The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2019

One of America’s first vacation destinations, New York’s Adirondack Mountain region has been luring travelers since the late 19th century with clear lakes, pure air, and 46 high peaks to climb. You can still visit in classic style. Built in 1927, the Hotel Saranac reopened last year after a respectful renovation that brings a touch of urban grandeur to the charming town of Saranac Lake. Hidden in the woods outside of town, The Point is a sumptuous lakeside resort that occupies what was once a “great camp” belonging to members of the Rockefeller family. A change of ownership has brought a welcome refresh to the elevated woodsy décor. —Peter Terzian

Jasper and Banff’s rugged, powdery trails should be enough reason to add Alberta to your winter travel wish list. But this year, happenings off the ski runs have made the Canadian province more exciting than ever. If you’re flying into Calgary, make a detour before hitting the slopes to see the month-old Snøhetta- and DIALOG-designed Calgary Central Library. Covered with 460 white hexagonal panels, it’s set to become an architectural icon. Culture hounds should visit Edmonton’s new Royal Alberta Museum, a $375-million, 419,000-square-foot institution featuring collections on indigenous cultures, a gallery dedicated to insects, and more. Away from the cities, Kananaskis Nordic Spa, the first of its kind in the province, just unveiled a collection of hydrotherapy pools — as well salt exfoliation cabins and eucalyptus steam rooms — right in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. And if you’re in Banff National Park, keep an eye out for bison. Due to overhunting, the animals haven’t been spotted in the area for over a century, but in June 2018, a herd of 31 was released on Banff’s eastern slopes. —Chadner Navarro

This region in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains produces some of the finest wines on the globe. The stunning Villa René Lalique, whose restaurant has two Michelin stars, is the ideal place to start a sojourn. Visit top wineries like Domaine Weinbach and Maison Trimbach for world-class Gewürztraminers and Rieslings. At Au Trotthus, in Riquewihr, chef Philippe Aubron melds ingredients from France and Japan, where he spent 17 years — chanterelle soup with enoki and truffles, for example. Luxury travelers can even see Alsace by boat: a new barge, the Belmond Lilas, offers private cruises. —Ray Isle

For anyone who’s ever fantasized about running away to a remote island, the Andaman Islands are the stuff of dreams. A chain of more than 300 islands (some sources cite as many as 572) strung between India and Thailand, they seem almost too perfect to be real, with unspoiled beaches, clear water, coconut trees, and tropical mangroves. Many of the archipelago’s islands are uninhabited or off-limits in order to protect the tribes who live there. But one, Havelock Island, became more accessible this March, when Taj Exotica Resort & Spa — the Andamans’ first five-star resort — opened on Radhanagar Beach. Spread out over 30 acres, the property comprises 75 luxurious villas inspired by the huts of the indigenous Jarawa tribe, three restaurants serving local specialties and global cuisine, and the tranquil Jiva spa. It joins Havelock’s other main draw, the charming boutique hotel Jalakara, which opened in late 2015 with just three rooms, three suites, and a private villa on an old banana and betel nut plantation. Days here are spent swimming and diving amid the coral, kayaking in the mangroves, hiking in the forest, and relaxing on the beach. For now, the Andamans remain far less developed than the Maldives, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Go before that changes. —Laura Itzkowitz

This past spring Armenians voted in a new, more liberal government. The resulting energy has made the country all the more inviting to travelers. The Alexander, part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection, recently opened in Yerevan, giving the capital its first world-class hotel. And a number of new restaurants in the city, including Sherep, are breathing new life into Armenia’s ancient cuisine. Armenia has a famously beautiful countryside landscape, and there’s no better way to see it than on foot. The Transcaucasian Trail passes the spa town of Dilijan, the bucolic Dilijan National Park, and a pair of 10th-century Christian monasteries. —Peter Terzian

