There are many places around the world that attempt to lure the traveller with pictures of white sands, blue skies, palm trees and clear waters. The Maldives is one of the few that not only delivers on this promise from the moment you step out of the plane, but keeps on delivering every day.
This tiny country in the middle of the Indian Ocean to the south-west of India is made up of 1200 tiny coral islands. With the highest point above sea level being around 2M, the Robinson Crusoe life style is everywhere you look.
The main income for the country is tourism and many of the islands boast resorts catering to every type of traveller from backpackers to the rich and famous.
Having said that though, the government is very aware of the fragile nature of the environment they live in and tightly control the impact of tourists on both the local environment and population.
A range of jagged mountains thrusting into the splendid desolation of the southern Atlantic, the Cape Peninsula is one of the world's most beautiful places.
Pristine beaches, sheltered bays and secluded coves encircle the majestic might of Table Mountain, a World Heritage Site and home to some 8,500 species of flower.
Between the mountain's looming crags and Table Bay's deep blue sweep lies South Africa's Mother City and the cosmopolitan hub of the Western Cape Province - Cape Town.
The best way to revel in the Peninsula's unrivalled beauty is to travel to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve along one of two coastal drives, each dramatically different.
To the west, the famous Chapman's Peak route traverses Sea Point's cosmopolitan seaboard and the natural beauty of Clifton's famed beaches, leading one from the quiet rusticity of Hout Bay over the awe-inspring, cliff-hugging Chapman's Peak Drive to the endless, white expanse of Noordhoek's Long Beach.
The famous Argus Bicycle Race takes place on this spectacular road.
‘Jo’burg’, the capital of the region Gauteng, is a fascinating city with a modern centre, combining its ways with the older surroundings.
It is a very modern city with excellent shopping by any standards, but being a financial centre it does not hold as many attractions for tourists as other cities like Cape Town.
Sights in Johannesburg include the new Museum Africa which offers an honest and self-critical look at the nation’s sometimes troubled past and the Market Theater Complex which houses theaters and a Saturday flea market.
History buffs will be interested in the Smuts Library at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) where South African statesman Jan Smuts’ book collection is preserved. The university’s Gubbins Library has an extensive collection of books on Africa.
The Apartheid museum, next to Gold Reef City theme-park, is a fantastic architectural piece and a moving yet informative means of learning about Apartheid and the recent political history of South Africa.
Malawi, "the warm heart of Africa" is a small country with a diverse eco-systems, beautiful scenery, a variety of wildlife and an interesting culture.
Geographically the country is dominated by Lake Malawi, the third largest freshwater lake in Africa, a trough 360 miles long and 50 miles wide formed where the western arm of the Great Rift Valley cuts into southern Africa.
Major cities are the capital Lilongwe and the commercial center Blantyre. Most tourists head for Lake Malawi with its crystal clear waters surrounded by mountains has one of the greatest selections of freshwater fish in the world (between 600 and 1,000 species of which 350 are endemic).
Scuba and snorkeling are excellent, there are good sandy beaches and many activities including water sports, nature walks and drives and visits to local villages.
Vietnam is in South-East Asia. The name of the country has become almost a synonym of the Vietnam War. For Vietnamese, it is called the American War. The history of the country goes back a lot further than 'the war that wasn't won', as the Americans euphemistically call it.
Vietnam is actually a country with a long history and ancient traditions. It has many historic sights and old temples.
Vietnam covers an area of 330.363 sq. km making it about as big as Italy or New Mexico.
Vietnam has a 3400 kilometre coastline and mountainous terrain covers 75% of the country. There are two huge and fertile river deltas where most of the population live, the Red River in the North and the Mekong River in the south.
The mountainous north and central regions are relatively sparsely population. Vietnam shares land borders with Cambodia 609 miles (982 km), China 794 miles (1,281 km) and Laos 964 miles (1,555 km).