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This coastal outpost juxtaposes rugged beaches with refined living. You can walk for miles and not see another sign of human development, because the waters surrounding Kalaloch Lodge are part of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and the land sits within Olympic National Park. The only crowds on these windswept beaches are starfish in the tide pools. The weathered-wood lodge and cabins, meanwhile, are comfy-cozy nests, and many offer pinch-me views of the waves. The lodge’s Kalaloch Room feels like a ship’s prow, with a semicircular wall of windows looking out to the water. And the Bluff Cabins sit right above the beach, with nothing obstructing their views over the Pacific. Ashley Miller, a Certified Chef de Cuisine, presides over the kitchen and showcases Washington seafood such as Pacific cod, and local oysters (the ooey-gooey macaroni and cheese features Dungeness crab and locally-made artisan cheddar). Washington labels dominate the wine list—the Kalaloch Label White Blend of Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier pairs beautifully with the menu’s seafood items—and tables overlook a driftwood-studded estuary where the winding freshwater reflects the sunset’s golden hues.

A permit and a guide are required to hike in the Edmund Forest Reserve, in the interior of the island. A permit can easily be obtained through your guesthouse or hotel, and a forest guide can be hired at the reserve. The 18,000-acre park offers various hiking trails: The Edmund Rainforest Trail is a four-hour, seven-mile strenuous hike concluding with a view of Mount Gimie. A less intense hike is the Des Cartier Rainforest Trail, on relatively flat terrain, with plenty of flora along the way. Bird-watchers will love the Millet Bird Sanctuary Trail, a two-mile loop through the habitat of over 30 species, including the St. Lucian parrot and hummingbirds.

Named for Singapore’s highest point, the 163-meter-high (534-foot-high) Bukit Timah, the nature reserve of the same name encompasses 1.64 square kilometers (405 acres) of green in the middle of the city-state. Some 40 percent of the nation’s flora and fauna is represented here, including the greater racket-tailed drongo bird and the crab-eating macaque. An “ecological bridge” allows animal life to pass over an expressway to an adjacent reserve.

A little beyond the city walls, and just a few blocks from the Musée National des Beaux-Arts de Québec and the Plains of Abraham, Avenue Cartier offers a different shopping experience than what you’ll find in Old Town. This is a part of the city more popular with locals than tourists, and instead of shops selling sweatshirts with moose and maple-leaf designs, you’ll find upscale stores and boutiques. The street is also known for its dining and nightlife options, offering a wide selection of restaurants, pubs, and bars where you can take a break from the hard work of shopping.

Offering sleek and stylish accommodations set in the CBD, Novotel Danang Premier Han River makes for a suitable starting point for plush business and holiday travellers exploring this part of Vietnam. Novotel Danang Premier Han River has a full-service spa, an outdoor pool, and a steam room. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available in public areas and a computer station is located on site. Business amenities at this 4.5-star property include a 24-hour business center, meeting rooms, and limo/town car service. Dining options at the hotel include 3 restaurants along with 3 coffee shops/cafés, a poolside bar, and a bar/lounge. The staff can provide concierge services, tour/ticket assistance, and wedding services. Additional amenities include a seasonal outdoor pool, a children’s pool, and a nightclub. Guests receive complimentary transportation including a shuttle from the airport to the hotel, during limited hours, a beach shuttle, and an area shuttle. Guest parking is complimentary, and available on a limited first-come, first-served basis. This is a smoke-free property.

Spoken of in almost reverential terms by people that have traveled there, Sa Pa is often seen as a holy grail of destinations in Vietnam. Part of that is because of the environment—a cool mountain town that has lured visitors with its salubrious air and alpine scenery since the early 20th century, when the French constructed facilities for sick officers to recover—as well as its remoteness, located close to the Chinese border in the country’s extreme north. Most visitors come to Sa Pa for the hiking in the nearby valley peppered with minority-ethnic-group villages, or to climb Mount Fansipan, the country’s tallest peak, which is located just southwest of the town. Conquering the summit once required a two-to-three-day hike, but now can more easily be reached with the help of a cable car (opened in 2016) that gets you most of the way.

A quieter version of Uluru’s Sounds of Silence or Tali Waru desert dinner, this Kings Canyon spinoff offers a four-course meal in a rugged wilderness setting blanketed by the same southern night sky. The moon and flickering fire provide the only light, while soft music and rustling oak trees create a romantic background for intimate conversation. Sparkling wine and canapés are followed by a menu focusing on the fresh local produce of the Australian outback.

