Blog Archives
Best Trips 2013
The National Geographic Traveler editors present the new year’s 20 must-see places.
Hudson Valley
Photograph by S. Falke, laif/Redux
New York’s original art show
Not even Rip Van Winkle could sleep through the cultural clarion of today’sHudson Valley. The legendary snoozer in Washington Irving’s tale might descend from his Catskill Mountains hollow to find some of the country’s best folk musicians at the Clearwater Festival in Croton-on-Hudson. Founded by now 93-year-old Pete Seeger, the festival marks its 35th anniversary in 2013. “The Hudson must surely be one of the world’s most extraordinary streams,” says Seeger. “Other rivers are longer and start higher, but my wife and I and our daughter look every day from the windows of our two-room house and see the Hudson. Bless it!”
Just a couple hours north of New York City, this is a land of mom-and-pop shops, “u-pick” wildflower fields, and organic farm stands where “chain” is a four-letter word. Between the Culinary Institute of America grads too enchanted to leave Hyde Park and the influx of NYC chefs realizing the land is greener (and apartments bigger) here, area eateries such as Blue Hill at Stone Barns are stoking locavore passions.
Artists of all media find their muses here. Take a drive to the newly expanded Hudson River School Art Trail to see 17 sites in New York that inspired America’s great mid-19th-century landscape paintings. “The views that compose the art trail are a national treasure,” says Elizabeth B. Jacks, director of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. Or visit museums such as the outdoor Storm King Art Center sculpture park to see the work of contemporary visionaries.
Some villages marry art and music famously. In the wonderfully weird and artsy Woodstock, indie performers and music icons rub elbows and grab crusty loaves at Bread Alone Bakery. Budding musicians bring their bongos to the weekly hippie drum circle on the Village Green.
Much like Rip, Hudson Valley wanderers often wake up to find this is where they long to rest their vagabond souls. —Sascha Zuger
Travel Tips
When to Go: May-October; fall foliage and harvest festivals mid-September through October.
Where to Stay: The Olde Rhinebeck Inn’s mid-Hudson Valley location north of Hyde Park and easy access to the New York State Thruway (I-87) make the historic bed-and-breakfast an ideal base for area day trips. Original architectural details in the restored 1745 farmhouse include wide plank living room floors and hand-hewn chestnut beams.
How to Get Around: Driving offers the most flexibility. From New York City, drive north on either side of the Hudson River via I-87 (tolls) or U.S. 9W on the west or the scenic Taconic State Parkway or Route 9 on the east. Add a boat cruise (May-October, Hudson River Cruises) or scenic train ride (Metro-North Railroad).
Where to Eat or Drink: Book a table two months in advance at elegant Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Menus list the day’s fresh ingredients. Identify any you don’t want in your Farmer’s Feast (five courses, $108; eight courses, $148; 12 courses, $208).
What to Read Before You Go: Hudson River Valley Farms: The People and the Pride Behind the Produce, by Joanne Michaels and Rich Pomerantz (2009). Illustrated, insider’s portrait of 44 Hudson Valley farmers and their farms includes driving directions to each featured farm, plus a directory of nearly a hundred local farmers markets.
Fun Fact: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is the final resting place of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow author Washington Irving. Other notable residents include Harry and Leona Helmsley, whose lavish mausoleum offers Manhattan skyline views (on a stained-glass window).
Helpful Links: Hudson River Valley Tourism
Thessaloniki
Photograph by Peter Schickert, Alamy
A bolt of Greece lightning
Thessaloniki’s sparkling harbor is almost empty—a good thing. It remains one of the last urban seafronts in southern Europe not hemmed in by a giant marina. Instead, wooden caïques still ply the quiet bay while footpaths trace the meandering waterfront of Greece’s second largest city, some 320 miles north—and a world away—from chaotic Athens.
Although the euro crisis has caused ripples of discontentment here, it’s the century-old street markets filled with ripe fruits and barrels of fresh feta that symbolize this city. Tucked between relics of Byzantine and Ottoman antiquity are art galleries, bohemian nightclubs, and culinary hot spots, all part of a grassroots vision turned reality by Thessaloniki’s large (about 50 percent of the population) do-it-yourself youth culture. “We are driven by our optimism and positive energy for a new way of living that embraces our heritage,” says Vicky Papadimitiou, a university graduate who helped Thessaloniki garner official status as the 2014 European Youth Capital.
The best way to get the feel of this mission-driven city is on foot, walking from the ruins of Ano Poli to Aristotelous Square on the waterfront. Then cozy up to a café to nibble grilled calamari washed down with dry Macedonian wine. —Costas Christ
Travel Tips
When to Go: High season is July-August. June and September offer summerlike weather but lighter crowds.
Relevant Dates: International Thessaloniki Film Festival is every November; the annual International Book Fair is in May.
Where to Stay: Walk to museums, cafes, and Aristotelous Square from sleek and serene Daios Luxury Living hotel. Executive Sea View rooms overlook the gulf, the landmark White Tower, and the harbor.
How to Get Around: Blue and white OASTH (Urban Transport Organization of Thessaloniki) buses are a safe, efficient, and affordable option for city and area-wide travel.
Where to Eat or Drink: Try Nea Diagonios for soutzoukakia (spiced meatballs) and gyros, 7 Thalasses (Seven Seas) for mithopilafo (mussels with rice), andMpakaliarakia tou Aristou for fish and chips. Save room for Thessaloniki’s signature sweet, trigona. The syrup-soaked baklava stuffed with cream is handmade at Trigona Elenidis pastry shop.
What to Buy: Shop for exotic spices and sample fresh fruits at traditional markets, including glass-roofed Modiano and the Kapani food market, and in the shops around Athonos Square.
What to Watch Before You Go: Never on Sunday, a 1960 comedy classic in which popular Greek actress turned politician Melina Mercouri introduced international cinema audiences to the natural beauty, bouzouki music, and joy of Greek life.
Fun Fact: In 316 B.C., Macedonian King Kassandros renamed the village of Therma Thessaloniki after his wife, the half sister of Alexander the Great. Legend says the queen (murdered by her middle son) lives on as an Aegean mermaid.
Grenada
Photograph by Christian Heeb, laif/Redux
Caribbean with a smile
It’s one of the last truly Caribbean islands, not yet overwhelmed by resorts and cruise ship crowds. The charm of this lush island lies beyond the white-sand beach of Grand Anse and its string of hotels.
Grenada’s capital, St. George’s, is one of the prettiest towns in the Caribbean, its jumble of orange roofs tumbling down to the harbor. There, the gray stones of Fort George evoke a history that runs from 1705 through the dark days of 1983, when a military coup by a Communist hard-liner prompted President Ronald Reagan’s invasion of the island.
That was an unhappy exception to a happy rule: Grenadian traditions are an amiable mix of African, Indian, and European—much of it coming together every April on the country’s little Carriacou island. The Maroon Festival features drums, string bands, dances, and the “Shakespeare Mas,” in which costumed contestants hurl island-accented recitations from Julius Caesar at each other. Really.
The weekly “Fish Friday” festival in Gouyave, Grenada’s seafood town, offers a marine taste of true Caribbean. Vendors fill the air with scents of fish cakes, shrimp, conch, and beer. Street music makes it a party, with visitors welcome. For most Grenadians, tourists are guests, not sales targets.
Nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and mace made Grenada the “Spice Island,” and culinary opportunity persists today. The Belmont Estate serves up such local fare as callaloo soup and bergamot ice cream. The dark slabs from the Grenada Chocolate Company are so determinedly organic that chocolate bars exported to Europe have been shipped by wind power on a square-rigged brigantine.
With mangrove-fringed coastlines and coral reefs just offshore, there’s plenty of nature. At Mount Hartman, with the right guide at the right time, you might see the national bird: the shy Grenada dove. Fewer than 150 remain on Earth. Indeed, Grenada is becoming a rare bird itself. —Jonathan B. Tourtellot
Travel Tips
When to Go: Dry season, January-May. (Hurricane/rainy season is June-December.)
Relevant Dates: The three-day Carriacou Maroon & String Band Music Festival is typically held in late April.
Where to Stay: All 12 rooms at La Sagesse Nature Centre, a 25-minute drive from St. George’s, are steps from the intimate resort’s palm-shaded beach. Stay in the former plantation’s original manor house or a duplex suite, cottage, or low-slung oceanfront guesthouse. The beachside restaurant (open to the public) serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and its signature chocolate mousse (prepared with local organic chocolate) seven days a week.
How to Get Around: For island-wide touring, rent a car at the airport. Public minivan routes connect St. George’s to Grand Anse Beach and the island’s other major cities. Taxi service is readily available from the airport. Several local tour operators offer group and private transportation and sightseeing options.
Where to Eat or Drink: The open-air restaurant at Belmont Estate serves a three-course lunch buffet spotlighting homegrown spices, fruits, and vegetables. Lunch is served Sunday-Friday beginning at noon.
What to Buy: Locally grown and produced ground spices and essential oils from the Market Square in St. George’s; The Grenada Chocolate Company organic dark chocolate bars at Belmont Estate.
What to Listen to Before You Go: Grenada: Creole and Yaruba Voices, Caribbean Voyage: 1962 Field Recordings, produced by Alan Lomax. Legendary folk music hunter Lomax recorded the rich linguistic and stylistic variety of the English-, French-, and Spanish-speaking eastern Caribbean on a six-month, 1962 field trip to the Lesser Antilles.
Fun Fact: According to legend, Grenada owes its Isle of Spice status to an East Indies doctor who brought the first nutmeg trees to the island in the 1830s. The tree produces the island’s principal export crops—nutmeg and mace.
Helpful Links: Grenada Board of Tourism
Bodø
Photograph by Karl Lehmann, Getty Images
Norway’s gateway to the Arctic
Flying into Bodø, the plane descends over a seascape covering thousands of isles, while the final approach offers a close-up view of the majestic glaciers and peaks guarding this small capital of Norway’s Nordland Province. Arriving by sea (often and deservedly called “the world’s most beautiful sea voyage”), the famous Hurtigruten coastal ships give passengers a glimpse to the northwest of the imposing 62-mile chain of spiky mountains that forms the mythic-seeming Lofoten archipelago.
Bodø is less than one degree north of the Arctic Circle. Without the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, the landscape would be a frozen, inhospitable waste at this latitude. In fact, Bodø offers cycling, skiing, hiking, caving, climbing, and fishing. Many visitors come here for the unique Arctic light, whether the soft pastels of winter that crescendo in a display of aurora borealis or the orange glow of summer’s midnight sun (the best viewpoint for both is from the Landegode lighthouse). Don’t leave without seeing the Saltstraumen sound, where deep, swirling eddies form every six hours with the change in tides as the equivalent of 160,000 Olympic-size pools of water surge through a narrow passage. Above all, northern Norway has this to offer: the absence of distractions and the chance of an intimate encounter with awe-inspiring nature.—Arild Molstad
Travel Tips
When to Go: Early June-early July for the midnight sun; September-April for northern lights.
Where to Stay: The waterfront Rica Hotel Bodø and newly renovated Clarion Collection Hotel Grand Bodø (breakfast and a light evening buffet included) are conveniently located near shops, restaurants, and museums.
How to Get Around: In town, walk (airport is less than a mile from the city center) or take the local bus. Hop a fast ferry for island and coastal day trips. Take theNordland Railway south to Trondheim, or a bus for destinations north.
Where to Eat or Drink: Try harborside Bryggerikaia for grilled tørrfisk (cod), fish soup, and fresh prawns. For drinks, panoramic mountain and sea views are included at the Radisson Blu Hotel’s Top 13 Rooftop Bar.
What to Read Before You Go: Out Stealing Horses, by Per Petterson (2007). The award-winning novel by the acclaimed Norwegian novelist is a hauntingly mesmerizing introduction to the quiet, stark beauty of remote, northern Norway.
Fun Fact: Norway is home to Europe’s largest breeding population of white-tailed eagles, an estimated 3,500 to 4,000 pairs. The massive raptor (Europe’s biggest) has eight talons, a wingspan of over eight feet, and can live 20 to 25 years.
Helpful Links: Visit Bodø, Bodø Tourist Information
Valparaíso
Photograph by Frank Tophoven, laif/Redux
Chile’s soulful port apart
Generations of creative pilgrims have been hooked by Valparaíso’s weathered beauty and bohemian vibe. Travelers have followed suit, coming for the romantic allure of its 42 cerros (hills) that ascend sharply from the water. Stacked high with faded mansions, 19th-century funiculars, and battered cobblestones, Valparaíso stands in contrast to the glitzy Viña del Mar resort town to the north. As Chile’s vital harbor, it retains the signature grittiness and edge that often endow ports. But Valparaíso is also welcoming a boom of eateries serving inventive Chilean fare, quirky bars offering hoppy microbrews, and antiques-packed B&Bs.
Pablo Neruda, whose former home, La Sebastiana, still lords over Cerro Bellavista, wrote Valparaíso-inspired verse: “I love, Valparaíso, everything you enfold, and everything you irradiate, sea bride … I love the violent light with which you turn to the sailor on the sea night.” A meander through its tangle of steep alleyways and stairways reveals eye-catching street art and ocean views from pedestrian passages that hug the slopes. Then a cool breeze comes off the Pacific, night falls, and silhouettes of hills appear against darker skies, infusing Valparaíso with poetry that seeps through its every pore. —Anja Mutić
>> See more photos of Best Trips 2013: Valparaíso, Chile.
Travel Tips
When to Go: November-March (Southern Hemisphere summer)
Relevant Dates: The city is packed at the end of December for the raucous Carnaval de Valparaíso, culminating in a New Year’s Eve fireworks show over the harbor.
Where to Stay: Book a bay view room or suite in a restored Cerro Alegre mansion-turned-boutique hotel like plush Casa Higueras or family-run Hotel Acontraluz.
How to Get Around: Use buses, trolleybuses, and shared taxis (colectivos) for local travel, and Metro Valparaíso, called Merval, for regional trips. Ride the remaining (about 15) funky funicular railways (ascensores) up to hilltop neighborhoods.
Where to Eat or Drink: Wander among the fresh fruit, vegetable, flower, and fish stalls at El Mercado Cardonal (closed Sundays), then head upstairs to any of the market’s small, affordable seafood restaurants. Grab beer and chorrillana (a local fried steak, egg, potato, and onion concoction) at a traditional port pub like Bar La Playa on Calle Serrano.
What to Buy: On weekends and during holidays, browse through rare and secondhand books at Feria de Antiguedades y Libros La Merced.
What to Read Before You Go: Inés of My Soul: A Novel, by Isabel Allende (English, 2006), is a sweeping tale about Chile’s founding mother, Doña Inés Suárez, woven with historical facts and engaging storytelling.
Fun Fact: Valparaíso’s funiculars operate on the basic 16th-century pulley-track concept engineered at Hohensalzburg Fortress in Salzburg, Austria. One major difference: The original incline railway employed prisoners, then oxen, to power the pulley, while Valparaíso’s uses engines.
