Istanbul 2010: Capital of Culture

With beautiful relics from Istanbul's Ottoman past standing proud alongside a flourishing contemporary art scene, this 2010 Capital of Culture is a striking showcase of ancient worlds and cutting-edge design.

While the dome of the Haghia Sophia, the grandeur of the Blue Mosque and the sights and smells of the Spice Bazaar remain at the heart of a first-time visit to Istanbul, it is the city's atmospheric Turkish cafés, cosmopolitan rooftop bars, opulent hotels, and colourful culinary heritage that make this a truly enthralling destination.

Art

Istanbul's reputation as a vibrant cultural melting pot is aptly celebrated by a diverse and thriving art scene. Formerly an Ottoman palace, the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum houses one of the world's most exemplary collections of rugs and carpets. Delve further into Turkey's past with the impressive collection of Ottoman calligraphy, stone pieces from Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman eras on display at Sabancı University's Sakıp Sabancı Museum.

Leading Istanbul's contemporary art movement, the Istanbul Modern Art Gallery, in a large converted warehouse by the Bosphorus, features everything from permanent and temporary exhibitions to photography, a library, cinema and design store. Exhibitions in Istanbul's Capital of Culture year include photography exhibition Time Within Us (until May 2010), and From Traditional to Contemporary: Cultural Memory in Modern Turkish Art (until May 2010).

See Istanbul 2010 for more art projects across the city.

Festivals

Sitting on the cusp of Europe and Asia, Istanbul is fed by a diverse concoction of musical influences, and festivals here are a big deal. As a 2010 Capital of Culture, the city's upcoming music events are promising to be extra special.

Istanbul's most renowned festival is the International Istanbul Music Festival, which takes place across a variety of venues between 3-30 June. Performances range from traditional and modern dance displays to world-class orchestral concerts, and more intimate musical sessions.

For a heady dose of some big names in rock and pop, Rock ‘n' Coke explodes once more this July. Grab a cold beer and bop til you drop in this thriving open-air event. The 2010 line up is yet to be announced, but past acts have included American rapper Eminem and UK prog-rock group Muse.

See Istanbul 2010 for more live music across the city.

Drink

An arty crowd can be found at KeVe: a long-standing café tucked inside a pretty arcade filled with various plants and strings of little lights. Pull up a seat, sip a chilled drink, and feel very much part of the city's bohemian scene.

For a refreshing tea-stop in a quaint cobbled courtyard, try Haco Pulo. Or for something more potent, knock back some boza (a Turkish drink made from fermented grain), at Vefa Bozacisi; this long-standing café has been serving customers boza since the 19th century.

Sip a fresh fruit cocktail whilst taking some first-class views over the Bosphorus at Leb-i Derya Richmond - a sleek new venue catering for the larger wallet. If you're dressed to impress, continue the night at outdoor club Reina.

Food

Eat fresh Mediterranean dishes amid sleek modern style at Müzedechanga, in the grounds of the Sakıp Sabancı Museum. Decked out by prominent Istanbul designers, Müzedechanga's wooden furnishings are given a contemporary edge with glass and steel touches. When temperatures soar, join the city's glitterati in some swanky alfresco dining at Nu Teras - the rooftop jewel of entertainment complex Ne Pera.

Enjoy a seasonal menu whole-heartedly championing Istanbul's Ottoman past, at Asitane. Sample such Ottoman delights as almond soup, and stuffed vine leaves with sour cherries, before taking a wander next door to the gorgeous Byzantine Chora church.

Find a no-frills Turkish feed at Ayasofya Kebap House in Sultanahmet which serves an assortment of solid meaty dishes. Then sate a sweet tooth with some sticky baklava washed down with a potent coffee at locals' favourite patisserie Çiğdem Pastanesi.

Shopping

Ditch the paint-stripping bottle of raki and belly dancer Zippo lighter, and take home a piece of quality Turkish handiwork.

Pick up authentic antique carpets and beautiful kelims (woven rugs) in little A La Turca, found in fashionable Çukurcuma. For assured quality and a wide range of Asian textile products, visit Cocoon; while the eye-catching modern designs at Dhoku in the Grand Bazaar bring the traditional kelim into the 21st century.

The Design Zone found near Istanbul's Grand Bazaar features contemporary Turkish designs a plenty. Many designers work recognisable motifs from the country's Ottoman past into modern pieces, including furniture and jewellery.

Hotels

Three of Istanbul's most luxurious hotels are steeped in history, while offering a stay fit-to-bursting with 21st century comforts. Set in a neo-gothic 19th century Imperial palace, the Çırağan Palace Kempinski boasts divine Palace Suites that offer a real Sultan experience.

Opening its doors in 2006, Les Ottomans is a refurbished 1790 waterfront mansion with a treasure trove of ornate designs and antique fittings, including a marble hamam (Turkish bath).

Spend the night in a renovated raki (anise-flavored aperitif) distillery, at Sumahan-On the Water on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. This tranquil retreat fuses simple contemporary design with traditional touches, and many rooms come complete with their own Turkish bath.

Insider tip: Join students in the shisha cafés opposite the university for a relaxing afternoon socialising and playing games.

Author: Ruth-Ellen Davis

Read more: http://www.worldtravelguide.net/feature/288/index/Istanbul-2010%3A-Capital-of-Culture.html#ixzz0jORGrSpo

Alternative Swiss ski holidays

When you've this many slopes it would be a shame to waste them. Catherine Quinn discovers why the Swiss have cornered the market on outlandish ways to travel downhill.

Ever wondered what it's like to plummet downhill on a wooden seat strapped to a single ski? I hadn't, until I was securely strapped in and pushed over the precipice. But then, neither had I given much thought to sledding on a blow-up surfboard, or carving the slopes on a bike equipped with snow-runners. All of these activities were part and parcel of the very unusual Swiss "cube" experience, which, I discovered was anything but square.

My first thought as I took off down the mountain was that with scenery this good I really should be paying attention. But as the mountain vistas tore by, my main focus was on staying aboard an inflatable ‘airboard' decidedly lacking in suspension. Of course I'm well aware that whilst the snow-capped hills look innocent enough from a distance, seeing them in close-up would be colourful for all the wrong reasons.

The idea behind my current mode of transport is a new concept in Switzerland. Whilst skiing is undoubtedly the most popular of winter entertainments in this part of the world a few restless locals have tired of the well-worn routes, the trusty equipment, and the tedious safety of it all and yearn for adrenalin-fuelled alternatives.

