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It’s fair to say that a trip to the hammam is a quintessential Moroccan experience and is a salve for the soul as much as it is for the body. Fes’s bathhouses may not have the sheer wow factor of those in Marrakech, but they perhaps offer a more intimate and authentic experience at more wallet-friendly prices. Your safest bet is to take a taxi to Nausikaa in the Ville Nouvelle and hang with locals while being treated to a deluxe treatment which involves a luxurious steam, followed by an enthusiastic scrub-down (gommage) with an exfoliating mitt (kessa) and olive oil soap, before getting slathered in rose-scented clay which leaves the skin baby-soft and sparkling. It also offers excellent pedicures and waxing.

If your heart is set on going old-school, be aware that the medina’s hammams are not always as hot, nor as clean, as you might like. In the medina, the pink and womblike hammam at Dar Bensouda is perfect if you’d prefer a private to a public hammam. It’s properly hot, and the local women who do the gommage mix their treatment lotions with lavender and chamomile as well as with other healing herbs and spices. A treatment costs 350 dirhams. The Riad Laaroussa provides a luxurious, candlelit experience. It’s the place to go if you want to experience a hammam with your partner, followed by sublimely relaxing massage. Have a cocktail in the courtyard afterwards; the orange- and cinnamon-infused gin and tonic is legend.

Located in Manhattan’s “Curry Hill” (a play on the neighborhood’s formal name, Murray Hill) and surrounded by Indian restaurants frequented by taxi drivers for quick to-go plates, Kalustyan’s is a must-stop for nuts, spices, and other specialty foods sourced from around the globe. It’s easy to lose yourself among the bins, boxes, and bags, and you may end up bringing home new finds—say, French de Puy lentils or hibiscus flowers in their own syrup (great for DIY cocktails). Head upstairs for a bite at the modest in-store restaurant.

When Antonio Marras opened his first showroom and concept store in a residential neighborhood, fashionistas didn’t flinch at making the 10-minute taxi journey from downtown. The Sardinian designer of women’s clothing has earned a following for his fashion-forward style that avoids trends. His collections run the gamut from casual ribbed tanks with hand-sewn sequined flower patches to special-occasion silk jackets and dresses embroidered with Swarovski crystals. Couches and a menu of wine, coffee, and Sardinian sweets invite lingering. Via Cola di Rienzo 8, 39/02-7628-0991. This appeared in the October 2013 issue.

Skip the shops and the hassle along the tourist-packed “Hip Strip” in Montego Bay and instead, catch a taxi ride to the beautiful Half Moon Resort’s Shopping Village. Just 15 minutes by car from MoBay, this outdoor mall with over 25 shops is open to outside visitors and offers original items, from gorgeous local designer summer wear--don’t miss Staysie’s--to local crafts and duty free items. There are two restaurants and an Irish pub on site, for breaks after all your shopping. If you’ve got extra time, head to The Bob Marley Experience theater to watch a free hourly documentary screening on the life of Bob Marley.

If all you really want to do on your Bahamian visit is relax on the beach, this is the spot for you. A short ride from downtown Nassau (every taxi driver knows where it is), it has everything necessary for a fun morning or afternoon in the sun: a stretch of powdery white sand, calm waters that are perfect for swimming and surrounding resorts where you can stop in to get a bite, order drinks and rent water-sports equipment.

Gombe Stream National Park is home to the Gombe Stream Research Center. Founded in 1967, it is a living laboratory, and a testament to the pioneering research and conservation efforts conducted by Jane Goodall on behalf of the park’s chimpanzee population. The smallest of Tanzania’s national parks, Gombe is set on the glistening shores of Lake Tangyanika and is surrounded by ancient forest and cavernous valleys. To embark on an unforgettable, several-day chimp-tracking experience, you get to the park via motorboat from Kigoma or take a local lake-taxi. A stay at Gombe Forest Lodge provides a lush, intimate haven to rest weary feet after a morning’s trek: Enjoy a dip in the crystal-clear lake, and a sundowner around the fire beneath the brilliant backdrop of stars and mystical shadowy trees.

For a respite from the city’s noise and smog, head out to She Shan. The 100m hill is a blissful retreat and an interesting cultural destination as well. European missionaries set up a small chapel here in the 1850s which was transformed into the She Shan Basilica in 1935. You’ll also find a Jesuit Observatory on the hill, which, among other things, features the Han Dynasty’s earthquake monitoring device, made up of two dragon heads and a pendulum. If you get swept up in the peace and quiet of the area, simply stay the night at the luxurious Le Meridien: http://ow.ly/t7nCY The hotel is an oasis in Shanghai‘s summer heat with a man-made beach, a golf course, and a fantastic weekend brunch. How to get here: take line 9 to Sheshan station and from there, you can either walk ~30 minutes to the mountain or take a 14RMB taxi ride.

Jamaica’s most touristy site—famous for being featured in the James Bond movie Dr. No.—is also one of its most beautiful, in spite of the countless bodies that visit and attempt the climb daily, both locals and tourists. The view of the falls is spectacular. And call it cheesy, but it’s actually fun trying to ascend stone steps while being splashed by 600-foot-high powerful falls that cascade down into a jade pool. Grab a licensed guide on-site if you need one, otherwise latch on to one of the human chains you’ll spot when you arrive. The falls are just a stone’s throw from Ocho Rios, so any route or shared taxi will make a stop here for a few bucks.

