The Mellow Dominican Republic

Name: Budget Travel LLC
Price range: $

By Tom Foster

January 6, 2008

There's no better place to just hang loose than the perpetually mellow town of Cabarete, on the Dominican Republic's northeast coast.

After driving 15 minutes from Cabarete along a sandy road, I reach La Boca, a broad estuary where the Río Yásica meets the sea. To my right is a glassy lagoon, and beyond that is a deserted beach. Directly in front of me there's a pale green lean-to thatched with palm fronds. At one of the tables scattered on the sand, three young Dominican women sip drinks from hollowed-out pineapples. The name of the place, La Boca Grill, is on a battered surfboard hanging from the roof. It's an idyllic little slice of the tropics.

My unofficial guide is Marcus Bohm, a shaggy German who settled in Cabarete 17 years ago. A former pro kiteboarder, Marcus runs an array of ventures, including a surf school (321 Takeoff), a sailboard-repair shop, and an international water-sports competition called Master of the Ocean. I met Marcus when he stopped by my hotel to chat with a friend. With characteristic Cabarete friendliness, he offered to spend the day chauffeuring me around in his beat-up white pickup plastered with surf stickers.

Marcus motions for me to follow him and another man into a dank, dirt-floored room. The man opens a cooler and pulls out fish in a rainbow of shimmering purples, yellows, and blues. Half an hour later, I'm seated at a table, obsessively licking my fingers and staring at the remains of one of the most memorable meals of my life: a foot-long grouper fried to perfection and served with rice and beans, fried plantains, a simple salad of cabbage and thinly sliced tomatoes, and an ice-cold Presidente beer. The meal costs less than $10--including tip.

"I always bring out-of-towners to La Boca, because it's impossible not to fall in love with the place," says Marcus.

The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola (the rest is Haiti), a popular landing spot for travelers ever since Christopher Columbus washed ashore in 1492. During World War II, it became a haven for a small group of German Jews. Even today you'll notice the occasional German road sign.

Santo Domingo, on the island's southern coast, is the capital and a bustling port. Punta Cana, on the eastern tip, attracts the European set with upscale accommodations. To the north is Puerto Plata, a beach resort strip located next to the world's largest all-inclusive complex, Playa Dorada.

Cabarete, meanwhile, is a ramshackle beach town of 20,000 people about 20 minutes east of the international airport at Puerto Plata. For much of its history, the town was an isolated fishing village. But in the past two decades, hotels, restaurants, and surf shops have filled the main drag, Calle Principal, without any apparent master plan. An old Victorian house sits next to sleek condos, which sit next to a palapa. The town is only about a mile and a quarter wide, but Calle Principal is choked with buses, street vendors, pedestrians, and mopeds carrying families of four.

Cabarete is among the world's top spots for windsurfing and kiteboarding, and those sports have created the culture and driven the development. There's a sizeable young expat community, and backpacking adrenaline junkies share the beach with families and couples. On my first day, I met a British family who had just finished a group surfing lesson--even the 82-year-old grandmother.

Unlike in some other parts of the country, here the Dominican character shines through. Merengue music is a constant, pumping out of every window, and the people are welcoming. Simply smile and say hola, and people smile back, doors open, and drinks are offered. And then you find yourself in a place like La Boca.

After lunch, Marcus takes me to the mountains. Cabarete's southern edge is lined by the foothills of the Cordillera Septentrional, which not only make for a dramatic backdrop, but provide a venue for non-beach activities such as waterfall climbing, horseback riding, and caving.

The road eventually turns into a dirt path that leads to El Choco National Park, a 48-square-mile reserve with mango and avocado trees, hundreds of caves, a dizzying web of mostly unmarked trails, and human settlements that were grandfathered in. As the road climbs, the dirt gives way to deep-red clay. We pass a couple of shanties hidden among the trees, and a dozen barefoot young boys come chasing after us. Marcus slows down, and they scramble into the back of his truck. The journey is a short one: Only 100 yards farther, the road peters out. We all pile out, and the kids dash down the slope to a spring, tearing off their clothes and jumping off a big rock.

From there, Marcus and I hike a few minutes up an unmarked trail that leads to a lookout with views of the coast, the cerulean water far below winking in the sunlight. Caribbean in every aspect, this Atlantic has no similarity to the one I know in the U.S.

We continue on to a cave located inside a nearby hill, descending into the cool darkness. Using my cell phone to light the way, I see huge stalactites and passages that plunge off in all directions, mostly straight down. One of the Dominican boys scampers right past me, disappearing into a pitch-black, nearly vertical shaft. "There are deep pools inside the cave, and the kids grow up playing in them," says Marcus. "This is their version of a playground." I point out that the boy was barefoot and that the rocks are really jagged and sharp. Marcus explains that sandals are a luxury the boy probably can't afford.

As we drive down the mountain, we come upon a group of boys playing baseball. "Who's the next Sammy Sosa?" Marcus calls out. The boys erupt in yells. One comes running after the truck and smacks me a high five as we pass by. On his face is one of the purest expressions of happiness that I've ever seen.

I'm staying just a few miles outside of town, at Natura Cabañas. It feels a little like Gilligan's Island with yoga and Wi-Fi. Each of the 11 thatch-roofed bungalows is unique: Mine, Cabaña Piedra, has a large bedroom and a kitchenette, screen walls, a porch, and a giant, open, stone-floored shower in the bathroom.

Because the compound is so spread out, the only thing guests hear is the sound of crashing waves and the steady drumbeat of the almond trees dropping fruit on the ground. An open-air yoga studio overlooks the beach, near a complex of spa-treatment rooms and an area for beachside massages. The beach in front of the hotel is small, but you can stroll two minutes in either direction and have vast stretches entirely to yourself. (During one long walk, I encountered a total of three people and two stray dogs.) As another guest said, "This isn't Fiji?"

