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Fans of real-deal sushi-bar Nipponese are united in huzzahs for Rokai, a sliver of a restaurant in a low-key, high-end section of the Cuauhtémoc quarter, north of the Reforma. Japanese-born chefs Hiroshi Kawahito and Daisuke Maeda change up the menu daily, depending on what’s available at markets (they make great use of some of the best fish that comes in from Baja California); regulars like to nosh omakase-style for a multiple-course tasting at the chef’s discretion. Quality sakes add a rosy glow to the precision with which every creation comes over the bar in this spare but fashionable setting. Reservations are recommended.

The only building on sheltered Apantima Bay, this funky beach bar with rooms is one of the reasons the tiny island of Antiparos has suddenly become fashionable. Hanging with the skimpily clad in crowd doesn’t come cheap: If you’re not staying in one of the nine quietly chic suites, you’ll have to fork out handsomely for a sun bed. The payoff is chilling under juniper trees with a detox smoothie, idly watching athletic beach babes paddleboard into the sunset. There’s an alfresco massage and yoga pavilion; a stylish boutique where you can pick up caftans, scents, and sandals; and a 26-foot bar for sundowners and tuna burgers with wasabi mayo.

After opening in 2014, it didn’t take SALT Plage long to start appearing on lists of the world’s best beachfront restaurants. At the Christophe Harbour dining destination, guests gather on a palm-shaded deck overlooking White House Bay for craft cocktails and Caribbean fare, served from a corrugated steel bar that manages, like the menu, to project both a casual and sophisticated vibe. Live music and full-moon parties make this the place to be for sunset and beyond.

International cuisine proved slow to arrive in San Miguel, but the city now boasts multiple annual international food festivals, leading to more permanent international establishments. French-themed Chamonix (pictured here), which was early on the scene, is a sure bet for any Gallic standard. Berlin Bar & Bistro enjoys long-term status in town—Carlos cooks up a popular bratwurst among other German specialties—and the Lebanese dining room Fenicia has been serving great lamb for an age. Newcomers Bhaji Curry House and Russian bistro Verintort Café have upped the ante for globe-trotting taste buds.

Tel Aviv is known for its picturesque stretches of soft sand beaches filled with lively tanned locals and tourists swimming, snorkeling, and playing matkot (the Israeli version of the raquet sport paddle ball). But with a handful of different spots, including the ports of Jaffa and Tel Aviv, it can be difficult to decide where to put down a towel. A tried-and-true local favorite is Gordon Beach, with its volleyball nets set up on the sand, selection of restaurants and bars lining the boardwalk, and the adjacent saltwater Gordon Pool. A handful of water activities, such as kitesurfing and stand-up paddleboarding, are also available at neaby beaches. Visitors often stay after hours to watch the unrivaled sunset.

If you want to travel back to the 1980s à la Stranger Things but still be able to order a drink, Ricky’s South Beach is the place to go. With air hockey, board games, and arcade games like the Terminator and Dance Dance Revolution, you can relive the unplugged past, or relive college days at the beer pong tables. The impressive whiskey collection is very adult, however, and bands and comedians perform on the large stage. Ricky’s also serves the no-frills bar food of your dreams: waffle mac ’n’ cheese, Korean frog’s legs, stacked chicken nachos, and funnel cakes.

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.

This French-style bistro is a perennial favorite for locals, who come here for breakfast, brunch, dinner, or just drinks. The menu has a Scandinavian focus with some international offerings—hence regular dishes like catch of the day and a hearty fish soup can be found alongside high-quality steaks, club sandwiches, and moules marinières. Lunch specials keep the place busy during the week, and the weekend brunches are a big draw too. The bar’s offerings are equally balanced, with a range of beers, wines, and cocktails as well as fresh smoothies. Pleasant service, a classic, upmarket interior, and a generally convivial atmosphere conspire to make this bistro a great all-rounder.

During the day on the first Saturday of the month, Rio’s nightlife nexus, Lapa, hosts the Feira do Lavradio. Wander the long aisles of flea-market and artisanal craft stalls, and with time and patience, you’re sure to find real treasures in the form of decorative items, accessories, and antiques. What’s more, Lavradio maintains Rio’s classic street-market vibe, complete with strolling musicians, banter from merchants, and maybe even a capoeira ring. Enjoy a great afternoon right in the midst of Rio’s buzziest restaurants and bars.