Helpful links: National Tourism Service of Chile
Missouri River Breaks
Photograph by Christian Heeb, Aurora
Big sky, bigger adventures in Montana
Today Lewis and Clark wouldn’t recognize most of their route from St. Louis to the Pacific. But there’s one place they’d know in a heartbeat: a 149-mile stretch of the Missouri River in north-central Montana. It still contains the “scenes of visionary enchantment” the explorers found in 1805, where rugged sandstone canyons meet the river, then climb to a seemingly limitless prairie full of life. Bighorn sheep and elk sip from the river while antelope scamper. Eagles scream, coyotes sing, and prairie dogs do that funky dance. Even bison are back, thanks to the American Prairie Reserve, a group stitching together three million acres of public and private land for wildlife.
For locals, this place where erosion slashes the prairie is simply “the Breaks.” Some people explore it by canoe, often starting at Fort Benton (make time for the frontier history museums) and paddling for days and days. Others keep their feet dry, but the one thing everybody can find is quiet, the kind of hush that amplifies birdsong, a flutter of leaf, the melody of wind, your own heartbeat.
It’s not easy country. You’ll find more cactus and prairie rattlesnakes than people. You’ll expose yourself to weather that can peel your skin, freeze your flesh, bake you to the bone. Bring sturdy shoes, lots of water—and an open mind. In the Breaks, you can fill it with something good. —Scott McMillion
Travel Tips
When to Go: Summer (Memorial Day weekend through September 30)
Where to Stay: Camp at one of the Missouri River sites used by Lewis and Clark. Get the campsites’ GPS coordinates at the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Centerin Fort Benton. Or, bunk in an authentic homestead cabin or in a period roomabove the historic mercantile in Virgelle, a restored homestead-era ghost town located just upstream from the Upper Missouri’s White Cliffs.
How to Get Around: Much of Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument is inaccessible by road. Guided canoe/camping tours can be booked through experienced, local outfitters like Upper Missouri River Guides and Missouri River Canoe Company.
Where to Eat or Drink: Reserve an outdoor table (seasonal) for dinner (closed Tuesdays) at upscale Union Grille Restaurant, located on the main floor of Fort Benton’s historic Grand Union Hotel. Seasonally fresh, local ingredients are featured on the fine dining and, more casual, Tavern menus.
What to Watch Before You Go: Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West (National Geographic, DVD, 2002) is a visually stunning re-creation of Lewis and Clark’s epic journey, narrated by actor Jeff Bridges and shot in original expedition locations.
Fun Fact: At the turn of the 20th century, the remote, rugged terrain made the Breaks a hideout for outlaws like Harvey Logan, also known as “Kid Curry,” part of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’s infamous Wild Bunch.
Helpful Links: Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument
St. Augustine
Photograph by Russell Kord, Aurora
Florida’s fountain of youth
History books taught us that Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León “discovered”Florida 500 years ago in 1513 while seeking the fabled fountain of youth. But before the peninsula was claimed by de León, it was home for more than 12,000 years to Paleo-Indians who built civilizations around its water-filled sinkholes and left behind archaeologically rich middens (giant piles of oyster shells) as proof of their bayside existence.
Today, finding a genuine slice of “Old Florida” can be a scavenger hunt. The breezy Spanish colonial city of St. Augustine is an exception to the rule. A pair of marble lions greets visitors crossing the regal Bridge of Lions into the walled city. Looming over it is Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century fort surrounded by a moat and occupied at various times by Spanish, British, Confederate, and U.S. soldiers. The fort’s warren of chambers echoes with the stories of pirates, three signers of the Declaration of Independence, Spanish-American War deserters, and even Seminole Chief Osceola, who was incarcerated here in 1837 for leading the native resistance against the U.S.
Along King Street sit historic Flagler College and the Lightner, an antiquities museum housed in an 1887 Spanish Renaissance Revival masterpiece. It was commissioned by oil tycoon Henry Flagler, who is credited with salvaging the city and planting Florida’s tourism seeds. St. George Street, St. Augustine’s main drag, may have become overly touristy and crowded with T-shirt emporiums and fudge shops, but the side streets still harbor scrubby garden courtyards and off-the-radar bars, such as the 130-year-old Mill Top Tavern, where you can imagine what Old Florida was like before it became the Sunshine State. —Adam H. Graham
Travel Tips
When to Go: Spring (March-early June) and fall (late September-November) average temperatures are a comfortable 70-85ºF. Keep in mind that Atlantic hurricane season is June-November.
Where to Stay: Stroll from the intimate St. Francis Inn bed-and-breakfast in Saint Augustine’s brick-paved historic district to nearby restaurants, shops, galleries, and museums. Or watch the sun rise over the Atlantic from the oceanfrontHouse of Sea and Sun, a comfortably elegant 1920s Flagler heiress’ home turned bed-and-breakfast on St. Augustine Beach.
How to Get Around: The Old Town Trolley narrated tour route encompasses 22 hop-on and hop-off sightseeing stops, plus a free shuttle to St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum. Purchase three-day passes online ($21.32 adults, $9.27 ages 6-12).
Where to Eat or Drink: The Floridian puts a local, somewhat lighter twist on traditional Southern fare. Farm-to-table favorites include blackened fresh fish atop a stuffed cornbread stack and chicken ‘n’ waffles topped with pickled peaches. What to
What to Read Before You Go: Laboring in the Fields of the Lord: Spanish Missions and Southeastern Indians, by Milanich Jerald (1999), details the little known history of the Apalachee, Guale, and Timucua Indians who built Spanish Florida’s missions, including St. Augustine’s imposing stone Castillo de San Marcos.
Fun Fact: St. Augustine’s Fort Mose Historical Park is the site of North America’s first free black settlement. Escaped slaves from the British-controlled Carolinas found sanctuary here in the 1700s and left for Cuba with the Spanish in 1763.
Helpful Links: St. Augustine, Point Vedra, and the Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau
Memphis
Photograph by Bob Bronshoff, Hollandse Hoogte
Tennessee’s fast track
It’s easy to forget about Memphis, a mid-size American city wedged into the southwest corner of Tennessee. Our collective memory of Memphis seems frozen in the mid-20th century: Elvis and Graceland, B. B. King and Beale Street, Martin Luther King, Jr., and his “Mountaintop” speech—the last he’d give before his assassination on the balcony of Memphis’s Lorraine Motel in 1968.
Certain aspects of Memphis’s past stifled the city for decades, snuffing the spirits of residents and scaring away visitors. But there’s something newly electric in the air.
The Stax Museum of American Soul Music, located on the grounds of the famous Stax Records, is at the forefront of that revival. The museum, along with its Stax Music Academy and the Soulsville Charter School, celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2013 with concerts, parties, and Stax to the Max, a huge outdoor music festival. It’s far from a solo act.
All around Memphis, locals are pursuing grassroots projects more often associated with Brooklyn or the Bay Area. The nonprofit Project Green Fork has certified dozens of Memphis restaurants as sustainable, linking chefs with farmers and stimulating a vibrant local food community along the way. Running the culinary gamut from down-home Central BBQ to upscale Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, the eateries are held to admirably high standards in sourcing and sustainability.
And there’s no better setting for a grassroots revival. Memphis claims one of the largest urban parks in the country: the 4,500-acre Shelby Farms Park, with 6.5 miles of urban trails and a working farm. The Office of Sustainability supports the city’s plans to expand the existing 35 miles of bike lanes to 85 miles and to build a greenway that will link Memphis with cities in Arkansas and Mississippi. “We get to innovate,” says city administrator Paul Young. It’s a fitting description for Memphis. —Julie Schwietert Collazo
Travel Tips
When to Go: Memphis in May International Festival is a monthlong arts, culture, and culinary celebration that includes the Beale Street Music Festival (May 3-5, 2013) and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (May 16-18, 2013).
Where to Stay: The traditional Peabody Memphis and contemporary Madison Hotel offer easy access to Beale Street and other downtown landmarks. Visitors flock to the Peabody’s Grand Lobby at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily to watch the hotel’s resident ducks take a dip in the lobby’s travertine fountain. The vibe is decidedly more subdued at the luxurious Madison with its intimate rooftop garden.
How to Get Around: Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) vintage trolley carscover three tourist-friendly routes: Main Street, Riverfront Loop, and Madison Avenue. Buy a trolley pass (daily $3.50, three-day $9) to hop on and off at destinations like the National Civil Rights Museum, River Walk, and FedEx Forum.
Where to Eat or Drink: Share a slab of Memphis-style ribs at Central BBQ. Order half wet (smoked with a secret blend of spices and BBQ sauce) and half dry (spices only) with a side of homemade potato chips.
What to Read Before You Go: The Firm (1991) or The Client (1993), by John Grisham. Both set mainly in Memphis, these legal thrillers evoke the sultry, soulful—and grittier—side of the Bluff City.
Fun Fact: Memphis-based Stax Records (named for the first two letters of founder Jim Stewart’s and his investor-sister Estelle Axton’s last names) cranked out more than 800 soul and R&B singles and close to 300 albums during the ’60s and ’70s.
Helpful Links: Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau
Kyoto
Photograph by Justin Guariglia, National Geographic
Meditation and modernism in Japan
One of Kyoto poet Buson’s most famous haikus reads: “On the one-ton temple bell a moon-moth, folded into sleep, sits still.” If Japan is the temple bell, Kyotois the moth—tranquil, delicate, intricate, and wildly mysterious, centuries after the first outsider was drawn to its woodsy hilltop Shinto shrines and rarefied Buddhist temples. The city is about to get an influx of luxury hotels, making room for more tourists, but for now a golden-hour walk along the Kamo riverbank still reveals the gentleness and gracefulness of Japan’s ancient capital, as does a self-guided tour of the 1.1-mile canalside Philosopher’s Path in the Higashiyama neighborhood.
Transfixed by Kyoto’s wealth of historic structures, visitors sometimes overlook the city’s compelling modernist sites. The Shigemori Residence features a dynamic Zen garden designed by mid-20th-century landscape architect Mirei Shigemori. Pritzker Prize winner Tadao Ando’s eccentric Garden of Fine Arts features oversize portraits of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” and an underwater version of Claude Monet’s “Water Lilies.” Some 30 miles east, the Miho Institute of Aesthetics, with an edifice designed by I. M. Pei, opened in 2012. His stainless steel teardrop-shaped chapel is a minimalist architectural marvel that conveys Kyoto’s cutting-edge energy. —Adam H. Graham
Travel Tips
When to Go: Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) season typically is late March through mid-April. July’s monthlong Gion Matsuri festival is one of Japan’s oldest and largest events. Fall foliage peaks in November.
Where to Stay: The 535-room Hotel Granvia Kyoto is conveniently located above the Japan Railway Kyoto Station Building, which includes a sprawling underground mall. Spend at least one night in a traditional wooden inn like the 12-room Ryokan Shimizu.
How to Get Around: Take the Japan Railway Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to connect to Kyoto’s efficient transportation network of buses, trains, subways, and taxis. Explore the Higashiyama neighborhood’s shrines, temples, and museums on foot. The Kyoto Tourist Guidebook includes numerous walking tour routes.
Where to Eat or Drink: Many restored machiyas (traditional wooden townhouses) house bars and cafes. Try Urume (lunch only) for heaping bowls of soba noodles. Leave room for freshly made kinako (soybean powder) ice cream from Gion Kinana.
What to Buy: Traditional Kyoto artisanal products include Nishijin fabrics and kimonos, furoshiki (gift wrapping cloth), wood block and rubber stamps, hand-carved wooden hair clips and combs, and Kiyomizu yaki pottery.
What to Read Before You Go: Sake & Satori: Asian Journals-Japan by Joseph Campbell (2002) gives a snapshot of 1950s Japan based on the author’s journeys and offers a basic understanding of Kyoto culture and history.
Fun Fact: Its shiragikui (white chrysanthemum) spring water has made Kyoto’s southern Fushimi district a nihonshu brewing hub since the 17th century. In Japan, nihonshu means Japanese alcohol (known as sake elsewhere), while the word sake refers to any alcohol.
Helpful Links: Kyoto Travel Guide, Japan National Tourist Organization
Jarash
Photograph by Juergen Ritterbach, Alamy
A Roman holiday in the Jordanian sands
A warm desert breeze whispers softly through Jarash’s hundreds of Roman columns, the bruised and fallen, the proud and unbending alike. It swishes about the Oval Forum, witness to this city’s ancient glory. Just 30 miles north ofJordan’s capital, Amman, Jarash was a part of the Decapolis, a set of semiautonomous cities that stretched across the Levant. With the visit of Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 129, it became the temporary seat of an empire. A new city has arisen, but Jarash remains home to some of the best preserved Roman ruins in the world.
“The city was covered by sand for so many years. Today, you can still feel how these people lived,” says tour guide Ayman Khattab. You can see the scars of chariots on the original stones along the Cardo Maximus. At the Hippodrome, you can almost hear the clash of gladiator battles. And at the South Theater, contemporary sounds emerge. Its annual summertime showcase of national and international music and poetry is Jordan’s preeminent cultural event. A modern concert surrounded by these ancient stones deserves a standing ovation. —Benjamin Orbach
Travel Tips
When to Go: Mid-April through June and September-October
Relevant Dates: The Jarash Festival of Culture and Arts is a multiweek, midsummer event typically beginning in early July.
Where to Stay: Lodging is limited in Jarash and abundant in the capital, Amman. Indulge in the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel Amman or the newly renovated (November 2012) Sheraton Amman Ali Nabil Hotel & Towers.
How to Get Around: Jarash is an easy day trip from Amman. Public buses are available, but hiring a taxi, private driver, or rental car is more efficient.
Where to Eat or Drink: In Amman, head downtown to Hashem for quick and cheap local eats (falafel, hummus, hot mint tea), and to stately Fakhr El-Din Restaurant for a sumptuous Lebanese feast. Save room for the dessert:Halawet el Jebn (sweetened cheese with semolina).
What to Buy: Skip the tourist bazaar in Jarash. Instead, spend an evening meandering through the coffee shops, boutiques, and shisha (hookah) cafés lining Amman’s lively Rainbow Street. Buy spices, kaftans, and trinkets from the traditional souks along King Faisal Street.
Cultural Tips: Dress conservatively. Revealing clothing is inappropriate and shorts are rarely worn outside of hotel pool areas.
What to Read Before You Go: Memoirs of Hadrian, by Marguerite Yourcenar (2005). Originally published in France in 1951, this first-person narration blends fact and fiction to reveal inner workings of the emperor and his time.
Fun Fact: The wall in Britain is not the only place to get a feel for the extent of Hadrian’s empire. One of Jerash’s main attractions is Hadrian’s Arch, built to commemorate the emperor’s visit in A.D. 129.
