Destination recommendation: Lisbon, Portugal

Forget the platitudes about “finding yourself” – outside of everyday life, you might discover you’re someone else entirely. Ideal for a lone jaunt, Lisbon is one of the safest, most stunning European capitals and is pleasantly laid-back. No-one looks askance at a singular diner enjoying swordfish at the marble counter of hotspot Canalha and locals are unfazed by a singleton listening to fado music at eatery Mesa de Frades.

The vibe at new hotel Independente Bica is spot-on for making connections. In a circa-1800s building on lively Rua de São Paulo in the city centre, the rooms are compact-yet-clever and there’s a combined lobby and Japanese/Portuguese bar Bica San that draws a diverse crowd.

Overindulgence in pastéis de nata (Manteigaria’s Portuguese tarts top the list) is offset by navigating Lisbon’s seven hills on foot. Get lost in the cobbled lanes, blue-tiled palaces and sunny plazas of Alfama, hike to the lookout at Jardim do Torel and visit hip precinct LxFactory for locally made wares.

Destination recommendation: Vietnam

Contemplating travel with your mum and dad may trigger memories of family road trips (“I’ll turn this car around!”) and your eye-rolling teenage self, as well as raise the question of how you accommodate different physical abilities, interests and expectations. The former is up to you but the itinerary of Vietnam: A Family Adventure from Abercrombie & Kent will take care of the rest, ticking the boxes for kids, parents and grandparents.

The delight of the route from historic Hanoi to buzzy Ho Chi Minh City is in the range of experiences that it offers. Over 15 days, you’ll see thousand-year-old temples, float in the Tanqueray-green waters of Lan Ha Bay (above) and roam lush rice paddies in Mai Châu. There are plenty of optional activities, too. If trekking through the jungle in search of the elaborately whiskered red-shanked douc langur isn’t feasible, visit a market to munch bánh mì and take a Vietnamese cooking class instead. Accommodation is superb, from the stately 124-year-old Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi to the Azerai La Residence hotel, built around a 1930s villa on the Perfume River in Hue.

Destination recommendation: Wilpena Pound, Australia

As our cities spread out, stargazing is no longer as simple as looking up at the night sky. But across the immense Australian wilderness, the twinkly smudge of the Milky Way remains visible, glittering away amid the millions of stars, constellations, galaxies, planets and other celestial bodies.

Few skies after dark come inkier than those over Wilpena Pound, a jagged amphitheatre of 800-million-year-old mountains located some 450 kilometres from Adelaide in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. The Pound covers eight times the area of Uluru, rising as high as 1171 metres at St Mary Peak (Ngarri Mudlanha) before tumbling into rugged gorges.

Book a solar-powered Ikara glamping safari tent at Wilpena Pound Resort, the only campsite inside the national park, where the sky is clear and the stars bright. The time it takes for light from space to reach Earth means that when we gaze at the heavens, we’re looking back in time. Another reason to feel starstruck.

Destination recommendation: Provence, France

Who hasn’t dreamed of veering off their career path and moving to the rhythms of a simpler life? Inspiration is everywhere in France’s sunny south. Author Peter Mayle’s warm and witty ode, A Year in Provence, struck a chord with many, while the region’s languid pace, distinct seasons and superlative cuisine has also drawn food writers such as Elizabeth David and Julia Child.

During a language immersion homestay (connect with a host at lingoo.com), you’ll practise la langue française in charming squares, promenade along the Cours Mirabeau and fill baskets at produce markets. Teachers like Brigitte Miramont of Live and Learn en Provence operate independently; her program includes excursions and a stay at her country villa in Ceyreste, under an hour from Marseilles by car.

With time and an open mind, mysterious local customs become knowable, from the appropriate number of cheek kisses to why a glass of pastis and bowl of salted pistachios is the only acceptable aperitif. In the words of another legendary author and one-time resident of Provence, M.F.K. Fisher, in The Art of Eating: “When shall we live, if not now?”

Destination recommendation: Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

You don’t need Bear Grylls-style survival skills to embark on a multi-day walk. An Ultimate Hikes guided three-day, two-night tramp along the 32-kilometre Routeburn Track through New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park in Doubtful Sound provides you with both remarkable scenery and a real sense of achievement.

As the saying goes, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear.” Luckily, logistics on this trip are the domain of the experienced guides. The freedom of focusing on a single task – to walk – allows your mind to wander, unimpeded by devices, chores and work.

The trek requires a reasonable level of fitness as some uneven ascents, even steeper descents and slippery rocks may call for scrambling but it’s all manageable against a distractingly beautiful backdrop of native forest, rivers winding through ravines and panoramic views to the Tasman Sea.

Thankfully, a hot drink is never far away and you’ll compare notes with your fellow hikers over three-course meals at comfortable lodges before flopping into a cosy bed.

Destination recommendation: The Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Those who are compelled to circumnavigate Iceland or venture into Antarctica don’t tend to stick to the sidelines. Signing up for a National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions cruise allows an intrepid traveller to become a citizen scientist working alongside Nat Geo marine biologists, examining ancient sites with archaeologists or pursuing a range of other creative endeavours.

On the eight-day Galápagos Escape aboard small luxury ship National Geographic Islander II, which has 26 cabins and a 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio, photographer Jennifer Davidson will be expert-in-residence on the 14 August 2025 voyage. She liaises with the crew to ensure the best photo-taking moments, capturing the striking scenery and prolific wildlife, such as Galápagos fur seals, giant tortoises, marine iguanas and pink flamingos. And you don’t have to be a professional snapper to join her. Whether you’re shooting on a smartphone or a high-end DSLR, she’ll offer advice, editing help and in-depth presentations. Step into the pages of National Geographic and develop your own story.

100 Australian Bucket-list Travel Experiences