Destinations
Indonesia · multi city
10 Days in Bali
Four or five nights inland in Ubud for the rice terraces, temples and ridge walks, then four or five on the coast in Seminyak or the Bukit for surf, sunsets and clifftop temples, with day trips to Tanah Lot, Tirta Empul and the Jatiluwih terraces.
Thailand · multi city
10 Days in Thailand
Start in Bangkok for the Old City temples, street food and a day trip to Ayutthaya, fly north to Chiang Mai for the old-city temples, Doi Suthep and an ethical elephant sanctuary, then fly to Phuket or another southern island to finish on the beach.
Vietnam · multi city
10 Days in Vietnam
Three nights in and around Hanoi with a Halong Bay cruise, three in Hoi An for the Ancient Town and beach, and three in Ho Chi Minh City with the Mekong Delta or Cu Chi Tunnels, linked by two short flights.
UAE · city
Abu Dhabi
Come between November and March, sleep on Saadiyat if the museums are the point or on Yas if the parks are, give the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque the late-afternoon slot so you walk out at dusk, spend a full day in the Saadiyat Cultural District, eat Emirati properly at least twice, and finish with a night among the dunes on the edge of the Empty Quarter.
Portugal · region
Algarve
Split the week: the western cliff coast first (Ponta da Piedade, the Seven Hanging Valleys trail, Benagil by licensed boat), then the quiet east (Tavira, the Ria Formosa ferries, octopus in Santa Luzia). Use the toll-free A22 or the newly electrified train to cross, give one day to Sagres and the wild west coast, one to the islands, and in August book boat trips a day or two ahead and arrive early for the island ferries, which are turn-up-and-go.
Italy · road trip
Amalfi Coast
Split your stay between Positano or Praiano for the classic cliffside view and Amalfi town or Ravello for easier logistics, use Travelmar ferries between towns whenever the sea allows, and give a full day each to Capri and Pompeii.
Argentina · multi city
Argentina: Buenos Aires and Mendoza Wine Country
Four nights in Buenos Aires for the city, the food and the tango, then a two-hour flight west for the Mendoza leg: an arrival day in the city, a Uco Valley day and a Luján de Cuyo day before flying on.
Greece · city
Athens
Stay in Koukaki or Plaka to walk to the Acropolis, spend a day around Monastiraki, the Ancient Agora and Psiri, and add a day trip to Cape Sounion for sunset or inland to Delphi.
Australia · road trip
Australia East Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns
Sydney to Port Stephens, the Mid North Coast and Byron Bay; across the border to Burleigh Heads, Brisbane and Noosa; two nights on K'gari by passenger ferry; the long cane-country haul to Airlie Beach for Whitehaven; Magnetic Island for koalas; then Cairns for the outer reef, the Daintree and Cape Tribulation. Eighteen days is our honest minimum for the full run; with two weeks, drive Sydney to Noosa and fly Brisbane to Cairns.
Thailand · city
Bangkok
Base in Sukhumvit or along the river for easy transit, give a full morning to the Old City temples before the heat and crowds build, spend an evening on street food in Chinatown, and add one day trip out of the city.
Spain · city
Barcelona
Split your stay between the Eixample (Gaudí’s greatest hits, wide boulevards) and the Gothic Quarter or Gràcia (medieval lanes or a village feel). Add a beach afternoon in Barceloneta and a day trip to Montserrat or Girona.
French Polynesia · island
Bora Bora
Fly from Papeete in under an hour, base either on a motu or near Matira Beach, give your best-weather day to a full-day lagoon tour with an operator that does not feed the sharks, ride the 32-kilometer loop road past the wartime guns, and keep every evening for the west-facing water. In whale season (late July to November), add a licensed trip outside the reef.
Hungary · city
Budapest
Come in May, June or September, sleep in District V or the Jewish Quarter, soak at Szechenyi before 9am and Rudas after dark, book the Parliament tour days ahead, walk Castle Hill early and the reopened Citadella at sunset, eat goulash and langos without apology, and finish in a ruin bar or on a night cruise under the floodlit Parliament.
USA · road trip
California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles
San Francisco to Monterey and Carmel, then the heart of the drive through Big Sur, on to Hearst Castle and San Simeon, Santa Barbara, and finally Los Angeles, with a night or two banked in or near Big Sur.
South Africa · multi city
Cape Town & the Winelands
Spend the first three or four nights in the City Bowl or the V&A Waterfront for Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula, then move to Stellenbosch or Franschhoek for three or four nights of wine estates and long lunches, with a driver booked for tasting days.
