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Every afternoon about 5:30 PM, islanders and connoisseurs of sunsets arrange themselves at their favorite beach side vantage point on the west and south shores of Oahu for a chance to see the legendary “green flash”. In all of my years of living in Hawaii, I have only seen it twice, but sometimes I think it was a result of a very strong Mai Tai and staring at the sun too long. If you’d like to try for a glimpse of this phenomenon, you might as well be sitting in a comfortable spot with a great drink in hand. SWIM is a poolside bar with views over the statue of Duke Kahanamoku out to Waikiki beach. On an upper deck of The Hyatt Regency Waikiki, you are above street level so nice treetop and beach views are yours. I recommend the Lychee Martini ( pictured). The pupus are really good here too and if you plan it right, might serve as dinner. If not, hop over to SHOR American Seafood Grill. Visible across the pool with indoor or outdoor seating, start with amazing Baby Kona Abalone with garlic herbed butter, the tremendous seafood tower or the catch of the day you pair with a sauce you select from the list like Pineapple Shiso Relish, Hamakua Mushroom, Soy Radish etc. Insider Tip : Valet your car gratis with purchase – so get your ticket stamped and tip your valet.

Cheeca Lodge manages to be upscale and relaxed at the same time. This duality is perhaps best embodied in Cheeca’s flagship restaurant Atlantic’s Edge, which offers a refreshed take on island cuisine (like the roasted red snapper with dragon fruit or the hibiscus swordfish) in an elegant but breezy oceanfront setting. The 27-acre luxury resort on Islamorada Key—one of the sport-fishing capitals of the world—was renovated following damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017. The revamped lobby, fully rebuilt fishing pier, 214 redesigned guest rooms, and new Italian restaurant have made Cheeca even better than before. Airy suites feature curated artwork, hand-tufted rugs, and rattan accents, and each suite opens to a private lanai with a partially enclosed open-air jacuzzi. A new point of pride is the refreshed 5,700-square-foot spa, which now has seven treatment rooms, a wet room with Vichy shower, hydrotherapy facilities with a steam room, and a fully equipped fitness center. Still to come in early 2019 is a brand new oceanfront pool (bringing the resort’s total to three, including a saltwater lagoon) and tiki bar, 25 South. If you must leave, book a fishing excursion, sunset cruise, or round of golf at the 9-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed course—and enroll the kids in the eco-focused Camp Cheeca.

Pointe des Châteaux, a protected natural and heritage site, is one of the most unusual landscapes in the Caribbean region. This rocky, craggy peninsula, which includes singular rock formations jutting out of the ocean, sits on the northeastern edge of Guadeloupe, facing a wide-open, turbulent Atlantic Ocean. Impressive waves crash on the limestone rocks and onto a gorgeous (but not swimmable) white-sand beach. On the end of the stretch is a trail leading you on a 20-minute hike to the top of the hill, where a 33-foot cross towers over Guadeloupe. The million-dollar panoramic view reveals nearly all of Guadeloupe’s archipelago, including Marie-Galante, Basse-Terre, and Les Saintes.

Looking for some down-home comfort food with an upscale twist? Head to Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, named one of Bon Appétit’s 50 Best New Restaurants and whose fried chicken was declared the best in the South by Southern Living magazine. From start to finish, and despite the hefty servings, each course leaves you wanting just a taste more as they remove your plates. Fried green tomato BLT with tomato jam and house-made pimento cheese, Mama’s Chicken Biscuits with pepper jelly, and a heavenly pasta dish served with duck meatballs are a few of the highlights. Add to it the fun, lively vibe and it’s easy to see how this could quickly become a regular dining spot if you lived in South Beach.

Situated oceanfront on Collins Avenue in the shadow of The Setai (South Beach’s tallest and most expensive hotel), Townhouse is a humble Art Deco concrete building trimmed in red with two very cool venues hidden inside, a subterranean ramen lounge and a laidback rooftop bar. K. Ramen. Burger. Beer excels in all of its eponymous categories and also serves delightful poke bowls and chicken wings, while The Cape is a surprisingly rare rooftop perch in South Beach with a laidback bungalow atmosphere playing host to live music.

A modest three-story building in the Ferreirasdorp area of Johannesburg, Chancellor House once contained the first black law firm in South Africa, opened by Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo at the height of apartheid. It was here that the two attorneys fought for those accused of crimes against the state—many of which they were also held accountable for later in life.

Left to languish for years, Chancellor House was restored to its former glory in 2010 and now features a freedom struggle museum on the ground floor. One particularly fascinating display includes a timeline with photographs and interesting events from Mandela’s life, including a picture of him sparring with Jerry Moloi on the rooftop of the South African Associated Newspapers Building. Many of the displays are also visible from the street so passersby can learn more about Mandela and Tambo while exploring the surrounding neighborhood.

While some Great Barrier Reef resorts require private plane charter, this 57-room boutique resort is located on Hamilton Island—the only one in the Whitsundays with a commercial airport—meaning it’s easily reached by a direct flight from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or Cairns. Each room, situated on the tranquil, white-sand Catseye Beach, has a bright Aussie vibe, with lots of natural wood, Aesop toiletries, and private terraces or balconies offering palm-fringed ocean views. The resort’s adults-only policy ensures bliss awaits at the infinity pool overlooking the beach, or below on the portion of Catseye reserved for Beach Club guests. Also on offer is complimentary watersports gear, from snorkeling equipment to catamarans. The resort can even arrange for helicopter and seaplane rides, or diving excursions to secluded sections of the Great Barrier Reef.

