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Al fresco soaks.

All-Access Adventure

You could come to a place like Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica and never leave the property, but you shouldn’t. The biodiverse country is not only an ecotourism hub, but a capital of both hardcore and laid-back adventure. The resort partners with a crop of local outfitters to facilitate activities that range from adventure-park excursions to catamaran tours and surfing pilgrimages, including trips to the iconic Witch’s Rock, about a 90-minute drive south.

We kept it low-key, opting for a 45-minute drive to Rincón de la Vieja National Park, where we spied howler monkeys and boiling, volcano-fed mud pits on an easy guided hike with the best payoff: a swim at the foot of the Oropéndola waterfall. With sweaty palms, I watched my daughter fearlessly skitter across a two-foot-wide hanging bridge that wobbled some 100 feet above the water, then took a deep breath and (slowly) chased after her. Pura vida, right?

Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $100 resort credit.

Costa Rican Roots

Encompassing six restaurants and bars, the resort’s dining program draws from the culinary traditions of Costa Rica’s Indigenous Chorotega people, known for their terraced farming techniques that yield corn, beans, cacao, and other staples. At La Finca, chefs season cuts of dry-aged local beef and lamb chops from nearby Turrialba with locally made Chorotega salt; at breakfast at Tico Tica, a traditional Costa Rican gallo pinto plate combines rice, beans, fried eggs, and plantains. Locally sourced seafood stars across the menus – scallops at Tico Tica, chargrilled octopus at La Finca – but my favorite dish was the latter’s corn cake with meringue and sweet-corn-and-sour-cream sauce.

Cocktail options also honor the region. At Peacock Alley, a bar best described as “Jay Gatsby walks into the rainforest,” the drink menu leans heavily on rum, but mixes a tropical flair into other classic spirits, too. Try the Whiskey de Cada Día, made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, banana liqueur, chocolate bitters, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg, served tableside in a (get your camera phone ready) smoke-filled bronze cloche.

Coffee as a Meditative Experience

Guests can pop into the resort’s Buena Nota Café for snacks, cold brews, or pour-overs made with the country’s traditional chorreador (coffee maker). During an hour-long tasting session, the shop’s lovely and bean-obsessed baristas schooled me on Costa Rica’s seven coffee-growing regions, offered pro tasting tips (slurp a bit of the coffee from a spoon to oxygenate your palate before drinking from the cup), and explained proper pour-over technique. At home, my coffee consumption feels like second nature; here it became a ritual – and a glimpse into the drink’s prominence in Costa Rican history and heritage.

And Classic Meditation at the Spa

At the Waldorf Astoria Spa, home to some of the most zen-inducing relaxation lounges I’ve seen at a resort spa anywhere, Costa Rican ingredients (volcanic clay, Melipona honey, sugarcane) are incorporated into treatments. Wellness activities at the resort include yoga classes, guided kayak paddles to a nearby island, and private sound-healing sessions held in the window-wrapped Hermosa Ceremonial Pavilion overlooking the ocean.

A red-eye flight with a 5-year-old and a 1-year-old might be as far from pura vida as you can get, but a few hours later at the Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique, as our golf cart cut through the warm breeze and rolled up to our suite, the country’s famously positive outlook started to set in. My daughter beelined it for the private infinity-edge pool on our terrace, my son crawled happily on the living room’s cool stone floors, and, when staff delivered two cans of Imperial Costa Rican lager and chips and guacamole to me and my husband, any airplane woes became a distant memory.

Waldorf Astoria’s first property in the country opened in April 2025 as one of Virtuoso, The Magazine’s most-anticipated hotels of the year and the anchor of the new Punta Cacique development. Located in the country’s northwest Guanacaste province, its 188 earth-toned rooms and suites cascade down a mountainside toward the Pacific. Travelers will find all the hallmark Waldorf Astoria elements – thoughtful service, place-inspired design, the Peacock Alley bar – each grounded in Costa Rican influence. Here, five things I loved most about our stay.

Peacock Alley’s art deco-inspired space.

Peak Pool-Hopping

The resort’s centerpiece is its collection of eight pools, which stairstep down to the beach – our family’s favorite, naturally, was the one with the sleek chrome waterslide that looks more like an art installation than a hot spot for the under-ten crowd. (Other kid-friendly go-tos at the resort: the kids’ club and its playground, and the Copo y Cono ice cream shop.) We spent time in every pool, pausing for lunch at the casual restaurant Vida, enjoying complimentary afternoon cups of mango slush and chilled cinnamon rice pudding, and detouring down to Playa Penca for dips in the ocean. For those wary of anything that resembles a waterslide, there’s an adults-only pool tucked away next to the spa.

Playa Penca and the resort’s mosaic of inviting swim spots.

Surveying the swimming situation at the Oropéndola waterfall.

Novak Djokovic.

The first thing you do when you check into your hotel suite? Ideally, the room has a sense of calm, and if there’s time, I’ll do a meditation and use my grounding mat.

Any pro tips for travelers hitting the court on vacation? Your pregame prep is equally as important as what you do on the court: Visualize your game, stretch, and stay hydrated. Most importantly, have fun and listen to your body.