With this in mind, the Cube Hotel was born - a residence which supplies not only skiing facilities, but a range of innovative purpose-built vehicles which will plummet down a snowy slope in new and unpredictable ways. The dual advantage of this is that the hotel also offers the unusual extra of providing a similar range of vehicles for the summer months too. Meaning thrill-seeking guests can become regular visitors all year round.

In the winter the contraptions on offer include the ‘airboard' atop which I make my first giddy plunge, and a number of other euphemistically titled adrenalin generators such as the ‘ski fox' the ‘snow bike' and the ‘snow scooter'.

Whilst these vehicles may look intimidating lined up at the base of the ski lift, all have been ingeniously designed with Swiss panache to be easily (if not adeptly) tackled by a first-timer without lessons. No small part of the appeal is that these unique forms of transport are loaned on a rolling rotation basis, making them very good value - especially for Switzerland.

Rather than loan a single vehicle, visitors are encouraged to run the gamut of what's available, so the room rate will grant you access to as many as you can get up the hill and down again before sunset.

The hotel is designed around a basic chalet style of arrangement, including full ski pass and use of the extensive facilities. Downstairs a lively bar is the precursor to an underground nightclub for those looking to enjoy the après ski ambiance from, whilst a sauna, steam room, rock-climbing wall and a la carte restaurant cater to guests with more sedate intentions during their stay.

The exterior of straight glittering glass is something of a regional sight in its own right, and on my first morning, despite the chill, more than a few guests had assembled outside to enjoy breakfast against its mirrored grandeur.

As I was soon to find out, this impressive backdrop takes on a rather different hue when you're rushing by aboard a runaway lilo. But with several vehicles to get through before I could even think of having completed the Cube ‘experience' I arrived early to make my ascent.

Having chosen the gratifyingly remedial looking ‘airboard' for my first trip, I board to the uncertain realisation that my chin would be a bare few inches from the ground for the entire journey down.

The ski-bike is my next choice, and in retrospect would have made the best first vehicle. Despite comprising an odd looking saddle mounted on ski-style rollers it genuinely does handle very similarly to a normal push bike, with the small exception that the brakes only work when not too much momentum has been built up.

This meant the snow-bike made its unstoppable journey down the mountain, with apparently little recognition of my desperate attempts to wrest it one way or another. I spent more than one terror-filled moment being dragged towards, and then nearly off the edge as I fought to heave back in the opposite direction.

Having made it to the bottom, I was fairly anxious to surrender my cumbersome new transportation for something more sedate, but there was no such luck. I'd left the ‘ski-fox' until last, and now it was time to hurtle down the slopes sat aboard a seat mounted on a single ski.

Funnily enough, by now I was almost enjoying myself, and had paused more than once to admire the mountain magnificence sweeping past as I picked up speed.

Swinging onto the smooth curves of the final approach with the clean mountain air coasting past and the odd marmat running for cover the risk of plunging headfirst into a nearby snowdrift suddenly didn't seem to matter. And handing over my final vehicle I couldn't wait to take the chairlift back over those endless snowy slopes all over again tomorrow. In Switzerland it seems going downhill fast is the only way to travel.

Cube Savognin
Veia Sandeilas 12,
Talstation Savognin Bergbahnen
Tel. +41 (0) 81-659 14 14
Website: www.cube-savognin.ch

Read more: http://www.worldtravelguide.net/feature/284/index/Alternative-Swiss-ski-holidays.html#ixzz0jOR1Q5fS

2010 World Cup City Guide: Part 1

Heading to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup? In the first of a two-part series, read our insider’s guide to each of the host cities to get the most out of your trip.

Durban

Misconception: Surf city is the country's sleepiest city.

Word on the street: Durban's pace may be laid-back but you'll have to move fast to catch the best waves at 0500. Of South Africa's three major cities, Durban is perhaps the most multicultural and has spawned some of the country's best talent - look out for names like designer Amanda Laird Cherry and singers Busi Mhlongo, and Nibs van der Spuy.

Before kick off: The Elephant and Castle on bustling Florida Road and Jack Rabbit's in Morningside offer approximations of an English local, but for something more urbane, try Bean Bag Bohemia and the Beach Café on the beachfront. Spiga d'Oro is the go-to for late-night pasta and pizza. Little Gujarat and Palki restaurants celebrate Durban's Indian hertiage.

The final whistle: The Rainbow Jazz Restaurant is a Durban institution but expect simple tables and quarts of beer. Do swim in the Indian Ocean: the best beaches are to the north (Umhlanga) and south (Scottburgh) of the city. Further afield, the Midlands Meander, an extensive arts and craft's route, makes a pleasant day or overnight trip.

Red card: Avoid Point Road at night. Be circumspect about beachfront hotels; big names are good, but others, generally set back from the beach, have been sliding downhill since the 1980s.

Insider tip: uShaka Marine World is home to one of the five largest aquariums in the world; watch the harbour workings over a drink from the deck of the BAT Centre.

Port Elizabeth

Misconception: A windy city in an industrial wasteland.

Word on the street: It's true that sand might whip your legs when the wind picks up on PE's excellent beaches but renowned Eastern Cape hospitality makes this place a friendly city.

Before kick off: There's not much permanently established around the stadium, so best to do your drinking around Summerstrand and Humewood, a 10-minute taxi ride away. Summerstrand's Boardwalk complex opposite the pier offers a casino, shopping and amusements for the kids. 34°South and 78 Restaurant and Bar dish up excellent fusion and seafood, while the Blue Waters Café hits the spot for cocktails.

The final whistle: Head out of town for a few days to Addo Elephant Park, enjoy outdoor adventures in the Sunday's River Valley and do the 8km (5-mile) Sacramento Trail at Sardinia Bay. Excellent surf spots - Jeffrey's bay, St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis - are an hour away on the N2 motorway. See the working fishing harbour at Port St Francis.

Red card: Steer clear of Happy Valley and other open park areas, particularly at night.

Insider tip: Walk on Shark Rock Pier and enjoy sundowners at any of the nearby pubs. Swim at Humewood and King's Beach and entertain the kids at nearby Bayworld, an oceanarium, snake park and cultural museum.

Cape Town

Misconception: Snobbish locals in this most European of African cities pretend they don't belong to the rest of country.

