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There are some things that are universal, including people’s love of a good dive bar. If you’re looking for a low-key vibe with cheap drinks and greasy bar food, look no further than Cuckoo. Set in the trendy Garusogil shopping area, this unfussy bar and restaurant with graphitized walls and a raucous party vibe is often packed with 20-something locals playing Korean drinking games and downing copious amounts of soju. Although it may serve fried beef tripe, clam soup and stir-fried chicken gizzards with garlic, the beer is cheap and cold and that’s something that can be understood in any language. 4, Dosan-daero 17-gil, Gangnam-gu

When local restaurateurs Brooks Reitz and Tim Mink shut down Saint Alban, Charleston was distraught. They had something different in mind for the space, however, and replaced their airy, all-day café with a cozy steak house straight out of the 1950s. Much like its predecessor, Little Jack’s has quickly established itself as a neighborhood favorite. It’s open every day from 11 a.m. until late in the evening and serves classic, meat-heavy dishes (steak, sliders, pastrami) alongside seasonal salads. A solid menu of classic cocktails (Harvey Wallbangers, sidecars) rounds out the throwback experience.

This funky boutique hotel on the edge of the Britomart shopping district goes way back in Auckland history. Built in 1841 as The Commercial Hotel, the DeBrett building survived two fires and two rebuilds plus a stint as a hostel before becoming the quirky place guests experience today. The Housebar has always been the center of hotel life, and today, the intimate wood-and-mint venue exudes its original art deco style and serves classic cocktails and local beers and wines alongside refined pub snacks.

In addition to restoring the bar and adding a glass-roofed atrium that houses the hotel restaurant, DeBretts Kitchen, the current owners affixed contemporary artwork and photography throughout and sheathed the entire building in candy-striped carpeting, custom designed from 100 percent New Zealand wool. Besides the carpet and small-batch minibar selections, no two rooms are the same. Each features unique furnishings from the 1930s on, and every bed has an original screenprinted throw. Two of Hotel DeBretts centerpieces, the chandelier and water sculpture in the restaurant, were crafted by Auckland artists from materials salvaged during the latest renovation. The result is a local experience from top to bottom that gives guests a real taste of New Zealand.

Huacachina is a coastal desert located in the Ica region. It holds one of the few oases in the whole region: a blue-green lake amid huge sand dunes under a beautifully clear sky. Take a dune buggy so that you can ride all over the dunes before riding a sand board down. This is the definition of a touristic little town, and it is definitely worth a visit. You’ll find some nice hostels ands lodges where you can stay overnight right in the middle of the oasis. Huacachina Oasis is a short four-hour drive from Lima, and there are also plenty of buses that will bring you here.

After Carcassonne in southwest France, Visby lays claim to the most important and best-preserved medieval city walls in all of Europe. The town’s citizens began building the original six-meter-high (20-foot) fortified walls in the 13th century, and they eventually grew to over 11 meters (36 feet). Today, the wall still stretches for 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles). Walk in its shadow and explore the 36 intact medieval towers as well as numerous gateways. The North Gate offers the most impressive view of the wall, providing a sense of its enormous scale. St. Mary’s Cathedral, a few blocks inland, also dates to the 13th century.

Try something different and experience wildlife on board a traditional Icelandic schooner operated by North Sailing Húsavík.The crew is fun and very knowledgeable. They take you to Lundey, the Puffin Island, as well as the traditional whale watching areas. While on the tour we saw over 10 humpback whales, a few Minkey whales, dolphins, puffins and other arctic birds including Northern gannets which are the largest seabirds in the North Atlantic, with a wingspan of up to 2 meters. It was a gorgeous day too. It was an unforgettable experience and something I would do again and again. At the end of the trip the Captain is offering hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls.

This 1st-century wonder will take your breath away. Not only is it one of the city’s most ancient sites, it’s been in continuous use for centuries. Originally built as a private temple, today it is a Catholic church and the resting place of Italian kings and the artist Raphael. Make the most of a wet day in Rome and watch as the rain falls through the center oculus.

Remember the oldie “Under the Boardwalk” by The Drifters? The owner of Drifters Bar, Luddy Samms, tells stories of his career with The Drifters, as well as tales of singing with Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood and Bruce Willis. Samms opened this hot-spot bar and performance venue on Seven Mile Beach in 2011, and expats, locals, and tourists flock here for cold Red Stripe, good food, and lots of live music in a variety of genres. Because this is an authentic Jamaican beach bar, though, reggae is king.

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.

Some of Palermo’s most beloved snacks are hearty street foods, and none is more iconic than pani cà meusa, a sandwich layered with thin slices of fried cow spleen and topped with lemon and grated Caciocavallo cheese. The hole-in-the-wall Pani Cà Meusa Porta Carbone, overlooking the port on Via Cala, specializes in this Sicilian comfort food.

Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan‘s largest fresh water lake. When I lived in Nantou County, central Taiwan, I would often ride my scooter to Sun Moon Lake for a bit of fresh air and reflection. One day I drove to the lake and traveled up a hill to the Ci-en Pagoda. Parking my bike, I climbed to the top of the pagoda and gazed out at the misty lake, which seemed magical in that moment. Many legends surround Sun Moon Lake, including the one which says the lake was once inhabited by two dragons. These dragons used the sun and moon as toys, causing the world to fall into darkness. Eventually a young couple came and defeated the dragons, brining light back into the world. Sun Moon Lake is one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever visited.

Founded in 2002, Big Lou’s is famous for its enormous pizzas. Ringing in at 42 inches, the pies have been featured everywhere from the Food Network to the Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food. Cover yours in classic toppings, or order specialty versions such as the white, the veggie, or barbecue, which comes slathered in two types of cheese and barbecue sauce. In case you’re not a pizza person, the menu also features wings, salads, sandwiches, calzones, and pasta.

Strikið, one of the finest places to dine in Akureyri, is spread out between two dining rooms on the fifth floor of an office building. The restaurant’s menu—created by owner and head chef Robert Hasler—features traditional Icelandic dishes such as lamb shoulder and seafood soup as well as modern fare such as sushi and reindeer burgers. The terrific food is matched to wonderful views of the fjord and mountains from huge picture windows and, on the long sunlit nights of summer, from an outdoor terrace.

San Juan’s Condado neighborhood is Puerto Rico’s version of Miami Beach. It’s a great place for beach-lounging and people-watching, with a multitude of bars, cafés and resorts along the sand. Be aware that the water can get rough in places, so use caution when swimming. La Ventana al Mar Park sits right on the beach, and the footpath along the jetty offers great views up and down the waterfront.

Al-Lusail Sports Arena: This conch-shaped stadium, which is colored according to Qatar’s sand, pearl and sea water, can be easily transformed from a site hosting a basketball championship game into a setting for a music concert within two hours. It’s a sexy looking arena, sleek, unique, ultra modern and highly photogenic. With capacity to hold 16,000 spectators; multi-purpose hall fields such as basketball, volleyball and handball; training courts and warm-up area; changing rooms for 4 teams; VVIP and VIP facilities; corporate boxes; retail, food and beverages, this stadium has been blowing minds since serving as the main venue to the 2015 World Men’s Handball Championship.