From wine-splashed après ski in the Alps to bohemian beach getaways, foodie UNESCO Heritage towns and isolated island retreats, we’ve got you covered with an array of plum, less trammelled destinations where there’s still room at the inn.
LAS TERRENAS, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Far from the madding crowds of the DR’s better-known, mega-resort-saturated Punta Cana, this sweet beach town on the island’s northeast white-sand coast has been a French expat hub since its founding in 1946. Slowly transformed into a laid-back yet lively beach destination, French is Las Terrenas’s second language, and also an influence seen in its fusion cuisine. With a tasty blend of French, Spanish and Dominican dishes, from tapas and empanadas to Croque Monsieur. Plus you’ll have no trouble finding an excellent Chablis or baguette in the shops here. Sublime Samana, a resort on Playa Cosón, a stunning and secluded stretch of shore just beyond town, offers reasonably priced luxury villas. Rooms at Mosquito Boutique Hotel, with its boho-tropical design and buzzy beach bar-restaurant, is a cool bargain on Playa Bonita, right in the centre of town.
SINTRA, PORTUGAL
Think historic palaces, lavish gardens, cobblestone streets and sweeping cliffside views over the Atlantic. This beautifully preserved storybook hamlet was once a retreat for the Portuguese royal family and attendant nobility. Nestled in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains, a 40-minute train jaunt from Lisbon, this UNESCO Heritage Site is also home to an enviable dining scene. From classic tapas and modern Mediterranean to the Michelin-starred Midori, Portugal’s oldest Japanese restaurant, Sintra is also famed for its pastries: Queijadas da Sapa has been baking its delicious egg, cheese and cinnamon-sugar tart in the same café since 1756. Equally venerable, the Valverde Sintra Palácio de Seteais – a palace estate erected by a Dutch diamond merchant between 1783 and 1787 and converted into a hotel in 1955 – is among the luxury stays, but Sintra is equally rich in charming guesthouses. Like the just-opened Passeio Sintra Collection, on a quiet leafy street a short stroll from the historical centre, or Quinta Velha, a lovely six-bedroom manse in the lush forest just beyond town.
ANNECY, FRANCE
Fly to Geneva and grab the 90-minute train to lakeside Annecy, known as the “Pearl of the French Alps” (for its stunning location) and the “Venice of the Alps” (for its lovely canals). Once home to the Counts of Geneva and Dukes of Savoy, the grand Château d’Annecy looms over the picturesque waterways, footbridges and winding cobblestone streets of this picture-postcard village, where centuries-old buildings, painted in bright pastels, now house restaurants, patisseries and boutiques. The capital of Haute-Savoie, this is the gateway to chic ski towns like Chamonix and Megève, with many closer, lesser known peaks like La Clusaz within a half-hour’s drive. A gastronomic haven stuffed with sublime restaurants, regional cheese and wine, Annecy’s namesake turquoise lake – Europe’s most Michelin-starred lake, thanks to chefs like Franck Derouet of Le Clos des Sens, and L’Auberge du Père Bise’s Jean Sulpice – offers such scenic views that it inspired Cézanne.
SOUTH CAICOS, TURKS & CAICOS
With utterly deserted beaches, humpback whales, rich marine life and one sleepy town, Cockburn Harbour, where flamingos fly in to dine on shrimp in the salt salinas, this is paradise for travellers looking to beachcomb for miles without ever running into anyone but a wild donkey. A 90-minute ferry or quick private flight from its famous sister, Providenciales, you can also take advantage of American Airlines’ newly launched, non-stop flights out of Miami (Wednesdays and Saturdays). Unlike bustling Providenciales, which is home to 50+ hotels and resorts and the crowds that go with them, in South Caicos, you’ll find two. Balanced against the stunning, untouched nature of it all, lodging is lavish. The luxe, 38-room Sailrock South Caicos launched in 2017, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. On the opposite side of the island, the 100-suite Salterra Resort & Spa debuted this year and it’s already in the Michelin Guide. Outside of hotel fine dining, there are a small handful of rustic, locally owned eateries to check out, as well as Gibbs Cay, an uninhabited island nature reserve just offshore that’s famous for its stingrays, and a reef teeming with parrotfish, tangs and snappers.
LIMA & MANCORA, PERU
This multifaceted country is so much more than bucket-list destination Machu Picchu. Vibrant Lima, the culinary capital of South America, is a thrilling destination for foodies. From world-renowned chefs like Gastón Acurio (Astrid y Gastón) and Virgilio Martínez (Central) to traditional neighbourhood eateries, the city’s local and fusion cuisine – such as Nikkei, a Peruvian-Japanese hybrid, reflecting Lima’s vast Japanese population – is a unique gastronomic adventure. Hotel B, an artsy refurbished mansion in the capital’s old town Barrancas district, is a great place to stay. After a few days of gourmet gluttony, catch the two-hour flight to Mancora on Peru’s palm-fringed border with Ecuador. A gorgeous coast with whale watching, horseback riding, surfing and fresh seafood, the bohemian KiChic – a small boutique property on a quiet, more isolated stretch of beach – provides a leisurely seaside wander to town.