Helpful Links: The Jordan Tourism Board
Uganda
Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic
Africa’s new frontier
Uganda, once the cornerstone of Africa’s Grand Tour, is today bypassed by most visitors. The nation and its people have been brutalized by dictators, battered by warlords, and negatively portrayed by viral videos. Safarigoers line up in next-door Kenya and Tanzania, with only a few coming to Uganda to see the famed mountain gorillas.
The land mixes savanna, enormous lakes, rain forests, and the glacier-clad Rwenzori Mountains, one of Africa’s tallest ranges. The headwaters of the Nileoriginate here, then burst through a cleft in the rocks at Murchison Falls. Uganda’s parade of animals is amazingly diverse. Hippos graze along the shores of Lake Edward in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, while lions lounge in the trees of Ishasha, in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The star in Bwindi is the mountain gorilla, a species down to about 720 animals visible in their tiny habitat.
Uganda has tough decisions ahead. Oil lies beneath the Rift Valley, right inside Murchison Falls National Park. Extraction seems inevitable. But tourism dollars could provide an easier coexistence between banana-loving gorillas and banana farmers in Bwindi. —David Swanson
Travel Tips
When to Go: The best times are during the drier seasons, January-March and June-August.
Where to Stay: Embark on guided boat trips, hikes, and safaris from rusticJacana Safari Lodge on Lake Nyamusingire (Uganda’s largest crater lake) in Queen Elizabeth National Park, or from thatched-roof Mihingo Lodge on the secluded edge of Lake Mburo National Park.
How to Get Around: Public and private transportation options include minibuses, taxis, luxury coaches, rental cars, and inland ferries. Tour operators can arrange travel for day trips, safaris, and complete itineraries.
Where to Eat or Drink: In Kampala, head to Nalongo in suburban Katwe for traditional luwombo: a mixture of meat, vegetables, and (sometimes) peanut butter steamed in banana leaves. Funky Mish Mash in Kololo serves an all-day breakfast in a laid-back art gallery-tree house-café-garden setting.
What to Buy: Local crafts, including mats and baskets handwoven from elephant grass and palm leaves, are sold along roadsides and at outdoor markets.
What to Watch Before You Go: The Last King of Scotland (2007). The fictionalized chronicle of the rise and fall of brutal dictator Idi Amin was the first feature film completely shot on location in Uganda. Forest Whitaker’s chilling portrayal of Amin earned an Academy Award and Golden Globe.
Fun Fact: Small farms employ four out of every five Ugandans. Using mainly traditional, chemical-free methods, an estimated 200,000 organic farmers produce fresh matooke (plantain), pineapple, apple bananas, and ginger for local use and international export.
Helpful Links: Uganda Tourism Board
Cape Breton
Photograph by Christian Heeb, laif/Redux
Nova Scotia’s treasured island
During the 18th and 19th centuries, fishermen and settlers from France andScotland came to Cape Breton Island, drawn by its rich fisheries, ample timber, and the chance of a better life. Originally settled by the ancient ancestors of the Micmac people, this island off Nova Scotia now lures visitors with its abundant wildlife, natural beauty, and assembly of French, Micmac, and Celtic cultures.
One-fifth of Cape Breton is preserved as a national park, laced by 25 hiking paths and looped by the Cabot Trail, a 186-mile driving route frequently ranked among the world’s most spectacular. “I have seen the Canadian and American Rockies, the Andes, the Alps, and the Highlands of Scotland,” said inventor Alexander Graham Bell, who spent 37 summers here. “But for simple beauty, Cape Breton outrivals them all.”
The mingling of cultures means you can seek a clan tartan at the craft shop at Gaelic College/Colaisde Na Gàidhlig in St. Anns, then explore the French-founded Fortress of Louisbourg on the east coast. In 1745 this garrison withstood a 48-day siege by New Englanders, backed by British naval support, before surrendering. In 2013, the reconstructed fortification celebrates the 300th anniversary of the founding of the French colony of Île Royale (present-day Cape Breton). —John Rosenthal
Travel Tips
When to Go: May-October; Celtic Colours annual international music and cultural festival, early October
Where to Stay: Family-owned Highland Heights Inn combines homey rooms and home-cooked meals (try the traditional Nova Scotia fish cakes) with breathtaking views of the Bras d’Or Lakes. Spend a day immersed in Gaelic culture next door at the 40-acre Highland Village living history museum.
How to Get Around: Drive the Cabot Trail loop counterclockwise beginning in Baddeck.
Where to Eat or Drink: Rusty Anchor Restaurant in Pleasant Bay serves up fresh seafood chowder, fish and chips, and some of the Cabot Trail’s best lobster rolls (pure lump meat and a bit of butter). Watch the ocean, and maybe even a whale, from the outdoor patio. Open May-October.
What to Read Before You Go: Fall On Your Knees, by Ann-Marie MacDonald. This multigenerational tale set on early 20th-century Cape Breton was the Canadian playwright’s debut novel, earning her the 1997 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book.
Fun Fact: Most of Nova Scotia’s endangered Canada lynx live in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The mostly nocturnal cat is built for stealth. Its fur ear tufts act as hearing aids and its large, furry feet function as snowshoes.
Helpful Links: The Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia Tourism, Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Bagan
Photograph by Scott Stulberg, Corbis
A spiritual awakening in Myanmar
The once isolated nation at the culturally rich crossroads of India and China is a land that imbues even the most jaded traveler with a sense of wonder.
In Myanmar, government reforms since 2010 and the election of democracy activist (and Nobel Peace Prize recipient) Aung San Suu Kyi to parliament have propelled a profoundly gracious land, formerly known as Burma, onto the world stage. It’s about time.
Decades of reclusion have preserved a vibrant culture deeply steeped in Buddhism; especially outside the major urban centers of Yangon and Mandalay, daily life has remained largely untouched by Western trends. Rudyard Kipling’s words in Letters From the East still ring true: “This is Burma and it will be quite unlike any land you know about.”
The best Burmese travel experiences require a bit of planning, but the rewards are great—especially in Bagan, the arid, pagoda-studded plain along theAyeyarwady River in Upper Burma where the first Burmese Buddhist kings, their courtiers, and other merit-seeking patrons built thousands of religious monuments from the 11th to 13th centuries. According to Burma scholar Donald Stadtner, these 16 square miles—despite the misguided restoration of some temples in the 1990s—rank among Southeast Asia’s most significant sacred ancient sites.
Secure an early morning bird’s-eye view of the monuments by booking a Balloons Over Bagan hot-air-balloon-and-sparkling-wine trip; profits fund community service projects on the ground. Spend the afternoon exploring dusty trails by bicycle. At sunset, find a perch and gaze over the panorama of castle-like structures shimmering in the golden light. —Ceil Miller Bouchet
Travel Tips
When to Go: Late October-March (dry season)
Relevant Dates: Balloons Over Bagan operates daily October through March.
Where to Stay: Head north of Old Bagan to Nyaung U for budget-friendly options like Aung Mingalar Hotel. In Bagan, the Hotel at Tharabar Gate is close to the main gate of the ancient east wall. South, in New Bagan, view temples and pagodas from your balcony at Kumudara Hotel.
How to Get Around: Horse-drawn carts and rental bicycles are readily available. For guided tours and small groups, choose an established outfitter likeWoodland Travels.
Where to Eat or Drink: Try the grilled fish and fresh baked bread at Star Beans, located near Annanda Temple, and a little bit of everything (Burmese to burgers, plus free Wi-Fi) at Weather Spoon’s on the No. 5 Main Road.
What to Buy: Shop for lacquerware at the small local workshops where artisans use raw thitsi tree lacquer to create decorative and durable bamboo boxes, bowls, trays, and furniture.
Cultural Tip: Dress conservatively (no shorts, short skirts, or ball caps), especially when visiting religious sites.
What to Read Before You Go: Finding George Orwell in Burma, by Emma Larkin (2004), chronicles the year the American writer spent tracing the steps of Orwell, who lived in British-ruled Burma (Myanmar) in the 1920s.
Fun Fact: During Bagan’s golden age, temples were built from kiln-fired red brick, covered with stucco, and then whitewashed with lime. Erosion, vandalism, and some restoration efforts have turned most of the white monuments an earthen, rusty red.
Helpful Links: Myanmar Travel Information Board, Myanmar Embassy
Quito
Photograph by Casa Gangotena
The fresh face of Ecuador’s old city
Surrounded by bunches of bright sunflowers and chamomile, Rosa Lagla gently performs soul-cleansing limpia treatments in a market just a few blocks from Plaza de San Francisco, hub of Quito’s restored Old Town. Rubbing handfuls of stinging nettles, sweet herbs, and rose petals into the skin drives out bad energy, she says, working the plants to a pulp. With botanicals brimming from plastic bags, Lagla brings the Andean healing practice to guests of the newly restored Casa Gangotena on the plaza. Healer and hotel span two worlds, the traditional and the modern, both reinvigorating this city of 1.6 million.
For too long, travelers have neglected Ecuador’s capital city en route to the nation’s marquee attraction, the Galápagos Islands. Though its Spanish colonial center has been enshrined as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1978, the area has more recently undergone a renaissance warranting longer stays. In the past decade, city officials have invested nearly $500 million to make improvements to its historic quarter. At Quito’s heart, cobblestoned streets and pastel-colored mansions hem the revitalized San Francisco Church. Many restorers of the landmark learned to apply gold leaf, inlay wood, and chisel statuary in a nearby workshop with a mission to teach skills to impoverished teenagers with an aptitude for art. People are primary in Quito’s new museums. Emphasizing storytelling, Casa del Alabado arranges its pre-Columbian art and artifacts thematically to dramatize the mystery of the ancients. Quito’s historic center is now beginning to cultivate a vibrant nightlife. On Calle La Ronda, music sings out from restaurants and bars. But Lagla lifts spirits the old way. Sweeping up sage post-ritual, she says, “Se fue, el espanto. La energia vuelve—It’s gone, the fright. Energy returns.” She could be speaking of Quito, too. —Elaine Glusac
Travel Tips
When to Go: June-September (dry season, cool temperatures)
Where to Stay: Casa Gangotena combines luxury lodging with numerous cultural immersion opportunities supporting Quito’s Heritage Guardians program.
How to Get Around: The extensive transportation network includes private and public buses, the Trolebus (trolley bus), and trains. On a clear day, take the TelefériQo scenic gondola up the slope of Pichincha Volcano for panoramic views of the city and the Andes.
Where to Eat or Drink: Assemble a group of at least six to book a private, three-course dinner at indigenous community-owned Kallari Café in La Mariscal. The $7.50 per person tab includes a brief Kichwa language and cultural presentation, plus an inside view (and taste) of Kallari’s single-origin artisanal chocolate and coffee production process.
What to Buy: Pick up tchotchkes in the La Mariscal craft stalls, and stroll along Calle La Ronda during the day to soak up the colonial past. For authentic Ecuadorian tapestries, straw fedoras, masks, and tiles, visit the esteemed Olga Fisch Folklore Gallery and Museum.
What to Watch Before You Go: Prometeo Deportado (Prometheus, Deported). This 2009 film from Ecuadorian director Fernando Mieles explores how immigration has affected Ecuadorian society, which counts some three million of its people living and working abroad.
Fun Fact: Sitting 9,350 feet above sea level, Quito is one of the world’s highest capital cities. Its formal name, San Francisco de Quito, reflects both the city’s pre-Inca, indigenous Quitu culture and nearly 300-year (1534-1822) Spanish colonial period.
Helpful Links: Quito Tourism, Ecuador Ministry of Tourism
Malawi
Photograph by AfriPics/Alamy
Africa’s liquid asset
Locals call it the “Lake of Stars,” and it’s easy to see why. After nightfall, paraffin lamps illuminate Lake Malawi with a constellation of firefly-like flickers; fishermen in dugout canoes work the glassy waters as they have since before the era of the Maravi kingdom.
Deep and clear, the teal lake—Africa’s third largest—glimmers in the Great Rift Valley. Bordering Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zambia, Malawi is an increasingly steady presence within a dynamic continent. Last year, a political transition introduced the world to Joyce Banda, a progressive new president and the second female chief of state in sub-Saharan Africa. More than a domestic shift, this turning point presents an invitation to explore Africa’s best kept secret.
“When you make friends with a Malawian, they watch out for you,” says Moses Mphatso Kaufulu, a blogger from the historic British capital of Zomba. “The depth of African experience rests on friendship—this is what makes my country second to none in the world.”
Where better to befriend a local than by the lake? Swimming boys laugh as a kaleidoscope of brightly colored fish glitter to the surface. The only high-rise in sight is a jumble of sunbleached boulders. Malawi offers much more than serene lakes. Dusty roads connect towns, and mountains give way to plains of green maize punctuated by baobab trees. But the nation’s heart is a watery realm where waves lap the sand, leaving streaks of silt. —Andrew Evans
Travel Tips
When to Go: For lake and big game safaris, go in the dry seasons, April/May and October/November. Between January and March more than 200 species of orchids bloom in Nyika National Park, making this prime time for orchid lovers and bird-watchers.
Where to Stay: Guests at the rustic, six-room Red Zebra Lodge at Kambiri Point can join underwater safaris to view Lake Malawi’s diverse aquatic life, including the intensely colorful African cichlid fish. Remote Chiofu Camp, accessible only by a 3.5-hour boat ride east from Kambiri Point, offers bare-bones beach camping in light tents secured under the trees.
Cultural Tips: Comfortable, casual dress is the norm, but reserve beachwear (tank tops, bathing suits, short dresses, and shorts) for vacation resorts.
What to Buy: Handcrafted baskets, intricate wood carvings, and Dedza Potteryincluding hand-painted tableware and figurines depicting Malawian life.
In-Country Travel Tip: Foreign currency is widely accepted. ATMs dispensing local currency are located in Lilongwe, Blantyre, and Mzuzu.
How to Get Around: U.S. travel companies Wildland Adventures and Jackson’s African Safaris offer Malawi adventure itineraries that include transportation, guides, lodging, and meals.
What to Eat or Drink: Try the traditional staple nsima, a thick cornmeal porridge molded into a ball and served alongside ndiwo, a relish-like meat, bean, or vegetable side dish.
What to Read Before You Go: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope, by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. It’s the inspiring true story of Malawi native Kamkwamba’s extraordinary boyhood quest to transform life in his village by building a windmill.
Fun Fact: In Chichewa, Malawi’s most common indigenous language, the word for Lake Malawi’s brilliantly hued cichlid fish is mbuna. Hundreds of species of the tropical fish (coveted by freshwater aquarium enthusiasts) live in the crystal clear lake.
Helpful Links: Malawi Tourism Guide
Great Bear Rainforest
Photograph by Paul Nicklen, National Geographic
Canada’s fragile coastal wilderness
Sometimes you can see both the forest and the trees. The Great Bear Rainforest, the planet’s largest intact coastal temperate rain forest, is an untamed strip of land stretching 250 miles along British Columbia’s coast that harbors extensive tracts of giant hemlock, Sitka spruce, and red cedar. The mighty trees rise high above a moist and ferny forest floor patrolled by coastal wolves, minks, Canada’s largest grizzly bears, and rare white Kermode spirit bears.
