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Russia

This is one perplexing country. Its place in history, from Mongol raids to the Russian Enlightenment and on to the twentieth century (with revolution, two World Wars, Cold War and the fall of the Soviet Union, it wasn’t always kind), is awe-inspiring enough, but in recent years it has become much easier to get your hands on a visa and head to this multifaceted nation.

This is the biggest country in the world, bordering both Europe and Asia, so there’s no end to the landscape that can be explored. Vast areas of the north are part of the Arctic Circle. There are few roads here, but travellers with a taste for adventure can visit nomadic Nenets reindeer herders or indigenous whale hunters on the Bering Sea, albeit only with a specialised tour company. In the country’s far southeast there are even some decent beaches near the city of Vladivostok.

The spirit of the people is one of survival, even if they have had the help of a little vodka. Russia’s recent affluence has meant of cities like Moscow and St Petersburg are suddenly far more cosmopolitan, so along with considerable historical drawcards – the Kremlin and the Hermitage, for example – you’ll also find outposts of Nobu, rooftop bars and velvet-rope nightlife.

Of course, the Trans-Siberian Railway, which travels through the country from Moscow to Vladivostok, is one of those journeys nearly everyone has etched on to their bucket list. More than 30 per cent of Russia’s population uses it, so it’s an amazing way to cover the landscape and meet the locals too.

Tanzania

There are three words that basically sum up why everyone wants to visit Tanzania: Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar. Yep, this east African nation, unfortunately one of the poorest countries in the world, has sights to burn.

High atop many traveller’s must-see lists is the Great Migration, the mass movement of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle across the Serengeti and north to Kenya. The timing is completely dependent on the area’s rainfall patterns, although it can start in April and continue through to September. But at any time of the year, the Serengeti National Park is one of Africa’s most vast and beautiful wildlife zones. The Seronera area, with its high resident populations of leopards, cheetahs and lions, is also one the busiest parts of the park. For something different, journey to the Loliondo Reserve, an area between Ngorongoro and Kenya belonging to the Maasai tribes. There are plenty of animals, including migratory ones during October and November as they’re returning south, and some of the camps have Maasai guides, who accompany guests on drives and walks. Wildlife lovers might also want to venture to tiny Gombe Stream National Park on the banks of Lake Tanganyika. Since 1965, Jane Goodall has been researching the chimpanzees who live in the forest, and visitors can trek into the park to see the habituated families.

Speaking of Ngorongoro, this conservation area, named after the neighbouring caldera, is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa. The crater is home to hippopotamus, black rhinoceros, Masai lions, Cape buffalo and plenty of other four-legged creatures.

For all its great wildlife though, Tanzania has another side as home to one of Africa’s busiest ports. Former capital Dar es Salaam, a heaving metropolis, bears the marks of the many people who’ve passed through here, with architecture inspired by Africa, Arabia, India and Europe. There are some great beaches, as well as a fish market that bustles at dawn when the fishermen flog their fresh catch.

Dar es Salaam is also the leaping-off point for a trip to the Zanzibar Archipelago (a two-hour fast ferry service leaves numerous times during the day). The main island, Unguja, is the primary destination for most travellers. It’s here you’ll find Zanzibar City, with historic Stone Town at its heart. One of the island’s primary industries has always been spices – cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon – and that has meant traders from everywhere in the world have landed here and left a little bit of themselves behind at different times. Within Stone Town’s maze of alleys, many too narrow for cars, you’ll find Arabian, Persian, Indian and European elements, which led to its UNESCO World Heritage listing in 2000. Tourists are well catered to here, but only 100 kilometres away is the island of Pemba. Here, it’s a little more rustic, but divers will find some of the best coral reefs, walls and marine life in the region.

Italy

Divine art, Renaissance history, fashion, pasta that’s better than – well, you know – even more art. We’re all familiar with Italy’s attractions and allure – and even if there was any doubt, there are multiple shelves at the local bookstore dedicated to tomes regaling the joys of spending a year learning Italian in Tuscany while falling in love to remind us.