Word on the street: People in queues will lend you money if you're a few rand short. Cape Town is known affectionately as Slaapstad (Sleepy Town), a play on the Afrikaans name Kaapstad.

Before kick off: Fill up at the 24-hour McDonalds opposite the stadium, which was rebuilt specifically for the World Cup. Stop at Den Anker at the Waterfront for delicious Belgian beer and chips, or try any of the bars in nearby Greenpoint.

The final whistle: Buy the makings of a picnic at the Porter Estate Produce Market on every Saturday morning at the Chrysalis Academy behind the Tokai Forest picnic area. Don't miss the Hoerikwaggo Trail, a five-night, six-day 100km (62-mile) hike from Cape Town to Cape Point.

Red card: Don't walk up Table Mountain alone or without the proper clothing and supplies - it's more dangerous than it looks. Avoid most places in Long Street. Although it's one of the city's oldest streets bristling with shops, cafés and restaurants, it is overrated.

Insider tip: Milnerton beaches are pristine and deserted; Ashton's Restaurant at Greenways Hotel is just as good as the food at the famed Mount Nelson Hotel (or Nelly to locals) but minus the snootiness; you can use the Table Mountain cable car for free on your birthday - take ID to prove it.

Johannesburg

Misconception: An unsightly and dangerous urban sprawl of mine dumps, shopping malls and housing complexes so secure they rival Fort Knox.

Word on the street: Extremely social city in which a counter street culture is developing alongside improved anti-crime measures. It is also the world's largest man-made urban forest, thanks to a city-wide tree planting initiative.

Before kick-off: As Jozi (as it's known to locals) is spread out, it's best to eat before you head off to a match. Parktown, Parkview, Greenside and Melrose Arch have a thriving pavement culture and a host of excellent restaurants and bars. Try Moyo, Gramadoelas and Sophiatown for unrivalled new-African cuisine.

The final whistle: Tour Soweto, passing through Vilakazi Street, once home to Nobel prize winners Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Catch up on South African history at the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill. Visit the Rosebank Mall rooftop craft market. Escape to the country on the Crocodile Ramble, an area offering adventure activities, arts and crafts plus spa hotels, or watch the sun rise over the Magaliesberg mountains on a hot air balloon safari.

Red card: Avoid ubiquitous shopping malls; be sensible but not paranoid about security - lock car doors, be discreet with expensive equipment and hold on to your handbag.

Insider tip: Admire the Joburg skyline while sipping a cocktail at Sky Bar in the Holiday Inn Sandton-Rivonia Road - it's the closest you'll get to New York in Africa. Take high tea at the Westcliff Hotel.

Bloemfontein

Misconception: Culturally and topographically flat.

Word on the street: Bloemfontein is built on a series of hills, is home to a thriving arts scene and is central to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

Before kick-off: Have a pint at The Mystic Boer, the home of South Africa's alternative Afrikaans rock scene. Most pubs and restaurants, like Beef Baron and Barbas Café, are situated around Westdene; many are franchises, however.

The final whistle: Drive up to the game reserve on Naval Hill in the centre of the city, stopping at the Orchid House, named after its huge collection of flowers, en route. Drive 90 minutes to Kimberley and re-live the diamond rush where the Big Hole, a gigantic, hand-dug crater, is part of the open-air Kimberley Mine Museum.

Red card: As Bloemfontein is an arid city, don't get excited about the Waterfront, which has been described as a "glorified cesspool".

Insider tip: Visit the National Women's Memorial, a memorial to the 27,000 Boer/Afrikaner women and children who died in British concentration camps during the second Anglo-Boer War. Previously unpublished Boer photographs have just been released.

* Read our South Africa World Cup City Guide: Part 2 on 1 March.

Author: Vivienne Hambly

Read more: http://www.worldtravelguide.net/feature/278/index/2010-World-Cup-City-Guide%3A-Part-1.html#ixzz0jOQr5HN7

Winter sun: Alternative South American beaches

With the weather on the wrong side of brisk, it's the perfect time to escape to South America's lesser-known beaches. From tropical Brazil to leisurely-paced Uruguay, find sunshine, sand and plenty of much-needed space.

Argentina: Pinamar and Cariló

Forget the kiss-me-quick city Mar del Plata and its faded glory days, and head to Pinamar and Cariló - two glamorous yet low-key small resorts on the Atlantic coast, 340km (211 miles) south of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. Luxurious homes exist harmoniously within the 90-year-old pine forest, and these two towns, with Mar de Ostende and Valeria del Mar nestling between them, spring to life in the summer months with local tourists filling hotel rooms and renting out private homes.

Kite surfing and beach parties

Pinamar, the larger of the pair, is home to dozens of beach clubs dotted along 8km (5 miles) of dunes, allowing you to claim plenty of grain space. Kite surfing has taken off in the past few years but you can also try your hand at sand boarding, surfing, horse riding and deep sea fishing, or even rent a 4x4 and head north to tackle the dunes yourself. Although temperatures cool in the evenings, after-beach parties around a crackling campfire are de rigueur.

Sand dunes and spas

Cariló (which means ‘green sand dune' in the Indian Mapuche language) meanwhile, boasts 300m- (984ft-) wide dunes (which Francis Ford Coppola used as a setting for The Hamptons in 2009 film Tetro) and hotels with fabulous spa facilities. The emphasis is on couples and families being pampered to the max, then heading off to their Italian Riviera-style beach tent to while away the sunny hours in the 30-degree heat, cool cocktail in one hand, magazine in the other.

Uruguay: Punta del Diablo

It's worth dropping into the ritzy Punta del Este for a 24-hour Eurotrash explosion, if only to say you've seen the thoroughly ostentatious display of enormous yachts, surgically enhanced bodies and large twinkling jewels. But, for rest and relaxation, head for the lazy fishing village of Punta del Diablo - 298km (185 miles) from Uruguay's capital city Montevideo - a beachside spot so laidback, that it's practically buried in the sand.

Peace and quiet

Punta del Diablo prides itself on not having any hotels - lodgings are simple two or three-roomed cabins - and just nine restaurants and bars open their doors; be sure to tuck into a super-fresh shark steak caught from the local waters. Sun worshippers and surfers mingle on the main beach, which sweeps along in front of the town centre, but venturing north or south will guarantee extra seclusion. While a stay in Punta del Diablo is one of meandering coastal walks coupled with lashings of peace and quiet, more and more cabañas are springing up, meaning its off-the-beaten-track days are numbered, albeit at an unhurried Uruguayan pace.

