Aso Kujū National Park – Photo credit

Fukuoka

The premier city on the island of Kyushu has upward of 1.5 million people and major cultural allure. Fukuoka, too, is old, even for Japan, and unfurls a treasure trove of first-rate heritage eye candy as such. The dynamic ward of Hakata is a hot spot flush with manifest gastronomic potential. Vital festivals like Dontaku Minato Matsuri and Gion Yamakasa take place in Hakata as well.

What to include on the itinerary: Fukuoka Art Museum, Genko Historical Museum, Kyushu National Museum, Maizuru Castle, Nokonoshima Island Park

Where to stay: Grand Hyatt Hotel Fukuoka

Fukuoka City Guide

Nagasaki

Few link Nagasaki with events other than the atomic bomb attack of WWII but the Kyushu prefecture capital has come far since 1945. As a polestar of Euro commerce and trade from the early 16th century to late 19th century, the city has a very different vibe for Japan. To wit, Nagasaki’s church and Christian monuments await formal UNESCO World Heritage status sometime in the next year or so.

What to include on the itinerary: National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims, Urakami Cathedral, Koshibyo Shrine, Kofukuji Temple

Where to stay: Nisshokan Bettei Koyotei Ryokan Nagasaki

Nagasaki City Guide

Kagoshima

Kagoshima is a port city with a divine backdrop in the form of Sakurajima, a stratovolcano and former island. Come for the Ohara Festival, explore the Satsuma Peninsula and Kirishima-Yaku National Park and marvel at the local Kagoshima-ben dialect.

What to include on the itinerary: Museum of the Meiji Restoration, Kagoshima onsen, Kagoshima City Museum of Art

Where to stay: JR Hotel Yakushima

Kagoshima City Guide

Kumamoto

Tidy Kumamoto is home to just under a quarter of a million people but has the look and feel of a more modest metropolis. Kumamoto Castle, one of the most vital cultural assets in Japan, is the indubitable magnet for domestic and international visitors alike. The city has some modern lures as well, however, from a lively student-centric nightlife to abundant parks and gardens.

What to include on the itinerary: Kumamoto Castle, Kumamoto City Tramway, Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine

Where to stay: Yusai Ryokan Kumamoto

Kumamoto City Guide

Oita

The capital of Oita Prefecture is a Kyushu must, namely to indulge in onsen bliss at Beppu and the heritage town of Yufuin. Aside from spas, however, do book a day trip to the Kunisaki Peninsula to admire vestiges of Japan’s early civilisations.

What to include on the itinerary: Shibaseki Onsen, Kitahama Termas Onsen, Hihokan Sex Museum

Where to stay: Beppu Bay Royal Hotel Oita

Oita City Guide

Miyazaki

Did you pack your surfboard? Good because Miyazaki has some sublime surf. A warm climate makes the Kyushu prefecture capital a popular draw throughout the cold Honshu winter.

What to include on the itinerary: Aoshima Subtropical Botanical Garden, Kizaki-hama Beach, Aoshima Beach, Shira-hama Beach

Where to stay: Aoshima Grand Hotel Miyazaki

Okinawa

See what made Mr. Miyagi so nostalgic in The Karate Kid. 80s pop culture references aside, Okinawa is a gem with a major growth industry in beach holiday tourism. Culture, however, is what makes us jones for the island in the East China Sea. Naha, the island and prefecture capital, is a coastal city of 315,000 people and superb gateway to it all. Okinawa Island is also the portal to the rest of the prefecture, all 1,000 km of the Ryukyu (Nansei or Southwest) archipelago, from Kyushu to Taiwan. Explore Okinawa but try to include one or two of the Southwest Islands for good measure.

What to include on the itinerary: Naha Folkcraft Museum, Nago, Yakushima, Miyako-jima, Ishigaki-jima

Where to stay: Miyakojima Tokyu Resort Okinawa

Okinawa City Guide

The final tally includes a duo of stellar heritage districts, an incomparable volcano, rosy botanical garden, two of the best restaurants on the planet, a gargantuan cave system and a world wonder of a canyon. All extraordinarily romantic, Valentine’s Day or not.

