One hour of driving, two entirely different ideas of Hawaii. Everyone has an opinion about Waikiki, and most of them are wrong. Yes, it's built up. Yes, there's a Cheesecake Factory. But at 6am, before the towels come out, Waikiki is one of the great city beaches of the world — longboarders on glassy rollers, Diamond Head going pink, old men swimming their morning laps. Rent a board from a beach boy stand and take the slowest, friendliest wave of your life. Eat a plate lunch.

Three days in the loudest beautiful city on earth. Then an island with no cars at all. RIO is the only megacity on earth where the geography upstages the skyline. Granite mountains straight out of the sea, forest running through the middle of town, and beaches that function as the city's living room. Do the icons — Christ early morning, Sugarloaf for sunset (that order matters) — then live like a carioca. Start the day at Ipanema around Posto 9, drink coconut water straight f