That night, I enjoy a surprisingly sophisticated meal--octopus-and-mint salad, sesame-crusted dorado, a glass of white wine--at Natura's open-air restaurant, before venturing into town. The center of Cabarete is cluttered with bars and restaurants, from Dominican merengue clubs to slick Euro lounges to get-drunk-quick beer halls (one of which is called José O'Shay's). I find a spot at the bar at Lax, a European-style lounge with a hip, good-looking crowd. Around me, people are speaking German, French, Spanish, English, and Portuguese. As the evening progresses, the music gets louder and the dancing picks up. I finish my beer and wander down the beach until the sounds of the clubs are replaced by the crash of the ocean's waves.

the next morning, i head into town for breakfast at Panaderia Reposteria Dick, a favorite among the locals. For $4 or so, I have eggs with a mild Dominican sausage, a basket of fresh-baked bread with jam, and a cup of strong black coffee. I spend the rest of the morning browsing the cigars, surf gear, and art at Cabarete's shops and beach vendors (I bought a merengue CD). For a dollar, a guy on the street plucks a coconut from a pile strapped to his bike, lops off the top with a machete, and pours the juice into a paper cup.

The best adventure outfitter in town, Iguana Mama, is in a low-slung yellow building on the main strip. Run by Steve Leone, a 27-year-old former commodities trader from Chicago, the company offers a full range of land and sea adventures. On Steve's recommendation, I make my next stop the Velero Beach Resort, the swankiest hotel in town. The 50-room hotel has an infinity pool, a mellow outdoor bar, and giant four-poster beds set around the pool deck. I can see the full expanse of Playa Cabarete: a mile and a quarter of fine sand fronting glittering water. The wind is picking up, and a few kiteboarders are heading to the beach. It's time to check out the main event.

Kiteboarding is to Cabarete what surfing is to the North Shore of Oahu. Riders are tethered to kites that propel them across the water on short surfboards. On some days, the sky over the beach is aflutter with kites. This afternoon, more than 100 kiters are out on the water, with at least 50 windsurfers. To the west is Bozo Beach, so called for the beginners who drift there and are unable to turn back. I watch them flail for a while before hoofing it down the road to Kite Beach, where the pros go. There are no sunbathers and no windsurfers, just kiters and the people photographing them. The scene is unreal. A guy with short bleached dreadlocks zigs in toward the beach, then zags a hard 180 against a wave and catches at least 15 feet of air, twisting more 360s than I can count.

At the end of the day, I meander over to La Casa del Pescador, an old-school fish house. The furniture is mismatched, the grilled mahimahi is fresh, the Presidente is cold, and the Dominican guys at the next table listening to merengue on a boom box are all the entertainment I need. It's as good as a beach trip gets--that is, if you've never been to La Boca.

Lodging

Natura Cabañas 5 Paseo del Sol, Perla Marina, 809/571-1507, naturacabana.com, from $160, with breakfast, dorado $17

Velero Beach Resort 1 Calle la Punta, 809/571-9727, velerobeach.com, from $79

Food

La Boca Grill La Boca de Yásica, grouper lunch $10

Panaderia Reposteria Dick 31 Calle Principal, 809/571-0612, breakfast $4

La Casa del Pescador 49 Calle Principal, 809/571-0760, mahimahi $14

Activities

321 Takeoff Encuentro Beach, 809/963-5483, 321takeoff.com, private surfing lesson $40, three-day program $110

Master of the Ocean masteroftheocean.com, Feb. 26¿Mar. 2, 2008

El Choco National Park admission $2

Iguana Mama 74 Calle Principal, 809/571-0908, iguanamama.com, half-day bike tour $65, kids $30

Nightlife

Lax Cabarete Beach, 829/915-4842, lax-cabarete.com, beer from $2.50

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Portugal: Under the Alentejan Sun

