Краткое описание: Jordan is an easy and highly enjoyable country to visit. The country is compact, travel times are short and transport is generally comfortable. Budget travel in Jordan is definitely doable but you’ll probably get the most from the country if you can spend a bit more, every now and again splashing out for a dive or guided hike, perhaps hiring a car for a few days or dining in a upscale restaurant. The great thing about Jordan is that you can really see a lot in a short period of time, or combine the country with the other great sights of the Middle East, from Jerusalem to Damascus, both just a few hours away by road.

Краткое описание: Apart from language difficulties, Japan is a very easy country in which to travel. It’s safe and clean and the public transport system is excellent. Best of all, everything you need (with the possible exception of large-sized clothes) is widely available. The only consideration is the cost: Japan can be expensive, although not nearly as expensive as you might fear. While prices have been soaring in other parts of the world, prices in Japan have barely changed in the last 10 years, and the yen is at its weakest level in 21 years according to some calculations.

Краткое описание: Of course, Jamaican vacations are as varied as the island itself, and there are numerous ways to visit. You can leave little to chance by booking a week in an all-inclusive resort, or you can leave everything to chance, traveling from town to town by route taxi, and choosing your lodgings and the next destination as you go along.

You can lead a carefree lifestyle at a secluded retreat, enjoy the stylish luxury of a boutique hotel or stay in a brightly painted, candlelit shack with no electricity and a refreshing outdoor cool-water shower.

Краткое описание: The land that gave us Roman efficiency and Renaissance aesthetics is one of the single greatest repositories of sensorial pleasures on the face of the earth. From art to food, from stunning and varied countryside to flamboyant fashion, Italy has it all.

The bel paese (beautiful country) also has its fair share of dark spots. Centuries of the stubborn individualism that long made such city-states as Florence, Milan and Venice great, went hand in hand with incessant internecine squabbling, division and chronic mutual distrust that ultimately left Italy in a mess.

Краткое описание: Istanbul is hot. And we’re not talking about the weather. These days, there are more happening restaurants, bars, galleries and clubs around town than there are exquisite Ottoman mosques (and that’s a lot).

The international fashion and design press have been talking up Istanbul ad nauseam, but the most significant thing about the accolade ‘World’s Hippest City’ is that Istanbullus themselves have come believe it. The creeping sense of decrepitude that had fallen like a pall over their once-all-powerful home town has vanished, replaced by a sense of energy and innovation not since the days of Suleyman the Magnificent.

Краткое описание: Travel in Israel and the Palestinian Territories is a two-sided coin. On the one hand, Israel itself is modern and westernised, with great public transport, infrastructure and plenty of English-speakers. It’s a small country, which makes travel times short and travel costs fairly inexpensive. But overall, prices tend to be high for the region - plan on spending as much as you would in most Western countries. Very little pre-trip planning is needed in terms of visas, tours or accommodation and you could literally fly there on a whim and organise as you go.

Краткое описание: Ireland is a complex, often contradictory country, and those contradictions are evident everywhere you go, from the thatched rural pub advertising wi-fi connection and imported Australian wines to the group of Polish-born schoolkids chatting away to each other in Irish. No sooner do you make an assumption about the place than something will confound you completely, leaving you none the wiser than before you began. But don’t worry, you’re in good company: most of the Irish are as confused about it as you are.

Краткое описание: Iran’s first organised settlements were established in Elam, the lowland region in what is now Khuzestan province, as far back as the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. Elam was close enough to Mesopotamia and the great Sumerian civilisation to feel its influence, and records suggest the two were regular opponents on the battlefield. The Elamites established their capital at Shush and derived their strength through a remarkably enlightened federal system of government that allowed the various states to exchange the natural resources unique to each region…

Краткое описание: Indonesia is big, cheap, rough and effortless. It’s everything to everyone, a choose-your-own-adventure travel destination. With little more than a passport, sunscreen and a day’s notice, urban-fatigue victims arrive dazed at Denpasar to recover in comfortable Balinese resorts. With a of planning and preparation, explorers can put packs to their backs and chart six-month rugged routes in which time, energy and a keen sense of adventure are the chief companions.

Краткое описание: With its mind-bending diversity - from snowcapped mountains to sun-washed beaches, crusty old bazaars to chichi designer boutiques, tranquil temples to feisty festivals, ramshackle rural villages to techno-savvy urban hubs - it’s hardly surprising that India has been dubbed the planet’s most multidimensional country.

The subcontinent is home to more than a billion people, and its eclectic melange of ethnic groups translates into an intoxicating cultural cocktail for the traveller. For those on a spiritual quest, India has oodles of sacrosanct sites and stirring philosophies, while history buffs will discover gems from the past almost everywhere - from grand vestiges of the British Raj peering over frenetic city streets, to battle-scarred forts rising from forlorn country fields.