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There isn’t much to do in Laborie, but the colorful spot on the southwestern coast offers visitors the experience of an authentic St. Lucian fishing village. The point is to slow down to local speed. Enjoy the views of the white-sand shore lined with pirogues, the traditional fishing canoes. Walk around the village, where plywood homes and ancient churches exist alongside newer structures. Whet your appetite with a trip to the open-air market, where you’ll spot green figs (bananas) and cassava bread for sale. Settle in for a grilled lobster lunch with a side of breadfruit at Mama Tilly’s. Then walk north along the water to Rudy John Beach Park, a shaded stretch of sand ideal for an afternoon nap and sunset.

The ire of Mount Kilauea reforges the world before visitors’ eyes. Nicknamed “the World’s Only Drive-In Volcano,” it’s produced serious lava every day since 1983 with no signs of stopping. Pele—the fire goddess who lives here, according to Hawaiian lore—is on a roll. Occasionally the lava flows spill into the sea, releasing stunning plumes of steam. Don’t miss the petroglyphs, lava tube, lush rain forest, and more than 150 miles of trail, including the four-mile Kilauea Iki loop. The drive here from Kona or Kohala can take two and a half hours, a bit of a long day, so consider reserving accommodations in the town of Volcano. You’ll have plenty of time to explore this otherworldly landscape, and even see the lava glowing in the dark!

If Mandapa, “temple” in Sanskrit, feels more like a community than a hotel, that’s because it is. The resort occupies 24 green acres on a property previously owned by a group of neighboring families, who retain access to the land and its on-site temple. As a result, it maintains three acres of rice paddies and a traditional rice barn on stilts, and the villagers bring daily offerings to the temple, giving Mandapa a strong connection to local culture.




The hotel’s open-air lobby sits 300 feet above the Ayung River valley, overlooking 35 hillside suites with views of the jungle and rice paddies and 25 villas along the flowing river. The suites are furnished with traditional Balinese pieces and artwork and stand-alone soaking tubs, while the high-ceilinged villas, decorated with vividly colored botanical panels, have large pools and separate master suites.





Everywhere, local materials and design elements feature prominently, from the thatched roofs to the fringed umbrellas that shade the lounge chairs by the pool. The riverside spa is another place to discover Balinese products through deeply relaxing treatments and spiritual ones with a local healer, too. Five dining and drinking outlets include fine-dining restaurant Kubu, a spot for high tea, a cocktail and dinner venue called Ambar, and Sawah Terrace, where Sundays feature a Royal Brunch. Ubud’s center is only 10 minutes by car, but the guided vintage VW convertible tours on offer are arguably the best way to get around. From $1,250

On the northeast coast in the Cap Estate area, you’ll find the lovely Cas en Bas Beach. The white-sand beach around a C-shaped bay offers some fun diversions, including horses—you can ride on the sand and even venture a bit into the water—as well as kitesurfers and windsurfers who take advantage of the steady trade winds. A visit will provide you with a contrast to the beach experience on the calmer, busier Caribbean coastline. On the weekend, locals come to fish and picnic. Another draw to the beach is one of the island’s most popular local restaurants and bars, the rustic Marjorie’s Beach Bar, which serves up local food and ambience.

Sticking to the motto “the only thing frozen is our fishermen,” this dockside eatery serves some of the freshest seafood on the Island of Mull. In fact, guests can sit on the outdoor terrace overlooking Tobermory Bay and watch the fish en route from Mull’s rough coastal waters to their plate. Here, the specials board changes daily depending on what the fishermen provide, but there’s always something delicious, whether its langoustines, oysters, and crabs or mussels, scallops, and squid. The kitchen knows not to mess with a good thing and serves its fish and shellfish simply, seasoned and grilled with a wedge of lemon. They also bake their own bread and desserts; stock a wide range of Scottish beers, Mull malt whisky, and fine wine; and offer cheese, beef, and biscuits to pair with your meal. Go for the house-smoked salmon, stay for the signature fish stew with haddock, queenies, mussels, and more. Just note that the restaurant is seasonal, open from mid-March through late October.

Limo offers Peruvian fusion par excellence that uses typical ingredients in daring new ways. It’s particularly known for fish, including many types of sushi, as well as a variety of entrées that feature tuna, shrimp, octopus, crab, salmon, or trout, some inspired by Andean recipes, others taken from the Japanese tradition. Not a seafood lover? No problem! Limo also has delicious options featuring chicken, pork, beef, and alpaca. This second-floor restaurant overlooking the Plaza de Armas is also a great place for sampling pisco cocktails. Reservations are a good idea, especially if you’d like to score a balcony table with a town-square view.

The Buccaneer has a long history. The colonial great house was built by Maltese knight Charles Martel in 1653. Located on a protected bluff, the house later became the home of Danish governor von Prock after Denmark’s 1733 purchase of the Virgin Islands. Fast-forward to 1947, when the Armstrong family transformed what was by then a cattle estate into the Buccaneer, St. Croix’s first family-run hotel. The resort, completely modern and still quite popular, operates the Buccaneer Golf Club, celebrated for its par 70 course that offers Caribbean views from 13 of its 18 holes.