A former military base for the Yugoslav National Army, the island of Vis was closed to foreigners for decades. Today, however, it’s one of Croatia’s best-kept secrets, mainly for its beaches, food, and history. Book a tour with Vis Special and explore the island’s old military sites, abandoned when the army left suddenly in 1992. The tours take in everything from rocket shelters and bunkers to weapon-storage halls and “parking lots” (read: tunnels) for submarines. They also stop at the former communications headquarters for the Yugoslavian secret service (which are dug into a mountain) and Tito’s Cave (where the erstwhile Yugoslav president hid during World War II). Lest this all sound grim, know that these sites occupy some of the most gorgeous spots on the island.

Smack in the center of Willemstad, the Renaissance Curaçao is adjacent to the historic Rif Fort shopping and entertainment complex and within walking distance to everything downtown. It solves for not having beach access with two infinity pools overlooking the ocean and cruise pier, each edged in a man-made, sandy beach that can pass for the real thing at first dip. The colorful lobby is connected to a casino, mall, and the island’s only Starbucks. Be sure to check the local cruise schedule before booking an ocean-view room, as you may have your vistas blocked by a ship. You may also want to rent a car to explore the island’s natural beaches but, come nightfall, it’s easier to walk to the Punda and Pietermaai districts for dinner.

Because it’s a major cruise port there are plenty of tacky restaurants on St. Thomas, but it doesn’t take a lot of effort to get under the skin of the island and find places where the locals eat. One such restaurant, Gladys’ Cafe, serves up traditional Caribbean fare and is known as one of the best on the island. Skip the a la carte menu and instead get one of the lunch plates including curried chicken or goat served with red beans and rice, mac and cheese and fried plantains.

An award-winning hotel company, Singita is lauded not only for its luxurious properties but also for its dedication to the environment and uplifting communities. To reach Singita Boulders Lodge, guests can fly direct from Johannesburg to Sabi Sand Game Reserve on Federal Airlines’ daily jet service. Once there, they can expect open-air common spaces that provide a continuous connection to the outdoors, as well as spacious suites with game-viewing decks and private plunge pools. Also on-site is a swimming pool in the main lodge area, spa and gym facilities, and a wine boutique selling premier South African vintages. In addition to daily game drives, guests can indulge in activities like guided safari walks, photography lessons, stargazing, and archery, making for the stay of a lifetime.

Louise Loubatieres’ gorgeous light-filled little concept store on increasingly hip Hap Guan Street is one of those stores you can easily lose hours in. The fascinating shop is located in self-styled Kandal Village, a compact neighborhood of three parallel streets wedged between the French Quarter and Old Market area that has become an emerging shopping, eating and drinking district. The lovely Louise, who can often be found out the back of the shop baking or making a pot of tea, is of Cambodian, French, British, and Vietnamese heritage, and her ancestry is reflected in her impeccable taste and passion for arts, crafts, textiles and design objects from Southeast Asia, and her carefully curated selection of beautiful things. Unlike some of my favorite shops, Louise doesn’t limit herself to ‘made in Cambodia’ products, and won’t hesitate to source pretty things from places like Chiang Mai or the Mekong Delta if she discovers something special. Louise largely stocks homewares, from colorful lacquer bowls to textiles that can serve as table runners.

Philadelphia’s City Hall is the largest and tallest city hall in the US, and for locals, the midpoint for all things Center City. Designed by architect John McArthur, Jr., it was completed in 1901 and originally designed to be the world’s tallest building, an honor that it held only briefly. There are over 250 ornamental marble statues decorating the exterior of the building, and it is topped off by a bronze statue of the city’s founder, William Penn, created by sculptor Alexander Milne Calder. (Trivia: The statue is 37 feet tall and weighs 53,348 pounds, and once wore a super-sized Phillies baseball cap; then some years later was dressed in a giant Flyers jersey.) Underneath the William Penn statue is a tower with an observation deck that offers incredible 360 degree views of the city (and the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers, and New Jersey, and beyond!). This view, toward the southeast, captures the iconic PNB Building. Visitors can purchase timed tickets for the observation deck from the City Hall Visitor Center, Room 121 (east of the central courtyard).

The Durian is fondly known as the king of fruits in Southeast Asia. It’s a fruit that the locals love, but that many outsiders find to be an acquired taste. In fact, Andrew Zimmern, the presenter of the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods, (the guy who eats the world’s craziest and weirdest things) can’t stand durians. The name durian comes from the Malay word “duri,” which means “thorns.” Cutting open a durian is an art. You have to cut along certain lines created by the thorns, which are barely visible. If you get it wrong, it would be tough to open. Once cut, you use your palms to push apart the insides to reveal the yellow flesh. The smell of the durian is strong enough to make you salivate or faint, depending on which side of the fence you are on regarding it’s taste. If you’re ever in Malaysia, you must give it a try. Who knows? You could end up liking something that Andrew Zimmern himself can’t stomach!

Get ready for crowds in October in western North Carolina; leaf-peepers from all over the Southeast converge in these mountains, when the Blue Ridge erupts into red and gold...Come during the week, though, and you won’t have to fight for a parking space near the waterfalls. The stretch of U.S. highway 64 between Franklin and Highlands is known as the “Mountain Waters Scenic Byway.” Be content to drive slowly on its winding path, and just a few miles north of Highlands (one of the highest towns east of the Mississippi), you’ll see a sign for “Dry Falls.” Don’t worry--it’s not a dry ditch that you’re pulling off for. Look down into the gorge formed by the Cullasaja River and you’ll see the six-story-tall cascade. It owes its name to the fact that the river shoots off an overhang, leaving just enough space behind the waterfall for a trail--you can stay relatively dry as you walk behind Dry Falls. During periods of high flow, though, you WILL get wet; cover your camera as you walk behind the roaring water.