This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of Virtuoso, The Magazine (U.S./Canada edition).

Your travel schedule is packed – how do you stay grounded on the road? I keep dedicated to my daily rituals of meditation, intention setting, and being well hydrated. Finding green spaces and parks is also a priority wherever I am in the world.

A go-to postseason vacation destination? I love the mountains – skiing and being in nature are incredibly restorative. I’m looking forward to staying at the new Aman Rosa Alpina in the Dolomites. I also try to spend time by the sea, like the Maldives. I’m always looking for a mix of active adventure and relaxation.

The secret to Novak Djokovic’s 22-year, 24-Grand-Slam-title career? Elite skills, of course, along with a resolute commitment to physical and mental wellness. The professional tennis player recently teamed up with Aman to serve as the resort group’s global wellness ambassador, designing a new three-day detoxification program that might leave you with championship intentions too.

How do you define wellness? It’s about balance – physical, emotional, and spiritual. It’s not about quick gains, but cultivating a lasting sense of harmony across all areas of life.

A favorite element of your new detoxification program with Aman? The mindfulness practices, including sound baths, meditation, and intentional breathing. I’ve used these tools for years, and they’ve helped manage the physical and emotional demands of my career. These practices offer a powerful reset – even in a short amount of time.

viennoiseries

Passengers on Belmond’s three-hour trip from Cuzco to Machu Picchu (and the reverse) aboard the Hiram Bingham admire Andes views and enjoy entertainment and a meal on board before visiting the Inca citadel on a guided tour. Departures: Multiple dates, January through April, 2026.

This article originally appeared in the September/October 2023 issue of  Virtuoso, The Magazine (U.S./Canada edition).

FYI

\"Lay out your pajamas in your cabin before you go to dinner. Stewards stow your luggage on a high shelf when they transform your room from banquette to bed, and it can be a bit tricky to reach – especially after a few Choo Choo martinis.\"

– Korena Bolding

This story is part of our Trips of a Lifetime collection in honor of 25 years of Virtuoso, The Magazine.

I’ve always loved train travel – speeding from Tokyo to Kyoto on the Shinkansen, drinking rosé on the Eurostar between London and Paris – so I jumped at the chance to experience the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express’ Paris-to-French Alps route, which launched in December 2023. The legendary train, with 17 restored navy-and-gold carriages, many from its 1920s and ’30s heyday, celebrates slow travel in the most glamourous way possible.

At Paris’ Gare de l’Est, a cadre of stewards dressed in perfectly tailored, all-black uniforms took my bags, while another escorted me to my cabin. The plan was to pull out of the station and idle outside Paris for dinner, drinks, and dancing, before departing for the French Alps overnight. As I settled in, Champagne in a monogrammed crystal flute appeared in my hand – a sign of things to come.

Time on the VSOE revolves around bar car 3674, where a three-piece Italian band performed next to the grand piano, which doubled as a tabletop for a giant display of Petrossian caviar on ice. The dress code called for black tie, a fitting complement to the car’s rich blue-and-gold interior, and passengers turned the space into a sea of sequins, beads, and feathers, clinking martini glasses and singing along to 1950s classics.

Chef Jean Imbert served a multicourse feast inspired by his favorite French Christmas dinner in the stunning L’Oriental dining car, before it was back to 3674 for more dancing and endless glasses of Perrier-Jouët. It quickly became clear that nobody boards the VSOE to sleep – Victor, the barman, told me they don’t close up until the last guest leaves – but I managed to sneak away to my cabin, which had been transformed into a cozy bedroom, where a patterned kimono and monogrammed slippers awaited me.

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The next morning I woke up in a snow globe, as the VSOE rolled through the mountains. My steward deftly transformed my cabin back into a sitting room and delivered a spread of coffee, viennoiseries, and Bordier butter that I’m still dreaming about. I watched through my window as we pulled into Moûtiers. I can’t think of a better wintertime arrival in the Alps.

Back home, weeks later, my phone dinged with texts from friends and family who’d received their surprise from my trip – letters I’d written on gold-foil-stamped stationery on board, postmarked from Italy with a special VSOE stamp. It’s those little details that made my journey. Sometimes, like a surprise snail-mail delivery, the best moments in travel arrive when you’re least expecting them.

Party prep in bar car 3674.

A French cheese course to write home about.

Canyon Spirit’s two-day Denver-to-Moab journey, one of many options from the company in Colorado and Utah, crosses the Continental Divide. There’s time for taking in the landscapes by rail, plus sightseeing in the Rockies; a midtrip hotel stay in Glenwood Springs, Colorado; and stops near Canyonlands and Arches national parks. Departures: Multiple dates, June 2, 2025, through November 1, 2026.

All aboard.

Custom VSOE stationery.

Cue the music.

Belmond’s Paris-to-French Alps overnight route on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in December whisks travelers from the City of Light to Albertville, Moûtiers, or Bourg-Saint-Maurice, where they can transfer to the region’s famed ski resorts. The one-way trip includes cocktails, dinner, breakfast, brunch, and accommodations in cozy cabins or one of eight opulent new suites. Departures: Multiple dates, August 7, 2025, through May 19, 2026.

