Going to Dubai and need to know what to wear on the street and at a meeting? Here's how to make all the right fashion decisions:

At a meeting: Women's pantsuits should be sheeny and glam; men's duds are buffed, black, and paired with slim ties.

On the street: The mall, not the street, is the social arena. Here, girls in T-shirts (their shoulders covered out of respect and as a remedy against the freezing AC blasts) tote the latest Louis Vuittons. Carry a pashmina to cover up in case you find yourself in a traditional souk--although you'll see miniskirts and shorts, they're for people who know the city well enough to avoid ultra-conservative quarters. On men, reflective aviators abound, as do Gucci sandals.

At a party: Go glam to the gills: No Swarovski is too shiny and no Giuseppe Zanotti is too high. Men wear Y3 trainers and tailored blazers over graphic tees.

P.S. Put on clean socks if you're going to a local's house--you'll leave your shoes at the door.

For more on what to wear (and what not to wear) in over 20 countries, check out "Etiquette 101: Dress Codes," in Condé Nast Traveler's October issue.

Photo: Len Jenshel and Diane Cook for Condé Nast Traveler

In the October issue of Condé Nast Traveler Shoba Narayan travels to Kyoto to learn some lessons on allure from the Geisha. Below, find some favorite places she discovered along the way. Note: the country and city code for Kyoto are 81-75.

* The posh Hyatt Regency has simple functional rooms with kimono-fabric accents (541-1234; doubles, $260-$480)

* Once a princely residence, the Yoshida Sanso is now a boutique inn serving incredible kaiseki (9-1 Yoshida Shimo-ooji-cho, Sakyo-ku; 771-6125; set menu, $175).

* Origin Arts does a wonderful survey of traditional geisha arts including the tea ceremony, calligraphy, flower arrangement, noh drama, martial arts, kyogen comedy theater, and more (365-0722; half-day program, from $528).

For more on Kyoto, pick up a copy of the October issue or read "My Life as a Geisha" at cntraveler.com.

India mints its own stars in the booming Mumbai-based Bollywood film industry.
Photo: Lisa Limer for Condé Nast Traveler

Mumbai is a city of dreams. Millions of people travel there every day in hopes of finding stardom and wealth. In Condé Nast Traveler's October issue, Shoba Narayan explores Mumbai's fantasies and realities. Here are a few of her favorites spots to stay, eat, and play:

* The ITC Grand Central's midtown location makes the hotel a favorite of visiting sports teams and therefore of gawkers. Its female-only floor, Eva, has a great selection of toiletries from Forest Essentials, a local brand (22-2410-1010; doubles, $490-$656).
* For a true Bombay experience, go to Swati Snacks in the Tardeo District, where multiple generations wait in line to chow down on vegetarian Gujarati snacks and dishes (248 Karai Estate; 22-6580-8406; entrées, $2-$8).
* In the nightclub and bar scene, the Blue Frog is the it spot--and not just for its killer Bellinis (D/2 Mathu-radas Mills Compound, N M Joshi St., Lower Parel District).

For more on Mumbai, pick up a copy of the October issue or read "It's Mumbai, Yaar" at cntraveler.com.

Il Ristorantino di Colomba serves Ferrara's traditional cappellacci di zucca,
handmade pasta stuffed with squash.
Photo: Gentl & Hyers, Condé Nast Traveler

Italy is known the world over for its food. Who doesn't love freshly made tagliatelle, prosciutto di Parma, porcini mushrooms, or a ragu alla Bolognese? In Condé Nast Traveler's September issue, Patrick Symmes travels to the often overlooked Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, to discover the secrets of some of Italy's most famous foods. Here are the restaurants you won't want to miss out on in Emilia-Romagna.

* In Parma, La Greppia, a Mario Batali favorite, is known for a subtle mixture of innovation and tradition. This is the place for vast strips of pappardelle--which you can watch being rolled out in the glass-fronted kitchen (39A Strada Gari-baldi; 0521-233-686; entrées, $15-$21).