The coming year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and city's jam-packed cultural calendar reflects its post-reunification renaissance. Exhibits and performances celebrating 100 years of the city's pioneering Bauhaus architectural movement will roll out all year, starting in January with a ramped-up opening festival at the Akademie der Kunste, which will include lectures, dance and theatrical performances, and concerts — and, this being one of Europe's capitals of nightlife, a pop-up nightclub featuring DJ sets and the presentation of a Bauhaus manifesto for the 21st century. The party will be bookended by the debut later in the year of the Humboldt Forum in the Berlin Palace. The sprawling complex will include the Ethnological and Asian Art museums, as well as a Berlin Exhibition that explores how the city, now a hub of diversity, interacts with the rest of the world and grapples with issues of cultural appropriation. The year's biggest surprise, though, may be the emergence of Berlin — a meat and potatoes epicenter, and the only city in the world boasting a museum devoted to the currywurst — as a veg-friendly culinary mecca. The city is now home to more vegetarian restaurants than any other European capital, and Vevolution, a celebration focused on vegan and vegetarian cuisine, will be part of the city's eat! Berlin festival in February, a culinary blowout slated to draw world-renowned chefs like Slovenia’s Ana Roš and Austria’s Heinz Reitbauer. —Raphael Kadushin

Teasingly nicknamed Brisvegas for its sleepy mien, Brisbane has long been regarded as an outsize country town, a cultural vacuum overshadowed by Sydney and Melbourne. But that’s changing. The shift began with the mid-2018 opening of the W Brisbane, the first luxury property to launch in the central business district in two decades. Now, the city is unveiling the $140 million Howard Smith Wharves development, which brings a hotel and restaurants to an abandoned dockyard under the Story Bridge. But even before the project is complete, this city, which hugs the Brisbane River, has plenty to offer. There are fine arts institutions like the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, or QAGOMA, where the vast Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art is on view through April. The Fortitude Valley neighborhood continues to evolve, with the recent opening of the contemporary, white-brick Calile Hotel and the relaunch of the Emporium Hotel as the whimsical Ovolo the Valley following a $39 million upgrade. One thing remains unchanged: the Brisbane River is still the heart of it all, both a thoroughfare and a destination unto itself. The CityHopper ferry is a tranquil vantage point from which to see Brisbane’s parks, the cliffs of Kangaroo Point, and the ever-evolving skyline of this underrated city. —Sanjay Surana

Most visits to Cambodia are centered around exploring Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor Wat — but now there’s a reason to head much further south, to an area that more accessible than ever thanks to the Shinta Mani Wild. Set inside the remote South Cardamom National Park (a three-hour drive from Phnom Penh), this all-inclusive luxury camp with 15 tented suites is the brainchild of hotel designer Bill Bensley, who made it a priority to protect hundreds of acres of surrounding land and the wild elephants, gibbons, and other wildlife that call it home. Guests will be able to join experts on guided hikes, explore Southeast Asia’s last wild estuarine ecosystem on custom expedition boats, and relax in a spa that uses natural, chemical-free products. Feeling extra adventurous? Instead of driving, you can opt to enter the property via a 1,247-foot-long zipline. —Brooke Porter Katz

One of England’s two great university cities, Cambridge doesn’t wear its history lightly. It’s impossible to visit and not feel catapulted back in time, from the medieval maze of streets to the dazzling Gothic buildings of its colleges. Yet the city is also looking to the future: more than 4,500 science and technology firms have opened in the region over the past two decades. Cambridge now has a superb hotel to match. The University Arms, which opened last summer, is both an elegant homage to neoclassical style and a whole lot of fun, with book-filled suites that use famous Cambridge graduates like Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawkins as decorating motifs. The city’s food scene is keeping apace, thanks to Parker’s Tavern, the hotel’s jovial, haute-British restaurant, and, across town, the subdued and sublime Restaurant 22. —Peter Terzian