Orient Express’ La Dolce Vita debuted six new Italian itineraries at the end of 2024 – a three-day Sicily jaunt, for example, travels from Palermo to Agrigento, Taormina, and Mount Etna. While much of the trip is geared toward outdoor exploration, overnights are spent on board, and passengers can plan for an evening in the modernist-inspired dining car. Departures: Multiple dates, September 3, 2025, through September 1, 2026.

A new perspective on the classic safari.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Sunrise ascents over Siem Reap offer a slow, sublime reveal of tranquil villages, rice paddies, grazing water buffalo, and, when the winds are right, distant views of Angkor Wat. Virtuoso advisors can work with on-site tour connection EXO Travel on custom Cambodia tours that can pair sunrise hot-air balloon rides with a behind-the-scenes trip to the Hindu-Buddhist temple complex. Although flights directly above Angkor Wat aren’t permitted, experiencing the UNESCO World Heritage site at eye-level is an absolute must, according to Virtuoso travel advisor Diana Castillo, who was drawn to visit twice while in Siem Reap. “Seeing such magnificence is a memory I’ll never forget,” she says. Castillo also suggests visiting the nearby Banteay Srei temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. “I was so taken by the temple’s details, surrounding jungle, and remoteness,” she adds. “It was all fabulous.”

Cappadocia, Turkey

“Cappadocia’s mysterious terrain looks like a Salvador Dalí painting come to life,” says Virtuoso travel advisor Shawn Kirschenman. “Erosion-sculpted stone pillars known as ‘fairy chimneys,’ rock-cut castles, and ancient dwellings carved into the hillsides create a scene that’s out of this world.” Take in this ethereal, honey-hued region from above, on, and below the Earth during Sea Song Tours’ private, 12-day Turkey journey featuring a balloon flight, a tour of the Göreme Open-Air Museum’s painted cave churches, and a descent into the Kaymakli Underground City, carved, in part, by early Christians to avoid invaders. Explorations in Istanbul, Bodrum, and Ephesus round out the comprehensive tour. Departures: Any day through February 1, 2027.

Tuscany, Italy

It’s true: Most paths in Tuscany tend to point toward pace e serenitá (peace and serenity). Nevertheless, “there’s nothing so serene as floating over its vineyards, olive groves, and centuries-old hilltop villages in a hot-air balloon,” says Virtuoso travel advisor Leslie Bryant. Better still: After providing bird’s eye views of the medieval village of Assisi and the Umbrian countryside, aka “the green heart of Italy,” balloon rides on custom trips with Virtuoso Italian on-site tour connection IC Bellagio culminate with a post-flight prosecco toast, breakfast, and a tasting at the family-owned Cantina Dionigi winery in Bevagna.

From the first hot-air balloon ride in 1783 over Versailles (passengers: a sheep, a duck, and a rooster) to pilot Nikolai Packard’s record-breaking, 2024 flight that stayed aloft for more than 100 hours straight, ballooning has inspired countless adventurers to reach for the skies. And rightly so: Whether it’s hearing the initial whoosh of the burner, witnessing sunrises and great migrations from midair, or raising a celebratory Champagne toast once back on terra firma, humankind’s original means of air travel has the power to transport like no other form of flight.

Plan for an uplifting hot-air balloon ride the next time you’re in one of these destinations:

Sunrise over Cappadocia.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Every October, some 600 brightly colored orbs decorate Albuquerque’s skies during the International Balloon Fiesta, the world’s largest. (The festival is also said to be the world’s most photographed event.) Along with watching pilots partake in fun flight challenges, travelers can rise to the skies on hot-air balloon rides, though pre-booking is recommended – as is rising early from bed. “Be at the park at least an hour before daybreak to visit some of the many excellent food vendors,” says Virtuoso travel advisor George Keller. “The ones with the longest lines have the best breakfast.” And be sure to bundle up, Keller adds: “Dressing in layers will help keep you warm during the cool New Mexico mornings.” Travelers can see the fiesta’s pre-dawn opening ceremonies, mass ascension, and “balloon glow” (a nighttime spectacle where all the balloons light up at once) on Globus’ eight-day New Mexico tour that also visits Albuquerque’s International Balloon Museum. Departures: October 10, 2025, and October 2, 2026.

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

There’s nothing wilder than a hot-air balloon ride above Serengeti National Park, one highlight of andBeyond’s private, nine-day Tanzania safari adventure that also travels to Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater. While soaring over the sprawling, nearly 6,000-square-mile reserve and UNESCO World Heritage site, “you’ll see an array of animal species and be amazed at how they appear so different when viewed from the sky,” says Virtuoso travel advisor Chad Clark. Keep your binoculars and telephoto lenses poised for elephants ambling across Acacia plains; lions, leopards, and cheetahs prowling for prey; and millions of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles marching en masse in their cyclical pursuit of fresh grass during the Great Migration. More highlights: Maasai villages, golden savannas, and a stunning immensity of unimpeded space you’ll have all to yourself. Departures: Any day through 2026.

