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Located deep in the heart of the Iwokrama Rainforest Preserve, Atta Rainforest Lodge is operated by Wilderness Explorers. It offers accommodation in eight simple, but still comfortable, rooms in a long brick building. Each is equipped with mosquito netting over the beds, and has an attached al fresco toilet and cold water shower (don’t worry, it’s so steamy outside you won’t miss the hot water -- plus showering under the stars at night is a bucket-list worthy experience). Meals are served family style and focus on local staples including fresh fish and meat -- BBQ nights are the best. Everything tastes fresh and delicious and we love how friendly the staff is. At night there is little to do (again no cell signal, limited Wi-Fi, and no TV), so our group amused ourselves drinking rum in the bar and playing charades. The guides will also take you for night walks where you can see cool bugs like the Whip Spider. The real highlight here, however, is doing the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway. Although some canopies were destroyed recently, the remaining ones form a series of suspension bridges and platforms 100 feet above the rain forest floor. Walking across the rickety (but safe) bridge is an adrenaline experience in its own right, but make sure to stop and look around, as the views are magnificent, and you’ll likely hear and see howler monkeys and other indigenous fauna. Note the walk to the platforms is intense and straight uphill -- wear proper shoes and bring water.

The Great Wall of China runs more than 21,000 kilometers (over 13,000 miles), not as one continuous wall but rather as fortified wall sections. Some of the sections date back more than 2,500 years, though only 8.2 percent of the existing wall is original. The Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the more accessible portions. Hike (because that is what you’ll be doing, even on the wall itself) up the Great Wall, then slide down the side of the mountain on a toboggan. Alternatively, explore the Simatai Great Wall, which retains a more authentic feel—save, of course, for the fake water town at the bottom. Even more remote is the Jiankou section, which is largely unrestored, so book with an experienced group like Beijing Hikers or Wild Great Wall.

Witness the destruction wrought by Mt. Vesuvius nearly 2,000 year ago at the archaeological site of Pompeii. The ancient village was frozen in time beneath a blanket of hot ash during an eruption in 79 C.E. Among the ruins that have been uncovered are buildings that shed light on aspects of ancient life both grand and mundane, from the temples, the coliseum and homes with fine frescoes, to public baths, chariot-rutted streets and grain stores which now hold plaster casts of the people who perished that fateful day.

This coastal outpost juxtaposes rugged beaches with refined living. You can walk for miles and not see another sign of human development, because the waters surrounding Kalaloch Lodge are part of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and the land sits within Olympic National Park. The only crowds on these windswept beaches are starfish in the tide pools. The weathered-wood lodge and cabins, meanwhile, are comfy-cozy nests, and many offer pinch-me views of the waves. The lodge’s Kalaloch Room feels like a ship’s prow, with a semicircular wall of windows looking out to the water. And the Bluff Cabins sit right above the beach, with nothing obstructing their views over the Pacific. Ashley Miller, a Certified Chef de Cuisine, presides over the kitchen and showcases Washington seafood such as Pacific cod, and local oysters (the ooey-gooey macaroni and cheese features Dungeness crab and locally-made artisan cheddar). Washington labels dominate the wine list—the Kalaloch Label White Blend of Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier pairs beautifully with the menu’s seafood items—and tables overlook a driftwood-studded estuary where the winding freshwater reflects the sunset’s golden hues.

Taking advantage of the 20,000 sugar and red maple trees surrounding their 800-acre Madava Farms property, located 90 minutes north of Manhattan, husband and wife Robb and Lydia Turner create arguably some of the purest maple syrup, which has graced some of the U.S. and Hudson Valley finest restaurants even appearing at President Obama’s Inaugural Lunch. Head inside the “Sugar House” and learn about the processes involved in the journey from bark to barrel combined with tastings of their certified organic syrup varieties - Golden, Amber, Dark, and Very Dark - and a farm-to-table lunch. Wondering about the secret to its great taste? It lies in their advanced reverse osmosis machines that evaporate the water from the sap without heating it.

This isn’t downhill ski country, but the nordic trails in and around Rocky Mountain National Park are remarkable. You can see the Stanley Hotel—which is actually a compound of white-painted buildings at the base of some enormous stone formations—from miles away as you roll into Estes Park. Built in 1909 as the private guest house of F.O. Stanley, it is now one of the most historic (and, say some, haunted) hotels in the country. It is famous for its role in Stephen King’s The Shining, but also for its proximity to the National Park, its partnership with local outfitter Kent Mountaineering, and for its pop-up weekend dinner club and extensive whiskey bar (over 1200 expressions and counting).