Turkey · region
Cappadocia
Stay in or near Göreme or Uçhisar, fly a hot air balloon at sunrise on a calm-weather morning, spend a day on the Göreme Open Air Museum and Uçhisar Castle, and give a half or full day to the underground cities and Ihlara Valley.
Thailand · city
Chiang Mai
Stay in the Old City or along the Ping River rather than by the Night Bazaar, go up Doi Suthep at opening time, give a full day to a genuine elephant sanctuary in the Mae Taeng valley, eat khao soi at lunch because the good shops sell out by two, and plan the whole trip for November to early February, when the air is cool and clear.
Greece · island
Corfu
Base in or near Corfu Town for the culture and the restaurants, add a northwest coast stay (Paleokastritsa or the Sidari to Cape Drastis area) for the coves and the sunsets, and give a day to the boat trip to Paxos or the crossing to Albania.
Costa Rica · multi city
Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio
San José to La Fortuna for three nights of volcano trails, hanging bridges and hot springs; across Lake Arenal to Monteverde for two nights of cloud-forest reserves, a night walk and coffee; down to Manuel Antonio for four nights of national park, beaches, mangroves and a waterfall day; back to the airport via the crocodile bridge at Tárcoles. Ten days is our honest minimum; with twelve, add a Río Celeste day from La Fortuna and a whale or mangrove day from the coast.
Greece · island
Crete
Base a few nights in or near Chania Old Town for the Venetian harbour and access to Samaria Gorge, move to Rethymno or Heraklion for Knossos and the Archaeological Museum, then finish in the Agios Nikolaos or Elounda area for Spinalonga and a slower pace.
Greece · multi city
Cyclades Island Hopping: How to Plan the Route
Three nights on Paros for the ferry connections and Naoussa, three on Naxos for the mountain villages and the best beaches in the group, three on Milos for Sarakiniko and the Kleftiko boat, with Sifnos or Folegandros as the fourth stop if you have the days.
UAE · city
Dubai
Base near Downtown for the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, or the Marina for beach and waterfront dining, cross to Old Dubai for the creek and souks, and give one day to the desert and one to Abu Dhabi.
Fiji · island
Fiji
Fly into Nadi, then transfer by catamaran or seaplane to your island. The Mamanucas are closest and easiest, the Yasawas are more remote and dramatic, the Coral Coast on the main island suits families and self-drivers, and Taveuni is for divers. Pick one or two and stay put.
France · region
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur)
Spend two or three nights in Nice for the Old Town, the museums and the Promenade des Anglais, a night or two around Antibes or Cannes for the coast and the Croisette, and at least a day inland for Eze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Add Monaco or the Gorges du Verdon as day trips.
India · region
Goa
Base north or south, not both at once. Give one full day to Old Goa's churches and Panjim's Latin Quarter, one to the Ponda spice country or Dudhsagar in season, and the rest to a short list of beaches you can reach without an hour in a taxi. Eat Goan at least once a day, book a car or scooter early, and read the drinking and bottle rules before your first sunset.
Australia · region
Great Barrier Reef & Cairns
Base in Cairns for reef-boat access and the Esplanade, or Port Douglas for a quieter, resort-style stay closer to the Low Isles and the Daintree. Add one rainforest day and one full-day reef trip with a certified operator.
Greece · multi city
Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini
Three nights in Athens for the Acropolis and the old town, four nights on Mykonos for Little Venice, the beaches and a Delos day trip, and three nights on Santorini for Oia’s sunset, the volcano boat and Ancient Akrotiri.
Vietnam · city
Hanoi
Come in October or November when the air is at its cleanest and the light is gold, sleep in the Old Quarter but a lane back from Ta Hien or Luong Ngoc Quyen, eat pho for breakfast and bun cha for lunch at shops that sell one dish each, give a full day to Ninh Binh and a night to Lan Ha Bay, and be here on a Friday evening when the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake close to traffic.
USA · multi city
Maui and Oahu: Planning the Two-Island Hawaii Trip
Four nights on Oʻahu for Pearl Harbor, Waikīkī, the North Shore and the windward beaches, then five or six nights on Maui for Haleakalā at dawn, the road to Hāna, a Molokini snorkel morning and the resort coast. In winter, whales fill the channel off West Maui as a bonus.
Vietnam · city
Hoi An
Give the Ancient Town its heritage ticket and a full evening for the lanterns, split your days between the old streets and An Bang beach, and add the My Son Sanctuary and a river or Cham Islands trip if you have four days.
