Looking at the map, the Korean peninsula - divided into two republics with varying ideas about democracy - sticks out like North Asia’s sore thumb. Too tempting to ignore, it has endured a long history of invasions and occupations, and it is of little surprise that Korea became introverted and insular, shunning the outside world. A century ago the West referred to Korea as “the Hermit Kingdom”, but Koreans have learned that the world just will not have it that way.

In the 20th century, Korean streets echoed to a variety of military boots - including Japanese, Chinese and American. The Korean War tore through the nation after the surrender of the Japanese at the end of World War II, and came to symbolise the world’s political struggle of the age. Other nations leapt into the ideological battleground, the devastating war ended in stalemate and the nation broke in two following armistice in 1953. For the past half-century Korea has been split between North and South.

Today the communist North remains very much the international hermit and is jammed in a political time warp. Strident Stalinist statues boldly salute the continuing Cold War. As the world’s most heavily fortified and sensitive border, the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separates the two Koreas. Thousands of troops are poised either side of the buffer that is roughly four kilometres wide.

South Korea is a total contrast to its northern neighbour, and has diversified into a modern industrialised powerhouse. South of industry, yet untouched countryside remains in many parts. South Korea enjoys a temperate climate with four seasons, the best times to go being the autumn and the spring. In autumn the countryside breaks into vivid reds and golds, and spring is popular for the gentle tree blossoms. Sticky summer sees the country pummelled by typhoons and winter is for the most part extremely cold.

The country is by no means overrun by mass tourism. A high proportion of visitors are on short breaks from Japan and China, although the strong US influence sees quite a few Americans shuttling through on business. There is less to see and do when compared with some other countries in Asia, a legacy perhaps of war, pillage and economic boom. The modem capital Seoul is a sprawling - but not unpleasant -metropolis rather bereft of authentic cultural attractions. It offers some temples and palaces, though mostly reconstructed rather than restored. But one unforgettable highlight is the surreal tour to the DMZ. Weird but engaging attractions here include exploring invasion tunnels and peering at mysterious North Korea through the observation point’s telescopes.

Seoul’s shopping is also extensive, with comparatively low prices attracting waves of Japanese shoppers. Restaurants cater mainly for the Asian palate. A visit to Korea is certainly not complete without munching on some kimchi - salted and spiced cabbage. It does not look exciting but one of the first questions Koreans will ask you is if you have tried it.

In the south, a short way from the port city of Busan lies the unusual ancient site of Gyeongju, a delightful historic area spanning across the plains and hills. Gyeongju is dotted with tombs and cultural artefacts and was luckily spared destruction during all of the invasions of the past millennium. South Korea also has some beautiful natural scenery -wonderful sweeping mountains for hikers, good golf courses, plus several acceptable ski resorts, an to the south the tourist beaches in Jeju Island.

Visitors tend to find hotels to big and glitzy but well maintained. Some of the newer ones are as good as any in Asia. Koreans are wonderful hosts, being welcoming and friendly, and the vast majority of hotels convey this, although English can be a problem away from the top ones.

Unfortunately, since Seoul home to a quarter of the population, property prices have shot up higher than a North Korean missile and hotels are stiffly priced, and this seems to have set the benchmark for the rest of the country.

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What is the quintessential Japanese hotel? One of the gargantuan world-class five-stars that dot Tokyo and other major cities, a traditional ryokan with sliding paper doors, futons and tatami mats, or one of the multi-themed, psychedelic love shacks that get rented out by the hour? Japan’s gallimaufry of accommodation provides some clue to the national character.

It is a country of extremes and contradictions, one that is as entranced as much by the art of bonsai as by Hello Kitty, as entertained by Disneyland as it is by Noh plays, one that can celebrate the marine beauty of Matsushima Bay (officially dubbed one of the “Three Great Sights” of Japan) while allowing a power station to be built right next to it.

Japan, formerly known for an economic vigour that spread its cars, stereos and computers around the world, now faces a variety of problems ranging from deflation to bad-debt burdens. How it tackles these will greatly shape its role both in Asia - where it remains the most successful industrial economy - and the rest of the world. Japan is made up of some 1,000 islands, strung out in a 3,000-kilometre chain from the icy border with Russia to the tropical climes of Okinawa.