Dining venues that really scale the highest of international standards are few and far between in Yangon. One such options, however, is the long-standing Le Planteur. Set in a mansion with a lovely garden, the restaurant specialises in intricate fusion creations with dishes running the gamut from foie gras to prime rib.

One of Mexico City’s most historic neighborhoods—a once-independent city-state politically joined to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan—Tlatelolco is a fascinating side trip few tourists make. At its center lies the district’s so-called Square of the Three Cultures, where a colossal public housing development (of revitalized interest to architecture buffs) surrounds a 17th-century Spanish church (notably embellished with stained-glass windows by 20th-century artist and architect Mathias Goeritz) as well as the ruins of pre-Hispanic Tlatelolco pyramids and other structures. In addition to being the exact spot on which the Aztec empire fell, the square was also the site where Mexican armed forces perpetrated a bloody 1968 massacre of university students and political activists. Tragedy aside, the area is still home to thousands of hardworking average Joes, and the community garden, known as the huerto, is pure down-home bucolic charm; it’s well worth a pop-in.

This little private church is probably the most photographed stop in Oia. Our rented house was right next to it but lower on the steps so we could see lots of people getting lots of photos. Married couples would take their photos next to it, photographers were offering workshops that included this spot. I woke up at 5.30AM to wonder when nobody else was around. Best time of day to walk around this very busy tourist destination.

This eco-friendly property is unlike anywhere else in the Caribbean. A 400-acre working farm built within a sustainable community on Mount Liamuiga, the low-key luxury resort has St. Kitt’s requisite gingerbread trim and banana-plant landscaping. Here, however, signs tell guests when the fruit is ripe enough to pick—even the golf course is designed to be harvested. Belle Mont’s 84 clapboard cottages have open-air baths and wrap-around verandas that look out on the neighboring islands of Saba and St. Eustatius, but the resort’s real draw lies in its six farm-to-table restaurants, where guests can enjoy global takes on West Indian specialties (think papaya lamb stew and wine-braised pork with coconut, pumpkin, and chocolate) under the stars.

Mazatlán is going through a renaissance. “The Pearl of the Pacific” saw its original heyday along with Acapulco during the glamorous 50s and 60s, when Hollywood stars mixed with Mexico’s elite for sun and fun and cocktails. By the 90s, however, Mazatlán was worn around the edges and run down, a forgotten tourist relic while the Caribbean coast’s Cancún rose to world fame. Well, Mazatlán is back, baby-- back to its former glory and more. If your hotel is in the touristy souvenir-filled “Zona Dorada” (Golden Zone), be sure to spend your days in the Pueblo Viejo (Old Town) and its charming, fully renovated historic center steps away from the beach. The cultural scene here is vibrant--live theater and dance performances, tasty eateries, unique boutiques, and several interesting museums. Of course, getting out in the sea and sun will also be a priority. Surfing, sportfishing and horseback riding are all popular here, but the real don’t-miss activity is a whale or dolphin-watching expedition. Onca Explorations (www.oncaexplorations.com) offers popular daily ecotours to observe marine mammals. At the end of the day, a drink at a beachside bar is in order. As you people watch and enjoy the dramatic Pacific sunset, you can ponder whether you’re in the mood for watching a concert at the Teatro Angela Peralta or dancing the night away at one of Mazatlán’s many Zona Dorada nightclubs.

As a travel writer and a kama’aina or “child of the land” in Hawaiian, I know about Waikiki hotels. Growing up not far from the Waikiki of the late 1960’s and 1970’s, I have watched Waikiki transform from a simpler time when there were fewer hotels, showrooms had live entertainment with local celebrity singers and hula dancers performing every night, and a sprinkling of small bars were scattered like shells along the sands of Waikiki. In that long- ago time you could take an evening walk on the beach and listen to the Hawaiian music under the stars.




So much has changed since then. The Waikiki of today along bustling Kalakaua Avenue is such a compacted array of luxury brand stores, chain restaurants, and concept eateries, that some visitors may find it a bit contrary to their idea of relaxation. So they head to an outer island. But enchanting Oahu should not be overlooked because of its popularity, so I’ll tell you about an oceanfront oasis on the beach at Waikiki that you’ll love.


