Security is of concern at present and trips to the Khyber Pass are best left for a better time (check official safety advice at your planned time of travel), but do seize the opportunity when the opportunity comes. The pass has long been a gateway to South Asia (part of the ancient Silk Route), travelled by merchants, explorers and conquerors, the likes of Alexander the Great and Mughals, a channel that now connects Pakistan to the troubled Afghan territories via Torkham. Michni Checkpoint is as far as most visitors can count on getting.

A walk through the dragon-adorned Pagoda Gates leads visitors into the colorful and exciting area of San Francisco known as Chinatown. It is tightly packed with exotic shops, ethnic food markets, and excellent restaurants. In February each year, the Chinese New Year is celebrated here with parades and dancing dragons. Chinatown in San Francisco is the biggest chinatown outside Asia. Always a good choice for a quick and budget-friendly meal, especially of you're craving dim sum.

After its opening in 1898, the Ferry Building became the transportation focal point. At its peak, as many as 50,000 people a day commuted by ferry. An elegant two-story public area with repeating interior arches and overhead skylights, the Ferry Building is a great place to be whether you're looking to dine, shop for fresh and local produce, or just look around. You'll find lots of delicious seafood restaurants along the back of the building where you can overlook the harbor. Don't miss Hog Island Oysters and Gott's Roadside. The farmers market takes place every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 10am to 2pm. As a city committed to environmental sustainability, every vendor here has adopted a sustainable mission, and therefore, sells mostly organic products. Speaking of eco-friendly practices, the Ferry Building has been working closely with the transit authority to support the revitalization of the waterfront and the wildlife that resides in the bay.

The Casablanca wine valley is one of the area's newest wine regions, located about an hour outside of Santiago. Because of the ocean breezes from the Pacific, Casablanca became the first cool-climate wine producing region of Chile. Since the 1990s, the wines of this region have been distinguished by wine connoisseurs on merit of their aroma and flavor. Various wine tasting tours will acquaint you with the wines of the Casablanca region and, in addition to wine tasting, will give you insight into the production process. Depending on the organizer, tours cover anywhere between several hours and the entire day and include a wine tasting, lunch or dinner and transportation.