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So spectacular is the 82-hectare (200-acre) Singapore Botanic Gardens that it is the rare horticultural spot to have earned UNESCO World Heritage site status. Established in 1859, it’s responsible for Singapore’s nickname as the Garden City and serves an important conservation and educational role. Wandering the pathways, visitors escape the frenetic urban area and learn about 1,200 species of orchids alone. There’s also a band shell for live concerts.

Kids visiting the Westin will love the resort’s kiddie pool, featuring an enormous waterslide that will make adults envious. There’s also a large indoor-outdoor play area (packed with toys!), mini putting green, and sandbox.

Opened in 2010, the Design Museum Holon is the first museum in Israel dedicated to design. The iconic building, which quickly became a city landmark, was designed by acclaimed architect Ron Arad. By mounting exhibits on historical and contemporary design from Israel and around the world, the museum aims to inspire and challenge the design community, as well as the general public’s perception of design and the way it impacts their lives. For professionals in creative industries, students, and design enthusiasts, the museum is a vital and dynamic resource. The building includes galleries for temporary exhibitions, an archive, the Design Lab, and Collection Windows.

My wife, Robin, and I have been camping, fishing, and hiking in the Lakes Basin area, near Sierra City, since we met. These days, our usual home base is a tiny log cabin at the edge of Packer Lake, pictured here. From trailheads around Packer you can hike to many other lakes--Saxonia, Deer, Lower and Upper Tamarack, Young America, Upper and Lower Sardine. Most of the hikes are relatively easy, and on some trails you’ll rarely encounter other hikers. In early October 2007, a brief, unseasonable storm passed through and carpeted the area with an inch or two of snow, which made for an especially invigorating walk along the Pacific Crest Trail to the lookout at the top of the Sierra Buttes.

The Dubai Spice Souk is a traditional market located in Deira, near the famed Gold Souk. It’s easy to overlook the Spice Souk if you’re not looking carefully; tucked into alleyways off of Baniyas Street, the souk is small, but manages to pack a pungent punch. If you plan on purchasing spices – from cardamon to cumin to turmeric to nutmeg, and everything in between – be prepared to haggle. A good rule of thumb is to cut the vendor’s opening salvo in half, and then barter upwards from there until you reach a number you’re both comfortable with.

In the colorful seaside town of Dingle, you’ll find the Chart House, a lovely modern restaurant in a low, stone cottage with a garden that provides many of the goodies found on the menu. Dishes are served with a creative twist, including black pudding wrapped in filo pastry with pear and lime chutney, and roast rack of Kerry lamb with cumin-spiced red onion marmalade. And of course, Dingle Bay is the source for much of what goes into the fresh seafood chowder. The limited early-evening menu, served from 6 to 7 p.m., is a good value.

Sure, it’s the largest town on St. Croix, but it’s the charming Danish-influenced architecture that makes it most noteworthy. The city center is a protected national park lined with candy-colored buildings and historic churches, while the streets are made of cobblestones and punctuated by stone archways. At the waterfront, which was a focal point of the island’s sugar trade, a wharf is populated by restaurants, bars and water sports shops. There’s also an 18th-century fort.

Located along M Street in the heart of Georgetown’s hustle and bustle is the oldest extant home in DC. Built by a Pennsylvania cabinetmaker/carpenter in 1765 using locally sourced rock, timber, and earth, the Old Stone House still retains its rugged stone appearance even after being threatened with demolition in the 1950’s. It was the urban legend that President Washington and city designer Pierre L’Enfant met here to plan the layout of DC that saved the building. Today, guests can tour the three-story structure to learn about its history and late 18th century colonial living in the DC area.

Modern day Borås, east of Gothenburg, has successfully made the transformation into a creative hub. Since 2008, with the controversial investment in the 30 foot tall bronze statue of Pinocchio called Walking to Borås by Jim Dine, the town has become a hot spot for outdoor and street art. The annual No Limit festival is an outdoor art event with artists from around the world coming to participate in turning public spaces into outdoor exhibitions. Borås has also been the textile capital of Sweden since the mid-1800s, and is home to the the Textile Museum that preserves the history of the once flourishing factories with its unique collections, and the Textile Fashion Center, a former factory that houses creative businesses.

In the old town, near the waterfront, you’ll find Zadar’s green, meat and fish markets. They face each other and are open in the mornings from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fishermen supply fresh catches every day, and you’ll also find herbs, fruits, olive oil and cheese in the outdoor stalls, not to mention an indoor meat market and, off to one side, a spot to buy clothes, flip-flops and other cheap items. The markets settled in this large open space after buildings in the area were destroyed in World War II; today, the only fighting going on is among the bargain hunters.

Across the Firth of Forth from Edinburgh, in the town of North Queensferry, the Wee Restaurant has remained a Fife standout for more than a decade. As its name implies, it’s a small spot with just 40 seats, but the close quarters create a relaxed, intimate atmosphere. Here, husband-and-wife team Craig and Vikki Wood offer simple food like char-grilled sirloin steak and smoked haddock with potatoes alongside a carefully considered selection of wines. In addition to à la carte dishes, the restaurant serves a seasonal “Menu du Jour” at lunchtime Tuesday through Saturday and in the evening from Tuesday through Thursday. It’s perfect for lighter appetites and offers great value, with two courses for £16 (around $21) or three for just £20 ($26).

Today luxury hotels, high-end boutiques, and a fine-sand beach compete for visitors’ attention as they stroll the famous coastal walk in Cannes that follows the crescent-shaped border between water and town. Once this glamorous walkway was a marshy path called the Crouseto, traversed by pilgrims who came here to visit and pray at the Lérins Abbey out in the bay. Especially during the film festival, when celebrities arrive by yacht, limo, or helicopter and walk along the street, lounging at the café tables and shopping at the fancy stores, it is hard to picture the remote fishing village that was once here.

Experience the khlongs, or canals, of the “Venice of the East” on a longtail boat and you’ll get a special look into the heart of Bangkok. Most of Bangkok’s waterways were dug in the 18th and 19th centuries, and while some have been filled in and paved over, there are still an amazing number to explore. Several of them, such as Khlong Saen Saeb, go through the center of the city, and the Khlong Bangkok Yai, on the western side of the Chao Phraya, cuts through one of the oldest parts of town. Many tours leave from the central piers on the river and are no more than a couple of hours long.

Limo offers Peruvian fusion par excellence that uses typical ingredients in daring new ways. It’s particularly known for fish, including many types of sushi, as well as a variety of entrées that feature tuna, shrimp, octopus, crab, salmon, or trout, some inspired by Andean recipes, others taken from the Japanese tradition. Not a seafood lover? No problem! Limo also has delicious options featuring chicken, pork, beef, and alpaca. This second-floor restaurant overlooking the Plaza de Armas is also a great place for sampling pisco cocktails. Reservations are a good idea, especially if you’d like to score a balcony table with a town-square view.

From October to February, sperm whales, humpback whales, and pilot whales make their way from the cold Atlantic to the warm waters of St. Lucia to breed and mate. Whale-watching tours leave from Castries and some of the other towns on the west coast and sail north to south to spot the whales, breaching and spouting, from a safe distance. Over the last few years, sperm and pilot whales have more frequently been spotted than humpbacks. It’s not unusual to see schools of spinner and bottlenose dolphins along the journey. Some whale-watching trips offer lunch as well as a chance to snorkel and swim, so shop around for the excursion you want.