One of the most elegant dining options on Fort Myers Beach, this waterfront raw bar and restaurant is a favorite for dinner overlooking the beach. For some serious indulgence, order the seafood tower for two, which comes loaded with oysters, sashimi, lobster tail, king crab, and Gulf shrimp. When in season, steamed snow and Alaskan king crab are also available. For the carnivores, there’s prime rib and filet mignon.

Why we love it: A beloved all-inclusive where colonial charm meets classic Caribbean warmth

The Highlights:
- Several suites with direct beach access from their back terraces
- A frequently changing menu to keep meals interesting
- A friendly, helpful staff that lends the hotel a familial atmosphere

The Review:
Located on Grenada’s main beach of Grand Anse, Spice Island Beach Resort is right in the middle of it all. This can mean a little less privacy, but also allows for suites with direct beach access and close proximity to the best of the island. Owned by the Hopkins family and staffed by an attentive team, the property is known for taking good care of its guests. All meals, drinks, non-motorized watersports, tennis reservations, bicycle rentals, and golf fees are included in your stay, as is the kids’ club, which offers supervised play in a brightly colored activity center. For adults, there’s also Janissa’s Spa, where the treatment menu includes such options as a Grenadian chocolate wrap, reiki sessions, and reflexology.

When it comes to accommodations, there are several options, from rooms with private plunge pools to spacious beachfront suites with four-poster beds looking out at the ocean. Whichever you choose, you can look forward to ample outdoor space as well as classic Caribbean design, complete with dark wood, neutral tones, and pops of bright teal, coral, and green.

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.

For those who love a chicken tikka or a lamb rogan josh, Britain is a famously fulfilling destination, with some of the best Indian food you’ll find outside, well, India. The curryhouses on Brick Lane will ladle out masalas and rice until your belly’s ready to burst, but for a different take, try Dishoom, which operates in five different London locations (and Edinburgh) and specialises in the finger food of Mumbai’s Irani cafés: a fabulous array of grills and snacks, from the delicious lamb kebab to the moreish keema pav (minced lamb or chicken), served on a bun in an environment that recreates the décor of the colonial railways. If you can make it here for breakfast, the bacon naan roll or the spicy scrambled eggs are the perfect way to set up your day.

The Gant feels like your mountain home away from home. Tucked away on five acres at the base of Aspen Mountain, the Gant’s condos offer the comforts of staying in a home but with the service perks of a hotel. Guests can choose from one-, two-, three-, or four-bedroom condos, making this a great option for families and friends on ski getaways. Condos feature full kitchens so you don’t have to worry about booking reservations in town each night, and the staff can arrange for grocery and liquor delivery right to your door. Condos also have wood-burning fireplaces, large living rooms for lounging, and patios or balconies to soak in the fresh mountain air. A housekeeper comes to tidy up each day while you’re off hiking or skiing, and families have the option to book child care. The Gant is just steps from the Silver Queen Gondola and offers ski storage and overnight tuning. After a day outdoors, guests can relax weary muscles in one of the Gant’s three hot tubs.

Not every celebrity who visits Harbour Island stays at the Pink Sands Hotel. Bill Gates, for instance, has his own home on the island. But Keith Richards has checked in here, as have Martha Stewart and Kate Moss. Since its opening in the 1950s, the 25-room hotel, like the island itself, has been a low-key enclave of the rich and famous, drawn not just by the like-attracts-like vibe (one of the previous owners was Island Records founder and Bob Marley “discoverer” Chris Blackwell), but by its location on Pink Sands Beach, widely considered one of the world’s prettiest. Accommodations are in plush one- and two-room cottages that have king beds and ocean or garden views; some have outdoor showers. Reserve a table at the British-colonial–inspired Malcolm 51 for island-style bouillabaisse and charred octopus salad, but don’t get too carried away with the sundowners. All manner of aquatic activities (snorkeling the nearby coral reef, bonefishing in the shallows, or merely swimming in the heated freshwater pool) await in the morning.