Bantayan Island’s fine white sand beaches and clear light blue waters are as enchanting as far busier Boracay, minus the noise and go go go night life. The island’s Ogtong Cave Resort offers a well-kept landscaped garden, a pool, and individual cottages, but the real draw is a cave below the resort grounds, where you can explore and wade in the waters. Rooms at the resort are simple and comfortable. The resort offers doubles up to family rooms with plenty of room for kids. There are two pools on the ground, with one reserved for resort guests. The usual jump off point is Cebu, a one-hour flight away from Metro Manila. You then take an almost 3-hour bus ride from North Terminal to Hagnaya for a 75-minute boat to Santa Fe, Bantayan. You can also opt to take a private van or taxi for a more comfortable and faster ride. Don’t be put off by the long travel time--the beach, cave, and everything else at the resort are well worth what it takes to get there.

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.

Perched on a hill between the busy Zona Sul and hip Santa Teresa neighborhoods, Casa Marques is an all-suites boutique hotel with unparalleled views of Rio. The French-Brazilian couple behind the property blended minimalist modern design with contemporary Brazilian art, creating a space that’s as sleek and subtle as a gallery. Stark white, rooms are decorated with unique local art and artisan-made rugs. Standard suites feature pingo de riga (floor-to-ceiling), wood-framed windows, while master suites include a balcony and expanded bathroom with soaking tub. On the roof of the colonial mansion, there’s an infinity pool and bar overlooking Guanabara Bay, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Christ the Redeemer. Rates include breakfast on the terrace or in the warm, stylish kitchen lounge, complete with traditional tapioca and Brazilian iced tea. Note that Casa Marques’ stellar scenery means it’s challenging to access—plan on taking taxis whenever you can tear yourself away from the hotel vistas.

Upon your arrival at this 556-room resort, you might be disappointed to find a small pool instead of sandy palapas overlooking the sea. But the Renaissance makes up for its location on a busy thoroughfare in the capital city of Oranjestad with its own private island, a 40-acre oasis dotted with pink flamingos and iguanas. After an eight-minute water-taxi ride, you can choose between two distinct beaches—one adults-only, the other designated for families—plus an array of vacation-friendly amenities. A beachside bar and grill serves up burgers and wood-fired pizzas; an open-air spa offers Swedish and cold stone massages, as well as reflexology; and an extensive water-sports program includes activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, and ocean kayaking. If that’s not enough to tire you out for the evening, a steak house and casino await back at the main resort.

An understated, private landing stage for gondolas and water taxis on a side canal of the lagoon marks the entrance to the lovely Baglioni Hotel Luna in San Marco. Steeped in history, the palazzo, with lagoon-facing windows and charming Juliet balconettes, dates to the 12^th century and is said to have given refuge to the Crusade-era Knights Templar. Interiors are more in keeping with noble 18^th-century fashions. There’s a sleek marble lobby, sparkling crystal chandeliers, antique furnishings, and a healthy showing of brocade fabrics. The standout room is the pristinely preserved Salone Marco Polo, filled with18^th-century frescoes painted by pupils of influential Venetian painter and printmaker Giambattista Tiepolo.

Conveniently located just steps from bustling and culture-packed St. Mark’s Square, this hotel, with its award-winning restaurant, relaxed lounge, and rooms full of delightful period details, makes for an elegant home base in Venice.

Even during Antigua Sailing Week, when English Harbour is chock-a-block with yachts from all over the world, the 28-room Inn at English Harbour remains serenely detached from the chaos. The inn is five minutes by water taxi from the center of things at historic Nelson’s Dockyard, but its tucked-away location on a white-sand beach backed by 19 leafy acres (and a no-kids-under-10 policy) ensures tranquility. Four snug rooms, with marble floors and queen beds, occupy two beachside cabanas, while 25 more generously proportioned suites, all with dark mahogany floors, four-poster king-size canopy beds, and verandas or balconies, are in three wooden buildings sitting farther back among the tropical greenery. Although the Terrace Restaurant and Stone Bar are in the property’s original stone house, the rooms, despite their colonial look, are relatively modern, which means there is a flat-screen TV, an iPod docking station, and Internet access.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better view of Hamilton Harbour than the one at Newstead Belmont Hills, where the 60 one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites satisfy the Airbnb set with in-room kitchens, Jacuzzi tubs, and sleeper sofas. Though there’s no on-site beach, the resort’s shuttle can transport you to the nearest shoreline (about 10 minutes away), and a private water taxi is on hand to ferry guests to the restaurants and shops of Hamilton. Care to stay put? One visitor per room is gifted a complimentary round of golf on the property’s championship 18-hole course with your stay, the harbor-front infinity pool and club becomes one of Bermuda’s top happy-hour scenes come sunset, and Beau Rivage, the island’s only French restaurant, is renowned for its Gallic specialties such as Provençal shrimp risotto and foie gras–stuffed beef Wellington.