* In Zibello, Trattoria La Buca is the culinary workshop of Miriam Leonardi, a famed fourth-generation chef and culatello maker. There are also three simple pretty rooms for diners who want to make a weekend of it (0524-99214; trattorialabuca.com; doubles, $114-$170; entrées, $19-$21).

* Ferrara's vanished Jewish community left an imprint on the local cuisine, like the grapefruit with duck, a meat that often substituted for pork. Glimpses appear on the menu of Il Ristorantino di Colomba. (15 Vicolo Mozzo Agucchie; 0532-761-517; entrées, $16-$25)

For more lodging, restaurants, and cooking schools in Emilia-Romagna, check out "The Secret of Emilia-Romagna," in Condé Nast Traveler's September Issue.

This road above Port-au-Prince leads to the nineteenth-century Fort Jacques
and, beyond it, the recently opened Adirondacks-style Ranch Le Montcel.
Photo: Brigitte Lacombe, Condé Nast Traveler

Years of political instability kept tourists from this Caribbean nation, but all that is changing now, making Haiti the perfect getaway. In Condé Nast Traveler's September issue, Amy Wilentz explores the country's white sand beaches, vibrant culture, and mountain fortresses. Here are a few of her favorite spots:

* Up in the mountains, 5,000 feet above the city, the breezy 40-room Ranch Le Montcel, is set on 16 lush acres in Belot-Kenscoff. Mountain bike, horseback ride, or just hang out on the restaurant terrace. If you don't stay here, book a day-trip from the city--the staff will pick you up (3708-0330; doubles, $140).

* The spacious Brasserie Quartier Latin serves excellent salads and fish soup (10 rue Goulard; 3460-3326; entrées, $15-$25).

* In Pétionville, Galerie Monnin has an amazing, soigné collection of the country's best, most progressive artists (19 rue Lamarre; 2257-4430).

For more on Haiti, pick up a copy of the September issue or read "Love and Haiti" at cntraveler.com.

You can find plenty of conch shacks
in the Bahamas, where the goods
go from the sea to your plate
right before your eyes.

Surf and sun make everyone hungry. Whether you prefer a quick bite at a beachside bar or a five-course meal at a haute restaurant, Condé Nast Traveler's September-issue Bahamas guide has something to fill your belly--and plenty of conch for to go around. Here's a peek at a few of our favorite spots for noshing:

THE BEACH BAR
Snorkels and swim trunks are perfectly acceptable at Chat 'n' Chill, a beach party/restaurant on Exuma's Stocking Island. People float in by motorboat, kayak, and sailboat to settle into pastel-colored lounge chairs scattered across the sand. The grill turns out nicely charred chicken sandwiches and conch burgers, and on Sunday there's a rowdy pig roast complete with live music and dancing (no phone; sandwiches, $4-$7).

THE SWEET SPOT
Early birds get the pastries at Arthur's Bakery, a modest family-owned café on Harbour Island. If you miss breakfast (the famed sticky buns sell out by 8:30 a.m.), you can console yourself with the island's best coffee, hearty sandwiches on fresh-baked bread, and puckery Key lime pie (Dunmore St.; 242-333-2285). In Gregory Town on Eleuthera, a tiny hand-lettered sign points the way up a steep street to the bright-green Thompson Bakery. Pineapple tarts are the specialty here: tender pastries filled with delicately spiced fruit (Sugar Hill St.; 242-335-5053).

THE GRANDE DAME
White gloves are only the beginning at Graycliff, a mansion turned hotel in downtown Nassau. Old-school dishes prevail (lobster Thermidor, anyone?), and a nightcap in the parlor is de rigueur--or a glass from the 250,000-bottle wine cellar (242-322-2796; entrées, $38-$68).

For more restaurants in the Bahamas, check out the September issue of Condé Nast Traveler or read "Must Love Conch" on cntraveler.com.

