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The Saturday tianguis is a Mexico City tradition, and many neighborhoods have one of these open-air flea markets, where vendors peddle everything from rare books, maps, and postcards to locally made T-shirts, vintage jewelry, and art. One popular tianguis is the Tianguis Cultural del Chopo, near the Buenavista Metro station. This tianguis has been around since the 1960s and has long been known for its countercultural offerings. If you’re looking for old-school vinyl records or punk rock tees, this is the place. Even if you don’t plan to buy, spending a Saturday wandering through a tianguis just browsing the wares is a fun experience.

Located in an alley behind Dady’O, this taquéria dishes up the best arrachera and tacos al pastor in the hotel zone, and the price is right. The atmosphere is laid back and can be noisy, but it’s been a longtime favorite with locals and tourists alike. Since it’s located in the “party zone” near many of Cancun’s major nightclubs, you’ll find it to be especially busy after the clubs close. This popular place is open from mid-day until after sunrise, so if you’re in need of a late night snack, this is the place to be. Keep an eye on your check as waiters tend to “pad” the bill in order to get higher tips.

The best drive in Northern Ireland, this is a dramatic 120-mile coastal route between the green Glens of Antrim on one side and the spectacular coastline with its cliffs, unusual rock formations such as the giant’s face (pictured, above) and Giant’s Causeway on the other. There are also mysterious ruins from the past, such as Dunluce Castle. The drive starts near Larne, north of Belfast, and goes right the way around the north coast, and can be done in one day or a few days – take your time and stop off at some of the scenic points, towns and villages along the way.

Bangkok, of course, is very much its own city. But New York districts, specifically Brooklyn, are exerting a strong influence in certain quarters. These Williamsburg stylings are, for the most part, mercifully unaffected with little of the self-consciousness often associated with hipster culture. One such vibrant enclave is located on Sukhumvit Soi 51 near the Thong Lor skytrain where ZudRangMa Records and WTF sit cheek by jowl up a small side alley. ZudRangMa specializes in retro Thai sounds and releases excellent compilations on its own imprint. Next door, WTF Gallery and Café has a winning combination of potent cocktails, eclectic sounds and occasional art happenings and events.

With local brands like Barilà, Betina Lou, Uranium and Eve Gravel, Unicorn is probably the one-stop shop for all things Montreal designers. The shop itself, cleverly located on Montreal‘s biggest shopping street and in the heart of hipster, artsy Mile End district -- that sometimes feels more like Brooklyn than Montreal --, is a work of art and immediately makes shoppers feel at ease. The owners, Amélie and Mélanie, created a unique minimalist atmosphere where their passion for clothes truly prevails, and where their own individual style perfectly mix. The store recently celebrated its 5-year anniversary, and luckily for us fashionistas, the adventure is nowhere near over. Here’s to 5 more years of wonderful shopping!

If you enjoy partying near the beach, Cancun won’t disappoint you. A number of beachfront clubs have music (live or DJ) and dancing that spills out onto the sand into the wee hours. Some, such as Mandala Beach Club offer tables and bottle service on the beach. Many resorts - including The Royal Cancun and Me by Melia Resorts - host beach parties on a weekly basis. Often, these parties have a particular theme: burlesque or full moon party, for example. Hotel concierges and restaurant waitstaff can point you toward the area’s best beach parties in the area.

If you’re a fan of history and/or photography, be sure to spend time at Charles Fort in County Cork. This National Monument of Ireland is the bastion on the water’s edge near Kinsale, and is open year round. The fort was built on the site of an earlier stronghold known as Ringcurran Castle, that was featured prominently during the Siege of Kinsale in 1601. The fort you see today was built in the 1670s and 1680s to a star fortification design - a layout specifically designed to resist attack by cannon.

The beach town of Pimentel, near Chiclayo (on Northern Peru’s desert coast), is known for its family-run beachfront cevicherias. These restaurants have immediate access to fish straight from the sea. Ceviche is eaten only for lunch in the north - so make your visit in the afternoon. Northern Peruvian ceviche is prepared with paper-thin sliced red onions, chile peppers, large chunks of fresh fish and lots of lime juice. The fish gets cooked by the lime juice on the outside, but stays raw on the inside. Fishermen in Pimentel still use the tule reed boats of their ancestors, which you’ll see on the pier and on the beach. The malecon (an ocean front promenade) is lined with decaying stately homes.