News of Kenneth Branagh’s upcoming movie adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic "Death on the Nile" comes just as Egypt prepares to welcome the luxe St. Regis Cairo. When it opens this spring, the 36-floor tower, overlooking Old Cairo and the Nile, will pamper guests with round-the-clock butler service. Luxury tour operators are responding to a strong uptick in visitor interest with new itineraries that cater to families. Abercrombie & Kent can combine a river cruise, camel rides, and hands-on crafts. Tourism will only grow once Giza’s $1.1 billion Grand Egyptian Museum makes its long-awaited debut in 2020. —Sarah Bruning

Eclipse chasers should book a trip to Chile’s Elqui Valley for the total solar eclipse this July 2. The remote region, whose lack of artificial light earned it a designation as the world’s first International Dark Sky Sanctuary, is home to over a dozen observatories, making it a magnet for both scientists and stargazers. The lush valley is also hailed for its Andes-flanked nature trails, world-class wines, and distilleries where travelers can sample the country’s celebrated national spirit, pisco. Intrepid Travel is offering 6- and 11-day tours to the Path of Totality with award-winning English astronomer, Dr. John Mason. Guests will visit famous observatories like ALMA and Pangue, as well as prominent vineyards and top distilleries. Travel outfitter Red Savannah is also offering bespoke journeys to experience this rare celestial event, with overnight stays in Elqui Domos’ geodesic glamping domes and observatory-style cabins. And Upscape’s new Outpost pop-up camp will open in Elqui Valley starting June 29, just in time for guests to get a front row seat to one of nature’s most spectacular shows. —Nora Walsh

In the last two decades, Hungary has quietly been reclaiming its place as one of Europe’s most important wine producers. By now, wine connoisseurs are familiar with the most prominent of Hungary’s 22 wine regions: Tokaj, Eger, and Lake Batalon. But lately, the unassuming little town of Etyek — just 18 miles outside the capital — has emerged as a go-to destination for oenophiles and gourmands. Recognized in the 18th century as “the vineyards of Budapest,” Etyek has been gaining acclaim in recent years for its Champagne-like terroir that yields fine Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot (noir et blanc), and sparkling wines. While still under-the-radar among foreigners, Budapestians have been descending in droves onto the town’s “Gastro Walkway” (a cobblestone street in the older part of Etyek lined with restaurants and limestone cellars). Take a day to explore the town’s wineries on foot. Rókusfalvy Birtok, owned by a Hungarian radio celebrity, is revered by locals for having put Etyek on the oenological map — and Rókusfalvy also owns a restaurant and charming inn just a short walk away. A few doors down from those, Halmi Pince serves wine in an enchanting country setting complete with Tyrol-style furnishings and embroidered doilies, but it is their fruit and botanical syrups in dozens of intoxicating flavors (blackberry, pine needle, acacia) that will leave you swooning. One of the newest wineries in town, Anonym Pince, has a state-of-the-art concrete and glass tasting room, completed in 2015, offering sweeping views of the countryside. In 2019, the town will play host to four major gastronomic weekends (January 19, April 6-7, June 1-2, and September 7-8), organized by Etyek Piknik, with live music and public events highlighting local wines, cheeses, and other regional delicacies. —Elizabeth Warkentin

A year after Hurricane Irma, the Florida Keys are bouncing back, with a slew of hotel openings that prove the region’s enduring appeal. In Key Largo, there’s the 200-room Baker’s Cay Resort, which reopened this fall following a major rebrand and reno, and the all-inclusive 135-room Bungalows Key Largo, which finally made its debut in December. The property is tailor-made for couples, with coastal cottages starting at 900 square feet, complete with bicycles, Adirondack chairs, and enormous soaking tubs. Over in Marathon, the 24-acre Isla Bella Beach Resort is set to open in March 2019 with 199 rooms, all with ocean views. And there’s yet another new place to bunk in the American literary capital of Key West: the Marquesa Hotel’s 414 annex, a cluster of rooms in a historic home across from the main property. While you’re there, book a sightseeing excursion with the Old Town Literary Walking Tour, which takes visitors to the former stomping grounds of Elizabeth Bishop and Ernest Hemingway, as well as local lit-scene favorites such as Books & Books. The Florida Keys is always good for a surprise or two, and this is no exception: Swing by the shop on the right day and you may get rung up by none other than proprietor Judy Blume. —Tom Austin