From porn stars to political scandal, the Italians don’t believe in doing anything by halves. Moving between north, south and central Italy you’ll encounter everything  from designer-fixated cool cats and effervescent, pseudo-charming Romeos to “eat, eat” nonnas and every type of person in between.

Don’t let the hordes discourage you; Florence, Venice, Lake Como and the Amalfi Coast are all popular because they are worth it. Travelling in the off-season may help, but ‘discovering’ enchanting villages like Chiusa in the Dolomites or the tiny island of San Pietro in Sardinia will make you feel as though you’ve found another country entirely. In summary: tutti bene. It’s all good.

Poland

In the very centre of Europe lies a country rich in culture, history and scenery all competing for your attention. Poland is both urban and traditional, with the energetic Warsaw boasting beautiful architecture, while forests, lakes and mountains can be found outside the urban landscape. Hiking is a popular activity in the Tatra Mountains, look for bison in the Bialowieski National Park or descend into the eerie world of salt chambers at Wieliczka. Then there are the 500 kilometres of Baltic coastline, with their pretty seaside villages and health resorts.

Poland has a thousand years’ worth of kings, queens, castles and wars to discover and history buffs will fall in love with the former capital of Kraków. There’s a museum set in the Renaissance-style Wawel Royal Castle and moving interactive displays at Oskar Schindler’s former enamel factory. That tragic more recent history is also remembered in cities like Lublin, where visitors can trace the country’s Jewish history.

 

Panama

In 1914, its famous canal brought the attention of the world to this country. One of the most difficult engineering works to be undertaken anywhere in the world, its 77 kilometres connected the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. For the first time ships could avoid the lengthy and hazardous route via Cape Horn, connecting the USA to countries in the Pacific region and fully integrating it into the world economy.

For the uninitiated this may seem like mere trivia, but the Panama Canal, with its proximity to Panama City, offers travellers a number of opportunities to explore the vast, manmade Gatún Lake, that, thanks to a series of locks, is 26 metres above sea level. The size of the locks themselves is awe-inspiring, but plenty of operators offer eco-tours that sail around the lake stopping at places like Monkey Island, with its sloths, toucans and, of course, capuchin and howler monkeys.

But it’s time to discover the rest of this Central American nation, with its Spanish ruins, fantastic surf breaks and salsa rhythms. It has eye-popping, often remote islands, like the pristine Guna Yala archipelago, where almost all of the residents on the 49 inhabited islands (there are 378 in all) are Guna Indians and facilities for travellers are basic. More popular is Coiba Island, off the Pacific Coast, where ancient forests are home to a number of endemic species. The island, the largest in Central America, is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

For a real back-to-nature experience, travellers head to the Darién Province, in the country’s southeast. It’s the only place where the Pan-American Highway stops, unable to penetrate the dense forest. It takes a bit of planning, but journeys into Darién’s wilderness from either La Palma or Sambú will be rewarded with amazing wildlife experiences and the chance to interact with some of the indigenous communities who live along the river.

Jamaica

Beaches, rum punch and Bob (Marley, of course)… Sure, those are some of the best-known aspects of Jamaica’s laidback personality, but there is so much more to this vivid island nation in the Caribbean Sea. Chances are you may never have seen a landscape quite so verdant as that covering the mist-laced mountains of Jamaica’s interior. Serious hikers can get a close-up on the trek to Blue Mountain Peak, which rises to 2150 metres above sea level and, on a clear day, affords views of Cuba, 150 kilometres to the north. Spelunkers, meanwhile, can take to the hot, humid conditions of the Cockpit Country, where limestone in the soil has created the perfect geological storm for an underground system of rivers and caves. For the amateur adventurer, a trek to Reach Falls – surrounded by rainforest and with tiers of tumbling water – should be on the itinerary.

The beach, though, is one of the obvious attractions of any tropical island and Jamaica doesn’t disappoint. Unless you simply want to flop and drop for a few days, it’s best to avoid the northwest coastline between Negril and Ocho Rios. It’s not that the stretches of sand here are horrible, but this is the land of the all-inclusive resort. (It’s also where you’ll find the majority of dive outfits if that’s what you’re after.) Instead head to the south coast, where the beaches are the haunt of locals, and a rural lifestyle, to some extent, still exists. Top marks go to Treasure Beach, which, in fact, is made of four coves and villages and offers plenty of deserted spots to spread out your towel and go snorkelling in tranquil waters. Join the locals for a game of cricket, check out the burgeoning arts scene or kick back at a beachside restaurant scoffing cold beer and jerk chicken.

