Search results for

Also known as the “Get-Out-of-Marfa” road trip.

Take a tour of this Greek city through the tastebuds of this Boston chef.

Swanky cocktails, dramatic patios, street-party vibes—the Tel Aviv happy hour scene is buzzing

AFAR chose a destination at random and sent chef John Currence on 24 hours’ notice to a hot, sweet, sticky country where he followed a trail through the cuisine to the people who make it.

Overview

This acclaimed ice cream parlor with more than 15 locations (most Santiago malls have one) dishes out every imaginable flavor. Regulars crave dulce de leche, lifted from the namesake caramel dessert. Or try the Chilean classic called café helado, a tall glass of strong, chilled coffee with a scoop of ice cream at the bottom and whipped cream on top. ¡Ay, yi, yi! A rare spot for decaf coffee, as well as sugar-free and gluten-free treats, La Rosa serves breakfast, lunch, and high tea.

Located within the People’s Park, MoCA debuted in 2005 as the first independent and contemporary art house in Shanghai. Exhibitions highlight young, emerging Chinese artists as well as global powerhouses. A Chanel introspective, for instance, featured film reels, couture pieces, and other items that helped chart the brand’s inspirations. On sunny days, the rooftop patio and bar is a fantastic place to kick back and enjoy the scenery from a birds-eye view. Photo by Libby Rosof//Flickr.

Local transport by fishing boat took us across China’s Lake Erhai and provided this etherial scene. Starting in old town Dali, a resident guide took us to a Yi village where the people and places we encountered were surprising and wonderful. From the long sheets of drying shrimp along the roadside to the beautiful faces of Bai babies strapped to the backs of their mothers at the market -- It was a day worthy of sustaining anyone’s travel longings.

The Baima Lu Bar Street has all the choices you need for a night out on the town. Here, you’ll find various establishments serving a selection of wine, cocktails, and draught beer, and offering everything from live music to sports broadcasts. Shao Yuan Yi Hao, in particular, is worth a visit. A tastefully restored warehouse, this bar is the last on the strip and has upscale liquor and imported beers on its drinks list. It also bears the same name as the nickname for this entire entertainment area, which comes alive at night.

If you need a landmark, look no further. You’ll find this church soaring above the Ningbo skyline, always letting you know where you are. It’s at the far edge of Tianyi Square, so after some hectic shopping and running around, the church provides a tranquil place to sit and enjoy a quiet moment.

Located in the Muslim Quarter in Xi’an, China is the Great Mosque, the country’s oldest and most renowned mosque. The mosque dates back to 742 AD. From all outward appearances, it looks like a Chinese temple and not a mosque; pagodas have replaced minarets. Look closely though and you will see the Arabic lettering that tells you that this is an Islamic mosque through and through. If you happen to be visiting in the afternoon, you might even catch the call to prayer. The start of the Muslim Quarter begins at Beiyuanmen Islamic Street, which is located just around the corner from Xi’an’s Drum Tower. The mosque itself is tucked inside a neighborhood street and while there are signs that point you in the right direction, the signs can be hard to spot so you will likely have to ask for help. If you decide to visit the mosque, remember to dress appropriately before you go and if you’re a woman, make sure you bring along a scarf to cover your head. Only about 2% of China’s population is Muslim so it is rare to see a mosque. The Hui people are the predominant race of Muslims in China and their lifestyle is very different from that of the dominant Han race. If you have never had a taste of Chinese Islamic life, spend some time visiting the mosque and walking Beiyuanmen Islam Street. Try sampling some of the Chinese Islamic food specialties.

The first new building to be constructed on the Bund in 60 years, the terraced, granite Peninsula opened in October 2009. Celebrating the city’s Roaring Twenties, the standalone hotel creates a grand sense of arrival with a sweeping driveway. Art Deco design elements occur throughout the property, and traditional decor employs lacquer, marble, granite, wood, and original art. Rooms and suites come with spacious dressing rooms with a full-length valet box for discreet delivery of laundry and packages; they also feature Peninsula’s industry-leading, intuitive in-room technology, with room functions controlled at the touch of a button, and VOIP telephones that allow guests to make free local and international calls. For arrival and departure in style, book the hotel’s Rolls-Royce Phantoms or 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II. The property also has China’s first hotel private yacht, a British-built Princess 54 model.

This “Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven” was once the heart of Korea. It was the power center of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897), and was originally built in 1395—some new digs for a new dynasty. Like the Forbidden City in Beijing, the palace is a complex of buildings—a throne hall, the king’s living quarters and more—a sort of city inside a city, accented by gardens and pavilions. The Japanese flattened the place in the 1590s, and the site remained a ruin until a complete reconstruction in 1867 brought back more than 500 buildings. At the Gwanghwamun Gate, soldiers, beautifully costumed in red robes, still perform the changing of the guard. Seoul has other palaces, but this is the one to see if your time in town is limited.

Puerto Rico is sought by surfers worldwide for its numerous reef breaks and clean swells. What some might not know is that the waves aren’t just restricted to the popular west side of the island. The North coast has some excellent surf spots too, and there are a couple within the near shore areas of the Ritz-Carlton’s Dorado Beach. If you would like to try these out, head over to the Barlovento’s East beach and GoodWinds water sports, near the East golf course. It’s a windy spot, and perfect for kite boarders. But Phil and Andy have all you need to surf the sets of Dorado. They can accommodate you for tow-in surf too, taking thrill seekers out to the outer reefs. Prefer to stay near shore? There are a couple other paddle out spots that these guys can direct you to, like the one shown in the photo located past the west beach area.

An ethnic minority living in the Central Highlands provinces, the Bahnar are as renowned for their musical prowess, achieved with bamboo instruments that include the fiddle and xylophone, as their soaring, thatched-roof rongs (meetinghouses used for community activities), some of which climb as high as 50 feet. The quiet town of Kon Tum, located a couple of hours from the point where the borders of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam connect—and the border-crossing station into Laos at Bo Y—is a good base from which to explore the numerous Bahnar villages nearby. For the less adventurous, there are a few villages within Kon Tum itself. The nearest airport to Kon Tum is in Pleiku, about 25 miles away.