This tranquillity has recently been rocked by a proposal to send tar sands crude oil from Alberta to a terminal at Kitimat in the Great Bear Rainforest. The project would entail two pipelines crossing some of the world’s largest salmon-producing watersheds and a steady procession of supertankers plying the narrow channels. The local First Nations and environmental groups are vehemently opposed, fearing the catastrophic effects of an Exxon Valdez–type spill. “This is a wilderness sanctuary, a very spiritual place,” says Ian McAllister, founding director of Pacific Wild. “The pipelines would fundamentally alter the coast forever.” A decision on the pipelines could come by the end of 2013. —Robert Earle Howells
Travel Tips
When to Go: May-September
Where to Stay: At luxurious King Pacific Lodge (accessible only by floatplane), all-inclusive amenities include gourmet meals, whale-watching, and guided kayaking tours. Spirit Bear Lodge, a tour/lodging outfitter in Klemtu, is owned and operated by the local Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation community.
How to Get Around: Sail through the rain forest on a guided, multiday tour with experienced outfitters like Maple Leaf Adventures or Bluewater Adventures.
Where to Eat or Drink: Reserve a table (and one of the day’s homemade desserts) at tiny Cow Bay Café, a funky, dockside lunch and dinner hotspot in Prince Rupert.
What to Watch Before You Go: Last Stand of the Great Bear, DVD, National Geographic (2004). Wilderness detectives embark on a 250-mile adventure through the Great Bear Rainforest in search of the rare white spirit bear.
Fun Fact: The rain forest’s most celebrated resident is the Kermode bear, or spirit bear. A recessive genetic mutation causes these black bears to be born with cream-colored fur. One in three black bears on Gribbell Island is white.
Helpful Links: The Nature Conservancy: Great Bear Rainforest, Tourism British Columbia: Cariboo Chilcotin Coast
Ravenna
Photograph by Marco Moretti, Anzenberger/Redux
A vibrant historical mosaic in Italy
At first glance, there hardly seems to be any comparison between Ravenna and Rome: Ravenna is smaller, sleepier, and without Rome’s domed skyline or ruins. But back in the fifth century, it was Ravenna that served as capital of the Western Roman Empire. In this burgeoning city, Roman rulers built monuments celebrating both Christianity and their own power—monuments famous, then and now, for their sweeping mosaics.
Seven of Ravenna’s eight buildings from the fifth and sixth centuries are spectacularly decorated with examples of this ancient art. “In the past, many people couldn’t read or write,” says tour guide and Ravenna native Silvia Giogoli. “Mosaics were a way to explain the religion, and the political situation, to the people.”
At the Basilica of San Vitale (above), a bejeweled Empress Theodora stares across the apse at her husband, Justinian. At Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, two rows of larger-than-life saints march toward the apse. But in Ravenna, mosaics aren’t just historical remnants. Visitors admire pieces by contemporary mosaicists including Chagall, Mathieu, and Vedova at the MAR (Museo d’Arte Ravenna) or poke into cluttered bottegas (workshops) where modern artists use the same methods as their Byzantine forebears. At the Parco della Pace, locals relax beside mosaic sculptures; even the city’s street signs glitter with glass fragments. At the 2013 RavennaMosaico, mosaic mania takes hold. Visitors can gawk at new pieces, listen to musicians, and learn to make their own masterpieces. —Amanda Ruggeri
Travel Tips
When to Go: June-October; weather is pleasant in April and May but historic sites can get crowded with school groups.
Relevant Dates: RavennaMosaico, a mosaic festival, next takes place in October-November 2013.
Where to Stay: Walk to historic district sites from Albergo Cappello, a restored, seven-room palazzo, or the more modern Hotel Centrale Byron.
How to Get Around: Take the train from Bologna, and then walk, bike, or use taxis within the city.
Where to Eat or Drink: Housed in a former movie theater, two-story Ristorante Cinema Alexander blends 1940s Hollywood décor with homemade Emilia Romagna pasta courses (tortellini, tagliatelle, passatelli) and attentive service (helpful in translating the menu). For fresh seafood, try Osteria L’Accigua and Da Buco.
What to Buy: Watch the next generation of Emilia Romagna mosaic artisans create contemporary and traditional pieces in local studios like Akomena, Twin Dolphins Mosaics, and Koko Mosaico.
What to Read Before You Go: Ravenna in Late Antiquity, by Deborah Mauskopf Deliyannis (2010), provides a wide-ranging look at the city’s art, architecture, and history.
Fun Fact: Ravenna’s oldest monument is Battistero Neoniano. The surrounding street level has risen nearly ten feet since the octagonal baptistery was built in the fifth century, creating the illusion the building has sunk belowground.
Helpful Links: Emilia Romagna Tourism, Italia Tourism, Ravenna Tourism and Culture
Raja Ampat
Photograph by Daniela Dirscherl, Getty Images
An emerging island Eden in Indonesia
Raja Ampat has been dubbed the Amazon of the Oceans. Is that hyperbole? Not really. There are single reefs here containing more species than the entireCaribbean. A mini-archipelago of rain-forest-clad islands, cays, mangroves, and pearlescent beaches off the coast of West Papua, Indonesia, this marine frontier brims with life. Expect close encounters with recent discoveries such as Raja Ampat’s walking shark and pygmy seahorse, along with more familiar creatures—manta rays, leatherback turtles, and bumphead parrotfish. Not to mention three-quarters of all known coral species.
The scenery proves just as spectacular above the surface. On Wayag, steep limestone karsts drenched in jungle bisect a cobalt lagoon. Tree canopies filled with rare birds offer lofty theater. It’s well worth rising at 3 a.m. to witness the amorous, flamenco-like mating dance of the endemic red bird of paradise.
Remote doesn’t mean rough here. Cruise the region aboard an upscale conversion of a traditional phinisi schooner or stay at a hideaway such as Misool Eco Resort, with its swanky overwater bungalows. Diving is the draw, but kayaking and trekking are picking up. This is nature at its most vivid, above and below the water. —Johnny Langenheim
Travel Tips
When to Go: Late September through early June. Be aware that mid-June through mid-September is monsoon season, with rains typically contained to the afternoon.
Where to Stay: Exclusive Misool Eco Resort is a secluded tropical hideaway on the remote, private island of Batbitim. Book your personal water cottage-on-stilts (veranda stairs lead directly into the translucent lagoon) to snorkel and dive in one of the world’s most biologically diverse marine environments.
How to Get Around: Travel by boat from Sarong to Wasai. Longboats, speedboats, motorboats, and dive boats connect Wasai to other islands. Outside the resorts, on island travel is primarily by foot or ojek (motorcycle taxi).
Where to Eat or Drink: If you’re not staying in an all-inclusive resort or on a dive boat, Raja Ampat dining options are limited to the small stores, outdoor markets, and warungs (family-run cafés/stores) in Wasai, Raja Ampat’s capital. Another option is to stock up in Sarong before traveling to Wasai.
What to Buy: In the established tourism villages Arborek and Sauwandarek local women make and sell wood and orchid bark nokens (string bags), pandan leaf hats and bags, and wood or banana fiber skirts.
What to Read Before You Go: Raja Ampat Through the Lens Of, by the Raja Ampat Research & Conservation Centre (2009).This coffee table hardcover is a 288-photo journey above and through the Realm of the Four Kings. Proceeds support local conservation efforts.
Fun Fact: On Raja Ampat’s Um Island, bats circle the blue skies by day and seagulls take flight at night. The compact island (one lap around takes about 15 minutes) is dotted with caves, home to the diurnal bats that feast on ripe fruit.
Helpful Links: Indonesian Tourism
Marseille
Photograph by Ed Kashi, VII/National Geographic
France’s new capital of culture
On a once derelict jetty, opposite the stone ramparts of 17th-century Fort St. Jean, a new glass-and-steel building shimmers behind a lacy spider’s-web facade of finely cast concrete. Poised between lapis sea and Marseille’s sun-drenched hills, the National Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations (MuCEM) stands at the entrance to the Vieux-Port, the city’s historic heart. And when it opens in May 2013, MuCEM will be a bold symbol of Marseille’s reemergence as a flourishing pan-Mediterranean hub.
Cities may rise and fall, but the great ones—and Marseille is among them—always rise again. Founded by ancient Greeks, France’s second largest city was already 500 years old and a bubbling stew of many cultures when Caesar laid siege in 49 B.C. A 20th-century wave of immigrants from Algeria and some other former French colonies led to Marseille’s modern reputation as a city far removed ethnically and psychologically from the rest of France. Despite recent headlines about drug-related crime, Marseille still stands tall as a world-class city.
These days Marseille has every right to act the cagou (slang for a show-off) as it and the surrounding Provence region assume the role of 2013 European Capital of Culture. “There is a new energy in the city, especially in music, theater, and museums,” says MuCEM director Bruno Suzzarelli. Young, multiethnic crowds gather for cutting-edge happenings at La Friche la Belle de Mai, a tobacco factory turned art and performance center. Major renovations have polished up many of the city’s 20-plus museums, including the Musée Cantini, whose trove of Picassos and Mirós is housed in an elegant 1694 town house. For all the new energy, Marseille’s old pleasures remain as alluring as ever: a stroll along the narrow lanes of the Panier Quarter, the lusty aromas of a good bouillabaisse, a boat ride into the fjordlike inlets called calanques. It’s no wonder that visitors are becoming fadas (big fans) of France’s southern gateway. —Christopher Hall
Travel Tips
When to Go: June-August for beaches, April-May and September-October for comfortable temperatures and lighter tourist traffic.
Where to Stay: Walk to the Vieux Port from the sleek and affordable Mama Shelter Marseille or see the boats from your private terrace at the luxuriousSofitel Marseille Vieux Port.
How to Get Around: The Régie des Transports de Marseille public transportation network includes metro, bus, and tramway lines. Consider a tourist City Pass for one or two days’ travel, museum admissions, and tours. March-September, abatobus (water shuttle) runs between the Vieux Port and Pointe Rouge. Kitschy, blue-and-white tourist trains wind through the streets of the oldest districts.
Where to Eat or Drink: Bouillabaisse is the homegrown culinary art form. Try Le Miramar in the Vieux Port or Chez Fonfon or L’Epuisette in Vallon des Auffes.
What to Buy: Wander through the maze of indoor and outdoor stalls at the Marché aux Puces and the daily Prado Market. Shop for santons (clay crèche figures), olive and lavender soap, olive oil, navettes (small, rowboat-shaped orange or lemon cookies), and pétanque balls.
What to Watch Before You Go: The Fanny Trilogy (Marius, Fanny, Cesar), 1948(DVD 2004). Beloved 1930s French films (English subtitles), adaptations of the plays by Marseille’s preeminent writer, Marcel Pagnol, are considered national cultural treasures.
Fun Fact: France’s newest national park, Parc National des Calanques, is located on the outskirts of Marseille. Created in April 2012, the land (lagoons, cliffs, beaches) and sea (dolphins, turtles, seabirds) preserve is accessible only by foot or boat.
Helpful Links: Marseille Office of Tourism, Visit Provence
Crimea
Photograph by Caro, Alamy
Playground of the tsars
“Russia needs its paradise,” Prince Grigory Potemkin, Catherine the Great’s general, wrote in 1782 urging the annexation of Crimea, and no wonder.
The Crimean Peninsula, with its voluptuously curved Black Sea coast of sparkling cliffs, is paradise—with Riviera-grade vistas but without Riviera prices. Balmy with 300 days of sun a year (“It is never winter here,” said the writer Anton Chekhov, who had a dacha near Yalta), the place served as the playground of tsars and Politburo fat cats. Russians practically wept when, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Crimea was pulled out of the orbit of Russian rule and became part of an independent Ukraine.
A trace of Soviet hangover endures in the form of unsmiling babushkas and concrete block architecture. Visitors can tour the once secret nuclear-blast-proof Soviet submarine base in Balaklava, a piece of Cold War history, now a museum. Afterward, retreat to one of the briny health resorts of the west and east coasts for a therapeutic mud bath, or go for a run down to Livadia Palace in Yalta, scene of the 1945 conference that reconfigured postwar Europe.
Summer is high season, crowded with Russian and eastern European tourists (North Americans are still rare). In autumn the air turns soft and it’s harvest time at vineyards like Massandra, built in the 19th century to supply wines for Nicholas II, the last Russian tsar. There you may have the pleasure of tasting a Riesling with the scent of alpine meadows, port the color of rubies, and a nectar called “Seventh Heaven,” of which a recent visitor said: “I could kneel in front of this wine.” —Cathy Newman
>> See more photos of Best Trips 2013: Crimea, Ukraine.
Travel Tips
When to Go: May-October
Where to Stay: Newer (opened in 2011) Crimea Breeze Residence is a posh, southern peninsula oasis with low-rise stucco-and-stone luxury villas, seawater pools, and a helpful English-speaking staff.
How to Get Around: Marshrutka (minibus) routes crisscross the region. Private and public bus and train routes connect most cities, and taxis are readily available. Luxury train tour options include the two-week Crimean Express Railway Journey from St. Petersburg to Yalta.
Where to Eat or Drink: Sample traditional Crimean Tatar dishes like lagman(spicy noodle soup), chee-börek (meat turnover), and plov (rice pilaf and lamb) at Harem in Yalta, Kafe Marakand in Simferopol, and, in summer, at the small beach stands and cafes in Koktebel and Sudak.
Cultural Tip: English isn’t spoken widely outside the major tourist areas. Bringing a Russian phrase book and learning a few basic phrases before your trip will make it easier to ask directions, order food, and interact with locals.
What to Read Before You Go: Lady With the Little Dog and Other Stories (1896-1904), by Anton Chekhov (2002). The legendary Russian playwright and modern short story master penned these 11 tales during his final years, spent living in a Yalta villa.
Fun Fact: Joseph Stalin stashed wines confiscated from the tsars’ palaces in the Massandra vineyard cellars, located in underground tunnels. Temporarily relocated during the 1941 Nazi invasion, these rare vintages remain the jewels of Massandra’s estimated million-bottle collection.
Helpful Links: Travel to Ukraine
10 great places for antiques shopping
Shopping may be a favorite vacation pastime, but there’s no reason to limit it to outlet malls and souvenir shops. Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz , stars of the History channel showAmerican Pickers, say if you venture beyond the obvious places, you’ll find something unique. “Everybody has a little bit of the treasure hunter in them,” Wolfe says. He and Fritz share with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY some favorite cities for picking and browsing antiques stores and flea markets.
Nashville, Tenn.
