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The Sir Francis Drake Channel, sort of like an inland sea of the BVI, is named for the famed explorer. It’s fitting, as the channel invites exploring with most of the territory’s islands located along it, from Virgin Gorda to Tortola, the largest island in the BVI. Steady but gentle trade winds blow along the Sir Francis Drake Channel year-round, making it easy to navigate the archipelago, either by sight sailing or on a yacht charter—with stunning anchorages around every bend. There are also a few islands just off of the channel including Anegada, the only coral island in the BVI and a favorite of divers, and Jost Van Dyke, the smallest of the islands and, with a population of only 300, a perfect place if you truly want to escape.

The calm seas and winds aren’t only a boon for sailors, but also for anyone interested in water sports. Whether you want to don a mask at the famous Baths on Virgin Gorda, try surfing at Josiah’s Bay, or pursue any other activity on the water, you can expect ideal conditions on most days.

Marfa is a place of outstanding artists and makers. One of them–no doubt–is Ginger Griffice. I’ve known Ginger since meeting her at Trans Pecos last year and I’ve been a frequent shopper at her Marfa Brands Store, where she sells her soaps, fun glassware and other neat items. This time, I finally caught her in action, making a brand new batch of her amazing artisanal soaps. Ginger takes much of her olfactory inspiration from the desert that surrounds Marfa. Her natural soaps are made from vegetable and essential oils, and she often adds tea (green, Earl Grey, Lapsang souchon) for added scent, color, and texture. If you’re looking to take a little bit of Marfa back home with you, this is the place.

Fun fact: one of Marfa Brands Soaps, Ranch Road, was specifically created for El Cosmico, to capture ‘the smell of rain, and the free spirit that El Cosmico is all about’.

Opening times are fluid, Marfa style. If Ginger’s store is closed, you can always swing by the ‘Get Go’ grocery, a short block away, and pick up a few bars there.

>>>Warmest thanks to the awesome team at El Cosmico for another unforgettable Trans Pecos Festival of Music and Love–an annual gathering of friends, music, art, camping, sandlot baseball and a night sky full of stars in Marfa, Texas. Love you guys.

Jaffa, the oldest seaport in the world, is home to a vibrant multiethnic community of Muslims, Christians, and Jews next to Tel Aviv. Archaeology and ancient documents show that Jaffa has been in existence as a port city for more than 4,000 years and is where Jonah (of Jonah and the whale) set off from. Until recently, the port had become derelict, but after major renovations, it now teems with life and culture, from seafood restaurants and organic-coffee cafés to bookstores and theaters. The Old Port (known as Namal Yafo) is also a sort of artist colony, with numerous art galleries and studios. The views are breathtaking, especially at sunset.

Bến Thành market has been around Saigon in one form or another for over 300 years. At some points it neighbored bodies of water including a small lake. It is a monster, overwhelming at first. If you come to Saigon and you love to shop, this is the one-stop shop you are looking for. Personally nothing is more thrilling at Bến Thành than the art of “The Barter.” It’s a strategic game of wits of where you pit product desire against pocketbook ability and the house always wins. It’s not always easy, in fact it’s never easy. Hot, stagnant air ripe with the smell of fish and squid always seems to hang in the air right over that gift you can’t live without. You’re constantly walking that fine line between feeling like you got ripped off or feeling you’re further oppressing the local population. Bến Thành is the stadium packed with hundreds of thousands of pieces of clothing, jewelry, and art- and they’re all yours to play for.

The most iconic views of Quito feature the snow-covered peak of Cotopaxi in the background. Though a hike to its crater is on many visitors’ wish list, its recent spurt of activity may deem it too unsafe for the next few months. But there’s no need to panic. To glimpse the tallest active volcano in the world, head to El Panecillo. Located on its own volcanic terrain, this 656-foot hill towers above the old town and offers the perfect view of Cotopaxi. El Panecillo is also home to the city’s winged virgin. El Virgen de Quito (Quito’s Madonna) stands on a globe, which is covered by a snake with what looks like a crocodile’s face. This multi-piece aluminium structure was erected in 1976 and is one of the city’s most popular tourist spots. It’s advisable to take a taxi to El Panecillo at sunrise or sunset for the best shot. Nowadays, police presence is all day, but locals strongly warn against walking to the hill.