A typical October sight above Albuquerque.

Pair a Tuscan vineyard visit with an early-morning hot-air balloon ride.

Cambodia’s 400-acre Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious monument.

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Every winter, millions of twinkling lights transform North Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge Park into a holiday wonderland.

Settle In for Michelin-Starred Meals

“We’re really spoiled in Vancouver when it comes to dining,” Cavrak says. “It can feel overwhelming because there are just so many excellent choices.”

Along with the city’s lively markets (including Granville Island Public Market) and popular family-owned venues, Vancouver is home to ten Michelin-starred restaurants. At the one-Michelin-starred Published on Main in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, chef Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson’s seasonal menu showcases locally farmed and foraged ingredients. “Be sure to save room for the silky chocolate panna cotta with peanut butter semifreddo and banana sorbet,” Cavrak suggests.

Over in Chinatown, the one-Michelin-starred Kissa Tanto blends Japanese and Italian cuisine in a moody space inspired by Tokyo’s 1960s jazz cafés. A mellow soundtrack complements dishes such as tajarin (a thin, rich pasta originating in Italy’s Piedmont region) with miso-cured egg yolk and Parmesan, and roasted and fried celeriac served with onion-and-mushroom dashi. “Kissa Tanto’s romantic, retro vibe makes it ideal for a standout evening,” Cavrak says.

Many of Vancouver’s best hotels are also home to some of the city’s must-visit lounges and bars: At the 156-room Rosewood Georgia, rooftop Reflections The Garden Terrace celebrates British Columbia’s lush landscapes with dozens of plants, a retractable roof, and wines sourced from regional vineyards. And at Botanist Bar in the 367-room Fairmont Pacific Rim, no cocktail order is a bad one, but the Raincouver – vodka with cherry blossom, yuzu, pine, aperitif wine, and fennel pollen, topped with an edible rain cloud – is a beautiful homage to the city.

Winter across Canada conjures many inviting scenes, especially snowcapped mountains dotted with skiers and snowboarders, and cheerful cities twinkling with holiday lights and sweater-clad patrons in buzzing restaurants. In Vancouver, there’s no would-you-rather winter situation – travelers have easy access to the mountains and the city. Between November and March, British Columbia’s biggest city promises mild temperatures, ski resorts a quick drive away, and plenty of holiday cheer.

“You can sip a latte in downtown Vancouver in the morning, then ski, snowboard, snowshoe, or toboggan down the slopes by the afternoon,” says Virtuoso travel advisor Julie-Anna Vogel.

From field trips to the North Shore Mountains to Michelin-starred meals and rooftop nightcaps, here’s how to enjoy winter in Vancouver.

Soak Up the Fresh Air

With abundant outdoor adventures and temperatures rarely dropping below freezing, Vancouver keeps fans of more-mild winters happy.

“To come in the winter and not only ski and snowshoe, but kayak, bike, and hike all season long – it’s the perfect variety of adventure,” says Virtuoso advisor Sabina Cavrak.

Of Vancouver’s 250 urban green spaces, the largest is the 1,000-acre Stanley Park, which offers myriad activities and attractions, including a six-mile seawall loop, a series of sculptures, the Vancouver Aquarium, and a collection of totem poles representing nine of British Columbia’s First Nations peoples.

In the evenings from November through January, travelers can stroll through VanDusen Botanical Garden’s Festival of Lights, a 20-minute drive south from Stanley Park in the Shaughnessy neighborhood. “It’s pure magic,” Vogel says. Her pro tip: “Buy tickets early, because the festival sells out.”

For more illuminated sights, head 15 minutes north of downtown to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, British Columbia’s famous 450-foot-long pedestrian bridge in a rainforest canopy above the Capilano River. The park’s Cliffwalk – a series of suspended walkways, stairs, and viewing platforms – dazzles in winter, thanks to its Canyon Lights installation. “It’s one of Vancouver’s most iconic holiday experiences,” Cavrak says.

A five-minute drive east of Capilano, gondolas depart for the top of Grouse Mountain, where travelers can ice-skate, ski, snowshoe, or trek to a cozy mountain chalet for a private fondue dinner.

Botanist Bar’s signature Raincouver cocktail.

Stroll Downtown for a Souvenir

To truly explore Vancouver like a local during the holidays, head to the heart of the city. “Downtown goes full sparkle mode in winter,” Vogel says. Start at the Vancouver Art Gallery, the city’s preeminent cultural institution, home to a diverse selection of contemporary art as well as an impressive collection of Indigenous, British Columbian, and Asian-Pacific works from artists such as Emily Carr and Otani Workshop. Just east in Gastown, the city’s historic district (look for its antique-style steam clock, one of only a few in the world), travelers can hop between craft breweries (don’t miss Steamworks), boutiques, and art galleries housed inside Victorian buildings.

In the waterfront Coal Harbour neighborhood, residents flock to Vancouver’s annual Christmas Market – “It brings a taste of Europe to the city,” Cavrak says. The annual display (November 13 through December 24 this year) features red-roofed stalls stocked with mulled wine, hot cider, gingerbread cookies, bratwurst, and artisan crafts, while carolers and other live musical performances elicit holiday cheer.