With so much happening in the Peach State, Georgia should be on the mind of any savvy traveler these days. Atlanta continues its rise as a culinary capital: Notable recent openings include the Local Pizzaiolo, a downtown pizza spot, and Masterpiece, helmed by James Beard-nominated Rui Liu, while food halls like Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market are constantly adding new vendors. Meanwhile, the remarkable transformation of Hotel Clermont from a seedy motel into a dapper boutique property — complete with a superb French-leaning bistro and rooftop bar — has both locals and visitors buzzing. And the city famous for its gridlock is increasingly bike-friendly, thanks to the ongoing growth of the Beltline, a mixed-used trail that will span 33 miles when it’s completed in 2030. Over on the coast, Savannah is hopping with a flurry of hotel openings, including newcomers The Alida, a luxe riverfront property, and the upscale Perry Lane in the Historic District; 2019 openings include the Liberty and the Lark. On the food front, the Grey Market, a hybrid of New York-style bodega and Southern lunch counter, opened in late 2018 under Johno Morisano and Mashama Bailey, Savannah’s most celebrated restaurant team. It was inspired by their beloved restaurant, the Grey, which dishes up Southern-inspired cuisine in a refurbished Greyhound bus depot and has racked up a slew of accolades since its 2014 opening. —Blane Bachelor

In 2019, the park dedicated to America’s most famous geologic marvel will celebrate its 100-year anniversary with a series of talks, concerts, and special exhibitions throughout the year. And while you can certainly have an awe-inspiring experience without venturing far from the designated lookout points, new tours make 2019 the ideal time to explore the Canyon’s less-traveled corners. Operator Austin Adventures has added more dates for its family-friendly Grand Canyon tour, as well as a brand-new itinerary that includes Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks, while Tauck’s 8-day Sacred Lands: National Parks of the Southwest itinerary, created with help from documentarian Ken Burns, includes lunch on the canyon’s rim and two nights in an oft-overlooked section of the park. If you’d prefer a DIY adventure, plan a trip between May and October and head to the North Rim: less than 10 percent of the canyon’s 6.2 million annual visitors see this side of the park. With wild places both at home and abroad increasingly under threat, bearing witness to these natural wonders feels more urgent than ever. —Lila Harron Battis

As the Caribbean continues to rebound from last year’s devastating hurricane season, now is the time to explore the depth and breadth of experiences available in this diverse region. The Grenadines, a chain of dozens of islands south of St. Vincent, were spared by the 2017 storms (in fact, the last time they experienced a direct hit from a hurricane was over 60 years ago). But only recently has the tourism infrastructure and local economy come to match the archipelago’s raw natural beauty. This year, one island in particular — Bequia — will be in focus thanks to the highly anticipated opening of the Liming, a sleek resort that comprises nine clean-lined private villas and a luxe manor home. But other islands are also on the up and up. Mandarin Oriental recently took over the management of a luxe property on the island of Canouan, which officially rebranded in July with just 26 suites and 13 exclusive villas on a prime section of Godahl Beach. Canouan has also built a runway to allow private and charter jet access. And Cotton House, on the famed private island of Mustique, continues to draw visitors two years after an extensive renovation. Thanks to a new airport on St. Vincent, which provides a hub for new direct flights from New York on Caribbean Airlines and Miami on American Airlines, these secluded island retreats are just a short ferry ride away. —Hannah Walhout