Further reading:
* Video: Watch senior editor Kate Maxwell dive into some lobster quesadillas at Sip Sip Eleuthera's Harbour Island
* Video: Exuma, a sailor's paradise
* Video: Cat Island is all about unplugging

Cute cats from Taipei's Hello Kitty Sweets.
Photo: Hello Kitty Sweets

The recent cancellation of a decades-old ban on flights between Taiwan and mainland China has sparked an influx of travelers to Taipei, giving the city a new reason to showcase its oddball sense of humor and long-standing obsession with food. The result? Read below for a taste from Condé Nast Traveler's August issue.

by Jean Tang

Quirky themed restaurants like the turbulence-free A380, where diners sit in airline seats and order from an international menu (foie gras, squid-ink spaghetti, steak, curry), three waiters are former flight attendants, and the bartender dons pilot stripes to pour wine and announce "landing," or closing for the night. A new location opening this summer at 12 Songgao Lu has a first-class cabin where passengers summon servers by pressing the flight attendant button (886-2-2722-6380; entrées, $10-$18).

Nearby, You Mu Bian Jian (Wild West Frontier) displays traditional Uyghur hats and worn canteens along with stucco murals of China's hinterland. Charcoal grills evoke campfires and produce fiery meat skewers, charred squid, and cumin-spiced fish (8 Roosevelt Rd., Alley 6, Lane 136; 886-2-2366-0345; all you can eat, $12-$21).

In the city center, Hello Kitty hasn't grown up, but its fans have: Kids 3 to 83 appease their kitty lust at Hello Kitty Sweets, where kitty-smocked servers hand over kitty-shaped hamburgers and kitty crème brûlée (90 Da-an Rd., Sec. 1; 886-2-2711-1132; prix fixe, $9-$15).

If turning water into wine is a miracle, turning wine into medicine is cause for celebration at DS (as in Doctor Style): "Doctors" and "nurses" hook patients up to beer-, cocktail-, and wine-filled IV tubes that flow into glasses. On weekends, there are syringe shots, and nurses dance atop hospital beds (a.k.a. tables). The crazy-quilt cuisine (Thai prawns, roasted cod, beef stir-fry) is delicious. Relax: The wheelchairs, crutches, and intensive-care equipment are merely props (7 Xinsheng N. Rd., Sec. 3; 886-2-2587-3226; prix fixe, $9-$15).

Bed down at the centrally located San Want Taipei Residences, which has local art and sculpture and superlative service (886-2-2772-2121; doubles, $277-$302).

Seabourn's Pride.
Photo: Yachts of Seabourn

Every ship has its secrets. Luckily, in Condé Nast Traveler's August issue, Brook Wilkinson found several leading cruise specialists willing to spill the beans on 17 cruise lines. Here's the skinny on Seabourn, which ranked as the top small-ship cruise line in last year's Readers' Choice Awards.

Seabourn Cruise Line
Legend, Pride, Spirit
"Some cabins on these ships have mini balconies. They aren't wide enough for a chair, but you get floor-to-ceiling views, ocean breezes, and the sound of the sea. Among these cabins, numbers 204 to 223 on deck 5 are almost $620 less per cabin for an 11-day Norwegian Fjords cruise than the identical rooms a deck above."
Leslie Fambrini, Personalized Travel Consultants, Los Altos, California (650-949-0111; leslie@personalized-travel.com) 

For more cruise tips from those in the know, pick up a copy of this month's issue of Condé Nast Traveler.

Further reading:
* Check out Wendy Perrin's list of top travel specialists for cruises
* Boldface Beata Loyfman's on a boat!
* The 2008 Readers' Choice Awards

Edmonton: It has one of the world's largest malls, a hotel called Fantasyland, and a restaurant that serves bacon-wrapped elk. Condé Nast Traveler's Mark Schatzker lives the dream.

Tipping rules vary by country, by region, and by scenario. In Condé Nast Traveler's August issue, Tim Murphy spells out guidelines for the most common tipping situations in more than 25 countries, from Switzerland to Syria to Singapore.