Vancouver’s annual Christmas Market brims with seasonal keepsakes and holiday cheer.

Remote Lands’ ten-day, Kyoto-to-Mie private tour showcases the spiritual side of Japan, from treks along the Kumano Kodo to private Zen meditation sessions with monks in Kyoto. During a day spent exploring the Shima Peninsula, travelers dedicate a morning to Ise-Jingu before visiting the area’s ama. Departures: Any day through 2026.

Travelers can watch ama showcase their skills on land too. In Koshika, a 30-minute drive south of Shima on the peninsula’s southern coast, I meet Kimiyo Hayashiat Satoumi-an, an oceanfront museum and restaurant where ama prepare their catch in a small hut.

“I feel as strong as I did as a girl,” the 70-year-old Hayashi declares, as she stokes the coals of a grill and pries open a scallop. She says that underwater, freed from gravity’s grasp, she can still dive just about as well as she did when she started working 55 years ago. “I thank my parents for giving me this strong body.”

Like many ama, Hayashi followed her mother into the job, learning by watching her dive from the shore (the women don’t have any formal training). It’s hard to track exact figures, but in the 1970s, there were roughly 9,000 ama in Japan; today, it’s closer to 1,300, many of them in Ise-Shima. Those dwindling numbers – along with industrial overfishing and warming coastal waters causing the loss of the seaweed forests and seagrass beds that nurture marine life – have helped forge a tighter-knit ama community. The women come together at places like Satoumi-an and events such as an annual ama summit to champion their traditions and find new ways to support their livelihood. Giving travelers more access has helped, as has a push for more widespread cultural recognition. In 2017, the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs added the ama of Toba and Shima, the region’s main towns, to its heritage list of important cultural properties; the two towns have also long campaigned for UNESCO status.

“I’ve been working here more than going to the ocean,” Hayashi says of the restaurant. Satoumi-an helps ama supplement their incomes and provides another platform for the women to share their work. Hayashi, wearing traditional ama white and a patterned skirt, holds court at the hut, dropping a lobster on the grill and chatting with a group of Korean tourists. Yes, she’d rather be out catching scallops and abalone, she tells me, but she’s seizing the opportunity to show travelers the real ama, not just the image. And she doesn’t plan on hanging up her mask anytime soon: “There’s always a way,” she says.

This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of Virtuoso, The Magazine (U.S./Canada edition).

On a small motorboat bobbing in Japan’s Ago Bay, Naoko Sugiyama tosses a float into the water and slips in after it. Peering underwater through her mask, she quickly rolls forward and, black flippers pointing toward the cloudless sky, disappears below. Roughly a minute later she’s back, holding aloft a large scallop shell. She carries on like this for another 20 minutes, diving and reemerging with sea urchins and turban snails.

“You got so many!” our captain calls out. He seems as awestruck as I am to have a front-row seat to witness one of the country’s legendary ama at work.

For around 3,000 years, ama (sea women) have jumped into the cold, dark waters off the Shima Peninsula – in the Ise-Shima region of Japan’s main island, Honshu – in pursuit of abalone, urchins, and other sea creatures, aided by little more than goggles and their ability to dive up to 65 feet deep on a single breath, with minimal recovery time between each plunge. It’s a hard job, one done mostly by women. Yet in popular culture, depictions of ama as objects of fantasy – from Hokusai’s 1814 woodblock print The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife to the classic 1985 Japanese film Tampopo, where, in a sexually charged scene, a gangster eats a fresh oyster out of an ama’s hand – have overshadowed their strength and courage.

Ama were long misunderstood, even by Japanese people, says my guide, Yuko Muraguchi, because there were so few opportunities to meet them. At Mikimoto Pearl Museum, on an island in nearby Ise Bay, divers have put on choreographed ama performances for decades as travelers watch from shore, but in recent years, Ise-Shima’s working ama have also embraced tourism, inviting the public on boat tours to reveal the reality behind the reverie.

These were the ama I wanted to meet. I’d become curious about the white-robed wonder women after watching Tampopo (the real ama don’t always wear the robes, I’d learn). And although I’ve been visiting Japan for more than 25 years, I’d never been to Ise-Shima. This corner of Japan, with a densely forested interior and jagged Pacific coastline, sees relatively few international travelers. Its Ise-Jingu shrine – which houses Amaterasu, the Shinto religion’s most sacred deity – is a popular pilgrimage spot for Japanese spiritual seekers. But farther south, in the town of Shima, travelers can join ama to spy their underwater treasure hunts.

In the ama world, Sugiyama is an anomaly. She’s 47 – young for a profession where the average age is 65 – and unlike most ama, who were born locally, she’s from Hokkaido. Sugiyama says she was attracted to the flexibility of a job that allows her to set her own schedule – she works only a few hours a day, selling her catch to local markets as all ama do, leaving her plenty of time to raise her children.

“Aren’t you cold?” the captain calls out as Sugiyama treads water below us.

