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We love Taiwan because it fits a surprisingly exotic array of activities into a tiny area. Mountains, beaches, and cities are all connected by high-speed rail, so within hours of landing a visitor can browse the world’s finest collection of Chinese art in Taipei, bathe in rare mineral mud springs in the south, or stroll among the tea fields in Taiwan’s mountains. Convenience, culture, and low cost all contribute to our love affair with Taiwan.

With 24 national parks, 15 national reserves, 6 marine parks, and private conservancies on top of that, the choice can be overwhelming when it comes to visiting Kenya’s national parks. To help you decide between north, south, east, and west, between hot and dry or luscious and green, and between mountainous or flat, here’s a quick hit list of some of the best national parks in Kenya.

There are more sparkling blue alpine lakes in New Zealand than you can possibly imagine. In a land that is so geologically new, it’s no surprise that these beautiful waters go hand in hand with ancient glaciers and towering mountain peaks. Whether it be the stillness of New Zealand’s South Island picture-perfect lakes, or the geothermal heated waters of the North Island, you will not be disappointed by the beautiful lakes all around.

Don’t expect spice in El Salvador; like its Central American neighbors, this country’s food isn’t spicy hot. It does, however, tend to the heavier side, with dishes like pupusas—thick corn tortillas stuffed with a variety of fillings—common on menus. Restaurants range from casual to formal to downright atmospheric, such as inside a volcano! As for drinks, look for homegrown coffee, locally brewed beer, and a traditional corn-based drink called atol.

Interested in eco-adventure, but don’t want to sacrifice luxury? How about a romantic getaway? No worries! One of Belize’s best attributes is its lack of massive all-inclusive resorts where you battle for pool loungers and reservations at restaurants. Instead, the country offers a number of boutique and luxury resorts situated beachside on the Caribbean, or nestled in Central American rain forest.

Chef/owner Aaron Silverman’s farmhouse restaurant, in the heart of Barracks Row, serves creative (and Michelin-starred) cooking inspired by his travels and culinary training in the American South, Mexico, the Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia. Pork sausage and lychee salad is a menu mainstay; most other dishes are rotated out frequently to make way for “new stuff,” anything from grilled cucumber with coconut and anchovy to jumbo lump crab with squash blossom. Groups of six to 12 can make online reservations, all others should be prepared to wait a while. Line up before the 5 p.m. opening time to snag a seat at the counter facing the open kitchen and wood-burning stove.

Henry VIII has been an island favorite for 40 years. Not surprisingly, given its namesake, the restaurant serves some typical English dishes — bangers and mash, fish and chips — but the menu also includes some of the island’s best sushi. The food comes with ocean views that are especially spectacular at sunset. “This is my local place,” Mike says. “It’s just a two-minute drive from my house. They take good care of their guests. On Saturday nights, a DJ plays old-school music and every day there’s an awesome cross section of people here: locals, visitors, and expats. It’s a good place to dance the night away, and the sushi is off the hook.”

The first Smithsonian affiliate in the Northwest, this superb museum chronicles the Asian Pacific American Experience. Among its most poignant exhibits is the Letter Cloud installation: old hotel walls frame tales of aging far away from home. It also offers walking tours of the surrounding International District, including Touch Of Chinatown, which visits the elegant Kobo gallery and Uwajimaya, one of America’s largest Asian grocery and gift stores. Stop into the nearby Panama Hotel, home to a teahouse and the nation’s only intact sentō (Japanese public bathhouse). Lockers and marble baths still stand in the basement, which harbored the belongings of Seattle’s 7,050 Japanese-American residents imprisoned in WWII internment camps—the basis for Jamie Ford’s best-selling novel Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet.

The W Taipei is located in Taiwan’s modern Xinyi District. Just south of the W Hotel are the World Trade Center, a massive shopping district, and the iconic Taipei 101. The booming economy has spawned a trend of unique boutique restaurants and lounges, and the alleys in this part of Taipei are populated with inspired designs and creative concepts like smith&hsu, where blends of juices and traditional Chinese teas are served alongside British tea snacks in a warehouse-style setting.

One month in Jamaica could mean four weeks of endless adventures, from beaches to museums and parties to festivals. Travel from lively Negril to lush Portland via Jamaica’s scenic north coast and fishing villages, before kicking back on the calm black sands of the south. The great thing about spending a whole month in Jamaica is that you have plenty of time to lounge on the beaches and to explore inland, so you get the best of all worlds.

Historians place the arrival of the first humans in the Hawaiian Islands on the southern side of the Big Island of Hawaii. From the Island’s South Point mooring places and petroglyphs on the volcanic lava fields, to churches and gathering places dotted throughout the historical ahupuaa (a region of land from the uplands to the sea), the Big Island is a showcase for the history of humankind in the Hawaiian islands.

Okay, some of these restaurants are technically still in Charleston, but what they have in common is food that merits a trip outside the well-trodden tourist area. Get there however you can, but don’t miss the extraordinary things—soul food, Chinese food, barbecue, French-accented local, whatever!—being cooked up in these remarkable South Carolina kitchens.

Toast your vacation at one of Maui’s many bars, which range from dives to rooftop lounges to thatched huts serving Champagne. Soak up the sun at Hula Grill or Leilani’s on Kāʻanapali Beach, then retire to spots like the island’s oldest bar, the Pioneer Inn, or Monkeypod Kitchen, which serves cocktails by the legendary Peter Merriman, a leader of Hawaii Regional Cuisine. End the night with dancing into the wee hours at local favorite South Shore Tiki Lounge.

Given its long history—including time before records or even writing—Scotland has a wealth of fascinating sites to visit. Spread across the country, from the Borders in the south to the Shetland Islands (which are closer to Norway than to most of Britain), these must-see attractions range from standing stones and prehistoric settlements to ancient abbeys, medieval battlegrounds, and Jacobite monuments.

The Tubman African American Museum, named for abolitionist Harriet Tubman, is Macon’s educational resource for school groups and curious visitors who want to learn more about African American history and culture. The first exhibit displays the mural pictured above, which tells about African American history from African heritage to the slave trade to modern-day America. In addition to information on Tubman, many prominent African Americans are featured, as well as those who helped advance civil rights. Work by artists and African American inventors are also on display.