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LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA Langkawi, an archipelago of 99 islands, is poised to make Malaysia the next beach-lover’s paradise. While much of the eponymous main island still feels vast and ageless — water buffalo graze in rice paddies, and street vendors sell flaky roti canai and curry for pennies — worldclass resorts have arrived. The island’s only over-water spa is at the oceanfront Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, where the 90 rooms and 29 villas are styled after a traditional village. The Datai Langkawi, situated on a peaceful half-moon cove, has undergone a $60 million, yearlong renovation that breathed new life into its guest rooms and villas. A canopy walk was built almost 50 feet in the air, to let guests better appreciate the surrounding rain forest.
JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING This rural region — which includes the town of Jackson and the ski resort of Teton Village — makes headlines thanks to its residents, who happen to be among the top earners in the USA. But Jackson Hole is changing fast. A burgeoning tech scene has drawn the median age down to 33, and new hotel-motel hybrids like the cool Anvil draw a younger crowd. Four Seasons Jackson Hole and Amangani, longtime favorites, were recently joined by the super-luxe Caldera House. Painstakingly built over six years by design darlings Commune, the eightsuite, $100 million development creates once-in-alifetime experiences.
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