BY JEANNE O’BRIEN COFFEY
Wistful is the word that comes to mine right now when we think of travel. Sitting down to share food with strangers who quickly become friends, plunging into crowded bazaars to hunt for local artisan treasures, indulging in immersive spa treatments—all the things that, just a few short months ago, we took for granted are now tinged with concern.
Finding your way through these uncertain times is tricky. Most people are staying close to home these days, but that doesn’t mean you can’t immerse yourself in daydreams now, laying the groundwork for unforgettable adventures down the line.
We’ve chosen some of our favorite places, packed with tradition, meaning, great food, and of course, luxurious relaxation. Dream with us now—we’ll catch you on the road later.
The Society Islands in French Polynesia
where you can live out your wildest castaway dreams.
WHY
Eight hours by plane from just about anywhere, these carefully preserved islands—tiny specks on any world atlas—boast waters full of vibrant fish and secluded beaches, imbued with an unbeatable mix of Polynesian culture tinged with French influences.
ARRIVE
Connect through Tahiti to Raiatea, where a private 45-minute shuttle boat will transport you to the resort, or organize a 15-minute helicopter ride from Bora Bora.
STAY
Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa is a five-star property on its own motu (a small islet poised between reef and lagoon). Book an iconic overwater villa, where a plunge in the South Pacific is just off your private deck.
INSIDER TIPS
Ask about arranging a Motu picnic on a private island—chefs are happy to organize a luxurious meal of local specialties for al fresco dining. Taha’a is also known as the Vanilla Island, because some chefs and gourmets have proclaimed the beans grown here among the tastiest, most fragrant on earth.
Stockholm, Sweden
where locals live life outside all year long. This four-season urban oasis mixes culture and fine dining with a wealth of outdoor activities.
WHY
The city encompasses equal parts water, green space, and built environment, meaning that it’s just as easy to go for a bike ride or paddle during long summer days or take a winter ice skating tour as it is to visit a showcase museum for art and design or dine in a Michelin-starred restaurant.
ARRIVE
Travel from Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, 25 miles north of the city center, in a brisk 20 minutes via the Arlanda Express, which departs every 15 minutes from just below the arrivals terminals.
STAY
Villa Dagmar, sister property to the luxurious Diplomat Hotel, is slated to open in December in a well-preserved Art Nouveau building. The hotel is in the posh Östermalm district, packed with nightlife and high-end shopping and right next door to the historic fine food hall, Östermalms Saluhall. A highly anticipated restaurant run by Michelin-starred chefs will open in its serene glass-domed courtyard.
INSIDER TIPS
Visit a grocery store to stock up typical Swedish groceries that can double as souvenirs, like lingonberry jam, cloudberries, crisp bread, and Marabou chocolate. Live like the locals by making time for fika, a meet-up for coffee and treats, at a fik, slang for a café, bakery, or pastry shop.
Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, Africa
a preserve where about 2 million wildebeest and zebra migrate annually across vast plains, following weather patterns for grazing and water.
WHY
In addition to the great migration, this dramatic volcanic, verdant landscape is permanent home to a plethora of wildlife year-round, and is one of the few remaining places to view black rhinos in their natural habitat. The Serengeti offers the potential to see all of the “Big 5” most desired photo safari animals—lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and African buffalo.
ARRIVE
Scheduled flights arrive into Seronera Airstrip, which is an hour’s drive from the camp.
STAY
Serengeti Pioneer Camp, perched on a rocky outcrop in the southern central Serengeti, has good access to the wildebeest migration for most of the year, particularly in the calving season. The exclusive property has just 12 luxurious tents, each with en suite bathrooms with solar-heated showers, and a personal room attendant. You’ll never have a better happy hour than the sundowners in the bar and lounge, which offer spectacular views of sunset across the plains.
INSIDER TIPS
In January and February, some 400,000 wildebeest calves are born an hour’s drive from Pioneer Camp. It’s an intense experience for visitors, especially since the event attracts predators like lions. Then, from March to June, the migration starts heading north and thousands of wildebeest make their way through the area in front of the camp.
Medjumbe Island, Mozambique
a small private island floating in the protected Quirimbas Archipelago.
