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New York is definitely one of the food meccas of the world, every restaurant, a living proof of the fusion of cultures that make up this amazing city. One thing you will find here is that some of the best restaurants are not obvious to the eye. Many have hidden entrances or disguised doors. While La Esquina is also an evident fast food restaurant, the real treasure lays hidden in the basement underneath. Behind a door labeled “employees only” a set of stairs takes you down to much larger room with rustic decoration and attractive murals that evoke the Aztec theme and welcome you to your next best meal! The food is a testament of the fusion of flavors of Mexico... the tostadas (bite size crisp tortillas) de pollo and cangrejo with the spicy mango relish or the taquitos are a great way to start! Then go for the juicy marinated Carne Asada with a hint of garlic and the classic mojo or the Camarones a la Plancha and pair them with the green beans and the rice for a meal to remember!!! and please... leave room for dessert, the Crema Cocida, a velvety panna cotta with a mexican twist, or the Torrejas Brulee, a moist bread pudding with bits of pinnaple, give you the perfect level of sweetness to end a superb meal! If you go with large group (>9) they will require you to do a family style menu for a fair value, which I highly recommend!! Trust me, there will be plenty of food and I promise, it will be a feast you will never forget!

Antonio de Montesinos held it down in the New World and defended the rights of the indegenous people. He was truly ahead of his time. This statue located in Santo Domingo’s colonial section is dear to my heart. I used to go play and ride my bike there all the time. The stone and bronze statue was a gift from Mexico and was made by artist Antonio Castellanos in 1982, a year before my birth. Below is Montecino’s famous quote, which as you could imagine enraged the Spanish King and all of the aristocracy at the time. #Legendary. “Tell me by what right of justice do you hold these Indians in such a cruel and horrible servitude? On what authority have you waged such detestable wars against these people who dealt quietly and peacefully on their own lands? Wars in which you have destroyed such an infinite number of them by homicides and slaughters never heard of before. Why do you keep them so oppressed and exhausted, without giving them enough to eat or curing them of the sicknesses they incur from the excessive labor you give them, and they die, or rather you kill them, in order to extract and acquire gold every day.”

Guadalajara visitors craving an escape from the city should know that the ocean breeze isn’t far away. The bohemian beach town of Sayulita is about a four-hour drive, and even closer by plane. Popular in the 1960s among American and Canadian surfers, the sleepy fishing village has more recently become known for its laid-back vibe and impressive food scene. If you’re looking to get even farther off the grid, the surrounding area is filled with beautiful bays that are less trafficked by tourists than the main town.

Beginning right at the entrance to downtown Cancún (kilometer 0, where the median is also home to a spacious outdoor gym) and tracing the Hotel Zone’s entire northern stretch, this wide, red-paved path is a favorite for runners, in-line skaters, and cyclists in search of outdoor exercise with a merciful bit of shade (the path along Boulevard Kukulcan is lined with jungle flora, palm trees, tropical plants, and a smattering of hotel entrances). Locals especially love working out on the Ciclopista early in the morning and in the evening, when temperatures are cooler.

This novel walking tour combines a power work-out with sightseeing. You’ll climb a steep hill to reach a look-out spot with sweeping views of Vallarta and Banderas Bay, then descend to see Elizabeth Taylor’s and Richard Burton’s former homes (and the bridge that connected them), a tortilla factory, Cuale gardens, and a chocolate shop. Lots of samples and healthy snacks are included, as are plenty of photo ops.

Located just footsteps from the hustle of Columbus Circle, Mandarin Oriental New York serves as the ultimate urban escape. More than 240 rooms and suites showcase stunning views of Central Park, the Hudson River, and the Manhattan skyline, while carrying their own perks within (Diptyque amenities, cherry wood furnishings, walk-in showers). The 14,500-square-foot spa feels like a true getaway in the heart of the city, with a tea lounge and a number of treatments ranging from Jet Lag Cure to Thai Foot Therapy.

The MO Lounge offers dramatic park views and an all-day menu with American cuisine centered on sustainable local ingredients. Come evening, MO Lounge’s hand-crafted cocktails paired with Central Park vistas are perfect for impressing out-of-towners.