With its beach-meets-jungle coastline, splendid array of biodiversity, and climate as warm as the locals, it's no wonder Costa Rica's northwestern corner became an early paragon of ecotourism. That's a lot of paradise to protect. Now, Guanacaste is ripening into a sanctuary for overtired humans, too. Liberia’s airport is fresh off a multimillion-dollar expansion while the luxury playground at Peninsula Papagayo is in the midst of its own $100-million refresh. Miami-based Gencom is bringing fresh dining concepts, an electric bike-share program, and thoughtful updates to both the Andaz and Four Seasons resorts (the latter’s reimagined spa is a destination in its own right). If the road less paved is more your brand of adventure, a stylish new boutique property, the 45-room Santarena Hotel, will open in February in car-free Las Catalinas, and small surf towns like Nosara and their year-round, world-class swells are as welcoming as ever, whether you're a beginner or a pro on the board. —Richelle Szypulski

Guatemala is Central America distilled: its mix of mountain and jungle landscapes, haunting Mayan ruins and vibrant Indian culture has been luring English-speaking travelers since the writer Aldous Huxley was hypnotized back in the 1930s. Its modest travel industry was put on hold after the eruption of the aptly named Fuego volcano last June, but today, the Land of Eternal Spring is bouncing back. Perched on the rim of the jewel-like Lake Atitlán, Guatemala's finest boutique hotel, Casa Polopó, has expanded its rustic-chic rooms, which are decorated with indigenous and colonial artifacts, from nine to 15, and signed on Guatemala's top celebrity chef and TV star to oversee its menu specializing in indigenous cuisine. 2019 will also see the opening of two glamorous new properties in alluring settings. In Antigua, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Spanish-era capital, you'll be able to sleep like a conquistador in the 11-room Las Cruces, a former mansion decorated with 17th-century silver relics. And in the tropical forests by the Rio Dulce, the seven-room Los Rios Boutique Hotel will revive a beautifully situated lodge from the 1960s; only accessible by boat, it's a sumptuous base for exploring one of the region's most isolated nature reserves. —Tony Perrottet

The capital of Finland continues to build on its reputation as an art and design mecca. Last spring, the Hotel St. George opened in a handsome 19th century building in the Kampii district, once the center of the city’s printing industry. The property features more than 400 pieces of art, culminating in an installation by Ai Weiwei. Oodi, Helsinki’s new central library, is a sweeping cloudlike structure that includes not only sun-infused reading rooms but a cinema, recording studios, and crafting rooms. And the latest addition to the gallery scene is Amos Rex, an underground museum of contemporary art, with domed exhibition spaces that bulge upwards into an urban plaza. —Peter Terzian

Hoi An is one of Vietnam’s most historically significant (and beautiful) port cities — and now, a luxe beachfront resort and an influx of creatives are bringing new life to its UNESCO-protected “Ancient Town.” Key to this resurgence is the Four Seasons Resort the Nam Hai, a recently renovated property on one of Asia’s most picturesque beaches. Like Hoi An itself, the Nam Hai is an intriguing blend of old and new, reinterpreting the garden courtyard house typical of this part of Vietnam. New shops and restaurants are also bringing a contemporary eye to the city’s layered culture. At Cô Mai, enjoy dishes that explore the Hoi An’s spice trade history inside a repurposed 200-year-old merchant’s house. Tadioto Hoi An, owned by artist Nguyen Qui Duc, serves Japanese fare and shots of rare sake and whisky, while the menu at T-Room Gin Bar includes gins infused with native vanilla, cardamom, and black pepper. After cocktails, head to the French-Vietnamese atelier Metiseko, with its understated prints and smart silhouettes, or Lam, which reimagines the traditions of Ancient Town with embroidered velvet slippers and silk slip dresses. Tapping into the town’s leisurely vibe, Sunday in Hoi An has an atmospheric white-and-blue atelier filled with ceramics, bedding, and linens. This colorful port city has matured gracefully — but a new golden era is just beginning. —Rachna Sachasinh

