Travel + Leisure February 2023

Jeff Chu GIFTS OF LAND AND SEA, page 102 The T+L editor-at-large visited Ecuador’s Manabí province, sailing aboard Kontiki Expeditions’ new ship and delving into the country’s Indigenous foodways. “It’s a rare delight nowadays to explore a part of the world that is, for the most part, not heavily traveled,” he says. Camilla Glorioso A SAILING SONG, page 116 Glorioso, who lives in Venice, photographed members of a group preserving the city’s nautical history and the traditional boats that sail around the waterways. She found the serenity of the experience particularly rewarding. “It’s a privilege to enjoy the lagoon with no sound other than the wind,” she says. Kristin Braswell PORTRAITS OF HAVANA, page 26 Los Angeles–based Braswell wrote about the artists and educators promoting Afro-Cuban culture in Havana. “They’re empowering Cuban people and offering channels for tourists…

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, just might be one of America’s coolest small cities. Buoyed in recent years by private and public investment—as well as an influx of work-from-anywhere residents—Greenville has all the hallmarks of a great travel destination. There’s a compact, walkable downtown, thriving thanks to independent businesses like M. Judson Booksellers (mjudsonbooks.com). Set in an old courthouse, its shelves lovingly stocked with staff recommendations, the space was humming when my family and I dropped by on a Friday morning. We also fell in love with unpretentious restaurants like the Nose Dive (thenosedive.com; entrées $12–$32), a place for locally brewed craft beers, chicken and waffles, and fried green tomatoes. Our base for the long weekend was the Grand Bohemian Lodge (kesslercollection.com; doubles from $300), a new family-friendly property that calls to mind a…

Every year, we ask Travel + Leisure readers to rate their experiences with the top hotels, resorts, cities, cruise ships, airlines, and more. Your votes, based on travel completed within the past three years, determine some of the industry’s most important rankings—and help your fellow travelers decide where to go. Tap here to enter. GRAND PRIZE A VIKING LONGITUDINAL WORLD CRUISE FOR TWO in a Nordic balcony stateroom, with stops in Quebec City, Lima, and Antarctica CASH PRIZES $15,000 for one winner $5,000 for two winners $1,000 for three winners Visit tlworldsbest.com now through February 27, 2023, to make your voice heard. As a thank-you, we’ll enter you into our exclusive giveaway. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Giveaway is open to legal residents of the 50 United States…

A GLOBETROTTER’S GUIDE TO THE LATEST IN TRAVEL “ALL RIGHT, LADIES, let’s get some juiciness into those hips!” The enthusiastic voice of Philippa, our instructor, startled me; I hadn’t been paying much attention to the class. And who could blame me? It was one of the most stunning places I’d ever tried to do yoga—a breezy open-air pavilion, or bale, on a rocky outcrop where I could take in 360-degree views of an azure South China Sea, even from my reluctant downward dog. Azure was just one of the countless shades of blue I noticed at Elang Private Residence (bawahreserve.com; from $25,000 per night, all-inclusive), the new private-island offshoot of the famed Bawah Reserve in Indonesia’s Anambas Islands. Set on a previously uninhabited islet right next to the main eco-resort, which is accessed…

THE FIRST TIME I visited Havana, in 2016, my gaze was drawn to all the things you might expect: the candy-colored 1950s cars, the baroque architecture in aquamarine and dusty pink, the $3 mojitos, the sweaty late-night salsa sessions. I had arrived with the romantic ideas that many Americans have about this island—and some assumptions, too. On my next trip, a year later, I wanted to go deeper. I committed to learning more about the stories of Afro-Cubans, whose enslaved ancestors began arriving in Havana in the 16th century and who now form a community of more than 1 million that stretches far beyond the capital. Despite the fact that economic inequity and discrimination often prohibit social mobility, Afro-Cubans continue to proudly sustain and uphold West African traditions—and my most authentic…

OF ALL THE world’s ultra-luxe hotels, few can claim a more consistently stylish track record than the Copacabana Palace (belmond.com; doubles from $460). Its guest list includes generations of movie stars and royals, all of whom made it their go-to stay in Rio—including the future King Edward VIII, in 1931, and stars like Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot. Even Walt Disney checked in, ahead of the Brazilian premiere of Fantasia. In 2023, the property—now operated by Belmond—marks 100 years overlooking the famed Copacabana Beach. In addition to a massive New Year’s Eve party, centennial events include “Tunnel of Time,” a special anniversary edition of the hotel’s Carnival ball, on February 18. Throughout the year, there will be events with international guest chefs, a gala dinner, and, in November, a commemorative book…