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It may be only 22 miles west of San Juan, but Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve feels a world away. The resort has a spectacular location on a three-mile stretch of beach on Puerto Rico’s north shore, where Clara Livingston once ran a sugar plantation—and Amelia Earhart visited before departing for her fateful world tour. In 1958, Livingston sold the property to Laurance S. Rockefeller, who turned it into the first of his legendary Rock Resorts. Known for his green streak, he designed the hotel to respect the local beauty, mandating that buildings could not be taller than the surrounding palm trees.

The Ritz-Carlton—which reopened in October 2018 after a meticulous restoration following Hurricane Maria—pays homage to that original vision. Here, every room is beachfront, with floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that disappear into ocean views, plus deep soaking tubs, outdoor showers shaded by gardens, and either spacious balconies or private plunge pools. As part of the property’s renovation, rooms were refreshed with a color palette that amplifies the natural beauty just beyond the doors. Additionally, the grounds showcase 3,000 new plant species, the spa is offering new locally inspired treatments and cuisine, Encanto Beach Club Bar & Grill features a refreshed dinner menu, and the Positivo Sandbar debuted an omakase and ceviche bar directly on the sand. There’s even an entirely reimagined signature restaurant, Coa, which serves farm-to-table fare cooked on the grill. Still standing strong on the verdant, 1,400-acre grounds are the five 18-hole championship golf courses. The biggest challenge is pulling yourself away from the luxury of the resort to tee up a shot.

The 18-hole bayside golf course at this upscale hotel features all sorts of challenges for both novice and expert golfers, with the first hole—bounded by sand traps—offering a taste of the tough tees to come. If you start to feel tense, just take a breather and enjoy the scenery; the course is surrounded by 4,000 palm trees and plenty of water.

The Viceroy Riviera Maya is a 41- villa resort set on the sugary-white-sand beach along the Riviera Maya. Surrounded by a lush jungle ambiance dotted with dense with ferns, palms and guava trees, it offers a luxurious retreat for guests 16 and older. Guests are treated to an ancient Maya blessing, performed by the onsite shaman - guaranteed to transform worries into a relaxed mindset to mesh with the tranquil resort. The spa employs Maya healing techniques and traditions, while a lagoon pool, fine-dining restaurant, seaside grill, private pier, fitness center and a library lounge are some of the many guest amenities. A menu of artisanal soaps offers a choice of scents. Once the selection is made, the Soap Concierge slices personalized bars from large blocks of soap for their use. Pet packages are available and include a blessing from the shaman, personalized, hand-made portable pet palapas and personalized menus designed by resort chefs.

Belizeans have been known to drive to Belize City for the sole purpose of eating Sumathi’s Indian food. Not only is the authentic Indian cuisine worth a trip, the long-running restaurant’s lunch buffet is also one of the best deals in Belize City. The menu includes everything from curries, kormas, biryani, masalas, and dosas to mango lassis. It’s also a solid bet for vegans. Sumathi is set off the beaten path on a residential street and has a spacious interior as well as an outdoor veranda.

What began with Azul y Oro—chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita’s high-end university “refectory”—is now a multi-restaurant group famed for an almost museum-like reverence for traditional Mexican cooking in all its infinite variety. The downtown iteration, called Azul Histórico, is a gorgeous space in the courtyard of a 17th-century colonial palace (once inhabited by descendants of the Emperor Montezuma) and is now one of the Centro’s most sought-after tables, terribly romantic beneath its tree-and-candlelight canopy. Menus are seasonal and themed—often focusing on cuisine from Mexico’s regions and states—and are sure to present some delicacies even most Mexicans never knew before. Ask questions and swing just beyond your comfort zone. Out-of-towners and locals alike love the flair with which dishes emerge from the kitchen, in extravagant, eye-catching Mexican pottery.

By far Nagasaki’s largest shopping area, this bustling strip, situated close to the Kanko Dori train station, brims with over 700 shops that range from tiny boutiques to sprawling department stores and high-end emporiums. If you can’t find what you want here, try the surrounding streets, which offer even more choices. The fact that Hamanomachi is a covered arcade means it’s perfect for rainy-day retail therapy, and there are also several key shrines and temples nearby if you need a culture break.

My bucket list included seeing the Northern Lights. This took me to the Chena Hot Springs Resort located an hour outside of Fairbanks, Alaska (the address is WRONG on the map). The Northern Lights are best seen in clear dark skies which is abundant in the Fairbanks area. It was 22 below (which is way cold!), but you could stay snuggly warm in the natural hot springs. The medicinal powers of the hot springs are also a high point. Maybe my imagination, but I went into the pool with an achy hip and came out pain free. The rock hot springs pool is surrounded by snow covered trees. This one looks to me like a tree nymph pointing to the sky and promising you a night time glimpse of the Northern Lights. What a spectacle it is! Mother Nature at her best is the colorful dancing lights that can be seen in this Alaska wonderland. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the Northern Light will appear so I am not promising you or guaranteeing you that if you go you will definitely have that remarkable experience. But, if you are one of the lucky ones that are blessed with a view of this remarkable phenomenon, it is worth the trip. If not, you may also see shooting stars in the dark night sky filled with more stars than you can imagine, go on a one horse open sleigh ride or go mushing in a sled pulled by a group of eager sled dogs! Also enjoy the cozy pub that has a great menu and drinks aplenty! Call the resort to confirm what activites will be available during your stay.