“No problem!” she shouts, before dipping her head back under.

Ago Bay.

An ama demonstration at the Mikimoto Pearl Museum.

Tucked into Ise-Shima National Park’s forested hills above Ago Bay, the 28 understated suites and villas at Amanemu each have their own terrace and private onsen. Spa treatments draw on Japan’s ancient bathing culture, while the resort’s restaurant celebrates seasonal flavors. The hotel arranges day trips to watch ama free dive in Ago Bay, followed by a meal back on shore. Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $100 hotel credit.

An ama at work.

The Shima Peninsula is an easy three-hour train ride east of Osaka, where the new Waldorf Astoria Osaka, the brand’s first Japanese property, adds a dose of art deco style just down the street from the train station. Its 252 rooms and suites occupy the upper floors of a skyscraper in the new Osaka Grand Green development, framing city views from spacious, minimalist perches. Four restaurants and bars include a French brasserie and a Japanese fine-dining outlet. Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $100 dining credit.

Hayashi in the ama’s traditional tenugui headscarf.

Satoumi-an specialties.

Virtuoso advisors work with Boutique JTB, an on-site tour connection in Japan, to create custom itineraries throughout the country. On a four-day tour in the Mie Prefecture, for example, travelers witness the Shima Peninsula’s ama in action before dining on their fresh catch, walk the ancient Kumano Kodo trail, and make a pilgrimage to the 2,000-year-old Ise-Jingu, one of Japan’s most sacred sites. Departures: Any day through February 28, 2026.

InsideJapan’s custom jaunts through the country can include time spent in Ise-Shima, including a lunch with ama at one of their seafood huts, among other privately guided experiences. in the region. Departures: Any day through 2026. Getty Images

Óbidos charms visitors with its centuries-old terracotta homes and fortified surrounding walls.

San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy

Sulfur springs flowing from rich Tuscan soil have drawn wellness-seekers to the village of San Casciano dei Bagni in Italy’s Val d’Orcia for centuries. Housed in aseventeenth-century Medici-built villa, the 78-room Fonteverde Lifestyle & Thermal Retreat sits atop hot springs renowned for their therapeutic power. Strolling distance from the hotel are the terra-cotta roofs of San Casciano dei Bagni’s medieval center, where mazelike streets lead to churches and a temple dating to Etruscan times. The resort’s multiday healing retreats fuse ancient traditions with modern facilities – between personalized meals and fitness regimens, participants recharge in Turkish baths, saltwater pools, and cryotherapy chambers. Virtuoso travelers receive a welcome drink on arrival, breakfast daily, a $100 hotel credit, a cryotherapy session and mini massage, and a visit to San Casciano’s archaeological site.

Óbidos, Portugal

Sienna-colored tiles surround whitewashed homes in pretty Óbidos, which is presided over by a medieval castle complete with fairy-tale battlements. The town was long the retreat of Portuguese queens, who helped protect their preferred rural playground’s key landmarks from destruction. Today, travelers visiting western Portugal’s Nazaré, Batalha, and Fátima on a full-day excursion with Tours for You end the day with a leisurely walk through Óbidos’ cobblestone streets. Their final destination: the city’s main gateway, Porta da Vila, which is adorned with eighteenth-century azulejos (decorative tiles). “Entering Óbidos is the closest thing to time travel,” says Tours for You guide Tiago Falcão. “Unlike those of most of its neighbors, all of Óbidos’ historical features are preserved.” Departures: Any day through November 9, 2025.

Portobelo, Panama

Cannons on this Caribbean hamlet’s 400-year-old fortified walls point seaward – remnants of an era when pirates scoured the coast on treasure raids. Now, Portobelo village – contained within 86,000-acre Portobelo National Park – is a quiet haven for beach escapes set to the rhythm of Afro-Panamanian conga drums. During Namu Travel’s 11-day Panama jaunt, travelers spend three days taking in Portobelo’s history and natural beauty – visiting the beaches of La Huerta, Puerto Francés, and Playa Blanca – before heading to Boquete, a highland village known for its brilliant birdlife. Departures: Any day through July 4, 2026.

Every year, the United Nations World Tourism Organization adds to its list of Best Tourism Villages, which now spans 185 small towns across 53 countries. A bit like the Oscars but for remote places, the UN’s designation awards rural destinations that are worthy of visiting and well-equipped to host travelers – from seaside fishing communities to ancient wellness centers.

“If you want to disconnect a little bit from the world, or find authentic food and cultural experiences, you have such a wide spectrum of options,” says Sandra Carvao, director of market intelligence and competitiveness at UN Tourism. Each year, the organization’s members nominate new villages, which are vetted using nine metrics, including environmental sustainability and conservation of cultural resources. The UN’s final picks receive ongoing support for their efforts and enjoy membership in a still-exclusive, worldwide network.

For travelers, these destinations showcase the beauty of rural travel in a rapidly urbanizing world. Many of the Best Tourism Villages face challenges from population loss as young people seek opportunities in big cities, Carvao says, a trend that responsible visitors can help offset by supporting villagers’ traditional skill sets and cultural stewardship. “Travelers give visibility to these beautiful places that no one knew existed,” she says.

