The book it list

What is it? Ever since the spectacular eruption of this tiny country’s volcanoes in 2010, Iceland has been firmly on the travel radar – and never more than this summer when adventurous travel is tipped to be a top holiday option for countless people.

What will I do? First stop should be the Gjabakkahellir lava caves near Reykjavík, where you’ll wander through this strange network of tunnels formed by eruptions more than 9,000 years ago. Next you’ll want to follow the Golden Circle, a 300km loop leading from Reykjavík to the Unesco-heritage-classed park of Þingvellir, via the magnificent Gullfoss waterfall and the geothermally active valley of Haukadalur. Alternatively, make a beeline for the Blue Lagoon, where you can bathe in dozens of health-giving sulphur springs, or wallow in the lagoon’s volcanically heated seawater.

Once you’ve dried off, head for Húsavik and hop on a boat that will motor you over to Skjálfandi to watch whales, or to Jökulsárlón, to admire icebergs. Last but not least, if you’re in Iceland from August to March you’ll want to look out for the Northern Lights, whose brilliant shimmer lights up Iceland’s skies from late summer until early spring.

Any food? Food in Iceland is an adventure in itself. Try local delicacies including harðfiskur (dried fish) and Hangikjöt (smoked lamb) in restaurants like Dill (dillrestaurant.is) or 3frakkar (3frakkar.com).

Where will I stay? On the striking Snaefellsnes peninsula an hour or so’s drive from Reykjavik, you should book a room at Hotel Budir (www.hotelbudir.is), a cosy boutique property surrounded by mountains and grazing Icelandic ponies.

Qatar Airways flies from Dubai to Keflavik International Airport in Reykjavik with stopovers at Doha as well as Stockholm, Oslo, London or Copenhagen. Dh3,525 return.

What is it? Exotic, brash and utterly mesmerising, with its bizarre themed restaurants, superb street eats and cool foodie venues, Taipei is known throughout Asia as a food lovers’ paradise.

What will I do? Although you’ll have food on the brain as soon as you arrive in this wired city, you won’t want to miss taking a tour of the 18th-century Longshan Temple, the National Palace Museum – home to one of the world’s finest collections of Chinese art – and other emblematic monuments.

Once you’ve discovered the city’s cultural delights, explore the Pingxi township with its stunning waterfalls and fascinating coal park, then take a tour of a tea plantation and learn how the local brew is produced.

Any food? Yes – oodles. A sapid blend of influences, from Chinese to Japanese, has blended to produce a mouth-watering array of food here, whether in sophisticated restaurants or on humble street stalls. Dine at the aeroplane themed A-380 in-flight kitchen, or take the family for a meal at pink-walled, kitty-themed Hello Kitty Kitchen, then head out on a food tour with gastro experts Taipei Eats (taipeieats.com) to sample everything from fried oyster omelettes to honey-drizzled cherry tomatoes.

Where will I stay? Hotel Royal Chiao Hsi (hotelroyal.com.tw/chiaohsi), a spa sanctuary with hot springs and a gourmet restaurant.

Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei for Dh7,295 return.

What is it? The first country to declare independence from the USSR in the Nineties, this eclectic nation fringed by the Baltic sea is an off-the-beaten-track gem.

Any food? Hearty and warming. Try Kibinai (mutton and onion pie), or Koldunai (small dumplings) at local restaurants like Zemaiciu Smukle (Vokieciu 24).

Where will I stay? The chalet-style hotel of Idw Esperanza (idwesperanzaresort.com), surrounded by lakes and forest.

Air France flies from Dubai to Vilnius Airport with connecting in Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris and Riga International Airport, Latvia, starting from Dh3,116 return.

What is it? With an island for every day of the year, gorgeous seascapes, exotic landscapes, world-renowned cultural sites and friendly locals, Greece is the perfect escape.

What will I do? Capital Athens, hailed as the birthplace of democracy, is a must visit, so spend a day touring the famous Acropolis and visiting its new museum, then linger in the picturesque lanes and historic markets of the adjacent Plaka area. Then visit Delphi, the sacred sanctuary of ancient Greek religion, and travel to the Peloponnese to admire the abandoned Byzantine village of Mystras. From here you can take a ferry or fly to Santorini, the stunning island famed for its black volcanic beaches and gourmet food.

From Santorini take a short ferry ride to Crete and explore untouched landscapes in unspoilt resort like Vai and the mountain villages of Armeni and Ziros.

Any food? Home of the healthy Med diet, good fresh food is abundant here. Try the vegetable Briam or grilled chicken kebabs in restaurants in the Plaka area. In Crete sample mezzes in taverns like Maria’s kafenion (Handras main square) and in Santorini sample local cuisine at award-winning restaurant 1800 (oia-1800.com) in Oia.

Stay where? In Athens head for the Grecotel Pallas Athena (grecotelpallasathena.com), a cosy city hotel with a gourmet restaurant. In Crete choose the Galaxy (galaxy-hotel.com), a modern hotel close to the centre of the island’s capital, Heraklion. On Santorini it has to be SunRocks (sunrocks.gr), a paradise carved into the caldera, whilst the Spirit of Life (thespiritoflife.co.uk) is a wonderful place to relax in the Peloponnese.

Emirates flies from Dubai to Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos Airport for about Dh2,835 return.

What is it? With the increasing stress of modern life, wellness travel – from anti-ageing Ayurveda treatments to yoga and bathing in hot springs – is becoming increasingly popular.

What will I do? The best place in India to try the country’s age-old Ayurveda treatments that cater to every fitness, health and beauty issue under the sun. Head to the world-renowned Kalari Kovilakom near Kollengode, where the natural anti-ageing treatment, the Rasayana Chikitsa, can give Botox a run for its money. Just 35 minutes away is the Kairali Ayurvedic Health Village in Palakkad, with some excellent yoga programmes and Ayurvedic treatments (www.kairali.com/default.aspx). For a spa twist to your Ayurvedic experience head to Somatheeram, the world’s first Ayurveda resort, in Thiruvananthapuram – be sure to try the carrot and tulsi facial. (www.somatheeram.in).

Any food? Whether vegan, vegetarian or raw food, all of the resorts above have a wide range of healthy meal options for guests.

Where will I stay? At one of the 30 villas at the self-contained Kairali Ayurvedic Health Village’s, and at eco-friendly cottages within Somatheeram’s lush gardens.

Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Thiruvananthapuram, from Dh2,000 return. To get to Palakkad, fly Air Arabia to Coimbatore, an hour-and-a-half drive away. From Dh1,600 return.

What is it? This gem of an island in the Caribbean is a tropical paradise for all the family, whether you love to relax in the sun or sample a plethora of exciting activities.

What will I do? If you can tear yourself away from the fine sand beaches and crystal-clear seas, visit the Bob Marley museum, located in the artist’s original recording studio, packed with mementoes of the great man of reggae. Still on the same theme take a tour on the Chukka Caribbean adventures Zion bus line (chukka.com) to discover the local countryside as you visit locations dedicated to Bob Marley, who would have been celebrating his 70th birthday this year. Families will want to head for Dolphin cove to swim with wild dolphins, or head out on a dark night to visit the Luminous Lagoon, a rare natural wonder that is lit up with phosphorous. Finally as a fun way to give back, why not enrol in the Sandals programme and spend an hour reading to local schoolchildren?

Where will I stay? For a quirky eco-friendly place to stay head for Seaweed Villa (seaweedvilla.com), a luxury hotel on Jamaica’s southern coast.

British Airways flies from Dubai to Kingston via London and Miami. Dh10,855 return.