Going to Canada and want to express appreciation for the service you received? Here's how:
At Restaurants: As in the United States, the gratuity isn't included, so tip the standard 15 to 20 percent, depending on the service.
At Hotels: Concierges who go out of their way for you should get $10 to $20 per favor; porters get $1 or $2 per bag; housekeepers $2 a day, or $5 in a luxury hotel. "Leave something for them daily," advises Mary Pyle Peters of Distinctive Journeys in Blaisden, California, which organizes Canada trips. The person who cleaned your room all week may not be the same one who comes in the day you check out.
Guides and Drivers: Tip them collectively 15 percent of the cost of the excursion. Taxi drivers get 10 to 15 percent.
Dollars Accepted? Yes. "As long as you use paper money, not U.S. coins," says Peters.

For more on whom to tip, how much to give, and how to give it, check out the tipping guide in Condé Nast Traveler's August issue.

Illustration by Brown Bird Design

Tipping rules vary by country, by region, and by scenario. In Condé Nast Traveler's August issue, Tim Murphy spells out guidelines for the most common tipping situations in more than 25 countries, from Switzerland to Syria to Singapore.

Going to Egypt and want to express appreciation for the service you received? Here's how:
At Restaurants: The tip is included in the bill; add 5-10 percent above that.
At Hotels: One to two dollars a day for the housekeeper (pay throughout your stay to ensure great cleaning); $1 per bag for the porter; concierges are powerful and very helpful, so $10-$20 at the beginning of your stay will go far.
Guides and Drivers: Cabdrivers, 10-15 percent; guides (who almost never drive you), $20 per person per day; drivers a little less.
Dollars Accepted?: Everything is accepted, and often preferable to local currency.
P.S. Guides are often well-trained Egyptologists whose function is not only to educate but also to divert the many locals who will have their hands out for baksheesh, whether they've earned it or not. James Berkeley, president of Destinations and Adventures, which arranges trips to Egypt and the Middle East, likes to tell "the biggest joke in tourism": A camel driver tells you, "No charge to get on my camel--but five-dollar tip." You pay, you lumber up onto the camel. Then he says, "Twenty-dollar tip to get off."

For more on whom to tip, how much to give, and how to give it, check out the tipping guide in Condé Nast Traveler's August issue.

Dream Trip winner Wanwisa Posner enjoying Hong Kong's "Symphony of Lights" show between appetizers at Spoon by Alain Ducasse and entrées at Nobu, thanks to Lindsey Wallace of Linara Travel.

by Blessing Waung

For ten years in a row, Condé Nast Traveler has been publishing Wendy Perrin's list of the world's top travel specialists. There's a reason she suggests these people. Take, for example, 2008 Dream Trip winner Wanwisa Posner. A meticulous planner (real-life Wanwisa is a wedding planner and event producer) and a serious foodie, Posner knew exactly where she wanted to go: Hong Kong for dim sum, then on to the Maldives for scuba diving. She even knew where she wanted to stay. However, it took one of "Perrin's People" to ensure the trip was everything Wanwisa and her husband, Jason, dreamed of.

Check out Wendy's Perrin Post blog, where Wanwisa will be writing about her adventures from abroad for the next two weeks. Seems like Wendy and the experts she handpicked for the task definitely made Wanwisa happy, so what are you waiting for? Start by picking up the August 2009 issue of Condé Nast Traveler and choosing your specialist today.

Further reading:
* Wanwisa blogs her Dream Trip on the Perrin Post
* 126 Top Travel Specialists
* Tips on Hiring a Specialist
* When to Use a Travel Specialist

The clock is ticking down on the second Condé Nast Traveler Challenge--only 11 days left!--and we still want to hear from you.

In our first challenge, we asked readers how travelers can contribute meaningfully to the lives of local people, and how travel companies can encourage guests to engage with communities. Our winners came up with solutions such as fighting children's malnutrition in Colombia and partnering students in San Francisco with students in Uganda.

