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Growing up in Indonesia, chef Ryan Simorangkir says he only craved kid’s food. But as an adult, he fell in love with the local street food of his home country and began to cook from family recipes. After attending Pasadena’s Le Cordon Bleu school, he opened Sama Sama Kitchen, co-owned with chef Tyler Peek, where he celebrates Indonesian cuisine in a warm, casual setting (the name means “you’re welcome” in Indonesian). The menu features renditions of traditional Indonesian street fare, like the signature wings, hot chicken bao, or crispy brussels sprouts. Salads are also a highlight here, including the crispy duck salad, green papaya salad, and market gado-gado. Pan-seared octopus becomes rich with leek and chili oil, as well as rendang remoulade. The black pepper tofu and broccolini may sound simple, but with garlic, scallion, ginger, and chili, it’s a dish that many return to over and over. Don’t skip dessert. Try the banana doughnut fritters or black sesame tres leches with spiced rum milk, and you’ll wonder if you should order an extra to take home.

Lovers of Vienna’s homegrown early-20th-century Wiener Werkstätte design style will want to visit the Café Schwarzenberg: It was the preferred haunt of Josef Hoffmann. The illustrious architect who cofounded the Werkstätte drafted many ideas there that came to fruition. Opened on the Ringstrasse in 1861, the café takes its name from the nearby square that is itself named for the Prince of Schwarzenberg, a prominent Austrian field marshal in the Napoleonic wars. Guests are treated to huge vaulted windows under high ceilings and those who sit outside on the terrace enjoy views of the illuminated Karlskirche dome while they sip their Einspänner coffee with its dab of whipped cream on top.

Despite being so close to the harbor and the ocean, Reykjavík’s city lake has a charm and atmosphere all its own. Bordered by a main road on one side and a string of pretty, colorful residences on the other, the natural, stone-edged Tjörnin is home to a community of ducks, swans, and geese that hang out here even in winter. A popular strolling spot to clear the cobwebs after a night out, it’s also often busy with local families and visitors, who come armed with bread for the waterfowl (but beware of the seagulls—they can be aggressive). The nearby Reykjavík City Hall is also worth a look for its huge 3-D relief map of Iceland, featuring clearly marked glaciers, volcanoes, and fjords.

An archipelago within an archipelago is already an astonishing fact to grasp, but Îles des Saintes, made up of nine islets, only two of them inhabited, is full of yet more surprises. Hop on a daily ferry ride south from Trois-Rivieres in Basse-Terre to these gorgeous offshore islands around a stunning aquamarine bay dotted with sailboats and hugged by coral reefs. Also known as Les Saintes, these islands combine a traditional Caribbean setting of secluded beaches, forts, and towering palm trees with a chic French village lifestyle. The streets here are free of cars, the winding roads to be explored by electric scooter or on foot. Hike to Fort Napoleon for a breathtaking panoramic view over Les Saintes Bay, explore the surrounding waters by catamaran, go diving off the bluffs, sample some of Guadeloupe’s best French and Creole fusion restaurants, and shop the boutiques for French fashions and local jewelry.

As of May 2018, El Conquistador Resort and Las Casitas Village are closed indefinitely, due to damage sustained during Hurricane Maria.

Situated atop a 300-foot bluff on the eastern tip of Puerto Rico, El Conquistador Resort, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, spreads across 500 acres overlooking the converging waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. A stay at El Conquistador is a transformative experience. Guests can relax at the Eucalyptus steam room, enjoy exotic cocktails while gazing at the El Yunque Rainforest, or even kayak around a private island. Guestrooms and suites are divided into five villages, and feature ocean views, 23 restaurants, an 18-hole golf course, a state-of-the-art aquatic playground/water park for families, and the resort’s private island, Palmino Island, featuring water sports and white sand beaches.

A scenic 60-minute drive up the coast from Catania, the picturesque town of Taormina overlooks stunning beaches and the Ionian Sea from its hilltop perch. You can enjoy an incredible view of Mt. Etna from the ancient Greek Theater and visit locations used in the filming of the Godfather movies. And when you feel like hitting the beach, Lido Mazzaró, one of the island’s best, is just a quick cable-car ride away.

The popular Gros Islet Fish Fry, also known as the Jump Up, is one big neighborhood party. The narrow streets of Gros Islet fill up with locals and tourists by 7 p.m., and by then the food shacks are busy: Hungry patrons shout out their orders and wait impatiently as the seafood steams and fries. While you wait for your food, grab a seat at a picnic table and throw back some Piton beers. Dance it all off after dinner as DJs blast soca, reggae, and international music. Whether you’re a dancer or not, stop here for your Friday dinner and some Saint Lucian vibes.

