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I love checking out local zoos while traveling—especially when they’re clean, humane, and informative. The Aurora Zoo in Guatemala is definitely a great spot to take the kids for an easy day of excitement. It’s been open since 1924 and actually helps both conserve and rehabilitate animals. Oh, and tickets are less than $5. Worth a stop!

Wherever your travels may take you around the world whenever you ever see anyone sporting this distinct hook bracelet, you’ll know they possess a special place in their heart occupied by the island of St. Croix. There are many, many imitations and evolutions of the Crucian hook bracelet (some better than others), but this is the original and, in my opinion, only truly authentic version. Pick one up and Sonya’s, wear it wherever you go and you’ll be surprised how many new friends you make.

I hope that every traveler has the opportunity to experience sunrise from a temple in Bagan - one of the most astonishing places on earth. In general, the history of Burma is amazing. Specifically, the history of Bagan is unlike any other on earth. It’s a little dizzying, in fact - tens of thousands of temples built on a dusty plain by kings, emperors, war lords, and chieftains that stretch on and on until the buck up against the horizon. The best way to explore Bagan is to get out on foot and wander - preferably in the presence of a knowledgeable local guide.

Want to impress your travel friends and show off your passport prowess? Then don’t miss getting a passport stamp from the southern most city in the world - Ushuaia Argentina. Once you make it all the way down there to the tip of Argentina - but sure to stop in at the tourist office near the port and get your passport stamp that will say Fin del Mundo - End of the world. They have different sized and stamps to choose from - a fun way to remember this unique location.

You’ll be hard pressed to find anything other than postcard-perfect scenery in the Exumas, and if you’re ambitious and up early enough, there’s a good chance that you can have Horseshoe Bay in Saddle Cay all to yourself for a few hours. A trip to a private Bahamian island isn’t out of reach for the intrepid traveler, as plenty of outfitters offer affordable tours, overnight adventures, and sightseeing cruises to these gorgeous islands.

Equal parts fine-dining restaurant, cocktail bar, and antique gallery, Ji blends Chinese, Japanese, and Balinese culture with modern Japanese cuisine and cocktails. The restaurant is located in Hotel Tugu, one of the first luxury hotels in Canggu. An Indonesian collector rescued an ornate 18th-century Chinese temple from destruction in Java and had it rebuilt here to house the restaurant. Ji’s menu features exquisitely prepared sushi and sashimi platters, as well as items that reflect influences from Japanese communities in Peru, China, Korea, and other countries outside Japan. The Dragon of Ji roll is a showstopper. As for cooked seafood, you’ll be torn when it comes to the smokey salmon zaru soba with home-smoked salmon belly and citrus broth. Be kind and share the delicate dish with your travel companion? Or keep it all to yourself? An extensive sake, wine, and cocktail menu is available.

Finding a fun bar that’s popular with locals is almost a travel imperative: While hotel bars have their charms, local bars offer travelers a way to explore a destination through its people. This beach bar at the heart of Sandy Ground fits the bill. Mellow by day, the vibe picks up at night, with dancing out on the sand, occasional live music and DJs, plus famous full-moon celebrations. On Sunday afternoons, grab a fish taco and a beer and join the crowd watching the football or basketball game on the huge outdoor screen.

Visitors seeking an immersive-history experience can get a chance to travel back in time and check out the homes, stories, and daily routines of early Philadelphians, from everyday citizens to the city’s better-known inhabitants from the past. Buildings along Elfreth’s Alley, the country’s oldest continually occupied residential street, reveal the lives of the city’s earliest residents. Most of the houses on the block are private homes, but houses numbered 124 and 126 have been preserved as a public museum. Guided tours begin in the Museum Shop (Number 124). Private tours of the Alley and Museum House are available all year round.

It was raining when we arrived in Donostia-San Sebastian, but the skies cleared on our second day, and we rode the funicular railway up Mount Igueldo to take in the view back on the city, La Concha Bay, and the empty beach. The “low” travel season had just begun, and the strange little children’s amusement park on the mountaintop had shuttered up for the fall and winter, adding just the right disorienting touch of weird desolation to the Basque country panorama.

Movie director Francis Ford Coppola had traveled the world, but when he visited Belize in the 1980s, in search of a “jungle paradise” like the one where he had filmed Apocalypse Now, he was taken by the untamed land and bought Blancaneaux, the first of two resort properties he would eventually own in Belize. (The other is Turtle Inn.) Initially, Blancaneaux was a family retreat, but by the early 1990s, Coppola decided to turn it into a small luxury resort. Today, guests with deep pockets enjoy visiting Blancaneaux for its sense of exclusivity; travelers have to really want to stay here. An hour’s drive down a bone-jarring road away from civilization, one doesn’t just happen upon the resort. Accommodations are gigantic villa- and cabana-style lodgings lavishly decorated with handmade furniture, textiles, and crafts. Hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and swimming are a few of the activities for guests on-site at Blancaneaux.

