Abu Dhabi

The Emirati capital is more refined than its busier and flashier cousin Dubai. Come to Abu Dhabi to visit the magnificent Grand Mosque.

Abu Dhabi has its own airport and is a 90 minute drive from Dubai. Most taxi drivers can take you to and from the cities for a metered rate.

Winter is a lovely here as the sun is out but the temperatures are a manageable 20 to 30 degrees Celsius.

Abu Dhabi is more conservative than Dubai and we would recommend that women pack scarves and more modest clothing for a visit.

EAT

Nolu’s Cafe California-Afghan fushion. Great for brunch or lunch.

Jones the Grocer This Australian restaurant is the only non-hotel restaurant in the city that serves alcohol and food. Recommended by a friend.

Zaatar w Zeit This Lebanese chain features delicious and healthy takeaway or casual eat-in options. Definitely try the manakeesh wraps with zaatar.

DRINK

Asia de Cuba Fun drinks and fusion on the Corniche. Recommended by a friend.

Tamba Indian restaurant with great drinks at the World Trade Center. Recommended by a friend.

PLAY

Corniche Beach A long, public beach for sun-worshiping, walking and relaxation.

Mangrove National Park Try kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding through the calm waterways of this national park.

Saadiyat Beach Club A luxurious, tranquil oasis just outside the city. Spend the day at this beach club and spa.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque This stunning mosque is the jewel of Abu Dhabi. Free, guided tours on site.

STAY

If you are only in town for a short period, we recommend staying near The Corniche to be close to the beach, shopping and restaurants.

Abu Dhabi

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Nashville

Music CIty is famous for its whisky, honky tonk, live music, southern cooking and hipsters. It’s also a college town, with Vanderbilt and Belmont just a few of the universities that have campuses in the city. Be sure to pack your cowboy boots, or at least your dancing shoes!

EAT

Cabana Upscale dining with big, dreamy windows and a lovely patio near Belmont University.

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken You’ve not had fried chicken until you’ve had Hattie B’s.

The Southern Steak & Oyster Southern food in the SoBro district. Excellent for brunch.

DRINK

Bluebird Cafe Famous for turning out talent, many Nashville stars got there start here. Recommended by friends.

Honky Tonk Central Fun, three-story bar on Broadway Street with pub grub and live music.

Printer’s Alley A cute alley off of Broadway Street with karaoke bars and pubs.

Tootsies Orchid Lounge A Nashville institution. Turn up for honky tonk!

PLAY

Broadway Street The lower end of this street, close to the river, is referred to as Nashville’s Honky Tonk Highway.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Grand Ole Opry The most famous country music hall in the world.

Riverfront Park Nice spot for a walk along the Cumberland River.

STAY

If you are in town purely to enjoy the music scene and nightlife, stay downtown. Consider the Courtyard by Marriott Nashville Downtown, it’s affordable and just two blocks from Honky Tonk Highway.

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Nashville

Asheville

Ashvillle is a bohemian town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Known for its artist enclaves, live music venues, craft beer breweries and delicious food, Asheville is just sparkling with southern charm!

Asheville’s airport is small and flights in and out can be pricey. Another option is to fly to Charlotte and drive two hours through the mountains.

Given the loveliness of the surrounding area, we recommend renting a car. If you’d rather not drive, Uber is available and an easy option for getting from the downtown area to the River Arts District, Biltmore Estate, and Biltmore Village.

EAT

Green Sage Cafe Healthy, organic cafe in downtown.

Tupelo Honey Perhaps Asheville’s most famous restaurant, serving up Southern food from scratch. Try the South Asheville location, likely to be less crowded.

Twisted Laurel Mediterranean food in an industrial-style setting.

Well-Bred Bakery & Cafe Tasty bakery in Biltmore Village with outdoor seating.

DRINK

Wicked Weed Brewing Pub Friendly brewery in downtown Asheville with outdoor seating.

New Belgium Brewing Company Industrial brewery and taproom near the River Arts District. Grab a seat on the deck for lovely views of the French Broad River.

Village Wayside Bar & Grille Local dive open late night in Biltmore Village.

PLAY

Biltmore Estate A historic, Chateau-style home built by George Vanderbilt with gardens and sprawling grounds at the seat of the Blue Mountains.

Blue Ridge Parkway A 496 mile drive through North Carolina and Virginia offering stunning vistas of the Appalachians. There are lots of hiking trails near the Parkway.

North Lexington Avenue A street in downtown with antique and eclectic shopping.

River Arts District Just west of downtown, this industrial area along the river is home to artist studios and galleries.

STAY

For a weekend stay, base yourself within walking distance of the downtown area.

If you have a car and intend to hike or visit surrounding areas, parking could be tricky downtown. We stayed in the very affordable Hampton Inn & Suites Asheville, just south of and within walking distance of Biltmore Village.

The Biltmore Estate offers luxury accommodation, a lovely option for a romantic weekend.