Brazil: Trancoso

While Copacabana is an obvious Brazilian hotspot, the hill-top town of Trancoso in the southern part of Bahia state is a beachside beauty which has so far avoided the jostling crowds and tacky tourist attractions of the country's more publicised coastal strips. This tropical destination is surrounded by cocoa tree plantations; vegetation lines the coast, and the clear, warm waters and small waves lapping at the feet of this fishing town are perfect for swimming and snorkelling (though a less than ideal spot for surfers) and the pristine white beach is a regular spot for yoga and meditation.

Hammocks and chocolate

Although there are some boutique hotels offering holistic treatments, the genuine Trancoso vibe is about pitching up a hammock (buy one on the beach), and soaking up this town's relaxed spirit while gently rocking yourself off for a snooze. For trinkets and handmade gifts, head to main square Quadrado Historico, but do look out for ‘Peixe Frito' or ‘Fried Fish', a friendly chocolate seller called Lincoln who can be found plying his delicious, locally made wares on the beach. Trancoso provides an excellent base from which to explore other places such as Praia do Espelho, considered the most beautiful beach in Bahia; Caraíva, a native Indian village hidden in a nature reserve, and only accessible by canoe; or Itacaré for those in need of a surf fix.

Chile: Valparaíso and Viña del Mar

From fishing coves to the crazy cable cars whisking you up the steeply inclined 100m (328ft) hill to reach town, Valparaíso blends quaint painted houses with its busy fishing port, as well as narrow passages and European mansions. Hills provide a pretty backdrop to the cobbled alleyways and sandy architecture of this attractive town - a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2003 - and the harbour is a lovely bird watching spot.

Powerful surf and pristine parks

North of Valparaíso, Viña del Mar is a true Pacific beach experience: the waters are cool and the surf powerful enough to often warrant a red flag, so let loose your inner child, and splash around in the shallows before returning to the tufty dense sands which resemble static curling waves. Known as the Garden City, Viña del Mar is located 120km (75 miles) west of capital city Santiago, and boasts villas, three castles, pristine parks and hosts the International Song Festival every February. For more basking in the sun and frolicking in the sand, wind you way back down the coast to secluded Reñaca, an hour south of Viña del Mar, where you can certainly claim the beach as your own for the day.

Insider tip: Although January and February indicate high season across the region, prices do drop substantially in November and March, as do visitor numbers, guaranteeing more sand for your pound.

Author: Sorrel Moseley-Williams

Egypt holidays: Diving in Sharm el-Sheikh

Escape Britain’s cold snap and take the plunge in the Red Sea on a diving holiday. It’s guaranteed to have you hooked, as Heidi Fuller-love discovers.

As the closest tropical waters to Europe, the Red Sea is a mecca for those seeking a diving holiday. Fed by the Indian Ocean and hemmed in by the Sahara desert, Ras Mohammed National Park accessible from Sharm el-Sheikh boasts some of the world's best dive sites.

Consider the stats and you can see why. Created in 1983, this vast marine reserve teems with more than 1,200 species of fish, as well as turtles, manta rays and sharks. This is partially due to the fact the Red Sea is fringed by 2,000km (1,240 miles) of coral reefs.

With water temperatures rarely sliding below 20°C (68°F) and plenty of value-for-money hotel packages available, Sharm el-Sheikh offers a fantastic, affordable, year-round dive destination.

Choose a learn-to-dive course

Recently commended by judges in Virgin Holidays' prestigious Responsible Tourism Awards, I headed for the Camel Dive Club in the buzzing Sharm el-Sheikh resort of Na'ama Bay, one of the Red Sea's best established diving centres.

Checking into the club's 48-room hotel, I discovered a lobby cluttered with gas bottles and diving masks. The following morning when I flung open the double doors of my room, I was greeted by the sight of learner divers flopping around in the club's specially designed pool.

Your first plunge

If you want to learn to dive, but still want time to explore the sights around Sharm el-Sheikh too, opt for a two-day learner course costing around €199 (£176).

Joining a group of five other students, our first lesson involved learning underwater sign language gestures and basic diving know-how before we headed for the pool.

Kitted out in skin-tight wetsuits, masks, fins and an unwieldy weight belt, we practised breathing through our regulators, then plunged into the water one by one and sank to the bottom.

It took a while to adapt to the bizarre sensation of seeing the world through several metres of water, but we soon felt confident enough to master the tricky art of emptying water from our masks, which can happen during a leakage, without returning to the surface.

Next we practised controlling our diving buoyancy. Lying on the bottom of pool face downwards, we slowly added air to our BCDs (Buoyancy Control Devices) until we began to float.

Gathering up our gear, we set out for Na'ama Bay, a 2km (1.2-mile) stretch of beach strewn with suntanned bodies, where a special area penned off for novice divers proved ideal for practising the skills we had learnt in the swimming pool.

On the final day, a boat puttered us out to a dive site called Near Garden for our first real experience of the deep blue. The spectacular explosion of colour beneath the waves as we dived down to a maximum depth of 12m (39ft) was dazzling.

Surrounded by shoals of striped anemone fish, we watched bulging-eyed puffer fish fossicking amongst vividly coloured corals, whilst blue-spotted stingrays stirred up sand on the seabed far below.

At first it was difficult not to panic at the sight of shadowy, shark-like forms shifting in the deeper gloom ahead of us, but we soon got used to being the smaller fish in this very big pond. It was eye-boggling. By the time I returned to the surface, I was hooked.

In and around Sharm el-Sheikh

Sharm el-Sheikh might be a diver's mecca, but there's plenty to do and see above water too.

Thrill-seekers can enjoy a 4-wheel drive tour though Lawrence of Arabia scenery to visit St Catherine's, a stunning 6th-century cliff-top monastery, where it is believed God dictated his Ten Commandments to Moses.

Closer to home, the streets behind Na'ama Bay are a labyrinth of bazaars selling perfumed spices, chic clothes and cheap tat, which morph at sunset into open-air cafés where you can sit on cosy cushions puffing a shisha pipe, or drinking reasonably priced beer, wine or cocktails.

Stroll to the waterfront and you'll find dozens of smart restaurants serving everything from Russian to Thai cuisine. For a cheaper dining option, head inland to Abou El Sid, an inexpensive eatery above the Hard Rock Café where you can sample creamy spinach and chicken molokheya soup, lentils, rice and chickpeas koushari and other sumptuous Egyptian specialties.

