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Housed in everything from a 17th-century palazzo to an ancient fortress to a 350-year-old farmhouse, Malta’s best hotels blend history with modern luxury. Whether you want a spacious room with views of the Grand Harbour, a great location within walking distance of major sites, or a rooftop pool to relax by after exploring the capital city, you’ll find it all, along with loads of traditional charm, in this fascinating island nation.

AFAR chose a destination at random—by literally spinning a globe—and sent writer Ryan Knighton to Egypt’s sprawling capital with just 24 hours’ notice.

Vietnam’s capital offers hotels with pockets of peace—lakeside tai chi sessions and ancient pagodas—amid the city’s motorbikes and hawker stalls. For a classic stay, book a room at the Sofitel Legend Metropole, a landmark in Hanoi’s French Quarter. Culture junkies should base themselves at the Hotel de L’ Opera Hanoi or the Hilton Hanoi Opera. InterContinental Hanoi Westlake is just north of the bustling Old Quarter, but offers a serene waterfront setting.

Savoyard specialities such as fondue enchant traditionalists in Chamonix, and those looking for French cuisine head to chic Alpine restaurants. But fresh ingredients, local produce, wild herbs and freshwater fish are served across the Haute-Savoie.

Popular with honeymooners and families alike, this large coastal property is located on Moorea, a quiet, lush island known for its beautiful mountain scenery and ample hiking opportunities. The hotel sits right on the lagoon and offers garden rooms and bungalows, many with their own private plunge pools, as well as fabulous overwater bungalows with glass floor panels in the living rooms and private decks with direct stair access to the warm waters below. Free kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkeling gear are available for those who want to explore their aquatic surroundings, though there’s plenty to do back on shore—from lazing on the white-sand beach (or in a hammock) to getting a massage with traditional Tahitian monoi (gardenia) oil. One of the highlights of a stay here is the chance to visit the hotel’s overwater bar, allegedly the only one in the country, where tiny sharks congregate every evening at sundown for feedings.

While one nation, the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines couldn’t be more different—geologically, ecologically, historically, even culturally. What ties them together, however, is their unspoiled nature, breathtaking beauty, and laidback vibe.

While it’s true that Aruba has some of the calmest waters and most stunning beaches in the Caribbean, it also boasts attractions like animal sanctuaries, museums, golf courses, casinos, and great shopping, making it hard to ever be bored on this magical island.

Exploring Anguilla’s multiple beaches is an adventure in itself, with each one offering a distinct atmosphere and activities. But there’s also lots to do away from the white sand—you can delve into the island’s history, hike the rocky eastern edge, and shop for local crafts.

If you’re staying in Grenada, there are countless options for accommodations, from large resorts and boutique hotels to intimate cottages and luxurious villas. Spots like Mount Cinnamon and Spice Island Beach Resort feature suites with private pools, while Silversands Grenada—the first luxury hotel to open on the island in 25 years—brings true lavishness, with its thermal spa and 330-foot infinity pool. For something more low-key, there are places like Maca Bana, which offers secluded villas and a beachfront restaurant. Whether you’re looking for sea views, white sands, a great beach bar, or a centrally located stay, you’ll find something to suit your needs on the Spice Isle.

Maupiti, the smallest and most isolated of the Society Islands, feels like an unblemished tropical playground, where tranquility trumps everything else and romantic love stories of deserted sparkling white-sand beaches surrounded by shimmering aqua lagoons are realized. The best beaches are on the five motus, or small sandbars that also house pensions, ringing the main island. Of the five motus, Motu Tiapaa has the best beaches by far. For surfing and decent kite-boarding, you’ll want to head to Motu Tuanai, which also houses the airport.


Serving up a Robinson Crusoe version of paradise, Maupiti seduces lovers and adventurers on a quest for the heavenly Polynesia of lore, but it is not for everyone. Time moves slowly on this island, and the resort focus here is on small family run “pensions” (guesthouses), not luxury five-star resorts with multiple restaurants and Wi-Fi. If you’re the kind of traveler who’s craving a temporary separation from your Facebook account, and love watching the sun set over the lagoon while reading a book or chowing on fresh caught seafood with the family that owns the pension where you’re sleeping, Maupiti may be the perfect island for you. Oh, and if you stay at any of the guesthouses here, sign up for full-board, as it isn’t really the kind of place where many restaurants exist.

Located on the beautiful white sand beach motu, this is Maupiti’s swankiest pension with spacious bungalows decked out with modern conveniences like air-con and televisions (rare for Maupiti still). The location, on a small strip of beach, offers blue-green lagoon vistas amid rows of swaying palms -- the water is very shallow here so swimming isn’t so great, but hop in a house kayak and take yourself to deeper waters. Airport transfers, kayaks and snorkels are free. Also opt for the full-board option as the owner is an excellent cook, specializing in French meets island dishes including excellent fresh seafood.

While not the tallest mountain on Raiatea—that distinction belongs to 1,017-meter-tall (3,337-foot-tall) Mount Tefatoaiti—Mount Temehani is the island’s most sacred. And at 772 meters (2,532 feet), it’s plenty scenic, too. But this flat-topped peak’s true claim to fame is the tiare apetahi—a delicate, white, five-petaled flower (related to the Tahitian gardenia) that’s so rare it grows nowhere else on Earth but on this mountain.

As any discerning traveller knows, the local markets can tell you more about a place than any tourist office with their collection of pamphlets. In Australia, this is no different. Escape the tourist traps and do it like the locals, picking up edible treasures and keepsakes. From vintage flea markets to undercover produce markets selling anything from smoked meats to ice cream sandwiches, I’ve traipsed (with a French tote on my side) to find the best markets in Australia.

Listing Montreal’s best restaurants is nothing short of a feat; indeed, Montreal has the second largest number of restaurants per capita in all of North America, with a new establishment setting up shop every week or so. From Italian trattorias to izakayas, from hole-in-the-wall bagel shops to classic eateries and French brasseries, to trendy Nordic-inspired and hipster-run taco shops, there is no such thing as leaving Montreal hungry.

Epic might be an understated description for this collection of thatched-roof bungalows built on stilts over the crystalline waters of the Bora Bora lagoon. This luxury resort is nestled in the dreamiest of settings—wooden walkways link palm-dotted islets fringed with white sand, while the craggy green peaks of Mount Otemanu loom in the distance. Guests can alternate between the beach and the infinity pool, lined with oversized cabanas, or sample activities like stand-up-paddleboard yoga, shark feeding, and snorkeling with the resident marine biologist. Also on offer is a luxurious spa, offering an extensive menu of treatments based on native ingredients like monoï and vanilla. As for the bungalows, Polynesian touches pepper the chic, honey-hued interiors, while indulgent soaking tubs sit beneath shuttered picture windows that open onto the sea. Large decks with swoon-worthy views have stepladders down to the water—a good way to test out the provided snorkeling gear. Airy beachfront villas are also available for those who prefer to stay on land.