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  • Jeju is known as the “Hawaii of South Korea” because of its blue waters and volcanic makeup (minus the tropical weather). One of island’s top experiences is ending the day with a solemn stroll through Jeju Stone Park, a tranquil space with conceptual rock displays inspired by local mythology and geology. The main draw is the outdoor stone sculptures and cultural village, complemented by a couple of indoor museums exhibits. Highlights include the tomb guardian children and grandfatherly, basalt “dolhareubang” figures. In olden times, the dolhareubang were considered to be gods offering both protection and fertility and were placed outside of gates for protection against demons.
  • Holy Steak House is run by Thierry and Bénédicte Sauvage, who also own the popular Restaurant Le Coco in Punaauia on Tahiti. Located in Haapiti, this Moorea restaurant boasts unique, contemporary decor indoors—we love the mix of floor-to-ceiling windows and wood-beamed ceiling with modern chandeliers. The varied menu changes monthly, though you can, of course, expect excellent steaks. An elegant outdoor wine bar, with comfortable chairs and water views, has a strong wine (and cocktail) list, with vintages from around the world. Free shuttle service runs to and from a number of resorts, including the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa and the Hôtel Hibiscus. Reservations suggested.
  • Bodden Town Road, Bodden Town, Cayman Islands
    For a true taste of local life, head to Bodden Town—the Caymanian capital before George Town rose to prominence in the 1800s—and pull over at the roadside fish fry where the likely queue tips you off to the impending tastiness: Grape Tree Café. Granted, on any given day, the crowd may include as many chickens as humans (the former seem to love nothing more than strutting from palm-shaded table to palm-shaded table on Grape Tree’s patch of beach sand). Atmosphere aside, the big lure here is the array of fried fish: snapper, mahi-mahi, swai, and wahoo—served with fritters, cassava, sweet potatoes, and breadfruit.
  • 200 Wellington St, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia
    In Melbourne, coffee is king. As part of a long love affair with the caffeinated brew, the city has perfected the processes that go into producing a consummate cup of joe, making it one of the best places to hone your own coffee-making skills. Everyone from espresso amateurs to budding baristas are welcome at the Collingwood Coffee College, where the experts behind Proud Mary Coffee lead everything from two-hour introductory courses to latte art lessons and fully accredited barista trainings. If you’d rather just put your taste buds to the test, the school also holds free weekly cupping sessions, during which you can sip your way through a range of seasonal blends.
  • Sydney NSW, Australia
    I love visiting big iconic bridges during the sunset. Trips at dusk to the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge have resulted in spectacular photographs of the urban landscape. The Sydney Harbour Bridge was another great experience! The bridge is accessible by foot or by bike and is surrounded by some of the biggest attractions in Sydney. More adventurous types might opt for the Bridge Climb Tour (http://www.bridgeclimb.com/) where participants get to scale the summit of the 134-meter arch for panoramic views of the city. And yes, they offer a Twilight Tour near sunset (and a dawn tour at sunrise). We were content walking across the bridge on the pedestrian walkway. It was a brisk spring evening in Sydney, and we didn’t envy the tourists climbing the bridge overhead. The views from the bridge are stunning in every direction, and it is a magnificent vantage point to see the Sydney Opera House and the Central Business District.
  • Just south of Bimini, tiny Gun Cay is the site of Honeymoon Harbour Beach, a remote and beautiful stretch of shore that’s accessible only by boat. Bimini Undersea offers trips to the beach, where you can lounge on the sand and snorkel in the calm, clear water. However, the highlight is the opportunity for face-to-face encounters with the local stingrays. These bottom-dwelling creatures have grown accustomed to people feeding and touching them, so there’s very little risk of a sting, as long as you’re gentle and take small steps to avoid trodding on them.
  • Before reaching this incredible castle, you will be astounded by the beautiful pastures and lakes along the roadside. Lambs occasionally trot across allowing a great opportunity for photos. Upon reaching Kylemore, you will enter through a quaint cafe for lattes, tea and delicious pastries. The tour begins walking through this enormous castle turned legendary private school that was originally owned by Mitchell Henry who built it for his wife. After taking in the luxuriousness of the manicured walls and decorations, you can then walk to the little cathedral. The cathedral is just as impressive as the castle. The pillars inside are made up of five different types of marble. Following the cathedral, you can choose to walk to the walled Victoria gardens or take the shuttle that runs to and fro the castle. The gardens have several green houses and a vast amount of exotic plants that dazzle the eyes and invigorate the nose! Here you can sit down for a coffee or tea and simply enjoy the man-made beauty that has lasted over a century. There are also several nature walks to allow more time for one to take in Ireland’s beauty. This is a fascinating place to admire historic architecture and learn about the love story that started it all!
  • Ganpati Bhavan, 250, Budhwar Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411002, India
    Pune has an abundance of temples and sites of historic and religious interest, but it’s said that the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple is the most visited of them all. Dedicated to the Hindu god Ganesh, this temple has an over-the-top gilt icon of Ganesh in the form of an elephant, and it’s insured to the tune of 10 million rupees (more than $150,000). The temple hosts services daily and is also the focal point of an annual festival, typically celebrated in September.
  • Okavango Delta, Botswana
    Botswana’s most famous crafts are baskets woven from fan palm fibers. They are dyed with natural pigments: blue from fever-berry leaves, dark brown from magic guarri shrubs, and yellow from the roots of red star apple trees. Some baskets take a month to make. Nearly all lodges sell baskets, but you can also purchase them online.
