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Ah, Warmoesstraat, Amsterdam‘s heart of darkness, the street that never sleeps. Well, maybe...between 5:00–8:00am, after the junkies leave and before tourists arrive. Set adjacent to de Wallen, the city’s most famous Red Light District, this lively straat is home to the gay leather/fetish scene at shops like Warehouse, The Eagle, Argos, Dirty Dicks, RoB and MrB. Have dinner at Getto, an informal bistro with a less in-your-face gay vibe than other establishments on the street, offering drag queen-inspired burgers and international specialties at reasonable prices. Other dining options include Meatballs, Paella, Wok to Wok, Burger Bar and numerous holes-in-the-wall for pizza, shoarma or frites. For a nightcap hit Stone’s, a dive bar with attitude where the time is always 9:25.

Hong Kong has been one of the world’s most important ports for eons. This museum, an especially great destination for families with children, has more than a dozen galleries with exhibits highlighting the importance of the port of Hong Kong to China’s role in world trade throughout history. There are exhibits on sea bandits and on the development of Victoria Harbour. Explore collections of navigation equipment, ship models, nautical paintings, and photographs of traditional Chinese junks. There’s a cool gallery showcasing the sounds of the sea—whistles, bells, horns, the crash of waves, the clank of halyards, the thrum of engines—and another on passenger ships, whether they carry poor immigrants or leisure cruisers. A very realistic bridge simulator will give you a feel for maneuvering a range of vessels, from huge container barges to high-speed boats and even Hong Kong’s famous Star Ferry.

Most London hotels can’t claim to have a bowling alley in the basement. But then Ham Yard isn’t most hotels. The new address, opened in June 2014, also features a 190-seat cinema with Dolby surround sound, a spa with its own Hypoxic Studio for high-altitude training, a roof terrace with a full vegetable garden, and a karaoke bar curated by Lucky Voice. Ham Yard is the eighth opening for Firmdale Hotels, the chain run by husband-and-wife team Tim and Kit Kemp. Tim brings business brains to the partnership, while Kit handles the interior design. It’s this aspect for which the brand is best known, and Ham Yard is the most exuberant of Kit’s colorful creations. Kit has filled the space with her trademark mismatched fabrics and art works sourced from the likes of Shilo Engelbrecht. Curious touches, such as light installations from cult-creator Gods Own Junkyard, lend the hotel an idiosyncratic edge. The unusual name derives from the Soho square in which the hotel stands. Ham Yard’s emergence has not only created London’s hottest new opening, but also a courtyard space where locals come to sit and linger at the hotel’s partner shops, including Brazilian beachwear brand Frescobol Carioca and a Press London juice bar.

Design junkies will find plenty to love at The Cape on Monuments Beach. Designed by Mexican architect Javier Sánchez, the hotel eschews resort staples like wicker and rattan for a sleeker look that marries mid-century standards with locally sourced furnishings and art. In the 161 spacious guest rooms, leather headboards and copper-leafed tubs complement private tiled balconies with ocean views. The style extends to the public spaces, which include Manta (acclaimed Mexican chef Enrique Olvera’s globally inspired seafood restaurant), a saltwater pool, and a spa that’s cleverly tucked into a natural rock formation.

The Ute Mountaineer in Aspen was, like many shops of its ilk, born of a love for being outdoors. In this case, it started as a dream between two friends who were climbing in Europe one summer, one of whom had already owned the Boulder Mountaineer shop. They opened the new store in 1977, and it’s still family run to this day, in the historic Elks Building (once the Aspen Post Office). Their mission extends to the employees they hire, “the people who know and use the gear they sell,” and also to their community involvement: The store sponsors and runs several local races throughout the year, and hosts the Banff Mountain film festival.

It’s hard to say what’s the biggest draw at Capri Palace Hotel & Spa, a whitewashed retreat overlooking the Gulf of Naples with 68 rooms that blend stylish minimalism with beach-chic comfort. As the name implies, wellness junkies beeline to the property to indulge in anti-aging facials, body scrubs and massages, and signature leg treatments at Capri Beauty Farm, a 10,800-square-foot oasis of calm. Then there are the dining options. With its inventive coastal cuisine and impeccable service, L’Olivo is the island’s only restaurant with two Michelin stars, while the hotel’s beach club eatery Il Riccio earned a star of its own for its seafood-heavy Mediterranean menu; given the accolades, both spaces are much better looking than they need to be. Another strong contender: the pool. Though small, it features a wall studded with windows, so you can swim with a side of voyeurism.

This 7,000 square-foot, $13,000 a night suite is the ultimate in luxurious Hong Kong living. Perched on top of the amazingly well situated InterContinental Hong Kong, the Presidential Suite has everything you could possibly want including private terrace, pool, jacuzzi, gym, office and a master bath that has both a sauna and a steam room. There’s no better place to stay in Hong Kong if it’s luxury you’re after.

