With a wide sandy beach, big hotels, and handy proximity to Colombo, Negombo is one of Sri Lanka’s most popular resorts. Beyond its sands lies an interesting mix: a colonial-built canal and crumbled fort; a lively fish market, traditional fishing communities, and a wildlife-rich lagoon.

Famous for its long sandy beach, west-coast Hikkaduwa also boasts good waves for surfers, reefs for snorkelers and divers, plus sand-side hotels, restaurants, and bars. Add an island temple, tsunami museum, and turtle sanctuary, and you have one of Sri Lanka’s best beach-holiday haunts.

Rising around a scenic lake, UNESCO-listed Kandy is home to sacred landmarks, landscaped gardens, and cultural museums. Beyond the city, a cloudy forest and tropical plantations roll across the mountain slopes providing plenty of hiking and wildlife-watching opportunities, while upscale resorts line the Mahaweli River.

Dubbed "Little England" due to its cool climate and colonial-era bungalows, Nuriwaya Eliya boasts a landscape far more dramatic than Britain's. Mist-shrouded mountains and terraced tea plantations surround the former hill station, while world-class brews are abundant.

Perched on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast, Galle wears its history on its sleeve. Windswept beaches and nodding palms surround its colonial-era showpiece, a 16th-century Portuguese-built fort, while the rest of the city is trimmed with Dutch-style houses, quirky shops, whitewashed mansions, and heritage museums.

The capital of the state of Sikkim, Gangtok is an attractive tourist destination, reflecting a unique ambience which derives from its happy blend of tradition and modernity. Alongside the deeply felt presence of stupas and monasteries, Gangtok also bustles like any other thriving town. Some of the key places to visit include Rumtek Monastery, Do-Drul Chorten, Enchey Monastery, Tashi View Point and the local bazaar, Lal Bazaar.

A group of islands and islets some 25 miles off the Tanzanian coast, the Zanzibar Archipelago is headlined by Unguja (often referred to simply as Zanzibar) and Pemba. Once a separate nation, Zanzibar has a long history of trade with the Arab world, dating back to at least the 11th century. The capital, Stone Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has many interesting historic attractions. Zanzibar's bright white beaches and nearby coral reefs make it very popular with the sun and sea set.

Lefkada's name means "white," from the famous white cliffs of Cape Lefkata, site of an ancient temple of Apollo, where rumor has it that the celebrated Lesbian poet Sappho flung herself from the rocks. To stay with the mythology theme, don’t miss a boat tour on the mighty Odysseia, a colorful replica of a Greek war ship. You can also explore deserted monasteries in the mountains, splash around under the Nidri waterfalls and swim at some of Greece's most famous and beautiful beaches.