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Jake's resort is often featured in round-ups of the best the island has to offer - and for a reason. Book into one of the theatrically-designed seafront cottages, where you can stargaze from the flat roof, shower alfresco or throw open the doors to watch the sea lap
against the cliffs from the comfort of your bed. No wonder it's popular with honeymooners.
www.islandoutpost.com
Treasure Beach is around 15 miles from Black River.
Maybe I'm biased because it was where I asked my wife to marry me, but the beach in Negril is one of my favourite places in the whole world. Obviously it's a long and sandy paradise, facing west with great sunsets. But it also has great bars populated by locals. And it's a good place to buy something to smoke. I never made it as far as Hedonism II though - which may be to some people's taste.
Get a rickshaw ride round Times Square. If you've never been to Times Square before you'll come out of the subway and be overwhelmed by it all. We found this a great way to soak it all up and it was definitely one of the funniest experiences we had in NY. We managed to get a 15-minute tour for $20, which I thought was a bargain (about £6 each between two people). You're bound to get a cool guy or girl with a story to tell who will give you a individual and real tour of the city - they live there after all. A lovely Israeli guy picked us up. Revel in being a proper tourist for a bit, being ferried round in the open air. You won't feel overly secure dodging in and out of the Times Square traffic but that was all part of it. If you don't take it too seriously, like a gondola ride in Venice, you will love it, laugh a lot and be glad you did it.
Just hail one down. Preferably choose the best looking one because you will have a view of their arse the whole time.
My favourite part of Cairo is the area where the tentmakers work. It is about a kilometre walking from the Khan el-Khalili market. It is the walk there that is full of unbelievable experiences. You walk down a busy, narrow road teeming with Cairo life. People are friendly and helpful and will often show you things that boggle the mind. It is a route that is laden with surprises that embody the richness of the city's history. You walk past buildings that have been there for thousands of years, mosques, momorials and one of the old gates to the city. Climb the towers of the old gate and get wonderful views over the city. Stop and explore, listen and follow your nose. You could spend months in this area, be constantly fascinated and still not see everything. Eventually you'll find the tentmakers in an area that is brimming with atmosphere and people whose skill at making complex geometrically-designed appliqued tent panels is awesome. I found a 70-year old man who had been hand-sewing these panels his whole life and he had such a sense of contentment about his life's work. I was inspired.
Walk down the road that passes the Khan el-Khalili, cross over the pedestrian bridge and find the alley that goes past the mosque on the opposite side of the road. Follow your nose for about a kilometre.
Killarney Riding Stables runs horseriding trips into Killarney National Park for 1-3 hours daily. They cater for all levels, from complete beginner to advanced riders. This is a wonderful way to see the beautiful countryside around Killarney and the stables have an excellent reputation.
They also run trail rides of two days or five days.
Killarney Riding Stables, Ballydowney, Killarney, Co. Kerry.
One mile west of Killarney on the Ring of Kerry road to Killorgin.
www.killarneyridingstables.com
This seafood restaurant is about fifteen miles from Galway. It's in a wonderful location and is a superb place on summer evenings for a pint and some smoked salmon.
Moran's Oyster Cottage, The Weir, Kilcogan, Co. Galway.
Tel : +353 91 796 113.
www.moransoystercottage.com/
It's actually possible to escape the crowds and the noise in Cairo, although you have to put up with a lot of both on the way. I would recommend Beit el-Suhaymi, a wonderful, labyrinthine Islamic house-turned-museum where you can really picture how the large families used to live.
Before or afterwards take a stroll around the north of Khan al-Khalili market. Away from the hassle of the market stalls you see a bit of real innercity life. I am female and, being there on my own, I didn't feel hassled at all in this part. Be sure to respect their dress code though.
Another tip is go to the Mosque of Sulayman Pasha when at the Citadel. Around the Citadel itself, in particular the Muhammad Ali mosque, was very busy, but the simpler, smaller mosque felt like a peaceful oasis and has lovely mosaics.
Beit el-Suhaymi, Khan al-Khalili market and the Citadel are all located within the city centre.
The old Islamic quarter, known as Darb al-Ahmar, is great for a stroll through markets and stalls that feel like they haven't changed in five hundred years. Restoration work has been carried out on a series of mosques in this area which are architecturally stunning. I was lucky enough to be given an impromptu tour at night around one of them and the open roof revealed the stars. The Nile Hilton, not far from the Egyptian Museum (which is a must) has a rooftop bar which is definitely worth a visit for a drink overlooking the Nile at sunset. You don't have to be a hotel guest - just get in the lift and head to the top. One drink might be enough for some as it is not cheap but definitely worth the view.
Nile Hilton, 1113 Corniche El Nil, Cairo 12344.
Tel : 00 20 2 578 0444/ or 578 0666.
www.hilton.com
Sangria is a cool restaurant and bar built around an old tree on the banks of the Nile. Enjoy a view of Zamalek from the open terrace, which during winter months is well heated. The cuisine is mostly South-East Asian and the crowd tends to be mainly young and wealthy, judging by the posh cars in the restaurant carpark. It's a great place for a beer.
Sangria, Corniche El Nile.
Tel : +20 2 579 6512
On the opposite side of the road from the Conrad Hilton towards the Arkadia Shopping Centre.
Mariana, another baroque city worth a visit, can boast of the presence of the only organ by German baroque builder Arp Schitger to be found in the Americas (housed in the Mariana Cathedral). The organ is in playing condition and is usually heard in concerts on Fridays and Sundays.
