New Delhi is a thoroughly inscrutable onion of a city: every layer you peel off reveals an even deeper layer of history. Rebuilt eight times by its many conquerors, it has been the seat of the Hindu, Muslim, and British empires. All of them have left their mark on the architecture, customs, food and people of this relentless city; all are undergoing a transformation in the capital of modern India.

Moscow is a city of contrasts where the bohemian and the glamorous merge in an idiosyncratic fusion – do not be surprised to find a golden-domed 16th-century church next to an ultra-modern glass skyscraper or a Soviet blockhouse. Here, salty fish eggs (caviar) are washed down with bubbly champagne, and worn-out commuters travel by the elaborately decorated, elegant metro, one of the city's main attractions.

Although it is Malaysia’s smallest state, Penang Island (Pulau Pinang) is one of Asia’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan destinations, reflecting the influences of half a dozen cultures. Located off the west coast of the Malaysian peninsula and connected by road bridges, the island is the birthplace of tourism in Malaysia. Come for great beaches, a mellow climate, and a colourful collection of attractions, many claiming to be the largest, tallest, longest, or oldest of their kind.

Vibrant, ever-changing, multi-faceted Johannesburg flings contrast at you from every angle. Trees line streets where houses hide their manicured gardens and pristine blue swimming pools behind high white walls, miles of shacks tell of the effects of the apartheid years — still to be overcome. The air of Africa’s most dynamic city vibrates with music and buzzes with business while its stylish restaurants, elegant shops, art galleries, and theatres delight the international visitor.

Sun-drenched beaches sit next to the desert wilderness in Aruba, one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean. With warm and sunny weather all year round, the island seems frozen in a timeless holiday atmosphere, with turquoise ocean waters washing over the soft warm sand. Nightlife bursts with Latin music and exotic sounds, and exciting shopping and dining await at every corner. Stronger waves break against the eastern coast, deserted and swept over by wind — exploring it will lead the most adventurous visitors to spectacular vistas.