WHY
Mesmerizing azure water of the Indian Ocean, uninhabited islands, a plethora of birdlife as well as spectacular—and isolated—snorkeling and scuba diving in warm crystal-clear waters make this paradise for ocean lovers. Join colorful marine life as you float above an unspoiled coral reef, then stroll the quiet powdery-sand beaches stretched along Mozambique’s northern coastline.
ARRIVE
Fly from Johannesburg to Pemba International Airport then connect with a 45-minute scenic air transfer, included in the fare.
STAY
Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort offers just a dozen thatched-roof huts, decked out in vibrant African prints, with views of the ocean from every angle. There are private plunge pools, garden showers, and few inhabitants, aside from humpback whales, dolphins, and turtles playing in the water steps from your door.
INSIDER TIPS
Book the Star Bed Experience to be whisked away to the uninhabited Quissanga Island for a private outdoor dinner and overnight in a luxurious four-poster bed under a galaxy of stars. Switching gears, take a helicopter tour to nearby Ibo Island where silversmiths craft exquisite jewelry using ancient Arab techniques and tools found nowhere else in the world.
Sintra, Portugal
named a World Heritage Site for the concentration of Romantic-style architecture, a catch-all label that embraces everything from Neoclassical Greek to Gothic and Baroque.
WHY
Colorful palaces built by Portuguese royalty rise improbably from steep hillsides, cooled by ocean breezes. A temperate year-round climate, delicious local wine and food, and spectacular sites like Quinta da Regaleira—one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe—and the famous Palácio da Pena add to the city’s allure.
ARRIVE
The Tivoli Palácio de Seteais is just 30 minutes away from Lisbon Airport by car.
STAY
Live like royalty at Tivoli Palácio de Seteais, an 18th-century palace built as the official residence of the former Consul of Portugal. The interior is lavish, with about 2,000 pieces of art scattered throughout—furniture, lighting, tapestries, and paintings and other precious items decorate its 30 rooms and suites. Try a wine ritual at the palace’s Anantara Spa. This series of antiaging vinotherapy treatments ends with a glass of Colares, the region’s famous wine.
INSIDER TIPS
For even more eye-candy, visit in spring or fall, when the light is especially beautiful. Be sure to visit Casa Piriquita, a family bakery since the 1860s, for travesseiro, a pastry stuffed with sweet eggs and flavored with almonds that is one of the most famous sweets in the country.
Ireland’s Wild West Coast
where craggy cliffs plunge dramatically into the sea, a stone’s throw from flower-covered heaths and gently rolling meadows.
WHY
From the famous Cliffs of Moher to tiny coves, fishing villages, and ancient ruins, the desolate beauty of this area will take your breath away. Just inland, Connemara National Park is a vast expanse of mountains, lakes, bogs, and heathland where a herd of Connemara ponies roam.
ARRIVE
Rent a car. Shannon Airport is about a 90-minute drive from Ashford Castle, and traveling the coast is much easier in your own vehicle.
STAY
Ashford Castle, an 800-year-old estate that was once home to the Guinness family, of beer-brewing fame. Just north of Galway on the shores of Lough Corrib, every room in the castle is different, with rare antiques complementing silk-lined walls, curated artworks, and ornate curtains framing the views of verdant grounds and the lake beyond. Play at being landed gentry with horseback riding, archery, clay shooting, boat rides, and falconry—few things are as thrilling as watching a majestic bird sweep in on powerful wings to land gently on your arm.
INSIDER TIPS
Visit in the summer, when daylight seems to last forever. Head up to Voya Seaweed Baths in County Sligo, where a soak in a tub of organic hand-harvested seaweed will deeply moisturize your skin, increase circulation and promote healing.
Honolulu, Hawaii
where the climate is always temperate, and it’s easy to sink into Polynesian culture.
WHY
There are few more iconic sights than Leahi (Diamond Head), rising in craggy verdant majesty at the far end of Waikiki Beach. Surfing, floral leis, tiki drinks—it’s all right here for a pure hedonistic vibe. Feast on fresh seafood, snorkel in pristine waters and enjoy an active nightlife.
ARRIVE
The Royal Hawaiian is about a 45-minute drive from Honolulu International Airport.
STAY
The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, which opened in all its pink splendor in 1927, stands as a luxurious sanctuary on bustling Waikiki Beach, exuding tropical luxury and grace at every turn. With its breathtaking views, the spot was originally the summer home of Queen Ka‘ahumanu, King Kamehameha’s favorite wife.