When the quiet life starts to become too, well, quiet, head back to Kingston. The island’s capital is cool and cultural. Spend some time checking out the National Gallery, Bob Marley Museum and a Jamaican music history tour, but save some energy for after dark. See if Usain Bolt is in the house at Tracks & Records, the sports bar he owns. If it’s Wednesday, head out to Stone Love HQ for one of the town’s biggest sound system parties, Wedi Wedi Wednesday. Check out the open mike night at Jamnesia Surf Camp on Saturday – you might just see reggae’s next big thing. Just remember, nothing here starts early and you need to be prepared to party well into the wee smalls.

Ecuador

Deciding whether you want sun-drenched beaches, artisanal markets, Amazonian rainforests, Andean adventure activities, or historical old town walks on a holiday might be a nice decision to make. But it’s still a hard decision, so if decision making isn’t your forte than Ecuador has you covered. You can stroll around Quito and marvel at the seventeenth-century churches and architecture in impeccable knick, climb up Cotopaxi – one of the highest active volcanoes in the world – shop for local handicrafts at Otavalo Market and, of course, venture offshore to the unforgettable Galápagos Islands to get that sought-after bucket list tick. Top it all off with some of the friendliest locals in the world and you’ll be wishing Ecuador were an option in every life decision you had to make.

Morocco

She is the perfect model: moody, sultry, colourful, exotic and unpredictable. But it’s not just the snap happy that will find their haven here.

African, French and Arab influences collide in Morocco to create an explosion of aesthetics, tastes and smells. Think serene mosques, bustling souqs, ringing Berber music and soothing tea. At times you’ll feel you’ve been catapulted into another time. The foodie within will delight with spicy bites – it offers so much more than couscous and tagines.

Aside from Casablanca, Marrakesh and the requisite desert odyssey, the surf can be incredible and off the beaten track you’ll be greeted and welcomed rather than hustled and harassed.

This fine lady will hook you in.

Malawi

With stunning wild landscapes, super-friendly locals and very big smiles, Malawi lives up to its ‘warm heart of Africa’ hype. The eye-popping Lake Malawi makes up a fifth of this east African country, giving you plenty to explore. Cast a line with the local fisherman, play soccer with children, swim and snorkel the crystal clear waters, then shimmy and shake it in one of the happening bars.

Leave the throngs of tourist-toting 4WDs well behind at spots like the Majete Wildlife Reserve, where there are 3000 animals – lions, elephants, hippos and leopards among them – protected by a perimeter fence on the banks of the Shire River. Go on a night safari in Liwonde National Park to spot hushbabies, hyenas and jackals, before rising early to float along the river where you’ll spot elephants splashing, hippos swimming and crocodiles skulking by the banks.

 

Kenya

Since the publication of Karen Blixen’s Out of Africa in 1937, westerners have been dreaming of Kenya (or British East Africa as it was at the time), and with good reason.

If you have a sense of adventure or an appetite for Land Cruisers, safaris and big game, take a journey into Kenya’s wild heart and head to Tsavo National Park, which is among the best places in Africa to see lions, elephants, rhinos and leopards. Then there’s the famous Maasai Mara National Reserve, where the famous wildebeest migration takes place between July and October each year.

Kenya will win you over with rolling grasslands, searing deserts on the shores of Lake Turkana, and the rugged peaks of Mount Kenya National Park, which is an oasis for trekkers.

When you’ve had enough of wildlife on the plains, the Malinda Marine National Park offers an amazing underwater world of fringing reefs, coral gardens, mangroves and more on the Indian Ocean coast.

Kenya’s biggest city, the notorious Nairobi, is sidestepped by many visitors, but actually has an interesting urban appeal with its vibrant cafes and nightlife.