Japan · region
Hokkaido
Start in Sapporo for food and the city, add a night in canal-side Otaru, then choose a season-driven detour: Furano and Biei for summer flower fields, or Niseko for winter powder.
Spain · island
Ibiza
Start with Dalt Vila and the old port, then split your days between coasts: the west for Cala Comte, Cala d’Hort and the Es Vedrà sunset, the north for Benirràs, Portinatx and the villages, the south for Ses Salines and the beach scene. Take the fast ferry to Formentera once, and decide honestly in advance whether clubs are part of your trip or not.
Turkey · city
Istanbul
Spend two to three days in Sultanahmet for Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern, then cross the Golden Horn to Beyoğlu and Karaköy for food and views, and take a ferry across the Bosphorus at least once.
Kenya/Tanzania · road trip
Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route
Time your trip to the migration if you can, use licensed guides and 4x4s, and build in slack days rather than chasing a single river-crossing on a fixed date.
India · region
Kerala Backwaters
Come between November and February, fly into Kochi, base yourself at Kumarakom rather than in the Alappuzha boat queue, take one certified houseboat night with a village mooring, spend one dawn in a country canoe through the Kuttanad canals, give one morning to the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary or Pathiramanal island, eat karimeen grilled in a banana leaf and drink the tea, and finish with two flat days on Marari beach or a train up to the hills.
Thailand · island
Koh Samui
Pick a beach base (Chaweng for buzz, Bophut for character, Choeng Mon or Maenam for quiet), see the Big Buddha and Wat Plai Laem, wander Fisherman’s Village at Bophut, and give a day to the Angthong marine park by boat.
Malaysia · city
Kuala Lumpur
Come in the drier May-to-August window, sleep in Bukit Bintang or Chinatown, eat nasi lemak in the morning and banana leaf at lunch and Hokkien mee after dark, book the Petronas Skybridge for the icon and KL Tower for the view of the icon, give a morning to Batu Caves and an evening to Kampung Baru, and take the bus to Malacca if you have a day to spare.
Japan · city
Kyoto
Base downtown or near the station, spend a day each in Higashiyama (temples and Gion), Arashiyama (bamboo grove and river), and Fushimi/downtown (Fushimi Inari and Nishiki Market), then add a day trip to Nara.
Malaysia · island
Langkawi
Base at Pantai Cenang or on the north coast, ride the SkyCab to the Sky Bridge early, spend one morning deep in the Kilim mangroves with an operator that refuses eagle feeding, swim the lake at Dayang Bunting, and keep every evening for the west-facing sand. Add the seasonal ferry to Koh Lipe if the calendar cooperates.
Portugal · city
Lisbon
Stay in Chiado or Principe Real for a central, walkable base, spend a morning in Alfama and an afternoon in Belem, chase sunset at a miradouro, and give a full day to Sintra.
Mexico · region
Los Cabos
Base by your style (San Lucas for energy, San José for charm, the corridor for luxury), take a water taxi to the arch at Land’s End, snorkel Chileno or Santa Maria, give San José del Cabo an evening for the Gallery District, and add a Todos Santos or Cabo Pulmo day trip. From mid-December to April, build in a whale-watching morning.
Spain · city
Madrid
Stay in Sol, Salamanca or Malasana for a central, walkable base, give a full day to the Prado-Reina Sofia-Thyssen triangle, chase sunset at Templo de Debod, and add Toledo or Segovia as a day trip.
Maldives · island
Maldives Overwater Villas
Choose an atoll based on what you want most: North Male Atoll for the shortest transfer, Baa Atoll for the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and manta season, or Ari Atoll for year-round whale shark snorkeling. Book an overwater villa with a west-facing deck if sunsets from your room matter to you.
Spain · island
Mallorca
Split the trip in two: Palma for the cathedral, the old town and the food scene, then the Serra de Tramuntana and the north for Sóller, Deià, Valldemossa, Pollença and the Cap de Formentor. Add a day for the southeast calas (Caló des Moro, Cala Mondragó) if the season allows an early start.
Mexico · city
Mexico City
Come between late September and early May, sleep in Roma Norte or Condesa, book the Casa Azul and Pujol or Quintonil weeks ahead, walk the Centro from the Zocalo to Bellas Artes early, give the Anthropology Museum a half day, ride out to Teotihuacan at opening, spend a slow Saturday in Coyoacan and San Angel, and eat everything: the tacos are as much the point as the museums.
