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Bota Bota began its life on the water as a ferryboat. Then called the Arthur Cardin, it sailed between the cities of Sorel and Berthier, just east of Montreal, back in the 1950s. Many years later, someone had the idea to transform this mothballed boat, docked in the old port of Montreal, into a floating spa. Mission accomplished. With its 25,000 square feet, 21 treatment rooms, 6 terraces, and 40 different types of services, the Bota Bota makes a pretty grand spa, if you ask me. What’s even greater about the spa is the location. Docked in the old port with stunning views of downtown and Old Montreal, the Bota Bota offers its passengers (not customers!) the healing benefits of a spa while they are lulled by the natural movements of the St Lawrence River.

Max Chocolatier, a boutique chocolate shop in the heart of Lucerne, creates exquisite hand-made chocolate that is meant to be savored. The store is located on a high-end shopping street near the lake. While I normally don’t gravitate to “fancy” chocolate boutiques, something about this place beckoned. It is an intimate shop and the friendly staff is happy to explain the types of chocolate that best suit your preferences. Max Chocolatier uses local, 100% natural ingredients, so the chocolate products vary by season: there are spring, summer, fall and winter “collections” with different ingredients and recipes. In addition to basic chocolates (milk, dark, hazelnut, caramel, orange, etc.), there are also more exotic types with ingredients such as pumpkin, chili, and edelweiss providing some international flavor. Beautifully, lushly-packaged boxes of chocolate line the shelves. Clearly these sweet tidbits are lovingly crafted to please all your senses. While not inexpensive, each small bite delivers a rich, intense taste with a luxurious mouth-feel. Well worth it! www.maxchocolatier.com

In Greek mythology, Heracles slew all the sons of the King of Pylos except Nestor, who became king of Pylos himself. Nestor appears as a sage elder in both the Iliad and the Odyssey, expounding on how things were really tough back in his day. If you visit Voidokilia Beach, about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from Pylos, you can take a 15-minute walk to see Nestor’s Cave. First, enjoy your time on the beach, which is renowned for its natural beauty. Then climb over the dunes at the beach’s southwest end and follow the hillside path to the cave, which sits just below the ruins of the Paleo Kastro, the old Pylos castle. As legend has it, this cave is where Hermes hid the 50 cattle he stole from Apollo. The trip is worth it for the views alone: The higher you go, the more you’ll see, as the panorama takes in Voidokilia Bay, the Gialova lagoon, the Bay of Navarino, the Peloponnesian hills and the city of Pylos.

When I want to experience nature and get away from the city, I head to Davis, just 20 minutes from Sacramento. Davis is home to University of California at Davis and the university’s 100-acre arboretum. I love walking the winding paths of the arboretum and wondering what interesting plants are waiting around the next turn. Some of my personal favorites are the huge collection of California oaks at the far end of the arboretum, the lake, the desert collection, and the redwood grove. Pack a lunch to eat at the picnic tables or on the grass around the lake. The 3.5-mile loop through the arboretum may be too long for a quick visit, but maps are available for you to choose which areas interest you, or you can join a guided tour. Maps and a tour schedule are available on the website (link below). They are also available at the arboretum headquarters, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

First thing when we got out from the underground parking was to be hit by the smell and sight of street food, in the harbor area. They only take cash so I could not wait to find an ATM to get some of the delicious looking food. I have never had sea snails so they were the obvious choice for me and boy was I right to make that choice. They are delicious. Large and a bit chewy cooked like a soup with lots of vegetables. A bit salty and spicy, nothing crazy, just enough to give it a good kick, really yummy. I love trying new things and it looked like everybody was going for them too. There are two options of cooked snails, natur - in a clear soup - and in a tomato soup. The ingredients look the same and the spice is in both options. The only thing is, make sure the seagulls keep a safe distance, they are extremely bold and will come close enough to take it from your bowl, yes, from your bowl.

The Atlanta Botanical Garden has been voted the city’s best place to commune with nature and upon visiting you’ll agree. Located next to the sprawling Piedmont Park, the gardens boast 30 acres of plant life. But you’ll find more than just flowers at the garden. Sculptures by glass artist Dave Chihuly are scattered throughout and there are events held constantly. It’s one of the city’s top places to get married and holds concerts in the gardens. They decorate accordingly by season, showcasing scarecrows in the fall and holiday lights in winter. Be sure to check what’s in bloom before you go.

Coco frios are sold on every corner during the high season (fall and winter) in Puerto Rico. Cold, fresh coconut water is the lifeblood of island living. Literally, if you were ever stranded on an island, you could sustain yourself on what’s inside a coconut (just ask Les Stroud). There is a difference between coconut water and coconut milk. Coconut water is clear to translucent and not as sweet—you harvest this from a fresh green coconut that has just fallen, or is ready to fall from the tree. It might taste unusual at first if you have never tried it, but this is actually the best form of natural electrolytes to replenish yourself after a workout or surf session. Watch the roadsides for the carts and folks with machetes—because this is your hint that coco frios await you!

The atmosphere is heavy, the decibel level very low, and the wooden decor both comforting, and inviting. People in this café are either locals reading the newspapers while sipping a cappuccino, or, like me, tourists who just visited the Anne Frank House - which is just around the corner - and need a down time to collect their thoughts. The Café de Oude Wester is a natural stop after an emotionally-draining couple of hours, which puts in perspective everything we know about the atrocities of World War II. How some lucky people live through it, how the city was affected by it. Was this very café the scene of nazi meetings, did it participate in hiding Jews? What these walls must have seen and heard throughout these years. The warm smiles of the staff and the aromas emanating from the kitchen are a welcome invite back to the 21st century - as if they knew exactly what was on the minds of customers.