Mariana is a half-hour bus ride away down a spectacular river valley.
This cafe-restaurant also offers wine tastings and sells wine and the terrace overlooks the vineyards and karri forests beyond. It's a good place to stop for a glass of wine if you need to steady your nerves after climbing the Gloucester tree.
Gloucester Ridge Winery (near Gloucester National Park), Burma Road, Pemberton, Western Australia. Open seven days a week, 10am-5pm.
www.gloucester-ridge.com.au
Google map: tinyurl.com/lllh9u
The Gloucester Tree is a 61-metre high Karri tree originally used as a bushfire lookout in the 1940s. If you have a head for heights you can now climb up 153 spiralling metal rungs stuck into the tree trunk to a platform at the top with spectacular 360-degree views of the forest.
Three kilometres from the centre of Pemberton in Gloucester National Park, in the southwest of Western Australia.
www.calm.wa.gov.au/national_parks/previous_parks_month/gloucester.html
Google map: tinyurl.com/n3uny7
Alex is a great place to meet up with people for a drink or a snack. Sit outside for a great view over the Binnenalster on one side, or watch the shoppers go by on the other.
Alex, Alster Pavillion, Jungfernstieg 54. The nearest subway is Jungfernstieg.
Just north of Helsingborg, sticking out into Oresund, is a peninsula known as Kullen, with a small national park called Kullaberg. It's a really beautiful spot, lovely countryside, good beaches, an absolute pearl of a fishing village called Molle and great walking around Kullaberg with views over to Denmark.
A very relaxing area. If you're in the neighbourhood, I recommend the inn at the little harbour in Svanshull - fabulous location and delicious food (no, I don't own it!).
Up the coast road north from Helsingborg.
The world-famous Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi is just outside Kiruna, Sweden’s northernmost town, which itself is worth a visit. The world’s largest underground iron ore mine, a magnificent view of the mountains, plenty of fresh air – it’s nearly always windy – and a population who are completely obsessed with being outdoors. The further north you go, the more chance you have to see the midnight sun in summer and northern lights in winter.
I spent a highly enjoyable two weeks cycling in Sweden this year. Starting in Gothenburg, I rode up around the edge of Lake Vanern, via the Gota Canal to Lake Vattern, down to the coast and back up again.
The countryside is perfect for cycling; rolling and studded with beautiful lakes.
Swedish campsites are also some of the best I've been to. They are clean, have good facilities and are generally no more than £8-£10 a night (and yes, you can camp anywhere in Sweden, but a hot shower is always nice).
Highly recommended for any cyclists out there.
My route: www.flickr.com/photos/toretz/172556356/
Easily reached by train, this beautiful seaside suburb south of Stockholm is an ideal place to visit for a day trip from the Swedish capital. The small sandy Baltic beaches are ideal for children and there are old-fashioned separate male and female nude swimming areas and saunas. You can go for walks in the woods, picking berries and mushrooms, or try one of the bars and fish restaurants.
Take the historic train ride from Slussen station in Stockholm to Saltsjöbaden.
Makassar, and Sulawesi, are great places to visit and the start and end of your holiday should be a cold drink watching the sunset from the terrace of the Kios Semarang. Makassar recently (1999) reclaimed its historic name after twenty-five years of being called Ujung Pandang. It is a large vibrant city (fifth or sixth in size in Indonesia) but with a village feel. It is a busy port city with a centre right next to the sea. It has a seaside promenade right there where it can be most enjoyed by everybody. Makassar is currently undergoing a boom in development and has lots of bars, cafes and night life (outside of Ramahdan). This is not Jakarta or Bali so there are not too many resident foreigners but their haunt is the Kios Semarang. The place is friendly and welcoming, the beer is cold, the food is excellent and the sunsets are famous. It is a bar/restaurant so you are welcome to just sit for hours with a coke, or whatever, and watch the sunset. From a wall seat you can watch the comings and goings of the locals along the promenade. The third floor is the place to go, partly open terrace and partly roofed over, so it is comfortable in the heat of the day and in both the wet (November to February) and dry seasons. Don't be put off by the record store on the ground floor. Go straight up two flights of stairs to the best sunset bar in Indonesia.
On Jalan Pantai Losari in the centre of town about 100m upstream (traffic wise) from the Makassar Golden Hotel. Taxis are plentiful in Makassar and good value. All taxi drivers know where the Kios Semarang is, or Jalan Pantai Losari on the sea front.The Kios Semarang is within walking distance of all the seafront hotels, bars and restaurants.
Go at 5.30pm, see the stunning HK skyline by daylight in one revolution, then stay for a second revolution (it takes 66 minutes) and witness the lighting displays switching on one by one in many of the bigger towers. One of the famous ones plays hard to get and waits until all of the other flashy ones have shown their best before it suddenly lights up. The restuarant has a very nice buffet dinner starting after dark but you can stand at the bar for sunset drinks only. Staff are friendly and efficient. It isn't cheap but is excellent value for the location and entertainment. Be careful when you go to the toilet (in the central core) because in the five or ten minutes you are in there, the view changes and you can feel disorientated and lost.
The Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen's Road East, on the south edge of Wan Chai at the foot of the steep slope. Take a taxi (cheap and highly efficient) or take a 15-minute walk over from Wan Chai MRT through the narrow lanes and market stalls.
This is a posh suburb with a nice beach and views of the sublime bridge to Denmark.
Limhamn lies to the southwest of the city.
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