The Shinkansen, or Bullet Train, system is one of the miracles of Japan, linking much of the country at speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour and making punctuality a rule rather than an exception. Quite apart from anything else, the Shinkansen means that visitors can take in an enormous amount of Japan in the matter of a few days.

Tokyo remains one of the most vibrant cities in Asia, contrasting starkly with Kyoto, whose temples, shrines and gardens mark the cultural heart of Japan. Many venture no further than these two centres, but further west the drab town of Himeji is ‘crowned by a five-century-old castle that is one of a handful in the country to have survived in its original (non-concrete) form. Little remained of Hiroshima after the first atomic bomb was detonated there in 1945, and its Peace Park stands in mute testament to the horrors of war and the folly of militarism.

From the sublime to the ridiculous: theme parks abound in Japan, celebrating all manner of icons from Disney to the more recondite cartoon characters. Away from the cities, there are excellent opportunities for hiking in the mountains, especially in Daisetsuzan National Park on Hokkaido, and the skiing is good even if it is almost as exorbitantly priced the golf. Down south, there are jungle walks, river kayaking and scuba diving on the remote island of Iriomote Jima.

Japan’s geological make-up has both a good and a bad side - the ever present danger of earthquake, but also myriad onsen, or hot springs, where you can immerse yourself and rejuvenate after a tiring day.

Hotels in Japan tend to be pricier than in the rest of Asia, in some cases with some reason, but many mid-range hotels are run down with shabby service and facilities. But there is an enormous range of choice, from the infamous “capsule” hotels to glittering properties like the Grand and Park Hyatts in Tokyo, which are soon to be joined by other internatonal chains like Ritz Carlton and Mandarin Oriental. In between there is the charm of ryokan and the rather less traditional minshuku, which are more like bed and breakfasts, while the “hoteru abec” of Love Hotel Hill in Tokyo’s Shibuya district are definitely worth a gander, even if you are not in the mood!

Less worldly Japanese sometimes tell visitors at length and with great pride that their country experiences four seasons, and they are indeed quite distinct. Spring (March to May) brings clear skies and cherry blossoms, summer can be sweatily uncomfortable, autumn leaves between September and November turn rural Japan into its most picturesque, while the winter months can be distinctly cold, especially in the northern islands. But 20 degrees south, at the other end of the archipelago, even December is reasonably balmy.

New Year and Golden Week (April 27 to may 6) are best avoided by visitors as much of Japan is on the move at these times, filling hotels, trains and planes to the max. Other festivals - such as Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri parade of exotic floats every July, or the slightly later O Bon when lanterns are floated on water and rivers all over the country - are well worth seeing.

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India is one of the ultimate travel experiences. No other country possesses the diversity and depth of this mesmerising land. The engrossing culture is stunningly exotic and rich. The land varies wildly, from sweltering tropics to the unforgiving icy extremes of the mighty Himalaya. And the turbulent wake of ethnic variation, eventful history and political strife has led to an equally disparate people, filling every possible niche of human existence. India overflows with beauty and toil.

The sights, sounds, smells and tastes will push your senses to their very limits.
India as we know it was bom of the legacy of British colonial rule. Formerly a patchwork of feuding princely states, the subcontinent became the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. The independence movement led by world-shaker Mahatma Gandhi sounded the death knell for European colonialism around the globe, and the partition that accompanied the forced British withdrawal still drags on today.

The largest democracy on the planet is barely holding together a most complicated nation, and the traditional caste system, although formally outlawed, has ingrained itself in the social strata. The miniscule elite’s vast wealth is contradicted by overwhelming poverty. Age-old religious tensions are fuelled by fundamentalism and irresponsible elements in the political arena.

Although immensely rewarding, travelling around India is hard-going. The nation grapples with widespread illiteracy, poor infrastructure and a distinct lack of services. Flying is the fastest way to traverse the subcontinent - and low-cost carriers are now setting the pace - but the rail network is highly developed and encompasses some memorable journeys and methods of transportation - the “Palace on Wheels” being the most immediate example. Going by car provides an acceptable alternative but take a driver, as the roads will test even the steeliest nerves.

