Rather than obsessing over the perfect blend, Santiago Achával wanted to make wine that would serve as the purest expression of a particular terroir. Achával-Ferrer, born in 1999, is best known today for its unusual single-vineyard Malbecs: Altamira, Bellavista and Mirador, each named for the individual vineyards whose harvests produce them—vineyards that, despite being situated within a few miles of each other, have their own nuanced microclimates and soil composition. The winery's luckiest visitors are received by Achával, himself, a gregarious former accountant and Stanford business school alum turned Malbec maniac.

This perfectly round stone has magnetic qualities (bring a compass to prove it). Scientists and archaeologists are at a loss for how the stone got to Easter Island, as it is not endemic to the island. Its name translates to “navel of the earth” and was considered the center of the island. Legend has it that this is the spot where Hotu Matu’a, the first man to set foot on Easter Island, landed.

More than any other kind of animal, the Galápagos belongs to seabirds. They’re everywhere, and you’ll see them on just about every island. But Espanola is uniquely suited to providing a place to see one of the rarest seabirds on the islands—the waved albatross.

One of the largest birds in the world, the critically endangered waved albatross nests on Espanola Island in the winter months, raising its chicks (there is only one other place in the world where the bird nests, a tiny island off the coast of Peru). Because the albatross’ wings are so large, it cannot take off or land as easily as other sea birds. As such, it can often be found on a makeshift “runway,” gaining ground speed before taking off or even coming in for a crash landing.

Explore the Getsemani neighborhood on foot to get a sense of the bohemian side of Cartagena. Street art lovers should head to Calle de la Sierpe where clever and creative work lines both sides of this short avenue. On Saturday afternoons local softball teams block off a street and play ball in the shadow of the ancient Spanish walls, which provide the perfect vantage point above the action.

The beaches in and around Cartagena are not the most attractive for sun bathing. You are better off making a drive to a nearby beach or better yet getting a boat and driver and heading to the Rosario islands. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange for beach visits by car or boat.

No matter where they live or whether they are young or old, fit or less than fit, cariocas go to the beach year-round: it’s Rio’s living room, lounge, gym and main playground—and a key part of what makes Rio, Rio.

To go to the beach like a carioca, remember that less is more: bathing suits (bikinis and Speedos are the norm); a kanga (pareo) around the waist for women, maybe a T-shirt for men; the ubiquitous Havaianas (flip-flops) on the feet for both. A straw bag will carry essentials: sunscreen, a hat, a book, change for a snack. That’s it. Chairs and umbrellas can be rented there, and food and drinks are plentiful, offered nonstop by vendors (a classic: ice-cold maté and Biscoito Globo, a crunchy, salty toastlike treat).

Hot beaches: Posto 9, Ipanema (musicians, colorful characters, gay crowd); Posto 10, Ipanema (stylish locals); and Pepê, Barra (the young and the beautiful). Next door to Ipanema, Leblon is more tranquil, with a local crowd and dramatic Dois Irmãos hill to the north. A little further off is Joatinga, beautiful and secluded below a residential area on a hill. Farther north (and harder to access) lays the idyllic Prainha, wild and filled with beautiful girls and surfers.

Tip: For beautiful and very “carioca” sunset, head to Arpoador, the rock which divides Ipanema and Leblon. It may be crowded but it’s worth it.

A zoo in Belize? Yes. The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, about 30 miles outside of Belize City, provides loving homes for abandoned, illegally poached or injured animals which are indigenous to Belize. A visit here is your only sure-bet chance to see 150 different animals representing 45 species including some of the country’s wildlife super stars like endangered jaguars and harpy eagles (the largest bird of prey in the world), tapirs and much more. Toss in handmade signs that playfully impart warnings, information and a gentle eco message and a day at the Belize Zoo is a great family-friendly outing.

In a state blessed with miles of glorious beaches, a common topic of discussion among residents and visitors is which beach is the most beautiful. Of course, there are bragging rights in getting to those that are not easily accessible. Few are reached by paved roads, so a bouncy dirt road ride in a jeep does not earn you stripes. From Txai, we hiked a few miles to reach one arc of sand which had a waterfall pool nearby. Another day, we kayaked among waterways where fishermen cast nets for their daily bounty before we reached a virgin stretch to the south of the resort.

Surfers in Itacaré have their favorite ones for wave breaks. And from Trancoso we drove on dirt roads and made a short but steep hike down to Praia do Espelho, Mirror Beach. It’s always on the list of people’s favorites and for good reason. With miles of soft white beach, a lattice work of rocks that forms little pools in spots and dramatic high cliffs that you can climb for a postcard perspective, it certainly ranked up there with the best beaches I have ever visited from Belize to Zanzibar. Added advantage at Mirror Beach is even though it’s remote, you don’t have to picnic. There are a number of restaurants tucked under the palm groves.

