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Expats here will probably tell you about their favorite “carpet guy” (the fellow who will “give you a deal” if you drop your friend’s name), but the carpet souk on Mina Road near the main port is a great place for the uninitiated to buy gorgeous Middle Eastern rugs. Whichever style you choose, from tribal kilim to hand-knotted silk Persian, your salesperson will help you either fold it into a small parcel that you can carry onto the plane or arrange to have it shipped. Get ready to haggle for the best price, and be sure to shop wearing sandals—you’ll want to slip them off to feel the rugs with your bare feet!

Behind a massive bougainvillea vine that covers a century-old mansion on the corner of a quiet, cobbled street, San Telmo’s Café Rivas evinces an elegant, 1920s vibe—but the food is decidedly contemporary. The menu is short and to the point. Three prix-fixe options are posted for lunch and change daily to delight a claque of assiduous regulars. Standout items at dinner include a nightly ceviche special and the dry-aged beef. There’s also a Sunday brunch with traditional favorites like eggs Benedict. In the evening, a bartender arrives to serve up cocktails, and there’s live piano on weekends.

Esperanza, an Auberge Resort, sits on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, offering guests exceptional views of the Sea of Cortéz. Each of the hotel’s 57 rooms faces the sea and Esperanza’s private beach but also offers access to four separate swimming pools. Hotel staff keep guests as busy as they want to be with a full schedule of activities, some of which are the usual Baja resort suspects like yoga lessons and cooking classes. A number of options are quite unique, however—book a master tequilero to teach you about the fine art of tequila appreciation, or take classes in Spanish, salsa, painting, and more. Guest rooms are gorgeous, with an earth-tone color scheme and fine, locally made handicrafts as decorative accents. Bathrooms in the casitas look out onto water, while villas have full kitchens and dining rooms.

Huacachina is a coastal desert located in the Ica region. It holds one of the few oases in the whole region: a blue-green lake amid huge sand dunes under a beautifully clear sky. Take a dune buggy so that you can ride all over the dunes before riding a sand board down. This is the definition of a touristic little town, and it is definitely worth a visit. You’ll find some nice hostels ands lodges where you can stay overnight right in the middle of the oasis. Huacachina Oasis is a short four-hour drive from Lima, and there are also plenty of buses that will bring you here.

Wynn Las Vegas, and its younger sister Encore, are known as some of the nicest properties in town, and for good reason. The suites are spacious and clean, the beds are comfortable, there is a lot of room in which to spread out and the views are stellar. Beyond the rooms themselves, the rest of Wynn is equally as beautiful, with fine art located throughout the property, very helpful staff, high-quality restaurants (all of which have at least one vegan option on the menu) and a general ambiance that feels classy, not trashy. This is a great hotel for honeymooners or couples, or for people who want a high-end Las Vegas experience that makes them feel like more than just another visitor in the city.

Tucked behind Sheikh Zayed Road and its imposing skyscrapers, Al Satwa is a low-tech hot spot for all your tailoring needs: Patch up an old skirt, tailor a designer dress, or get fitted for a custom-made Indian sari. The textile stores here offer rainbows of colors and materials at affordable prices, and their staff will happily recommend tailors nearby. Dubbed Little Manila by locals, Al Satwa is also home to a Filipino supermarket, where you can buy kabocha squash and banana blossoms. Cap off your visit with a stroll through Al Satwa’s 2nd December Street, named to commemorate UAE’s National Day, with many works of art celebrating Emirati national culture.

It’d be challenging to find a more remote place to get fish and chips than The Bus. Yet another Alaska restaurant in a bus (the state is peppered with them), The Bus serves up what could be one of earth’s most delicate fried halibut and chips. Moist fish and a crispy and golden brown crust create layers of flavor. There’s a good chance one of Hyder’s own residents caught the halibut the day before. The fries are so good you’ll keep eating them long after you’re full. Very full. Important: Check The Bus’s Facebook page before you make the drive to Hyder. Owner Diana Simpson shuts down from time to time to do some fishing of her own. Road-tripping without a stop at The Bus would make for a very sad day indeed.

