It’s the rare editorial trip that doesn’t leave us with indelible memories. Even we grizzled travel veterans still experience a sense of wonder at the beauty of the world and the extraordinary variety and richness of its countless cultures. The reminiscences below represent just a few of our favorites from the past year.

Seafood barbecue under the stars on a private island in the Maldives

Just before the apricot-colored sun sank into the pearly gray Indian Ocean, we boarded a motorboat from the dock at Kudadoo Private Island. A staff member popped the cork on a bottle of Taittinger and served everyone a chilled flute of bubbles, which tasted delicious at the end of a tropical day in the Maldives. Ten minutes later, we disembarked on a soft crescent of white sand lit by torches and enjoyed canapés of caviar on tiny blinis served by smiling staff dressed in white. Then we were ushered to our table flanked by two pillow-filled benches dug into a spacious pit in the sand. Wind chimes tinkled, musicians played Maldivian music, and nearby, a chef wearing a white toque manned a grill, from which we were served grilled prawns, squid, tuna steaks, rock lobster and vegetables cooked to succulent perfection. The evening still felt young when we boarded our motorboat after midnight to return home.

Read more about our trip to the Maldives »