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A city built on seafood and rice, Charleston remains focused on its abundance of local fish and produce, especially as its restaurant scene continues to boom. This once sleepy Southern town is now an international dining destination.

The Indochine Hotel is a great haven in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, making your initial landing in Vietnam pillow soft. It’s a small, family run inn that caters to casual and business travelers. The location makes walking to a lot of the sites in Old Saigon an easy exercise. They are happy to arrange a pickup at the airport upon your arrival, eliminating the negotiating and direction exchanges at the terminal curb. The rooms are spacious and pleasant. Security is reassuring and there is a lift. The ATM and convenience store next door makes establishing a stash of cash and treats just steps away. Pricing varies depending on the room and season, but it is a great value no matter when you stay. The included breakfast has Asian and Western offerings, all fresh and individually prepared to order. Staff are skilled in a variety of languages and generous with directions and recommendations. The website is sparse but inquiries get a quick response. Coming from the US, you’ll be so spaced-out from jet lag when you arrive, you won’t appreciate how good Indochine really is until you’ve left. If you want a welcoming introduction to Vietnam, make Indochine your first stop.

Occupying most of a 38-floor Times Square building, the Reverie Saigon initially made waves for its over-the-top flourishes: the house cars are a limited-edition Rolls-Royce Phantom Dragon and a Maybach, both parked out front; the lobby features a $500,000 jade-and-gold Baldi clock; and the property feels like it used all the marble and Murano glass in Italy. What’s surprising, then, is how well it all works—and how quickly you might feel at ease. A large part of that is thanks to the warm, attentive service (sniffle once, for example, and ginger tea will appear at your doorstep) and the 286 airy guest rooms themselves, which—though full of whimsical touches by international design houses like Visionnaire and Provasi—manage to call to mind serene sanctuaries floating high above the city bustle. The on-site dining options (including places for traditional Cantonese, fine-dining French, and modern Italian) draw local crowds, and the two-story spa features an ozone-infused outdoor pool equipped with underwater speakers—plus some of the best therapists in town.

The capital of Belgium has small town charm with big city attractions such as cute cafes, excellent restaurants and distinctive architecture. The eight-room, Fellini-inspired Odette en Ville is an ideal base to explore the well-heeled Châtelain neighborhood. The Radisson Blu Royal Hotel puts you in an art deco–inspired building in the heart of the city. Design lovers will want to book one of the bright rooms of the Pantone Hotel, each themed according to its own color.

After a day in Santa Fe, you’re bound to be thirsty. Not to worry. There’s no better pit stop than an old-school bar, picturesque cafe, or family-owned gem that crafts beloved margaritas with your favorite tequila. (It’s the tipple of choice here in the Southwest.) When in doubt, opt for the establishment’s signature concoction.

Although it might not seem so when standing in the center of any large city, but there are still some wild places to get lost around the globe. Whether you’re hiking through a sea of sand in Namibia or on an expedition in Antarctica, exploring the Guyanese Amazon by boat or marveling at the baobabs in Madagascar, these are the best places in the world to just get lost in the natural world.

Seoul is a vast metropolis with an efficient public transportation system. In addition to major sites like temples, museums, and palaces, the city boasts unexpected gems including nature trails and mazes of alluring backstreets.

The Mile High City offers an engaging mix of outdoor attractions and urban experiences. Whether shopping for western duds, taking in an opera, strolling the mile-long 16th Street Mall, or looking at fine art before wandering through gardens of Rocky Mountain wildflowers, you’ll be wowed by Denver’s charms.

Alberta’s Rocky Mountains are never more inviting than beneath the summer sun. Hike beneath the soaring peaks in Banff National Park, sip micro-brewed beer made from mountain-fresh glacier water, or simply road trip through the Canadian Rockies to enjoy the best of the summer season, but don’t miss the opportunity to swim in an alpine lake or walk atop the Athabasca Glacier. Summer in Alberta invites adventure in the Canadian Rockies.

Whether located on a private island or the grounds of an old sugar plantation, the best hotels in St. Vincent and the Grenadines offer gorgeous views, freshly caught seafood, and access to white-sand beaches. Expect everything from over-the-top luxury to more family-friendly accommodations, with options to be active or simply bliss out.

Doha is a paradise for architects and designers. In a place where money is not an issue, the sky is the only limit to their imagination. If someone imagines a building, Qatar is the place to crystallize it. Qatar will host the 2022 soccer world cup in the best state-of-the-art stadiums modern technology can build, and will house athletes and visitors in sophisticated hotels, villas and resorts. Which means, there will be buildings looking like desert roses, tress, flames and even like paradise.

Mexico’s first and only Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Luis Barragán is best known for his modernist work in Mexico City. However, his hometown of Guadalajara, where he and his contemporaries developed their signature Mexican-Arabic-Islamic style, features some of his most interesting early work. While much has been built over, you can still tour private homes and repurposed spaces—or even stay in an Airbnb designed by Barragán—to get a sense of his remarkable legacy.

The birthplace of tequila, mariachi, and Mexican rodeo has something for everyone. A trip to the city is an exercise in contrasts—be sure to visit the historic center, artisan markets, and old neighborhoods to get a feel for Tapatio traditions, while also making time to experience Guadalajara’s burgeoning food, art, and cultural scenes.

Flee the crowds in central Chinatown for an authentic and inexpensive Vietnamese or Thai meal on Baxter Street, which is lined with several eateries. Here on this quiet side street, no-frill restaurants are filled with locals enjoying flavorful “pho” beef noodle soup, summer rolls, barbecued pork and other specialties. The smell of mint, basil, and jasmine rice hits your senses when you walk in the door. Not much to say about the decor, but service is quick and a huge bowl of steaming pho noodle soup averages $6 or $7. Restaurants include Nha Trang One, Thai Son and Pho Pasteur. If you are looking for “xiao long bao” or savory “soup dumplings”, try Joe’s Ginger on nearby 25 Pell Street.

There’s a pleasing bit of cognitive dissonance happening at Meliá Hanoi. Housed within a green-glass, part-cylindrical tower, the hotel tempers sleek European-style hospitality (think streamlined gray and cream furnishings and high-tech amenities like flat-screen TVs and satellite channels) with touches of local influence: depictions of pagodas and traditional gateways figure in giant murals along the walls and central column in the lobby, and lantern-inspired pendant lighting hangs in the guest rooms. The hotel sits in theHoan Kiem district, within walking distance of the lake and the Old Quarter, making it an ideal base for urban exploration, but there’s also plenty on site to keep you occupied, from the Mediterranean buffet and the palm-fringed outdoor swimming pool to the fitness center and Marquee Club, a nighttime haunt that attracts young Hanoians intent on drinking and dancing into the wee hours.