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There’s a pleasing bit of cognitive dissonance happening at Meliá Hanoi. Housed within a green-glass, part-cylindrical tower, the hotel tempers sleek European-style hospitality (think streamlined gray and cream furnishings and high-tech amenities like flat-screen TVs and satellite channels) with touches of local influence: depictions of pagodas and traditional gateways figure in giant murals along the walls and central column in the lobby, and lantern-inspired pendant lighting hangs in the guest rooms. The hotel sits in theHoan Kiem district, within walking distance of the lake and the Old Quarter, making it an ideal base for urban exploration, but there’s also plenty on site to keep you occupied, from the Mediterranean buffet and the palm-fringed outdoor swimming pool to the fitness center and Marquee Club, a nighttime haunt that attracts young Hanoians intent on drinking and dancing into the wee hours.

A must-stop on the traditional handicraft circuit, this massive market—stretching four city blocks in Miraflores!—is home to stall after stall of kitschy bric-a-brac, pre-Columbian–style pottery, alpaca everything and an endless array of Andes-inspired arts and crafts. Come and shop around.

The vibe in Waikiki is the most frenetic of all the spots in the islands, but there is an escape. The scene at the current iteration of the classic Hawaiian hangout, Duke’s, is a step back even by Oahu standards. Best approached via the beach to enhance the original feel and avoid the mall-like carnival from the street entrance, this is the kind of bar that welcomes sand on your flips. Slip in for happy hour and be prepared to jockey for a spot. Even with the crowd, the music, the food, the drinks are all designed draw you back to a simpler time when Duke was still riding the longboard. I’m partial to the beers and french fries, but will never refuse a fish taco. With a long relationship with the Kona Brewing brand, I opt for the Longboard larger or Fire Rock Pale ale. The umbrella drinks don’t disappoint, but neither do the gin and tonics. The local musical talent that ply the stage at Duke’s are traditional Hawaiian in style and like to keep the island theme front and center. There is a family vibe to the musical community, much like the rest of Hawaiian culture, and it’s not unusual to get a sibling or cousin to come up on stage and do some traditional Hawaiian dance or help out on a song or two. There was an 8 year old girl that got asked to come up on one of our visits and she blew the crowd away! The strip a Waikiki can be a bit daunting in terms of relaxation, but Duke’s remains my refuge from the madness. Aloha.

Hmmm, what to buy when you want a New Zealand souvenir that’s not a tacky plastic tiki or kiwi-shaped ashtray? That’s when you head to Pauanesia (pron. Pah-wah-nesia). Named after the Maori word for abalone, this High St. Auckland store has unique and interesting gifts. From authentic pounamu (greenstone) pendants that you traditionally gift to friends (never buy one for yourself) through to tea towels with 1970s motifs on them, you can be sure no one else will have what you’ve brought when you get back home.

At this Charleston hit, James Beard Award–winning chef Sean Brock reinterprets traditional Southern dishes with a steadfast commitment to local and regional ingredients—the restaurant even has its own garden. Constantly changing, the menu is filled with inventive new takes on Southern cuisine, such as pig’s ear lettuce wraps done up “buffalo” or “Kentukyaki” style.

Don’t miss the Carolina Grouper—it’s one of the most beautiful dishes at this establishment, and a regional classic you have to try while visiting Charleston.

Note that the restaurant also has locations in Nashville, TN and Savannah, GA.

Part dive bar under the palms, part reggae dance hall, and part DJ club. This is the place to come for a great night out with friends. All Pura Vida!

Maison Collard’s claim to fame is a cookie so hard they have to print a warning on it. Legend has it, during the great siege of 1466, the people of Dinant were starving and had only two things at their disposal: flour and honey. They made these into dough and baked it. Later, they began to stamp patterns into the hard dough, with brassware found in their kitchens. In reality, there is little historical evidence to support the existence of the couque before the 18th century. Throughout the period, couques were decorated with depictions of important historic events. Although the tough dough is no longer kneaded by hand, the cookies are still pressed into hand-carved pear wood moulds. Popular shapes include animals, fruits, and scenes of Dinant. Nowadays, sugar and spices are also frequently added to the mix. Couques sold these days must be labeled with a warning advising people not to bite into the hard cookie. Instead, you are advised to dunk it in a beverage, to soften it, or break off a small piece and suck it. In fact, couques are traditionally given to babies to suck on while they are teething. More Information: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/08/flamiche-couques-de-dinant-foodie-favourites-wallonia-belgium/

Famous since its 1998 opening as the place with the dancing fountains (further immortalized in the final scene of the 2001 film Ocean’s Eleven), the 3,933-room Italian-themed Bellagio is a Las Vegas icon. There is a fantasy feel about it, with its five courtyard pools, its indoor botanical garden and conservatory that change with the seasons, its lobby-dominating Dale Chihuly blown-glass flower sculpture, and its eight-acre lake, out of which rise the fountains. Yet following a 2015 upgrade, it also feels as modern as any hotel on the Strip. The Bellagio still does a few things the old-fashioned way: Along with the expected celebrity restaurants, there is a buffet (a long-cherished Las Vegas tradition) brought up to modern standards with an all-you-can-drink alcohol option. Throughout the hotel, service is tops, shopping is high-end, the Cirque du Soleil production O draws ’em in, and—another Las Vegas tradition—a casino with nearly the area of two football fields makes it all go ‘round, which is no doubt why everybody has to be out of the pools by 7 p.m.

