SOUTHERN INDIA

Beyond the Taj Mahal

If you’ve visited India, you’ve probably done its Golden Triangle in the north: Mumbai and Udaipur to Jaipur and Agra on the way to Delhi. The south, however, is the connoisseur’s darling. Think of culture-rich Cochin and Kerala as India 2.0. You’ve got pearls, beaches, maharajas’ palaces, tea plantations, and a breezy, laid-back atmosphere that still feels off the map. Rare Royal Bengal tigers roam Mysore’s Nagarahole National Park. Kerala’s Kolukkumalai Tea Estate is the world’s highest. And the region is a natural gateway to another destination on the rise, Sri Lanka, home to a stunning pair of Aman resorts.
GO: Over 17 days, Big Five Tours & Expeditions’ south India journey takes in Bangalore’s monuments, the tenth-century pilgrimage center Chikmagalur, Nagarahole National Park, and Kerala’s halcyon backwaters – by private houseboat.
BY THE NUMBERS: YYZ Travel North advisors have seen India bookings jump a whopping 212 percent over the past year.

CON DAO, VIETNAM

Secret Island

It’s known as Vietnam’s untouched archipelago, but it won’t be for long. Under French colonial rule, the 16 velvet-green islands off the mainland’s southern shore were cut off in order to sequester prisoners. Today, Con Dao is a much happier destination – a haven for snorkelers (and idlers) and a throwback to tranquil Asian outposts of yore. On the serene island of Bay Canh, day-trippers wander through tropical rain forest to a nineteenth-century lighthouse. Protected hawksbill and green sea turtles come to nest on 13 local beaches from May through October. Heaven is a day spent zigzagging through the picturesque seas by catamaran.
GO: Six Senses Con Dao provides the stunning experience my clients are looking for, combined with authentic local flavor, in a place that not many people know about.
BY THE NUMBERS: Travelers are flocking to Vietnam, fueling a 270 percent increase in bookings over the past year.

NORWAY

Arctic Allure

Fjord cruisers have always loved the area in and around Bergen and Geiranger, but those in the know are heading above 66 degrees north latitude. “The Arctic Circle has the most stunning natural scenery and the northern lights,” says advisor Belinda van Tholen, who has a fondness for the locals: polar bears, walrus, seals, and arctic foxes.
GO: YYZ Travel North on-site connection in Norway works with travel advisors to arrange land and sea itineraries that let you take in vivid skies, massive glaciers, and unusual wildlife.

SICILY

Little Italy

Since Homer’s time, the Mediterranean’s largest island has lured travelers questing after coastal views, ancestral villages, and, OK, maybe the perfect cannoli. But lately Sicily is drawing a high-flying, globe-trotting crowd. It’s very much a microcosm of the country, offering so much of what people seek in Italy, but with its own historic sights and its own subculture. Explore fortified hill towns such as Erice, Agrigento’s Doric temple ruins, Michelin-starred restaurants in Ragusa, and rich Greek history in once-grand Siracusa. With splashy views to Mount Etna and two gorgeous Belmond properties – Grand Hotel Timeo and Villa Sant’Andrea – seaside Taormina is Sicily’s answer to the Amalfi Coast.
GO: Visit culinary and arts capital Palermo, the medieval countryside, museums, and volcanic sites during Artisans of Leisure’s seven-day private exploration of Sicily.

JOSE IGNACIO, URUGUAY

South American Hamptons

Two hours from Montevideo and just outside Punta del Este, it’s the ideal spot to combine an estancia (ranch) and beach stay at the posh Vik properties. Regional art is featured and highlighted within the decor and design of the buildings themselves. Daily workshops help guests find their flow while painting or taking photos, and those craving a deeper escape can book Vik’s seven-day yoga retreat.
GO: Horse rides at dawn, languid art walks, parrot-watching, splendid solitude – it’s all on the menu at Estancia Vik José Ignacio and Playa Vik José Ignacio. The properties are happy to arrange local tours or help you do nothing at all.

CUBA

Now’s the Time

The corner seafood shack could be replaced by a smartphone kiosk. You might even find Frappuccinos on the Plaza Vieja. Visit Cuba as it is now, stuck in a 1950s time warp, before developers get their hands on it.
GO: Abercrombie & Kent recently launched a private seven-day people-to-people itinerary in Cuba, with tours led by a local architect, meetings with renowned ceramicist José Fuster, private salsa lessons, and a visit to a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
BY THE NUMBERS: In a recent survey, Virtuoso advisors named Cuba the top emerging destination for 2017.

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