With a population of more than a billion, India is second to China as the most populous country on earth. On the commercial front, outsourcing - notably of call centres and similar back-of-house operations - has had a dramatic effect on the economy, and the nation’s contribution to IT and related fields has had world-wide significance. Yet business practices can still be frustrating, with corruption undermining what ought to be an industrial powerhouse.

International hotel chains are heading back into the country, yet there is still a shortage of really smart properties. As a word of warning, star ratings are not always reliable and, relative to the rest of Asia, are typically inflated, so it pays to do your research before you check in. A few prominent chains are fittingly represented and India’s better heritage hotels possess a magic that you just cannot get elsewhere.

Despite the challenges and head-scratching contradictions, the country is laden with wondrous sights to captivate the visitor. It is liberally dressed with incredible temples and forts and inspired
colonial structures. Spirituality courses through the nation’s veins, not surprising as India gave rise to both Hinduism and Buddhism. Sprawling New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay) are traditional gateways but both are worth escaping for the jewels that lie within. Agra hosts the exquisite white marble Taj Mahal, one of the planet’s most striking destinations, and to the south are the amazing spires of Sri Meenakshi temple in Madurai. Goa’s golden shores were first colonised by the Portuguese, then later by tousled hippies, and although it is slowly heading upmarket it retains much of its original appeal.

Rajasthan, though, is most visitors’ highlight - Jaipur, Jodphur, Jaiselmer, Udaipur and Puskar provide an enthralling variety of palaces, forts, havelis and bazaars.

The Indian climate is as diverse as the country itself, from the searing heat of Chennai (Madras) to the cool hill stations of Shimla. The seasons are loosely divided into the hot (February to May), the wet (June to October) and the mos: temperate season, the cool (November to January). With a slice of humour, adventurous travellers who are willing to invest a little time and effort will find India to be one of the pinnacles of travel. Anc the gentle, unflappable Indians, with their alternative outlook on life have the innate ability to make you laugh, or at other times, cry.

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From the moment the harbour-side, 415-metre high International Finance Centre Two opened in 2004 it has symbolised the city - a place where the relentless crusade to make money in limited space rarely slackens. As the harbour shrinks amid a welter of reclamation, so the SAR’s commercial offerings increase - most notably on the hotel front, as 2005 will witness the opening of both the water-front Four Seasons and the boutique Landmark as well as a major renovation of the redoubtable Mandarin Oriental.

Many Asian cities have developed along similar timescales to Hong Kong, encountered the same waves of growth and bust, and tend to resemble one another. Kong had a head start on the rest of the region, with the former British colony booming as the only gateway to the vast, untapped resources of China. A motley crew of fishing junks and an assortment of paddy fields blossomed into one of the major cities of the Far East in the space of a few generations. Today, Hong Kong harbour bristles with sky-scraping success, and even with the economic wobbles of the 1997 handover and the pandemonium generated by SARS. the skyline changes by the month.

Hong Kong is tiny by international standards, a crowded and jumbled city with layer upon layer of development and urban clutter, mostly squashed around the harbour. In an effort to stop some of it falling in, land has been reclaimed. A patch only a few square metres across may hold office space, hotel rooms, a shopping plaza, a car park and an underground railway line, all stacked on top of each other. Given its history as a trading outpost it is not surprising that the territory remains an international business centre, and you will see plenty of suits nipping back and forth. But there is an optimistic spring in their steps, not the depressed plod you find elsewhere.

For tourists, Hong Kong is a major travel hub and it is a traditional jumping-off spot for shopaholics. There can be few places with more shops per square metre than Hong Kong - they are absolutely everywhere. And everyone is at it. Where do Hong Kongers find room to stash it all in their compressed flats? For visitors, Tsim Sha Tsui is often the first port of call, but try diving into vibrant Causeway Bay for brand-name goods and shopping plazas. The malls of Central and Pacific Place in Admiralty are lined with fancy upmarket apparel. At the other end of the scale are the grungy street markets and bargains of counterfeit capital Mong Kok. For knick-knack types, the stalls of Cat Street on the Island offer a trove of kitsch.