Wolfe owns a shop in Nashville, a city he says is prime for picking. “There are a lot of regional things: pottery, folk art, face jugs, Coca Cola advertising. A lot of things you’d never see in New York.” Shoppers should stroll the antiques mall in nearby Franklin or visit the monthly flea market at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The informal sales are part of Southern life, he says. “It’s cornbread, green beans and flea markets.” 800-657-6910; visitmusiccity.com
LeClaire, Iowa
Wolfe owns a shop and lives in this small Mississippi River town, which has attracted a critical mass of antiques dealers and shoppers. “The show is bringing so many people into town,” Wolfe says. “When there’s one shop, it’s hard to draw business, but when there are 10 to 15, they all come.” 563-289-4242, ext. 1135;visitleclaire.com
Philadelphia
The historic port city is one of the best places in the country to find antiques and collectibles. “Philly is a treasure trove,” Wolfe says. “People are renovating block after block and the most amazing things are coming out.” You’ll find good stock on the city’s Historic Antique Row, or at the 30-acre Rice’s Sale & Country Market in nearby New Hope, Penn. 800-537-7676, visitphilly.com
Red Wing, Minn.
Wolfe loves this city, and not only for its famous stoneware, which is popular with collectors. One of his greatest finds was a toy that shot off caps and was designed to look like President McKinley. He bought it for $17 and later sold it for $800. No guarantees, but you can begin your treasure hunt at shops in the city’s Historic Pottery District. 800-498-3444; redwing.org
St. Louis
A historic river city and manufacturing center, St. Louis has all the ingredients for prime picking. Wolfe recommends visiting Cherokee Street in the Soulard neighborhood. “From one end to the other, it’s full of antiques and junk shops. Nothing’s dusted off. They’re looking to flip things right away,” Wolfe says. 800-916-0040; explorestlouis.com
Seattle
While Wolfe and Fritz are Midwesterners, they’ve recently ventured to the Pacific Northwest, a place good for maritime antiques, timber and cowboy items and commercial goods. Visitors can mix sightseeing and shopping by visiting the Seattle Antiques Market, near the Seattle Aquarium and the city’s historic waterfront. 866-732-2695;visitseattle.org
Detroit
The Motor City offers a windfall for antiques hunters, particularly folks like Wolfe who love items with a transportation theme. “There was so much manufacturing based there,” he says. Warehouse items often find their way to local shops. Russell Bazaar, for example, has 130 merchants in a 90,000-square-foot space. 800-338-7648; visitdetroit.com
Waxahachie, Texas
When it comes to shopping, everything indeed is bigger in Texas, Fritz says. “They have huge, huge sales. You can find anything there. He particularly likes the bi-annual Antique Alley sale that stretches along 37 miles of roads near Waxahachie and Cleburne, south of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Next date: Sept. 21-23. antiquealleytexas.com
Portsmouth, N.H.
Fritz calls this historic waterfront New England city antique-friendly. “There is an abundance of stuff and lots of shops,” he says. “It’s a really neat town with a lot of history.” The city has monthly antiques auctions, and Fritz also suggests hitting nearby towns like Northwood, with about 10 shops in a three-mile stretch. 603-610-5510;portsmouthchamber.org
St. Charles, Ill.
With lots of people and lots of wealth, the Chicago region has historically been a good place to shop – and look for castoffs, Fritz says. “People had funds to buy things, and a lot of stuff was built there.” A standout stop is the regularly scheduled Kane County Flea Market and the antiques stores in the town of St. Charles, about an hour west of Chicago. 800-777-4373; visitstcharles.com
10 great places to have a drink underground
Some great new bars and restaurants (and a few old standbys) are underground, saysBrian Ellison , president of Death’s Door Spirits, a Wisconsin-based craft liquor maker. Basement locations are conducive to conversation, he says. “They’re cozy and comfortable.” Owners find the rent is often cheaper, and they sometimes offer a setting with speakeasy style, adds Ellison, who shares some favorite spots with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.
The Bedford
Chicago
This 1920s bank-turned-bar in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood keeps interest high with its clever renovation. Tables back up against safe-deposit boxes, the former vault is now a lounge, and you can prop your drink on a stand that once held deposit slips. Ellison says the bar and restaurant seem timeless. “It really does work. It doesn’t feel like a space that has been cobbled into something different.” 773-235-8800;bedfordchicago.com
singlebarrel
San Jose, Calif.
Future-focused Silicon Valley takes a step back in time at this saloon and cigar bar with a Jazz Age atmosphere. But the emphasis is on cocktails, not speakeasy shtick. Juices are hand-squeezed, and the menu avoids name brands, Ellison says. “It’s small craft spirits, obscure liquors and potables from far-flung places.” 408-792-7356; singlebarrelsj.com
Tippler
New York
Hidden beneath Chelsea Market, this new bar occupies a century-old storage area that had never been open to the public. Vaulted ceilings, brick walls and salvaged wood create an industrial vibe. It serves drinks like the Buzzing Black Buck, made with rum, coffee liqueur, espresso and ginger beer. “This bar has this really great feel to it that you’re in a secret place that other people don’t know about,” Ellison says. 212-206-0000;thetippler.com
Greenbush Bar
Madison, Wisc.
The Italian Workmen’s Club has a surprise in its basement: a thriving restaurant and bar. Ellison lives nearby and used to stop by with his wife and young child, who would sleep in a stroller while the parents ate. “They have awesome pizza and pasta. And you can grab a Negroni or some other good Italian cocktail or aperitivo,” he says. 608-257-2874
Sotto
Los Angeles
With a hand-built oven imported from Naples, the pizza’s some of the best in L.A., and the Southern Italian wine list is extensive. But Ellison is just as impressed by the drinks at this artfully rustic spot on West Pico Boulevard. “All of the cocktails are innovative, fresh and well-executed.” The American Trilogy, for example, mixes rye whiskey, applejack, orange bitters, with a brown sugar cube and flamed orange. 310-277-0210;sottorestaurant.com
Manifesto
Kansas City, Mo.
Step back in time at this subterranean bar with dark hallways, candlelit bar areas and bartenders dressed with ’20s’ panache. “It’s really a funky little space,” Ellison says. “It definitely feels like the Prohibition era, when you’re going into a speakeasy and you’re being hidden from view.” 816-536-1325
Bess Bistro
Austin, Texas
Owner Sandra Bullock brings Hollywood glamor to this French bistro set in the basement of a former bank building. (The kitchen is in the former vault.) While the food draws crowds, others flock to the imported pewter bar for happy-hour appetizers and drinks. There’s an extensive wine list, plus specialty drinks, including martinis and a champagne cocktail. 512-477-2377; bessbistro.com
Smuggler’s Cove
San Francisco
No ordinary tiki spot, this three-story lounge serves more than 170 different rums. Most patrons follow the waterfall down to the basement grotto bar, which is outfitted with tiki lights, grass thatching and wicker tables. “It’s like walking into the adult version of the Pirates of the Caribbean,” Ellison says. 415-869-1900; smugglerscovesf.com
Sundown Saloon
Boulder, Colo.
Located on the popular Pearl Street pedestrian mall, “The Downer” is laid-back and unpretentious. “It’s a shot-and-beer bar. It’s more like a den than a higher-end drinking establishment,” Ellison says. He loves the pool tables and the $1 mystery beer you pull out of an ice bucket. “There’s a great attitude. Everyone’s happy to have you here.” 303-449-4987
Drink
Boston
Ellison has had fond memories of this waterfront lounge, where the staff tries to create a cocktail party atmosphere every night. The former wool warehouse has windows behind the bar and pedestrians can peer in from the sidewalk over the bartenders’ heads to see the mingling crowd. “When people are walking by they look in, and end up coming in for a drink,” Ellison says. 617-695-1806; drinkfortpoint.com
Shopping in Singapore is better than Paris
By CNNGO
Secret shoppers rate the prettiest, most welcoming, most customer-friendly retail streets — which is your no. 1?
Mystery shoppers suss out the surroundings to rate the appearance of luxury stores.How many shopping trips truly turn out to to be the idyllic experiences your friends promised they would be?
Presence Mystery Shopping, a Paris-based market consulting company, thinks it has found 30 places that really truly can offer shopping heaven. It has published a report ranking the welcome and service for the world’s most famous shopping streets.
“We surveyed the quality of retail service on iconic shopping streets that tourists are told they just need to visit,” says Presence Business Development Manager, Leslie Kambourian.
Over 30 main avenues were visited, and nearly 400 individual retail outlets were observed, including perfume shops, restaurants, ready-to-wear outlets and showrooms.
Orchard Road in Singapore came out in first place, Avenue de la Liberté in Luxembourg followed in second and PC Hooftstraat in Amsterdam took third spot.
The “mystery shoppers” ranked their experiences based on observations in four categories:
- Appearance (cleanliness, lighting)
- Welcome (staff greetings, courtesy, availability)
- Atmosphere (garbage cans available, open space, clean pavement)
- Contact with passers-by (friendliness, helpfulness to people passing through the store)
Got your own favorite shopping areas? Tell us about them in the comments.
World’s top 10 shopping avenues and their scores out of 100
1. Orchard Road, Singapore: 89
According to mystery shoppers, Orchard Road led with the best atmosphere because of its “wide and clean pavements and diversity of shops.”
But tourists won’t be able to sweep every shop in one day; the whopping 22 shopping malls and six department stores on the Road might wipe them out.
2. Avenue de la Liberté, Luxembourg: 85
This avenue placed first in overall appearance. “The atmosphere is perfect, there is plenty of room and everywhere is well lit,” says a mystery shopper.
If you suddenly have an urgent situation where you need to see a praline specialist, visit the Jeff de Bruges. This chocolate expert has whatever chocolates you need, spicy, soft, creamy, fruit and rich.
Jeff de Bruges, 17 Rue de la Liberté – Guéliz, 40000, +33 (0)3 87 37 15 61
3. PC Hoofstraat, Amsterdam: 83
The district of PC Hoofstraat was noted for its friendliness, retail outlets were courteous and welcoming to the people walking by the store, creating an inviting atmosphere.
But, there is always backlash with a bit of popularity. The local Dutch refer to Sports Utility Vehicles as “P.C. Hooft-tractors.” It’s a derogatory term because you can find one on every corner.
4. Bagdat Avenue, Istanbul: 83
Shoppers thought Bagdat Avenue was a winner in appearance because of its “floral areas, collective taxis and water sellers.”
If you want a traditional Turkish coffee that won’t break the budget on a high-end street, look no further than Starbucks. The American chain has properly integrated Turkish style coffee on its menu to blend in with Istanbul’s café culture.
5. Oscar Freire, Sao Paolo: 82
Brazilians are known to be among the friendliest people in the world, so it’s no wonder this street came in as the third most welcoming.
Don’t be surprised if you walk into a luxury store and find the odd “ in-store butler” who will hand you a glass of Champagne or coffee.
For a mid-shop snack, try some locally made fresh baked goods at the Casa de Paes (Bella Paulista House of Bread). The bakery offers gelato, pizzas, confectionaries and other guilt-less pleasures you grant yourself on vacation.
6. George Street, Sydney: 82
Beyond the friendly department stores and brightly lit boutiques, there are many quirky little shops at the southern end of George Street.
Nestled under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, there are boutiques selling everything from high-end art and photography to nick-knack shells and shark teeth.
But if you’re in the mood for up-scale, the beautiful old sandstone Queen Victoria building is home to top-end fashion stores and cafes. The building sits next to the Sydney Townhall building, the iconic steps are a common meeting place for locals.
7. Mariahilferstrasse, Vienna: 80
Stretching 1.8 kilometers, the avenue places third in the “appearance” category, and it’s not just its shops that are commendable. There are some noteworthy historic buildings to visit nearby.
Check out the Museum Quarter which holds a variety of outstanding contemporary art and classic modern pieces. Also, look out for the iconic Rahlstiege staircase from 1886.
Museum’s Quarter, Museumsplatz 1/5 1 1070 Vienna, Austria
8. Avenue Louise, Brussels: 78
Scoring points for out-of-store atmosphere, this shopping street has a peaceful Nirvana nearby in the form of the Jardin Du Roi, (Garden of the King).
True to its name, the garden has a perfectly manicured geometric bushes and stunning flower designs.
Jardin Du Roi, Avenue Louise, 1050 Brussels
9. Ginza Line, Tokyo: 78
There’s been enough written about Ginza over the years to wallpaper every eye-wateringly expensive hostess bar in the area, but there is actually more to the high-end shopping, eating and drinking. At Ginza, you can look to the streets for inspiration.
Given a free Sunday afternoon, few things give a visitor a glimpse of the real Tokyo as readily as a stroll down the temporarily pedestrianized Chuo Dori.
Stripped of cars between noon and 5 p.m., the main strip is the spot in the capital for people watching, lounging at pavement cafés and generally freeloading your way to a memorable day out.
10. Bond Street, London: 77
If you’re heading over to Bond Street, make sure you’re not just going for a leisurely stroll. The report writes “Bond Street in London is by far the last for its atmosphere. It is certainly clean, but there is work going on all the time.”
The mystery shoppers came across construction on 63 percent of the visits. On the bright side, shoppers say that the friendliness of Londoners make people forget the work going on in the avenue.
World’s best shopping avenues, 11-30
11. Aleksanterinkatu, Helsinki: 77
12. Passage Victor Emmanuel, Milan: 76
13. Strøget, Copenhagen: 75
14. Wangfujing Avenue, Beijing: 75
15 Alvear, Buenos Aires: 71
16. Champs Elysées, Paris: 71
17. Drottninggatan, Stockholm: 71
18. Apgujeong-dong, Seoul: 71
19. Karl Johan, Oslo: 70
20. Calle Serrano, Madrid: 69
21. Friedrischstrasse, Berlin: 68
22. Ulica Florianska, Krakow: 67
23. Nevsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg: 67
24. Ermou Street, Athens: 65
25. Rue Ste Catherine, Montreal: 64
26. 5th Avenue, New York: 64
27. Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon: 61
28. Rue du Rhône, Geneva: 59
29. Des Voeux Road, Central, Hong Kong: 57
30. Linking Road, Bandra, Mumbai: 56
Best of Koh Samui
By CNNGo staff, Tina Hsiao and Jules Kay
Experiencing the best of Koh Samui is no easy feat.
The most popular island in the Gulf of Thailand is best described as a confusing version of paradise. Koh Samui’s beaches, bays, tourist strips and villages each have their own distinct personalities.
Some are sleazy. Some over-saturated. But most are fabulous.
Whether your idea of the best of Koh Samui beach break is getting lost in the tropics with your partner or getting hammered every night and sleeping it off on the beach, this wrap-up of the best of Koh Samui covers it all.
Hotels
Luxury
Four Seasons Koh Samui Resort
Koh Samui has become pool villa central in the last five years, with the swanky Four Seasons leading the development charge through erstwhile coconut plantations.
All of the resort’s 40 one-bedroom villas and 14 one- to five-bedroom residence villas come with a private infinity pool. Highly recommended if swimming in the buff is your thing.
Designed to bring the outside in, each villa rocks panoramic, best of Koh Samui views of Laem Yai Bay and nearby Koh Pha Ngan.
