It was late in the day and they’d run out of ahi (tuna), but the fishmonger assured me the ono (wahoo) poke would taste just as good. I ate while walking back and each bite was ecstasy: the tender, cold ono flesh marinated to perfection in soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil, the sticky rice topped with crunchy sesame seeds and dried seaweed … it was enough to make me reconsider getting on the plane (the warm Hawaiian sun didn’t help in that regard, either). — Alexandra Pope, digital editor

• Check out our essential itinerary for three memorable days in Hilo, Hawaii

Tequila Negroni, North & Navy, Ottawa

I tend to avoid cocktails that put twists on revered classics. Why change the building blocks that made a drink like the Italian Negroni an intercontinental staple? Thankfully, I was moved to experiment by the low-lit sexiness and ’60s soul soundtrack around the bar at North & Navy, an Ottawa restaurant much loved for its small-plate takes on northern Italian cuisine (read: no spaghetti and meatballs in sight, while house-made pastas in light sauces, salted fried smelts, octopus and truffles white and black tend to feature on the rotating menu). There, I found Ottawa’s best aperitif. The Tequila Negroni substitutes the sippable Tequila Tromba Reposado for gin and the spiced, citrusy Cocchi Americano aromatized wine for the usual vermouth rosso, retaining only the Campari of the traditional Negroni. The result is perfectly sweet, smoky and bitter and — like everything at North & Navy — feels like it could transport you straight into a cosy bacaro on a cobbled Venice square. — Nick Walker, managing editor

Favourite hotel stays

Explora Valle Sagrado, Peru

I was tired and irritable after a bumpy flight from Lima to Cusco, but checking into my hotel in Peru’s Sacred Valley was like coming home to a place I didn’t know I was missing. Located on a remote hacienda, Explora Valle Sagrado has stunning views of snow-capped Andean mountains that were once part of the Inca Empire, and several outdoor fireplaces in the lobby. My clutter-free room, decorated in neutral tones with sloping beam ceilings and a comfortable robe set out the bed, gave me a sense of renewal and peace. Pumacahua Bath House, found on one side of the hotel’s corn terraces in a 17th-century colonial manor, provided further comfort in my weary state. The spa’s outdoor pool is surrounded by an exquisite herb garden, lovingly tended to by the woman at the front desk who proudly showed me every single plant. Perfection. — Marina Jimenez

• Read Marina’s story about her Sacred Valley experience with Explora

JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa, Muskoka, Ont. 

St. Regis, Amman, Jordan

While working on a photography assignment in mid-October in Jordan, I had the opportunity to stay at the brand new St. Regis Hotel in Amman. Located in the 5th Circle, an upscale district in the capital, this without a doubt is one of the most luxurious hotels in all Jordan and it will definitely make you feel special. The attention to detail and service is phenomenal; what could be better than having a personal butler to take care of all your needs during your stay? Breakfast is buffet-style with a range of traditional Middle Eastern and international fare, including a delicious selection of local honey. Later, dine at Mercado Andaluz, the first Spanish restaurant in the city. A visit to the St. Regis Bar for a nightcap is not to be missed, if only to check out the stunning mosaic behind the bar. Other amenities include the Iridium Spa, swimming pool and a tea lounge. And if all this wasn’t enough, in keeping with St. Regis tradition, every night a bottle of champagne is opened with a sword and offered to guests. If you like to travel at the very pinnacle of luxury, this is the stay for you! — Javier Frutos, creative director

• Check out our story about the St. Regis Toronto

Favourite adventures

Cod fishing with Quidi Vidi Charters, St. John’s

Touring the Isle of Skye, Scotland

Scotland is one of the countries I cherish the most. The culture is as vibrant and lively as a colourful painting and the scenic landscapes embrace it like powerful arms. One of the highlights of my trip to Inverness this year was a day tour to the Isle of Skye, which included stops at famous Eilean Donan Castle and Portree. The small coastal town of Portree is located on the east side of Skye and offers a picturesque view of the bay and the hills. The village was founded as a fishing community 200 years ago, and travellers can still enjoy a variety of seafoods in local restaurants and wander among art boutiques. Further north, following the east cost of Skye, we walked up into the majestic green shoreline mountains to take in unbounded views. — Emma Viel, translator