Sixteen apartments—plus a library and wine cellar—owned by German furniture designer Nils Holger Moormann sit at the foot of the Bavarian Alps. Inside a 17th-century estate, Moormann’s modern interiors are fashioned from brick, clay, and untreated wood. The cable car near the property leads to the Kampenwand ski area. But serious skiers should head 30 miles south to the higher-elevation Wilder Kaiser–Brixental ski resort in Austria. On the night of the full moon, snowshoe about two hours to the Riesenhütte mountain chalet for a Bavarian meal served around a campfire. From $144. 49/(0) 805-290- 4517. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue.

Sprawling over 10,000 acres in Lampe, Missouri, Dogwood Canyon Nature Park was established by Johnny Morris—founder of Bass Pro Shops and nearby Big Cedar Lodge—as a place for families to spend time in nature. Elk, bison, Texas longhorn cattle, and whitetail deer roam the property, which is dotted with soaring bluffs and cascading waterfalls that can be explored via Jeep, tram, and Segway tours. There are also paved paths for biking and leisurely strolls, rugged trails for horseback riding and challenging hikes, and spring-fed waterways filled with rainbow trout for catch-and-release fishing. When hunger strikes, head to the on-site Mill & Canyon Grill Restaurant, where you can eat an excellent bison burger while gazing at the blue-green Little Indian Creek and a 120-foot waterfall.

A few minutes north of Tulum, Xcacel (pronounced “ish-kah-sel”) is one of the region’s more unspoiled coastal areas. The beach has long been a local favorite, especially on Sundays, and in-the-know tourists are showing up now, too. Natural vegetation lines the shore and while there are no restaurants or beach clubs, there is a building with restrooms and showers. The best snorkeling is along the coral reef at the north end, and a small, swimmable cenote lies nearby. Sea turtles lay eggs here, in spring and summer, so take care not to trample nests; local conservation projects collect modest entrance fees to support their efforts.

With more than 400 shipwrecks and its fair share of coral reefs, St. Kitts is a favorite of the scuba set. To try your hand at the hobby, consider staying at Bird Rock Beach Hotel, which houses one of the island’s most popular dive operators. Here, guests can charter a boat to nearby Devil’s Cave and swim among barracuda, lobsters, and nurse sharks, then retire to one of 46 tropical-hued rooms overlooking the sea. Less adventurous travelers can visit the on-site dolphin park, sunbathe on the private beach, or simply sip rum punches from the pool’s swim-up bar. Hotel staff is also happy to arrange off-site activities like catamaran cruises, rainforest treks, and volcano crater tours.

The journey is part of the experience at Hoshinoya Kyoto, where a charming wooden boat ferries guests to the hotel’s scenic perch on the banks of the Oi River. Here, tucked away in a grove of old cypress, maple, and cherry trees, the Hoshinoya offers a respite from urban life. Rooms feature traditional ryokan elements, like onsen-style cedar baths and picture windows overlooking the misty forest outside, and the restaurant serves nine-course, kaiseki-style dinners. A few free activities, including morning stretching sessions and tea ceremonies, contribute to the hotel’s Zen-like atmosphere. Guests can also take ikebana lessons, rent kimonos, and book meditation trips to the nearby temple.

Just steps from the sea, on the pine-shaded terrace of the Cheval Blanc St. Tropez (formerly La Résidence de la Pinède hotel), the Vague d’Or celebrates the riches of the sea. Chef Arnaud Dockele’s passion for the region is evident in each bite—and Michelin inspectors have given three stars to the kitchen to reward his creativity in dishes like spider crab in a citrus bath; a verbena-infused bouillon; and abalone served with locally grown onions. Pastry chef Guillaume Godin picks his inspirations from nearby orchards with desserts based on apricots and almonds and local lemons that make the perfect end to a meal under the stars.

Situated in three high-rise towers on the Golden Mile along Eagle Beach, the Blue Aruba complex is home to luxury condominiums as well as a full-service resort. Expect enormous windows with stunning ocean views and modern furnishings in apartment-style configurations that top out at more than 2,000 square feet; most come with fully equipped kitchens, and ground-floor residences have private patios and Jacuzzis. All the resort touches are here, including private beach facilities, two infinity pools, a spa and fitness center, and even a high-end restaurant that offers eight-course dinners. But golf lovers have an excellent reason to venture off-resort: The nearby Tierra del Sol Resort combines tee times on an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones II with sublime seaside panoramas.