There’s also a forest spa, a white-sand private bay, kids’ club, beachfront pool and all the other stuff one comes to expect from a property that sits atop the branded-hotel food chain.
Bonus for location nitpickers: Four Seasons Koh Samui Resort’s position in the northwest corner of Samui makes it a good option for those who don’t want to be smothered by the action, but still want to venture out for nightlife.
Mid-Range
Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa
To avoid the ubiquitous, ho-hum Thai-style resorts, check into Zazen. This boutique resort has Moroccan-inspired décor, open bathrooms, a peaceful beachfront vibe and friendly staff.
The resort’s Le Salon de Ti is a bay-view tea lounge with Louis XVI-style furniture, crystal chandeliers and a funky framed mirror that doubles as a TV. What every good hotel needs, really.
Zazen is a good option for foodies as it’s in Bophut, near the famed Fisherman’s Village and seafood restaurants that rank among the best of Koh Samui.
There are also plenty of pubs in the area, which is blessedly sleaze-free.
177, Moo 1, Bophut; +66 (0) 7742 5085; from 5,610 baht (US$177) per night (excluding service charge and tax). www.samuizazen.com
Budget
Jungle Club
Though the luxury hotel industry has spread its pricey, posh tentacles over the island, there are still some worthy budget options that prove you don’t need to spend thousands to get million-dollar views.
The Jungle Club, with its chilled, unpretentious vibe, features cliff-perched bungalows and sublime sundowner spots that present 180-degree views across Chaweng and out to Samui’s offshore islands.
Jungle Club’s decent choice of fan-cooled accommodations range from huts to private mountain lodges. Family-friendly facilities make it well worth the accident-in-your-pants-scary drive up a steep hill to the entrance.
Chaweng Noi beach, near Soi Panyadee school; +66 (0)81 894 2327; from 800 baht per night for a hut; www.jungleclubsamui.com
Dining
H Bistro
Chef Stephen Dion’s French Mediterranean expressions at H-Bistro bring metropolitan flair to the beach, earning the restaurant a spot on any best of Koh Samui list.
Dion has cooked for royalty in the past. Lucky commoners can now also enjoy his epicurean creations, crafted from quality imported ingredients.
Pair it all with a vintage bottle from the extensive wine list.
Appetizers start at 300 baht and main courses at 810 baht.
H-Bistro at Hansar Samui, +66 (0) 7724 5511. www.hansarsamui.com/h-bistro
Wannai
Wannai restaurant earned a spot on this best of Koh Samui round-up at the end of 2010 by introducing a menu of gourmet Thai food that includes an upscale take on classic street stall dishes.
Set in an expansive, lakeside garden, the restaurant offers a choice of indoor and outdoor seating options, including a private air-conditioned room that doubles as a function venue.
The emphasis is on all things live — seafood, music, football. The latter is shown on large screens on weekends.
Wannai is set back from the main island Ring Road in Bophut, near the traffic lights.
Shambala Restaurant
Proving that you can stick to tradition and pull in the crowds, Shambala Restaurant is a laid-back eatery featuring several Thai classics.
The original recipe for the signature massaman was acquired (ripped off?) from an old man in the local market. The rich curry flavors infuse the meat and potato with a spicy kick to provide the culinary coup de grâce.
Shambala Restaurant, Bangrak. www.samui-shambala.com
Orgasmic by Chef Wally
Chef Wally is something of a celebrity chef on Koh Samui, having established what is now one of the island’s best known resort restaurants at Zazen Boutique Resort and Spa.
Striking out on his own, he created Orgasmic, a sexy Mediterranean eatery overlooking Bophut Bay that has required reservations since day one.
Filled with unique Mediterranean creations, Royal Thai cuisine and organic vegetarian delights, the rich menu is something of a culinary sensation for a small island in Thailand.
Located beachside between Bophut and Bang Rak; +66 (0) 8 6276 9101
Krua Chao Baan
A best of Koh Samui beachfront feast for locals and visitors in the know, this established restaurant is a well-kept secret among lovers of fresh local seafood.
The vast menu includes interesting southern delicacies like “Gaeng Som,” a popular local sour curry, as well as a full list of Thai favorites and excellent fresh seafood choices.
The red snapper with chili and mango salad is a particular treat atKrua Chao Baan, as are the tiger prawns in tamarind sauce, if available. Everything goes well with coconut juice straight from the tree.
Don’t worry about stuffing your face — you can always work off the calories by going for a post-meal paddle in the restaurant’s kayaks, offered free of charge.
Driving south from Lamai, on the left-hand side by the beach, around 1 kilometer before you reach Hua Thanon fishing village, near Silangu Temple; +66 (0) 7741 8589
Starfish & Coffee
With its warm Mediterranean décor and beachside terrace in the heart of Bophut Fisherman’s Village, Starfish, as it’s known, is always abuzz with hungry holiday-makers.
An eclectic, occasionally quirky menu of Thai and Western dishes complements the restaurant’s fresh daily seafood offerings, the latter displayed on ice out front and cooked fresh to your taste.
A distinct French influence also guarantees a good wine selection and some desirably dangerous desserts, such as the ever-popular mango and sticky rice.
The restaurant is named after the Prince song, but opens at noon so don’t expect to get your butterscotch clouds and tangerines here for breakfast.
On the main beachside strip in Bophut Fisherman’s Village; + 66 (0) 7742 7201
Ocean 11
An idyllic seafront setting right on Big Buddha Beach is but one of many qualities that make Ocean 11 one of Samui’s most celebrated restaurants.
The carefully crafted menu of Mediterranean and Italian delights is paired with a hand-selected wine list and tempting, ever-changing specials.
This cool combination has not only catapulted Ocean 11 to the top of the fine dining list on Samui, but has kept it there for a number of years.
Attentive service adds to the experience, and the simple but refined surroundings may even make you want to dress up a little for dinner.
In the end, though, it’s all about the food, which in this case includes succulent imported steak and lamb, mouth-melting fresh seafood, homemade pasta and a goat-cheese salad you’ll want to share, if only to make your dining partner jealous.
On the beach in Bang Rak, adjacent to 100 Degrees East; + 66 (0) 7724 5134; www.011s.com
Nightlife
9Gems
9Gems is a newcomer to the Samui wine and dine scene that’s part luxury villa, part upscale lounge.
There’s fusion food, tapas and cocktails, all served hillside, with great views over Chaweng Lake stretching to the beach.
Miami Vice meets Buddha Bar, this best of Koh Samui place offers the white linen-clad brigade a sassy place to splash some cash. Cocktails start at 350 baht (excluding service charge and tax).
9Gems Lounge, +66 (0)77 256 125. www.9gemssamui.com
Reggae Pub
On the edge of Chaweng Lake, the 20-plus-year-old Reggae Pub hosts a nightly live cover band polished in the art of crowd pleasing, and box set classics.
3/3 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach; www.reggae-pub.com
Green Mango Road
A few clubs in Chaweng manage to regularly fill their dance floors.For the best of Koh Samui nightlife in one area, check out Chaweng’s Green Mango Road, which has an aircraft hangar-like club of the same name.
Another top club to hit on the Green Mango strip is Solo, popular with the late-night crowd and known for bringing in a regular rotation of quality DJs from around the world.
Sound Club
The light and sound system at Sound Club in Chaweng gives Bangkok venues a run for their money, heaving well into the wee hours of the morning.
Different sections thump out varying music to cater to the variety-seeking clubber, and they regularly host international DJs.
Chawang Lake View, Chawang Beach; www.soundclubsamui.com
Q Bar
The Koh Samui reincarnation of the popular Bangkok club of the same name, Q Bar is another popular Chaweng venue.
Always a safe bet for a good night out, this club brings in top DJs and has a well-stocked bar manned by skilled bartenders who know their drinks.
Believe it or not, it’s family friendly. Q Bar Samui has its own kids room, where the young ones can play pool and watch cartoons while mommy and daddy get some alone time.
147/57 Moo 2 Bophut Sub-District; +66 (0)7 796 2420;www.qbarsamui.com
Black Moon Party
Samui’s answer to Koh Phangan’s legendary monthly Full Moon Party is the Black Moon bash, which, although more modest, often features big-name DJs and lasts until dawn.
Originally held at the Chaweng Lake Complex, the parties have recently been relocated to Chillin’ Feel at Plai Laem.
Adventure
Kiteboarding
In kiteboarding, the pros use wind and waves to perform stunts that make your toes curl. Learning to kiteboard takes energy and commitment.
But you can still nurse a hangover and give it a go.
Koh Samui is one of several Thailand beach destinations that attracts fans of the sport, due to the island’s optimal wind conditions. For lessons, hit up the Samui branch of Kiteboarding Asia.
+66 (0)81 591 4592, www.kiteboardingasia.com
Island hopping
The Ang Thong Marine Park is reachable on a day trip, but deserted enough to offer unspoiled Crusoe charm.
“The Beach” may have been filmed elsewhere, but it was this 42-island archipelago that provided the inspiration — a truly stunning spot to snorkel, dive, lie on the beach or kayak.
One of the park’s islands, Maekoh, has its own emerald inland lake, with steps that put thigh-busters worldwide to shame.
Most hotels and Koh Samui travel agencies offer a variety of Ang Thong tours.
Golf
Koh Samui has two mountainside golf country clubs — Santiburi and the Royal Samui Golf — with above-par views from the tees.
At Santiburi, carts are mandatory and absolutely necessary as this course takes you up, down and around, in the process offering fantastic views that challenge you to keep your mind on the game.
Sailing
If the thought of heading out on a group tour with a dozen other pleasure-seekers makes you cringe in horror, charter your own private boat with Samui Ocean Sports.
Sail to Koh Pha Ngan for the day. Island hop. Crank up the tunes on the iPod while the skipper catches the wind then drop anchor in a quiet bay for a swim and a Thai feast before absorbing the sunset as you open a bottle or two to toast your good fortune.
Don’t forget to throw a few photos of your day onto Twitter. What point is there in holidaying extravagantly if you can’t rub it in the faces of your followers?
Samui Ocean Sports, +66 (0)81 940 1999. www.sailing-in-samui.com
Diving
Because Samui is essentially a sand island, the water right off the shore can be murky. In other words, the island’s dive options suck.
But there are inspiring snorkeling and dive trips a short cruise away in the Gulf of Thailand.
For the real deal, join one of many snorkeling and diving trips that leave Samui daily for nearby islands like Koh Phangan and Koh Tao and the Ang Thong Marine Park.
For snorkelers, the waters around the much photographed islets at Koh Nang Yuan, off Koh Tao, are often fishbowl clear.
Sail Rock is another much visited world-class dive site halfway between Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, one of the few places in the world where you can dive with whale sharks. Sightings generally occur between March and August.
Koh Tao itself has more than 30 dive sites and considerably more schools and operators.
With so many dive courses and trips on offer it’s wise to choose the more established, professional operators who maintain their equipment and follow international standards of safety.
The 100 Degrees East Dive Team limits the number of divers/snorkelers per trip and heads for less-visited areas or gets to the popular ones early to avoid the masses, varying the choice of location based on prevailing weather conditions and visibility.
100 Degrees East Koh Samui, +66 (0) 7724 5936. www.100degreeseast.com
Flying
Not all the action in Samui takes place over water. You can also fly through tropical treetops strapped into a harness while snatching glimpses of the glistening coast below.
The jungle hike to the top of the six zipline runs that make up Canopy Adventures is sweaty but part of the appeal, with the rides set in one of Samui’s least spoiled patches of forest, near Mae Nam.
There’s even a waterfall with a swimming hole to cool off in after the ride, which costs 1,900 baht per person.
Canopy Adventures, +66 (0) 7741 4150-1. www.canopyadventuresthailand.com
Spa
Almost as ubitqutious as 7-Eleven is the Koh Samui spa. One of the best of Koh Samui spa options is Tamarind Springs, with its unique forest spa concept.
The steam cave is infused with a mix of herbs that stimulates blood circulation and helps cleanse the body and clear breathing passages.
It’s a great way to soften the muscles before a massage.
Or, just spend a few hours switching between the steam cave and rock plunge pool, living out your Flintstones fantasies.
Price: 1,500 baht for an unlimited “Steam and Dream” treatment (excluding service charge and tax).
Tamarind Springs, +66 (0) 7742 4221, www.tamarindsprings.com
Magic Buddha Garden
Hidden in the mists of Koh Samui’s hillside jungle, the Magic Buddha Garden is a mystical anomaly that was created by local septogenarian fruit farmer Nimm Thongsuk.
Uncle Nimm built statues and sculptures along a mountain stream that portray various deities and mythical creatures.
It’s one of those oddball, best of Koh Samui attractions that’s worth including on an island tour, in addition to the usual Big Buddha and Grandfather/Grandmother (penis/vagina) rock stops.
One way to efficiently take in the highlights of Samui is a full day eco-safari tour. For 1,700 baht per adult you get an eight-hour trip around the island.
Island Safari Tour, +66 (0) 7742 5563. www.islandsafaritour.com
Tong Krut fishing village
Tong Krut fishing village on the southwest coast of Samui is a rare snapshot of the island’s past.
Traditional beach shacks line the shore, with longtail boats leaning on the sand.
A handful of modest restaurants serve some of the best fresh seafood in the Thai Gulf — straight from the sea to the plate.
Beaches
Let’s be honest. The main thing tourists looking to experience the best of Koh Samui want to know about are the beaches, not the culture.
Picking which strip of Samui sand to rest your butt on depends on whether you want white sands with no crowds or want to lay in front of a ratty-looking beach bar run by locals who never seem to tire of listening to Bob Marley.
For action, the busiest strip of sand in town is Chaweng Beach, which has the most concentrated accomodations and the best nightlife. Though over-crowded, it’s a nice beach with the prerequisite white sand and turquoise waters that drew all those tourists in the first place.
Second on the popularity scale is Lamai Beach. Not as busy as Chaweng, but with plenty of hotel options and a lovely beach, it’s an alternative for traveling families who want to be in the thick of the action but without the wild nights.
Other good options include Choeng Mon, Bophut, Lipa Noi and Maenam, all of which have resorts and bungalows to suit different budgets.
If views of the neighboring Ang Thong National Park are preferable to fine sand, hit Taling Ngam, which sits in a remote corner of Koh Samui. Keep in mind, this one is really far from the action.
Transportation
Airlines
Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways operate flights from Bangkok, with Bangkok Airways operating direct flights to/from Singapore and Hong Kong.
Firefly also connects Kuala Lumpur with the island.
Airport transfers
Most hotels provide airport transfers, but for a slightly cheaper option there’s an official airport taxi counter, where you pay the fare in advance.
The cabs aren’t metered so, for example, it’s usually 400 baht for a 10-minute ride to Bophut. It’s 100 baht in a shared mini-bus if you’re not on a tight schedule.
Ferry
Ferries connect mainland Surat Thani with Koh Samui, with buses from Bangkok’s Southern Bus Station making the trip to Samui regularly.