If you're still looking for some action, make a beeline for King of Bahrain Street. Along this busy artery lined with trendy pubs and clubs, Pacha, where David Guetta, Sarah Main and other international celebrity DJs regularly come to spin their cutting-edge sounds, is definitely the pick-of-the-crop for late-night revellers.

For me, however, the best attractions lay under the sea. With natural wonders like the coral wall at Shark Reef and a graveyard of stricken wrecks like the Thistlegorm still waiting to be discovered, I know I'll be back for another diving holiday in the Red Sea next year.

Insider tip: There's plenty to freak out novice divers in the marine-rich waters off Sharm-El-Sheikh, but as as long as you don't touch anything, the danger is minimal.

Camel Dive Club, Sharm el-Sheikh
Website: www.cameldive.com
A half-day try-out diving session costs around €35 (£31).
A four-day Padi Open Water dive course costs €320 (£282).
A week's stay in a double/twin room at the Camel Hotel, plus three days guided diving, starts from €264 (£233) per person.

Sharm Excursions
Website: www.sharmexcursions.com
Price of a day-long tour to St Catherine's monastery and Dahab from £28.

Author: Heidi Fuller-love

Snowboarding in Whistler

Canada falls under the spotlight next month when it hosts the 2010 Winter Olympics. After learning to snowboard in the country a decade ago, Susie Henderson returns to Whistler Blackcomb to find out if she's still got the right moves.

A shaky start

I cautiously edged my snowboard a few more feet down the slope, scraping twigs and rocks exposed by the spring thaw. 'In the Spirit' was a steep gladed trail (where the trees had been thinned out a little) and had seemed the perfect challenge on the last day of my holiday in Whistler. After all, wasn't I supposed to be moving off the dreaded intermediate plateau?

The board's nose snagged yet another tree trunk, catapulting me head first. I looked left and right, wondering what had happened to the route. One skier had sashayed past me several minutes before, but this no longer looked like the official run. A stream was gushing to my left beneath the snow and I suspected I needed to be on the other side. How was I going to get out of this?

Returning to Whistler

Ten years previously I had spent a winter season in Whistler and learned to snowboard. My boyfriend (now husband) persuaded me to buy a cut-price sparkly tangerine board and I signed up for a lesson. That evening, I wondered if I would ever be able to move my stomach muscles again.

Several more lessons and 50 odd days of riding later however, I had reached a reasonable level of snowboarding and could confidently cover a good portion of the mountains. But then I found a 'proper' job in the UK and had to be thankful for a week's snowboarding each year. My progression halted.

Would a return to Whistler give me the push I needed to ride outside my comfort zone? Would I ever join the young guns in the terrain park or my husband (no young gun, though he'd like to think so) on the double black runs?

Challenging slopes

Whistler Blackcomb will certainly give even the most experienced skier or boarder a run for their money. The resort boasts two mountains, over 200 runs, five terrain parks, a whopping 3,307 hectares (8,171 acres) of terrain and 38 lifts. The newest, the Peak 2 Peak gondola, opened in December 2008 and straddles the valley between Whistler and Blackcomb, dangling at a terrifying (and record-breaking) 436m (1,427ft) above the ground at one point.

With an average annual snowfall of 10m (33ft), the resort is a good bet for powder. At the start of the 2009/10 season, Whistler received a record 560cm (220 inches) of white stuff in November alone, making for an epic snow base.

Refresher lessons

I decided a refresher lesson was the best course of action and joined a one-day summit ride session. Other options include private lessons, supergroup lessons (three students maximum) or two-day women-only Roxy All Star snowboard camps.

Whistler Blackcomb prides itself on its international staff and you're as likely to hear a 'G'day mate', as a 'Hey dude'. My snowboard instructor, Sig, hailed from the New Zealand resort of Turoa and was about to complete his second season in Whistler.

My classmates were made up of a retired Canadian who split his time between Vancouver and Whistler, three 30-somethings living in Dubai, but originally from South Africa and Scotland, a Cambridge chemistry lecturer and an electrical engineer from Derby. I'd picked up a few bad habits over the years and it was good to revise basic technique. 'Make the shape of a house with your legs,' Sig urged. 'No A-frames!' To encourage us to relax our limbs, he suggested we 'ride like Thunderbird puppets'.

Building confidence

Once we'd ironed out some niggles and begun to snowboard with a little more fluidity, he taught us to ride fakie (where you lead with the opposite foot from normal). I had previously tried this a few times on my own, but had never committed. Sig yelling instructions at me ('hump and dump' are the body positions to remember) gave me the impetus I needed to complete a few turns instead of giving up.

In the afternoon we tried out some hits (small jumps) at the side of the runs. Let's just say Shaun White isn't quaking in his boots after my performance.

Over the next few days, I practised and improved my technique, but despite my husband's best efforts, steered clear of steeps and terrain parks (even the Terrain Garden, which a three-year-old could cope with).

Back to the piste

Which takes me back to my final day on that black tree run. Alone. On the wrong side of the stream.

I made the error of taking off my board. Within seconds I was up to my thighs in snow and my right foot was jammed. 'Help!' I cried feebly. The adrenaline was pumping and I hacked the snow around my foot with the snowboard and strapped back in. I took a deep breath, bombed across the snow, directly over the stream and eventually found my way back to the piste.

Was this what escaping the intermediate plateau was all about?

The trouble with being a 30-something mum instead of a young gun is that I'm secretly quite happy playing it safe. Why would I want to subject myself to the terror of a cliff-like couloir when there's a perfectly good blue run to cruise?

Whistler's incredible mountains and top-notch teaching staff give you the chance to work on and improve your skills. If you want to take it to the next level, there's every opportunity to do so.

But if the intermediate plateau's your territory, join me on 'Cruiser'. I'll leave the 'Couloir Extreme' run to the experts.

* Read more about the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

Further information

Getting there: Air Canada and British Airways run direct flights from London Heathrow to Vancouver. Pacific Coach operates a coach from Vancouver Airport to Whistler.

Book a lesson: A one-day summit ride session with Whistler Blackcomb costs C$99 (£60).

Where to stay: The Delta Whistler Village Suites has both rooms and one- and two-bedroom suites.

Tourist information: Tourism Whistler or Tourism BC.