Cattle Track is one of Scottsdale’s best-kept secrets. This clutch of 1930s adobe structures may be located in a typical residential neighborhood, but Cattle Track’s story as an artist colony is extraordinary. Fritz Scholder, an influential Native American painter, lived and worked here. So did sculptor Louise Nevelson. Philip C. Curtis, Cattle Track’s most famous artist-in-residence, went on to found the Phoenix Art Museum and was regarded as the dean of arts in Arizona. Today, artists of all types—painters, dancers, photographers, and even blacksmiths—set up working studios that can be toured for free Monday through Saturday.

Hopkins Bay Resort is located on the beach right near the town of Hopkins; accommodations include one-, two-, and three-bedroom beach houses. Local art and polished mahogany furniture signal that this is no cookie-cutter chain hotel. The spacious houses are perfect for families or small groups traveling together. Resort activities include dance and music performances that reflect the traditions of the local Garifuna people, descendants of Africans brought to the New World as slaves. Staff can also arrange excursions to numerous cultural and historic attractions, not only in and around Hopkins, but also to iconic sites such as Xunantunich, a Maya site, and the Blue Hole, one of the world’s most popular destinations for scuba diving.

Milonga references a style of dance intrinsic to the Argentine tango and Afro-influenced in style, known to be less formal and more rustic. This particular evening in Buenos Aires at La Catedral was serendipitous. I sat in awe watching couples dancing tango, spiralling by sexily, while I day dreamed to do as they did. The setting was dark, the atmosphere, artistic and the evening, late. After many bottles of wine and nearly dawn, we experienced a most organic moment of sound and song with the few remaining locals. They surprised us with acoustic guitar, drumming and singing that had us in a trance. It was a beautiful moment of unspoken camaraderie translated rhythmically. Come to find out, this is a typical evening at La Catedral, locals mastering the dance of love to a live band. Lessons are offered as well.

Few places in North America are anchored in a heritage like the Pueblo of Taos. This is the longest inhabited living arrangement in the US. The Pueblo still has ten families of around 150 native people working to maintain the culture and the adobe architecture for generations to come. A living artifact, the past and present form a delicate harmony to produce a unique travel experience. The environment says a lot about the sustainability of this community. Tucked up against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with the Rio flowing through the center of the Pueblo, the inhabitants have maintained their lifestyle through wars, disease, cultural genocide and environmental impact to survive. From the efficiency of their adobe walls to provide comfort against extreme heat and cold, to the guiding wisdom of elders to keep the Pueblo vibrant, the way of life preserved within these walls is a testament to the strength and vision of native people, connected to this land with over a thousand years of tradition.

This hotel is on our list of The 10 Best Hotels in Canada.

Fogo Island Inn sits at the very edge of the north Atlantic on isolated Fogo Island in Newfoundland. Designed by internationally renowned architect Todd Saunders, the inn’s arresting modern appearance is suggests an iceberg from a distance, with its raised section representing the island’s traditional stilted fishing platforms. But when visitors get close, they see the wooden boards layered together, and it’s clear that everything is handmade. The by-hand ethos covers all the furniture and furnishings, created by local artisans who’ve worked with artists in residence to create contemporary versions of traditional objects.

Staying at the inn is admittedly expensive, but this is essentially a living art piece that supports the local community and aims to honor the island’s past while carrying it to the future. It feels like a grand home with attentive staff. A private 42-seat cinema, partnered with the National Film Board, carries a movie library for guests to enjoy at any time; there’s also an art gallery, a well-stocked library, and a supply of Gore-Tex hiking boots and other outdoor equipment to borrow. The inn shows off the dazzling landscape, and it’s easy to spend all day at the windows watching the sea while whales breech, icebergs float past, or storms dash on the rocks.

An almost daily occurance in Park City: colorful hot air balloons dotting the big blue skies. The propane flame filling the balloons’ envelopes sounds like a dragon breathing his fiery breath. You might hear it from your condo or hotel room before you see it. Multiple balloon companies offer rides, all year long, which usually include a champagne finish (hot air ballooners traditionally carried champagne with them to appease farmers since they landed in their fields so often). The rides are a unique experience, the views of town unbeatable, but even if you only gaze at the color in the sky from below, it’s another beautiful element of the Park City landscape.

If chain stores aren’t your cup of shopping tea, head to the quirky boutiques of the Marolles neighbourhood in Brussels. The main shopping street is Rue Haute (high street) and it’s lined with vintage shops, antique stores, and home decor shops with plenty of restaurants and cafés so you can refuel. The colourful street was traditionally home to Brussels working class and still has a blue-collar neighbourhood feel. Little ethnic grocery shops sit side-by-side with exotic furniture shops. Take one of the side streets to the lower Rue Blaes for more of the same types of stores and follow it to Place Jue de Balle for the giant flea-market held each morning.