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With more than 400 shipwrecks and its fair share of coral reefs, St. Kitts is a favorite of the scuba set. To try your hand at the hobby, consider staying at Bird Rock Beach Hotel, which houses one of the island’s most popular dive operators. Here, guests can charter a boat to nearby Devil’s Cave and swim among barracuda, lobsters, and nurse sharks, then retire to one of 46 tropical-hued rooms overlooking the sea. Less adventurous travelers can visit the on-site dolphin park, sunbathe on the private beach, or simply sip rum punches from the pool’s swim-up bar. Hotel staff is also happy to arrange off-site activities like catamaran cruises, rainforest treks, and volcano crater tours.

One of three atolls in Belize, Lighthouse Reef Atoll is blessed with a handful of the most prized natural sights along the Belize Barrier Reef. The Great Blue Hole attracts divers eager to add a notch to their diving belt by exploring an underwater cavern more than 400 feet deep. On shore, Half Moon Caye Natural Monument, the country’s first protected site, is a turtle-nesting beach dotted with towering palm trees and no permanent inhabitants save for hermit crabs. Last but not least, you can view a thriving red-footed booby sanctuary, the only one in the Western Hemisphere aside from the Galápagos. It’s no wonder Lighthouse Reef is a popular day-tripper choice, whether you dive, snorkel, or simply love nature.

Tokyo’s first design hotel, Claska is a fitting choice for creative types. Not only is it located on a street known for its second-hand furniture stores, its 20 individually decorated rooms—all masterminded by architect Tei Shuwa, who also designs furniture and home appliances—fall into four categories: midcentury-style Modern, traditional Tatami, minimalist Contemporary, and Story, which feature ever-evolving aesthetics carried out in collaboration with Japanese artists and designers. French-influenced dishes take centerstage in the ground-floor restaurant, and the hotel has a shop for Japanese artisanal home products and a gallery with monthly exhibits, as well as a dog-grooming salon and a fleet of custom Tokyo bikes for exploring the cafés of the nearby Nakameguro neighborhood.

This 248-room hotel in one of the city’s tallest skyscrapers—Roppongi’s glass-sheeted Tokyo Midtown—offers some of the best views in the city, but the interiors are just as eye-catching. The property starts on the 45^th floor and espouses classic European decor, with four colorful abstract works by California painter Sam Francis, each 12 feet high, dominating the lobby. Rooms and public spaces look onto Mount Fuji, the Imperial Palace, and Tokyo Bay; inside delicate woodwork, hand-tufted carpets, patterned chiyogami wall coverings, a lobby waterfall, and Murano chandeliers set the scene. The hotel proudly touts the most expensive guest room in Japan, the Ritz-Carlton Suite, yours for the princely sum of $16,200 per night.

Since 1993, Philadelphians Wendy Born and James Barrett have shown a deft hand in the kitchens of their multi-location Metropolitan Bakery. Artisanal breads – able to rival any venerated loaf from Europe– are their claim to fame but their cookies, cakes, croissants and locally-sourced jams and spreads are equally as divine. They have several locations in Philadelphia, including my favorite in Chestnut Hill a bit further afield, but consistency is assured in each outpost. You can also expect to see the duo’s vision (and baked goods) played out at FARMiCiA, the organic/local restaurant they co-own in Old City. If you have a hankering for something sweet, don’t leave without picking up one of their toothsome chocolate chip cookies (or a few).

Although everyone heads to France to see its chateaux, there are more than 3000 castles in Belgium and many are open to the public. A good place to start is the Chateau de Beloeil near Hainaut, in Wallonia. It has been in the hands of the same noble family since 1394. The rooms are filled with period furniture and artworks and the beautiful library contains over 20,000 titles. Sadly, the grounds seem a bit faded in their glory, but it’s still worth a walk to the far ends of the property for this stunning view of the chateau.

At the edge of the Baja Peninsula, One&Only Palmilla was originally built in 1956 as a 15-room hideaway for Don Abelardo Rodriguez, son of the then-president of Mexico. Today, it’s one of the region’s most luxurious resorts, composed of 174 oceanfront rooms and suites and two villas decorated in neutral hues and splashes of red; many have infinity pools and patios that face the Sea of Cortez.


One&Only Palmilla has one of the area’s few swimmable beaches, plus three private rocky coves complete with floating beds, lounge chairs, and dedicated butlers. Activities include snorkeling, surfing, parasailing, and golfing the award-winning 27-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus. The massive spa’s wellness garden features a juice bar and 13 treatment villas; several have private plunge pools, rain showers, and swinging daybeds.



One&Only Palmilla is a member of EarthCheck, a scientific benchmarking certification program, for its sustainability efforts, which include a state-of-the-art water purification system that produces and bottles filtered water on site. The resort works with the Red Committee for the Protection of the Sea Turtle by helping with daily patrols of nearby nests, an activity guests can join.