When it comes to restaurants little needs to be said - the dining is predictably excellent. Yet it can also be very cheap and whatever your budget, the food is good. The Cantonese may be a tolerant bunch, but not when it comes to poor cuisine. Hotel restaurants are right up there, their menus bulging with world-class culinary indulgences. The hotels themselves are a reflection of Hong Kong - modern, compact, energetic and efficient - with service just a bit too rushed. Expect staff to be hurried and doing several things at once. Be warned that rooms in the territory tend to be half the size of those in other cities. Some can be comically small with not enough room to swing a spring roll, let alone a cat.

Hong Kong is a place that loses nothing with the seasons, but it can get uncomfortably humid in the summer months, and the monsoons between July and September can put a dampener on things. September through April is the time to come although it can get a tad chilly in January and February.

The touristy circuit is fairly limited but it is best to submerge yourself in the many enjoyable low-key diversions, all of which are close at hand. Museums are generally educational and presentable. Incense wafts through the temples that provide interesting pockets of culture among the modern progress. And then there is the pungent whiff of various unidentifiable shrivelled roots and creatures in the traditional medicine shops and wet markets. Hong Kong is an intriguing place to absorb.

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Lauded for its progress since its establishment in 1949, courted for its economic potential, excoriated for its human rights record, the People’s Republic of China is Asia’s waking giant - the world’s most populous country (1.29 billion and counting) but still one that has a fair way to go before it takes its true place on the international stage. Perhaps this will change in 2008 with the arrival of the Olympic flame.

The prodigious leaps from feudalist to communist to capitalist have greatly enhanced the PRC, and for much of the past quarter-century, China has been the world’s fastest-growing economy. Yet it remains poor in many parts - there are sharp divisions between rural areas and the cities, the rich coast and the poor interior, and schisms within the political elite. But just as staging the Olympics in Seoul catapulted South Korea to prominence, so the next Olympics should give Beijing the necessary fillip to show that it too can host the planet’s most prestigious sporting event with requisite efficiency
and panache.

As might be expected from a country with 9,561,000 square kilometres at its disposal, there is an enormous amount to see and do in China (too much to mention in detail here), whether showcasing thousands of years of culture or something that was only built last year. Beijing’s attractions lie not merely in trophy sights like the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, but also in its “hutongs”, the maze of residential streets just out of the centre that are gradually being swept away in the name of development. Tianjin, to the east of the capital, is a former treaty port and hosts one of the country’s more intriguing antique markets. A former German concession, Qingdao was Mao Zedong’s favourite seaside holiday spot, and Chinese still flock to its beaches - backed by statuesque and very Germanic mansions - every summer.

Shanghai is widely touted as China’s “Next Big Thing”, a hotchpotch of new energetic capitalism and construction, with an exotic and varied nightlife. Slightly inland, Hangzhou caught Marco Polo’s eye when he passed through in the 13th century (”one of the most splendid cities in the world”) and, despite the onslaught of tourism, its lakes and temples are still utterly picturesque.

Shenzhen, on the border with Hong Kong, has gone from 99 per cent paddy fields to 99 per cent concrete in the space of 20 years, a Special Economic Zone that could be a metaphor for the new China. Inland, there are panoramic vistas in Guilin, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an, Tibetan highs in Lhasa and seemingly a different country altogether in the far-western city of Urumqi.

Gone are the days of staying in grubby, Soviet-style dormitories, an alarming prospect that greeted China’s first foreign visitors when the country started to open up in the late 1970s. True, some of its lesser hotels lag behind when it comes to basic requirements like hot water and clean sheets, but nowadays all the major cities host a crop of five-star - or at least some very acceptable four-star -properties. Boutique hotels are making their first appearance around Beijing, and properties like the Grand Hyatt Shanghai (the highest hotel in the world) are setting a trend that other cities can only hope to emulate.

Gone too are the days of foreign visitors being stared at as if they were on day release from some anthropological zoo. You are likely to attract some attention at tourist spots - if only to be included in a friendly souvenir photograph - and if you wander off the beaten track you can expect to be quizzed enthusiastically. Many young Chinese are keen to practise their English and other languages, and Beijing is determined to hang the “world class” moniker at its gates.

China’s borders embrace subtropical islands and frozen deserts, so it is difficult to recommend precise times to visit. The best rule of thumb is to avoid the sticky summers and chilly winters if possible. Spring, from March to April, and autumn (September to October) are more climatically welcoming.

