Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica
Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica
Surrounded by mountains and jungle-fringed beaches on the Pacific, this pristine bay bordering a national marine park was long the secret of surfers and backpackers—and migrating whales. Now there’s Kura Design Villas, an upscale eco-resort whose six minimalist villas are open to the tropical air.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
His tenure at 1919—the new restaurant inside San Juan’s historic Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, whose rooms will reopen in mid-2013—has been brief. But native son Juan José Cuevas has already created something other Puerto Rican chefs only talk about: a menu dedicated almost entirely to island ingredients. Cuevas is one of the reasons food lovers are homing in on P.R.
Philippines
Philippines
Boracay hogs the spotlight, but there are thousands of other islands to lure beach lovers. At Eskaya Beach Resort & Spa, on Panglao, thatched-roof villas face the sea.
Nepal
Nepal
Its civil war in the past, this Himalayan state, with its elephants, one-horned rhinos, and incredible landscapes, is back in play. Yeti Mountain Home Lodges , on the hike to Everest, and the eco-sensitive, newly renovated Tiger Tops Karnali Lodge are targeting sophisticated adventurers.
Zambia
Zambia
Instability in Zimbabwe continues to divert safari-goers and guides across the border. In South Luangwa, walking-safari pioneer Norman Carr’s daughter-in-law is opening Chinzombo , and the Bushcamp Company has redone several camps. In the Lower Zambezi, the Ana Tree Lodge will have eight luxe tents with private plunge pools when it opens in April.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
The Rijksmuseum emerges from a 10-year renovation in April, with a wing devoted to Vermeer and Rembrandt, steps from the recently redone Stedelijk Museum. A few eye-popping design hotels have also debuted, including ones from Andaz and experimental collective Droog.