Author: Susie Henderson

India: Off the beaten track

With just 10 months to go before India hosts the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Emma Field escapes the country's well-trodden tourist hotspots to discover more about the nation’s favourite brew: tea.

Verdant Assam is to tea what Venice is to canals, Paris is to fashion and Colombia to cocaine. Assam is one of only two areas in the world with its own native tea bush and is the world's second-largest producer of tea. I chose to immerse myself in Assamese tea lore in Dibrugarh, which boasts the coveted title of Tea Capital of Assam as well as a new airport. It's a world away from India's popular tourist trails so don't expect to see many other foreigners during your stay. You can expect, however, to thoroughly impress your friends with your adventurous spirit and new-found knowledge.

Tea plantations

The British established the first Indian tea plantations in Assam over 150 years ago. It is an indescribably pleasant experience to wander through the tea plantations as the trees casts dappled shadows across the bushes, learning about the tea-making process as it's going on around you.

The tea pluckers, wearing broad, pointed straw hats, work two shifts a day, each plucking around 20kg of tea leaves which they carry in a bundle on their heads to the weighing machine. They pluck the tea bushes on a weekly rotation - if the young leaves are left any longer, the taste of the tea is affected.

From the tea plantation, the lesson in tea production proceeds to the factory where a roll call of machinery that wouldn't be out of place in Bertha rolls, sorts and grades the tea before it is sent off to auction. Well-known brands such as Lipton and Tetley then buy the stuff from different growers to blend the tea you and I know and love.

How to taste tea

Naturally, the only way to follow a tour of a tea plantation and factory is with a tea tasting. The manager of the tea estate personally conducts tea tasting sessions every day - he tests each batch produced in the factory, which means tasting tea up to four times a day.

He does it by adding 100ml of boiling water to three grams of tea. After covering and letting it brew for five minutes, he separate the leaves and pours the liquid into a large cup to cool. Observing the infusion (the brewed tea leaves) is critical: the brighter the leaves, the better the tea.

After adding two teaspoons of milk, he inspects the liquor (the tea itself) to ensure the colour is bright and golden. Finally, he tastes the tea by slurping it to allow the flavour to spread across his tongue. A good cup of tea is brisk, refreshing and smooth rather than flat.

Following his example, I tasted tea of different ages, comparing the various cups. The younger tea clearly tasted fresher and was livelier and brighter.

Where to stay

I stayed in Chowkidinghee Chang Bungalow, which, like all chang bungalows in Assam, was built raised on stilts to allow the colonial gent to mount his elephant with ease - no tiresome ladder or ungainly scrambling required. The height also made it harder for man-eating beasts to creep up on the bungalows' two-footed occupants.

Nowadays there's not much need for either protection from tigers or elephant riding, although Michael Palin did visit Chowkindinghee's sister bungalow, Mancotta, to see the plantations from the grand height of an elephant's back as he toured the area for his Himalaya TV series. The bungalow has been restored and inside, it eerily resembles a rustic English cottage with sofas, polished wooden floors and a fireplace, though with temperatures during my visit hitting 38ºC, I failed to see the appeal of a roaring log fire.

The view from the bungalow's delightful veranda tells a very different story. Instead of quaint English countryside, the bungalow is surrounded by a well-kept hedge that, by night, exotically flickers with fireflies and, beyond that, tea plantations.

Insider tip to Assam: The ultimate cup of tea is made from leaves plucked in May, June and July, at the height of the growing season.

* Indus Tours and Purvi Discovery offer a nine day, full board package from £82pp per night (based on two sharing), including a tea plantation tour and other activities.

Author: Emma Field

New World Heritage sites 2009

Most of us could name a few World Heritage sites across the globe, but each year UNESCO adds some lesser-known locations to a list of more famous names. Reputation isn’t everything though, so here's our pick of the highlights of 2009 new additions that are vying for your affection.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Philippines

Few diving destinations around the world can offer such a personal underwater experience as Tubbataha Reef. Situated off the coast of the Philippines in the Sulu Sea, the isolated reef was formed thousands of years ago when volcanic islands sunk into the ocean. The attached coral reefs weren't willing to go down without a fight and continued growing upwards towards the surface. Over time this resulted in the creation of a unique 100m (328ft) underwater coral wall and two coral islands that are home to over 100 species of bird and 500 different types of fish including manta rays, lionfish and clownfish.

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal, Wales

One of the major achievements of the Industrial Revolution, the design of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal in northeastern Wales was used as an inspirational template for similar projects all over the world. The elegance of the structure and the fact that the canal was built without the use of locks is even more impressive given the undulating nature of the landscape that surrounds it. All that engineering innovation, courtesy of pioneering designer Thomas Telford, certainly benefits anyone who visits today. Whether you cross by foot or by boat, you will be treated to breathtaking views of the River Dee valley from 38m (125ft) in the air.

The Dolomites, Italy

Although the Dolomites are hardly a well-kept secret, it's not surprising that the mountain range in northeastern Italy has been acknowledged as a site of global significance. The mountain range is a series of stunning visual contrasts, with pale faced limestone rock faces towering over a variety of different types of forests and meadows. In the spring and summer, take a walk in the Dolomites; watch the sun bounce off glassy lakes and go home with photos of picture-perfect villages or one of the 50 types of orchid found here. In the winter, enjoy some of the most thrilling ski runs on the continent.

The Wadden Sea, Germany/Netherlands

This 400km (248-mile) stretch of coast that covers both Germany and the Netherlands is a nature lover's paradise. As the largest unbroken system of mud and sands flats in the world, it has as unsurprising wealth of bird and marine wildlife. Around 12 million birds, such as the common shelduck and hen harrier, pass through the area throughout the year and the Wadden Sea is a stopping point for migratory journeys from across the globe. These transitory visitors join the more permanent residents, such as harbour and grey seal. Turn inland and vibrant green salt marshes await, or at low tide turn the other way to walk out to one of the nearby islands. Just watch out for the prawns and hermit crabs that are bound to be darting around your feet.

Cidade Velha, Cape Verde Islands

In the south of Santiago Island, the town of Cidade Velha is a testament to Europe's colonial impact on Africa during the slave trade. It was a major stopping point for slaves being transported to the Caribbean and Brazil, and those who disobeyed their masters were punished on the white marble whipping post located in the centre of the town. Potential invaders were faced with the daunting sight of Forte Real de São Filipe, built to see off a variety of pirates, as well as the French and English. Cidade Velha has had its fair share of illustrious visitors; Vasco de Gama and Christopher Columbus moored here on different journeys across the globe.