USA · city
Miami
Split your attention across four areas: South Beach for the Art Deco district and the sand, Wynwood for murals and brunch, Little Havana for Cuban food and music, downtown for the museums. Add a day trip to the Everglades or Key Biscayne.
Morocco · multi city
Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen
Two to three nights in Marrakech, a two-day loop through Ait Benhaddou and the Dades or Todra area to a desert camp near Merzouga for one night in the dunes, then a long transfer north (usually via Fes) to two nights in Chefchaouen before flying home from Fes or Tangier, or looping back to Marrakech.
Greece · island
Mykonos
Stay in or near Mykonos Town (Chora) for the windmills, Little Venice and the widest choice of restaurants, use Ornos or Platis Gialos as a calmer beach base with easy access to the club beaches, and set aside a morning for the boat to Delos before the crowds build.
USA · city
New York City
Split your nights between Midtown or the Lower East Side for the classic sights and a night or two in Brooklyn for the neighborhood feel, book timed tickets for major attractions in advance, and leave at least one evening unplanned for whichever neighborhood you liked best.
New Zealand · road trip
New Zealand South Island Road Trip: The 10-Day Loop
Christchurch over Arthur’s Pass to the West Coast and the glaciers, through Haast Pass to Wanaka and Queenstown, south to Te Anau for Milford Sound, then back north past Aoraki/Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo to Christchurch. Ten days is the honest minimum; with seven or fewer, fly out of Queenstown and skip the West Coast.
Philippines · island
El Nido, Palawan
El Nido town for dinner and logistics; Corong-Corong, one bay south, for sunset-facing calm within a tricycle ride of everything; the Lio Estate by the airport for the planned, family-friendly version; Nacpan for four kilometres of bare sand 45 minutes north; and the island resorts out in the bay for the splurge. The boat tours (lettered A to D) are the point: Big Lagoon on Tour A, the hidden beaches of Matinloc on Tour C.
Cyprus · island
Paphos, Cyprus
Two or three days for the town: the archaeological park at opening, the Tombs of the Kings, the harbour fort, Ktima’s market lanes and Geroskipou for loukoumi. Then a car: the Akamas by boat from Latchi, Aphrodite’s Rock and the sanctuary at Kouklia to the east, and a slow afternoon in the Laona wine villages above Coral Bay.
France · city
Paris
Split your stay between the Right Bank (Le Marais for food and history, Montmartre for hills and light) and the Left Bank (Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter for bookshops, cafes and the Sorbonne). Book the Louvre and Sagrada-tier attractions ahead.
Peru · multi city
Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu
Acclimatize in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, give a full day to Machu Picchu with an early entry, and book the train, entrance ticket and any Inca Trail permit well in advance.
Thailand · region
Phuket
Pick a west-coast base for the beaches and sunsets, give a day to Old Phuket Town for the Sino-Portuguese streets and food, add the Big Buddha and a Promthep Cape sunset, and build in at least one boat day to Phang Nga Bay or the Similan Islands.
New Zealand · region
Queenstown
Base in central Queenstown for the lake, gondola and nightlife, add a day or overnight to Glenorchy and Arrowtown for the gold-rush and mountain scenery, and give a full day to Milford Sound even though it is a long drive.
India · road trip
Rajasthan Golden Triangle
Base a day or two in each of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, then, if you have the days, push on to Udaipur or Jodhpur where the real soul of Rajasthan lives.
Greece · island
Rhodes
Split the trip: two or three days for Rhodes Town (the walled city, Mandraki harbor, Kallithea and a Symi day trip), then the rest around Lindos and the south: the acropolis at opening time, St Paul’s Bay, Tsambika, and a road day through Embonas wine country to Monolithos and the windsurfing cape at Prasonisi.
Italy · city
Rome
Stay in or near the Centro Storico or Monti for walkability, book the Colosseum and Vatican Museums well ahead of time, eat in Trastevere and Testaccio rather than right off the big piazzas, and give one day to Tivoli or Ostia Antica.
USA · multi city
San Francisco and Napa Valley
Three or four nights in San Francisco for the city and its day trips, then two or three in Napa Valley for the wine country, linked by a 1.5-hour drive rather than a flight.
Greece · island
Santorini
Stay in or near Oia or Imerovigli for the caldera view and sunset, use Fira for the wider choice of restaurants and the cable car down to the old port, and give a half day each to the volcano boat trip and the Ancient Akrotiri and Red Beach combination.