This time around, we want to know: 1.) How to encourage citizens to travel beyond their borders, and 2.) For those who are discouraged from travel because of cost or other barriers, how travel companies and other organizations can best extend opportunities to them.

So what do you think? How can we open the joys and benefits of travel to more people? Enter your idea and you could be featured in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler.

It may be summertime, but if you need a break from the sunshine, check out "A Winter's Tale" in our July issue. And here's something extra to keep you cool: The Dictionary of Snow.

So powder-rich is Hokkaido that there's a whole snow-specific vocabulary. Below, some words you might hear tossed about in wintry northern Japan--and their meanings.
* Botan yuki = peony-flake snow
* Hisetsu = flying snow
* Kona yuki = powder snow
* Miyukibare = beautiful morning after a heavy snow
* Neyuki = snow at the foot of a tree
* Sasame yuki = a light sprinkling of snow
* Watayuki = cotton snow

Gibbes Beach, in St. Peter
Photo: Julien Capmeil / Condé Nast Traveler

Credit Rihanna, the pop phenom, for summing up all that's great about Barbados, her home island: "I feel the most beautiful when I am in Barbados and I am well fed, well rested and well tanned."

That's a statement worth investigating, and so, in Condé Nast Traveler's July issue, Isabel Fonseca and Alison Humes hop the parishes on the historic Caribbean country and detail their favorite locales.

Below, some highlights:

* Breezing Too Water Sport, in Holetown, at the back of the police station, organizes excursions to meet (and feed) the island's endangered greenback (and one hawksbill) turtles. It pays to get into the water early, before the large catamaran groups arrive (234-6391; two-hour excursion, $45, including mask, snorkel, boat, and punch).

Have an idea on how to get citizens from all corners of the earth to travel more and connect with the rest of the world?  We want to know. 

Enter the second installment of the Condé Nast Traveler Challenge and your idea could make it into the pages of our November 2009 "Readers' Choice Awards" issue.

This competition comes courtesy of Ashoka Changemakers, an online open collaboration environment built to find solutions for some of the world's most pressing challenges.

You have until August 5, 2009 to enter. Stay tuned to the Daily Traveler for a sampling of entries posted by readers.

Click to view slideshow
Photo: Bureau of Land Management

Congress just passed the largest piece of environmental legislation in decades, voting to protect forever 26 million acres of some of the country's most scenic sites. In our July issue, Jim Robbins reports our last and least-known wild places--and the rewards of seeing them now.

Plus, we offer a quick roundup of the National Landscape Conservation System gems and the best ways to see them.

Here's a sneak peak:

King Range National Conservation Area (California)
One of the country's few remaining coastal wildernesses, northern California's King Range rises 4,000 feet above the Pacific and stretches for 35 miles. Until recently, it was accessible only by foot, via the 26-mile Lost Coast Trail, which traverses deep-green gorges, redwood forests, and black sand beaches. For those who want to visit without backpacking, two shuttle services access remote trailheads: Lost Coast Shuttle (707-986-7437) and Lost Coast Trail Transport Service (707-986-9909). Stay: Shelter Cove, on the southern end, is your best bet for lodgings near the trail; Shelter Cove Bed & Breakfast overlooks the surf (707-986-7161; sheltercovebandb.com; doubles, $195). When: Year-round, though it's driest from May through October. Where: Shelter Cove is a four-hour drive north of San Francisco.

Over the past year Hawaii has faced its share of challenges: Recession; swine flu and its effects on tourism, the ravings of a certain rogue state, etc. Not the best way for our fiftieth state to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary.

In our current issue, Condé Nast Traveler's Hanya Yanagihara sends out some well-deserved love to the islands of her youth, finding them (largely) unchanged by time or the spotlight. We guarantee that after reading "Home at the End of the World" and viewing our slideshow homage to iconic Hawaii, you will be thinking about that return trip.