Lunar New Year, which falls in late January or early February, sees much of the populace uprooting and returning home for family celebrations, so expect hotel beds and rail and air tickets to be in short supply.

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The archetypal reason for climbing Mount Everest is said to be: “Because it’s there.” Brunei is about as un-Himalayan as it’s possible to get, and the main reason - unless you happen to be on business - for going is that “Nobody else is there”. The 5,765 square-kilometre Sultanate is the Bermuda Triangle of Asian tourism, squashed into two separate slices of Borneo, filthy rich and squeaky clean at the same time, and of all the destinations on Planet Earth, one of the more curious to drop by.

To dispense with one of the great myths of modern travel, Brunei is not dry. Visitors may import two litres of alcohol - either spirits or wine - and 12 cans of beer up to twice a day. These can either be brought into the country when you arrive or bought at any border at any time during your stay.

And the nearest border from the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB), is about half an hour by road at Limbang in neighbouring Sarawak. Not that anyone comes to tropical - think very hot and wet -

Brunei simply to scoot about its road system on bottle-runs. BSB, the only town of any size, is not exactly pulsating with life, but nearby Kampung Ayer is a higgledy-piggledy collection of water villages
- home to around 30,000 people -built on stilts in the Brunei River.

By contrast, most of Brunei is well organised, efficiently run, home to some very charming natives, and - if it doesn’t sound rude - ever so slightly dull.

Bandar’s nightlife is nonexistent and the streets are deserted at 9pm, but during the day folk head to Jerudong for the Playground, a giant fun fair cum amusement park with a host of rides, which is right next to Jerudong Beach. There are no “world-class” sights or Full Moon raves in Brunei, but pottering about the country you will find a number of interesting spots, and a corresponding lack of other tourists.

Away from the oil-fuelled wealth of the main towns, there are Iban villages, a smart beach or two and some spectacular rainforest in the interior, all of which are reasonably accessible.

Finally, on the subject of hotels, Brunei is home to the Liberace of Asian accommodation, a positively humungous pile called the Empire Hotel & Country Club. Not so much over-the-top as headed for orbit, it’s worth a goggle even if you don’t fancy checking in. Apart from this, the country’s hotel inventory is what you might call sparse.

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Australia got the century off to a flying start by hosting a magnificent Olympic Games, shouldering aside the traditional image of a dinki-di Aussie -whether a gleaming, muscled Bondi lifesaver or laconic, bush-hatted sheep shearer - once and for all. Nowadays the iconic Aussie could easily be one of the prancing entrants in the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.

Or perhaps even one of the many recent Asian immigrants - from Vietnam, China or further afield -who have done much to add to the cosmopolitan melange of the “Lucky Country”. But the essence of Australia remains unchanged.

This vast continent (7,686,848 square kilometres) ranges between desert and tropical rainforest, sophisticated urban areas with sprawling suburbs and isolated townships in the bush, stunning mountains and lush pasture.

Australians enjoy a magnificent outdoor lifestyle, with a play-hard, work-hard (well, sometimes, mate) attitude that makes the most of its natural bounty. German immigrants planted the vineyards that have brought Barossa Valley wines world renown, the waves of Italian and Greek settlers did much to promote Australian cuisine beyond meat pies and beer, while Japanese finance helped to open up the Gold Coast. In other words, some of the best that the world has to offer is distilled into Australia.

With the possible exception of the purpose-built and rather soulless capital, Canberra, all the Antipodean cities exude their own character and allure to the casual visitor. Sydney is first port of call for many, and indeed where the first British convicts were dumped in the 18th century. The whole city is inspired and refreshed by its raison d’etre, the harbour. Overlooked by the architectural masterpiece of the Opera Houser and framed by the marvellous Harbour Bridge, it acts as a focal point for dining and relaxation, and is the centre of attention during major events such as the annual Sydney-Hobart yacht race.

Melbourne has always seen itself as a rival, and while it lacks the spectacular location it has as much charm and sophistication, especially when it comes to theatre and cuisine, and is equally devoted to sports, horse-racing and “footy” to name but two.