For many travelers to Greece, there’s a conundrum: Do you concentrate on the mainland—Athens, Delphi—or do you spend your time cruising the islands—from fashionable Mykonos to holy Patmos? With Grand Circle Cruise Line, you don’t have to make that decision. The first week of the 15-day Treasures of the Aegean: Greek Island Cruise, Athens & Istanbul itinerary includes the monasteries of Meteora, perched atop rock formations; the town of Kalambaka, Thessaly, where you’ll discover a Byzantine tradition when you stop at an icon-painting workshop and meet one of the artisans; and the majestic ancient sanctuary of Delphi. Then you depart on a cruise to the Aegean’s most beautiful islands aboard a 50-passenger small ship. You’ll call at ports including Amorgos, Delos, and Naxos, where you’ll sit down for an island dinner with some of its residents. While you’ll be following the routes of ancient heroes, Grand Circle assures that travelers also experience modern-day life in the country from those who live, work, and play here. Exclusive Discovery Series events take you deeper, show you more, and give you an unfiltered look into daily life whether you’re dining with a Greek family during a Home-Hosted Dinner, or participating in a cooking class in the mountain village of Arachova.

A short ferry-ride from Playa del Carmen, Isla Cozumel is a diver’s paradise. And while diving and snorkeling might be the main attraction here, the island and its town San Miguel de Cozumel offer a lot of land- and sand-based activities for the traveler as well. San Miguel de Cozumel’s main plaza is a peaceful spot to people watch, shop, and dine. Even though this town sees thousands of tourists a year and shiploads of cruise-goers dock here daily, it has managed to keep its charm and warmth. For some scrumptious grub, check out Kinta, a block or so off the main plaza on Avenida 5-- it offers up fresh seafood and traditional Mexican cuisine. The western side of the island is built up with beach clubs, where for a small fee you can enjoy their beaches and facilities-- Isla de la Pasión is one of these and boasts a gorgeous beach. The eastern side of the island is wilder and the surf too dangerous for swimming in most places, with the exception of Playa Chen Río. When you get tired of the beach, put on your Indiana Jones hat and travel inland to a minor Maya ruin, San Gervasio, which the ancient Maya dedicated to Ixchel, the goddess of fertility. Of course, this island was built around diving and you’ll see why once you hit the clear, turquoise waters and behold their technicolor reefs. Santa Rosa Wall and Palancar are two of the best dive spots. Dive shops abound for equipment rental, tours, and even certification lessons.

The breeze gently rocked the hammock back and forth. As I lay there with my eyes closed swaying, I could hear the familiar sound of drum music wafting through the little village of Manzanillo. I imagine a giant speaker somewhere in the town center providing the beat of the village 24/7. Khosamui boutique hotel was simple and outfitted in bright colors with white backgrounds. There were only 4 rooms which kept the whole atmosphere cozy and chill; it was designed with relaxing in mind. A big open-air lobby was filled with colorful flowers and throw pillows and just steps from the beach cabanas. However upstairs is where the real lounging happens. The patio overlooked the beach and came with a fabulous and constant sea breeze. Hammocks and cloth swinging chairs hung from the rafters providing the perfect place for a lazy nap while lunch was prepared. This was the place you want to come, hang out and write a novel. Sherry Ott traveled to Cartagena de India, Colombia courtesy of the Cartagena de Indias Tourism Board, Rafael Núñez International Airport of Cartagena, Avanti Destinations, and Avianca Airlines. Her highlights are part of AFAR’s partnership with The United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value and freedom to enjoy destinations across the entire globe. See more about Sherry’s trip at the USTOA blog - http://ustoa.com/blog/category/afar/

While famous for its namesake and black diamond ski runs, Lake Louise Resort has plenty to keep visitors happy even when the snow has melted. The main lodge – a log cabin built entirely from local trees - greets visitors who come for the 14-minute gondola ride up Whitehorn Mountain. Riders have a choice between an enclosed gondola and an open chair lift. A good way to experience both is to ride the gondola on the way up and the chair lift on the way down, since the views as you face the valley are more panoramic. Keep an eye out on your ride for one of the resident grizzly bears. At the top of the lift, there are a number of well marked hiking trails, as well as the Lake Louise Interpretative Nature Center. Center staff lead a 45-minute interpretative walk which is a great way to get acquainted with the environment and learn about the area’s bears before setting off on your own. Also at the summit, the Whitehorn Lodge offers visitors a surprisingly delicious experience with five-star views. Both the building and the menu have been recently revamped and the results are well worth the price of the gondola ride. The seafood chowder, a meal in itself, is a highlight as is the beef tenderloin burger: a mound of beef tenderloin cooked to order and served open-faced on a giant piece of focaccia with a pile of yam fries. You’ll definitely be full for your ride back down the gondola. [Travel courtesy of Travel Alberta]

Located between Akko and the Sea of Galilee, this working kibbutz and spa hotel is the perfect recharge. I know that sounds cliché, but bear with me. First off, the backstory goes like this: a German-born homeopathic doctor stumbled upon the hillside site in 1923 and decided it was his dream parcel; forty years later, he managed to build a clinic there. The sloping refuge into which he poured his heart and soul is now a 97-room health resort, one that is an institution of sorts in Israel. Among Israelis, Mizpe Hiyamim is (understandably) seen as a splurge. That said, it is not all that fancy by today’s rapidly escalating high-end standards, and therein lies its charm. Where else can you go straight from feeding goats to getting a facial or hot-stone massage? The farm’s bounty enhances the experience. It puts out 50 types of cheese and pretty much all the produce that ends up on the menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s not necessarily a California-style approach to holistic living—the restaurant caters to meat-eaters, and I found myself deliberating between goat neck, lamb shoulder, and veal tongue for the main course. The spa makes use of olive oil from trees that are grown on-site. This, then, is not just another modern temple to individual well-being, but one that combines land and history—human and natural—in a way that truly makes you truly appreciate your surroundings. That, to me, is the ultimate traveler’s recharge.