Could there be a more glorious setting for a cheese’s origin? These pastures surrounding a hilltop village (Gruyères) crowned with a castle (the Château de Gruyères), happy Swiss cows grazing with views of the Alps all around, producing the milk which, in time, arrives on grocery shelves as cheese around the world, stamped ‘GRUYÈRE’...and there’s a geometric garden in the castle’s courtyard, too.

Considered Singapore’s national dish, Hainanese chicken rice is a beloved staple for many. It’s made up of a fragrant bowl of chicken broth, a pile of fluffy rice, and tender poached chicken (skin on), as well as condiments like ginger paste, dark soy sauce, and chili sauce—and sometimes a side of gai lan (a leafy Chinese vegetable). Enjoy the traditional meal in homey surroundings at Wee Nam Kee, a casual and inexpensive restaurant that started out many years ago as a humble food stall. Though the chicken rice is the star, other favorites include cereal prawns, fish-head curry, salted-egg pork ribs, and sambal kangkong (greens).

Overlooking the San Miguel River and trail, Camel’s Garden sits right at the base of the gondola connecting Telluride with Mountain Village, just a few short blocks from Main Street. In addition to a convenient location, the hotel offers several complimentary niceties, including continental breakfast, wine and cheese in the winter, ski valet and storage, and heated underground parking—all of which make getting to the slopes easier, faster, and more pleasant. There’s also Oak, a full-service restaurant and bar beloved for its Southern-style ribs, and the award-winning Atmosphere Day Spa, which features a 25-foot hot tub with stunning mountain views.

Standard rooms are spacious at 385 square feet, while deluxe rooms include a sitting area and wet bar. No matter which you choose, you’ll enjoy a fireplace, balcony, and large soaking tub to soothe post-ski muscles. If you’re traveling with a large family or group, however, opt for one of the condos, which feature separate living areas, washers and dryers, and top-of-the-line kitchens with Sub Zero and Viking appliances.

This unassuming trailer in a parking lot opposite a port in Kawaihae serves what may be the best shave ice on Hawaii Island, and possibly in the whole state. Why? First up, the syrups (divided into artificial, creamy, and fruit) really taste of what they are supposed to. This is one shave ice where you need to be careful which flavors you combine, because they don’t just bleed into each other. (Also note that the li hing mui comes with the powder, too, so get ready for that strange salty/sour/sweet hit.) More importantly, however, is the texture, which is smooth and creamy and more like compacted snow than ice. It was so different from anything we’d had before that we asked the staff whether they used a different machine than everyone else. Nope—they just make it using the technique their grandmother passed down to them.

Located about an hour northeast from Reykjavík and part of the famed Golden Circle tour (along with Gullfoss), the Geysir hot springs area consists of around a dozen hot water blowholes, including the eponymous Geysir. The Strokkur blowhole is the most popular, principally because it regularly (every few minutes, usually) spouts its boiling water up to 100 feet into the air. It’s still worth looking around at the other pools, even if they haven’t erupted for years or even decades, since they usually offer interesting colors and bubbling geothermal activity. The site also has a hotel, souvenir shop, café, and a related exhibition.

This upscale New American restaurant in a brownstone near Rittenhouse Square is a popular destination for business dinners and special occasions. Chef Greg Vernick is a James Beard Award winner, and the restaurant regularly appears on many national and local “Best of” lists. The dinner menu changes with the seasons, but favorite options include the sea urchin and the roasted whole fish of the day. For dessert, look for the tasty blueberry pie, which is served with elderflower ice cream. A highlight of the cocktail menu is the Milk Punch—a classic rum drink made with Madeira, lime, and bitters.

Head to a place that succeeds in squeezing many centuries’ worth of artifacts from multiple civilizations into a manageable—and beautiful—17th-century mansion: the Museo de Arqueología UNT (National University of Trujillo Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History), housed in La Casa Risco. You’ll find remnants of the Chimu, Mochica and Incan empires in the form of jewelry, clothing and ceramics, as well as displays that explain the rise and fall of these civilizations.

Fuglen is on a quiet side street a short walk from Shibuya Station, near Yoyogi Park. The interior of this hip coffee shop cum cocktail bar feels like a summer cabin in northern Minnesota, with wood paneling and Scandinavian pieces on display—which is not all that surprising given that it’s a branch of an Oslo shop. The coffee is a light-roast with bright flavors and a clean finish. There’s a variety of seating, both indoors and outdoors, for both groups and solo visitors. At night the menu includes cocktails as well as coffee.