Home to Mexico’s largest concentration of artisans, Tonalá—just 10 minutes from Tlaquepaque—is known for its pottery, hand-blown glassware, textiles, miniatures, and more. On Thursdays and Sundays, the town hosts an open-air market, or tianguis, in its main plaza—and has since Prehispanic times—during which visitors can shop stalls from more than 400 craftspeople. If you can’t make it on market day, you’ll miss the hustle and bustle but can still visit the stores and family-run workshops where the artisans produce their unique wares.

Visitors looking to tour Casa Herradura—the distillery that’s been making Tequila Herradura for more than 145 years—should hop aboard the new Tequila Herradura Express. The train leaves from Guadalajara and travels through Jalisco’s agave fields, stopping in Amatitán (the official birthplace of tequila) before arriving at Casa Herradura. Once at the distillery, guests enjoy tastings, lunch, and live music, then get back on the train, where they’re treated to bar service and entertainment all the way back to Guadalajara.

This being a former English colony, St. Kitts is centered around the Circus, a small roundabout modeled after London’s famed Piccadilly and set in the middle of buzzy Basseterre. Preserved Georgian-style buildings line its edges, while the Berkeley Memorial stands in the middle. Built in 1883 to honor a local legislator and landowner, the memorial features an imposing green clock with four faces, each looking out toward one of the city’s main streets.

Most people recognize Eugene, Oregon as the home of the “Oregon Ducks” because of the sports programs at the University of Oregon. But Eugene is so much more. Take for instance the Inn at the 5th, a luxury boutique hotel built and owned by the Obie Company who developed the 5th Street Public Market next door. The hotel reminds me of the “Little Engine That Could” an endearing 1930’s children’s book teaching the value of hard work and optimism. And the Inn at 5th presents those core values to guests in a stylish and polished package.

The Inca Trail is perhaps the most famous trek in Peru. This is the road to Machu Picchu, an ancient route that leads from the Sacred Valley into the heart of the Andes. You must obtain a permit and hire an official guide in order to hike the Inca Trail proper. There are plenty of tour operators in Cusco that offer trips up to Machu Picchu, so you should definitely look at reviews before you choose. For better or for worse, the tours are all-inclusive. The local tour operators employ porters to carry your packs and set up a camp. A team of local chefs will prepare three meals a day, and many hikers come back raving about the delicious meals. Keep in mind that the trek can be tough, especially in the first few days. The trail is often narrow, and it flirts with formidable heights. The mountains in this part of the Andes can rise well over 13,000 feet, and many hikers find themselves suffering from altitude sickness. Make sure to take a few days (in Cusco or the Sacred Valley) to acclimatize before you begin the journey. Finally: make sure to plan ahead! The Peruvian government limits trail access to 500 people per day, including porters. This regulation protects the local ecosystem and the delicate ruins, and it ensures that the trail won’t be too crowded. However, it also means that permits for the peak summer season sell out months in advance. If you aren’t able to get a permit for the classic Inca Trail, never fear: there are various other trails that lead to Machu Picchu.

Lahaina, with its many Victorian flourishes, may look picturesque today, but the port town teemed with sailors, gamblers, and prostitutes in the 19th century. The Pioneer Inn changed all that when it opened for business in 1901, foreshadowing the tourist industry that would ultimately replace whaling, sugar, and pineapples. Step through the swinging doors of this vintage bar, which now bizarrely anchors the courtyard of a Best Western, and you’ll be transported back in time. Oars, harpoons, and a ship’s figurehead still adorn the space, looking down on platters of coconut shrimp, Parmesan-crusted fish over coconut rice, and margaritas made with POG (a mix of passion fruit, orange, and guava juices). Come during happy hour, which runs daily from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., for discounted beers and cocktails.

Probably the most visited attraction in the city, the V&A combines many elements of the greatest commercial waterfront projects around the world. There are plenty of draws for tourists (the Cape Wheel, helicopter rides, boat trips to Robben Island) and locals (450 retail outlets, from H&M to a major supermarket), but it remains a working harbor, with small seagoing vessels sailing between the main harbor and the dry dock that lies adjacent to the excellent Two Oceans Aquarium and Watershed craft and design hall. There’s even a fast-growing residential section, connected by canals that stretch toward the city. The latest addition, however, is the Silo District, which became one of Cape Town’s must-visit attractions soon after opening in late 2017. Here, a number of restaurants and boutiques, anchored by the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, are located amid old grain silos.

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.