This sprawling, 165-room mansion may be known as Hearst Castle, but officially, it’s called La Cuesta Encantada (“The Enchanted Hill”), former owner William Randolph Hearst’s affectionate name for the property. Designed by legendary California architect Julia Morgan to the newspaper magnate’s specifications, Hearst Castle was considered completed in 1947, even though it was still unfinished. Now a national historic landmark and museum dedicated to art and excess, it’s filled with Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities, along with Old Master European artwork, Chinese and Near Eastern art, and art deco items—25,000 artifacts in all. There’s always something blooming in the 127 acres of gardens, whether it’s sweet-smelling hyacinth, walls of magenta bougainvillea, fragrant star jasmine, or orange California poppies (the state flower). Don’t get overwhelmed by the numbers during a visit here. Most tours of the estate focus on certain areas, instead of the entire grounds. Pro tip: The Hearst Castle private tour, a four-hour, in-depth exploration of the lavish grounds and mansion, is well worth it. The customized route can access any areas of the estate that are available to the public, but since it’s limited to a maximum of six guests, you can cover a lot of ground with your private guide and get information that shorter tours can only touch upon.

“In the 1980s, this teahouse was a gathering spot for artists, writers, thinkers, activists, advocates, and revolutionaries to talk about political reform and the ideal future. These days, it’s more symbolic—a tourist spot like the Café de Flore in Paris.” —KK Yeh

This appeared in the November/December 2017 issue.

Get down and dirty on an unforgettable spelunking experience at the Venado Caves, 45 minutes from La Fortuna. The caves were formed some 15 to 20 million years ago by tectonic shifting and erosion from underground streams. In them, you’ll see stalagmites and stalactites galore, and get the chance to check out colorful frogs and fascinating marine fossils and learn about the bat communities hanging right over your head. The experience is real (and really humid)—so wise adventurers bring insect repellent, knee pads, and an extra change of clothes. Waterproof your camera, too.

“Founded in 1890, Wang is the best place to experience tea culture in Taiwan. It’s in an elegant building that has red wallpaper and an old-timey Oriental atmosphere. Order a green tea and enjoy the live performances of nanguan, a type of traditional Chinese music.” —KK Yeh

This appeared in the November/December 2017 issue.

These fun slot canyons are just under 30 miles from the town of Escalante down the unpaved Hole-in-the-Rock Road. Easy day—or even half-day—adventures, the canyons are carved from the iconic red Navajo sandstone and are usually completely dry. There’s some light scrambling involved, but nothing kids can’t handle. However, the walls get so narrow at some points that most adults need to turn sideways to get through. For the ultimate experience, connect the two slots by going up one and down the other.

For more than two decades, Tobago’s own Ted Arthur has been turning out his own line of high-quality leather goods and accessories—sandals, satchels, handbags and jewelry. His work is influenced by the tropics, and often adorned with palm trees, leaves and hibiscus flowers. Past customers have included the Obamas and Richard Branson as well as musical celebrities Chaka Khan and India Arie. Visit his shop on Scarborough’s Milford Road Esplanade to pick up a finely crafted memento of Tobago.

The village of Monticello just outside of L’Île-Rousse would be worth a visit just for its wonderful coastal views, which come courtesy of its perch 213 meters (700 feet) above the sea. Like many towns here in the Balagne region it’s also known for a gorgeous church: Saint-François-Xavier, which has two fine Baroque chapels. Further down a mountain road that passes through groves of olive trees, Santa-Reparata is a village with another handful of historic churches and chapels.

In 2016, one of San Diego’s most seasoned restaurant managers decided to open his first solo project, bringing Campfire to Carlsbad. The eatery is dedicated to the art of live-fire cooking and draws inspiration from famed Argentine chef Francis Mallmann. In the kitchen, executive chef Andrew Bachelier uses a custom 12-foot hearth, powered by a Grillworks grill named Grace, to cook dishes like manila clams with smoked pork belly, and brisket with cornbread purée. Located in a former auto repair shop, the restaurant features quirky design elements like a Quonset-style corrugated-metal arch sourced from nearby Camp Pendleton and dating back to World War II.