Summer in the world's best beach destinations

I’ve practiced yoga all over the world, including in India and Nicaragua for hundreds of hours of yoga training. But one of the most magical is right here in Santorini, especially at my favorite spot, on a promontory rock in front of Grace Hotel that juts out into the Aegean Sea. Here, taking in splendid views of the Caldera, I feel connected to Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing; Epione, the goddess of soothing; and their daughters, goddesses of health and recuperation. I feel their ancient powers flow through with each breath and yoga pose.

My husband and I are happy to get our hands dirty for the sake of renewing the farming culture of Southern Maine. On our four-acre property, Frinklepod Farm, you can spend the day with us to explore our acreage and three greenhouses—we’ll get you out of the city and into the soil.

One of my favourite jobs here is turning guests into morning people. I oversee the arrival experience and I'll know guests are fully immersed in Chileno Bay when they discover that sunrises in Cabo are different. I can't specifically say what makes them so. Maybe it’s the reflections off the white sand of the beaches, the adobe-coloured desert dunes or the deep sea at dawn, reminiscent of a Monet painting; but it’s truly a gift to greet each day this way and see light like that.

Leave our tropical home more lush than when you arrived by joining us in planting mangrove propagules at Nanuku’s onsite nursery. As a part of our Planet Auberge Program, an initiative to decrease each property’s footprint, this eco-conscious activity delights adults, families, and our youngest “tribe members” in the LaiLai Kids Club as they join us in our effort to preserve Fiji's paradise. By getting hands-on in the soil with our community, guests improve the surrounding environment we all so deeply cherish while simultaneously testing out their green-thumb and soaking up Fiji’s majestic, natural splendor.

It took a killer hangover to get me on the bilibili. This floating Fijian bamboo raft isn't for the faint of heart but it offered my only deliverance after a night of tasting the island's award-winning rum. Drifting deeper into the forest canopy, I searched for a secret medicinal herb the island's first pirates once used while they were developing sugarcane for rum in the 1800s.

I was just a child when I first learned the Fijian tree of life has a secret. My grandmother warned me about Fiji's beloved coconut trees when she told me the legend of a beautiful young maiden named Hina, who loved to bathe in a watering hole near the sea.

It's no secret Fiji's Frigate Passage is one of the world's preeminent surf breaks. Though this open-ocean swell is prime to surf year-round, locals like myself know it's best to surf in winter, from April to October, when southeast trade winds surge the swell for up to a week at a time

Sailing away from Anguilla on a hand-crafted sailboat, we headed out to explore the small cays that dot the horizon. Looking for dolphins on the way became a game for the kids and us. The first stop brought us to a small sandy beach with nothing but the stunning turquoise water to look at. We swam and relaxed here listening to the stories of our captain about growing up in Anguilla. He tells the kids of the caves he explored as a child, and the kids are enthralled. Not long after, we are off again to explore the caves located on the eastern end of Anguilla.

Spotted moray eels slither like snakes around the wreckage of MV Oosterdiep near Anguilla’s Mead Bay, while schools of fish dart around its overgrown remains. Lying at the bottom of the cold, dark ocean, ghostly shipwrecks like Oosterdiep capture the imagination—leaving us to wonder about the fate of its passengers.

Drive 15 minutes east on Route 1 from Malliouhana and you’ll find a 16-foot boat, its hull painted bright yellow and green, perched on the beach in Sandy Ground. “This is Elvis’ Beach Bar—Anguilla’s after-party headquarters,” says General Services Manager Deanna Cabrera.

As waves licked the shore and the sun painted watercolor strokes, the horses plodded gently across powdery sand, heading toward the cerulean water. “This was no ordinary horseback ride on the beach,” says General Services Manager Deanna Cabrera about her first time at Seaside Stables on Cove Bay. “In Anguilla, they’ll wade right into the ocean to swim—with you still on board!” .

Ask for rum punch in Anguilla and you’ll find a thousand different versions of the Caribbean cocktail—a marriage of rum, citrus, and sugar occasionally spiked with fresh fruit juice, liqueurs, and bitters. But everyone has their favorite...

On her first Friday night in Anguilla, Natassia Parker saw gray plumes of smoke rise and smelled the char of grilled meat in the air. “I didn’t know it then, but this island is a barbeque mecca and those were signs the weekend had started,” she says. “By now I’ve tried every roadside stand, but Ken’s BBQ is adored by locals and well worth the 20-minute drive from Malliouhana.

When my family and I first began to plan our stay at Esperanza, we fantasized over spending as much time as possible in and on the water. Learning how to paddleboard was on my son’s bucket list, my daughter wanted to horseback ride along the beach, and we all relished the idea of a lazy sail along the Sea of Cortez, taking in dips to swim and snorkel whenever the mood struck. We ended up having an amazing time doing all those things, and we also discovered a fantastic—and wholly unexpected—new way to enjoy the water: movie night in the pool.

A 27-mile ferry ride away from Anguilla lies mysterious Saba island. Chances are you’ve heard of busier St. Barts or St. Martin, but this unspoiled Dutch Antilles hideaway—which boasts incredible hiking and diving—is not on most tourist’s radars. “Of all the islands I’ve visited since moving to Anguilla, Saba is the most unexplored,”

After living in New York, Malliouhana’s Concierge, Becca Teklu, found paradise in Anguilla. Her best-kept secret for total escape is the island’s remote hideaway Little Bay, which is only accessible by boat and famous for its sugar-white beach. For your visit there, you’ll need our complimentary snorkeling gear to explore an underwater ecosystem thriving with turtles, eels, blue tangs, parrotfish, and stingrays. If wading into Little Bay's waters is not enough, climb up Jumping Rock and plunge 20 feet into the warm ocean below—one thrill Becca definitely prefers over riding New York’s subways!

As Esperanza’s lead mixologist, I like to think of fun and creative ways to serve drinks and to introduce you to local spirits, whether it’s by mixing balanced mezcal cocktails or by offering earthy Extra Añejos neat for sipping like fine whiskey. And like everyone else in the Esperanza family, I delight in making playful and surprising twists on local traditions. My favorite way to combine these passions is with Esperanza’s favorite bar game: La Pirinola.

I've been traveling to Costa Rica for almost 30 years, and I've been to plenty of the country's resorts. In all that time, I've never seen a place where both kids and adults can have equally incredible experiences than at Hacienda Alta Gracia. For kids, the stables are the best in Central America. Well-trained and easy for kids to ride and enjoy, my granddaughters fed and brushed the horses following their ride. Plus, a huge bonus - there are almost always baby horses on the property, which are always a hit! Back at the resort, the kids played at Kata Grande, conveniently located near a bar where parents can enjoy!

I don't just plan trips, I change lives. When a couple comes to me in need of a romantic getaway, it's especially exciting to plan a travel experience that is not only out-of-the-box and inspiring but that also stops time. An insider tip I love to give my clients is the special opportunity to make their own scrubs at Hacienda AltaGracia's spa. The team of massage therapists assist you in mixing your bathtub blend with lush tropical oils, bottling the scent of Costa Rica for you to take home.