One of the city’s oldest teahouses, Insadong Chatjip hand-makes everything on its menu, from drinks to desserts. Unlike China’s and Japan’s traditional leaf teas, many of the Korean teas on offer here feature herbs, spices, or fruits like quince and plums that are believed to have medicinal properties. Don’t be surprised if some taste sugary sweet—it’s common to add heaps of honey or syrup to the blends. If you prefer a more delicate flavor, stick to the buckwheat or Ujeon green teas. In addition to drinks, this two-level teahouse has a lovely open-air courtyard where guests can enjoy their tea alongside cookies and rice cakes.

From October to February, sperm whales, humpback whales, and pilot whales make their way from the cold Atlantic to the warm waters of St. Lucia to breed and mate. Whale-watching tours leave from Castries and some of the other towns on the west coast and sail north to south to spot the whales, breaching and spouting, from a safe distance. Over the last few years, sperm and pilot whales have more frequently been spotted than humpbacks. It’s not unusual to see schools of spinner and bottlenose dolphins along the journey. Some whale-watching trips offer lunch as well as a chance to snorkel and swim, so shop around for the excursion you want.

Like the island nation’s other famous export—rum—cigar crafting is an art form. The best puros are made from aged tobacco and hand-rolled. And this intimate company, owned by a German expat, prides itself of small, quality productions. The shop at the factory is the best bet for freshness. A tour offers a sample. By request, tours take visitors through the 40 steps of cigar making. They include tobacco selection, as well as rolling and pressing. The shop at the factory is the best bet for superfresh cigars.

This luxurious restaurant next to the venerated Cafe Gerbeaud has been around for a decade but its combination of tradition and innovation remains as on point as ever. Chef Ádám Mészáros has earned a Michelin star with his intriguing takes on meats and seafoods, often served in six- and eight-course tasting menus with well-chosen wine pairings. The Hungarian degustation menu, for example, offers modern takes on local specialities, like beef stew. The dark-hued, comfortable interior, complete with gilt chairs, marble statues, chandeliers, and brocade wallpaper, as well as the impeccable service (not a given in this part of the world) invites guests to linger, and we highly recommend you do.

Azulejos (glazed tiles) are a ubiquitous decoration throughout Portugal. They cover the facades and interiors of many houses in Lisbon, and are even used as historical markers. The Museu Nacional do Azulejo, located in a 16th-century convent, has a permanent exhibition that illustrates the heritage of these Portuguese tiles from the 16th century to the present, touching on everything from Ottoman geometry to Goan altars. Also on view here is a remarkable azulejo mural, A Grande Vista de Lisboa, which offers an idea of what the city looked like before the earthquake of 1755.

WAMM (or What About My Mother?) is one of the most interesting Ubud cafés. The design of this sunny, open-sided space is eclectic, colorful, and comfortable, and you could describe the food with the same adjectives. Every item on the menu is sourced from local suppliers, from the fruits and vegetables to the meats and cheeses (yes, meat and cheese from Bali!). WAMM’s menu offers selections for vegans, vegetarians, diners with allergies, and also those in the mood for a great chicken sandwich. The coffee is out of this world, especially with a little bit of the creamy coconut milk made in the café.

Step off the beaten path that leads to Jim Morrison’s grave at Père Lachaise and head instead to the lesser-known, yet extraordinary Montparnasse Cemetery. Locals bring metro tickets to leave on Serge Gainsbourg’s grave in honor of his song “Le Poinçonneur des Lilas (The Lilas Ticket Taker).” Nearby rest the poet Baudelaire and eternal lovers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. A married couple by the name of Pigeon share a tomb that is as surprising as their family name. Susan Sontag opted for a minimalist grave, while artist Niki de Saint Phalle chose a rainbow-colored mosaic cat for the grave of her assistant Ricardo. Brancusi’s The Kiss sculpture stands at the head of his grave. Stop at a guardian’s kiosk when you enter the tranquil space and ask for a map of the luminaries who have made this their eternal resting place.

A stalwart for business lunches since the days of the Mexican Revolution, is there any reason Bellinghausen needs to change? The old-school refinements include rib-sticking steaks, seafood, and Mexican standards, served in generous portions; delightful garden seating (in addition to the clubby nostalgia of the front dining room); and what some say is the chop-choppiest service in all Mexico City. It’s a mix that keeps the restaurant’s high-end clientele exceedingly happy. More importantly, what comes out of the kitchen is always fresh and expertly prepared; you never sense the chefs are resting on their laurels. In the heart of the now-tatty Zona Rosa, lunch at Bellinghausen offers a glimpse of the neighborhood’s mid-20th-century heyday, when the surrounding blocks were the most bohemian and fashionable in all Latin America.