In Pokolbin, wine lovers can drink in the beauty of the Lower Hunter Valley, one of the most important wine regions in Australia. Sip your way through a guided vineyard tour as you sample the best reds, whites and bubblies that New South Wales has to offer. The lush vineyard landscapes are breathtaking, setting the mood for a romantic getaway.

In this nation of tiny islands and indigenous villages, Port Vila is the exception: a bustling port town with hotels, restaurants and markets to delight visitors and cruise ship passengers. The 150-foot-high Mele Cascades waterfall is the ideal place to refresh yourself in the South Pacific heat. For a glimpse of real Vanuatu culture and traditions, travelers say a trip to Ekasup Village is a must.

The pink sands of Champagne Beach spill into warm waters filled with wrecks and reefs begging to be explored by Espiritu Santo holiday-makers. Rinse off with a dip in one of the island’s many freshwater blue holes. Trek over a bamboo bridge to visit the bats and swallows of Millennium Cave, who nap among spectacular rock formations. Divers can wave hello to “The Lady,” one of the many intact artifacts of the wreck of the SS President Coolidge.

Bali is a living postcard, an Indonesian paradise that feels like a fantasy. Soak up the sun on a stretch of fine white sand, or commune with the tropical creatures as you dive along coral ridges or the colorful wreck of a WWII war ship. On shore, the lush jungle shelters stone temples and mischievous monkeys. The “artistic capital” of Ubud is the perfect place to see a cultural dance performance, take a batik or silver-smithing workshop, or invigorate your mind and body in a yoga class.

Commerce keeps Nagoya’s downtown popping with life, but there’s more than just manufacturing to this industrial powerhouse. Nagoyans meet for plates of crisp-friend miso katsu; make weekend trips to nearby Shinto shrines; and count down the days to the city’s autumn Nagoya Festival.

Just three hours from Bangkok, Ko Samet is a favorite weekend beach getaway for expats and locals alike. However, most tourists head further south for their island breaks. Most of the island is protected as part of Khao Laem Ya – Mu Ko Samet National Park, making it clean and relatively unspoiled. The island offers a variety of resorts, from the quiet and family-orientated to those catering to the party-till-dawn crowd.