Despite its proximity to Times Square and Chelsea, Manhattan’s far west side remained undeveloped for decades, the subject of countless competing visions of its future. In 2019, that future will arrive: the vast industrial parcel is poised to become a supersize neighborhood known as Hudson Yards. The $25 billion undertaking, whose first shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions open this March, will by 2024 encompass 16 residential and commercial buildings — most of them built on a giant platform over an active railyard — with more skyscrapers rising on the periphery. Hudson Yards’ Jetsonian vision is perhaps best exemplified by "Vessel," a $150 million climbable sculpture conceived by British designer Thomas Heatherwick. Around it is the Public Square & Gardens, a five-acre park, which will house 28,000 plants in an environment that’s temperature-controlled to offset the heat of the railyard below. The Shed, an eight-story performance and exhibition space, has a one-of-a-kind feature: a telescoping shell that allows the building to expand and contract to accommodate a variety of events and crowd sizes. The inaugural season is set to include a new play by poet Anne Carson that draws from Euripides’ “Helen” and a concert series curated by musician Quincy Jones and filmmaker Steve McQueen. Nearby, a seven-story building will house the city’s first Neiman Marcus and restaurants by such big-name chefs as Thomas Keller, David Chang, and José Andrés. Visitors can check in to the Equinox Hotel, slated to open this summer — the first property from the upscale fitness brand. —Siobhan Reid

Nearly two years after its star turn as Super Bowl host and one year since Hurricane Harvey inflicted $125 billion worth of damage, Houston has made major strides toward recovery and cemented its reputation as a lively, diverse city with a restaurant landscape that can hold its own against any coastal capital. There are plenty of standalone spots that have earned well-deserved praise, like Theodore Rex, Xochi, and UB Preserv, and you'd be remiss to skip places like Mala Sichuan, Pho Binh, and Crawfish & Noodles for a snapshot of the myriad cultural influences at play. But now, with a handful of new food halls in the works, visitors can sample a cross-section of the city’s food scene without spending hours traversing the urban sprawl: Finn Hall opened in December, with Bravery Chef Hall, Lyric Market Hall, and Understory still on the horizon for 2019. There’s a new luxury hotel, the 10-acre, 250-room Post Oak, which opened near the Galleria this March. And art lovers will find plenty to see thanks to recent overhauls and openings. The Museum of Fine Arts Houston completed the first phase of a $450 million expansion in May, and the Menil Collection unveiled the brand-new Menil Drawing Institute in November. —Lila Harron Battis

Devoted readers of Elena Ferrante’s novels about two women from a tough Naples neighborhood rejoiced over the November HBO premiere of “My Brilliant Friend.” The next step for superfans? Beat the inevitable rush to visit the series’s stunning Mediterranean locations, especially the lush volcanic island of Ischia. Just an hour from Naples by hydrofoil and a favorite of Europeans seeking thermal spas, umbrella-studded beaches, and pleasant resort towns, the refuge abounds with old-school charm. Check in to the elegant and tranquil Hotel Regina Isabella, which offers a three-night Elena Ferrante package that includes a private guided tour and creative writing class. Then spend lazy hours sunbathing on Maronti Beach, just like Ferrante’s narrator does. But be sure to rouse yourself to visit the hulking medieval Castello Aragonese and the pastel-colored fishing village of Sant’Angelo. —Maggie Shipstead

