Busan is Korea's second largest city.  Tourists often come to this region to hike and to visit the Buddhist Temples located deep within the region's mountains. The Beomeosa Temple, founded in 678 AD, is perhaps one of the most frequented temples in the area and is always packed with worshipers and tourists. For art buffs, Busan offers several museums and historical buildings. If scenery is your thing, try visiting the Dongbaek Island, or bird watch at the Nakdong river estuary.   

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.

Vietnam's bustling largest city sets the cultural and economic pace for the country. The former Saigon boasts charming French colonial architecture and wide boulevards, usually thronged and choked with traffic. Taxis are an option for seeing the sprawling city. The War Remnants Museum shows the Vietnam War through Vietnamese eyes. Don't miss the impressive Jade Emperor Pagoda. Go to the frenetic Ben Thanh Market for food, flowers or frogs. Tour through the Mekong Delta, past rice paddies and houseboats.

Bandung is Indonesia's third-largest city but lies close enough to Jakarta and offers cooler weather. Bandung features a large collection of Dutch Colonial architecture, as well as a beautiful botanic garden, zoo, golf courses and a wide variety of culinary offerings.

Matheran is all about the views. Easily accessible via scenic rail from Mumbai, this refuge in the Sahyadri Hills is blissfully free of motor vehicles and affords nearly three dozen lookouts over the Western Ghats and the region's village-dotted plains. Porcupine Point is anything but prickly—rather, it’s an ideal spot for gorgeous sunsets, especially at the aptly named Panorama Point. Avid hikers hit the densely forested and wildlife-rich route to the ruins of Prabalgad Fort.

The city of Mahabaleshwar is a pinnacle of greenery, boasting one of the only evergreen forests in the world. The landscape abounds with lush hills, valleys and lookout points such as Lodwick Point, Arthur's Seat and Babington Point, all of which offer spectacular views. Trot along on horseback for a delightful four-legged tour of the gorgeous Venna Lake area, and savour juicy native strawberries, mulberries and corn.

Not far from the vibrant Surfers Paradise is the calm and collected Broadbeach, a refuge of honey-coloured sands. The Gold Coast town boasts incredible dining, thumping nightclubs, homey taverns and impressive shopping. Risk-takers and thrill-seekers can press their luck at the Conrad Jupiters Casino.

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.