Whether you wander by boat, bike, or tuk tuk (or, highly recommended, a combo of all three), Bangkok spills over with places both new and very old to explore. Along the way, modern-day wonders rub shoulders with traditional Thai culture. Hop from the floating market to a day cruise on the Chao Phraya River to a cocktail at one of the city’s innovative bars. Make meals of tastes from street food vendors and mix in some table service at some of the city’s most renowned restaurants. Overwhelmed by all the options? Stop for a Thai massage. Need souvenirs? The weekend market awaits.

Spain’s capital offers the best of food, art, architecture, and nightlife. For the best address in town, book a stay at AC Palacio del Retiro, set on the Parque del Retiro. For Old World splendor and a star-studded past, check in to the Gran Meliá Fénix. Foodies will want to score a room at Hotel Hesperia Madrid, home to one of Spain’s top restaurants, while design lovers will appreciate the details—old and new—at Urso Hotel & Spa in the hip Salesas neighborhood.

We’ve all heard about Sydney’s biggest cultural attractions like the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, but how about a convict island turned event site or the local theater that launched the careers of Mel Gibson and Cate Blanchett? Sydney’s best cultural attractions are world-class and getting better every day. Contemporary favorites include Carriageworks and the Museum of Contemporary art, while the Art Gallery of New South Wales has one of Sydney’s best aboriginal art collections.

The narrow Boca Paila highway runs down the edge of the Riviera Maya in Tulum, dividing the jungle from the sea. Tucked away at kilometer-marker 7.5 lies Casa Jaguar, a haven for the best of both worlds. The restaurant emphasizes Caribbean flavors, using fresh, local ingredients and prepared food and drink with Mexican flair. Try the grilled aguachile seafood cocktail, or the sea bass with corn masa, and wash it all down with a drink of copal mescal, the perfect foil for intense local heat. Beyond being a great restaurant, Casa Jaguar is famous for its “Dinner and Party” concept: there’s a jungle-focused celebration every Thursday with artists and alternative live music.

Isla Blanca is in fact a narrow peninsula some 30 minutes north of Cancún, with the lagoon to the west and the Caribbean to the east. Seemingly no one except the locals come to this untouched, isolated beach, dotted with tiny seafood restaurants, the occasional vacation cabin, intermittent lounge-chair rentals, and a growing camp of kite surfers. You’ll need to arrive by car via coastal highway that quickly turns to rough dirt path, but the experience transcends the rusticity once you hit the Caribbean’s pristine white sands and cool turquoise surf; the lagoon’s shallow, brackish waters, just steps from the ocean, provide ideal fly-fishing and kite-surfing conditions.

Thanks to its easy-to-reach location on the main highway just fifteen minutes south of Playa del Carmen, this open cenote ranks among the most popular with locals. One half of the clear spring is shallow, with areas for climbing adjacent rocks; other spots are just deep enough for snorkeling. Elsewhere, there are still deeper waters for swimming and cooling off, complete with a sundeck and a small cliff for jumping.

Disco ball, lounge, jungle, and cuisine all come together at this trendy restaurant located on Tulum’s main hotel-zone avenue. The venue is renowned for its eclectic style that blends unusual lighting, a lush outdoor setting, and live DJ nights for a cool, hippie-style vibe. Dinner is prepared over open-fire grills and in wood-burning ovens, resulting in flavorful Mexican favorites like taco samplers, quesadillas with epazote, grilled avocado, and slow-roasted pork belly. Gitano also specializes in strange but enticing cocktails from its mezcal bar, like ones that include ingredients like rum, hibiscus, and tropical fruits.

Be Tulum describes itself as a resort, but with 64 rooms and a no-child-under-12 policy, the property feels considerably more intimate than its name and marketing might suggest. The hotel enjoys beachfront status, with powdered-sugar sand inviting guests to do little more than lounge around all day. For those wanting a bit more activity, bikes can be borrowed from the front desk and used to cycle out to the Maya site of Tulum. The spacious rooms—all suites and all at least 500 square feet in size—most of which have either a Jacuzzi or their own pool, as well as polished wood floors and rough, white stone walls.

Throughout the markets and shops of Oaxaca you’ll find traditional clothing, but if you would like to purchase regional garments with a more contemporary feel, head to Xquenda boutique. They carry clothing made of linen and silk as well as manta (unbleached cotton). Besides women’s clothing, you’ll also find shoes, jewelry and accessories and guayabera shirts for men. They offer a good selection of items from Mexican fashion house Pineda Covalin.