The Secret Shore

Over the past few years, Panama has quietly positioned itself as the “next” Costa Rica — a jungle-shrouded eco-tourism mecca with crystal-clear seas and dense rain forests. And while the traveling masses have finally discovered Panama 's Caribbean coast, the country's lesser-known Pacific shore is still just a blip on the radar. But the lure of Panama 's west is obvious: the region is temperate and hilly, filled with ranches and haciendas edging along a craggy, cerulean coastline.

For the moment, the lodging of choice is Azueros , a hotel and residential development perched above the Pacific in the village of Pedasi — four hours from Panama City . The hotel's 1,200-square-foot duplex lofts sleep four and include full kitchens. Azueros' team can organize a range of eco-adventures, including day trips to nearby Isla Iguana. Although its namesake lizards are actually scarce, the island offers sandy shores, gin-clear waters, colorful reefs, and the chance to view migrating whales. Pack a lunch of chicken and patacones (fried plantains) from Gringo Mizak, a Pedasi restaurant, but save room for dessert at Dulceria Yely. Owner Dalila Vera de Quintera's signature flan is sweet, dense, and dangerously addictive. azueros.com — David Kaufman

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If you can't stay in a palace, at least stay next door to one. Ten miles northwest of central Beijing , the new Aman at Summer Palace sits across from one of China 's most famous historic sites. The century-old dwellings of the Summer Palace , a 726-acre garden estate on Kumming Lake , have been turned into 51 guest rooms and courtyard suites that feature polished clay tile floors, king-size four-poster beds, and Ming-style furnishings. Aman offers trips to a remote part of the Great Wall and private access to the Summer Palace grounds, so you can enter whenever you want. amanresorts.com
— Gail Harrington

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Cook Off the Pounds :

A new cookbook from Mii Amo Spa, a getaway in the red-rock country of Sedona, Ariz. , a couple of hours north of Phoenix , won't have you eating rocks to lose weight. Accustomed to helping movie stars lose the proverbial few (at around $2,200 for a three-night program), the chefs of Mii Amo bring readers a decidedly cheaper recipe for success. A Journey of Taste is a hardbound book with 146 glossy pages of spa-inspired menus for every meal. More than 50 of the spa's favorite low-calorie recipes are here, including a delicious French onion soup (160 calories per serving) and a decadent 177-calories-per-slice chocolate chip cheesecake, so you can enjoy your favorites without feeling deprived of food or funds ($35). hyperdisk.com/miiamo

— Gail Harrington

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With the rising popularity of community gardens and organic foods, it makes sense that the 20th annual Northwest Flower & Garden Show , taking place February 18–22 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle , has gone green, adopting a sustainability theme and promoting earth-friendly tips for eco-conscious gardeners. Set on six acres, the show features seminars, display gardens, and hundreds of commercial exhibits aimed at helping green thumbs of all skill levels pinch, pot, plant, and prune their way to an environmentally sound garden. gardenshow.com/seattle/index

— Dave Baldwin

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Montego Bay

For the Birds, and You: The eco-conscious Kanopi House, in Port Antonio, on Jamaica’s northeast coast, a three-hour drive from Montego Bay, is the kind of place Tarzan might have retired to after finally hitting it big. This luxe treehouse of a retreat pairs four private villas with a verdant hillside location overlooking the azure Caribbean. While those sparkling blue waters are just steps away, Kanopi’s true allure is its location high in a six-acre forest that has long belonged to the Hew family, one of Portland Parish’s most established clans. Nearby are the rapids of the Rio Grande and the refreshing pools of Reach Falls. You can frolic in the water, or simply do what legendary area guests — ranging from Noel Coward to Ian Fleming to Errol Flynn — have done over the years: just relax and enjoy the atmosphere. kanopihouse.com — D.K.

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Almost Heaven :

From the late 1950s until 1995, the 721-room Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.V., was a prosperous retreat often enjoyed by U.S. presidents and visiting dignitaries. Due to its remote location, it also served as an emergency backup location for Congress, complete with an underground bunker. Thankfully, it was never needed for that purpose, and today the Georgian-style mansion has continued its tradition of hospitality as a secluded getaway. A bit more accessible these days, thanks to a new twice-daily direct service from Cleveland to nearby Lewisburg , W.V., the resort offers year-round activities of interest to all, from stately dinners in the main dining room to horse-drawn carriage rides along snowy lanes to after noon tea by the hearth (a Greenbrier tradition since the 1930s). The resort even has its own museum. And for the more adventurous, there's snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and an offroad driving school that crisscrosses 6,500 acres of mountain and forest. greenbrier.com

— Lynn Seldon

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For Members Only

If you're heading to England , Wales , or Northern Ireland , outsmart the pound a bit by joining the Royal Oak Foundation , an American affiliate of the National Trust. For a $55 membership fee, you'll gain free admission to some of the United Kingdom's most beautiful castles and historic homes and more than 300 gardens and landscaped parks, plus receive a 25 percent discount on a stay at three Historic House Hotels — Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire (50 miles from London ), Middlethorpe Hall in York (71 miles from Manchester ), and Bodysgallen Hall in Llandudno, Wales (85 miles from Manchester). All three homes are more than 300 years old. royal-oak.org — G.H.

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Getting There: All the destinations covered in “Go Explore” can be reached by flying Continental Airlines. To book your trip, visit Continental Airlines Vacations at covacations.com.