At a dinner party last fall, I was seated across from a hotshot investment banker from Lisbon. Given all the fluctuations in the market, I decided to stick to more upbeat topics and asked him if he'd heard of Zambujeira do Mar, a beach town in the Alentejo region of Portugal. "I was just there with my girlfriend's family," he answered, hiking up his sleeve to flash his enviable tan. "But how in the world do you know about it?" It was on my radar because I was about to go there, and I'd done my research. For centuries, the Alentejo has been known as a place where delicious things--wine, honey, ham, cheese, herbs, olive oil--come from, rather than as a place that people go to visit. Spread across more than 12,000 square miles of southern Portugal, stretching from the São Mamede Mountains to a chain of secluded Atlantic coves, the Alentejo seems to be populated with little more than grapevines, cork oaks, and herds of acorn-fed black pigs. Towns are small and few. Even the region's name conveys a slightly cast-off status; Alentejo is derived from alem Tejo, or "beyond the Tejo," as the Tagus River is called in Portuguese. But the region is slowly being rediscovered by the Portuguese and foreign travelers alike--whether it's to savor the velvety red wines of the Upper Alentejo (to the north) or to sunbathe on the beaches of the Lower Alentejo (to the south). I drove down from Lisbon, planning to first explore the medieval towns of the Upper Alentejo. From its founding by the Romans in 80 B.C. to the long line of Portuguese kings that followed, the tiny walled city of Évora has a big history. Today it's the principal town of the Upper Alentejo, but Évora also did a stint as the country's capital between the 15th and 16th centuries, which left it with a legacy of ornate palaces, cathedrals, and monasteries. Crammed along the Largo do Conde Vila Flor square are some of the city's most prized sights, including the ruins of the Temple of Diana and the 12th-century Sé Catedral de Évora. Nearby is the São Francisco Church, where the chapel was constructed out of monks' bones. But Évora isn't all relics, particularly in the commercial center of Praça de Giraldo, where mosaic-tiled sidewalks line such aptly named streets as Rua dos Mercadores. In the 16th century, the country's second-oldest university was established there, and to this day, students lend enough joie de vivre to keep things lively every night. At one of the more intimate taverns, Tasquinha d'Oliveira, Manuel and Carolina d'Oliveira follow the local custom of serving diners an array of tapas-like petiscos before the main course. I was only halfway through the stewed partridge, baby lamb chops, and scrambled eggs with cod when I wondered if I'd even make it to the entrée. Of all the sleepy villages in the northeast corner of the Alentejo, Vila Viçosa is by far the most stunning. The town was a favorite hunting retreat of King João IV, who reclaimed the Portuguese throne from the Spanish in 1640. It's his larger-than-life statue that guards the square in front of the Ducal Palace and Pousada D. João IV, a former royal convent where the cells have been converted into guest rooms. The fourth duke of Bragança built the convent so he'd have a place to put spinster daughters who couldn't find noble husbands--or so the story goes. The artisans of the Upper Alentejo produce a remarkable range of crafts--fine weavings, ceramics, just about anything fashioned from cork--and each town seems to have a specialty. On my way back to Évora, I stopped in Arraiolos because I'd heard that Lisboans have been known to travel across Portugal just to buy the town's rugs. With a simple cross-stitch, the weavers create refined designs that often incorporate baroque leaf patterns; custom-made carpets can cost upward of $300 per square meter. In Sempre Noiva, a couple checked out the newest pieces. "We bought our first rug in Arraiolos when we got married 15 years ago, and my wife is still collecting them," said the husband. In the village of Monsaraz, known for its thick woolen blankets and tapestries, the first thing I noticed was all of the ReMax signs. The remote hilltop town is apparently the place for Lisboans to snap up second homes. A softly whirring spinning wheel drew me into Mizette, a small shop stocked with hand-painted wooden toys and stacks of blankets. Wowed by many of the bold stripes and geometric patterns, I made the mistake of asking the owner if the blankets were imported. She quickly set me straight. "We like color here in Monsaraz," she said while spinning a fat skein of bright orange wool. "The shepherds in this part of the Alentejo have been wearing these patterns for centuries." Parched and starving, I treated myself to a midday wine tasting--accompanied by a hearty lunch of roast pork and migas, bread fried with even more pork--at the Herdade do Esporão winery in Reguengos de Monsaraz. The Alentejo's crisp white wines and inky reds, such as the coveted Cartuxa Reserva, have long been overshadowed by port from the Douro Valley. Herdade do Esporão, in particular, is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Wine tourism in the area is so popular now that Alentejotrails, in Mourão, offers Jeep tours of the vineyards. When I crossed into the Lower Alentejo the next day, the gray-green canopy of pine and eucalyptus gave way to open sky and views of the Atlantic. Life in this part of the Alentejo seemed to move even slower than in the northern section: Dogs, and often their owners, lazed in the open doorways of whitewashed houses, enjoying the ocean breezes. Since the 1990s, much of the Lower Alentejo has been incorporated into the Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina Natural Park, and declared off-limits to development, save for a few ports and fishing villages. Visitors tend to skip the industrial town of Sines, which generates much of the region's electricity, but it has some of the best surfing in the Alentejo. The swells near the Praia São Torpes beach are perfect for beginners, and there's a fantastic seafood restaurant on the sand, Trinca Espinhas. People have been known to gather an hour before lunchtime to be first in line for chef Luis Magalhães's comfort food, such as a fillet of sole served with açorda--bread soup made with olive oil, fish roe, garlic, and cilantro. South of Sines, the coastal roads narrow, and neither local maps nor GPS systems seemed to include all of the possible routes, so my solution was simply to keep the ocean on my right. Halfway down the coast, I stopped in Vila Nova de Milfontes, a beachfront town with a jumble of streets that surround a tiny harbor. Milfontes has only about 4,000 residents, but it gets busy in the summer with city folk who prefer its low-key simplicity. The seascapes from the 16th-century Castelo de Milfontes are spectacular; the fact that there are just seven rooms means guests have to book way in advance. About 20 miles further south is Zambujeira do Mar, a fishing village on the southern edge of the Alentejo. By law, hotels within this part of the preserve can only be housed in existing single-story farms. When I arrived at the Herdade do Touril de Baixo, I was greeted by the smell of freshly baked orange cake. The 11-room hotel and cattle ranch has a saltwater pool and a few suites scattered in white-and-blue outbuildings. The Falcao family has been farming this rugged land for generations; tin and wooden animal statues--sheep, chickens, pigs, cows--peek out from every corner of the hotel. After a dip in the pool, I ordered a glass of wine at the outdoor bar and started chatting with a couple from Los Angeles, John Knight and Michelle Saylor. As we watched the sunset and compared restaurant recommendations, we were unable to name another destination with the Alentejo's rich history, unspoiled nature, and easygoing charm. Every resort town that any of us suggested was quickly qualified with "30 years ago" and "before the crowds discovered it." Then John paused and said, "I've seen a lot of places, but the Alentejo is one where I find myself saying, 'I might stay here.'" Taking their advice, I made a dinner reservation at Café Central, a restaurant 15 minutes away in Brejão. "It's all about the rice," Michelle said, warning me that their lunch for two had been more like dinner for six. After polishing off a cheese plate and an octopus salad, I also managed to finish a stockpot of herb-infused rice and giant prawns. I walked off some of my supper with a leisurely stroll along the cove in Zambujeira do Mar, past outdoor cafés packed with people lingering over coffee and liqueur. As the church bells chimed 1 a.m., I paused before walking into the Speram'entrando bar (the name translates as "Come in and wait for me"), which had yet to fill up. Like the best of the Alentejo, its moment was about to arrive. Lodging Pousada D. João IV Convento das Chagas, Vila Viçosa, 011-351/268-980-742, pousadas.pt, from $220 Castelo de Milfontes Vila Nova de Milfontes, 011-351/283-998-231, from $200 Herdade do Touril de Baixo Zambujeira do Mar, 011-351/283-950-080, touril.pt, from $102 Food Tasquinha d'Oliveira Rua Cândida dos Reis 45-A, Évora, 011-351/266-744-841, petiscos from $7 Trinca Espinhas Sines, 011-351/269-636-379, entrées from $24 Café Central Brejão, 011-351/282-947-419, rice dish from $34 Activities Herdade do Esporão Apartado 31, Reguengos de Monsaraz, 011-351/266-509-280, esporao.com, tour and tasting $5 Alentejotrails Mourão, 011-351/963-446-904, alentejotrails.com, tours from $10 Shopping Sempre Noiva Rua Alexandre Herculano 33, Arraiolos, 011-351/266-490-040 Mizette Rua dos Celeiros, Monsaraz, 011-351/266-557-159, blankets from $60 Nightlife Speram'entrando Rua das Flores 9, Zambujeira do Mar Across the Alentejo Most towns in the Alentejo are less than three hours from Lisbon by car. Take A12 south over the Vasco da Gama Bridge and follow the signs to A2 if you're heading south to Sines, or A6 to Évora. Regional maps are available in the tourism offices of virtually every town in the Alentejo. In February, a compact car with manual transmission costs less than $300 per week with basic insurance; an automatic is $575 per week (888/223-5555, autoeurope.com).