Further reading:
* Our Hawaii: Famous Locals on What They Love Most
* 14 Perfect Days in Hawaii
* Virtual Hawaii:  CNT's Coverage of the 50th State

Calling all fans of the 50th State.  In the special Hawaii coverage in the July issue of Condé Nast Traveler, we asked some of our favorite tastemakers and personalities associated with Hawaii to tell us what they love most about the islands.  Read on, than use the comments link to share some of your favorite memories of Hawaii.

Josh Holloway, the much-loved Sawyer on Lost, shares his Hawaiian secret: "One of the best things you can experience on Oahu is to swim with dolphins in the wild. Dolphin Excursions will take you out into the calm waters of the island's west side, where you'll be able to swim with pods as they play in shallow bays."

Emilie De Ravin, Josh's co-star on Lost, says she considers "the Kahala Hotel on Oahu paradise in paradise, an elegant sanctuary that combines the best of nature with the joys of modern life." [808-739-8888; doubles, $475-$716].

Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals perform during the All Points West music festival at Liberty State Park Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008 in Jersey City, N.J.
Photo: AP Photo/Jason DeCrow

The singer-songwriter and slide guitarist describes life on the road in the July 2009 issue of Condé Nast Traveler

Best Venues: "L.A.'s Greek Theatre is surrounded by trees, and every seat is a good one [323-665-3125; greektheatrela.com]. Red Rocks is a stunning rock amphitheater outside Denver. Playing there makes me feel like I've rocketed away from Earth and landed on another planet [720-865-2494; redrocksonline.com]."

Best Restaurants: "There's a Mexican place called El Chihuahua in Paris that's owned by a French guy named Benny. His mom lived in Mexico for years and brought back recipes for chips, salsa, and incredible fajitas [36 blvd. de la Bastille; 33-1-43-43-79-79; entrées, $11-$21]. I love eating Italian in Paris too, at Alfredo Positano [6 rue Guisarde; 33-1-43-26-90-52; entrées, $26-$40]. Elio's, in New York, has the best chicken Parmesan in the world--it reminds me of Bruce Paltrow, who introduced me to the place [1621 Second Ave.; 212-772-2242; entrées, $17-$42].

Best Bars: "The Silver Dollar Bar & Grill, in Jackson Hole, is lined with silver dollars. You can't believe it till you've seen it; rumor has it the whole thing cost a million [307-733-2190]. At 4100, in Los Angeles, there's always someone to talk to and Newcastle Brown ale on tap" [1087 Manzanita St.; 323-666-4460]."

Best Hotels" "I always stay near a park when I travel with my family. Rome's Hotel de Russie is just below the Villa Borghese, so we ride our bikes to the top, watch the sun set over the city, and then have the hotel restaurant's amazing Bolognese [39-06-32-88-81; hotelderussie.it; doubles, $610-$1,255]. And I love São Paulo's Hotel Unique for its proximity to Ibirapuera Park [55-11-3055-4710; hotelunique.com.br; doubles, $375-$490]."

For tour dates, go to benharper.com.

Newlyweds on San Juan's
Caleta de las Monjas.
Photo: Graciela Cattarossi
for Condé Nast Traveler

Restored to its original glory, Old San Juan makes for a perfect quick getaway. "The trip is easy and the change intense," writes Amy Engeler in Condé Nast Traveler's June issue. Here are some of her favorite spots in this storied island outpost:

* The Hotel El Convento is still the Old City's loveliest, with wrought iron canopy beds, mod cons, and Spanish colonial elegance. There's also a terrace plunge pool and a hot tub overlooking the cathedral (787-723-9020; doubles, $160$260).
* Da House is also a fun spot to stay. A former Franciscan monastery, it is now an eclectic hotel on the stylish side of bohemian. Air-conditioning but no elevator, some nighttime noise (787-366-5074; doubles, $80$120).
* At Marmalade, try the ambitious rich dishes: signature paella starter, snapper in parchment (787-724-3969; entrées, $19$29).
* For lighter fare, go to Toro Salao, which serves stylish tapas in a two-story townhouse. Outdoor seating across the street (787-722-3330; entrées, $8$24).
* It wouldn't be a trip to the Caribbean if you didn't check out the live bands and dancing at Escenario. The bands come out Thursday through Sunday; flamenco shows are on Sundays. The music starts around 10 p.m. (Calle San Sebastián near Calle San José).

