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Sri Lanka

Plonked in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern tip of India, the tropical idyll of Sri Lanka is an island of surprises. Most of its terrain is covered in every shade of jungle green imaginable and a batch of mountains south of the centre rises to more than 2500 metres.

With a colonial history, the rustic and crumbling architecture lends an air of mystique to most towns – the capital Colombo and the town of Galle with its fortifications, in particular, are magnets for the international bohemian set attracted by the yesteryear atmosphere.

Away from the urban areas it’s all about jungle exploration, safaris and tranquil boating journeys. Go searching for elephants and leopards in Yala National Park on the south coast before heading to the southernmost part of the island and the town of Mirissa, famed for its excellent whale watching.

Throughout the country, festivals, from the huge Esala Perahera held in Kandy mid-year to Deepavali celebrations in October and November, are a highlight of colour and energy. And then there’s the cricket… You almost hope Sri Lanka wins just for the spectacle of the celebrations. Almost.

Spain

How can you go wrong in a country laden with sangria, paella and a never-ending onslaught of tapas?

The popularity of Spain as a destination can be attributed not just to its people’s reputation as sexy and passionate, but also its diverse regions. Barcelona is the ultimate beachside city, where you can promenade along Las Ramblas, eat pizza slices or seafood platters at La Boqueria Food Market, and clamber up the winding staircases at Gaudí’s almost-finished masterpiece, Sagrada Família. In Madrid you can run with hipster elite, have a cold beer at one of the bars around Plaza de la Cebada, hunt for treasure at Sunday’s El Rastro flea market or hang out with the masters at Museo Reina Sofía, where you can see Picasso’s famous Guernica.

Food lovers will want to book a stay on the Bay of Biscay, where San Sebastián has been anointed Europe’s – maybe even the world’s – best gourmet destination, with its full offering from simple pintxos bars to Michelin-starred restaurants.

Then there’s Granada with its palace and fort complex Alhambra, the Guggenheim in Bilbao and skiing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. While you may party hard in Ibiza, there are other island beauties like Formossa, Santander and Majorca. Festivals such as La Tomatina in Buñol and Pamplona’s  Running of the Bulls draw international partygoers. The truth is you could spend months in this beguiling country and never discover all its treasures.

South Korea

What does 5000 years of history and culture get you in South Korea? An intoxicating clash of tradition and modernity. One day you might wander a Josean Dynasty palace and the next you’re taking a K-Pop dance class, learning the latest BTS moves. You could learn to make traditional rice wine in the morning and be dining at a kitschy art cafe by the afternoon. Everything is possible here.

It’s even possible—and highly recommended if you’ve been burning the travel candle at both ends—to stay at some of the Buddhist temples dotted around the nation to experience the rituals and spirituality of the religion. Take a hike around the Seoraksan National Park before lowering yourself into its natural hot springs. Ironically, one of South Korea’s most popular attractions involves glimpsing its oldest foe – the nation up north. Take a tour of the Demilitarized Zone, where you can lift the iron curtain and lock eyes with a North Korean solider.

Koreans’ insane work ethic means Seoul buzzes through the wee hours, street food vendors stay open till around 4am and alfresco coffee shops are a surprising European appropriation. The country’s second-biggest city, Busan, is located on the south coast and it’s a cool spot to check out the beach, visit the Jagalchi Fish Market or catch the ferry to Jeju Island.

South Africa

It’s well known for safaris and sunsets, savannahs and strife. South Africa often makes wish-lists due to the Big Five, yet it doesn’t take much research to discover there’s a lot more to this complicated nation.

Head north for the best wildlife reserves, east for the coastline and south for the wine. Cosmopolitan Cape Town and its coast is a must-see, and opportunities to go cage diving with sharks or whale watching shouldn’t be missed. Take the time to explore the lush Drakensburg Mountains. Xhosa, Zulu and other indigenous cultures remain strong, and adventure sports and the braai (barbecue) rule everyday life. You may even grow to like biltong (dried meat). Try the zebra variety, cut paper thin and sprinkled with spices.

History is unavoidable in South Africa, whether it’s in visiting the sites of Mandela and the Freedom Fighters or going to a township where inequality is still rife. In the townships’ shebeens (unlicensed bars), you’ll banter with the locals while sipping the homebrew. Overall you’ll find a South African spirit that has been salvaged from the wilds of apartheid.