Photo credit

10. Hayden Planetarium at Rose Center for Earth and Space
79th Street and Central Park West, Manhattan, New York

The Big Apple’s icons – from Broadway to the Statue of Liberty – loom large on the February 14 agenda but the peerless planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History is the best way to see the stars. For dinner, make a beeline for Masa (if you have the lucre) or Frankies Spuntino in Brooklyn.

Where to stay: Four Seasons Hotel New York

New York City Guide

9. The French Laundry
6640 Washington Street, Yountville, California

Thomas Keller is the best chef in America, bar none, and runs two of the top restaurants in the world in Per Se at the Time Warner Center in New York and The French Laundry in Yountville. For Napa winery vibes and scenery, the California address wins in the romance department.

Where to stay: Napa Valley Lodge Yountville

8. Little Torch Key
Florida Keys

For the ultimate romantic getaway, escape to Old Town Key West and the plush Little Palm Island Resort on Little Torch Key.

Where to stay: Little Palm Island Resort & Spa

Key West City Guide

7. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii County, Hawaii

Thanks to massive Mauna Loa, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Where to stay: Four Seasons Resort Hualalai At Historic Kaupulehu

Hawaii Big Island Guide

6. Historic Districts of Savannah
Savannah, Georgia

Historic Savannah is the epitome of Old South gentility and Federal architectural charm.

Where to stay: Mansion On Forsyth Park Savannah

Savannah City Guide

5. International Rose Test Garden
400 Southwest Kingston Avenue, Portland, Oregon

Find out why hipster Portland is the Rose City.

Where to stay: Monaco Portland A Kimpton Hotel

Portland City Guide

4. Garden District New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana

Take a lazy streetcar past Colonial villas and Late Victorian estates in the beautiful Garden District, grab a cone at The Creole Creamery and a late dinner at Galatoire’s.

Where to stay: The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans

New Orleans City Guide

3. Husk
76 Queen Street, Charleston, South Carolina

Sean Brock is the chef de rigueur at the moment and his restaurant Husk has made Charleston – always a good food destination – a must on the epicure circuit.

Where to stay: The Restoration On King Hotel Charleston

Charleston City Guide

2. Mammoth Cave National Park
1 Mammoth Cave Parkway, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

A toss-up between Carlsbad and Mammoth – both UNESCO World Heritage Sites – but proximity to superb Louisville makes the Kentucky national park triumph in the end.

Where to stay: 21c Museum Hotel Louisville

Louisville City Guide

1. Grand Canyon National Park
Coconino and Mohave, Arizona

Number one for awe and romance from here to eternity.

Where to stay: ARIA Resort & Casino At CityCenter Las Vegas

Las Vegas City Guide

The spectrum is far and wide, ranging from whiskey mixology heaven and punchy cocktail providores to high walled beer gardens and indoor beer barns that double as music venues. Brooklyn Social’s on trend crowd unknowingly pay homage to the venue’s previous incarnation as an Italian social club. Dutch Kills does a modern play on the traditional speakeasy, while Southpaw takes cheap and cheerful to the next level with band postered wallpaper and a cavernous vibe.

It’s warmer and sunnier in Brooklyn, which makes the beer garden and speakeasy proliferation no coincidence.

Sunny’s Bar, Red Hook, Brooklyn – Photo credit

Hotel Delmano
82 Berry Street at North 9th Street

A bona fide old-fashioned pre-Prohibition saloon that hits all the right notes and accents.

Where to stay: Distrikt Hotel New York City An Ascend Collection Hotel

Botanica
220 Conover Street

Cocktails and board games in Red Hook’s few and far between.

Where to stay: The Setai Fifth Avenue Hotel New York City – Capella Managed Hotel

Metropolitan
559 Lorimer Street

It’s Williamsburg. It’s gay. And it’s about time.

Where to stay: Hotel Giraffe New York City

Southpaw
125 5th Avenue

Pabst and gigs, but thankfully without the trucker caps, in Park Slope.

Where to stay: Hotel Elysee New York

Hot Bird
546 Clinton Avenue (at Atlantic)

The food truck and picnic tables mean patrons don’t mind being fenced in to this outdoor drinking sprawl.