Housed in a former 1825 Baptist church, this New American restaurant features a casual-style bistro and fine-dining area devoted to the Slow Food movement. Chef/owner Josh Kroner combines classic French techniques with the flavors of Italy, Asia, and the American Southwest using organic, free-range, locally sourced fare. Come in for the Uncle Vinny’s rigatoni dish; and for families with kids, their acclaimed organic children’s menu.

This unusual contemporary art museum is located in a series of dimly lit caverns and tunnels built into the side of a cliff in Berriedale, a Hobart suburb. Inside, mind-bending installations include a stinky model of the human digestive system that poops daily at 2 p.m. Founder David Walsh, a professional gambler turned art maverick, displays more than 400 edgy works from his private collection. The new Pharos wing that debuted in late 2017 is heavy on light spaces by James Turrell. MONA also stages two standout annual festivals: Mona Foma (which stands for Festival of Music and Art, sometimes further shortened to Mofo) in January, curated by Brian Ritchie of the rock band Violent Femmes, and Dark Mofo, the disturbing winter version held in June.

The Inca Trail is perhaps the most famous trek in Peru. This is the road to Machu Picchu, an ancient route that leads from the Sacred Valley into the heart of the Andes. You must obtain a permit and hire an official guide in order to hike the Inca Trail proper. There are plenty of tour operators in Cusco that offer trips up to Machu Picchu, so you should definitely look at reviews before you choose. For better or for worse, the tours are all-inclusive. The local tour operators employ porters to carry your packs and set up a camp. A team of local chefs will prepare three meals a day, and many hikers come back raving about the delicious meals. Keep in mind that the trek can be tough, especially in the first few days. The trail is often narrow, and it flirts with formidable heights. The mountains in this part of the Andes can rise well over 13,000 feet, and many hikers find themselves suffering from altitude sickness. Make sure to take a few days (in Cusco or the Sacred Valley) to acclimatize before you begin the journey. Finally: make sure to plan ahead! The Peruvian government limits trail access to 500 people per day, including porters. This regulation protects the local ecosystem and the delicate ruins, and it ensures that the trail won’t be too crowded. However, it also means that permits for the peak summer season sell out months in advance. If you aren’t able to get a permit for the classic Inca Trail, never fear: there are various other trails that lead to Machu Picchu.

Katara Amphitheater located in the Katara Cultural Village, also known as the Valley of Cultures, is paradise for architecture buffs and those on a tight budget as the entry is free. The architecture of the village is an innovative tribute to the old Qatari traditional architecture, with wind catchers providing a cooling system, overhanging roofs, dovecotes and courtyards. At the center of it all and overlooking the blue sea is the amphitheater, an architectural fuse of Islamic features and classical Greek theatre. The amphitheater can accommodate 5,000 people and has hosted open-air film viewings, dance shows and music concerts by renown artists like Vangelis, who was the special guest for the opening ceremony in 2011.

On a private island just off the west coast of Barbuda that is home to gorgeous Palm Beach, is the Outback restaurant. Open for lunch only, it does fresh grilled dishes – mostly fish and seafood including lobster, but they also do a good chicken – and meal prices include free pick-up by water taxi from the Codrington pier. Full of island ambiance, it’s very casual spot located just a few feet from a deserted white sand beach, and a classic Barbuda experience. Just make sure to book in advance and bring your swimsuit and a towel so you can relax on the beach with a cocktail after dining.

The Great Wall of China runs more than 21,000 kilometers (over 13,000 miles), not as one continuous wall but rather as fortified wall sections. Some of the sections date back more than 2,500 years, though only 8.2 percent of the existing wall is original. The Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the more accessible portions. Hike (because that is what you’ll be doing, even on the wall itself) up the Great Wall, then slide down the side of the mountain on a toboggan. Alternatively, explore the Simatai Great Wall, which retains a more authentic feel—save, of course, for the fake water town at the bottom. Even more remote is the Jiankou section, which is largely unrestored, so book with an experienced group like Beijing Hikers or Wild Great Wall.