Car rentals
If you plan to do more than laze on the beach, the easiest way to get around the island is by car. The airport has several rental counters — Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar — each offering a fleet of sedans, SUVs, mini-vans and jeeps.
A small sedan will set you back around 1,500 baht per day. Local companies such as TA Car Rentusually have lower rates and flexible car drop-off and return locations.
Motorbikes
Motorbike rentals are popular with tourists for 150-250 baht per day depending on the bike’s condition. Keep in mind, the island has one of the highest road fatality rates in the country. Legend has it the only activity that’s deadlier is sitting under a coconut tree.
Local transport
A safer way to get around is to flag a converted red pickup (songthaew), the island’s non-scheduled public transportation. Prices range from 30-80 baht per ride for short distances.
For longer distances, the rule of thumb is 100 baht per beach you want to travel to (for example, 300 baht from Chaweng to Bophut).
Best of Rio de Janeiro
By Joe Robinson -CNNGO
Travel fantasies don’t always live up to the reality, but the “marvelous city,” as Rio de Janeiro’s citizens call their beloved hometown, can knock even the most jaded travelers off their seen-it-all perches.
The marvels range from singular settings — primo beaches surrounded by jungled slopes and granite monoliths — to some of the best music on the planet, to a lifestyle that invites all to slow down and sample life at a beachside kiosk, sidewalk bar or juice stand.
Famed for girls from Ipanema and Carnaval, the best of Rio is all that but a lot more.
The party goes on year-round in the cultural heart of Brazil, from the samba renaissance in the Lapa District, where you can choose from an array of great clubs, music and restaurants; to Carnaval rehearsals at local samba schools that redefine the word “celebration.”
As it prepares for the Olympics in 2016, the city has launched a massive security program that’s finally addressing long-standing safety concerns. The best of Rio beaches of the Zona Sul are heavily patrolled and many other areas — especially those troubled by crime and drugs — have been cleaned up.
Mostly Rio specializes in life celebrants who bring you into the fold. Whether it’s hanging out over caipirinhas at a neighborhood bar, hiking in the rainforest or dancing in a circle of samba at an old dancehall, Rio is a realm of the senses, some of which you may find have been AWOL for a while.
More on CNNGo: World’s coolest nationality? Brazilians!
Hotels
Luxury
Copacabana Palace
Like a glistening casino in Monte Carlo, the massive white edifice of the Copacabana Palace looms above the beach strip of Avenida Atlantica.
The most storied hotel in Rio, the Copacabana opened its doors in 1923 as a roost for dignitaries and diplomats. The 1933 film “Flying Down to Rio,” set at the Palace but filmed in Hollywood, made it a hangout for celebs.
Orson Welles trashed his room here following a fight with Dolores del Rio, as did Ava Gardner after Sinatra dumped her.
The furniture doesn’t fly like it used to, but this best of Rio hotel still brings in the royals and their modern counterparts, rock stars.
It’ll set you back a bit for a stay in one of the 245 rooms, but you won’t complain about the impeccable staff or features such as “Juliet balconies” (in some rooms), spacious rooms and classic furniture. More recently constructed rooms with city views are located in the Tower Wing Building.
Avenida Atlantica 1702, Copacabana; +55 21 2548 7070; rooms from $450 to $1,200 per night; for reservations email reserves@copacabanapalace.com.br; copacabanapalace.com
Arena Copacabana Hotel
One of the newer addresses on Copacabana’s hotel row, the Arena Hotel has great views up and down the coast of the Zona Sul. The mirrored-glass exterior stands out from the crowd, as do the modern interiors.
At the rooftop pool you’ll find postcard views and cold beer.
The hotel’s location on a corner of Avenida Atlantica means it has a lot of rooms with ocean views (plan to pay extra for these).
Expedia named this best of Rio hotel an Insider’s Select choice in 2011, and Trip Advisor gave it an award of excellence.
Avenida Atlantic, 2064, Copacabana; +55 21 3034 1500; rooms from $200 (no views) to $400 (sea views) and higher. arenahotel.com.br
Mid-range
Mar Ipanema
This stylish boutique hotel has a primo locale, just five minutes from Ipanema Beach and a few blocks from the Rodrigo Freitas Lagoon.
The hippest beach hangouts are minutes away, as are a host of the city’s most happening boutiques, restaurants and bars in one of the safest neighborhoods in Rio. The upscale Leblon district is a five-minute walk.
Mar Ipanema rooms feature tasteful décor accented by Rio motifs that feel custom-crafted.
Wi-Fi is available in all rooms.
The hotel won a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor in 2011. The one downside: you have to use the restaurant next door for dining. Room rates are below most in the neighborhood.
Rua Praia Viscount, 239, Ipanema; +55 21 3875 9191; rooms from $235-$350 per night
Budget
Hotel Novo Mundo
Built in 1950, this three-star hotel has been a favorite of Brazilians over the years for its prices, views and proximity to Santos Dumont airport, the terminal for domestic flights. Soccer great Pele used to stay here when he had a game in Rio.
The hotel is located at Flamengo Beach, a coastal stretch as scenic as the Zona Sul, but often overlooked by travelers.
Flamengo Park, a long stretch of green that parallels the coast, is across the street; outside are great views of Sugarloaf and Guanabara Bay; the metro is a block away.
A stay on this side of Rio puts you closer to the action downtown, just a short walk away, such as the Lapa District and museums.
Praia do Flamengo, 20, Flamengo; +55 21 2105 7000; Rooms $170-$200 per night, suites $375
Golden Tulip Continental
This is not the Copacabana Palace.
It’s a high-volume beach hotel two short blocks from Leme, the least-known beach of the Zona Sul. But the view from its rooftop pool rivals anything the five-stars have, and its complimentary breakfasts are well-stocked.
Rooms are distinctly modest, but they’re good enough for the many airline flight crews who stay here.
Located in a quiet, residential area, the surroundings are a welcome relief from the madding crowd of Copacabana. Whatever you need is nearby — markets, bakeries, travel agencies, bars. Copacabana is a 10-minute walk.
Rua Gustavo Sampaio 320, Leme; +55 21 3545 5300; rooms from $150; Reservations by email at continentalreservas@goldentulip.com.br. goldentulipcontinental.com
More on CNNGo: Tour guides’ top picks in 10 cities
Dining
Academia da Cachaca
Sprawling over a large sidewalk in the upscale Leblon district of the Zona Sul, the Academia da Cachaca is a best of Rio hot spot for conversation, creative caipirinhas (pineapple, passion fruit, lime, bittersweet orange, and fruit of the season) and other concoctions, such as the Academic Grit (orange, ginger, rum).
The food is excellent and ranges from feijoada (the beans and rice mix that is a staple of the national diet) to escondidinho (shredded jerked beef, trout or chicken, shrimp, mashed cassava, cream cheese au gratin).
The atmosphere is laid back, the tables close together, so if you don’t bring friends, you’ll make some.
This is also one of the best places in Rio for caipirinhas and indulging the sidewalk joie de vivre of Cariocas. The high-octane alcohol at the center of the caipirinha, cachaca, is a sacred spirit here, and there are hundreds of bottles of the sugarcane firewater displayed on the shelves.
Rua Conde Bernadotte, 26; +55 21 2492 1159; moderate; www.academiadacachaca.com.br/bandeira.htm
Nova Capela
With its ornate, tiled walls, array of framed pictures and close quarters, Nova Capela feels very Portuguese, but it’s been a Rio fixture since it opened in 1903.
Home to Bohemians and artists through the years and now popular with Lapa denizens, Nova Capela is one of the best restaurants in Rio.
There’s an air of craftsmanship here, with custom dishes (boar, goat) and attention to detail that extends to surprisingly good service, not a Rio signature. The place is stocked with white-jacketed waiters.
The lamb with broccoli is a specialty here and melts in your mouth. The savory fare comes with the intimate vibe of a living room, a loud one.
Rua Avenue Mem de Sa, 96, Lapa; moderate; +55 21 2252 6228
Zaza Bistro Tropical
This psychedelic eatery is as far from boilerplate dining as it gets.
Owners Zaza Piereck and Preta Moyses turned their imaginations loose on a two-story colonial home in Ipanema in 1999, painting it ultramarine blue and stuffing it with bric-a-brac and figurines from around the world.
The upstairs dining area feels like you tripped down the rabbit hole and wound up in Fez, with Moroccan-style cushions for chairs.
There’s nothing predictable about the food, either. The fare leans toward healthy and organic, and is displayed with a Japanese-like flair for presentation.
Check out the grilled sea bass with sweet and sour caramelized bananas or, for dessert, the petit gateau cake with milk caramel.
Culinary creativity has made Zaza a very popular place, so you’ll need to make reservations — online only.
Rua Joana Angelica, 40, Ipanema; +55 21 2247 910; expensive; zazabistro.com.br
Porcao Rio
Porcao (or “Pig Pen”) is one of Brazil’s top churrascurias, or meat free-for-alls, in which a regiment of waiters wielding skewers of meat enlist you in a stuffing contest, and keep coming back with more.
If you’re of the carnivorous persuasion, this is your Valhalla — 30 different cuts of meat — beef, chicken, lamb and steaks galore.
The place attracts die-hard fans not just for the volume of meat, but the taste.
There are several branches. The one you want is the Flamengo restaurant, which has one of the best views in town, a panorama of the coast, Guanabara Bay and Sugarloaf jutting up from the sea.
Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, Parque do Flamengo; +55 21 3461 9020; expensive; www.porcao.com.br
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Nightlife
Rio Scenarium
An old house full of antiques might not sound like the coolest ambience for a happening night spot, but Rio Scenarium pulls it off.
The decor, no doubt, has something to do with that. The best of Rio club is three floors’ worth of antique clocks, paintings and chandeliers, carved out of a 19th-century mansion in the Lapa district.
This Victorian set decorator’s fantasy bridges vintage with modern, since Rio Scenarium is also a top music venue, with a first-floor stage and dance area that hosts the gamut of Brazilian rhythms, from rock to choro, to MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) and samba.
To keep the caipirinhas from ending the night before it gets started, you can take some food breaks, say, penne sautéed in pesto sauce or grilled fish filet.
Reservations recommended.
Rua do Lavradia, Casa 20, +55 21 3147 9000; www.rioscenarium.com.br
Casa da Matriz
One of the originators of the Rio club scene, Casa da Matriz, or Matrix House, has been a hip home for all-night scenesters since the 1990s.
Lodged in the Botafogo district, Casa da Matriz has an arty vibe, with a colorful decor and various environment spaces.
The music lineup ranges from deejays to live performances, from the Mad Professor to Joao Brasil. If you’d like to spin, the club offers a DJ course.
On Mondays, the walls rattle with indie rock. On Thursdays, it’s pop, rock, funk and drum ‘n’ bass. Fridays the dancing goes local, with samba, from the Rio suburbs, to the mangue beat of Chico Science, and samba diva Clara Nunes.
Saturdays go global danceorama, with DJs Tito and Edinho spinning pop, rock, soul and electronica.
Drinks are reasonable compared to clubs in the Zona Sul, at $9.50.
Rua Henrique de Novaes, 107, Botafogo; +55 21 2226 9691 or +55 21 2266 1014 (night);matrizonline.com.br/casadamatriz
Jobi Bar
The neighborhood bar, or botequim, is the Carioca version of the British pub, a place where the neighborhood comes to imbibe and unburden.
At the best botequims, like Jobi in Leblon, a stranger never remains alone for long.
This classic Rio bar has been a hub of socializing, venting and gesticulating since 1956.
In the usual style, the bar spills from indoors to outdoors, with tables sprawled across the sidewalk. Pedestrians don’t come first here — gabbing does.
Signature menu items are shrimp with cheese or shredded dried meat with farofa and onions.
There’s also live music. There’s no rush to get your point across at Jobi, which doesn’t close until 4:30 a.m.
Av. Ataulfo de Paiva, 1166, Leblon; +55 21 2274 0547
Bip Bip
Like a lot of bars in Rio, there’s no attempt at fancy furnishings at this modest Copacabana hangout. The walls are a haphazard mélange of photos and old newspaper clips, and the unadorned tables are jammed into a sardine can.
It’s so informal that customers wander to the fridge themselves to get beer, and sometimes even tabulate the bill.
Under the cover of night, however, Bip Bip turns into a music destination, a must-stop for local and touring musicians, which has helped the bar build a following that belies its humble digs.
Guests down suds and eat croquettes to a variety of musical offerings, with artists jamming casually at tables.
Tuesday is chorinho night, reserved for the intricate guitars and cavaquinhos of traditional choro music. Wednesday, there’s bossa nova. Friday and Sunday, it’s samba de roda, the circle of percussion and voice from which this art form sprang.
Rua Almirante Gonzalves, 50, Copacabana; +55 21 2267 9696; Opening time is usually 8 p.m.; 9 p.m. on Friday
Lapa District
A former run-down collection of 19th-century mansions, the Lapa district, near the city center, has been rehabilitated over the last decade into the heart of a cultural renaissance in Rio.
Many of the crumbling edifices have been restored to their previous luster. The sidewalks are packed and the bars pulsing with live music, mostly samba, which has fueled the revival.
Walk a few blocks here and you’ll have more musical options than fingers.
At one bar, it’s an acoustic samba de roda group with drums and mandolin. At another, there’s a gray-haired sambista belting out a classic samba canção (ballad) aided only by tambourine. At still another, there’s a lively band with a horn section doing samba gafieira, the swinging brass version of the music, with the crowd dancing along.
You may find yourself “eating your ears,” as the locals call the ear-to-ear grin.
At www.lanalapa.com.br you’ll find a great guide (in Portuguese) to everything happening at all the joints in Lapa.
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Shopping/Attractions
Shopping Rio
Like it has in much of the world, shopping in Rio has shifted to malls.
There are still great specialty shops: for musical instruments (Casa Oliveira), surfwear (Draco), hand-crafted jewelry (Maria Oiticica), books (Livraria da Travessa) and excellent bargains at the Target-like Lojas Americanas chain, particularly on CDs and DVDs.
But the best of Rio malls probably have what you need.
Shopping Leblon has more than 200 stores and easy access from the Zona Sul and tourist zones.
Botafogo Praia Shopping, in Botafogo, has a large selection of stores. From a side door to the food court on the top floor, you can wander out to the rooftop for a stunning view of the marina and Sugarloaf.
For tourist fare, the outdoor flea market that springs up at night along Avenida Atlantica has the usual grab bag of T-shirts that fall apart with one wash, dresses and trinkets.
The Hippie Fair, held in Ipanema on weekends at Praca General Osorio, has better quality crafts.
Casa Oliveira Musicas, Rio Centro; +55 21 2508 8539
Draco, Arpoador area; lojasdraco.com.br
Maria Oiticica, Shopping Leblon; +55 21 3875 8025;www.mariaoiticica.com.br
Livraria da Travessa, Leblon and Centro; www.travessa.com.br
Botafogo Praia Shopping; www.botafogopraiashopping.com.br
Shopping Leblon; www.shoppingleblon.com.br
Sugarloaf
Known as Sugarloaf for fairly obvious reasons, Pao de Acucar has posed for more photos than a truckful of supermodels, but there’s more to this monolith than mere prop.