Adelaide, long known as the place for culture, has shaken off its previously staid image, and Brisbane, once derided as an overgrown country town, has become increasingly cosmopolitan after hosting a string of international events like the Commonwealth Games. Even Darwin, with a certain amount of cinematic assistance from Crocodile Dundee, has some claim to “cool”, although the weather is as hot as ever.

Perth claims to be the sunniest of Australian cities, and even rain cannot damp its bright and breezy ethos. Cairns acts as the jumping-off point for most of northern Queensland, notably to the stunning beauties of the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforests of Cape Tribulation.

Alice Springs, more or less in the centre of the continent, would probably not feature on any itinerary but for the proximity of Uluru, otherwise known as Ayers Rock - the outback’s ultimate landmark and a sacred site for Australia’s original inhabitants, the Aborigines. Mention should also be made of
Australia’s offshore islands, from the slightly otherworldly Tasmania to the hedonistic Hayman in the Whitsundays, which is also a prime venue for whale watching and scuba diving.

Most of Australia’s 19 million inhabitants live in the coastal areas, so it follows that this is where the best hotels are. For location - right under the Harbour Bridge and looking on to the Opera House - it would be hard to better the Park Hyatt in Sydney, and up on the Gold Coast the Palazzo Versace is an intriguing jeu d’esprit of very modish accommodation. Head inland, and the main places to lay your head are bland motels or beery country pubs, where service echoes the old Australian ethos of “I’m as good as you are, mate”. Between these two stellar stools is a range of decent resorts well placed to make the best of Down Under’s natural assets of sun, sand and sea.

The weather varies immensely over such a vast continent, but all of Australia is hot in the summer between December and February, and the north is especially humid. It is best to time visits to the “Top End” during the cooler winter (June - August) and this is also when the snowfields of Victoria and New South Wales open up. In spring, large stretches of the outback are carpeted with wildflowers. Hotels are often booked solid over Easter, Christmas and other school holidays.

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The ebb and flow of troubles that have beset the Indonesian. archipelago for much of the last decade reached their apogee when the earthquake struck Sumatra in 2004. In the wake of the financial crash of the late 1990s, governmental shenanigans and terrorist bombings in Bali and Jakarta, a natural disaster and horrific loss of life was the last thing the country needed.

Intermittent international advisories still warn that foreigners could be targeted by Indonesian terrorists, and the decision to visit remains very much a personal choice. That this is a source of regret cannot be overstated, as the country’s 13,000-plus islands, strung between the Indian and

Pacific oceans, make up one of the most fascinating and beautiful parts of Southeast Asia.
More than 1,000 years ago traders from as far away as China were sailing to the spice islands of Indonesia, and the same commodity drew Europeans as early as the 16th century. Dutch colonialists subsequently gained a strong foothold in the country, and - after the Japanese occupation during World War II - Indonesia finally achieved independence in 1949 after several years of armed struggle.

The decades that followed were marked by a gradual increase in prosperity, interspersed with some domestic upheavals. Tourism only started to take off in the late 1960s, with Bali leading the way, as it has done ever since.

First port of call for many visitors is the capital, Jakarta, a maelstrom of a metropolis which acts as a magnet for Indonesians from all over the country who have come to look for work. Bandung, a lovely Art Deco city that the Dutch planned as an alternative capital, sits in the hills to the east, while further across Java are stunning man-made wonders like the 1,100-year-old Buddhist temple of Borobudur and natural marvels like the dormant volcanic Mount Bromo. The Hindu enclave of Bali, most aptly described as “the morning of the world”, remains the most picturesque and intriguing of all the Indonesian islands, while further east Lombok and Flores are less developed but still hold many attractions for more adventurous holidaymakers. Komodo is famed for its giant lizards, cunningly marketed as dragons, while divers tend to flock to Sulawesi, and in particular to Manado, where Bunaken Island is ranked as one of the top underwater sites in the world. More difficult to get to, the Bandas also have some superb co rai’reefs as well as a number of statuesque colonial forts. Sumatra, whose oil, rubber, pepper and coffee make substancial contributions to the Indonesian economy, has one of the country’s most diverse ethnic populations. Irian Jaya remains very much the Wild East, however the trekking opportunities through the little-travelled hinterland cannot be matched.

