With its unique mix of Creole culture and European cosmopolitanism, the French overseas territory of Martinique, and in particular its capital Fort-de-France, has just the right blend of tradition and sophistication. A fast-developing city boasting first-class shopping and dining as well as a bustling urban life. But the main draw to this Caribbean island remains its surrounding natural beauty made up of lush tropical rain forests, an active volcanic mountain, and picture-perfect beaches, which have captivated visitors for centuries.

Wyoming attracts those who need not the frills and thrills of traditional vacation hotspots or high-octane amusements. It attracts those who are drawn instinctively to areas of earthy subsistence, where the only apparent wealth is a wealth of nature and beauty. The town of Jackson Hole is a reflection of its greater state, having both an aesthetic appreciation of its wilderness, as well as a nod to a heritage of ranching and farming.

Shanghai is the shiniest gem in modern China’s jewel box. It’s a hip, contemporary city that’s charging into the future with all the energy of its famous Maglev train. Yet if you veer away from the sleek highways and glitzy shopping streets you can still stumble upon a more traditional Shanghai, with all its character and flavour. In the tiny back streets, wet-market vendors peddle their wares - buckets of bright green vegetables, fish flapping in shallow plastic bowls and heaps of crayfish crawling over each other.

Impressive architecture and hip restaurants meet a sunny Spanish climate and beautiful beaches. This has transformed Barcelona, in just a few decades, from a rough port city into one of Europe's — if not the world's — premier destinations. Stroll along La Rambla and Passeig de Gràcia, admire Gaudí's masterpieces, visit the colourful Market of La Boqueria, lose yourself in the Gothic Quarter, bask in the sun at Barceloneta beach, and discover some of the city's vibrant late-night haunts while you're at it.

Kerala’s first city, with its knotty official name of Thiruvananthapuram (often substituted by the shorter, more manageable Trivandrum), is an exhaustive introduction to southern India's urban and cultural life. Trivandrum tends to be unjustly overlooked en route to the state's beachside settlements, but easily warrants a few days of its own.