Best Hotel Values for 2008: By Region

Best Values 2008

Real travelers know best. For our first-ever Budget Travel Best Values awards, we've partnered with TripAdvisor, the leading resource for hotel reviews, to pinpoint the world's most reliable hotels with an average nightly rate of $250 or less. Winners were selected based on TripAdvisor's Popularity Index, a proprietary algorithm that determines traveler satisfaction based on a variety of sources, including TripAdvisor reviews and travel articles and opinions from across the Internet. TripAdvisor calculated the average nightly rates from four different weeks throughout the year, during peak and off-peak periods. Save this list! Because while a good hotel may not be the best part of your trip, a bad hotel can easily be the worst. The Editors * * * * Top 100 Our exclusive list of the Top 100 Best Values around the world, with quotes from TripAdvisor reviews. Each hotel was given a relative score, with 100 assigned to the highest-ranked one. 1. Park Hotel Tokyo 100.00 Tokyo, Japan $227, 011-81/3-6252-1100, parkhoteltokyo.com "Great location, lovely decor, thoroughly competent staff, and a really reasonable price." "The hotel interior is beautiful, and the lobby area had wonderful jazz every night. We're going back, and we didn't even think twice about where to stay" 2. Swissôtel Berlin 98.88 Berlin, Germany $158, 011-49/30-220-100, swissotel.com/berlin "As sophisticated as the city itself. In every way, it surpassed our expectations." "It's in the heart of town, walking distance to most major attractions (if you make it out of the hotel)" 3. Hilton Nuweiba Coral Resort 97.45 Nuweiba, Egypt $110, 011-20/69-352-0320, www.hiltonworldresorts.com "The staff are amazing, as they remember your names, preferred drinks at dinner, and how you like your omelets." 4. Iberostar Bávaro 97.44 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic $240, 888/923-2722, iberostar.com "It is well worth the extra money to stay at the Bávaro." 5. Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur 97.39 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia $111, 800/496-7621, crowneplaza.com "Very central--in the shadow of the Petronas Towers and right next to a monorail station." 6. Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur 97.20 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia $225, 011-60/3-2179-8818, mandarinoriental.com "I adore the spa facilities and the infinity swimming pool." 7. The Davis Bangkok 96.95 Bangkok, Thailand $105, 011-66/2-260-8000, davisbangkok.net "Fabulous rooftop pool." 8. Andel's Hotel Prague 96.48 Prague, Czech Republic $250, 011-420/296-882-201, andelshotel.com "Love the bathroom. The design elements are very cool." "Andel's Hotel was modern, stylish, comfortable, and worth the money. I would thoroughly recommend it" 9. Grand Oasis Marien 96.30 Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic $250, 809/320-1515, www.hotelesoasis.com "Gorgeous weather, wonderful people. I would give anything to be back there!" 10. NH Budapest 96.27 Budapest, Hungary $165, 011-36/1-814-0000, nh-hotels.com "This hotel is the perfect treat, especially with a clean and well-serviced sauna." 11. Embassy Suites Mexico City--Reforma 96.07 Mexico City, Mexico $129, 800/362-2779, embassysuitesmexicocity.com "I have never experienced such customer service before." 12. Hôtel Dominion 1912 95.84 Quebec City, Que. $230, 888/833-5253, hoteldominion.com "The 24-hour free coffee/cappuccino/designer tea bar is worth the stay." 13. Sheraton Warsaw Hotel 95.71 Warsaw, Poland $111, 800/325-3535, sheraton.pl "Breakfast was fab. There was a wide range of drinks and food available." 14. Renaissance St. Louis Hotel Airport 95.68 St. Louis, Mo. $194, 800/468-3571, marriott.com "One of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in." 15. Dai-Ichi Hotel Tokyo 95.05 Tokyo, Japan $200, 011-81/3-3501-4411, www.daiichihotels.com "The concierges were polite, knowledgeable, and great at their jobs--excellent English." 16. Steigenberger Nile Palace 94.98 Luxor, Egypt $100, 011-20/95-236-6999, www.luxor.steigenberger.com "The room was spacious. The patio area overlooking the Nile River was beautiful." 17. Sofitel Silom Bangkok 94.82 Bangkok, Thailand $120, 011-66/2-238-1991, sofitel.com "The breakfast buffet was scrumptious--lots of choices, Thai and Western." 18. Coco Palm Resort 94.62 Rodney Bay Village, St. Lucia $178, 758/456-2800, coco-resorts.com "The food was fantastic at whichever time of day." 19. Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel 94.55 West Des Moines, Iowa $100, 800/325-3535, sheratonwestdesmoines.com "Very convenient location near interstates, and nice ticket package for the state fair." 20. Andrássy Hotel 94.13 Budapest, Hungary $168, 011-36/1-462-2118, andrassyhotel.com "We were greeted with a bottle of chilling champagne." 21. Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza 94.05 Los Angeles, Calif. $202, 888/444-6664, omnihotels.com "From the minute you walk in, the staff are pleasant and can't do enough to help you." 22. Hyatt Regency Kathmandu 94.04 Kathmandu, Nepal $128, 011-977/1-449-1234, kathmandu.regency.hyatt.com "It was a different world. Truly a little piece of heaven." 23. Claridge Hotel 94.03 Buenos Aires, Argentina $191, 011-54/11-4314-2020, www.claridge.com.ar "The concierge staff and front desk are exceptionally well trained in people skills." 24. Sonesta St. George Hotel Luxor 93.98 Luxor, Egypt $123, 800/766-3782, sonesta.com/luxor "It is beautifully furnished and decorated without being ostentatious." 25. Sheraton Miramar Resort El Gouna 93.85 El Gouna, Egypt $171, 800/325-3535, sheraton.com "The exciting yet laid-back atmosphere helped me unwind." 26. Winchester Mansions 93.75 Cape Town, South Africa $194, 011-27/21-434-2351, www.winchester.co.za "A friendly home-away-from-home hotel experience." 27. Marriott's Grande Vista 93.36 Orlando, Fla. $187, 800/845-5279, marriott.com "The on-site activities were wonderful for a family." 28. The Marquette 93.32 Minneapolis, Minn. $224, 800/328-4782, marquettehotel.com "The front-desk attendant even lent me his personal cell phone charger." 