Why settle for a beachfront hotel when you can stay right over the ocean in a cottage on stilts? And why settle for any old dive site when you can snorkel in an orchid-walled lagoon? El Nido is known as the Philippines' last frontier, and if you're looking for magnificent beaches in an unspoiled setting, it's a perfect place for you to holiday.

Yangshuo offers breathtakingly beautiful scenery, particularly along the hill-lined Li River, which you can tour by cruise boat or, if you’re feeling primitive, by bamboo raft. Streets in Yangshuo are kept in their original style, preserving the layout of the ancient city. savoury local specialties like beer fish and shatian shaddocks are served on West Street, one of the town's liveliest thoroughfares. Kids will adore the local butterfly cave.

Among its many tourist attractions, Taichung offers a downtown shopping experience similar to that of Tokyo or Manhattan, a bustling nightlife, and a cuisine to please even the pickiest palate. Travellers come to this city to feast their eyes on the temples, markets, parks, and museums. Touring families often visit the Taichung National Museum of Natural Science to marvel over the exhibits or the Feng Chia night market to purchase local goods. But perhaps what Taichung is known for the most is Bubble tea, the most famous beverage in the region. 

Want to make your co-workers insanely jealous? Just casually drop "I’m holiday making in the Maldives this year" into conversation, preferably in the dead of winter. Or better yet, go there without mentioning it to anyone—then send them a "Wish you were here!" postcard.

The north Indian city of Varanasi, or Benares, is regarded as sacred by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Situated in the fertile Ganga valley and on the banks of the Ganges, Varanasi is a place of pilgrimage for Hindus, who come to bathe in the holy river. Known as the City of Temples and a beacon of culture, Varanasi has produced many renowned writers. It’s also a centre of silk weaving, so practise haggling at the chaotic bazaar for some beautiful souvenirs. Rickshaws are the best way to get about.

Religious pilgrims have been travelling to Jerusalem for centuries, yet you don’t have to share their zeal in order to appreciate this city’s profound cultural and historical significance. Plan on seeing the major sights, but also leave plenty of time to walk through the streets and simply immerse yourself in the daily life of such an ancient and revered place.