The dyeing vats at Chouara—as well as at the city’s other tanneries—are among the Fes medina’s most iconic sights. The ancient craft of tanning and dyeing, in all its visceral authenticity (cow urine and pigeon poop are still key components in the process), plays out much as it always has. Chouara has been around since the 11th century. The dyes used in the tannery pits are natural: Blue comes from indigo; red, from poppy or paprika; yellow, from saffron, pomegranate, or even a mix of turmeric and mimosa flowers. The best vantage point for observation is from one of the roof terraces. Leather shops hawking everything from butter-soft leather babouches (iconic Moroccan backless slippers) and poufs, to copies of designer jackets and handbags. (That Hermès Birkin bag, or a facsimile of it, could finally be yours at a fraction of the price.) Although the guides around here are a tenacious lot, don your best smile, carry a posy of mint to hold beneath your nostrils, and settle in for a long chat with the shopkeepers to learn about fascinating process. Expect prices in the shops to vary wildly—much depends on your haggling prowess. A favorite store is the aptly named La Belle Vue de la Tannerie, off the main drag. The shop has sought out skilled tailors with European know-how to create items of better quality using all Moroccan hides, which results in better leather goods. The tailors can copy a motorcycle jacket for you in three or four hours from goat or lambskin, the softest of the hides.

I know when you go on holiday to Bali Mexico is probably the last place you’re thinking you’ll want to be, but Motel Mexicola is an awesomely kitsch Mexican cantina and bar not to be missed. Go early for dinner because even though this place is enormous, it gets packed on the weekends. The feel good factor is fueled by the bright decor, awesome margaritas, beers served super cold and food that is as close to real Mexican as you’ll get in Bali.

Built in 1927, the neo-Gothic structure of the Windsor Arms was intended to resemble the buildings of the University of Toronto. (The hotel is near Victoria College at the university.) The entrance feels like stepping into a castle, the Windsor Arms logo perched neatly beside the portico, doorman at the ready. The hotel was purchased by developer George Friedmann in 1995 and resurrected with modern touches for a fresh debut in 1999. The hotel is birthplace to the idea of the now-famous Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). It continues to attract celebrities who want a boutique feel, and though TIFF has shifted its headquarters south, the Windsor Arms will always be a refuge for those who want Old World charm and exclusive service. The streetside patio is perfect for people watching during the lively month of September. And in the hotel’s hallways, you can “stargaze” at the portraits of celebrities, from Robert Redford to Barbra Streisand.

Decorated with Aboriginal motifs and located inside a hotel that’s built to look like a saltwater crocodile, I guess it’s no surprise that Escarpment Restaurant at the Mercure Crocodile Hotel specializes in bush tucker, or native Australian foods.

While many Italian hotels rest on the country’s historic laurels by harking back to bygone eras, from the opulence of the Renaissance to the sleek design heaven of the 1960s, the Meliá Génova—itself an art deco icon—is confident enough to stride straight into contemporary decor. Originally a steel manufacturer’s headquarters, long known as the luxe Bentley Hotel, its geometric lines and burnished metals evoke midcentury styles. But the hotel is undeniably modern and understated, with its bright and airy rooms, designer furnishings, abstract artwork, and luxurious touches like hot tubs on balconies. The serene, Zen-inspired subterranean pool and spa area demonstrates the Meliá’s fearlessness in breaking from Italian Riviera traditions, a fact only reinforced by the sultry restaurant and bar, which serves Spanish, French, and Greek cuisine—near heresy in a country that prides itself on its excellent food. But the bets have paid off: not only does the Meliá attract glamorous out-of-towners, but even the locals know it’s one of the hottest spots in town, as evidenced by the lively scene found in the bar each night.

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.

Chances are you didn’t pack light enough for the Northern Territory—that is, with enough lightweight clothing and swimwear to withstand the humidity and heat. Luckily, Splash on Knuckey has you covered. Or can help cover you in a way that doesn’t cause overheating. The centrally located boutique has been in business for more than 18 years and carries the top names in Australian swimwear, including Seafolly, Tigerlily, Jets and Baku in all shapes and sizes including plus sizes. Splash also carries stylish jumpsuits, coverups, sandals, sun dresses, hats, active wear and lingerie.

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.