Solomon Islands

The Solomons are what tropical island daydreams are made of – the type of daydream not populated by money and fame, but by empty beaches fringed with coconut palms and dense tropical jungle. Mountains breaking through the canopy in the distance and turquoise waters stretch to golden sunsets. Of course, dugout canoes and bamboo huts also feature prominently in these spectacular reveries.

All this is lazing in the breeze on an archipelago located to the east of Australia but a world away. Game fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling or any other type of water activity is on the agenda, along with fruity cocktails in the evening and the sound of traditional Melanesian rhythms to lull you into the sense that you’ve definitely found paradise. Hint: you have.

More macabre but grittily interesting is the history of cannibalism and warfare on the islands, seen in the skull caves or the World War II wrecks that make great diving. Try an outrigger canoe adventure, wander through small, vibrant markets or just enjoy the ever-smiling hospitality of the locals.

Slovenia

If you want the best of Europe crammed into one destination, Slovenia is your country. Follow its borders and the landscape changes. Imagine yourself singing ‘The Sound of Music’ in the north, where the country butts up against Austria. Health retreats, mineral springs and rolling vineyards epitomise dreamy countryside near the Mura River, where Slovenia meets Hungary. And the sun-dappled coastline of the Adriatic, while not as lengthy as those of its next-door neighbours Croatia and Italy, is equally as impressive. Here, Piran, located on a picturesque peninsula and crowned by the baroque Cathedral of St George, shouldn’t be missed. At this town, as well as Izola and Koper, visitors marvel at the Venetian Gothic architectural stylings.

Slightly inland is karst country. Olive groves and orchards abound at ground level, but below it is a limestone world of caves and sink holes. There are more than 8000, and 20 have been adapted for tourism. In fact, Vilenca is the oldest tourist cave in Europe, and tours were conducted there as early as the beginning of the seventeenth century.

Lovers of a fine drop should head to the Vipava Valley. In season, gorge on freshly picked peaches and plums, sip the local varieties such as zelen and pinela (both crisp whites) produced by the more than 120 winemakers here, or head for Nanos, a craggy limestone plateau and popular destination for hikers, rock climbers and mountain bikers.

Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, located in the centre of the country, is a surprisingly leafy idyll. Much of its heart is car-free, the banks of the Ljubljanica River are lined with cafes in the warmer months, and the remainders of the Old Town are linked to the Centre district (rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1895) by the gorgeous town square Presernov Trg and Triple Bridge. Atop a hill, Ljubljana Castle watches over the city.

But perhaps the best-known of Slovenia’s landmarks is Lake Bled and its spectacular, cliff’s-edge eleventh-century castle complete with ramparts and towers jutting out of the forest. There’s a museum celebrating the history of the lake and its settlements within its walls, as well as a restaurant with an outdoor terrace, wine cellar and traditional print works.

Slovakia

If you’re eagerly searching culture, ruins and amazing food, you’d be well advised to add Slovakia to a European itinerary. Situated right in the centre of the continent and one half of the former Czechoslovakia, it’s a great place to start the grand tour while you decide whether to next go north, south, east or west.

Amazingly, for a country that’s not exactly huge, there are many attractions here you won’t find anywhere else. At Krasnohorska Cave, there’s a 34-metre-high stalagmite. There are nine UNESCO World Heritage-listed Carpathian wooden churches, including an articular Protestant church in Hronsek that was built without nails. If historical architecture is your bag, head north to the village of Čičmany where you’ll find a reservation of 130 traditional houses painted with white geometric patterns. Around the country there are also about 1300 sources of mineral water, and spa towns, like Smrdáky, not far from Bratislava, are popular with those who want to treat illness, skin conditions and all manner of ailments, as well as just relax.

The High Tatras in northern Slovakia is the perfect stop for hikers and photographers. The landscape of rugged mountains, waterfalls and dense pine forests is exquisite and there are 600 kilometres of marked trails to follow on self-guided walks lasting anywhere from 45 minutes to a week.

Bratislava is the small capital that is completely surrounded by nature. Enjoy the eighteenth-century architecture of the old town, head to the top of the crown tower at Bratislava Castle for the best new of the city or jump on a boat and cruise the Danube. Don’t forget to hire a bike while you’re there, so you can take a ride through the forest of the Small Carpathians just outside of town.