  • 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA
    Encyclopedic is one way to describe L.A.’s oldest art institution. Sprawling is another. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art opened in its current Miracle Mile location in 1965 and has not stopped growing, becoming the largest museum in the western United States. Its 135,000-piece collection spans 6,000 years of art. It also includes some of the museum world’s most photographed outdoor sculptures, such as Michael Heizer’s mind-boggling Levitated Mass and Chris Burden’s Urban Light. The museum hosts some 40 exhibits per year, plus a dynamic schedule of events, such as Tuesday film matinees and picnic-friendly Jazz at LACMA (held weekly on “summer” weekend nights—which in L.A. means April to November). While anyone can join free tours throughout the day, docents also lead customized experiences for a fee, which will take you through the galleries before or after hours to marvel at artists as wide-ranging as Henri Matisse, Ai Weiwei, Diego Rivera, and Catherine Opie. Kids are also catered to with a special gallery, Sunday activities, and a free membership, which includes entry for them plus an adult guest any day of the year. Pro tips: Plan to spend several hours at the museum, fueling up on wood-fired pizza midway through the day at Ray’s & Stark Bar. And if you’d like to experience the outdoor sculptures without the crowds, go early in the morning or on Wednesdays, when the museum is closed and gloriously quiet.
  • Papetō'ai, French Polynesia
    Popular with honeymooners and families alike, this large coastal property is located on Moorea, a quiet, lush island known for its beautiful mountain scenery and ample hiking opportunities. The hotel sits right on the lagoon and offers garden rooms and bungalows, many with their own private plunge pools, as well as fabulous overwater bungalows with glass floor panels in the living rooms and private decks with direct stair access to the warm waters below. Free kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkeling gear are available for those who want to explore their aquatic surroundings, though there’s plenty to do back on shore—from lazing on the white-sand beach (or in a hammock) to getting a massage with traditional Tahitian monoi (gardenia) oil. One of the highlights of a stay here is the chance to visit the hotel’s overwater bar, allegedly the only one in the country, where tiny sharks congregate every evening at sundown for feedings.
  • Marina 19-21 08005 Barcelona, Spain
    As the name suggests, this soaring 44-story hotel from the Ritz-Carlton brand is peppered with high-end artwork, mainly by renowned Spanish and Catalan artists such as Eduardo Chillida, Albert Rafols-Casamada, Perico Pastor, and Luis Feito. But there’s much more to the hotel than paintings and sculptures—such as the peaceful terraced gardens, an outdoor swimming pool that overlooks a large Frank Gehry fish sculpture, a luxury spa offering panoramic views, and several excellent restaurants. The hotel overlooks Barcelona and the Mediterranean from its prime location on the Olympic Port. And, perhaps best of all, the beach is right at the doorstep.

    The rooms are a delight, too, with dark-wood furnishings and flooring, flat-screen TVs, and sleek, spacious bathrooms that come with separate bathtubs and Asprey toiletries. The hotel’s penthouses are even more swish; guests who book one of these will not only get their own private elevator and fully equipped kitchen (where the hotel’s chefs will happily prepare meals en suite) but can also book a dedicated butler service.
  • Major Donald Dr, Cayman Islands
    Put on your comfortable shoes and head to the many trails of Cayman Brac to see wildlife, as well as scenic and geological sights. There is a path for all skill sets. Listen to the mating calls of the parrots flying above at the National Trust Parrot Reserve Hiking Loop, or descend carefully into Peter’s Cave and move through the various layers to discover a truly breathtaking natural wonder. Most hotels have a brochure of all the hiking trails; this includes images, difficulty, and a brief description of each trail.
  • 4 S Market St, Boston, MA 02109, USA
    Sure, Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market make up the most touristy part of Boston, complete with street performers, a light show, and the obligatory Yankee Candle store and Cheers restaurant; we nonetheless defy you to stay away. This part of the Boston waterfront has thrived on commerce since colonial times: Faneuil Hall was crowded with merchant’s shops as early as 1743, and the larger Quincy Market was added in 1824 to provide more space (it also was the site of speeches by Samuel Adams and other early patriot leaders). If you’re looking for a Red Sox hat or a “Boston Strong” T-shirt, you’ll find it here.
  • Dar Tazi, Fes, Morocco
    To immerse yourself in the life of a Moroccan housewife, take a stroll through the fresh-produce market of R’cif, which winds through the lower part of the Fes medina. Plan to arrive by 10 a.m. when the market really gets going (by 11:30 a.m., it’s packed). In addition to browsing stalls of plump fruit and vegetables from farms in the Middle Atlas, you can snack here, too: hot trid—a gossamer-thin pastry baked over a rounded clay pot or “egg”—and irresistible meloui (multiple layers of dough that become soft and flaky as they are cooked) stuffed with spiced onions. Don’t miss seeing the infamously grumpy camel butcher whose signage is a real camel’s head hanging from a hook. Around lunchtime, mastermind your way deep into the souks to find the Achabine area, where the city’s best street food vendors ply their trade. The dishes served up here built this city and continue to do so every lunchtime: comforting bessara (split-pea or broad-bean soup) and harira (a Moroccan staple of chickpeas, lentils, and lamb broth); sardines doused in charmoula and deep-fried until crunchy; hard-boiled eggs dipped in cumin. Come in the evening if you crave bite-sized brochettes of tender lamb and spiced liver.