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Not surprisingly, this chain of more than 7,000 islands holds a million wonders—wildlife, mountains, jungles, and the white sand beaches of your dreams. With so many places to go, you’ll have to make some tough choices. What can wait for the next trip? Will you go island hopping or stay put on one of the larger islands? Will you head for the Chocolate Hills and the chance to see tiny primates with giant eyes? Or will you swim with whale sharks and go scuba diving off the low-key island of Palawan? There are no wrong answers.

Buddhist temples and grand palaces meet neon skylines in Seoul. The city’s hotels are just as varied, ranging from design properties with no-fuss amenities to over-the-top luxury resorts with Michelin-starred cuisine. Here are some of the highlights.

Comfort food doesn’t have to be heavy and drowned in grease: just try pho, the light and flavorful Vietnamese soup that’s much loved by Seattleites. Than Brothers is the local chain, with locations all around town, but the Capitol Hill one is one of their longer-established restaurants. First-timers can start with the classic #1, medium-rare beef, before advancing to options such as tripe and tendon; chicken, meatball, and vegetarian choices are also available. The “small” bowl is a hearty, filling portion for about $5, and comes with their trademark cream puff, but add on a Vietnamese iced coffee or tea for an extra sugar-and-caffeine rush. As their menu notes, pho is particularly good when you’re feeling under the weather — Vietnam’s answer to chicken noodle soup, perhaps?

Hop on a small barge-ferry to be whisked out to a larger boat for an unusual dinner on the water. Dine on the covered top deck, if you can snag a table, for an alfresco meal with a glittering night view of Montego Bay’s coast and the Caribbean. The menu is for seafood lovers but has options for everyone. The cozy, warmly lit nautical interior lends a relaxed and intimate vibe. Your fellow diners will most likely be locals, so you can feel like a Jamaica insider—previous passengers on the House Boat have included Steve McQueen, the Duchess of York, and the Beach Boys.

Tokyo has a dizzying number of things to do. Don’t think of that as a problem. Look at a visit to Tokyo—whether your first or your fifth—as an opportunity to go a bit deeper, to peel off layers, to write a list of things you need to visit on your next trip. Ponder that list while at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, where you can take in views of Tokyo from the 54th floor observation decks. Make sure it includes visits to Toyosu Market (formerly part of the Tsukiji fish market) for the tuna auctions, the Ghibli Museum (animation fan or not), and Shibuya Crossing. In season, take in the scent of cherry blossoms before heading to a cat cafe for a cup of tea and a cat cuddle. Or just go do all of those things now and create your own deep cuts list for your next visit.

As you approach Lake Naivasha from Nairobi, the one-lane, potholed road rises and you are suddenly treated to a truly awesome view of the Great Rift Valley stretching out to the horizon. Shimmering within that vista is Lake Naivasha, a popular weekend destination for Nairobians. The lake itself is beautiful in a prehistoric-looking way, with wispy, jagged trees jutting up from the water and hippos bathing in the midday sun. Along the boggy shoreline, before the water lilies and tropical grasses give way to the open water, it’s easy to imagine ancient creatures wriggling their way up onto land and eventually evolving into the first hominids. While in the area, explore Hell’s Gate National Park and its gigantic gorge, take a boat trip on the lake in search of hippos, and get your fill of the freshly made pizzas at Camp Carnelley’s.

This hotel is on our list of The 11 Best Hotels in Chicago.

The world has been waiting years for the St. Regis Chicago, located in the city’s 101-floor skyscraper designed by Jeanne Gang, to welcome guests and owners; in 2023, it finally made its stunning debut. The triple-tower building’s architecture was based on the frustrum shape, which is basically a pyramid with its top chopped off. (Think of a popcorn box.) That form is replicated subtly throughout the hotel, from the exoskeleton to the marble tiles in the inviting lobby on the Chicago River. Each of the 192 guest rooms comes with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic city views, a dedicated butler, one of four soaking tubs, brass detailing, and curvilinear furnishings from a collaboration between architectural powerhouse Gensler and boutique firm Simeone Deary Design Group.


Rounding out the amenities: the Miru all-day-dining restaurant that is anything but casual, a new Tuscan steakhouse concept, a truly cossetting seven-room spa, an indoor pool with an outdoor patio, and the finest urban hotel gym probably anywhere. Was the wait worth it? Indeed it was.

