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AFAR chose a destination at random—by literally spinning a globe—and sent Frank Viviano on a spontaneous journey to Venezuela.

On the Caribbean island of Tobago, you’ll find sand, surf—and the fastest goats on the planet. Now if they’d just run in a straight line….

Overview

Overview

Overview

Known for their ability to combine comfort with luxury, Dominica’s best accommodations range from oceanfront cabanas and cliffside condos to a hotel in a former military fortification and an eco-lodge on a working fruit plantation. Many focus on sustainability and adventure travel, while others highlight local art, world-class spas, and proximity to Dominica’s best beaches.

Near the pontoon bridge in Handelskade in Willemstad, wooden boats from Venezuela dock alongside the canal, and vendors here sell just-caught fish and tropical fruits and vegetables (plantains, citrus, papayas, avocados) directly from the quay under the shade of tents. Mornings are the best time to visit, for the finest selection of produce, the cooler temperatures before the midday sun shines, and the pleasant ambience of the hours before the crowds arrive.

An authentic Latin American kitchen experience at a motel? That’s pretty funky! Chef and owner Raul Claros pays homage to his Venezuelan birthplace and Bolivian childhood by whipping up his mother and grandmother’s old family recipes. Headlining the menu are Bolivian salteñas—imagine empanadas on steroids—filled with a gelatinous beef stew to which he adds carrots, peas, onions, olives, egg, and roast chicken. Representing Venezuela are the arepas, ground corn cakes (grilled or fried) served plain or stuffed with combination favorites like roast chicken and avocado, braised beef in tomatoes and chili peppers, and grilled skirt steak with tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. (Thanks to my Dad for introducing this eatery to me!)

Once upon a time, Europe (mostly Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the UK) dominated the chocolate market and through aggressive marketing and downright colonialist extraction methods, became erroneously known for being the world’s experts on cacao, yet cacao came from South and Central America and didn’t grow anywhere near Europe. Recent years have seen the best chocolate rightfully return to the source where it originated—Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela, where a boom of quality chocolate has replaced reimported European milk chocolate sold to those cacao producing countries for generations. But Switzerland is back in the game with this excellent new chocolate shop by local food expert Dieter Meier and his patented cold pressed extraction method that brings out the botanicals and nuances of these sourced cacaos in ways other chocolate manufactures cannot. The results are Cuban, Bolivian, and Guatemalan single bean bars ranging from white to 80% dark that are unlike anything else on the market. The tiny shop overlooking the Limmat River opened in December 2017 and is not cheap, but worth every rappen for its exquisite expression of flavors.

Conceived by Venezuelan architect Óscar Enrique Bracho Malpica, this Malmok Beach beauty stands out from the pastel pack with its modernist aesthetic: think wall-to-wall windows and pitched roofs, as well as gauzy curtains and minimalist furnishings in a palette of creamy whites and beiges (don’t miss Philippe Starck’s Kong chairs in the lounge). The 13 rooms and suites come in a range of impressive configurations: Two have their own infinity pools equipped with hydrotherapy jets, two have sprawling 1,076-square-foot solariums, and most have spacious outdoor showers that open onto private wooden decks; all bathrooms come with rain showerheads and a range of luxe SPA Bulgari toiletries. In keeping with the contemporary feel, a wealth of high-tech amenities make the modern traveler feel right at home, including 48-inch flat-screen LCD smart TVs, Bose alarm clocks with Bluetooth capability, and Buscaglione espresso machines.

Why we love it: A stunning eco-resort where style meets sustainability

Highlights:
- Villas attendants who double as adventure concierges
- A treehouse-style spa
- A reputation for balancing nature and luxury

The Review:
An award-winning boutique resort, Secret Bay serves exquisite style, service, and seclusion just a 10-minute drive from Portsmouth on Dominica’s northwestern coast. The luxury property has no communal spaces, beyond the decks, beaches, a riverside yoga pavilion, and the Zing Zing restaurant. Instead, guests retreat to six elegant villas and bungalows, fully stocked with their choice of goodies. Conceptualized by Venezuelan architect Fruto Vivas, villas fuse high design, local craftsmanship, and sustainably sourced materials like Guyanese hardwood. Guests can look forward to plunge pools, gourmet kitchens, pillow hammocks, and furniture carved from red cedar, along with high-tech touches like Apple TVs and Sonos Bluetooth speakers.

Committed to sustainability, owner Gregor Nassief helped site Secret Bay’s villas to preserve the rainforest and oversaw construction of the entire resort without any heavy machinery. The property also plants vetiver to strengthen its cliff location and has applied to create a marine reserve in the waters below, where parrotfish flit among the coral. Explore them with the complimentary kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, snorkeling gear, dry bags, and GoPros on offer, or head to the treehouse-style spa, which gazes down on the cove and offers treatments like massages with custom-blended local oils. Guests can also opt to create their own culinary masterpieces or have the chef’s choice delivered by their attendant, who also serves as their housekeeper and adventure concierge.

Over the next few years, Secret Bay will slowly expand to 50 villas, hidden among the neighboring 27-acre valley and ridge. In the meantime, swim to the resort’s waterline cave or paddle a kayak to the soft, golden Secret Bay beach. Though open to the public, like all Dominica’s coast, the beach sees very few visitors, meaning you might very well be the only one there.

The 17th-century estate where Simón Bolívar died in 1830 is the site of several Bolivar monuments as well as an art museum featuring works by Latin American artists inspired by Bolívar, the hero who freed Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela from colonial rule. The estate serves as the city’s botanical garden, also worth your time for its magnificent, centuries-old trees.

An emblem of the new Vietnam, this 68-story skyscraper, named for a Vietnamese conglomerate and designed by Venezuelan architect Carlos Zapata, is easily identified in Ho Chi Minh City’s skyline—a helipad juts out from near the top, looking a little like a flying saucer crashed into the building. Upon completion in 2010, it was the tallest building in Vietnam; it can no longer claim that title (which now belongs to the Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower), but its construction remains an impressive achievement. The 49th-floor wraparound Saigon Skydeck offers expansive views of the river and the city’s concrete sprawl; you’ll find the same fine views at the somewhat pricey café-restaurant-bar Eon, located on floors 50, 51, and 52.

This small, colorful restaurant located near Fourth and South streets showcases authentic Venezuelan street food, including Venezuelan-style arepas rellenas (thick cornmeal patties stuffed with meat, cheese, and other fillings) and patacones (sandwiches with fried-plantain patties in place of bread). With a friendly staff and fast service, Puyero is popular for dining in as well as for takeout and delivery. The limited menu is geared toward meat eaters, but two of the arepas and several sides are vegetarian-friendly. Try the tequeños—deep-fried dough wrapped around white cheese—and the churros. Muy delicioso! Puyero is BYOB.

Puerto Rico is one of the most musical places in the Caribbean. On this week’s episode of Unpacked, we tune in.