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The centerpiece of Turks and Caicos is Grace Bay, on the island of Providenciales (known locally as Provo), where the miles-long sugar-sand shore routinely tops “best beach” lists for the Caribbean and the world. The inland area along this stretch of northern shoreline is where you’ll find most of Provo’s hotels, shopping, and restaurants. Grace Bay is part of the Princess Alexandra National Park. It has calm waters and a sandy seafloor with no rocks or corals to step on, making Grace Bay the perfect place for swimming, splashing along the shoreline, parasailing, and stand-up paddleboarding.

A landmark since the 1920s, this glamorous resort at Monaco’s easternmost border with France still evokes the glory days of Monte Carlo, when high-society scenesters were frequent guests. The rooms, airy and bright after a makeover by designer India Mahdavi, have an elevated Deco-meets-nautical vibe with porthole windows, Mediterranean stripes—in turquoise, white, brick red, and beige—tailored furnishings, and artsy line drawings on the walls that recall Matisse and Cocteau. The superb, all-organic restaurant Elsa (named after Elsa Maxwell, the American columnist and hostess who was instrumental in attracting the beau monde to the hotel) is another throwback, while the Olympic-size heated seawater pool—open to guests and Beach Club members who swan around on weekends with their children in tow—remains a draw now as it was then.

The Frank A. Wacha Bridge is also called the Jensen Beach Causeway. This bridge connects the town of Jensen Beach on the mainland with Jensen Beach on Hutchinson Island. The bridge is named after Frank A. Wacha, Sr. who was a Martin County Commissioner. In 1965 the first Frank A. Wacha,Sr. Bridge was built. It was a modern drawbridge. In 2003 -2004 a new structure was built to replace the old drawbridge ( which I, for one, miss). The new bridge is especially beautiful to see at night as the structure is highlighted over the Indian River. The surrounding area is a breeding ground for many forms of marine life in the river and it’s mangroves. There are recreational islands under the bridge. There are picnic pavilions, a fishing pier, a park, boat ramps, and four docks. Every day, you can see fishermen fish right off the bridge. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the bridge and the walk is invigorating. I enjoy this walk into town from the island. The view from the top of the bridge is of the river and the ocean beyond. Quite a view!

If you don’t know that Korean beauty products are the Next Big Thing, chances are you’ve been living under a rock, you’re a non-Korean man, and/or you’re over age 50. For everyone else, K-Beauty is an of-the-moment trend that’s popping up everywhere from international cities like New York and Hong Kong, to the beauty section of Target in small Midwestern towns. Needless to say, it’s everywhere.

So of course it’s big business in Korea’s capital, where the streets of buzzy Myeongdong hum with a thousand beauty stores. Perhaps the most popular of all the products are mask sheets, made with ingredients to make one’s skin firmer, more moisturized, whiter, cleaner…you name it. Perhaps the best place to look for one’s ideal mask sheet is aptly named, Mask Sheet Story, a store that sells—you guessed it.

There are four outposts of All Mask Story. All Mask Story No. 1 is on the popular Myeongdong Shopping Street.

From a members-only beach club in the 1960s, The Dunmore has evolved into a 16-room boutique stay whose spirit and decor evoke that era. Local interior designer Amanda Lindroth oversaw a major renovation when the hotel’s current owners bought the property in 2010. Wicker and rattan furniture, patterned prints, and spaces that are as much outdoors as indoors create a look that is somewhere between late British colonial and timeless Bahamian. Although the landmark sits on Harbour Island’s Pink Sands Beach, a pool with an airy pavilion adds to The Dunmore’s reputation as a place of amiable gathering. After a day of sunfilled fun, head to the on-site restaurant, where chef Cindy Hutson, one of the region’s rising culinary stars, prepares modern twists on island delicacies—think grouper curry with lychee and grilled pineapple and banana fritters with rum caramel.

Cozy and comfortable, it’s hard to leave Pangas. The hours fly by here, where the Las Baulas estuary meets the Pacific, at wooden tables, right on the sand; or beneath marvelous, sparkle-lit trees in a setting that’s practically one with the surrounding nature. A tropical fusion menu makes the most of local bounty, featuring innumerable fruits, grass-fed beef, and locally caught seafood; fresh-prepared cocktails intensify the vibe. Surf-racks and showers available to those coming off the waves; reservations suggested.