It’s a show in its own right, something you find with a cable car trip to the top of the 396-meter peak.
You board two modern cable cars, the first to a peak called Urca, where caipirinhas and beer are available to steady wobbly knees. The second gets you to the top of Sugarloaf for arguably the most spectacular city vista on the planet.
The scene is dazzling, with views from the beaches of the Zona Sul to the jagged Two Brothers peaks, to lush mountains out of Tahiti.
Like any tourist mecca, it can get crowded at peak hours, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., so early or just before sunset is best — and pick a day when the skies are clear.
If you arrive early you can spend the day at Praia Velmelho, an idyllic beach in a cove-like setting a short walk from the base of the cable car.
Avenida Pasteur, 520. Urca; +55 21 2546 8400; $30; www.bondinho.com.br
Cristo Redentor and Corcovado
Since taking his post atop Corcovado Mountain in 1930, Cristo Redentor has had to put up with monsoonal rains, marinating humidity and swarms of kids posing in his famous flying posture.
Yet Rio’s iconic Christ statue remains unfazed, a focal point for locals and travelers, 710 meters high on a ridge top in the Tijuca National Forest.
No trip to Rio is complete without a journey to this high-flying landmark. Get alongside it, and it’s so massive (39 meters high, 635 tons) that it’s hard to get the whole thing into a photo.
Cristo Redentor does a little tour guiding on the side, the left arm pointing to the older north of Rio and the giant soccer stadium, Maracana, while the right arm waves to the Rodrigo Freitas Lagoa and the beaches of the Zona Sul. Straight ahead from the platform is the city center, or Centro, the bay and Sugarloaf.
The key to an awesome day atop Corcovado is weather. Wait for a clear day, or you’ll be staring at a layer of cumulus.
+55 21 2558-1329; $12; www.corcovado.com.br
Beaches/Avenida Atlantica
The best show in Rio is free on the beaches of the Zona Sul. Park on the sand or walk the promenade of Avenida Atlantica, and you’ll have a front row seat to the wear-less, play-hard philosophy of Cariocas.
Cyclists, joggers and skaters jam the bike and pedestrian lanes that hug the beach. On the sand and in the water, it’s volleyball, soccer and surfing. And everywhere, bodies dark and tanned, do their best to ration bathing suit material.
Copacabana is the largest beach, opposite many of the hotels that line Avenida Atlantica, while Ipanema and Leblon are the hippest, home to artists and dedicated followers of fashion.
Outdoors/Adventure
Rio has enough outdoor options to rival Boulder, Colorado, in the United States.
You can rock climb on Sugarloaf or in Niteroi, hang glide from a ridge top, hike in the forest surrounding the city or bike around one of the best outdoor refuges in town, the Rodrigo Freitas Lagoa.
A saltwater lagoon backed by steep hills and forest, Lagoa is the Central Park of Rio, a sanctuary from heat and urban chaos. It’s a great place to walk, jog and play, maybe even a little baseball. There are a couple of diamonds here.
The Lagoa circuit leads to a great hike in Parque Catacumba. The trail leads through the rainforest to some great views at the top.
Lagoa Adventures, a local outfitter, offers a canopy walkway high in the trees, a zip line, rock climbing wall and rappelling lessons.
Rio Adventures has an extensive range of pulse-pumpers, from a rope course and canopy adventure in the Atlantic Rain Forest to a hike up Pedro Bonita, to hang gliding.
Rio Adventures; +55 21 2705 5747 or +55 21 8290 1980; rioadventures.com
Lagoa Adventures; +55 21 4105 0079 or +55 21 7870 9162; lagoaaventuras.com.br
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Music
Drinking, partying and, yes, even the Rio beautiful-body parade all revolve around music. Here’s where to experience the heart, soul and never-ending rhythm of the most musical city on the planet.
Carioca Da Gema
This best of Rio venue was one of the trailblazers of the Lapa renaissance, and is always jammed on the weekends, when the top samba artists perform.
It’s the premiere club for two great art forms in Rio, samba and choro, an intricate, chamber-folk sound.
Many of Rio’s top samba artists perform here regularly. Be on the lookout for Ana Costa, Arlindo Cruz and the queen of Lapa, Teresa Cristina, for a pure fix of the marvelous city’s marvelous music.
The main floor is for dancing, and the few tables fill up quickly, so get here well before the 9 p.m. show time, especially on weekends.
Rua Mem de Sa 79, Lapa; +55 21 2221 0043; $12-$14 cover;www.barcariocadagema.com.br/bar.htm
Vinicius Bar
Bossa nova has legions of fans around the world, but in its home country, it’s all but vanished under a tidal wave of rap and sertanejo, a popular Tex-Mex sound.
The best place to catch the music made famous by Tom Jobim and Bebel Gilberto’s dad, Joao, is at Vinicius Bar, opened as an homage to the great lyricist and poet Vinicius de Moraes, who penned some of the most famous bossa songs, including “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Felicidade.”
Located a couple of minutes’ walk from the beach in Ipanema, the bar spotlights the jazz-tinged, languid sounds of a much slower Rio. In keeping with the habits of de Moraes, a legendary bon vivant, the place is well stocked for imbibing.
The breaded shrimp and Greek rice go nicely with a tangerosco, a tangerine-vodka combo.
Rua Vinicius de Moraes, 39, Ipanema; +55 21 2287 1497; www.viniciusbar.com.br
Estudantina Musical
This classic dance hall on the fringes of the Lapa district has been serving up happy feet for 83 years.
Ascend the wide wooden staircase and you’re no longer in the tourist bubble but inside the local culture with working-class folks who’ve put on their nighttime best to dance and party with giant bottles of Brahma.
They’re serious about their samba here. Bands play 90-minute sets. If you see a guy in a tank top on the dance floor going nonstop on a Friday night, it’s probably Reynaldo dos Santos, a 72-year-old sambista who dances circles around people half his age. He’ll be happy to give you a dance lesson, or you can take one of the classes offered here.
The banner on the back wall says it best: “As long as there is dance, there will be hope.” Lots of that here.
Praca Tiradentes 79-81; +55 21 2232 1149; $6-$10 cover; www.estudantinamusical.com.br
Mangueira Samba School
If you can’t make it to Carnaval, you can still get a surround-sound feel of the experience at one of the rehearsal halls for the samba schools that parade in the blowout each February.
Each of the samba schools sends an army of 3,000 or so drummers, theoretically clothed dancers and celebrants to the big event, who are graded on how they march, sound and look. They start practicing their moves in September.
Between September and February you can catch the rehearsals every Saturday night.
Take a taxi to the oldest and most revered of the schools, Mangueira (founded in 1928), where the lore is so deep, there’s a mini-museum inside its gaudy pink and green palace.
A cross between a Fellini film and the Ringling Brothers to the tenth power, Mangueira’s parties test the limits of eyeballs and eardrums. When the drum section kicks in, the festivities rumble in your kidneys.
Mangueira’s Palacio de Samba is located in a favela, but it’s safe for travelers. A taxi costs about $12 each way from Copacabana and Ipanema.
Palácio do Samba, Rua Visconde de Niterói, 1072, Mangueira; +55 21 2567 4637; www.mangueira.com.br
Why its so important to Travel Now Even if You Have Limited Cash..
Posted by travel answer man
There are numerous reasons travel is good for you, especially in economically difficult times. Please share these important tips with your friends and take advantage of them yourself today! Cash in on the great end of the year deals before it is too late!
Travel is great for your overall health! Just one vacation annually might be able to reduce an individual’s chance of a heart attack significantly and eliminate stress. Upon returning from a trip, many travelers admit their deep sleep is significantly improved. While traveling, most people’s blood pressure will drop. You can’t ignore these vital health tips!
It’s great for personal relationships! The anticipation of going on a vacation increases positive emotions about one’s own life. A new travel experience can cause a person to look at the world differently. Most will return from vacation with a much more open mind…a much improved outlook on life. That has got to be a good thing in today’s negative thinking world!
Travel may deposit more money in your wallet. Many people are more creative when they return refreshed from a long holiday. Your day to day performance at work is likely to improve also…rested physically and refreshed mentally. Imagine what you might be able to do! It might even help you get that new promotion or next raise. A “new you” might just be all it will take in the eyes of the boss.
So what are you waiting for? As the world economy has suffered the last number of months, the travel industry suppliers have been forced to re-invent themselves and revise their current strategy. They have lowered prices to levels that have not been seen for many years. This includes the airlines, hotels, resorts, spas, car rentals, cruise lines, trains, restaurants, golf courses, and various sightseeing activities. Go now! Don’t wait any longer…quit procrastinating! Travel is a wise investment in your life.
Holiday Pet Travel
he holidays are one of the peak seasons for travel, and it is the perfect time to take your pet along with you. Whether you are off on a ski vacation, visiting family or perhaps enjoying the magical feeling of a Swiss village at Christmas time, having your best friend along will make the trip more enjoyable.
Be sure to consider your pet’s identification before you leave. Pet ID tags with your CELL PHONE number are great since there will not be anyone at home to answer the phone. You should consider the added safety of a pet microchip. If your pet is separated from you, a shelter or a veterinarian can read the chip, and they can then track you down through the database of the manufacturer of the microchip. If you are going to be spending a couple of weeks in one place, consider buying a second Pet ID tag with the contact information on where you will be staying.
Pet Crates are a great way to keep your pet safe when traveling in the car. Unless a pet is confined or harnessed, its behavior can cause great distraction to the driver of the vehicle. As much as we all like our smaller pet in our lap, it is detrimental to the safety of the pet, the driver, and the passengers riding in the car. A collision, even at a slow speed, can seriously injure an unrestrained pet. The safety of your pet is your responsibility. Be sure and buckle them in with a pet harness or confine them in a crate.
If it is very warm or very cold, don’t leave your pet in the car alone. Be prepared by having a supply of water in portable pet water food bowls in the car. You may not find the brand of pet food that your pet is accustomed to where you are going, so bring extra food with you.
If your pet is larger than about 15 pounds, and you are traveling by air, then you will need an IATA compliant pet crate with special safety features. If you will be staying in a hotel, then the pet crate is the proper place to leave your pet while you go out to dinner. Make sure that the pet crate is large enough so that your pet can stand up and turn around. Be sure to leave an adequate supply of food and water to last for the period that you will be away. It’s also a good idea to place an absorbent pet pad in the bottom of the crate that will keep your pet dry in case of accidents.
Be sure and become familiar with hotel pet policies. Ask where it is appropriate to walk your pet and the areas where your pet is permitted. Always pick up after your pet.
Buy your crate well in advance of your trip so that the pet can get used to it before you travel. Pet crates come in two pieces, a top and a bottom. For a few days leave the top off the crate and put treats and a favorite toy in just the bottom portion. After seeing that your pet is comfortable, assemble the crate and leave the door open. Invite them in with praise and treats.
Flying with your pet is easy these days. Almost all airlines accept pets on board the aircraft. Very small pets can often travel in the cabin of the aircraft with you in an airline compliant pet carrier. Larger pets will travel as checked baggage in a special section of the cargo hold where the temperature and pressure is the same as in the cabin. Be sure to alert the captain of the aircraft that you have a pet in cargo as he will take extra care to keep the temperature and pressure at the proper levels. You will need a health certificate stating that your pet is healthy enough to fly. Be sure to make reservations early as the airlines only allow a limited number of pets per flight. Stay away from medical tranquilizers for your pet and instead give them an all natural pet calmer that will make them less anxious.
You will need lodging on the way. A great majority of pet friendly hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts that accept pets but they do not always accept all types and sizes. It is important to make your reservations in advance and ask about their pet policy. Under no circumstances should you leave your pet in the car overnight.
When traveling, keep your pet on their normal schedule by feeding them and taking them for their “walk” as close to the regular time as possible. Be sure to pack a supply of plastic bags to take along on those walks. If you are traveling with a cat, there are portable kitty litter trays available. Realize that your pet is out of their normal surroundings, so be sure and keep them on a leash and watch them closely. Reassure them should they show signs of nervousness or anxiety.
Be considerate of other people. Although there are many pet lovers in this world, there are some that do not feel comfortable around pets. Respect others by restraining your pet when necessary.
So whether your destination is Grandma’s house, a mountain cabin, or a ski resort in Switzerland, your pet can accompany you with the proper planning. International destinations require special veterinary certificates, however when traveling to most countries, there will be no quarantine of your pet.
Find more articles at http://www.pettravel.com/
New Data Says Carry-On Bags, Checkpoint Top Frustrations
New survey data shows four of the top five air traveler frustrations relate to the checkpoint process, though a majority of travelers are supportive of recent initiatives to improve traveler facilitation by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association to mark the 10th anniversary of TSA, the survey results were announced by U.S. Travel’s President and CEO Roger Dow at a press conference at Washington Reagan National Airport.
“I want to thank the men and women of TSA for a decade of dedicated service,” said Dow. “While we recognize the significant steps TSA has taken to improve security screening, the process still remains inefficient and frustrating for millions of Americans.”
Travelers are generally satisfied with TSA’s overall performance as it relates to security. A full two-thirds, 66 percent, of air travelers are satisfied with the job TSA is doing on security and only 13 percent said they were dissatisfied.
Additionally, a strong majority of air travelers support TSA’s recent efforts to improve the efficiency of the passenger checkpoint process, and they believe that the agency is headed on the “right track” with new initiatives such as the newly launched trusted traveler program PreCheck, the elimination of pat downs for children, software upgrades that replace personal body images with a generic body image and a decision to phase out the removal of shoes.
But while travelers commend TSA for these efforts, they continue to be frustrated with the checkpoint process. In fact, four out of five air travelers reported that their top frustrations with flying are still directly related to the checkpoint process:
- 72.4 percent chose “people who bring too many carry-on bags through the security checkpoint”;
- 68 percent chose “the wait time to clear the TSA checkpoint”;
- 62.3 percent chose “having to remove shoes, belts and jackets at the TSA checkpoint”; and
- 42.5 percent chose “TSA employees who are not friendly”.
In light of the survey’s findings, U.S. Travel makes three recommendations:
- Airlines must allow more opportunities for enrollment in PreCheck and not discriminate against consumers who are not members of their loyalty programs;
- Airlines must work with TSA and the travel industry to decrease the number of carry-on bags going through passenger checkpoints, which is a top frustration for passengers and a major security concern of TSA; and
- TSA must continue to focus on traveler facilitation because travelers are more willing to fly when the hassle is reduced.
“We can reduce the hassle of flying without compromising security,” said Dow. “When we do, more Americans will travel and our economy will benefit. If travelers took just two to three more trips a year, it would generate $85 billion in travel and spending and support 880,000 additional jobs.”
The executive summary of the report can be found here.
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