29. Ginn Reunion Resort 93.26 Celebration, Fla. $230, 888/418-9611, reunionresort.com "The water park was out of this world, and the kids loved it." 30. Conrad Bali Resort & Spa 93.12 Nusa Dua, Indonesia $148, 011-62/361-778-788, conradhotels1.hilton.com "The relaxing atmosphere inside the spa captivates you." 31. InterContinental Berlin 92.93 Berlin, Germany $249, 800/496-7621, ichotelsgroup.com "Everything in this hotel impresses--the modern decor, airy and spacious rooms, a spa like not many." 32. Sharm El-Sheikh Jolie Ville Golf & Resort 92.89 Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt $196, 011-20/69-360-3200, jolievillehotels.com "The hotel has plenty of sun loungers for soaking up the sun and numerous swimming pools to suit the mood." 33. Sofitel Lisboa 92.87 Lisbon, Portugal $205, 011-351/21-322-8300, sofitel.com "The pièce de résistance must be the new Sofitel bed." "I proposed during this trip, and the hotel went out of its way to make our stay very special" 34. Heritance Ahungalla 92.82 Ahungalla, Sri Lanka $210, 011-94/91-555-5000, www.heritancehotels.com/ha "All employees--from guest relations to maintenance--were excellent." 35. Gala Beach Resort Huatulco 92.63 Huatulco, Mexico $225, 011-52/958-583-0400, galaresorts.com.mx "This was the best choice for a nice, quiet, relaxing vacation." 36. Westin Warsaw 92.53 Warsaw, Poland $129, 800/937-8461, starwoodhotels.com/westin "Every time I'm checking in, I have the impression that I'm the guest they were waiting for." 37. CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa 92.45 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico $150, 800/228-9290, marriott.com "If you are looking to relax, this is the place!" 38. Embassy Suites Portland--Downtown 92.34 Portland, Ore. $157, 503/279-9000, embassysuites.com "It is a historic property that captures the feel of an old hotel with the amenities of a chain." 39. The Westin Resort Nusa Dua Bali 92.29 Nusa Dua, Indonesia $163, 800/937-8461, starwoodhotels.com/westin "A truly memorable spot right on the beach." 40. Renaissance Arts Hotel 92.07 New Orleans, La. $185, 800/431-8634, marriott.com "The Dale Chihuly artwork in the lobby is stunning." 41. The Landmark Bangkok 91.83 Bangkok, Thailand $139, 011-66/2-254-0404, landmarkbangkok.com "Seriously, the Landmark Bangkok has one of the best gyms I've seen in a hotel." 42. Le Richelieu in the French Quarter 91.76 New Orleans, La. $138, 800/535-9653, lerichelieuhotel.com "It's old-time New Orleans, from the decor to the staff." 43. Moorpark Hotel 91.74 San Jose, Calif. $184, 877/740-6622, jdvhotels.com/moorpark "This is a small hotel with nice modern touches." "My twin boys were thrilled with the pool, the snooker table, and the bag of goodies for Halloween" 44. Millennium Court Budapest--Marriott Executive Apartments 91.56 Budapest, Hungary $160, 800/228-9290, marriott.com "The apartment was huge, and the bed was one of the most comfortable I've slept in." 45. Hilton Buenos Aires 91.56 Buenos Aires, Argentina $197, 011-54/11-4891-0000, hilton.com "Fine contemporary hotel with a friendly, attentive staff and an excellent breakfast." 46. Warsaw Marriott Hotel 91.50 Warsaw, Poland $145, 800/228-9290, marriott.com "We really felt pampered." 47. Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort 91.50 Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt $130, 011-20/69-366-3232, www.hiltonworldresorts.com "Our attendant made towel animal sculptures every day!" "The staff is very friendly, the pools are great, and the house reef is something else!" 48. Club Med La Caravelle 91.44 Ste.-Anne, Guadeloupe $223, 888/932-2582, clubmed.us "Ideal for families with kids." 49. Harbour Plaza Hong Kong 91.43 Hong Kong, China $215, 011-852/2996-8006, harbour-plaza.com "The views from the rooftop pool area are especially great." 50. Mövenpick Resort & Spa El Gouna 91.35 El Gouna, Egypt $161, 800/344-6835, moevenpick-hotels.com "My family has spent three holidays at this hotel, and all have been wonderful." 51. Salt Lake City Marriott City Center 91.33 Salt Lake City, Utah $117, 800/228-9290, marriott.com "Very comfortable, clean, and located conveniently to attractions and a good selection of restaurants." 52. The Tremont House--A Wyndham Historic Hotel 91.32 Galveston, Tex. $203, 877/999-3223, wyndham.com "The rooms are a good size, with the highest ceilings I've seen. I like the hardwood floors." 53. Gran Hotel Domine Bilbao 91.22 Bilbao, Spain $212, 011-34/94-425-3300, hoteles-silken.com/ghdb "The best views of the Guggenheim museum." "Wow! This hotel was terrific. The toiletries were unsurpassed--they even had cologne and facial tonic" 54. Lindner Grand Hotel Beau Rivage 91.20 Interlaken, Switzerland $183, 011-41/33-826-7007, lindner.de/en "The TV is old. But with the Alps out the window, who cares." 55. Art'otel Budapest by Park Plaza 91.19 Budapest, Hungary $200, 888/201-1803, parkplaza.com "The lobby bar provided a nice spot for relaxing." 56. Pathumwan Princess 91.17 Bangkok, Thailand $150, 011-66/2-216-3700, pprincess.com "One can sit down with a drink and stare at the skyline for hours during sunset/night." 57. Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center 91.11 Cleveland, Ohio $139, 800/228-9290, marriott.com "Walking distance to the Warehouse District and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." 58. Le Méridien Park Atlantic Porto 91.02 Porto, Portugal $192, 800/543-4300, starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien "The room was in good shape--clean, comfortable, and modern, not to mention big." 59. Wyndham Riverfront New Orleans 90.93 New Orleans, La. $140, 877/999-3223, wyndham.com "Our room was clean and cool in the New Orleans heat." 60. Hilton Kuching 90.92 Kuching, Malaysia $72, 011-60/8-224-8200, hilton.com "I had a foot massage, which was bliss and very cheap." 61. Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing 90.83 Beijing, China $130, 800/496-7621, ichotelsgroup.com "Fifteen minutes from the Forbidden City." 62. Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo 90.78 Tokyo, Japan $224, 011-81/3-3344-0111, keioplaza.com "The bed was ridiculously comfortable." 63. JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok 90.67 Bangkok, Thailand $198, 800/228-9290, marriott.com "The friendliest and most helpful staff in Bangkok." 64. JW Marriott Hotel Quito 90.51 Quito, Ecuador $139, 800/228-9290, marriott.com "It is a chain, but the Quito branch does seem a bit special." 65. Crowne Plaza Hotel Riverside Kuching 90.48 Kuching, Malaysia $67, 800/496-7621, ichotelsgroup.com "Right across the street from the river walk." 66. Shangri-La Caribe 90.44 Playa del Carmen, Mexico $198, 888/896-0690, shangrilacaribe.net "The beach at the Shangri-La Caribe is just lovely." 67. Radisson Hotel Corning 90.38 Corning, N.Y. $150, 888/201-1718, radisson.com/corningny "Bartender Millie makes the best straight-up martinis. We actually stayed here for this." 68. Aqua Waikiki Wave 90.35 Honolulu, Hawaii $147, 866/406-2782, aquaresorts.com "I loved the double balcony." 69. HotelVetro 90.33 Iowa City, Iowa $179, 800/592-0355, hotelvetro.com "Beautiful modernist dream." "Our suite was just gorgeous. It's the only hotel we've ever stayed in where I actually took photographs!" 70. Newport News Marriott at City Center 90.29 Newport News, Va. $154, 800/228-9290, marriott.com "The wild nautical decor in this new Marriott is a killer!" 71. The Ambrose Hotel 90.21 Santa Monica, Calif. $229, 877/262-7673, ambrosehotel.com "Very calming and tranquil." 72. CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort 90.17 Canc?n, Mexico $227, 800/228-9290, marriott.com "The steaks at Marriott CasaMagna's La Capilla are excellent." 73. The Kairaba Beach Hotel 90.08 Serekunda, Gambia $213, 011-220/446-2940, kairabahotel.com "You can easily chill from normal everyday life." "Monkeys wander past when you're sunbathing, which makes life very surreal at times" 74. Sheraton Suites Columbus 89.80 Columbus, Ohio $109, 800/325-3535, starwoodhotels.com/sheraton "You end up with plenty of room to spread out since each room is a suite." 75. ResortQuest Kaanapali Shores 89.77 Lahaina, Hawaii $225, 877/997-6667, resortquesthawaii.com "Great for young parents and their little ones." 76. The Landis Taipei Hotel 89.61 Taipei, Taiwan $166, 011-886/2-2597-1234, taipei.landishotelsresorts.com "The hotel has a policy of learning the guests' names." 77. Beausite Park Hotel 89.41 Wengen, Switzerland $140, 011-41/33-856-5161, parkwengen.ch "I can't say enough great things about the food." 78. Loews New Orleans Hotel 89.35 New Orleans, La. $179, 866/563-9792, loewshotels.com "Very pet-friendly!" 79. Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon 89.35 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam $211, 800/468-3571, marriott.com "The views are captivating." 80. Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort 89.33 Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia $166, 866/565-5050, shangri-la.com "Sit at the Sunset Bar." "When we had breakfast in our room, they even delivered a toaster so we could toast our own bread" 81. Hilton Budapest--Castle District 89.30 Budapest, Hungary $174, 011-36/1-889-6600, hilton.com "Amazing Danube views." 82. The Mansion on Delaware Avenue 89.24 Buffalo, N.Y. $185, 716/886-3300, mansionondelaware.com "Hands down the best employees I've encountered." 83. Apsis Atrium Palace 89.06 Barcelona, Spain $218, 011-34/93-342-8000, hotel-atriumpalace.com "Definitely worth opting for the breakfast when you book." 84. Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel 88.83 Richardson, Tex. $112, 800/468-3571, marriott.com "Decorated with furniture that I wanted to steal." 85. Mercure Holland House Hotel and Spa Cardiff 88.68 Cardiff, U.K. $227, 800/221-4542, mercure.com "Floor-to-ceiling windows with a great view of Cardiff." 86. Galeria Plaza 88.34 Mexico City, Mexico $168, 888/559-4329, brisas.com.mx "We enjoyed everything, especially the rooftop pool." 87. Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancún 88.15 Cancún, Mexico $190, 011-52/998-881-4200, fiestamericana.com "We were treated like royals." 88. Iberostar Dominicana Hotel 87.96 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic $250, 888/923-2722, iberostar.com "The beach is amazing." 89. Taba Heights Marriott Beach Resort 87.42 Taba, Egypt $80, 800/228-9290, marriott.com "Great snorkeling." 90. Santiago Park Plaza 87.33 Santiago, Chile $137, 011-56/2-372-4000, www.parkplaza.cl "We wanted a wine tour, and we were on a van in 15 minutes." 91. Mercure Cuatro Palmas Varadero 86.60 Varadero, Cuba $140, 800/221-4542, mercure.com "We were greeted with a bottle of rum." 92. Meliá Puerto Vallarta All Inclusive Beach Resort 86.15 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico $228, 888/956-3542, solmelia.com "Far enough from downtown to escape most crowding, close enough to get anywhere easily." 93. InterContinental Al Ain Resort 86.08 Al-'Ayn, U.A.E. $222, 800/496-7621, ichotelsgroup.com "Escape the hustle, bustle, and prices of Dubai." 94. Xandari Resort & Spa 85.75 Alajuela, Costa Rica $208, 866/363-3212, xandari.com "For a romantic retreat." 95. Catalonia Bávaro Resort 85.52 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic $160, 809/412-0000, hoteles-catalonia.com "I only wish my bathroom looked like this!" 96. Playa Azul 85.40 Cozumel, Mexico $196, 011-52/987-869-5160, playa-azul.com "The snorkeling around the two piers at the hotel is great." 97. Las Americas Suites & Casino 85.27 Lima, Peru $208, 011-51/1-241-2820, thunderbirdresorts.com "Walking distance to Indian Market and Larcomar mall." 98. Gran Bahía Príncipe Samana 84.10 Samana Peninsula, Dominican Republic $250, 866/282-2442, bahiaprincipeusa.com "The check-in and room assignment are done on the ride to the hotel." 99. Villa Caletas 83.42 Jacó, Costa Rica $100, 011-506/637-0505, hotelvillacaletas.com "The casita has two glass walls, so you can enjoy the view from the living room." 100. Oyster Bay Beach Resort 83.36 Philipsburg, St. Maarten $225, 866/978-0212, oysterbaybeachresort.com "Right now I can't think of any other place I'd rather be!"

