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Forget the novelty mai tai in a tiki mug—bartenders in Oahu take full advantage of their lush surroundings and are creating libations that use ingredients like passion fruit syrup, smoked sugar cane, lemongrass, and ginger. Sure, you can find the kitschy tropical drinks, but they’ll more likely feature a hint of mezcal and the freshest pineapple juice than the cocktails your parents enjoyed on their honeymoon. The craft beer movement has even washed up on the shores of Waikīkī. Get ready for a sip of something fresh.

There are so many cafes in Cape Town, it’s not hard to find a place for brunch on the weekends or during the work week. A classic breakfast in Cape Town features eggs, slices of broiled tomato, Canadian-style bacon, and toast or pastries. Fresh fruit, granola and yogurt is also a common choice. For a local delicacy, try buttermilk rusks, which are best eaten after dipping for a few seconds in your morning coffee. These brunch spots will start your full day of sightseeing in Cape Town off right.

Shopping in Guadeloupe is a thrill. On the one hand you get the best of French goods, from perfumes and beauty products to trendy beach apparel, and on the other you get Guadeloupean arts and crafts. On Grande Terre, Sainte-Anne’s artisanal fabrics will have you renewing your beach closet, while the colorful markets of Pointe-a-Pitre are ideal for stocking up on cooking spices. Guadeloupean rhum—which also comes in delicious fruit flavors—and cacao are sold island-wide, while the shopping malls house French designer brands. The best packing advice for Guadeloupe is to save plenty of luggage space.

I can never forget our adventure to the northernmost inhabited island of the Philippines, called Itbayat Island, in Batanes. The weather is cooler than the rest of the Philippines and the surrounding terrain is just so different, I feel like I’m in another country. First of the adventure was the 3-hour boat ride across the rough seas in a Noah’s Ark-like 30 capacity boat. For a moment there, you will feel the vastness of the world enveloping you, and you can just surrender everything to God and Mother Nature. It’s definitely not for the weak at heart. Upon docking, you’d have to time yourself with the waves as you jump off, so as not to fall off into the water. Then a uphill trek along a very narrow pathway of 14 zigzag sections, up the steep mountain to await the open dump truck that served as our transport in the island. For the night, we stayed in one of the homestays in the island and was taken care of by the locals, who were very friendly and caring people. At Itbayat, you can really experience the outdoors as you catch your breath with all the beautiful sceneries around you. We started our 3-hour hike to the cave underneath the Torongan Hills (shown in the left middle area of the photo) and emerged into this beautiful sight as we circle our way to see the traditional boat-shaped burial markers (dark gray rocks at the lower left of photo) which were believed to belong to the ancient settlers here called Austronesians.

One traveler discovers a tradition even richer than the cuisine.

AFAR chose a destination at random—by literally spinning a globe—and sent comedian Jorma Taccone on a spontaneous journey to Nairobi, Kenya.

There are two distinct drinking scenes in Bali. Kuta is the hedonistic party town that goes all night every night, and just next door is the more refined and fashionable Seminyak. Whether you’re looking for a cold beer paired with a sunset view or a happy hour deal at a perfect dive bar, Bali has you covered. From high-end cocktails (and a stellar view) at the Rock Bar to the signature cocktail featuring exotic fruit (and, yes, another stellar view) at the Potato Head Bar to wham-bam-get-on-the-dance-floor-again-man shots (no view but loads of international DJs) at Eikon and beyond, there are so many new-to-you places to enjoy.

A journey into the ethnic neighborhoods redefining the City of Light

Uncorking Switzerland’s Secret

Shopping, the perfect pastime, in a country where fashion meets excruciatingly hot summer temperature. From traditional souks to air conditioned shopping center, many of Abu Dhabi’s most popular shopping spots offer an out-of-the-heat place to gather, dine, sit and talk over coffee...and shop. The large malls all include a supermarket along with international shops from jewelry and fashion to home goods and technology. Each place has its own speciality, whether it be a fruit, meat, and fish market, or, even, a ferris wheel.

Even visitors who have never cared about jewelry before find themselves mesmerized by the black pearls found in French Polynesia, scanning the loose pearls at pearl markets, visiting farms where the gleaming little seeds are cultivated, heading to the Robert Wan Pearl Museum (where, of course, you can buy the lovely items on exhibit). At the Papeete Municipal Market, or Marché de Papeete, browse the spectacular local fruit and fish, but stop by the stands selling locally produced vanilla and fragrant body products made with monoi oil (which is coconut oil infused with the scent of flowers). While you’ll hardly need a souvenir to remember these magical islands, it can’t hurt to pick up a gift made here.

What could an Alaska local ever discover on a voyage through the Inside Passage? Just the essence of the place he thought he knew.

After strolling Storm King Art Center or DIA Beacon, Tarry Lodge is the perfect stop on your way back to New York City. Mario Batali opened it up as a neighborhood restaurant for the Port Chester crowd and a go-to for out-of-town Manhattanites who love his Italian comfort food. Don’t miss the clam, chili, and oregano or pistachio and goat cheese pizzas. Waits can be long so if you’re trying to beat traffic just get take out from their curbside service.

Dining at Made in China at the Grand Hyatt is expensive, but the staff creates an excellent experience. Open kitchens allow you to catch a glimpse of the Peking ducks roasting in ovens over fruitwood-fueled fires. I always order the dumplings. —Fuchsia Dunlop This appeared in the May 2013 issue.

This is the saying on one of the signs inside the Honesty Cafe, a small little cafe near the port in Ivana, Batanes. Joe and Elena own this place and because they were so busy with many other chores elsewhere, they often had to leave their little cafe which eventually turned into a self-service cafe, where even the payment for the food, drinks or souvenir items you want to get are done by dropping them into a box just sitting on the countertop. Thus, the birth of Honesty Coffee Shop where Honesty is the Best Policy. Some of the other interesting reminders posted inside the cafe :) 1) Get what you need 2) Please pay for whatever you get 3) If you have no change, knock at the next door. If no one answers, sorry, so you give more than the price. But the Lord will give you more later on. May your tribe increase!