Relaxing getaways

The junk boat, tall and wooden with three bright red sails glowing in the sunlight of Victoria Harbour, is one of Hong Kong's most iconic visual symbols.

Despite its powder-soft sand and sea water in a dozen shades of blue, Diani Beach on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast always has you looking up at the sky.

Can you picture dangling over a sheer drop, staring 245 feet down into the gaping mouth of an underwater tunnel? Now you don't have to imagine it.

From towering mountains to deserts, jungles, and beaches, India is home to more than its fair share of natural wonders.

Set in the shadow of Egypt's Sinai Mountains, Dahab is so alluring that some people decide to make it home soon after their first visit.

"Socks are the key thing. Dry socks, really. That's the most important thing you need to bring with you," says my guide, Giorgi. "You should never set off on a hike without a spare pair."

Shibuya. Shinjuku. Harajuku. Most visitors to Tokyo have probably heard of these districts, the places where everything new and noteworthy seems to gather.

Fukushima is one of the six prefectures that make up Tohoku, a vast, remote and underdeveloped region on the northeastern edge of Japan's main island of Honshu, which draws fewer than 2% of the country's international visitors.

Golf took shape around 600 years ago on Scottish soil, and it was on these rugged pastures that a simple game of ball and clubs grew into a global sport.

The moment you arrive in the village of Houtong in northern Taiwan, it takes no time at all to figure out who the real stars are.

Bangkok's street food may be what draws in hungry visitors, but in recent years the city's fine dining scene has grown enormously, giving culinary travelers more reasons than ever to visit Thailand's capital.

That said, this cruise will look nothing like a typical voyage at sea.

Set in the impossibly turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has become a luxury escape with no equal.