The Mississippi Delta

Day 1 I'm not the churchgoing type, but after a Saturday night of booze and blues in the bars of Memphis's Beale Street, getting saved seems like the only proper Sunday-morning activity. And seeing as how my dad and I are in the Bible Belt, the place to do it is a church with a good gospel choir. My dad, Frank, is a lifelong music lover who grew up in the Deep South. Our goal on this trip is to delve into the region's rich musical traditions--particularly its role in the birth of the blues--and leave enough time for some Civil War history and home-style Southern cooking. After a quick stop at Graceland, we slide into a pew at theFull Gospel Tabernacle, where legendary crooner Al Green has been a pastor since the 1970s. About 50 parishioners sit in front of us, the women dressed in their Sunday best and matching hats. One woman has a tambourine in her purse, and we soon learn why: The three-hour service includes preaching, singing, and dancing. "If you feel the need to kick off your shoes and cut a rug, you go on ahead and dance!" Green cries, as the crowd rises to jitterbug with the Holy Spirit. Thoroughly exhausted, Dad and I then head south on Route 51 into the Mississippi Delta, a vast alluvial floodplain of seemingly endless cotton fields and sun-baked towns. We're going to the Delta's spiritual and musical heart--Clarksdale, Miss. Clarksdale lies at the intersection of routes 49 and 61, where, many blues fans believe, the iconic 1930s performer Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in order to become a guitar god. The tale's origin is murky, as is the site of the crossroads itself--nobody can agree just where it's located. I later learn that this intersection can't possibly be the spot because Route 49 didn't extend this far north until three decades after Johnson suffered the ultimate bluesman's death (a jealous husband apparently poisoned his whiskey). We gobble down some messy pork sandwiches atAbe's BBQ, an institution since 1924, before moving on. Every trip needs a quest, and the search for the crossroads seems perfect. In Clarksdale's smallDelta Blues Museum, where Muddy Waters's reassembled shack is on display, there's a map of the Delta marked with four crossroads candidates. Later, atCat Head, a store devoted to blues music and folk art, I pick up theDelta Blues Map Kit, a guidebook written by blues producer Jim O'Neal. It lists 11 potential crossroads. That night, we drive four miles south of the Clarksdale crossroads to the historic Hopson Plantation and itsShack Up Inn, a collection of cypress-and-tin sharecroppers' shacks (updated with electricity, running water, air-conditioning, and Wi-Fi), where we luck into a late cancellation. Our shack, appropriately enough, is named Crossroads. The man at the front desk asks if we've come for the concert atGround Zero Blues Club, a barn-like juke joint in a century-old building. The club, co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, usually has live acts Wednesdays through Saturdays, but this is a special Sunday: Jazz singer Mose Allison is in town. On the ride over, my father recounts how he used to buy Allison records for a dime back in grad school. The joint is hoppin', the beer is $2.50, and the music is terrific. Lodging Shack Up Inn1 Commissary Cir., Clarksdale, Miss., 662/624-8329, shackupinn.com, $60 Food Abe's BBQ 616 State St., Clarksdale, Miss., 662/624-9947, abesbbq.com, sandwich $3.25 Activities Full Gospel Tabernacle787 Hale Rd., Memphis, 901/396-9192, Sundays 11:30 a.m. Delta Blues Museum 1 Blues Alley, Clarksdale, Miss., 662/627-6820, deltabluesmuseum.org, $7 Shopping Cat Head 252 Delta Ave., Clarksdale, Miss., 662/624-5992, cathead.biz Nightlife Ground Zero Zero Blues Alley, Clarksdale, Miss., 662/621-9009, groundzerobluesclub.com, cover varies Day 2 We take a slight detour on our way to Vicksburg, Miss., driving into Helena, Ark., to sit in on a broadcast ofKing Biscuit Time, which claims to be the world's longest-running daily blues radio show. The show went on the air in 1941, initially featuring live music by blues-harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson II. Boogie-woogie piano pioneer Pinetop Perkins (a mentor to Clarksdale native Ike Turner) and guitarist Robert Junior Lockwood frequently accompanied him. It was only 15 minutes long and started just after most sharecroppers came out of the fields for lunch. "Sunshine" Sonny Payne has been the host since 1951, opening each show with the same catchphrase--"Pass the biscuits, 'cause it's King Biscuit Time!"--in honor of the first sponsor, King Biscuit Flour. In a studio at theDelta Cultural Center, we sit several feet from Payne, 82, as he spins records on the 15,243rd broadcast. From Helena, we head back to Mississippi and turn south on Highway 1, the Great River Road. Driving past old plantations, we can smell the crop burns even before we see smoke rising over the cotton fields. East of Beulah, Miss., I follow my guidebook's directions down back roads to the dirt and asphalt intersection of Frazier and Walton roads, a more likely candidate for the Robert Johnson crossroads than the one from yesterday. Crop dusters buzz low overhead as I climb a gate to photograph the spot. We cross the Mississippi River again to drive a section of the levee north of Arkansas's Lake Chicot State Park. It's one of the world's longest levees (640 miles), rebuilt