Shiny new trains, airports, and hotels are all coming to Israel in 2019, catapulting the ancient land into the modern age as the rest of the country catches up with vibrant Tel Aviv. Israel’s much-anticipated high-speed train began operating in September linking Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport; by early 2019 the train will connect Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in under 30 minutes. Ben Gurion itself is undergoing a major overhaul in 2019 — with new daily direct flights on United and Delta in the works, the airport is gearing up to welcome more visitors than ever. Tel Aviv is still growing, of course. Last year saw the arrival of game-changing luxury hotels Setai Tel Aviv, The Jaffa, and The Drisco, with three more new properties — the budget-friendly-but-chic Dave Levinsky; a boutique hotel in a Bauhaus building at Herzl 10; and the Menorah, Brown Hotel’s new 200-room flagship — still to come in 2019. In celebration of Bauhaus’ 100th anniversary, the formerly residential Liebling House will be reborn as the White City Center, a foundation which aims to protect and promote the architecturally significant White City area of Tel Aviv. Down south, Ashdod will get the beachfront property Brown Méditerranée Ashdod in May 2019, and near the Dead Sea, construction of a desert park and promenade is underway to connect area beaches. In late 2019, the Negev Desert gets the country’s biggest opening of the year: the 46-acre Six Senses Shaharut, which will have 58 ultra-luxe suites and villas, a desert activities center, and a massive Six Senses Spa. —Devorah Lev-Tov

This rural region — which includes the town of Jackson and the ski resort of Teton Village — makes headlines thanks to its residents, who happen to be among the top earners in the country. But Jackson Hole is changing fast. A burgeoning tech scene has drawn the median age down to 33, and new hotel-motel hybrids like the cool and affordable Anvil draw a younger crowd. Four Seasons Jackson Hole and Amangani, longtime favorites, were recently joined by the super-luxe Caldera House. Painstakingly built over six years by design darlings Commune, the eight-suite, $100 million creates once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Guests can take close-up shots of elk with a National Geographic photographer or schuss down Corbet's Couloir with a gold-winning Olympic skier as your guide. For now, Jackson remains highly walkable and relatively easy to access for such a remote and bucolic destination. But as snow-covered peaks are increasingly difficult to locate elsewhere in these United States, expect Jackson Hole, which reliably opens around Thanksgiving, to grow ever more popular. —Heidi Mitchell

Langkawi, an archipelago of 99 islands, is poised to make Malaysia the next beach-lover’s paradise. While much of the eponymous main island still feels vast and ageless — water buffalo graze in rice paddies, and street vendors sell flaky roti canai and curry for pennies — world-class resorts have arrived. The island’s only overwater spa is at the oceanfront Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, where the 90 rooms and 29 villas are styled after a traditional village. The Datai Langkawi, situated on a peaceful half-moon cove, has undergone a $60 million, yearlong renovation that breathed new life into its guest rooms and villas. A canopy walk was built almost 50 feet in the air, to let guests better appreciate the surrounding rain forest. Thanks to a 2018 renovation, capacity at Langkawi International Airport has tripled, making the island more accessible than ever. —Carey Jones

Los Cabos has a reputation as a place full of wealthy Angelenos and college kids, less a Mexican destination than an Americanized resort getaway. And in parts of Cabo San Lucas, the party rages on. But new hotels are setting themselves apart with upscale amenities, a deeper appreciation of local culture, and unexpected locations. In May, Viceroy relaunched a design darling: Mar Adentro, built in 2015, was famous for its striking white buildings and central bar, a nestlike ovoid structure. Viceroy overhauled the dining and interiors, but kept those beloved elements intact. Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort opened its doors in September, all clean lines and high drama, with Danish-meets-Mexican furnishings. Chief among the 2018 additions is the 122-room Montage, which curves around secluded Santa Maria Bay and has a 40,000-square-foot spa — the largest in Baja. Still more properties are coming in 2019: the 115-room Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, opens in March, followed by the 200-room Nobu Hotel Los Cabos and the 115-room 1 Hotel. The next frontier is the East Cape along the Sea of Cortés, where a long-awaited Four Seasons will debut in mid 2019, with 145 rooms, four pools, five restaurants, and an on-site slip so you can dock your yacht and check right in; Amanvari will open within the same complex in 2020. All these new hotels highlight what regular visitors have long known: if you look in the right places, Los Cabos has exactly what you’re after. —Lila Harron Battis