The Exumas are a stunning archipelago of remote islands and cays strung between Nassau and Long Island, and around a dozen of these tiny islands are protected within the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park. Established in 1958 as a preserve where no fishing is allowed, it was the first marine protected area in the Caribbean. It has been highly successful at maintaining the fragile beaches and marine life found in the area. Visitors can take boat tours to the park to go diving and snorkeling on the many healthy reefs and to explore the secluded tropical islands, where endangered Bahamian iguanas roam the beaches. On Big Major Cay, you can go swimming with the pigs at Pig Beach and give them fresh water, as their water supply is limited.

Blackbird Caye Resort is the gateway to the stunning Belize Barrier Reef, but so much more than a stopgap hitching post for scuba nerds. Stretched across two miles of palm-fringed beach on the windward side of the Turneffe Atoll, Blackbird is set against a backdrop of more than 4,000 acres of untrammeled jungle, mangrove forests, sprawling lagoons, and migratory bird habitats. Many guests come to Blackbird to get under the water and at the reef – some of the best diving sites in Belize are a short five or ten minute boat ride from Blackbird’s dock – though this isolated island paradise has plenty to offer visitors looking to stretch their land legs. 18 ocean-view cabanas, each with its own private balcony and hammock, hold dominion over the Caribbean Sea. The Poolside Bar is a great place to unwind after a hot day in the sun, while the gallant High Tide Bar, with at least two feet in the sea at any one time, offers an excellent happy hour and complimentary snacks, including island fare like lion fish fingers, ceviche, conch fritters, and fried grouper. One of the top dive resorts in the world and a postcard-perfect island paradise, Blackbird is at once home away from home, and your own secluded hideaway. Photo Finish: Nikon D800 | 24-70mm f/2.8 lens | Aperture f/7.1 | ISO-640 | Shutter 1/30 sec.

The Sports Dome at Aspire Academy is not any sports facility; it holds a Guinness World Record for being the largest indoor multi-purpose sports dome in the world making the site a favorite with sports and architecture enthusiasts. The Aspire Dome, with its distinctive sloping roof, is an imposing free-standing, 46-meter-high structure that houses a football stadium, a track-and-field arena, a swimming stadium, eight fencing pistes, two sports halls, three martial arts arenas, 13 table tennis courts and two squash courts. The massive blue dome adjoins the Aspire academy and it’s located within walking distance to the Villaggio Mall. The dome’s architecture is so spectacular that the IOC/IAKS (the most important international architecture prizes for sports, leisure and recreational facilities) granted it a Distinction Award.

Al Shaqab Hotel, located in Al Shaqab’s equestrian complex in Education City, is quietly implementing an innovative hospitality concept that promotes healthy lifestyles among its guests, with a focus on physical activities and a balanced diet. Al Shaqab Hotel, a two-story building with simple interior style and horse-related art-work, offers a modest number of guest rooms (70), but an abundance of amenities, such as the Stay, Ride, Swim package which includes the use of Marwan Club –a fitness club equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, equestrian riding packages, swimming pool, steam and sauna rooms, a Kids zone, and facility tours. True to its vision to promote wellness, the hotel does not serve alcohol, has a no-smoking policy, and houses The Chef’s Garden restaurant, which with its “farm-to-table” concept gets most of its produce from Al Safwa Farm, Qatar’s only licensed organic farm. This hotels appeals to horse lovers, those guests with children interested in horses, and horse-riders appreciative of the nearby world-class riding facilities. Rooms at this oasis-like hotel start at QR495 ($135) pn/pp. B&B packages including one-hour riding sessions are QR955 ($260) for a double room or QR1,340 ($368) for a family of four. For reservations, send an email at [email protected] or call +974-4470-7400.