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This tiny island is north of Isla Mujeres and Cancun and is only 26 miles long and offers visitors in search of a “Robinson Crusoe” experience the perfect escape. Long, sweeping beaches beckon with water sports, snorkeling, sport fishing, and total R&R. A shallow lagoon gives sanctuary to thousands of flamingos, pelicans and other exotic birds and creatures, allowing visitors the perfect spot in which to commune with nature. Several good restaurants and hotels are available and tours to area attractions can be arranged by ferry and small plane. Getting around the island is via bicycle or golf cart.

A devastating fire on April 15, 2019, has closed the interior of the cathedral to visitors. Plans to rebuild and reopen the structure are being made, but at present, visitors are not allowed near the site.
For a first-time visitor to Notre Dame, investing in the audio guide is essential to understand this overwhelmingly significant Paris icon. There’s a lot to see and absorb—history, architecture, artifacts, theology—and the audio guide gives a much-needed sense of direction and context. Even without spiritual ties, the awe-inspiring grandeur of the cathedral is not to be missed from every angle—tour the naves, stroll around the entirety of the exterior, take in the city from the top of the towers, walk along Quai de Montebello to view it from across the water, or admire it from a river cruise down the Seine. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris is everything everyone says it is and more.

Nothing is a more powerful symbol of the City of Light than the Eiffel Tower. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Paris Exposition, it’s one of the world’s most-visited monuments, with nearly 7 million people ascending the 1,062-foot wrought-iron structure each year. Glass elevators spirit you to the top—hardy souls can take the stairs part of way—where in addition to unparalleled panoramic views of Paris, you can toast your arrival with a glass of bubbly at the Champagne bar. Evenings there’s a grand light show: every hour on the hour, the tower sparkles for five minutes with 20,000 bulbs.

This 2016 newcomer to the centuries-old town of Aix-en-Provence lures passersby with samples. Inside, the shop stocks more than 15 varieties of nougat for your test-tasting pleasure, among them, nutella, rum raisin, and salted butter caramel. It’s all sweetened the traditional way, with honey, not sugar, and carved from giant cake-like mounds. Our scientific finding is that nougat works equally well as a sightseeing pick-me-up and a souvenir for folks back home.

The Power and the Glory is a cool bistro in the center of Cape Town that has attracted a cult following among locals. The relaxed style, the bearded staff, the folding chairs, and the sidewalk stools may remind you of a Brooklyn cafe. If you can snag a chair, it makes for a great place to work or to have a meeting over a light breakfast. In the evening, the place is usually packed with revelers. Try the quiche in the morning, the pretzel bun hot dog in the evening, and the Nutella cheesecake for dessert.

Though it’s been catapulted to stardom by a thousand colorful Instagram posts of milkshakes, Black Tap is more than an ice cream parlor. Styled as a New York burger joint, the menu includes 13 different burgers, from the Texan—topped with aged cheddar, crispy onions, and beef bacon—to the falafel “burger” with hummus, feta, and tahini. The cocktail selection includes the bourbon-based Kentucky Made with cucumber and mint. The main event, though, is the milkshake—the vanilla, chocolate, and Nutella concoctions are so popular that even Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan has stopped by for a taste. Black Tap is in the five-star Jumeirah Al Naseem Hotel.

Do you love waffles like most well-adjusted members of society do? Then you’ll be a big fan of the Waffle Bus. This innovative Houston food truck offers a variety of savory and sweet waffle sandwiches that will put your taste buds on high alert. Waffle sandwiches on the menu here include buttermilk fried chicken, Nutella and banana, and the decadent Strawberry Irish Cream Crème Brûlée. The truck frequents various neighborhoods in Houston; check the website for the most up-to-date location information. If you’re in town for a special event, you can even order catering.

Just a five-minute walk from the popular Market 28 souvenir zone downtown, Café con Gracia has earned a stellar reputation among 20-something locals for its refreshing frappés (choose from an extensive menu like mint, mango, bubble gum, and Nutella). Adorable if tight, this former residence serves coffee drinks and desserts in its backyard garden, indoor rooms, and front terrace. Also on the menu are tasty bagels, waffles, and other beloved breakfast items. Daytime is quiet at this indoor-outdoor venue, but in the evenings, it can fill with customers.

There may not be an assembly line at My French Factory, but there are griddles that turn out delectable crepes. Helmed by two Parisian chefs, this café in Pantai Cenang offers a number of sweet combinations, including homemade salted caramel and almonds, raspberries and white chocolate, and fresh lemon juice and sugar. You can also savor a galette, a buckwheat crepe that can be stuffed with such fillings as mushrooms and tomato sauce or ham, egg, and cheese. Whether it’s a crepe or something else, just don’t leave My French Factory without trying a dessert. Other worthy candidates include Nutella milkshakes, tiramisu, and ice cream-topped waffles.

On this week’s episode of Unpacked, we explore one of the world’s most diverse cities—which didn’t really start out that way.