Mount Wutai, China

Peace and tranquillity is guaranteed for anyone who visits the last of our picks from the 2009 UNESCO World Heritage sites. One of the four sacred Buddhist Mountains in China, Mount Wutai and the 53 sacred monasteries found on its five terraces had a profound affect on the country's palace architecture for 1,000 years. Hundreds of statues line the site, each telling a different story, while the vertical forests that fall away from Mount Wutai spend much of the year topped with a dusting of snow. Designed to show the harmony between man and nature, it's easy to see why pilgrims still visit Mount Wutai today.

Author: Jonathan Moore

Alternative winter break in Chamonix

Snowshoeing under the stars, eating delicious fondue in a traditional wooden mountain chalet, paragliding above one of France's most famous ski resorts... A winter break doesn't have to be all about skiing. Discover alternative snow activities, with our guide to adventure holidays in Chamonix.

Chamonix ski resort

Set at the foot of the Mont Blanc, Western Europe's highest mountain, Chamonix is an exciting, bustling town surrounded by five ski resorts: Les Houches, Le Brévent, La Flégère, Grand Montets and Balme. With challenging slopes and plenty of après-ski options and alternative snow activities, Chamonix is a great winter sports destination for adrenaline-junkies of all ages.

Alternative ways to see Chamonix

Paragliding
Take the cable car to the summit of the 3,840m (12,600ft) Aiguille du Midi for spectacular panoramic views. Then on the way back, stop at its halfway point, the Plan de l'Aiguille (2,317m), to paraglide. The 20-minute flight costs around €90 (£80) but this unique experience - the closest one can get to flying like a bird - is well worth the price.

Hors-piste skiing
Chamonix offers some of the world's most challenging terrain, with sensational off-piste options for good skiers, such as the breathtaking 24km (15-mile) Vallée Blanche off-piste run from the top of the Aiguille du Midi and the magnificent off-piste options of Grands Montets. A full-day off-piste session with a ski expert costs around €115 (£102) or €75 (£67) if you join a small group. As for ski gear, you'll have no problem hiring it since the town and its ski resorts are inundated with ski hire businesses.

Snowshoeing
Try a traditional trapper evening: in pitch-black darkness, snowshoe to a mountain refuge for an unforgettable dinner and return by sledge. On a clear night, snowshoeing under the stars is just magical. It can be quite intense exercise but consider it as burning off all the calories you're about to gulp down with one of the best cheese fondues you could have at Les Vieilles Luges (www.lesvieillesluges.com).

Other fun snow activities
Try tobogganing, dog sledding, skijoering (being towed behind a pony on your skis) or ice climbing. In the centre of town, there's also a well-equipped sports complex which has an indoor ice rink and climbing wall.

Chamonix town: shops & après-ski

Chamonix is a charming, lively town with plenty of shops and après-ski bars and pubs to keep you busy. Along the main pedestrianised street, you'll find heaps of shops selling wooden handicraft, as well as regional products like chestnut liquor and saucisson (salami). For après-ski, try the cool Chambre 9, 272 avenue Michel Croz, great for food, drinks and live music. Le Mix Bar, 90 rue des Moulins, is a modern and funky new bar run by two DJ brothers known as The Hoax. For a quieter evening and a chic cocktail by the fireplace, head to The Clubhouse bar, 74 promenade des Sonnailles.

Chamonix hotels

WTG recommends...

Best Western Premier Le Morgane
Sleep at the foot of Mont Blanc in this attractive Savoyard-style hotel. Ideally located footsteps from the Aiguille du Midi cable car and Chamonix town centre, Le Morgane is an eco-friendly 4-star hotel that offers great-value themed packages (well-being, gourmet or ski addict options), from €110 for a double room. All the rooms have balconies with stunning mountain views. The hotel also boasts a spa and fantastic Michelin-starred restaurant. Make sure you try the seasonal cocktail at the bar - a delicious, original mix of champagne, orange juice, secret Christmas spices and vodka.

145 avenue de l'Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix Mont-Blanc
Tel: 0033 (0)4 5053 5715.
Website: www.morgane-hotel-chamonix.com

Getting there

Chamonix's nearest airport is Geneva International Airport, Switzerland. Located just 88km (55 miles) from the resort, you can get there in less than 1 hour 30 minutes by shuttle bus (running regularly throughout the day). New budget airline routes to Geneva also mean Chamonix is an achievable destination for a long weekend. Easyjet and British Airways both fly there for around £70 return (inc. taxes).

Insider tip to Chamonix

Chamonix's second Best Western hotel, Les Aiglons, 270 avenue de Courmayeur, has a great mountain spa, with sauna and Turkish bath cabins in the garden and an outdoor heated swimming pool, perfect for relaxing after a day of intense snow activities. Plus, you don't need to be a hotel guest to access the spa and it's only €25 (£22) for one day.

Useful Chamonix links

Chamonix's official website: www.chamonix.com
Evolution 2 (for all snow activities mentioned and off-piste): www.evolution2.com
Compagnie Des Guides (to hire guides): www.chamonix-guides.com

Author: Coralie Modschiedler

Top destinations 2010

With the New Year just a couple of weeks away, get your finger on next year's travel pulse with World Travel Guide's top destinations 2010. From lush Colombian greenery to the gleaming streets of Stockholm, here's a heads up on the places offering travellers the most over the next 12 months.

Colombia

Green mountains, vibrant culture and sun-soaked beaches: Colombia's delights are varied and plentiful. Once plagued by violence and avoided by all but the most hardy of travellers, this South American beauty is now as desirable a destination as its flamboyant Brazilian neighbour. In particular, capital city Bogotá is reaping the rewards of widespread rejuvenation, with visitors enjoying a wealth of intriguing museums, great shopping and a thriving night scene. Outside the capital, hedonists rejoice in the dusk-til-dawn party hotspot Cali, while relaxing days tick slowly by amid the balmy temperatures of Medellín and the laid-back pleasures of coastal Cartagena.

Best time to go: Enjoy dry sunny days in December-March, and July-August.