Below, a handful of UN-approved village escapes and the best ways to visit them now.

San Casciano’s thermal pools are at the heart of Tuscany's spa tradition.

Grand Baie, Mauritius

In northern Mauritius, the former fishing village of Grand Baie is among UN Tourism’s picks. Its powdery beaches wrap a natural harbor where seaside shacks have ceded to chic resorts and gardens lush with orchids and mango trees. Strolling distance from Grand Baie’s craft shops, boutiques, and beach clubs, at the 116-room LUX Grand Baie, the Mauritian Food Lab shows off island gastronomy that fuses African, Chinese, Indian, and European influences at its chef’s table. Dishes such as red snapper and mahi-mahi caught just offshore are rooted in island flavors. “It’s a chance to savor cuisine crafted by a knowledgeable local who champions nearby farmers, fishermen, and artisans,” says Julia Marimootoo with LUX Grand Baie. “We’re using only fresh, local ingredients with a low-impact approach.” Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $100 dining credit.

Tra Que Vegetable Village, Hoi An, Vietnam

Wooden and brick temples drawing on Japanese and Chinese architectural traditions abut crumbling French colonial buildings in riverside Hoi An, where city streets give way to rice fields. A half-day private cycling tour with Abercrombie & Kent takes in the traditional Vietnamese way of life on the way to the UNWTO-recognized Tra Que, a craft and farming community where centuries-old cultivation techniques endure.

“What differentiates Tra Que from other places is its natural farming practices, which avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides,” explains Abercrombie & Kent’s Paul Medley. Farmers here use organic fertilizers derived from moss gathered from the Coco River. Aromatic Tra Que herbs, like basil and cilantro, are essential to Hoi An cooking. Savor them in a bowl of steamed cao lau noodles, traditionally made over an open fire. Departures: Any day through December 31, 2025.

Fishing boats in Grand Baie supply the fresh catch at LUX hotel's Mauritian Food Lab.

The stone walls of Óbidos Castle showcase Portugal’s medieval history.

Saint Lucia’s BodyHoliday combines adventure, rest, and rejuvenation through a mix of fitness classes, daily spa treatments, Ayurvedic cuisine, and diagnostic services such as iris scans and thermal imaging. Days at the 155-room resort might include yoga, sailing lessons, or rappelling down a gorge – followed by a massage and a beachside sound bath. Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily, a $100 resort credit, complimentary spa and fitness sessions, a wellness consultation, and an invite to the weekly sunset cruise.

After spending two weeks at the resort this past January, Virtuoso CEO Matthew D. Upchurch says, “SHA now lives in the back of my head as a baseline for the sense of integration and connection I want to feel.” In just 14 days, he lost 14 pounds of fat and gained four pounds of muscle – and by applying what he learned, he’s since dropped another 22 pounds of fat and added 12 more pounds of muscle. He’s also discovered a renewed sense of purpose and energy. “To have a place you can return to and anchor yourself, that’s powerful,” he says. “This isn’t a one-off retreat for me. It’s become my new wellness home base.”

My takeaway isn’t all that different. On my last morning at SHA, I feel like I’m flying – because I am, sort of. Stretched out on an Icaros VR platform, I tilt forward and glide with digital eagles, barely registering that it’s also a fierce 30-minute core workout. Afterward, I run two virtual miles through Sydney, get worked over in a shiatsu session, and step into the cryo tank – ten minutes (OK, three) in a frosted chamber that looks like a launchpad to Mars. I thaw out in the sauna, sip a hibiscus mocktail by the pool, and take stock of all I’ve done to optimize and reset. Ginger compresses for circulation. Intravenous ozone therapy for energy and stamina. A 90-minute facial for the pure joy of it. The result? I’m heading home four pounds lighter, my resting heart rate is down, and my travel wish list is suddenly a lot longer – because why not? I just might have a few more healthy years to fill.

This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of Virtuoso, The Magazine (U.S./Canada edition).

I didn’t realize how much I needed the SHA treatment. During my diagnostic session, my doctor assures me that my weight, vascular elasticity, body mass index, and cognitive acuity are all within optimum range. But my blood pressure and resting heart rate are just a touch elevated. That’s not my norm.

“This could be from stress,” she says gently, “but let’s have the nurses check again tomorrow.”

To be safe, she adjusts my program, sending me off to intermittent hypoxia therapy (short bouts of low-oxygen air to support cardiovascular health and spark new mitochondrial development – hello, more relaxed and energized me). Then it’s on to 50 serene minutes in a chromotherapy bath, the water gently cycling through calming colors as jets soothe my spine. I follow that with a seaweed wrap on a Vichy table that bubbles beneath me like a waterbed.

By the end, I feel like a human noodle – al dente, but deeply at peace.

It’s invigorating being in a place where everyone wants you to live long and prosper. My yoga teacher leads pranayama to calm the nervous system and reduce inflammation. My trainer emphasizes slow, eccentric strength work for bone and muscle health. My Tibetan sound therapist jokes that her vibrating bowls might help me forget there’s no coffee at breakfast (she’s nearly right – some habits die harder than others). In its place: miso broth, matcha, rice porridge, and a sprinkle of rose petals and coconut – calm energy in tiny porcelain bowls.

