Rio de Janeiro

As our flight banked over Guanabara Bay, the sight of granite monoliths erupting from jade-green rainforest into cobalt sea felt almost supernatural. I checked into the iconic Belmond Copacabana Palace, a white Art Deco temple that has hosted royalty and Hollywood screen icons since 1923. Checking into an Oceanfront Suite ($1,350/night), my private marble balcony opened directly to the golden sweep of Copacabana Beach, with the Atlantic surf roaring rhythmically below.

I donned a chic designer bikini, linen coverup, and oversized sunglasses, heading down to the hotel’s exclusive beach service at Posto 2. Attendants provided plush loungers, ice-cold coconut water straight from fresh green cocos, and freshly muddled Maracujá Caipirinhas ($12). In the late afternoon, I strolled over to Arpoador rock, watching bronzed surfers ride peeling waves as the golden sun dipped behind the twin peaks of Morro Dois Irmãos in a burst of amber and fiery magenta.

For dinner, I secured a table at the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant, Mee. Chef Alberto Landgraf's pan-Asian delicacies—crispy soft-shell crab with spicy dashi and Wagyu tataki with black truffle ($160)—were elevated by artisanal sake pairings. Later, we drifted into the bohemian hilltops of Santa Teresa, exploring cobbled lanes, eclectic art galleries, and listening to sultry bossa nova rhythms drifting from historic mansions.

The highlight of the journey was boarding a private executive helicopter from Sugarloaf Mountain ($550). Soaring above the outstretched arms of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado, the entire mosaic of Rio unfolded below: Tijuca Forest’s jungle canopy, Guanabara Bay, and the endless curve of Ipanema Beach. Standing on the peaks of Rio, you feel on top of the world—immersed in pure tropical glamour and unstoppable vitality.