INSIDER TIPS
Reserve a table at Azure, Royal Hawaiian’s luxe restaurant, to enjoy locally caught ahi, opah, onaga, uku, or moi selected each morning from the Hawaii fish auction. For an upscale luau experience, try the Royal Hawaiian’s ‘Aha’aina, a lavish epicurean celebration commemorating Hawaiian culture with classic dishes, storytelling, songs and, of course, hula.
Shimla, India
a mountain village high in the Himalayas where small colonial hamlets and castles left over from British rule sit in the shadow of towering peaks.
WHY
At more than 8,000 feet above sea level, surrounded by dense cedar forests and awe-inspiring views of snow-capped mountains, Shimla is an ideal base for exploring the Himalayas, from trekking and mountain biking to visiting with local craft makers and dining on locally grown produce.
ARRIVE
The most enjoyable way to travel is the World Heritage designated “Toy Train” from Kalka, a five-hour journey that clings to the sides of cliffs and rushes through long dark tunnels. Book the Shivalik Deluxe Express for nonstop service and panoramic windows.
STAY
Wildflower Hall, Shimla in the Himalayas, an Oberoi Resort, is imbued with old-world charm. Set in 22 acres of virgin pine and cedar, the interiors are awash in Burmese teak paneling, fireplaces, lovely art and polished parquet floors covered with oriental rugs. The resort takes full advantage of the surrounding forest—be sure to try their famous Pine Needle Risotto or enjoy a pine needle soak after a rejuvenating massage at the spa.
INSIDER TIPS
Take it easy when you arrive – the altitude may leave you gasping at first. March through June is most pleasant, with temperatures ranging from the 60s to the mid 80s Fahrenheit. Stock up on Kangra silk scarves, Himachali caps, and wooden handicrafts not available anywhere else.
Todos Santos, Mexico
an untamed paradise of dry desert landscapes and endless sand beaches located at the tip of the Baja Peninsula.
WHY
Locals are very protective of this region, backdropped by the stark beauty of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, so development has been kept in check. Fishing villages and organic farms nestle near tranquil beaches, keeping the hustle and bustle of nearby Cabo San Lucas in check.
ARRIVE
Fly into San Jose Del Cabo airport, then rent a car or organize a shuttle for the 45-minute drive to the resort.
STAY
Rancho Pescadero, an adult-only hideaway of 28 suites set to reopen in December 2021 after a multi-year renovation. Swaying palms and mountain peaks provide the setting for rooms decorated with native materials and artisan furnishings. The resort takes full advantage of local organic farms and dayboat fresh catches at its Garden Restaurant, which offers farm-and-sea-to-table Baja cuisine infused with global influence.
INSIDER TIPS
Visit from December to March during whale season, when nine species, including grey, humpback and blue, congregate in the bays. At Rancho Pescadero, request room number two to watch the whales from your bed during the day and the stars at night from your roof top deck.
Montreal, Eastern Canada
which embraces winter like no other city, with nonstop outdoor festivals, skiing, ice skating, and tubing all within easy reach.
WHY
The province of Quebec produces more than 70 percent of the global supply of maple syrup, making it the easiest place on earth to experience sugar season every February and March, when the nights are still freezing but the days start to warm up. To learn more, visit a sugar shack, or cabane à sucre, as the French Canadians say. Places like Cabane du Pic Bois, a traditional spot clinging to the side of a mountain in Brigham, Quebec, about an hour south of Montreal, serve up a little bit of education and a whole lot of hearty food, all of which is either cooked with maple syrup or doused in it.
ARRIVE
All major airlines fly into Montréal–Trudeau International Airport. To visit a cabane à sucre, it’s best to rent a car, as the closest ones are 45 minutes or so outside the city.
STAY
Auberge du Vieux Port is a boutique hotel housed in a former 19th-century warehouse by the St. Lawrence River. Its 45 rooms, which merge 19th-century architecture with modern style, feature oak or pine floors, post and beam ceilings, and stone or brick walls, steps from the boutiques and galleries of Old Montreal.
INSIDER TIPS
For a sugar shack party right in the city, just steps from the Auberge du Vieux Port, reserve a spot at Un Chef à l’érable, an annual festival that replicates an authentic cabane à sucre experience with modern flair inside the Scena event space on the St. Lawrence.