As I drift between Pilates, acupuncture, and cupping, I start wondering how all this adds up. It feels good, sure – but is it working? The next morning, a nurse slips off my blood pressure cuff and says, “Perfect, sir.” Health is wealth, absolutely. But SHA is after something bigger. Luxury once meant excess: the rarest scotch, the highest thread counts. Then came the prestige of going farther, wilder, more remote. SHA belongs to a third wave: the inward trip, where indulgence means waking up in a body you actually want to live in. A stay here proves that while travel highs may be fleeting, habits are portable. If I can trade caffeine for broth by the sea, maybe I can do it on a Tuesday at home. And perhaps that’s the whole point.

Everything feels familiar at first: the warm welcome, the plush robes, the ocean views you’ve been dreaming about. But then come the memory tests, ozone IVs, and infrared therapies. At SHA Mexico on the Costa Mujeres, beachfront escapes begin not with a daiquiri, but with a nurse checking your vitals and a doctor reviewing your “biological age.” Before you’ve even dipped a toe in the Caribbean, you’ll know your oxidative stress level, your food sensitivities, and, if you ask nicely, your probability of living to 100. It’s all part of the resort’s signature promise: not simply to help you relax, but to rebuild you – mind, body, and mitochondria.

When I arrive at the wellness retreat just outside Cancún, I’m not sure what to make of the immersive experience awaiting me over the next four days. The SHA complex, with its airy, spiraling design subtly echoing the double helix of human DNA, seems to hint that every detail has some biological purpose. I’d come for the “rebalance and energize” program meant to clear my head and power up my cells, but the daily schedule is packed tighter than my carry-on. With 32 appointments on my customized agenda – transcranial electrical stimulations, shiatsu massage, cryotherapy, virtual reality workouts – rest will take a back seat to a total systems upgrade.

In my medical evaluation exam, held in a lab straight out of Severance – complete with finger sensors and a glowing wall of full-body diagnostic readouts – a nurse in a crisp lab coat tilts her head at the LED screen displaying my vitals and says, “There must be a mistake with your age.” I tell her it’s correct. She smiles. “Well, you look amazing. We want to help you keep it that way.”

I can tell I’m going to like this place.

SHA might wear a futuristic sleekness, but it’s been around for nearly 20 years. In 2008, Argentinian-born real estate entrepreneur Alfredo Bataller Parietti opened the flagship clinic in Alicante, Spain, inspired by his own health recovery through dietary and holistic changes. After spending decades searching for answers about his chronic digestion problems and a cancer diagnosis, Parietti discovered lasting relief with macrobiotic nutrition and a blend of Eastern and Western medicine. His founding vision – tech-focused, geared toward lifelong vitality, and uncompromisingly luxurious – has since expanded into a global entity, with this Mexico outpost and a third SHA opening in 2027 along the shores of AlJurf in Abu Dhabi.

“What conventional medicine might have labeled a ‘radical remission’ didn’t feel so radical once we saw the lifestyle changes that led to it,” says Alfredo’s son Alejandro Bataller, SHA’s cofounder and vice president. Like his father, Bataller took a holistic approach to taming his own debilitating migraines, and that experiment helped shape the clinics’ programs. “The idea was to create a place where guests could benefit from the same integrative approach that had changed our lives.”

You feel the sense of mission immediately. While other resorts tout staff-to-guest ratios, SHA offers something rarer: a one-to-one ratio of treatment rooms to guest suites (there are 100 of each). The food follows the same all-in mindset with a menu of organic vegetables, whole grains, local fish, and nutrient-charged ingredients, such as chia seeds and yuzu. My meals start with a small glass of apple cider vinegar, served not as an aperitif (alcohol is off the menu unless you really insist), but as a clinical nudge for digestion. There’s so much herbal tea you could swim in it.

SHA’s daily dose of vitamin D.

The hydrotherapy circuit’s heated loungers.

Sound therapy.

Chef Daniel Quesada and his grilled prawns with butternut squash puree.

A VR workout.

With locations in Spain and Mexico, SHA resorts blend medical diagnostics, nutrition, and emotional well-being. SHA Spain features 92 Mediterranean-view suites and nearly 65,000 square feet of clinical and wellness space. Sleek SHA Mexico, just 11 miles from Cancún’s airport, offers 100 ocean-facing rooms and 35 residences, plus a rooftop gym, an infinity pool, and enough biohacking devices to make a cyborg blush. Across both, more than 50 specialties and 1,000 treatments support longevity and personalized health goals. Virtuoso travelers receive all meals and a $100 resort credit.

With locations in Malibu’s Santa Monica Mountains and New York’s Hudson Valley (less than an hour from Manhattan), The Ranch wellness retreats are built around movement, nourishment, and intentional rest. Each day follows a rhythm of guided hikes, strength training, restorative yoga, and deep-tissue massage, paired with plant-based meals and snacks. Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $250 spa credit.

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