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Did you know that there are actually two equators? The terrestrial equator, like the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn as well as the poles, is based on the relationship between the Earth’s axis of rotation and the planet’s orbit around the sun. But there’s also something known as the celestial equator, which is an imaginary circle created by projecting the terrestrial equator into the night sky. The sun consistently hangs in the equatorial sky for 12 hours each day at the Earth’s widest part, but it passes directly over the actual line only twice each year, during the March and September equinoxes. Although many think that the equator is uniformly hot, in many areas it does experience wet and dry seasons. Biodiversity is extremely rich at the equator, particularly because half of the planet’s rain forests are concentrated in countries along the line: Brazil, Congo and Indonesia.

Located in the former warehouse of the American Syrup & Preserving Company, Bastion offers customers a different experience depending on where they perch. On the bar side of the operation, one feels like a guest in the spacious digs of an artist, with mismatched furniture and lights strung from the rafters. Settle in and order craft cocktails and a platter of nachos gussied up with smoked meats. Or head to the other side, around the bar wall, where the staff prepares dinner in a warm, unpretentious space with chef Josh Habiger himself occasionally emerging from the kitchen to change the vinyl records. In lieu of menus, guests are handed bingolike cards with minimal descriptions (Monkfish Liver + Salsify or Black Sea Bass + Black Tea) and mark their choices there, placing their trust in the hands of Habiger and team cooking from an open kitchen.

Vancouver’s serene waters serve as the perfect playground for kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders. Newbies can book two-hour “tasters” at Ecomarine’s Granville Island or Jericho Beach locations, while more adventurous paddlers—of any level—can jump right into tours, like the summer sunset excursion along the scenic shores of False Creek (a protected inlet) and English Bay (part of the Strait of Georgia). While most tours last a half or whole day, Ecomarine also offers more hard-core expeditions, like the weeklong trip to Haida Gwaii. This craggy, rain-forested archipelago is often referred to as Canada’s Galápagos for its vast number of endemic species. It also has a wealth of First Nations heritage sites just waiting to be explored.

The Moka brothers in question are restaurateurs Daniel Urdaneta and Alex Molina, pals, partners, and owners of Beijing restaurants Mosto and Modo. The pair decided the capital needed a healthy-eats joint and, judging by the packed house, they were right. Moka Bros. has several branches in Beijing, including one in Sanlitun. Lean proteins, vegetables, and whole grains make up most of the dishes here. The menu sections let you know exactly what you’re in for—“Power Bowls” includes salmon sashimi bibimbap, with melt-in-your-mouth slices of salmon served on black rice, avocado, roasted pumpkin, carrots, and seaweed and topped with a poached egg. To drink are various trendy juices and smoothies, among them the fatigue-fighting C-Shot—mango, mixed berries, beetroot, lemon, and ginger.

Deep in Berlin‘s Grunewald Forest, Teufelsberg (literally, Devil’s Mountain; the name comes from the nearby Teufelssee, or Devil’s Lake) was once the site of a Nazi technology college. After the war, it was decided that the school would be buried beneath rubble and debris left in the city after the war, and the resulting man-made hill rose to more than 300 feet; during the cold war, American troops built a base on top from which to spy on East Germany. Since the wall fell, the base’s radar domes have become graffiti-spattered ruins and a haunting pilgrimage for urban explorers, street-art fans, and those seeking great views over the Grunewald and the Havel River. The hill is also used as a ski slope and sled run in winter; paragliding aficionados and picnickers enjoy it in summer. The website has official tour options.

For more than half a century, this two-story, largely South Indian vegetarian joint on busy Serangoon Road has pleased palates with its tasty array of dosas—black-lentil-and-rice crepes designed to be ripped into pieces and dipped into heavenly chutneys and sauces. The restaurant’s prices and decor are humble, but the flavors are rich. Choose a tubular or cone-shaped dosa, or ask for one stuffed with potato, onion, or chilies. Other smart orders include buttery naan with a bowl of vegetable curry and Indian-style spinach with cubes of paneer (cheese). The biryani saffron-rice dish is also popular and is served with vegetable curry, dal, raita (a cooling yogurt concoction), and other accompaniments.

This national park is centered along the spine plateau above Bryce Canyon, which drops to the east from the main park road. Along the road are numerous pull-offs for enjoying views down into the canyon, with its miles and miles of awe-inspiring sandstone hoodoo spires. Drive to the far south end of the park where the road terminates for the best views of Rainbow Point, named for the colorful rocks that lead into the Grand Staircase National Monument, then get away from the crowds by hiking one of the many trails that drop into the canyon. Visitors can also pick up a backcountry permit and stay overnight to see the stars. While most tourists come during the spring and summer months, Bryce is particularly stunning in the winter when it’s covered in snow.

Brandywine is just one of half-a-dozen provincial parks that surround the Sea to Sky Highway like a fir wrap. A trailhead located just 12 miles south of Whistler leads to a 15-minute walk through the mixed hemlock forest to a 200-foot cascade. The falls overview is merely a picturesque appetizer for the fantastic wilderness beyond. The Lava Lake trail provides a marvelous meander through the forest, and if it’s a hot day, you might want to hike all the way to Swim Lake. You can also access the Sea to Sky Trail and head north to the Whistler Train Wreck then hike to the Valley Trail through Whistler and beyond. The park tripled in size in 2010 to fully enclose the habitat of the endangered red-legged frog, so keep an eye peeled for peepers.