In Oporto, Portugal, you can take a river cruz if you want. There are several choices from 50 minute boat tours to several hours or even several days. I chose to go on the 50 minute “Six Bridges” river cruise. I started at the Cais da Ribeira where you purchase your ticket and board the boat. We passed under the six bridges of Oporto on a relaxing tour and took in the glorious view of the World Heritage site of Oporto up on the hills. The wine cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia were spread out on the opposite side of the river. The views were magnificent of many old historic buildings and old cathedrals and churches. At the mouth of the Douro, we viewed the waters beyond known as the “land of the fishermen”. The Douro River is a beautiful river that sparkles under the azure sky as the sun shines down on its pristine waters. I was rewarded with a serene and happy feeling as I disembarked from my short cruise. I definitely recommend cruising the Douro while in Oporto. The difficult part is choosing which boat cruise to enjoy. Of course, it depends on how long you are staying in Oporto. Plan ahead, of course, and work this adventure into your trip. You will be glad that you didn’t miss it. Info: www.portodouro.com/cruzeiro-das-seis-pontes-cidade-porto

Among several sea and land excursions, locally owned Fantasea Tours offers full-day whale- and dolphin-watching trips along St. Vincent’s leeward coast. You can expect to see pilot whales, orcas, and several species of dolphins year-round, but the best time to spot them is December through April. Huge sperm whales and humpbacks stop by seasonally, usually from October through January. Regardless of when you go, you can look forward to an exciting, comfortable tour. Fantasea’s staff is extremely knowledgeable, and its boats and equipment meet the highest safety standards.

Arizona’s best hotels are as varied as its landscapes. Everywhere from the Grand Canyon to downtown Phoenix to Camelback Mountain, you’ll find glamping retreats, dude ranches, spa-centric stays, historic hotels, and even boutique properties with design-forward guest rooms. Whether you’re seeking a kid-friendly spot for a family road trip or a secluded resort for a romantic getaway, you’ll find it all in the Grand Canyon State.

We arranged a private tour of the Mekong River Delta through the Park Hyatt Saigon. We were driven from the hotel to Cai Be in a Cadillac with snacks and drinks, then escorted to our private river boat (also loaded with fresh fruit, coffee and tea, and other snacks). Our english-speaking tour guide brought us onto a small rowed boat through the smaller channels of the delta, explaining local life and the various trades of the people who live there. We saw a floating market and had lunch at Mr. Kiet’s historic house. Highly recommend spending the morning and afternoon on this tour.

At Salt Water Farm, students return to the land—and the sea—to learn forage, fillet, and feast.

Join throngs of locals on the five-minute ferry ride across Victoria Harbour between the Tsim Sha Tsui cruise pier in Kowloon, on the mainland side, and the Central Pier on Hong Kong Island (a slightly longer ride goes to Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island). This is not just any ferry: The historic green and white Star Ferries have been moving the masses back and forth for decades, with the origins of the company going back to 1880 with the service of a single steamboat, the Morning Star. Today, the classic wooden boats make the trip many times daily, and a ride provides a great view of the city’s famous skyline and a whiff of nostalgia to boot.

When you’re feeling rejuvenated and ready to venture out of Aqua’s quiet beachside retreat, the resort can arrange for you to take a day trip to Granada on the shores of Lake Nicaragua, about an hour and a half drive from the resort. Rich in colonial architecture and colorful buildings, Granada is arguably the most photogenic city in Nicaragua and a popular tourist destination. You can stop at Mombacho Volcano on your way there for zip-lining and a tour of a coffee farm, or at the lake for a boat tour of the isletas, 365 tiny islands that were originally rocks spewed out of Mombacho in an eruption thousands of years ago. Visit the Granada Cathedral and the city’s museums, then wander the narrow streets to admire the old haciendas that have been turned into boutique hotels and artisan shops. Shop for handcrafted leather goods, carved wooden furniture, and hand-woven hammocks that can be easily folded up for the trip home. Photo by Marianna Jamadi.

Stylish, secluded Likya Gardens is a hideaway amid the cliffs of Kalkan, a humble old fishing town on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. Each of the seven suites has its own pool and a patio set on stilts, offering views of a crystal-blue bay and brightly colored fishing boats. Guests can sun on nearby beaches such as Patara or Kaputaş, or enjoy the privacy of the hotel’s beach club, where Moroccan-style cabanas are tricked out with minibars, laptops, and Wi-Fi. Personal butlers can deliver breakfast and book tables at the town’s rooftop restaurants; they’ll even arrange day trips to the Hidden Canyon, with its Indiana Jones–style swinging bridge. From $450. This appeared in the June/July 2014 issue.