Singapore

When you’re next doing the big trip to Europe it’s worth considering a stopover in Singapore. Then again, for lovers of holidays filled with shopping, eating and culture it provides all of those in a small, convenient package. This is the gateway to Southeast Asia, where people from right across the continent have settled to provide an enticing mix of cultures. It’s also one of the most modern destinations in this part of the world, with attractions like the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay offering free concerts, and nearby Gardens by the Bay pushing the limits of what a city park can be.

Explore the markets in Chinatown and try a fresh hot serve of char kway teow (stir-fried noodles). Meditate in the rooftop garden at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, which, as the name suggests, is home to Buddha’s tooth (or so they say). Peruse the pastel-coloured heritage buildings of Joo Chiat/Katong after eating laksa. Take a trip to Little India and, if you’ve got room for more food, order a snack of delicious roti prata (round pancakes). Satisfy your hunger for shopping in the 24-hour shopping mall, Mustafa Centre, where you can find everything. If you haven’t already guessed, eating is Singaporeans’ favourite pastime (closely followed by shopping), and you cannot leave without making your way through a stacked-high plate of grilled meats on Satay Street or cracking it big time when eating the nation’s most famous dish, Singapore chilli crab (No Signboard Seafood is our go-to spot).

While it’s a supremely urban destination, there are parts of Singapore where you can see chill out in nature. Catch the ferry to Palau Ubin and wander along the boardwalk at the Chek Jawa wetlands. Be captivated by the colours on display at the National Orchid Centre, or discover the remnants of the city’s past at Fort Canning Park.

Scotland

Beyond haggis and kilts, you’ll surely have pure dead brilliant time in Scotland. Providing you can understand the locals’ thick accents, they’ll befriend you at almost every corner. In the thriving commercial, cultural and creative hubs of Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow you won’t be able to miss the year-round festivities. This includes, of course, the Edinburgh Festival that manages to exceed its sizeable reputation.

Head to the extreme north and venture to places like the Shetland Islands – an archipelago of windswept outcrops – if you want experience being cut off from the world while surrounded by oh-so-green lochs, glens and steep hills. By day you can seek out Celtic castles on the horizon, while evenings are all about cosying up in a pub with single malt in hand.

Scotland is probably what the creator had in mind when conceiving the concept of self-drive and biking holidays – it is a perfect country to get your own wheels and see where the hurtling winds take you.

Samoa

This collection of islands in the Pacific has all the trimmings of a traditional holiday destination – think soft sandy beaches, swaying palms and warm lagoons – but it’s the wilder side that has us hooked. Despite being just a five-hour flight from Australia, very few flashy resorts have set up shop, meaning the jungle still tumbles down near the sea and the waterfalls and waves come tourist free. It’s even possibly to swim in the country’s most Instagrammed location, the astonishing To Sua Ocean Trench, without having to share.

Apia, the laid-back capital, sits on the coast of the main island, known as Upolu. A day here should be enough before you head off to explore the country’s natural playground. Stop by the fish market selling underwater creatures almost too beautiful to eat, and book in to one of the restaurants serving giant lobsters and the local specialty of tuna oka, a delicious raw fish salad. As far as tourism centres go, the little cultural village down near the harbour is a good one, with wood carvers, meals cooked in the umu (earth oven) and traditional dance performances. Depending on the day, you might even get the chance to watch someone getting a pe’a (traditional tattoo) hammered into their skin. Once a year the place comes to life for the Teuila Festival, with dancers twirling fire and knives on a big stage in the centre of town, and local beauties sashaying down the runway at the Miss Samoa Pageant.

Life here blends the tradition of Fa’a Samoa (the Samoan way) with Christianity, and you’ll find places of worship in every tiny town. On Sundays everyone goes to church, while the umus cook a post-prayer feast, and their smoke covers the island.

Savai’i, the country’s largest island, a 90-minute ferry ride away, has just one main road circling it. Few travellers to Samoa make it this far, and even fewer stay here overnight. But it’s worth the journey. Fales (traditional open-air huts) sit on beaches all around the island, and with tropical weather year-round, crossing a couple of metres from your bed into the water to swim with turtles is the ultimate island experience.