On assignment for Travel + Leisure, Tesa Totengco boards PONANT’s Le Commandant Charcot—the world’s only luxury icebreaker—for a winter voyage through Canada’s frozen St. Lawrence. Snowshoeing, dogsledding, and Michelin-level dining redefine exploration. Equal parts adventure and elegance, this is the future of travel in the polar world.
Varanasi is not a place you simply visit — it’s a place that absorbs you. From astrology readings and silk weavers to sunrise prayers on the Ganges, Tesa and her stepson Ryan discover the city where life and death meet in divine harmony. A journey both humbling and unforgettable.
Panama reveals its many faces — historic Casco Viejo, highland coffee farms, black-sand beaches, and living indigenous artistry. Join us as we trace a journey of flavor, craft, and connection beyond the Canal — through a country as soft and kind as its people.
Tucked high in Boquete’s cloud forest, Hacienda Mamecillo is no ordinary dining experience. Rolando (Rolo) Chamorro and Gabriella Carlsson have transformed an abandoned coffee farm into Panama’s hidden table, where candlelight, greenhouse-grown flavors, and a seven-course tasting menu come together in an unforgettable fusion of farm, theater, and family passion.
From Prague’s cobblestones to Budapest’s ruin bars, my first river cruise aboard AmaWaterways’ AmaMagna was a revelation. Twice the width of a traditional ship, AmaMagna brought us through five countries in seven nights, with spacious suites, flexible excursions, and unforgettable meals. Along the way, I rediscovered Vienna over schnitzel, connected with my Benedictine roots at Melk Abbey, and shopped for treasures from TONAK hats in Prague to embroidered blouses in Bratislava.
When Tanzania reopened its borders last August 2020, I began planning a safari trip. By September, I had put together a group of six first-time safari travelers. In October, we were on a plane from the US, headed for our final destination: Kilimanjaro Airport. Why Tanzania? I’d heard of the Great Wildebeest Migration and wanted to see it myself. Because there were so few tourists in Africa, I felt this was an ideal time to visit sans crowds.
We flew to Greece on Turkish Airlines to deliberately stopover in Istanbul before heading back to New York. After 2 weeks of traveling through Greece on a sailboat, exploring Istanbul on foot was a welcome change. Like dervishes, we whirled through the city's history, culture, and cuisine all in two and a half days. Here are some of my recommended experiences.
My three grown sons and my husband and I met up in Bali last December. It was our first time on the Island of the Gods. We stayed in a beautiful villa among the rice fields of Ubud. And because I am my mother’s child, I had everyone up in the early mornings for a plethora of activities. We visited markets and had a Balinese cooking class. We learned how to make batik. We participated in local temple rituals. We climbed Mount Batur.