The family-owned Yandup Island Lodge is located on a private island across from the remote Playon Chico community on the Caribbean coastline of San Blas, Panama. The eco-lodge offers two tours a day: a visit to a beach on one of the archipelago’s deserted islands and a cultural tour that connects guests to the local Kuna Yala indian community.

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.

If you’re concerned about the provenance of handcrafts and whether your purchase will genuinely benefit the craftsperson or artist who made it, then confine your shopping to FONART. This government-sponsored project ensures that all of its products were made by Mexican artists and that creators receive a fair rate for their work. Prices here are higher than you’ll find for similar goods sold in the city’s markets, but you can rest easy knowing that the hand-painted wooden chest, embroidered blouse, or black pottery from Oaxaca was made by a legitimate artisan who will receive payment for their craft.

Many of the Mexico City markets, especially La Ciudadela, sell huipiles, the loose-fitting, hand-embroidered blouses that many Mexican women traditionally wore. Sometimes, though, you can’t be sure of their provenance and quality isn’t always consistent. At FONART, the National Fund for the Development of Artisans, however, you can be sure that the huipiles and other pieces of clothing you’re buying, such as scarves, are handmade by artisans who are from Mexico, and that they’re crafted from the finest traditional materials. FONART has several stores in Mexico City, including one centrally located on Avenida Reforma near the Fiestamericana Hotel and this one near the Alameda on Avenida Juárez.

Historic books and articles about Stuart, Florida relate that the town has had a bandstand since 1915 with the creation of the Stuart Band. It was the one of the focal points of the newly formed city. The spot provided entertainment and was a venue for civic speakers. Holidays were celebrated there with speakers, music, and band concerts. When in 1939, the bandstand was in disrepair and the city of Stuart decided that the new bandstand would be a concrete and cement construction. It was a bandshell large enough to accommodate the newly formed 78-piece high school band.The community would use the new structure for civic programs. The formal dedication was in April, 1940. The celebration lasted for several hours into the evening with a large picnic for about 1,000 people, speeches, the Boy Scouts, concerts, and several bands. Today, Stuart’s Bandshell is used for concerts, high school graduations, speakers, and many of the city’s important parades end there with celebrations. The Stuart Bandshell is a wonderful community gathering spot. When you check it out, notice the beautiful hand-painted mural inside the shell that was painted by Brenda Leigh. I have been to a concert or two there and several Veteran’s Day Parade celebrations. The patriotism and enthusiasm were truly contagious.The Bandshell is still a very important part of the city of Stuart.

Another one of the buildings created for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, the Pacific Science Center has a midcentury-space-age vintage-futuristic look from the outside. But inside, it’s all cutting-edge technology like the IMAX Theatre, laser dome and planetarium, and Live Science Stage demonstrations. The 4,000-square-foot tropical butterfly house is a favorite with visitors of all ages; we know of at least one wedding proposal that took place there. The dinosaur exhibit features seven animatronic, roaring dinos, while Professor Wellbody’s Academy of Health & Wellness is a kid-oriented tour of the human body, complete with gross-out fun facts. The Insect Village has plenty of creepy crawlies, and the saltwater tidepool exhibit features sea creatures that kids can touch. Outside, the Science Playground has gyroscopes, bicycle-powered fountains, and other hands-on fun. The Pacific Science Center also tends to get the high-profile touring exhibitions, like the 2012 Tutankhamen exhibit, so it’s worth checking in advance and booking tickets early if you plan a visit.

Perched on a steep hill in the lovely neighborhood of Alfama, you will in no doubt leave with a great souvenir or gift. Sellers throw down blankets or rugs in rows and sell a variety of hand-made goods, antiques, books, clothes, military objects, etc. I took home two wonderful brass bottle openers and a couple of old world maps. Getting to the market is easy and the trip there is quite beautiful; take the Tram 28, or Tram 12 up the hill through the tight, and narrow neighborhood streets (becos). After you’ve spent all of your Euro, take a short walk over to the Santa Engracia Church, Museum of Decorative Arts, or the National Pantheon. Oh, and don’t forget to take in the views and snap a few pictures.

An hour’s cross-island drive takes you to Kalinago Territory, officially established in 1903 as the Caribbean’s only autonomous enclave for indigenous people. The settlement covers six square miles, and many of its 3,000 inhabitants live in traditional wooden huts. Guests are welcome at a model village, where they can watch dance performances and shop for reed baskets and other crafts.

On the square in front of Santa Marta’s cathedral and in the streets surrounding it, sidewalk vendors and stores sell handicrafts and traditional clothing, leather products, jewelry and other souvenirs. If you’re looking for a more substantial keepsake of your time in Santa Marta, there are also a number of antique shops in the neighborhood.