Chiang Mai

The gateway to the northern Thai hills, Chiang Mai has grown far beyond its medieval city walls, but its temple-lined backstreets still conjure up the glory of the great Thai dynasties. Today, ancient temples and traditional wooden houses jostle for space with boutique hotels, stylish restaurants and sleek lounge bars.
Trekking to the villages of Thailand's hill tribes has become one of the quintessential travel experiences from Chiang Mai. Other thrills include elephant rides, mountain-biking, white-water rafting, rock-climbing expeditions and zipline adventures through the rainforest canopy.
Nevertheless, despite the allure of the hills, many people choose to linger in Chiang Mai, immersing themselves in Buddhist culture, studying massage and meditation and learning to cook blistering Thai cuisine at one of the city's many cookery schools.

Bangkok

Buzzing, humid, exotic Bangkok is a larger-than-life city. For some, the frenetic pace, heat, traffic and lack of personal space can be overpowering but, for many others, the sheer dynamism is intoxicating.
A blend of the traditional and the modern, Bangkok's every street has a surprise in store. Ramshackle buildings crouch next to exotic temples, in turn overlooked by modern hotels and offices.
The chaos on Bangkok's roads is mirrored by the busy traffic on the Chao Phraya River, which dissects the city and is regularly crisscrossed by long-tailed boats, river taxis and small rowing boats, all miraculously missing each other.
But traditional Thai life is never very far away. Weaving among the morning rush hour, saffron-robed monks collect alms, while moments from Bangkok city centre, communities live in stilt houses by the river, eking out a living using centuries-old skills.

Thailand

Each year Thailand is discovered by millions of visitors, drawn to its pristine beaches and aquamarine seas, as well as its rich culture, glitzy shopping malls, chic boutiques and colourful markets crammed with bargains.
With its enticing mixture of established destinations such as Phuket and Hua Hin, and out-of-the-way palm-fringed islands, Thailand appeals to the most varied of travellers, whether they are craving barefoot luxury or hippy chic. From staying on a converted rice barge, clambering into a jungle tree house or bedding down in a hill tribe village, Thailand offers a wealth of choice for every taste and budget.
Pampering is an art form in Thailand, and throughout the country spas offer authentic treatments whether it's in a 5-star luxury resort or a beach-side hut. If it's pulse-raising excitement you are after, head to the hectic sprawl of Bangkok's futuristic high-rise buildings.
Early morning is when the saffron-robed monks leave the sanctuary of their wats (temples) to receive alms from the people, be it in a dusty village or on crowded city streets. Buddhism is a way of life here and the Thai's are also strong supporters of their monarchy. In fact, His Majesty King Bhumibol is the longest reigning monarch in the world, since coming to power in 1946. Following the end of absolute monarchy, Thailand moved towards democracy, but this was thwarted by the military, which has often staged coups in protest at government policies.

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is an awe-inspiring city where impossibly steep granite peaks rise from the ocean between glorious stretches of golden sand. Brash skyscrapers vie for space with impeccable colonial buildings, and lush forests tumble down hillsides into densely populated residential areas.
Rio’s diverse cultures and peoples live in varying degrees of wealth or poverty. But no matter what their background or economic standing, Cariocas (Rio's residents) are characterised by a passion and enthusiasm for life.
Ranked top of Forbes' 2009 list of the world’s happiest cities, the cidade maravilhosa (marvellous city) revels in life, with the beach, football, samba and Carnival the principal diversions. High above all this fun and frivolity are Rio's ever-present landmarks - the statue of Christ the Redeemer on the summit of Corcovado (hunchback) mountain and Sugar Loaf with its historic cable car.
As well as these twin icons, Rio boasts a wealth of attractions and activities, plus great food, music and entertainment - enough to keep a visitor busy for any length of stay. A vibrant agenda, including hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, is quickly transforming the once precarious city into a safe and exciting destination.

Riga

Latvia's cosmopolitan capital, Riga, once revered across Europe as the 'Paris of the North', is now firmly on the tourist map. Older than both Stockholm and St Petersburg, Riga is the only Baltic capital to have a real big-city buzz.
Any lingering images of Communist deprivations are quickly blasted away by a stroll around Riga, with its gleaming renovated buildings, its fashion conscious mobile-phone carrying youth and the new wave of bars and cafes. The focus is still firmly on Riga's Old Town, which tumbles towards the banks of the Daugava River in a maze of cobbles, voluminous spires and impressive squares.
It is ironic that the city that was once besieged and captured by Germany now has Europe's most impressive array of Germanic art nouveau architecture, a fact recognised by UNESCO on its World Heritage List. Much of the art nouveau lies across Bastekalns Park in the New Town, the commercial and business heart of the city.

Reykjavik

Reykjavik's location, set on the fringe of the Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by a lunar volcanic netherworld, with the shadowy hulk of Mount Esja in the background, is both romantic and beguiling.
Reykjavik's nefarious nightlife attracts legions of tourists keen to seek out the legendary bars and clubs. Considering that beer prohibition only ended in 1989, this is particularly impressive but the locals seem to have made up for lost time and the scene in the city at weekends is one of hedonistic mayhem.
During the day, Reykjavik is a far more sedate place with trim houses, rubbish-free streets and an easygoing pace of life. There are bountiful cultural attractions, countless cafes, geothermal swimming baths and a myriad of day trip opportunities into the stunning hinterland. Cultural festivals are also currently multiplying and maturing as Iceland begins to establish its cultural identity.

Ethiopia

Ethiopia features some of the highest and most stunning places on the African continent, such as the jaggedly carved Simien Mountains, and some of the lowest, such as the sulphur fumaroles and lunar-like landscape of the Danakil Depression. It is also one of Africa's greatest cultural destinations, with no fewer than eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the mystical rock-hewn churches of Lalibela.
Ethiopia is the only country in Africa never to have been fully colonised (with the exception of a five-year occupation by Mussolini's Italy) and so retains a unique culture, has its own script and language (Amharic) and maintains a strong sense of national identity. Years of totalitarian abuse at the hands of the Derg socialist military regime (1974-1991), drought, famine and continuing border disputes with Eritrea have taken their toll, but Ethiopia survives as an ancient and fascinating destination.