For more on San Juan, pick up a copy of the June issue or read "Treasure in a Teacup" at cntraveler.com.

Tel Aviv's Hilton Beach reflects
the hedonism that earns the city
its title of The Bubble.
Photo: Rick Lew for Condé Nast Traveler

This city definitely wasn't built it a day. A hundred years after its conception, Tel Aviv is now a phenomenon of Mediterranean style. In Condé Nast Traveler's June issue, Adam Lebor wandered the city's mosaic of cuisines, clubs, and cultures. Here are some his favorite spots to hit along Tel Aviv's shores:

* The downtown Cinema Hotel is a marvelously restored former 1930s movie house, with free Wi-Fi and guest bicycles (520-7100; doubles; $188-$250).

* If you want to be closer to the water, the recently restored low-rise Dan Tel Aviv, with its multicolored facade and original 1960s furniture, is the best seafront option (520-2525; doubles; $314-$434).

* When you get hungry after hours of sunbathing--and believe us, you will--check out Orna and Ella, a legendary café on hip Sheinkin Street. Try the sweet potato pancakes and three-flavored falafel (33 Sheinkin St.; 620-4573; entrées, $13-$24).

* Nightlife in Tel Aviv typically gets started late, around 10 p.m. HaOman 17 is Israel's best-known superclub, luring international DJs for serious late-night partying (88 Arbabanel St.; 681-3636).

For more from Tel Aviv, pick up a copy of the June issue or read "Viva Tel Aviv" on cntraveler.com.

Think you have to wear a hair shirt and dig a well to give back when you travel? Think again. Below, a trip idea from "Eight Great Trips That Give Back," a piece running in the May issue of Condé Nast Traveler.

Suddenly, sundowner cocktails are interrupted as the tracker shouts "Get in the jeep--now!" Fifteen yards away, a cheetah has killed an impala--not an unusual scene at South Africa's five-star Phinda camp, known for helping to save the cheetah. So begins the Southern Africa itinerary set up by Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel. Next stop: Botswana's Okavango Delta, where huge herds range across the terrain, and another five-star lodge, Kwando Lagoon Camp, which employs Bushmen as trackers. But for Pam Donlin, a former banker who traveled there last year, the most memorable moment came in the Zambian bush at the Butterfly Tree Project: A nonprofit supported by Exquisite Safaris, it runs a school and health center near Victoria Falls. Donlin, her husband, and her two kids met AIDS orphans and gave out clothes. "If part of travel can be helping others, and can create awareness in one's self, it's a great thing," says Donlin, who donated a $2,500 water well and educational funds. The trip wound up at the Royal Livingstone Hotel, where monkeys scamper through the marble lobby. You can hear Victoria Falls and see the mist from the hotel. Says Donlin: "I thought, Do I ever have to leave?"

The Give: Just by going with Exquisite Safaris, you are donating $250 to a local nonprofit.

The Get: The knowledge that you are helping children receive education and clean water.

Going Local: Take photos with Mothusi Kebusitswe, a guide and camera buff at Kwara Camp.

Further reading:
* 7 more trips that give back.
* Paul Theroux on the Peace Corps and the lesson of his life.
* Responsible Traveler: Making a difference.

This pool was made for lounging.
Photo: Haciendasmexico.com

Think you have to wear a hair shirt and dig a well to give back when you travel? Think again. Below, a trip idea from "Eight Great Trips That Give Back," a piece running in this month's issue of Condé Nast Traveler.

