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There’s so much history—and even more flavor—packed inside every spoonful of this traditional soup.

AFAR chose a destination at random and sent the poet Beth Ann Fennelly with 24-hours’ notice to a Central American paradise.

When a traveler faces grief in Varanasi, his perspective on life and death goes up in smoke.

You don’t necessarily need to know how to wield a paintbrush to participate in these seven art-filled tours.

A number of influences combined to make Belizean cuisine what it is today. Sample Creole chicken stew in Belize City, Mestizo tamales or escabeche on Ambergris Caye, Mayan fish in San Pedro, Garifuna hudut in Hopkins, or Mayan caldo in Punta Gorda. Here is a list of the best restaurants in Belize to sample it all in.

Cancun and the Riviera Maya have white-sand beaches, Mayan ruins, and outdoor recreation galore. Luckily, this area on the Caribbean coast is also home to some of Mexico’s best hotels, from luxurious resorts to laidback, bohemian retreats. Whether you’re in search of wellness, romance, or adventures like zip-lining and scuba diving, you’ll find a stay that meets your needs and more.

Surrounded by Mayan ruins and one of the most luxurious tropical environments in the world, Cancun is rich with cultural and natural history. Its vibrancy attracts visitors year-round.

From the Belize Barrier Reef near the Great Blue Hole to a wildlife sanctuary in Northern Belize, these are some of the best places in Belize to visit on your next trip.

Just 45-minutes north of Belize City, Altun Ha is a complex of Mayan ruins dating back hundreds of years. Once the “treasury” for the Mayan people, Altun Ha is one of the most important Mayan sites in the country. Go on a tour of the place with Foolish Dreamzzz, a locally owned operator that will take your group at any size (and the price per person doesn’t change, whether you’re in a group of one or ten). Ask for Kendis Ferguson, the owner and a former history and social studies teacher. He and his company go above and beyond to make sure guests have all their questions answered, and he’ll even make sure you get to climb to the top of the ruins—something not a lot of tour guides in the area make the time to do. The views from there, of course, are amazing.

For traditional Mexican handicrafts, Mercado Coral Negro is the easiest place to find all your wares. Here you can purchase jewelry, mayan relics, and unique creations from all over the region. The most beautiful items are the embroidered garments created from local cotton and dyed using traditional methods.

Compared to other ancient pyramids in Mexico, the ruins at Xochitecatl draw relatively few visitors (we counted a dozen or so during our hour there). The Pyramid of Flowers and other pre-Columbian stone structures sprawl across 30 acres atop the dome of an extinct volcano. The 360-degree panorama takes in the entire Puebla-Tlaxcala Valley, with unobstructed views of the Popocatepetl, Iztaccihuatl, and La Malinche volcanoes, as well as nearby Cacaxtla, site of famous still-colorful Mayan-style murals painted 1,300 or more years ago.

Once the vacation home of the Italian Duchess Rosa de Ferrari, this exceptional estate was converted into a hotel in 2005. 2014 marked the arrival of a new owner and a new era for the property. Today, Hotel Esencia is an elegant small resort on one of the prettiest beaches on the Mayan Riviera. Surrounded by 50 acres of lush jungle and manicured, palm-fringed grounds, Esencia pairs the amenties and comforts of a larger hotel with the attentive care typical of a boutique property or B&B. Amenities include two swimming pools, a spa, and two restaurants. In the spacious rooms, lots of details stand out: iPod surround systems, well-stocked minifridges, 600-thread-count sheets, and walk-in closets.

Secluded and service-oriented are the adjectives that best describe Rosewood Mayakoba, a resort in Playa del Carmen that opened in 2008. At 1,600 acres, the resort is expansive, offering plenty of room for guests to feel that they have their own space. Rooms, too, are spacious and have either tile or wooden floors, comfortable beds and chairs, and a layout and design that draws guests to outside spaces such as patios and balconies. The sense of privacy is reinforced by special en suite features, including private plunge pools, garden showers, and sundecks. Service, which includes butler, concierge, and valet support, is first-class. Staff can facilitate or organize a wide range of experiences, both on the hotel property and in the surrounding area. These range from horseback riding on the beach and ocean kayaking to private dining and aerial tours of the Mayan site Chichén Itzá.

When planning a recent trip to Guatemala, I luckily stumbled upon the webpage of a unique retreat on the shores of Lake Petén Itzá, called Ni’tun. My friend Joan and I had decided to visit Tikal and other Mayan sites in Petén and wanted to have a “home base” where we could stay for several days and take day trips around the region. Reading about Ni’tun, I realized we found exactly what we were looking for - a peaceful lodge in natural surroundings. Lorena, one of the co-owners, arranged all details of our day tours for us, communicating regularly by email prior to our arrival. We expected a peaceful, natural retreat, and were not disappointed. Set on a hillside with its own private dock and boat for transportation to Flores and other towns around the lake, Ni’tun’s main building and the guest houses (casitas) were designed and built in traditional Mayan style. Our casita was spacious with two queen beds and outdoor seating. The two-story dining and bar area, pictured here, allows for outdoor dining and a relaxing place to enjoy drinks after a day of trekking through the jungle. Lorena, a talented chef, does most of the cooking, using organic, healthy ingredients, and she prepared one fabulous meal after another (vegetarian meals for me, and gluten-free for my friend Joan). We enjoyed premium Guatemalan rum -- Zacapa Centenario -- over ice (and learned: never use it as a mixer, it is one of the finest rums in the world). We left all stress behind the minute we arrived!

Sunny as it is, Cabo has never been known for its beaches because of its rough surf. Not so at adults-only ME, however, which sits on the area’s only swimmable stretch of shoreline, in view of the famous El Arco rock formation. While the 162 rooms are the picture of tranquility (deep soaking tubs, private balconies), the hotel itself boasts a party atmosphere—a house DJ spins by the pool, and bottle service is available in the cabanas on the pool terrace. Thankfully, there’s also a spa specializing in traditional Aztec and Mayan-inspired treatments (don’t miss the temazcal cleansing ritual), so you can rejuvenate before returning home.