Search results for

Australian-Vietnamese celebrity chef Luke Nguyen has put his energy into creating fresh, modern, healthy renditions of Vietnamese street food and traditional family recipes at Moi Moi, his new Hong Kong restaurant. A master at balancing sweet and sour tastes as well as spicy and bitter, Nguyen gets big raves for his food, especially the panfried rice cakes topped with tiger prawns and caramelized pork neck. Other hits include green tea–smoked duck in rice-paper rolls, citrus wild salmon, caramelized Kurobuta pork belly, a pho made with raw Wagyu beef, and slow-braised free-range chicken drumsticks with coconut juice, fish sauce, ginger, and garlic. Moi Moi has an extensive and creative cocktail menu to accompany the feast.

Diani Beach is a 25km strip of pale, sugary sands backed by the cerulean Indian Ocean. As one of the more developed towns on the Kenyan coast, there’s a great variety of restaurants, cafés, bars and shops here. Also on offer are activities from horse riding to kite-surfing and tours of the ancient Kaya Forest. Popular haunts in Diani include the Forty Thieves Beach Bar - renowned for their fun beach parties and tasty pizzas, as well as Ali Barbour’s restaurant – set inside a candle-lit cave which opens out onto the starry night’s sky above. However you choose to spend your time in this idyllic costal location, one thing is for sure: as the sun sets, castling a golden glitter on the sea below, and the beach-front restaurants lay flickering lanterns on the sand, there are few other places in the world you will want to be.

In the early 1800s, a small fortress was built at the strategic beachhead on the Kowloon Peninsula. When the British began to occupy Hong Kong in 1841, the fortress became vital to China’s maritime defenses and so was greatly expanded. Soon a thick stone wall and watchtowers were added, and inside, a number of military buildings and soldiers quarters enlarged the fortified city even more. Though most of the complex has been destroyed or demolished over the decades, a few sections have survived, including the foundation of a former wall, remnants of the South and East Gates, and a flagstone path. A handful of relics have been recovered—from cannons to stone lintels—and are displayed in a Qing Dynasty Jiangnan-style garden park created on the site.

Soaring more than 1,600 feet into the air, Taipei 101 is one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world and probably Taipei’s most iconic site. For a small fee, visitors can spend time on the observation deck—a large space that offers a 360-degree view of Taipei. From here, you can get a better understanding of the city and how it is organized. For that reason Taipei 101 is the best place to start your sightseeing adventures. There are also a number of great restaurants in Taipei 101 along with shops and entertainment options; you can plan at least half a day of experiences at this one site.

Baja California Sur’s capital deserves more than a day trip. The cosmopolitan city is home to some of the peninsula’s finest restaurants, and its beaches rival any in the world. Ensenada Grande, on Isla Partida, is part of the Espíritu Santo Archipelago and is, in a word, stunning. Golden sands give way to clear waters that are framed by volcanic formations (ask your guide to point out “La Máscara”). On the mainland, visit Balandra, a lovely white-sand beach whose waters shimmer a vibrant turquoise. It’s famous not only for its splendor but for the unusual mushroom-shaped rock known as El Hongo, as well. El Tecolote doesn’t quite have Balandra’s beauty, but it offers much more in the way of activities. Camp, grab a bite, and start here before heading on to an Espíritu Santo adventure.

Unlike many of the cookie-cutter Vietnamese restaurants in Hanoi, there’s a good reason why many tour groups are brought here for their lunch. There are a la carte menus on offer, but most guests prefer to opt for the “popular” meal, which involves pointing at steaming vats containing things like Chinese braised pork and fat juicy ribs.

Yo, ho, ho and oh, my! Up on Government Hill, this watchtower, built circa 1678, is known as Blackbeard’s Castle and is literally the stuff of legends. Although it’s open for debate whether the notorious pirate ever used the five-story tower as a lookout, one thing is for certain: Its views are tops. Nearby the flower-lined 99 Steps (technically there are 103), built in the 18th century of ship-ballast brick, lead from historic Kongens Quarter to some more terrific views of the island.

If you didn’t know before you dug into your meal, you might not realize that every item on Sage’s menu is vegan (a nice bonus for parents eating with kids). The jackfruit or tempeh tacos are so good many devoted carnivores choose to get their Mexican food fix here over local nonvegan Mexican joints. Sage also makes excellent vegan burgers, potato flautas, and salads filled with great crunchy textures and pops of flavor. Follow lunch or dinner with a slice of coconut cake or vegan birthday cake ice cream.