The history of the Hacienda Temozon resort hotel in the Yucatán Peninsula, about a two-hour drive from Chichén Itzá, isn't immediately apparent. An elegant pool, an airy dining room, a spa--all the qualities of high style are there. In fact, in 1996, when Luis Bosoms and his wife, Marilú Hernández, bought the property in the wake of the collapse of the sisal industry, they purchased not only an abandoned 350-year-old hacienda but 109 worker's houses. The first thing they did: hand over the deeds to the houses to local people. "If you wanted to create wealth where there was none," says Bosoms, "this way is one hundred percent sustainable. With homes, these people instantly have access to credit." Altogether, the couple bought five haciendas, all of which they turned into resorts. Today, from Temozón, a guide will take you to the Uxmal ruins, then to visit craftsmen trained with the help of the hotel's foundation. Back at the hotel, get a massage--a local collective owns the spa. You can also head out into the Gulf of Mexico to see migrating birds, turtles, and crocodiles, ending up at the blue stucco Hacienda Santa Rosa, which they also own. From there, Chichén Itzá is a stone's throw away. But if you feel like lazing around the pool, you're still helping the community just by being there.

The Give: Visit local shops, which are highlighted on walking maps provided by the haciendas.

The Get: The knowledge that your money is going into the pockets of the local people.

Going Local: Chic sisal bag made by Mayan villagers (fhmm@haciendasmundomaya.com; $25).

Further reading:
* 7 more trips that give back.
* Paul Theroux on the Peace Corps and the lesson of his life.
* Responsible Traveler: Making a difference.

The Guludo Beach Lodge's beautiful adobe bandas were hand-built by a local workforce.
Photo: Guludo Beach Lodge

Think you have to wear a hair shirt and dig a well to give back when you travel? Think again. Below, a  trip idea from "Eight Great Trips That Give Back," a piece running in this month's issue of Condé Nast Traveler. 

The coast of Northern Mozambique is a laboratory for combining breathtaking beauty with practical preservation. There are pristine jungle-backed beaches with reef-fringed islands. Marine life is abundant, including humpback whales, which appear from late June through early October. Amy and Neal Carter-James built their luxury eco-resort, Guludo Beach Lodge, here on a white sand beach on the edge of the Quirimbas National Park, not far from the impoverished village of Guludo. Says Amy, "We wanted to find a place where fair-trade tourism could alleviate poverty and provide jobs." Fishermen from Guludo welcomed the prospect of good jobs and agreed to share their beach. The simple, elegant resort was built and staffed by locals. Whitewashed adobe rooms with thatched roofs have plush beds, open-air showers, and verandas with hammocks. Entrepreneurs from the village now offer sunset sails in traditional dhows, beach archery, and fishing outings for guests. Elevate Destinations, a tour operator that specializes in philanthropic trips, just added Guludo to its list. "This is the Seychelles 20 years ago," says Elevate president Dominique Callimanopoulos. "Guludo Beach Lodge is a model for tourism that lifts up local communities."

The Give: For $90, guests can send a teenager to boarding school for a year. Five percent of Guludo's revenue goes to its Nema Foundation, which fights poverty.

The Get: A real connection to the community. The foundation is financing scholarships for 77 teenagers. In 2008, it built 28 water wells, helping more than 12,000 people.

Going Local: Palm rings woven by Guludo village women ($7).

Further reading:
* 7 more trips that give back.
* Paul Theroux on the Peace Corps and the lesson of his life.
* Responsible Traveler: Making a difference.

The Extreme WOW Suite at the W Hong Kong.
Photo: Jimmy Cohrssen / Condé Nast Traveler

Condé Nast Traveler's Hot List issue is hitting the stands jam-packed with our annual roundup of the top new hotels, restaurants, spas, and nightclubs. If for no other reason, pick up a copy to ogle the lush photographic homage to hot properties such as Miami Beach's Mondrian South Beach, Australia's Southern Ocean Lodge, and Botswana's Zarafa Camp. Yum!

The Hot List party continues at cntraveler.com/hotlist where we include the 140 hotels, 50 restaurants, 50 spas, and 35 nightclubs found in the issue PLUS an additional 105 properties. And we break out those 43 Hot Hotels listing at $250 a night.