Snowmobiling on the sea ice, Iqaluit

Sometimes, hitting a wall is a surprisingly beautiful outcome — especially when that wall is made of ice. I was travelling by snowmobile on the sea ice blanketing Frobisher Bay, outside Iqaluit, when I realized I was speeding along a curtain of frozen sea water, not snow-covered cliffs as I first assumed. But a few hours later, on the same outing, this rampart was gone, swallowed by the ocean. It turns out Iqaluit has Canada’s, and the world’s, second-highest tides after the Bay of Fundy, with flow topping a staggering 10 metres at full moon. Buoyed by this tide, the sea ice rises and falls; if you did a time-lapse video of the phenomenon, it would look as though the bay were breathing, lungs heaving up and down. Along the shore, this action creates a wall of ice that’s constantly changing with the ebb and flow. Sea ice lifted by the tide scrapes off a layer of the wall; each time the tide goes out again, a film of water is left behind, freezing into a new layer. So while a wall along the shore is left standing, it is constantly changing, constantly scattering light in new directions as crinkles are built up and shorn off. The broader takeaway of this beautiful natural phenomenon is that nothing is what it seems, and nothing is static. The North is not, as some southerners would have it, a two-dimensional place that’s frozen in time. Nothing could be further from the truth. The tides and their 3-D printing of ice walls serve as a reminder that the sea and landscape and the people who have thrived here for millennia are constantly evolving. They’re rich with beauty, character, nuances and contrasts that we may not notice unless we stop and open our eyes, minds and hearts. And if you don’t believe me, go see for yourself. You can embrace the shiny complexities and rough-cut surfaces — and the stories they tell — by going out on Frobisher Bay by dog sled or snowmobile with Inukpak Outfitting or NorthWinds Expeditions. — Susan Nerberg

Favourite discoveries

Neon Sign Museum, Edmonton

There’s little I love more when travelling than to get out and wander somewhat aimlessly. It’s the best way to discover sights that travel experts often overlook. During a trip to Edmonton in September to experience the new JW Marriott (watch for a full review on this latest luxury option in the city soon), I scurried away when I could to explore the area. A highlight was just one block west from the concierge: Edmonton’s free outdoor Neon Sign Museum, located along 104 Street at 104 Avenue NW. It’s a rotating collection of signage from the city’s history, complete with interpretive panels on each sign. The artifacts run from fully restored to those upgraded while keeping their last patina. While a daytime visit is worthwhile, the museum is literally electric at night. It’s an outdoor art gallery dedicated to the bright lights that made a big city. — Aaron Kylie, editor-in-chief

USS Yorktown ghost tour, Charleston, S.C.

Charleston’s USS Yorktown blows all other ghost tours I’ve done (and I’ve been on many) out of the water. As the tenth aircraft carrier to serve the United States Navy from 1943 to 1970, the Yorktown quite literally had immense fire power — it was nicknamed the Second World War’s “Fighting Lady,” playing an integral role in the U.S. defeat of Japan in 1945. As you explore its labyrinth of well-worn white and green hallways, crowded bunks and sterile infirmaries, it’s easy to see why countless ghostly encounters have been reported onboard. Book with Bulldog Tours, like I did, and you’ll get exclusive nighttime access to the ship, including the sky high flight deck (with amazing views), while you learn the ship’s illustrious history and its terrifying tales. — Michela Rosano, associate editor

Montréal Complètement Cirque

It was still 30 C as the sun began to set on Montreal’s Rue St-Denis, and part of me would have liked nothing more than to sit down with a cold pint on a busy terrasse, but there was no time to stop or even to blink: It was the first night of Montréal Complètement Cirque, and I was chasing circus performers. Every July, the 10-day circus arts festival transforms the city into one big international circus, with acrobats, jugglers, contortionists and aerial dancers performing on street corners, in parks and in theatres across the island, joyfully defying the limits of human physical ability and the laws of gravity. The show never stops, so neither did I, which meant that by the time I did finally sit down to a cocktail and a plate of mushroom ravioli at Bar Le Lab at close to 10 p.m., I felt I’d really earned them. The circus festival overlaps with the Montreal Jazz Festival and Just for Laughs, so in 2020, you might want to take more than a weekend to fully enjoy high summer in Canada’s most entertaining city. — Alexandra Pope, digital editor

• See more incredible photos from the 2019 festival

Where to travel in 2020: Svalbard, Norway