Italy · island
Sardinia
The north-east (Costa Smeralda, La Maddalena, Gallura) for the famous granite coves and the glamour; the north-west (Alghero, Stintino, Capo Caccia) for a walkable Catalan-flavoured town and La Pelosa; the east (Gulf of Orosei, Baunei) for cliff-backed beaches reached by boat or on foot; the south (Cagliari, Chia, Villasimius) for the capital, dunes and the mildest autumn. The Barbagia interior around Nuoro and Oliena is the counterweight to all of it.
Indonesia · region
Seminyak
Time your days around the sunset: beach or pool by day, a spa or the boutiques in the afternoon, then a beach-bar sundowner and dinner, with day trips to Tanah Lot and Uluwatu for the temple sunsets.
South Korea · city
Seoul
Stay in or near Myeongdong or Jongno for the palaces and easy transit, spend a morning in Bukchon Hanok Village, an afternoon in Hongdae or Seongsu for contemporary Seoul, and a full day on a DMZ tour if history interests you.
Italy · island
Sicily
Split the island into a loop: Palermo for Arab-Norman culture and street food, Taormina and Etna for the coast and the volcano, Syracuse and Ortigia for Greek history, and the Baroque towns of the Val di Noto (Noto, Modica, Ragusa) for architecture and food. Add the Aeolian Islands by ferry from Milazzo if time allows.
Singapore · city
Singapore
Spend a day at Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay, a day between Chinatown and Little India for temples and hawker food, and a full day on Sentosa Island, with an optional day trip to Pulau Ubin or across to Malaysia.
Sri Lanka · road trip
Sri Lanka Round Trip
Start near Colombo, head to the cultural triangle for Sigiriya and Dambulla, continue to Kandy for the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, climb into the hill country around Ella and Nuwara Eliya, then finish on the south coast at Galle.
Australia · city
Sydney
Base in or near Circular Quay and The Rocks for the harbour icons, add a stretch of days near Bondi or Manly for the beach culture, and give one full day to the Blue Mountains.
Japan · city
Tokyo
Base near Shinjuku, Shibuya or Tokyo Station for rail access, spend a day each in old Tokyo (Asakusa, Ueno) and new Tokyo (Shibuya, Harajuku), and add one full-day trip out to Nikko, Kamakura or Hakone.
Turkey · region
Turkish Riviera (Bodrum to Antalya)
Spend two or three nights on the Bodrum peninsula for the castle, the villages and the beach clubs, two or three nights around Fethiye and Kaş for the lagoon at Ölüdeniz, Patara and the Kekova boat day, and finish with two nights in Antalya for Kaleiçi, Hadrian’s Gate and Aspendos. All-inclusive travelers can anchor the whole trip at Kemer, Belek or Side instead.
Italy · region
Tuscany
Start in Florence for the Uffizi, the Duomo and the Accademia, add a night or two in the Chianti countryside for wine and slower afternoons, then move south to Siena, San Gimignano and the Val d’Orcia for hill towns, cypress roads and Pienza’s pecorino.
Japan · multi city
Two Weeks in Japan
Base 3 to 4 nights in Tokyo, 1 to 2 in Hakone for the onsen and Mount Fuji views, 2 to 3 in Kyoto, then 1 to 2 in Osaka, with Nara, Himeji and Hiroshima/Miyajima as day trips from the Kansai leg.
New Zealand · multi city
Two Weeks in New Zealand
Fly into Auckland, drive south via Hobbiton, Rotorua, Taupō and Tongariro to Wellington, take the Interislander ferry to Picton, then continue through Kaikōura or the wine country to Christchurch and on to Queenstown, Te Anau and Milford Sound. Fly out of Queenstown or Christchurch.
Indonesia · region
Ubud
Walk the Campuhan Ridge at dawn, see the Monkey Forest and Ubud Palace in town, and drive out to the Tegalalang terraces, Tirta Empul and the UNESCO Jatiluwih paddies, with time for a spa or yoga.
Italy · city
Venice
Stay in Dorsoduro, Cannaregio or Castello rather than on Piazza San Marco. Book St Mark Basilica and the Doge Palace online in advance, eat standing at bacari for lunch and sit down away from the main corridor at night, and give a full day to Torcello and Burano rather than a rushed three-island tour.
Tanzania · island
Zanzibar
Spend a night or two near Stone Town for the old town and a spice tour, then base on the north coast (Nungwi or Kendwa) if you want to swim at any tide, or the southeast (Paje or Jambiani) if kitesurfing is the point of the trip. Add a diving or snorkeling day toward Mnemba Atoll if the reef is a priority.