Just steps from the beach, Sapphire offers outdoor dining year-round on its cozy patio. Run by executive chef Azmin Gahreman for more than a decade, the restaurant is certainly a Laguna institution, but one that’s constantly evolving to stay fresh. Though Sapphire is worth a visit for every meal, it really shines at brunch, when such indulgent dishes as buttermilk pancakes, fried chicken and cheddar biscuits, and eggs Benedict with roasted jalapeño hollandaise are on the menu. Pair your breakfast with bottomless mimosas in flavors like orange, mango, and grapefruit and you’ll have the makings of a perfect morning.

Mercury Lounge is one of the best places to be seen in this see and be seen city. Abide by the dress code or risk being turned away—but if you make it in, revel in the views of the Gulf and the Burj Al Arab, the sophisticated crowd, and the delicious (pricey) drinks.

The beef is local and grass-fed, the french fries and french toast are good, the people are nice, and it’s got views of a little bay. We ate one meal here, then another, and another. Sometimes when you find a good thing, you stick with it. Especially when you’re traveling with a 5-year-old.

The start of the path is quite easy to find in Friar’s Bay. Just walk North past Kali’s Beach Bar and past Friar’s Bay Beach Bar until you see a path marked by orange arrows. It should lead up a hill. (There appears to be another path that goes around the rocks lower down, but I wouldn’t recommend taking that one.) Once you crest the hill, the still somewhat clearly marked path opens wide in all directions. You get a clear view of the ocean on your left and grassy hills on your right. Cross through a fence. Walk past some old ruined condos. Meet up with a road. Wait, a road? I could have driven here? Yeah, well… the walk is pleasant and you’re at Happy Bay before you know it. And talk about “happy”! This secluded bay is often almost devoid of the throngs which plague some St. Martin beaches like Orient Bay. Here, there are practically no facilities (though they have been talking for a long time about adding some) so it just doesn’t attract crowds! It’s not as expansive as my favorite beach on St. Maarten (Long Bay) though… Anyway, once you take your pick of the many excellent spots to spend the day on this beach, it’s just a matter of deciding how much you’re going to take off. ;-)

Carleton Point is the historic site of the first settlement on Treasure Cay Beach, where 600 Americans loyal to the British migrated in 1783, at the end of the American Revolutionary War, preferring to live in the British-controlled Bahamas rather than the newly independent United States of America. The settlement they built was named Carleton Point after Sir Guy Carleton, a British military commander in New York who oversaw the evacuation of the Loyalists. The settlement was short-lived, however, as the Loyalists abandoned it in 1785 after a hurricane hit, but artifacts have been uncovered at the site, and a plaque now marks its location.

This property is closed through 2019 for repairs made necessary by hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Caneel Bay, one of the island’s more secluded and protected bays, is home to Caneel Bay Resort, a historic luxury hotel founded by Laurance Rockefeller. After opening the resort in 1956, Rockefeller donated the land on which it lies to become the Virgin Islands National Park, which covers about 60 percent of the island. Day-trippers can easily reach Caneel Bay by taxi from Cruz Bay. The resort has no fewer than seven beaches, including Honeymoon Beach, a short hike away. Come here to relax on the main beach, book water sports at the diving and snorkeling center and have lunch at the hotel restaurant.

Fly Boutique has become a staple in Miami Beach for vintage clothing. Although the store is a vintage shop, it still have a boutique vibe and atmosphere. Popular brands include vintage designer pieces such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Pucci, Gucci, Dior,Missoni and many more. If you have a passion for fashion, pairing trends with classic looks, this will be your favorite retail shop. The store has moved around over the last few years, but now has a second location in Downtown Miami.

Few structures in Taiwan are as instantly recognizable as Taipei’s Grand Hotel. Set on a hill on the northern bank of the Keelung River, the Grand seems less a hotel and more an imperial sentinel keeping eternal vigil over the metropolis to the south. Among the world’s tallest classical Chinese structures, the hotel’s 285-foot red columns hold high a curvaceous burnt umber, temple-style roof topped by carved dragons. This classical Chinese motif continues inside the hotel, with dragons, lions, plum flowers, and other symbols of Imperial China woven throughout. Guestrooms are stately, though more functional than plush. All are decked out in imperial gold and red, and each offers carved teakwood chairs alongside other furnishings reminiscent of bygone dynasties. South-facing rooms all have balconies with city views so visitors can enjoy quiet meditations while looking out over the meandering river separating Taipei’s quieter north side from the more frenetic south.

Gallery director Adrian Newstead sources bark paintings, sculptures, and ceremonial artifacts from Aboriginal artists throughout Australia and curates works for local and international shows.