Music producer turned hotelier Chris Blackwell has made a name for himself converting Caribbean properties (Pink Sands on Harbour Island, GoldenEye in Jamaica) into jetset destinations with studios where his rock-and-roll friends can kick back while recording their next album, but it all began at Compass Point. Bob Marley, the Rolling Stones, and Eric Clapton have all stayed in some of the resort’s 18 rainbow-hued stand-alone huts, which are inspired by the colors of Bahama’s Junkanoo carnival and are simply furnished to encourage engagement with the outdoors; though the interiors are air-conditioned, most have sea-view balconies that are sighted to catch ocean breezes. In keeping with the theme, each comes with a surround-sound system and a library of CDs by artists who have recorded at Compass Point, but you’re just as likely to keep them off, preferring instead to listen to the waves that crash on the hotel’s small beach.

Junkanoo is one of the Bahamas’ most colorful traditions, a more than 200-year-old street celebration and parade, like Carnival with a Bahamian twist. It takes place during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. But visitors can learn about Junkanoo any time of year with a stop at the Educulture Junkanoo Museum on West Street in downtown Nassau. The museum’s exhibits highlight the history of the celebration, along with examples of the elaborate costumes, music, and dances that take place during the events. There’s also an interactive element, with visitors invited to make masks and learn how to dance to Bahamian music. The Educulture Junkanoo Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At this intimate Marylebone hotel, there’s a unique history that goes beyond its setting in a Regency townhouse, or its location overlooking one of London’s earliest cricket grounds. Of more interest to hotel junkies is the fact that, back in 1985, this was the first hotel opened by Tim and Kit Kemp, who went on to found the much-loved Firmdale Hotels group, which now has properties throughout London and New York City. Though the couple sold Dorset Square in 2002, they re-bought it in 2012, and gave it a thorough re-do to bring it back to their signature style standard.

The 38 rooms now feature modern English décor, complete with individually selected furnishings and eye-catching fabrics, as well as Wi-Fi, iPod docking stations, and granite bathrooms with walk-in showers or bathtubs. The top-tier Marylebone Room kicks it up a notch with grey wool walls and a separate sitting room. Some of the rooms run small, but luckily there are comfy public spaces in which to hang out, including a lovely ground floor library with fireplace, honor bar, and views of the square. The Potting Shed restaurant is both a guest and local favorite for its gourmet menu and all-day afternoon tea, as well as its Chef’s Table dinners and weekend Prosecco Brunch. The team here can also put together a custom picnic hamper, stocked with eats, drinks, and a blanket for enjoying in the square or nearby Regent’s Park.

A tour of CNN Center offers a fascinating look at what it takes to run the 24-hour news cycle. At the world headquarters, founded by media icon Ted Turner in 1980, guests can tour the actual news desks and see a replica of the famed green screen. If you’re lucky, you might also witness the filming of segments for shows like HLN Morning Express and Headline News, which are based here.

A visit to Hong Kong isn’t complete without a ride on a sampan. Head to the Aberdeen Promenade along the southwestern shoreline of Hong Kong Island and hop aboard a sampan, one of the small local boats operated mostly by elderly Tanka and Hoklo women who hail from the traditional boat-dwelling seafaring community. For the equivalent of about $10 per person, get a 30-minute ride around Aberdeen Harbour, under Ap Lei Chau Bridge, and past the other junks, houseboats, trawlers, fancy yachts, and even giant cargo vessels and cruise ships. For a voyage with a bit more emphasis on sightseeing, try one of the two popular red-sailed junks—the historic 36-passenger Duk Ling and the replica 80-passenger Aqua Luna—that can be boarded either from the Tsim Sha Tsui Piers or Central Pier 9.

A 600-suite hotel within a hotel, The Cove is the most luxurious of the room towers at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort. Kids aren’t banned, but the vibe is definitely grown-up—witness the adults-only Cove Pool, with its DJ-driven party scene, outdoor gaming tables, and mating-ritual pool wear. But there’s a sense of sophistication in the two-story lobby, which soars above ponds of water lilies, as well as the suites, which have balconies with ocean views, sunken living rooms, and marble-floored bathrooms. All the activities of Atlantis, including those that make adults feel young again—such as the Abyss and Leap of Faith waterslides, or the dolphin encounters—are only steps or a free shuttle ride away. Also available is immersive programming that connects guests to the rich history, art, people, food, and festivities of the islands, from exhibits showcasing regional artists and a weekly Junkanoo Fest & Feast (honoring a more than 500-year-old tradition) to five new outposts of beloved local Bahamian restaurants.

Tucked away on Dowanside and Ruthven Lanes, a retro haven awaits in the form of several independent vintage stores showcasing garments from the 1920s onwards. One favorite choice is Relics, Glasgow’s “junk” store. The living embodiment of the idea that one person’s clutter is another’s treasure, it is teeming with antique typewriters, watches, clocks, and a plethora of instruments from mandolins to harmonicas.

As you look at the chair, the vintage country-style fabrics will initially catch your eye, but it’s the suitcase frame that will make you do a double take. To Katie Thompson, the fit between old and new only seems natural. A graduate of the Design Time School of Interior Design in Cape Town, she’s been hoarding old housewares like suitcases, telephones, and typewriters and recycling them into functional pieces of furniture for years. Now that the Recreate showroom has moved into Katie’s original workspace on Stow Street in Salt River, travelers have a unique opportunity to see some of her pieces in development while shopping. You can also grab a cup of coffee and sit for a moment on the front patio before heading onwards to explore the rest of the Woodstock and Salt River neighborhood.