India

The lively and colourful city of Delhi comes even more alive in 2010 when the Commonwealth Games come to town. India's frantic urban heart is hosting the sporting event from 3-14 October. Delhi is undergoing a series of improvements to prepare for the influx of visitors, including expansions to the metro system and airport, and a hearty push to teach basic English to as many in the hospitality and transport industries as possible. Away from the urban sprawl, this is a vast and diverse land, with tranquil beaches, parched deserts and fresh mountain retreats; for a contrast to Delhi's wonderful chaos, vanish for a spell of rejuvenation in Kerala or embark on one of the country's breathtaking train journeys.

Best time to go: Soak up the buzz of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in October.

New Zealand

New Zealand's crashing waves and emerald mountains are hardly newcomers to the world's travel scene, but with eco and adventure tourism set to continue rocketing in 2010, these windswept isles have taken on an even more prominent position among the world's most relevant outdoorsy destinations; for active holidays that take your breath away, New Zealand remains leader of the pack, boasting winter sports, glacier hiking, trekking, caving, bungee jumping and watersports. As well as catering for no-frills backpacking holidays, New Zealand has fully grasped that eco and adventure have penetrated the luxury market, and offers a range of luxurious green and adventure opportunities, from deluxe wilderness lodges to exclusive natural remedy spas.

Best time to go: For outdoor pursuits, November-April offers the best conditions, while June-August is high season for skiing.

Nepal

From the icy peaks of the Himalayas to the humid plains of Chitwan National Park, Nepal is well and truly open for business. Following an unsettled political period, this mountainous slice of Asia is ready to fully show off its numerous assets. Trekkers are flocking back to the Annapurna region and Everest Base Camp, paragliders can be seen sailing the skies over lakeside Pokara, and the country's national parks are filling with people eager to glimpse impressive wildlife such as the endangered one-horned Indian rhino and the Bengal tiger. Capital city Kathmandu vibrates with swarms of rickshaws, mopeds and wide-eyed travellers; head to frantic Thamel for rooftop bars, lively backpacker hostels, and endless streams of shops stuffed with colourful souvenirs.

Best time to go: See the striking Himalayas at their most welcoming during October-November and March-April.

South Africa

When the sporting world's spotlight hits South Africa next summer, it will not only be shining on football's most famous tournament, but also on one of the most breathtaking landscapes on earth. Africa's southernmost tip is a powerful collage of vast savannas, thundering wildlife and tropical pockets. Cities pack an equally big punch, with cosmopolitan Cape Town promising to be electric during the build up to the 2010 World Cup. Also hosting games, Johannesburg, Durban, Bloemfontein, Port Elisabeth, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Rustenburg and Pretoria will be buzzing with holidaymakers, so join in the urban festivities before escaping the crowds and heading off for adventures in the wildernesses.

Best time to go: Catch World Cup fever in June and July.

Mozambique

As exotic as its name suggests, Mozambique is fast becoming one of Africa's prime destinations. This tropical strip is lapped by a gleaming stretch of Indian Ocean peppered with archipelagos, offering world class diving, snorkelling and fishing. A civil war lasting nearly 20 years once made Mozambique entirely inaccessible, but over the last decade it has steadily emerged onto the travelling map: for golden sands and turquoise waters, this is an idyllic destination. Mozambique has great transport links with neighbouring South Africa, so World Cup travellers can easily pop over the boarder; Mozambique's capital Maputo is only 171km (106 miles), and four hours by bus, from South African city Nelspruit.

Best time to go: Have a dose of golden beach-life from May-November.

Sweden

Sweden's stylish capital is leading the eco way over the next 12 months as the European Green Capital. Gleaming Stockholm is a mesh of 14 islands, slick architecture and fresh green spaces; the city's public transport system largely runs on renewable fuels and Stockholm releases a whacking 50% less green house gases than the national average. A network of pretty cycling routes provides visitors with plenty of eco-friendly sightseeing opportunities, and the addition of clean streets and polite (and extortionately good-looking) people make Stockholm a thoroughly pleasant stay. Once an appetite has been worked up by wandering the city's many art galleries, a platter of fresh seafood is never very far away.

Best time to go: Enjoy balmy temperatures and predominantly clear days from May-October.

Croatia

Following the mass hype a few years ago that touted Croatia as one of Europe's rising stars, the Balkan country is now well and truly established as a holiday destination for all ages. Beachside areas see continual waves of new restaurants and hotels, and increasing crowds of glitterati enjoy the crystal waters and remote beaches via their shiny yachts. For a cultural break, the walled city of Dubrovnik is found in Croatia's southernmost point and features stunning baroque architecture and cosy cafés. Dubrovnik Carnival in February is a great way to get a taster of traditional Croatian life, which includes an eclectic mix of musicians and even jousting. Croatia has also emerged as one of Europe's leading wine producers, with both coastal and inland wine regions to explore.

Best time to go: See Croatia's popular beaches at their best from May-September.

Turkey

2010 is Istanbul's year to shine. As one of the year's European Capitals of Culture (along with Pécs in Hungary and Essen in Germany), the Turkish city is gearing up for a flourish of exciting new cultural events, and mass promotion of the city's numerous established galleries, historic buildings and festivals. From the 1st Istanbul Literature Festival to Turkey's largest ever stadium concert by Irish rockers U2, the next 12 months will see Istanbul bursting with activity. Escape the bustle with a daytrip to nearby Princes' Islands: this is a car-free zone, so hop in a caleche (horse-drawn carriage) to enjoy the views. Outside the capital, Turkey has an abundance of attractive coastline - slip away to its Mediterranean shores for clean beaches and inviting seas.

Best time to go: Avoid the intense summer heat by visiting in April-May and September-October.

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is the glamorous United Arab Emirates' largest and richest component, and it is shimmying its way to the top of the luxury tourism ladder, eclipsing neighbouring Dubai. While Dubai's "biggest is best" mantra has become a bit passé, Abu Dhabi is established as the UAE's cultural, financial and political hub; the capital city is now in the midst of creating an impressive high-end cultural district on Saadiyat Island, whose rainbow of glossy attractions will include a vast Guggenheim Museum. A prominent expat community means English is widely spoken across Abu Dhabi, and, for those with a large enough wallet, a decadent lifestyle of golden champagne in glittering cocktail bar Cristal and no-expense-spared nights at the Emirates Palace awaits with open, well-dressed arms.

Best time to go: Visit in October-November and February-March to avoid the most stifling summer heat and the possibility of chilly December and January days.

Author: Ruth-Ellen Davis