With a wealth of culture, natural beauty and marine sporting facilities, Indonesia has all the potential to become one of the region’s top tourist destinations. Families travelling here will find their children are greeted with especial warmth, providing an instant entree to the local community.

The phrase “paradise resort” has been used so frequently it has almost lost its currency, but it really does apply to some of Indonesia’s top-flight accommodation. Aman is the name that most obviously springs to mind, with three properties in Bali and two elsewhere, and the country’s major destinations all host some very acceptable five-stars. Not that you always need to shell out a small fortune, as inexpensive labour leads to high staffing levels, and many of the intermediate hotels can be guaranteed to provide extremely comfortable stays. Perhaps the best value of all, Indonesia’s guesthouses, or losmen, are often family-run, packed with charm and very hospitable.

Straddling the equator, Indonesia has two main seasons -wet between October and April, and dry for the rest of the year - with slight geographical variations. The wet season is by no means unbearable, as storms tend to come in sudden bursts and once they have subsided it will be dry for the rest of the day. The Christmas holiday season traditionally attracts a horde of visitors from Australia and the rest of the world. Despite all Indonesia’s troubles, one can only hope that this continues to be the case.

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Cambodia is a small country, yet it has incredible depth. While easily overlooked on the map, it is a land of extremes and one that is far from anonymous. One glorious extreme is the historic ruined city of Angkor at Siem Reap. The ancient Khmer remains form one of the most incredible sites on the planet.

This great civilisation reached its flamboyant zenith between the 9th and 14th centuries, with architectural feats culminating in the magnificent Angkor Wat, deservedly one of the wonders of the world. Some 100 temples survive and are generally being sensitively restored, although recently concerns have been voiced about the damage tourism is inflicting. Still, without doubt Angkor is the defining reason to go to Cambodia.

But Cambodia has known more sinister extremes. Regional instability in the 1970s saw civil war sweep Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge to power and his introduction of an ultra-Maoist policy. After inaugurating “Year Zero”, he intended to wipe out the existing Cambodian way of life and start afresh, but ultimately the end result was appalling genocide. More than two million died amid atrocities of unimaginable cruelty, and the educated classes were almost entirely lost.

The Vietnamese forced out the Khmer Rouge. Political chaos continued until the late 1990s, when some stability returned and saw the battered country finally getting back on its feet, although it is still a long way from prosperity.

A stroll around Phnom Penh reveals a poor but lively city with Buddhist temples and French architecture. Reminders of the recent savage past are clearly visible - the Killing Fields and the

Genocide Museum have become ghoulish yet compulsive tourist attractions. Today Cambodia wrestles with some big modern problems below its remarkably cheerful surface. The sex trade is massive, with grim statistics for AIDS and paedophilia. And you realise just where Cambodia is today when recreational activities available to tourists include hurling grenades into ponds, or for US$2oc you can fire a rocket launcher and blow up a live cow.

The recent relative stability has led to a tourist boom and some ver, good hotels are springing up, as well as some pretty bad ones! The infrastructure is evolving and Cambodia is easier now than it has ever been. Siem Reap and Phnom Penh remain the most popular places to visit, although the beaches around Sihanoukville may emerge soon, as there is a good strip of coastline. Temperatures remain fairly constant and typically nudge 3oC, with the dry season running from December to April.

At other times of the year it can be uncomfortably humid - not the best time for clambering around the awesome but slippery temples.

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The planning and architectural style colonial era is best seen in Tiong Bahru e, one of Singapore’s first public-housing estate. The two buildings that make up Link Hotel are part of the estate, whose flats show sleek curves and strong lines in an Art Deco style that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere in the country.

Link Hotel is big for a boutique hotel, a total of 150 rooms decorated in four s-Chinese, Malay, Indian and modern. Situated within one of Singapore’s oldest neighborhoods, the hotel is a tasteful melange
of the nation’s past and its cosmopolitan present. Room rates start from S$136 if you book online.

Link Hotel houses S0H0 Living, a designer furniture boutique offering custom-made pieces. Nearby, do not miss the hawker centre at Tiong Bahru Market, with its cluster of food stalls offering the best versions of local dishes including chwee kway (rice cakes with pickled radish) and char kway tiao (fried rice noodles).

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