest fishing village—you’ll want to make the trek on Friday nights though, when Anse La Raye hosts its weekly street parties.

Following the lead of mixed-use space Deus ex Machina in Camperdown, Rising Sun is a motorcycle workshop cum café and restaurant built for the Newtown community. That means garage space with tools and repair bays for members as well as regular workshops (one just for women), art events, and a public night ride on the last Tuesday of the month. Then there’s the rustic-chic café that whips up Asian-fusion cuisine that’s as rootsy and beautiful as the bikes. Come in the morning for breakfast ramen—bacon, roasted tomatoes, and a fried egg floating in bone broth—and a Japanese twist on a bloody mary. Then return for creative tapas and share plates in the evening complemented by a stellar list of Australian beers and wines.

Chef Bill Granger started his first restaurant in Darlinghurst at age 24. Since then, his sunny Aussie eatery (most famous for its creamy scrambled eggs, ricotta hotcakes, and crunchy corn fritters) has spread to Surry Hills as well as Honolulu, Seoul, London, and four locations in Japan. The newest Australian outpost of Bills in Bondi Beach is bright and communal, spilling out on to one of the area’s most lively streets. Arrive early to avoid the long queue for weekend brunch, and sample everything from house-cured gravlax to the fried rice bowl with kimchi. Dinner (at the Bondi and Surry Hills locations only) is a more intimate, candle-lit affair, with interesting Aussie-Asian plates like tea-smoked trout salad, fish curry, spicy pork belly, and Japanese-style steak.

Speakeasies and secret bars are an ongoing trend in Australian cities, namely Melbourne and Sydney. Down an unassuming alley off Crown Street, behind an equally unassuming doorway, lies Shady Pines Saloon—if it weren’t for the alcohol license on the door and the bouncer outside, you would never know it was there. Inside, the décor is reminiscent of an old hunting lodge or saloon in the American West, with mounted animal heads, vintage beer trays, dim lighting, Johnny Cash on the stereo, and peanut shells coating the floor. Mustachioed bartenders mix craft cocktails and can advise you on their selection of bourbons and whiskeys. The fresh-pressed apple juice and whiskey is always tasty, while the mystery moonshine in the “leg bottle” makes for an adventurous choice.

Go Bar occupies an old colonial house on a leafy Mendoza street (formerly Winery & Company). Its old, worn wooden floors speckled with sunlight have just the right vintage feel for wine browsing. It’s several rooms are stacked with wrought iron shelves featuring the region’s numerous wine labels. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and will give you the perfect packaging to carry wines in your suitcase back home. Chile 898 (corner of Montevideo)