There are two sides to Waikiki: The Diamond Head side, and the Ewa side. The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort is situated on the Ewa end of Waikiki on what was once referred to as the Kalia area. The famous Hawaiian water-man Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern surfing, and an Olympic medalist, was born here in this well-populated residential area. There was also a small hotel with thatched roof cottages along the beach called Niumalu Hotel. Decades later in the 1950’s Henry J. Kaiser (and partners) bought most of the land up, negotiated leases, dredged a tidal area and created a lagoon. Then he built rooms, restaurants, and bars, and opened his Hawaiian Village Hotel in September of 1955. Soon he added an incredible marvel of an aluminum dome that was constructed in 20 hours and built as an entertainment venue. He later sold the property to Conrad Hilton.


The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort has also made changes over the years by revamping its oceanfront 20-acre layout. Because of its size, manicured gardens, several pools, various room types, shopping, a luau venue, and multiple restaurant offerings, all along the largest expanse of Waikiki Beach, it is the only true resort in Waikiki, But I did promise you an oasis. So here is the secret: the Hilton’s Ali’i Tower.



The beachfront Ali’I Tower is a quiet “hotel within a hotel” in the large resort. Guests staying at the Ali’i Tower have their own front desk and concierge, a private pool and deck overlooking the beach, fitness room, and private bar. All of the rooms feature understated design and upscale amenities. Guests sporting their Ali’i Tower bracelet can go to the front of any line at the ever-popular Tropics Bar & Grill or Rainbow Room. Tip: Book the corner Diamond Head Oceanfront rooms on the upper floors. Your two lanais give you an expansive view from Diamond Head, across the surf spots along the reef, all the way to the Tapa Tower and Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon, the marina, and across the ocean to Ewa Beach. Don’t miss the Friday Night Fireworks from your balcony. The Hilton Hawaiian Village has been continuing this beloved tradition since 1988. So settle in at the Ali’i Tower and relax knowing that you have found a slice of the old Waikiki that still exists.

Crowds may swarm upon it daily from sunrise onwards, but exposure hasn’t dulled the impact of the largest religious monument in the world. Commissioned by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century as the centerpiece of the mighty Khmer empire, the structure is inspired by Hindu sacred design and is estimated to have taken around 30 years to build. The biggest surprise upon visiting might be learning that the vast complex of spires, moats, frescoes, cloisters, and balustrades was constructed in such speedy fashion. You won’t be alone while witnessing it, but sunrise over the iconic temple remains one of the essential experiences in Southeast Asia. A return in the afternoon when the camera-toting hordes have dispersed is also advisable.

An address won’t help you much on Burano. If you’re looking for a specific spot on this tiny archipelago off the Venetian coast, let color be your guide. According to legend, island homes were painted in vivid hues to help fishermen find their way in the fog as far back as the 6th century. While neon shades of blue, green, orange, and lavender may seem random, they’ve been determined by a regulated system for centuries. Even today, property owners must request permission and a selection of permissible colors from the Italian government before slapping a new coat of paint on their aging buildings. Visitors who make the 45-minute vaporetto ride from Venice to Burano are rewarded with a kaleidoscope of tropical hues and a serene island ambience that seems worlds away from the madding crowds in Piazza San Marco. While edible vestiges of its roots as a small fishing village remain in waterfront restaurants serving up heaping plates of frittura mista, seafood risotto, and spaghetti vongole, Burano is better known today for its hand-hewn lace and colorful homes. In the 15th century, its artistic prominence surged when island women began making the famed lace. Demand peaked after Leonardo da Vinci visited to shop for the Burano lace that covers the main altar of the Duomo in Milan. If you’re lucky enough to visit Burano during the pre-Lent Venice Carnevale, you may find new dimensions of color on its four canal-laced islands and picturesque footbridges. A multicolored palette of some 3,000 islanders provides a rainbow of backdrops for costumed revelers. Primping and posing, the fantasy personae inspire storms of clicks from photographers eager to capture the visual feast.

From beginner-friendly climbing and zip lines to epic white-water rafting and a guided Bridge Walk, this national park in West Virginia has it all.