Madeira, a Portuguese archipelago famous for the fortified wine that bears its name, will celebrate the 600th anniversary of its discovery this year. Its terraced vineyards, atmospheric fishing villages, pretty pebble beaches, and the culturally-rich capital of Funchal have attracted the likes of Winston Churchill and George Bernard Shaw. Today, the “Island of Flowers” is luring a fresh set of adventure seekers with its warm year-round climes, dramatic landscapes (from dizzying peaks and black lava pools to laurel cloud forests) and a 500-mile network of unesco-listed levadas, or irrigation channels, that serve as scenic hiking and mountain biking trails. Come spring, a bevy of new and updated hotels will bloom, including Funchal’s new seafront Savoy Palace, featuring gardens, a spa and rooftop pool, and the sleek Les Suites at The Cliff Bay. The charming Pestana Churchill Bay Hotel will open in Câmara de Lobos, and Belmond Reid's Palace will debut refreshed rooms and a glitzy new bar. —Nora Walsh

Set on the instep of Italy’s boot, Matera is best known for the white Sassi structures carved into its limestone hills, which earned the town a UNESCO designation. The announcement four years ago that Matera would be a 2019 European Capital of Culture signaled a new era, spurring hotel and restaurant openings and culminating in this year’s festivities. Don’t miss the museum Casa Noha, where a multimedia exhibit gives a glimpse of the city’s past. Spend an afternoon with Cook’n Fun at Mary’s, whipping up traditional dishes centered around Materan staples like fresh ricotta and the region’s thickly crusted, conical bread. Later, descend into the pristinely white, high-design caves of Enoteca Dai Tosi for piatti and rosé, followed by an evening passeggiata to the hilltop new town, stunningly modern with its shops, grand churches, and piazzi. The tour operator Divertimento Group can arrange an experience in Murgia National Park, where you’ll go on a foraging trek with a local farmer, then share a gourmet meal in a cave next to an ancient rupestrian church. Bed down at the Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & Spa, which opened last summer with 35 guest rooms, each in a restored Sassi cave, plus a spa and pool built in a ninth-century subterranean chamber. —Nina Kokotas Hahn

Want to feel a sense of renewal in 2019? Visit Montecito. Last December, the Thomas Fire ripped through this celebrity enclave — followed by devastating mudslides, forcing further evacuation of the area’s historic estates and multimillion-dollar homes. But, next year, this resilient Santa Barbara County town will be better than ever at delivering its métier: laidback Southern California luxury. Relax on the secluded sands at the 161-key Rosewood Miramar Beach when it launches in February. If the foothills are more your jam, the elegant San Ysidro Ranch reopens in March. Top Chef contender Phillip Frankland Lee brings the best of his wood-fired scratch cooking to the new Silver Bough, an 8-seat chef’s table inside his restaurant the Monarch at the Montecito Inn. The boutiques along Coast Village Road are as stylish as ever, and a new exhibition at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art will focus exclusively on sculpture, with works spanning six millennia on display. You might also indulge in a local pastime: hiking. Mudslide scars, creek crossings, and all, Romero Canyon Trail remains popular with day-packers for cool forest stretches and panoramic views. For an easier walk, stroll the length of Butterfly Beach at low tide, ending with a glamorous sunset cocktail at the newly reopened Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore. —Betsy Andrews

In October, Kenya Airways launched its first direct flight from New York City to Nairobi, making travel to East Africa a much easier proposition. Even if you plan to go on safari, it’s worth spending time in Nairobi to explore the creative scene. Check in to the intimate hotel OneFortyEight Giraffe Sanctuary, set in a former artist’s home and studio, where original art hangs on the walls and owner Elizabeth Fusco runs an on-site boutique. A few miles away, the bead workshop Kazuri employs more than 340 women who craft colorful beads, jewelry, and ceramics by hand. Watch artists at work at the GoDown Arts Centre, and visit Designing Africa Collective for apparel by makers from across the continent. —Mary Holland