Better known as the Tomb Raider Temple since its starring role in the Hollywood movie of the same name, Ta Prohm has at least as much star quality as Angelina Jolie. Cloaked in dappled shadow and locked in the embrace of the vast root systems that are still reclaiming it for the jungle, the temple is arguably the most atmospheric ruin at Angkor Archaeological Park. Construction on Ta Prohm began in 1186 C.E.; it was built in honor of the mother of King Jayavarman VII. Modern-day visitors are not permitted to climb onto the crumbling galleries of its 39 towers due to safety concerns. Nevertheless, picking a route around the various structures, close courtyards, and narrow corridors sprouting with lichen, moss, and creeping plants is one of the most enthralling experiences at Angkor.

If you ever find yourself in Lencois, Brazil, make your way about 40 miles west for one spectacular view. Located in Chapada Diamantina National Park, Pai Inacio Hill is just off BR-242 and can easily be seen from the road. The striking white stone and the majestic appearance of this natural rock formation is compelling enough to make anyone want to stop and explore. It is a relatively easy 20 minute hike to the summit, and once you arrive you will see that it is worth every step. Standing atop Pai Inacio, with the sun and wind greeting your face, you will bear witness to the valley that unfolds below you. It appears to go on forever, and that is about how long you will want to stay and take in the awe-inspiring view.

In the middle of Montréal, walking up Avenue McGill College toward the Mountain, you can’t help but run into the 65-person polyurethane sculpture “La Foule Illuminée” (“The Illuminated Crowd”). Sculpted by Franco-British artist Raymond Mason, this public art has stood in front of the BNP/Laurentian Bank Tower since the mid-1980s. In the words of the artist: “A crowd has gathered, facing a light, an illumination brought about by a fire, an event, an ideology—or an ideal. The strong light casts shadows, and as the light moves toward the back and diminishes, the mood degenerates; rowdiness, disorder and violence occur, showing the fragile nature of man. Illumination, hope, involvement, hilarity, irritation, fear, illness, violence, murder and death—the flow of man’s emotion through space.” Get up close, eye-to-eye with some of the details, and you’ll see why this sculpture still generates both controversy and bemusement in the middle of this vibrant city.

On the North Shore of O‘ahu, Turtle Bay Resort is the only hotel of its caliber on this less developed part of the island. Set on a 1,300-acre property—half of which has been set aside permanently for conservation—the 408 rooms and suites all have ocean views and a neutral/blue palette inspired by the surrounding area. The resort’s commitment to environmental sustainability is palpable: Meals are prepared with leafy greens, beets, and other crops from the resort’s own Kuilima Farm, a plot of land five minutes from the hotel with a farm stand and “you-pick” self-harvesting days for locals. Meanwhile, the 18-hole golf course is maintained with gray water treated by the resort’s own plant.


The resort doubles as a wildlife sanctuary. A birding experience via electric golf cart led by Captain Scott Sundby, who runs Shaka Kayaks and has lived on the North Shore for 20 years, offers a glimpse at some of the wild residents. They include the ‘alae ‘ula, or Hawaiian common gallinule, which according to Hawaiian legend got its fiery red forehead from the gods, and Hawaiian monk seals, one of the world’s most endangered seal species. The coastline here is set within the Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, extending more than 1,200 nautical square miles; in the winter, it’s the site of humpback breeding, calving, and nursing.

Celebrity chefs Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala serve brightly spiced dishes at their flagship restaurant—often hailed as one of the world’s finest for Indian food. Their wine-marinated lamb popsicles are legendary, but their menu has other stars, too, like jackfruit in cumin-black-cardamom curry, boneless chicken wings on ricotta-sweet-potato cookies, and Punjabi-style goat meat with spiced vegetables. Thankfully, the lines have calmed since Vij’s 2015 move to bigger digs on Cambie Street, where guests can also enjoy a great rooftop patio.

Nature may have spent 12 million years creating the rock formation that is the centerpiece of this 1,300-acre Hilton Curio Collection resort in the foothills of the Sonoran Desert, but late-coming humans have done a commendable job of adding the finishing touches. Although the Boulders, with its casita accommodations blending into the landscape, its championship golf courses, and its upscale shops, is as luxurious as any resort in the Scottsdale area, it’s also where guests are most likely to feel they are truly in the desert. An early-morning walk along groomed paths, when the first rays of light are turning the landscape golden, is as likely to produce the sounds of woodpeckers or owls calling from their nests in saguaro cacti as it is the whack of a ball against club or racket.

Why we love it: A Historic District hotel where 1920s glamour meets Southern hospitality

The Highlights:
- Personal butler service
- Complimentary amenities, including a daily artisanal breakfast
- An acclaimed craft cocktail program at The Bar

The Review:
Located in Charleston’s bustling Historic District, The Spectator Hotel blends Jazz Age luxury with Southern charm. Local interior designer Jenny Keenan spearheaded the property’s Art Deco-inspired aesthetic, which features thoughtful details throughout, from hand-painted wallpaper to the lobby’s focal point—a three-tiered chandelier that sparkles with 1,800 hand-strung glass crystals.

The four-story hotel houses more than 40 rooms, all of which boast locally designed bedding and products from Deep Steep, a vegan and cruelty-free line of bathroom amenities. Should any needs arise, sit back and relax—personal butlers are at the beck and call of every guest and will take care of anything from drawing a bath to making dinner reservations. For the latter, consider staying on site at The Bar, a Prohibition-inspired spot with creative cocktails and an array of flavor-forward bites (caramelized onion tarts, deviled hen eggs, gorgonzola-mascarpone cheesecake). When morning rolls around, it’s best to stay in bed—a locally sourced in-room breakfast is provided with each night’s stay.