It was with a heavy heart that we at Global Basecamps, along with countless fans around the world, learned of the passing of Anthony (“Tony”) Bourdain. Not only was he an award-winning chef, TV personality and food writer, but his courage and creativity as a globetrotting culinary explorer helped those of us who travel - or dream of traveling - do so with a greater sense of connection and community with those we might otherwise see as “other”.

Brooklyn-based Korean-American journalist Amy S. Choi’s article “What Americans can learn from other food cultures” describes food’s many symbolic roles in our lives, contributing more than we realize to our identity, as well as our survival, status, pleasure, community and humanity. The rise over the last handful of years of region-specific cuisine thanks to the local and “Slow Food” movements, as well as the voices of many food-based celebrities alongside Bourdain, are reminders that how we interact with our food systems - from farm or dock to table - is a major factor in our relationships with each other and where we live and travel to. The countries and their dishes, as well as their chefs and fellow diners, that Tony brought to us were as varied as they were delicious. Check out this clip of Tony digging into some amazing ceviche, the national dish of Peru:

There's no better place for adventure and ecotourism than Costa Rica.  The country is hard to beat for its winning combination of innate beauty, tropical climate, developed infrastructure, political support for natural and cultural resources, and Pura Vida attitude.  Costa Rican adventure tours are tried and true, but even the most experienced guides are consistently impressed by the unexpected novelties offered by the jungle, ocean and mountains on a daily basis.  Below are a few top picks for travelers who seek original first-time experiences and/or new approaches to familiar territory.

If you're American, visa arrangements are an essential part of planning a Vietnam tour.  In fact, airlines will ask to see a physical visa or a Visa on Arrival approval letter for a before admitting passengers on flights to Vietnam.  Fortunately, thanks to recent updates implemented by the Vietnam Immigration Department, the visa application process has been streamlined for tourists.  It's now easier than ever to get to the enchanting islands of Ha Long Bay, undulating terraces of Sapa, and vibrant floating markets of the Mekong Delta!

The Great Migration rivals the Big Five as the crown jewel of an East Africa safari.  The Serengeti in northern Tanzania and the Masai Mara in southern Kenya set the stage for the mass movement of 1.5 million wildebeests and 200,000 zebras, who follow seasonal rains in a never-ending cycle across 150,000 square miles of protected wilderness.

The nomadic animals have journeyed symbiotically for millennia: zebras lead the way and eat the long grasses, and then wildebeest graze on the sweet shorter stalks. The zebras remember the course and keep a keen eye out for predators, while the wildebeest employ their superb sense of smell to track down water. Thousands of gazelles, eland, and impala share the route, and the herds are relentlessly pursued by lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas.  Any encounter with the Great Migration is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but the most thrilling annual spectacles require regional expertise and proper timing.