Tucked into the Denny Regrade, this sleek new spot contains multitudes: a deli, butcher shop, crudo bar, and steakhouse devoted to Wagyu beef. Lock down your table early to descend the leather staircase—coiling around a 4,000-pound chandelier—into a luxurious, industrial-chic den, dreamt up in part by Kurt Dammeier of Beecher’s Handmade Cheese fame. Here Mishima Reserve meats take center stage: blending the signature marbled beef of Japanese Black Wagyu bulls with juicy, flavorful American Black Angus cows. But spare some love for the unusual appetizers and sides, which range from roasted bone marrow on an English muffin to smoky grits with mushrooms and red Fresno chili pepper.

Café Du Monde is always open; it’s the clientele that changes—from visiting families and local pensioners early in the morning, to couples in the evening, to Bourbon Street refugees looking for coffee and ballast in the night’s thinnest hours. This huge coffee stop is a rarity—a tourist trap that locals actually love (although they will rarely wait when lines are long). It’s been around for more than a century, and basically serves two items: beignets and café au lait. The beignets are similar to Spanish buñuelos, fried fritters of dough, and are one of those French traditions that’s survived here more durably than in France. While probably not on anyone’s diet list—they come piled with powdered sugar—they’re surprisingly light, and an order (which equals three beignets) disappears with unusual haste.

Ponce is Puerto Rico’s second-largest city and is nicknamed the “Pearl of the South.” Life here seems to move at a slower pace than San Juan, and that’s the way locals like it. For them, there’s nothing better than an evening or weekend stroll around Plaza Las Delicias, the main square, which is full of history and entertainment. Stop by the unmissable red-and-black–wooden firehouse (now a museum) to learn more about the central roles that fire and firefighting have played in Ponce’s history. Then work your way around the square to see Ponce’s symbol, the lion, anchoring each side of the plaza, the church, the fountains, and finally, Kings Cream, a no-frills emporium that sells small cups of ice cream—with flavors such as passion fruit, peanut, guava, and coconut—at bargain prices.

You know when the elegant maître d’ greets you at the door like a VIP—even if you’re not—that you’re in a first-rate Italian restaurant. Owned and operated by Italians, Otto is located in a restored heritage building, and its decor is a fusion of black glass, polished metal, and oak. The service is excellent (not always a given in Singapore) and the wine list is, too; but you’ll remember the food most of all. The mushroom-and-rosemary risotto is delicious, and so is the homemade walnut-and-ricotta tortelli with spinach velouté sauce. Savor the crispy suckling pig lacquered with honey, or the Hokkaido scallops carpaccio. Whatever your main dishes, dessert is a must. And not just the tiramisu and crème brûlée; the warm chocolate cake with Haitian vanilla ice cream and the mango-and-passion-fruit millefoglie with peach coulis are divine.

Zum Schwarzen Kameel’s unusual moniker, which means At the Black Camel, grabs your attention. It’s a play on the name of founder Johan Baptist Cameel, who opened the establishment back in 1618. Appointed a spice purveyor to the Hapsburg court in 1825, Zum Schwarzen Kameel is today a restaurant, with a separate delicatessen that makes good sandwiches and a gourmet shop selling fine cheeses and wines. The Kameel interior is justly famous as well, with a wood-paneled art nouveau dining room that (of course) postdates the era when Beethoven frequented the restaurant. The area around its Bognergasse location is now a stone-paved pedestrian zone with luxury shops, which makes the Kameel’s front terrace a delightful place to stop for a drink or meal.

When you’re looking for a fun night out, why not opt for one right on the Danube? The chic Motto am Fluss restaurant is located within the terminal for the Danube Canal ferries, but it’s like no dock you’ve ever seen before. The futuristic and super-bright space looks like a sleek cruise ship itself. On the lower level, the restaurant, with its black-and-white-checkered floor and silver orb lamps, reflects Venetian influences. Here, you can linger over breakfast in the café until 4 p.m. In warmer months when the weather is good, the terrace is the place for cocktails or biodynamic Austrian wines. On weekends, DJs add to the already-high cool factor in the trendy riverside spot.

Tapas and paella are the big draws at Zuzu, a tiny Spanish-inspired restaurant in downtown Napa. Small-plate portions range in price from $6 to about $15, and feature a variety of local produce—some from Zuzu’s own garden. Fan-favorite tapas include pan-fried Manchego cheese with roasted poblano peppers, Monterey squid and morcilla sausage a la plancha, and bacalao, dried salt cod drizzled with white truffle oil. Paellas are larger, more expensive, and more involved; most take at least 20 minutes to prepare. Choose between the paella of the day with chorizo, shellfish, and sofrito, and the black paella with clams, shrimp, mussels, and calamari. Zuzu also offers an interesting wine and beer list, with a number of imports from Spain. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so be sure to go early.