Where to stay: Nolitan Hotel New York

New York City Guide

Newcomers abound but Ignatius Chan’s molecular route is a little more firmly – ahem – rooted in the Singapore dining scene. It’s an East meets West fusion and there’s now bar seating for a more ‘interactive’ experience. Les Amis, one of the granddaddies of fine French cuisine is going 17 years strong and has a famous foie gras people book months ahead for.

Go on. Make that booking. Credit cards and expense accounts aren’t meant to be saved for a rainy day.

Orchard Road, Singapore – Photo credit

Les Amis
1 Scotts Road

Fine French fare with a gentle homage to its Asian location, it’s one of Singapore’s oldest and best.

Where to stay: Royal Plaza On Scotts Singapore Hotel

Iggy’s
The Hilton Hotel, 581 Orchard Road, Level 3

Restaurateur and sommelier Ignatius Chan at the helm of number 27 of the S Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Where to stay: Hilton Singapore

Gunther’s
Talib Centre, 36 Purvis Street

Haute nouvelle despite the German sounding name, residing in a cosy yet refined space on Purvis Street.

Where to stay: InterContinental Hotel Singapore

Restaurant André
41 Bukit Pasoh Road

French trained, Taiwanese André Chiang deals in his own brand of octaphilosophy.

Where to stay: New Majestic Hotel Singapore

Tippling Club
8D Dempsey Road

A welcome industrial, airy break from the oft stiff Singapore scene. Cocktails are serious business here.

Where to stay: Regent Singapore – A Four Seasons Hotel

Singapore City Guide

From the inevitable pull of Patpong Market (think haggling and cheap knock offs) to the pricier and more brand focused Siam Square, the shopping options here can keep you occupied for days. And while those ritzy rooftop bars have their Mecca-like haze, you can get your drinks cheaper and stronger on the ground. Wong’s Place bucks trends in every way with an indoor smoking area and an honesty bar where you hand over cash and help yourself to the beer fridge. Cheap Charlie’s may make you sit on the street, but the extremely cheap drinks make it all OK.

Keep pounding the Bangkok pavement and you’ll find food, drinks and all manner of things that you won’t find on the 64th level of that high rise monstrosity.

Wong’s Place – Photo credit

Wong’s Place
27/3 Soi Sribamphen, Rama 4 Road, Yannawa

Not for the fainthearted but completely fulfilling if you’re a smoker and/or a fan of authentic and crazy dive bars.

Where to stay: Metropolitan Hotel Bangkok

Cheap Charlie’s
Soi Sukhumvit 11/1, Khlong Toei Nuea

What it lacks in finesse it makes up for in bargain basement booze and the best street view in Bangkok. Literally!

Where to stay: Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok

Patpong Night Market

Yes it’s smack bang in the middle of the red light district, but no need to let that distract you from the bargains.

Where to stay: Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park

Siam Square

The nucleus of Bangkok shopping that connects you with other shopping centres by footpath or sky bridge.

Where to stay: Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok

Silom Soi 2 & 4

Alleyways play host to Bangkok’s crazy scene. And we mean crazy – from the clubs to the cocktails.

Where to stay: Sukhothai Hotel Bangkok

Bangkok City Guide

Northbridge caters to all facets of food and booze renaissance and they’re moving in thick and fast. Mexican hipness isn’t relegated to the East Coast and the eatery La Cholita is holding her own on this side of the country. Kung Fu Kitchen is ignoring the overcooked and over-garnished burger revolution and dishing up tasty organic fare. And why should Sydney and Melbourne be the only ones to smugly benefit from raw food providores? The Raw Kitchen Café is pushing the boundaries with their raw pizzas and glass drinking straws.

Be spoilt for wine choice at Fremantle’s Who’s Your Mumma, find small bar heaven at Hula Bula and take this up a notch at the Sentinel bar and eatery.

Photo credit

La Cholita
279 William Street, Northbridge

Mexican cantina and bar serving guacamole and tequila cocktails to hipsters and other William Street traffic.

Where to stay: Criterion Hotel Perth

Kung Fu Kitchen
145 Newcastle Street, Northbridge

Back to basics pork and beef burgers and pared back garnishing so you can really taste what you’re eating.