North Adams has many galleries, shops selling vintage items and plenty of restaurants. The street art popping up around every corner reminds you that many artists are at work in the warehouses that make up much of the city. The efforts to preserve this former mill town are evident on the brick walls of buildings where an international collection of artists have taken their brushes to the streets.

Call it the magic of Hollywood: Since opening in 1964, this theme park has continued to reinvent itself, creating ever-more ambitious experiences inspired by blockbuster movies. For Harry Potter fans, a visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Hogsmeade is essential, while Peter Jackson’s King Kong 360 3-D, and the immersive Fast & Furious—Supercharged simulator ride will get the adrenaline going. To be truly swept up in the park, sign up for the VIP Experience. You’ll get a special escort to the front of the line for rides, along with breakfast, a private lunch prepared by the studio’s executive chef, valet parking, and backlot access, where you’ll see thousands of set pieces and props. (Production schedules can affect the availability of these tours.) The adjacent Universal CityWalk’s restaurants and massive movie theater make the destination worthy of even more time, especially if you visit around notable holidays, when themes take over in spectacular fashion, from “Grinchmas” to the Lunar New Year. Pro tip: Download the Universal Studios app, which you can set to send alerts when certain rides’ wait times reach five minutes.

A French-era hill station, this national park stretches from the coast to the Annamite mountain range at the Lao border. More than 1400 species of plants, including rare ferns and orchids, have been discovered in Bach Ma, representing a fifth of the flora of Vietnam. It is also a great place for bird spotting.

Designed by Fuster + Architects, an award winning firm located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, El Blok takes its visual cues from the surrounding light, land and sea. In addition to being a playful structure, it is highly functional and built to withstand storms and hurricanes (a big plus anywhere in the caribbean!). It is located at the beach, at the start of Esperanza’s sleepy malecon, with its low-key seaside huddle of restaurants, bars, and stores, most of them back open after hurricane Maria’s devastating sweep of the island.

I loved my room, one of the spacious corner suites. The way the space captured the light was uncanny, every time I got back to my room, a new play of light beams and shadows was waiting for me. The restaurant downstairs serves up amazing food, hands down the best I had on island. Executive Chef, Carlos Perez. brings to the table a delicious, fresh take on Puerto Rican cuisine, centered around their bayahonda mesquite fired grill and Rotisol rotisserie. Just don’t expect much of a breakfast at the hotel. I took a short walk each morning to some cafés nearby, to grab a coffee and omelet. El Blok’s rooftop bar was ‘the’ place to hang in the evenings with locals and travelers alike, while listening to amazing music. When we were there, the duo Más Que Dos was playing and it made for an all around perfect sunset.

El Blok currently has 22 rooms and is adding another 11, slated to open in summer 2019. We were warned about construction noise between 8am and 2pm, but I can honestly say it didn’t interfere at all with my stay. It’s of course when you’re supposed to be out and about anyways, exploring the island!

Rates start at $140 per night plus tax.

A heartfelt thank you to Discover Puerto Rico (@DiscoverPuertoRico) for 3 days in beautiful Vieques and a fun stop-over in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Early in the morning take a beautiful walk on the Cascades Trail a short drive from the center of North Adams. Any trail with a refreshing waterfall is a winner in my book. This hidden hike, tucked behind a residential area is minutes away from downtown and short enough to get in and still have plenty of the day left for exploring. There are many additional activities and hikes listed on the web site.

You might recognize this restaurant from the 2013 movie Labor Day. Enter Wilson’s Diner, and you’ve stepped back in time. Built in 1949 by the Worcester Lunch Car Company, it is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Early risers: from 5am during the week you can get a no nonsense, well priced meal, filled with fresh ingredients. Wilson’s also serves great sandwiches for lunch.

At the poolside restaurant Dar Moha, hungry travelers can dine on couscous with foie gras, lamb shank tagine with ras el hanout jus, and chakhchoukha, a caramelized apple tart spiced with saffron. Enjoy your meal at one of the candlelit tables while a musician plays the oud, a stringed instrument similar to a lute.