Asheville

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Siem Reap

Siem Reap is the sleepy gateway town to the Angkor “Temple City”, a complex of 9th to 15th century temples built during the Khmer Empire. Angkor is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the world famous Angkor Wat.

Apply for an e-Visa through the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in advance of travel.

Take the temples at your own pace over two to three days. Visit the temples first thing in the morning and spend the afternoons at the pool or exploring Siem Reap. Passes to Angkor Archaeological Park must be purchased on-site in cash, in either USD, Euro or Cambodian Riel. One, three and seven day passes can be purchased.

Tuk tuks are an easy way to get around Siem Reap and Angkor. Ask your hotel to help confirm a driver for the duration of your visit, or negotiate directly with a tuk tuk driver in town.

USD is near universally accepted across Cambodia, and most payments must be made in cash. Always, always negotiate! Cambodians haggle and initial prices quoted to tourists will be nearly double the actual value.

Cambodia experienced a brutal civil war in the 1960s-70s at the hands of the Khmer Rouge regime. During the war two million Cambodians were killed by execution, starvation or disease, and millions more fled the country to resettle abroad. Before visiting, consider reading Loung Ung’s memoir, First They Killed My Father, to better understand what the country has been through and how far it has come today.

EAT

Haven Gorgeous little restaurant. Haven is a social enterprise that hires and trains disadvantaged youth and orphans as wait staff in the restaurant.

Marum Marum has a similar concept to Haven and is run by an NGO that works with street children. The restaurant features a handicrafts shop on site. Recommended by a friend.

Viva Mexican Restaurant Tasty Mexican and super cheap margaritas near Pub Street.

DRINK

Angkor What? Visit this infamous dive on Pub Street for $2 Singha beers, and then move along.

Asana Bar A cocktail bar housed within a traditional, Khmer-style wooden building. Recommended by a friend.

Miss Wong Old World, Shanghai-style cocktail bar. Recommended by a friend.

PLAY

Angkor Archaeological Park Do not miss temples include Ankor Wat (arrive before dawn to watch the sunrise), Ta Prohm (featured in Tomb Raider), Bayon and Banteay Srei (carved with pink stone, it is several miles north of the others and known as the lady temple).

Cambodian massage or reflexology Check out the local spas in Siem Reap as the services are very affordable!

Quad Adventure Cambodia A fun way to see the countryside and surrounding villages by ATV.

Siem Reap Night Market Haggle for your wares!

STAY

We recommend staying in the city center or within walking distance, as Siem Reap is quite small.

Siem Reap

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Finnish Lapland

The northern-most region of Finland, Lapland is home to Santa Claus, birch and pine forests, the polar night and midnight sun, aurora borealis and miles of stunning, Arctic wilderness.

Flights run direct between London and Ivalo airport during the winter months, and there are several flights a day between Ivalo and Helsinki. In winter an airport shuttle bus drops off and picks up passengers to and from the most popular resorts and hotels. Arrange this service directly through your resort.

Winter is magical in Lapland and the best time to see the northern lights, but temperatures regularly reach as low or lower than -35 degrees Celcius. While most hotels supply an outer layer and waterproof boots, do pack several base layers and hats, gloves and scarves.

Lapland is home to the Sami, the only indigenous people of Northern Europe. The National Museum of the Finnish Sami, located in Inari, is a tribute to the history and culture of the Sami people, and their Arctic home.

EAT

Be sure to try these traditional Finnish foods:

Blueberries, cloudberries and lingonberries Finnish forests are full of berries and free for the picking.

Munki This doughnut is sugary, pillowy goodness.

Reindeer Native to Finland, reindeer are semi-nomadic and forage through the Lapland forests for their food. Try this lean meat sautéed or in stew.

DRINK

Lapin Kulta A light, local lager popular on draft.

Lapin Panimo A craft beer microbrewery in Rovaniemi. Try the dark Aihki beer which goes down smooth but warms the fingers and toes.

Laplandia Aureus vodka Try the cloudberry flavor.

PLAY

Aurora hunt and camp on the Russian border An aurora hunt by van to and from the Russian border, with a stopover at a cozy campsite at the border. Wilderness Hotels can help book this trip through a partnership with Northern Lights Village.

Frozen Lake Husky An incredible, seven kilometer husky sled safari through the forest. Organize this half-day excursion directly through Wilderness Hotels. The dogs were friendly, gentle and well cared for.

Sauna A Finnish pastime. There is no greater way to warm up after a few hours outside!

Show-shoeing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, etc. Try it all! Book directly through your resort.

STAY

We stayed at Wilderness Hotel Muotka, about 30-45 minutes south of Ivalo airport, and loved it. The resort was remote and surrounded by taiga forests, the accommodations cozy (get a room with a sauna!), the food healthy and the staff excellent. We booked all excursions directly through the resort.

Wilderness Hotels and Safaris have three other sister resorts in Lapland.

Finnish Lapland

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