Where to stay: Northbridge Hotel Perth

The Raw Kitchen Café
36 South Terrace, Fremantle

Good luck trying to figure out just how they do it without an oven or a stove in sight.

Where to stay: Esplanade Hotel Fremantle

Who’s Your Mumma
Unit 7A, 142 South Terrace, Fremantle

Small plates and drinks from the owners of Harvest and La Cholita in North Fremantle jazz up a dowdy intersection.

Where to stay: Pier 21 Apartment Hotel Fremantle

Hula Bula
12 Victoria Avenue, Perth

OTT cocktail hour lives right here with Polynesian décor and about as an authentic Tiki experience you’ll find on the West Coast.

Where to stay: Pan Pacific Perth

Perth City Guide

Photo credit

Lake Burley Griffin

Canberra’s most iconic geographical feature may be artificial but the recreation potential of Burley Griffin is most definitely not. Walk it, bike it, row it and make some time for the National Carillon on Aspen Island.

Where to stay: Hyatt Canberra – A Park Hyatt Hotel

National Museum of Australia

Is it the best museum in Australia? Arguably yes. For Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles and exhibits on Aboriginal heritage, reason alone to visit the ACT.

Where to stay: Diamant Boutique Hotel Canberra

Australian National Botanic Gardens

Frolic with flora at the foremost botanical garden complex in the country.

Where to stay: Rydges Lakeside Hotel Canberra

Australian War Memorial

The Anzac Parade opens on to a tasteful and top-drawer national war memorial and museum devoid of over-the-top, rah-rah histrionics. Powerful stuff.

Where to stay: All Seasons Olims Hotel Canberra

National Film and Sound Archive

Audio and cinephiles take note: the National Film and Sound Archive has a spectacular collection that makes history come alive.

Where to stay: BreakFree Capital Tower Canberra

National Gallery of Australia

You need more than 24 hours to take in some 120,000 works of art but give it a shot. From Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art to a marvelous sculpture garden, the National Gallery is a triumph.

Where to stay: Rydges Capital Hill Canberra

Parliament House

One of the most expensive government projects ever built, the Parliament of Australia is impossible to miss and deserves a bit of your time.

Where to stay: Forrest Hotel & Apartments Canberra

Namadgi National Park

It behooves Canberra visitors to explore the wonderful ACT if they can manage it. Namadgi National Park is a good place to start, since it covers almost half of the territory.

Where to stay: Country Comfort Greenway

Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre

Finally, a science museum that enthralls adults as much as wee ones.

Where to stay: Burbury Hotel Canberra

Black Mountain Tower

One of the best panoramas in the country, bar none, is from the very top of Black Mountain Tower. Grab a perch and point and click to your heart’s content.

Where to stay: Novotel Hotel Canberra

Canberra City Guide

New York City Guide

Isabelle P., Adelaide

Photo credit

Girlcation? I like that one, can I use it?

2012 is a good time to visit London. The city is all abuzz and atwitter, what with the Summer Olympics, Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and mayoral elections all on deck. Needless to say, this is a rare, pull out all the stops kind of year and everyone is in on it, from museums and restaurants to clubs and hotels.

While some may see 2012 as a fortuitous, opportune time to gouge consumers and tourists, the less cynical among us tend to focus on the fact that the year marks a singular occasion to take in the full glory of the capital of the United Kingdom. Summer Games and Diamond Jubilee? Talk about overindulgence.

Soho

Soho frustrates pigeonhole portraiture. The district – Chinatown and all – is a lively mishmash of West End glitz, bars and after-hours clubs, grimy dives and excellent ethnic restaurants.

Where to stay: W London Hotel Leicester Square

Mayfair

Mayfair is where the Sex and the City girlcation takes place. If you can afford it, this ‘hood of privilege delivers all the girly goods – from posh afternoon tea to Louboutins – in a pretty, pink, Hermès bow.

Where to stay: The Langham Hotel London

Notting Hill

For the best street fest in Europe, Portobello Road Market and tony pubs, bars and shops, Notting Hill is a breezy bet.