after the 1927 flood immortalized in early blues songs and re-created in the filmO Brother, Where Art Thou?The road is one of the scenic highlights of our trip. Cattle and horses graze on the levee's grassy slopes, while closer to the river, the landscape flattens and turns to swamp--the water flecked white with egrets. On the other side, cotton fields stretch to the horizon. Lodging Cedar Grove Mansion Inn & Restaurant 2200 Oak St., Vicksburg, Miss., 800/862-1300, cedargroveinn.com, from $100 Activities Delta Cultural Center 141 Cherry St., Helena, Ark., 800/358-0972, deltaculturalcenter.com, free Day 3 Built atop a 300-foot-high bluff, Vicksburg occupies perhaps the most strategic location on the Mississippi River. In 1862, at the height of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln ordered Ulysses S. Grant to seize Vicksburg from the Confederacy. After nine months of fighting and a 47-day siege, Confederate forces surrendered the city on July 4, 1863. Vicksburg's role as a turning point in the war makes theOld Court House Museumfar more interesting than I expected. My favorite exhibit is a .58-caliber lead bullet that was said to have impregnated a woman when it passed through her womb. The soldier who fired the shot reputedly did the honorable thing and proposed. It's hard to escape the echoes of the Civil War in Vicksburg. The gorgeous 1840Cedar Grove Mansion Inn, where we spent the night, is proud of the apple-size Union cannonball still embedded in a parlor wall. The shelves in theCorner Drug Store, more homespun museum than pharmacy, are stocked with an armory's worth of cannonballs, shells, and bullets, along with 19th-century quack-medicine bottles, glazed moonshine jugs, and a still with a cardboard sign outlining a recipe for whiskey. We have just enough time before lunch to make a quick circuit ofVicksburg National Military Park, home to the largest Civil War cemetery in the country--more than 17,000 white markers are laid out across rolling grasslands. Also at the park is the U.S.S.Cairo, the country's only surviving Civil War river gunboat, sunk off Vicksburg by a Confederate "torpedo" (an early version of a sea mine) and preserved in the river mud. In 1964, its timber skeleton, armor plating, cannons, and engines were raised and then reassembled. AtWalnut Hills, an 1880 home that's been converted into a restaurant, Dad and I share a big round table with a family from Dallas. The massive lazy Susan is laden with platters of fried chicken, okra, lima beans, black-eyed peas, sweet potatoes, coleslaw, biscuits, and corn bread. We swap travel stories until it's time for the bill: a bargain at $15 apiece. From Vicksburg we pick up theNatchez Trace Parkway, which follows what was once an ancient Indian trail through the dense Delta forests. Along the way, we stop to walk the Sunken Trace, a rutted section of the original trail cocooned in trees, and to climb Emerald Mound, the country's second-largest ceremonial Indian mound. Food Walnut Hills 1214 Adams St., Vicksburg, Miss., 601/638-4910, walnuthillsms.net, lunch $15 Activities Old Court House Museum 1008 Cherry St., Vicksburg, Miss., 601/636-0741, oldcourthouse.org, $5 Corner Drug Store 1123 Washington St., Vicksburg, Miss., 601/636-2756, vicksburgcornerdrug.com, free Vicksburg National Military Park 3201 Clay St., Vicksburg, Miss., 601/636-0583, nps.gov/vick, $8 Natchez Trace Parkway 800/305-7417, nps.gov/natr, free Day 4 I knew thatBayou Cabins in Breaux Bridge, La., would be a perfect place to spend the night when I called for a reservation and couldn't understand a word the owner said. Rocky Sonnier speaks with a swamp-thick Cajun accent, punctuating each sentence with a deep chuckle. When he finally passed the phone to his wife, Lisa, I managed to book a cabin overlooking Bayou Teche. After a breakfast of cracklin' (fried pork rinds), boudin (sausage), eggs, and hoghead cheese (a terrine made from pig-skull scrapings), we drive to Lake Martin to meet Walter "Butch" Guchereau ofCajun Country Swamp Tours. We spend two hours in a crawfish skiff, maneuvering through mazes of water hyacinths and cypress trees, their branches dripping with gray-green tangles of Spanish moss. I've never seen so many species of birds: great blue herons, purple gallinules, Mississippi kites, white ibis, and a peregrine falcon. I know I should be more excited by the alligators sitting on logs, but for me the birds are the highlight. Breaux Bridge claims to be the crawfish capital of the world, so after the swamp tour, we go toCaféDes Amisfor lunch. Zydeco musicians play during Saturday breakfasts, which would have been a fitting end to our musical journey. Since it's a Wednesday, I have to settle for a crawfish-stuffed chicken breast topped with étouffée. All in all, not a terrible trade-off. Lodging Bayou Cabins 100 W. Mills Ave., Breaux Bridge, La., 337/332-6158, bayoucabins.com, from $60 Food CaféDes Amis 140 E. Bridge St., Breaux Bridge, La., 337/332-5273, cafedesamis.com, chicken $15 Activities Cajun Country Swamp Tours 1226 N. Berard St., Breaux Bridge, La., 337/319-0010, cajuncountryswamptours.com, $20, kids $10 Finding Your Way Route 61 from Memphis to Baton Rouge is the main highway through the Delta. More scenic drives include the Great River Road (Route 1) from Helena to north of Vicksburg, and the Natchez Trace Parkway.

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