Hidden in a mangrove forest, Black Turtle Cove is so named because it’s dark water is a breeding ground for turtles. In fact, many aquatic species come to this calm lagoon to have their babies, and a “panga” (RIB) ride through its waters feels a bit like being a giant. Miniature versions of the Galapagos’ animals, from bite-sized hammerhead sharks to minnow-like schools of rays, scoot about below you in the peaceful waters.

Indagare members can contact our bookings team for assistance planning private boat trips to the beautiful uninhabited islands, home to the famous Birdman cult competition.

In the shadow of a great toppled moai sit remaining examples of how the Rapanui lived. Study the 13th or 14th-century hare paenga foundation (a house shaped like a flipped over boat); a puzzle-like stone chicken coop (built like an igloo from volcanic rocks without a visible entrance so that only the farmer knew which stone could be removed to reach inside) and protected walled gardens called manavai.

This laboriously restored turn-of-the-century winery is noteworthy for its fabulous collection of antique ponchos, its gallery of heirloom winemaking machinery and its romantic family history. Owner Federico Benegas is a descendant of one of Mendoza's oldest winemaking families—a family that found itself compelled, as a result of an economic downturn that struck the region during the 1970s, to liquidate and sell off its holdings parcel by parcel. In 1999, Federico, who had left wine country to work in Buenos Aires, returned to his native Mendoza and purchased a vineyard originally planted by his great-grandfather, Don Tiburcio Benegas, patriarch of the Benegas clan and one of the Argentine wine industry's 19th-century visionaries. Today Benegas produces three lines, with the youngest "Estirpe" (or "lineage") wines named for favorite family characters.

In 2003, after a long and fruitful career in-house with some of Mendoza's biggest names, seasoned winemaker Walter Bressia opened his own shop. His winery in Luján is now a small but vibrant family business, known for masterful blends, premium sparkling wine and grappa. Visitors are earnestly welcomed, often by his own children, who are involved in every aspect of the winery's day-to-day operations. On the morning of my visit, it was Walter Jr. who served us wine directly from the tanks and showed us to the cellar, where bottles are hand-labeled with the elegant Bressia cherub. We were tasting "Lágrima Canela" ("Cinnamon Tear"), a Chardonnay-Semillon blend, when he excused himself to answer the phone; it was his father, calling to apologize he hadn't been able to welcome us personally.

Spend a morning exploring by native canoe around the mangrove forest. After your mangrove adventure with an ecological guide you will be transferred to “La Boquilla”, a simple fisherman’s village between the mangroves and the Caribbean Sea. Enjoy lunch in a typical fisherman’s restaurant in a shack by the sea. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange.

This house with a large garden is a great spot to watch or participate in samba, the lively Brazilian dance.

This is the new outpost of Daros Latinoamerica, one of the most comprehensive collections dedicated to Latin American contemporary art, which has its headquarters in Zurich. The museum occupies an extensively restored 19th century neoclassical building in Botafogo, and has a nice restaurant as well as an interesting store.

The colonial mansion of a famed Brazilian architect, Casa das Rosas was turned into a cultural center at the end of the 20^th century. There are lovely rose gardens on the property and a small café, which are both peaceful places to rest within the bustling city. The cultural center hosts many events, classes and exhibitions, and also houses the first library in the country that is dedicated to poetry.

A milestone in architecture that ranks with iconic structures like Philip Johnson’s Glass House and Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House, this casa by the famous Brazilian architect Lina Bo Bardi now exhibits a great Brazilian art collection. The structure is a must-visit for architecture buffs.

This archaeological museum is set in a former private home in Old Town Quito. The building has been beautifully renovated but its layout remains, offering a rare glimpse into what traditional homes used to look like. Rather than displaying artifacts chronologically, the curators have chosen to group them by theme, use and mediums, allowing for a more in-depth study. Don’t miss the flourishing fig tree that grows in a tiny inner courtyard. The museum has an excellent gift shop.

The “pink house,” as the presidential mansion is known, is a popular site for visitors eager to see the balcony from which Evita spoke - or sung, in the case of the musical.

Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas is the most robust fort the Spanish ever built and it still looks impenetrable. It’s been impressively restored and dominates a slight hill with its stony bulk.  Visitors are allowed into some of the interior corridors and tunnels so if you have a flashlight in your luggage, bring it to the fort. There’s little shade so try to arrive when the fort opens to beat the heat. On weekends this attraction can get crowded, especially on Sunday when Colombians can enter for free (17,000 COP, open daily 8 am to 6 pm). Indagare members can contact our bookings team to arrange for a private guide.