Where to stay: Umi Hotel London

South Bank

The riverside cultural hub of London teems with options, from the Tate Modern to Shakespeare’s Globe, Hayward Gallery to National Theatre.

Where to stay: Holiday Inn Express London – Southwark

Shoreditch

Home to Brick Lane Market and world class resident DJs, Shoreditch is the hipster, indie poster child of the East End.

Where to stay: The RE Hotel London Shoreditch

Camden

For stellar, affordable restaurants, a superb live music scene and Camden Markets, this once-derided borough is one of our fave haunts in Inner London.

Where to stay: Holiday Inn London – Camden Lock

The City

The Square Mile, or City of London, offers convenience, excellent Tube access, iconic landmarks and the chance to mingle with a wealthy, single banker or three. But plenty of museums proliferate in the heart of the city as well, not to mention fine bars, restaurants and cosy pubs.

Where to stay: Apex London Wall Hotel

London City Guide

El Nido Lagen Resort, Palawan, Philippines – Photo credit

10. Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s feverish pace can set off some electromagnetic love sparks but for romantic quietude you need to look up … way up. Try the rooftop of the IFC’s Four Seasons Hotel, where infinity pools, plunge pools and a world class spa provide a serene oasis from the hustle bustle of Central.

Where to stay: Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong

Hong Kong City Guide

9. Kyoto

Get a jumpstart on the cherry blossoms and let love bloom in Japan’s former Imperial capital and premier World Heritage city. Stay in a luxury ryokan and bask in gustatory tengoku at three star Michelin restaurants like Chihana, Mizai, Nakamura and Tsuruya.

Where to stay: Karaku Ryokan Kyoto

Kyoto City Guide

8. Taiwan

To be specific, the geothermal waters of Taiwan. Get intimate with the best benefit to life in the Pacific Ring of Fire with a curative dip with your love at the Lushan Hot Springs in Nantou County’s Renai Township.

Where to stay: Sun Moon Lake Fleur de Chine Hotel

Sun Moon Lake Guide

7. Ubud, Bali

Skip the dodgy beach and bar scenes of Kuta and get all Eat Pray Love in Bali’s most beautiful enclave, Ubud. A luxe and tranquil resort in verdant hills trumps drunken revelry any day, let alone February 14.

Where to stay: Maya Ubud Resort Spa Bali

Bali City Guide

6. Singapore

Indulge your appetites at the Chocolate Bar on top of the Marina Bay Sands super-resort. Trawl the streets for the best in hawker grub and dine at two of the best restaurants on the planet in Santi and Andre.

Where to stay: Marina Bay Sands Singapore Hotel

Singapore City Guide

5. Palawan

Boracay who? The apex of romance in the Philippines is on immaculate, white sand Palawan. The El Nido Resort Lagen is paradise but make time for it all, from Coron to the UNESCO World Heritage Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.

Where to stay: El Nido Resort Lagen Island Palawan

Palawan Guide

4. Shanghai

The Bund, a symbol of Shanghai’s past and contemporary effervescence, comes alive after dark. Walk hand in hand down Nanjing Road and get a singular sense of the peerless megalopolis, with a flute of bubbly no less, from Vue Bar on Level 33 of the Hyatt On The Bund Hotel.

Where to stay: Hyatt On The Bund Hotel

Shanghai City Guide

3. Goa

Breezy Goa can get hippy dippy at the best of times but turquoise water, find sand under foot and the hypnotic sway of a palm tree help mitigate the ravers. Plus, the Park Hyatt Hotel Goa is plush.

Where to stay: Park Hyatt Hotel Goa

Goa City Guide

2. Luang Prabang

The UNESCO World Heritage gem of Laos sits at the confluence of the Nam Khan and mighty Mekong and is a cool tonic from the likes of Bangkok, Hanoi, Phnom Penh and even Vientiane.

Where to stay: La Residence Phou Vao Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang City Guide

1. Siem Reap and Angkor

Say wat? Escape with your flame to one of the venerable wonders of the world: the former royal capital of the Khmer Empire. Meander amid the ruins of Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm and hike up Phnom Bakheng for a remarkable sunset view.

Where to stay: La Residence D’Angkor Siem Reap

Siem Reap City Guide