Tucked against the cloud-topped mountains of the Cordillera del Merendón, San Pedro Sula is a burly hub of commerce and industry. Tourists generally view the Honduran city as the gateway to land-locked attractions like the Cusuco Cloud Forest Park or the Mayan ruins of Copan. The celebrated scuba haunts and rocky shores of the Bay Islands offshore are still an airplane ride away from San Pedro Sula.

Only an hour’s drive northeast, however, lies another aquatic paradise: the vast, sunny playas and unspoiled seaside charms of the Honduran mainland coast. The most seductive spot may be the crescent bay of warm, gentle surf that fronts the drowsy pueblo of Tela, once home to the Chiquita Banana firm.

Tela’s centerpiece is the Hotel Villas Telamar (hoteltelamar.com), a lustrous beachfront resort. Telamar combines its first-class main hotel — 64 rooms in plantation-style haciendas — with two broad streets lined with 30 rustic Caribbean villas. Originally built as homes for Chiquita execs, the villas have been lovingly restored.

Using Villas Telamar as home base, here’s an itinerary for a short, overnight excursion to test the waters of Bahia de Tela: On the way there, you’ll roll past expanses of banana trees and sugar cane and vast stands of African palms, maybe stopping for a bag of rambutans, a succulent tropical fruit sold by children along the roadside.

In concert with Garifuna Tours — a local ecotourism specialist — Telamar will soon have you breezing via outboard launch across the bay to Punta Sal, the westernmost headland, which once sheltered marauding pirate ships. Here, you’ll swim or snorkel in the tranquil waters of secluded, jungle-shrouded inlets like Puerto Caribe, while nearby, raucous howler monkeys spring through tree branches ashore.

For another option, Garifuna will take you by Land Cruiser to Punta Izopo, where aboard your own sea kayak you can glide through the gentle current of Río Plátano, poking noiselessly into canals in the adjacent mangrove forests. Glance up at the expansive vegetation for a peek at such wildlife as parrots, toucans, and monkeys.

Back on shore, you might gaze a little sentimentally over your shoulder at your beached kayak as you jostle back toward one last aquatic encounter — a cooldown swim in Telamar’s spectacular 300-foot pool.

Paradise Found

Eco-adventures come in all sizes: scuba diving the Mediterranean, climbing K2, zipping through the canopies of Costa Rica, hiking the Grand Canyon. All are bold, memorable experiences, but equally memorable are the moments one spends contemplating the natural world and quieting the soul through yoga. Yoga on Roatan offers just that kind of experience through retreats, workshops, and weekend getaways. Well known for its jungle adventure tours and abundant diving sites, Roatan is an adrenaline seeker’s paradise. But the small Honduran island is just as suited to the meditative rhythms and methodic poses of yoga, and a dedicated network of instructors uses its pristine natural beauty as an ideal setting for classes. Namaste. 9978.5463 — Andrew Eitelbach

Go Green, Go Andaz

The latest Hyatt brand, Andaz, combines the amenities of a luxury five-star hotel with the contemporary comforts of home. Working without the usual barrier of a desk, personal attendants use Tablet PCs when checking in guests. Located on the site of the old Great Eastern Hotel on Liverpool Street, Andaz London offers five restaurants, three bars, and an attentive staff available 24/7 in the “Living Room” reception area. Lodgings in all 267 guest rooms and suites include breakfast, a well-stocked mini-bar, Wi-Fi, laundry, and unlimited movies. Andaz also tips its hat to the environment, with local produce served in the restaurants, intelligent lighting in the rooms, infrared detection lighting in the public restrooms, and toilets that reduce water use by 80 percent. The hotel’s corridors display works by local artists, creating a distinct experience. andaz.com — Kristina Wong

Arts Ahoy

The Hampton Roads region around Norfolk, Va., is home to the world’s largest naval complex, but this month you might run into just as many dancers and musicians as sailors. The 12th annual Virginia Arts Festival runs through May 26 and offers a world-class performance nearly every day. Venues throughout the region host chamber music, classical, jazz, rock, and theatrical performances. Dance highlights include the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, May 2–4, and the Martha Graham Dance Company on May 23. Notable musical performers include four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (left), on May 11, and banjo men Bela Fleck and Tony Trischka, May 16. Garrison Keillorof A Prairie Home Companion is even leaving the world of Lake Wobegon to host a special event at the Sandler Center on May 20. virginiaartsfest.com — Claire McGregor

No Bones About It

Man’s best friend no longer needs to be exiled to the foot of the bed. The five-star Rome Cavalieri Hilton, located in a private park overlooking the Vatican and offering a breathtaking panoramic view of Rome, recently launched its Very Important Pet program, catering to guests’ beloved canines. The package features high-end services like a four-course room service menu served on exquisite Gucci dishware, with choices ranging from soup to a dog-safe chocolate dessert. Pooches can also enjoy daylong treatments at a nearby spa and exercise programs run by the hotel’s dog-sitting and walking services. And for the dog who likes to strut in style? Rhinestone-studded cashmere sweaters and doggy bathrobes from Odilia Prisco Dog Couture are too good for any pup to pass up. Owners can treat themselves too, with a night at La Pergola, the hotel’s elegant indoor-outdoor Michelin three-star restaurant. In the summer, guests dine alfresco on the terrace, where the staff serves up gourmet dishes like artichoke ravioli and scallop carpaccio. cavalieri-hilton.it — Kalyn Belsha

Luxury by the Seashore

You’ll first notice the impeccable front lawn (all four acres of it) that greets you behind the low stone walls surrounding the pristine Ocean Edge Resort & Club on Cape Cod. Just a 90-minute drive from Boston, in Brewster, Mass., the resort’s main mansion dates from 1912 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Stay in bayside lodging and enjoy close proximity to the resort’s private beach, restaurant and pub, and tennis center. Or choose the resort side, close to the new Nicklaus Design championship golf course and the entrance to the 26-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail, ideal for biking or hiking. The resort recently began an $18.5 million expansion and renovation of its indoor meeting spaces and outdoor pavilions. oceanedge.com — Kathleen S. Carr

More Than a Mirage

Just nine miles from Palm Springs, Calif., in the shadow of snow-capped Mount San Jacinto, sits the lush and expansive Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa. Tennis, tees, and treatments are offered on a grand scale at this newly renovated 240-acre resort. Twenty-five tennis courts — eight of which are lit for evening play — offer a nice alternative to the palm-lined fairways and secluded sand bunkers of the Ted Robinson–designed golf course. Splashtopia, the resort’s two-acre water park, promises a reprieve from the desert sun with 100-foot waterslides and a 425-foot-long lazy river ride. Guests can enjoy an 80-minute hot-stone massage, a dip in a chamomile-scented therapeutic bath, or, at the end of the day, a soak in the spa’s outdoor sanctuary pool, which features underwater music and offers a perfect spot for admiring the sunset beyond the mountains to the west. rancholaspalmas.com — Karen Peláez

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