The Beitou area of Taipei is renowned for its high concentration of thermal spa centres. There are establishments to fit any budget, from the low-priced open-air Public Hot Spring (modest swimwear required) to private hotels and resorts uphill, all offering hot spring baths at various price points. One option most resorts offer is renting a private room with a large bath that can be filled with hot spring water. The Spring City Resort in Beitou is a great mid-range option. A session here includes access to about a dozen thermal pools of varying water temperature (from seemingly boiling-hot to rather chilly), plus robe, towel, and slipper rental. They even offer a free shuttle bus to the metro station. For a luxurious spa treatment, look into the offerings of Hotel Regent Taipei, for example. Wellspring Spa offers a wide range of relaxing treatments including massages, body wraps, skin polishing and facials. Take the elevator to the top floor and unwind at this urban sanctuary.

The natural landscape of the stone forest is a spectacular limestone formation, which has been named a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. Exposed to rain and winds and eroded by the elements, the limestone ranges were shaped by time into a vast forest of stone. The karst formations are believed to be 270 million years old and are located just under 100 km away from Kunming.

Daguan Park is set to the west of Kunming, with Dianchi Lake close by. Its pavilion, with a history of more than 300 years, is a three-storey square structure with flying eaves and golden lacquered ornaments. A historic couplet of 180 characters hangs down the pavilion, lauded as "number one couplet in the past and present". In winter, the Siberian sea gulls stop by on their migratory flights.

The capital of Saint-Martin has rows of patisseries and smart bistros that sit side by side with luxury fashion houses and colonial architecture. Take a stroll on Rue de la République with its 19th-century traditional facades and visit one of the many historical buildings like Marigot Church, the Old Prison or Durat Bridge.