Lençóis Maranhenses looks like a desert, yet for several months each year, thousands of turquoise lagoons fill the hollows between its white dunes. Of the three gateway towns, Santo Amaro is the closest to the dunes, which start right at the edge of the village. It’s also the quietest, and its lagoons are some of the most beautiful in the region.
There are no walls, no doors, and no windows in the bungalows at La Loma Jungle Lodge. And that is the whole idea. All seven are dotted among trees, and the sounds of the jungle carry through each one, day and night. Reachable only by boat, this eco-luxury lodge occupies a rainforest hillside on Isla Bastimentos in Bocas del Toro, Panama.
Panama packs more variety into a small footprint than almost anywhere we’ve traveled. Need help crafting the perfect Panama itinerary? This 14-day route pairs the famous highlights with the quieter, under-the-radar stops. In a single trip, you get colonial history, off-grid Caribbean islands, wildlife-rich rainforest, and cool mountain hikes.
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park in Nagano Prefecture is the only place in the world where you can watch wild Japanese macaques soak in a natural hot spring. Pairing it with the centuries-old hot spring village of Shibu Onsen ten minutes down the valley turns the visit into one of Japan’s most atmospheric winter trips.
Somewhere along Panama’s Caribbean coast, roughly 365 islands and cays are scattered across a stretch of turquoise water, most of which are uninhabited. This is Guna Yala, known internationally as the San Blas Islands. A sailboat or catamaran is the most comfortable way to explore, and the only option to reach its most remote parts.
Traveling to Japan in winter? Takayama and Shirakawa-go are two of the most atmospheric stops in the Japanese Alps, with Edo-period streets, thatched farmhouses, and some of the heaviest snowfall in the country. Together they make an easy pairing from Tokyo, Kyoto, or Kanazawa, and we’d put this part of Japan high on the list for any winter trip.
You arrive at Gangtey Lodge to the sound of traditional song, a welcome massage, and a warm drink waiting for you. It sets the tone for everything that follows. Tucked in Bhutan’s Phobjikha Valley, the lodge sits high above one of the country’s most unspoiled landscapes, surrounded by mountains, forests, and centuries of monastic history.
Some journeys are beautiful, and then there are the ones that stay with you. The Tiger’s Nest hike in Bhutan falls firmly into the second category. Paro Taktsang, a monastery that appears to grow straight out of a sheer cliff face, is unlike anything else we’ve seen in years of travel. The path follows the same route pilgrims have walked for centuries.