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SCMP Reporter

Boracay, Philippines

For sun-worshippers, paradise goes by the name of Boracay. Boasting its world-famous White Beach with powder-fine sand and azure waters, the palm-studded island is the perfect getaway for divers and beach lovers.

SLEEP Fridays Boracay Resort (tel: 63 36 288 6200; fridaysboracay.com) is ideal for watersports and nightlife.

SHOP Check out D'Mall De'Boracay (Balabag, Boracay Island, tel: 63 36 288 3408)  for sarongs, flip-flops and shell jewellery.

SPA Mandala Spa (tel: 63 36 288 5856; www.mandalaspa.com) was the winner of the Destination Spa of the Year in 2005 and the day spa features an array of indulgent treatments. Recommended is the Watsu (US$45 for 30 minutes), where spa-goers float on water and enter a deep state of relaxation.

SWING Designed by Australian golfer Graham Marsh, the par-72 course at Fairways & Bluewater Resort Golf & Country Club (tel: 63 36 288 5595; fairwaysbluewater.com) features lush greens, gurgling creeks, sparkling lakes and waterfalls.

SUP The culinary fare at Boracay is as diverse as the nationalities of its visitors.  For Asian cuisine, check out Golden Bamboo at Patio Pacific Resort (63 36 288 3888). For western fare,  try Bamboo Restaurant (63 36 288 3109) where the menu is Swiss.

SIP Locals and foreigners go

to Pier One (Beach Front, Station 1, Bo. Balabag, tel: 63 36 288 5288) where the vibe is relaxed.

From Manila Domestic Airport,  Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific fly to Kalibo twice daily;  SEAIR and Asian Spirit fly daily to Caticlan.

Hanoi, Vietnam

There's an Alice-in-Wonderland quality to Hanoi, one moment utterly Asian, the next impeccably Gallic. The streets buzz to the roar of motorbikes, yet step into one of the city's classy boutiques or restaurants and all is calm. Hollywood Road may have 'discovered' Vietnam's artists, yet there are still bargains to be had, be they paintings, lacquerware or embroidery.

SLEEP The Metropole (84 4 826 6919; from US$210), marvellously restored yet still with the shades of Coward, Maugham et al stalking the corridors, reigns supreme. The Opera Wing has a tad less character. The 1934 Citroen limo is a dream.

SHOP First stop is the Old Quarter, a maze of streets and shops that has been a mart for centuries. A browse at Hong Konger Christina Yu's Ipa-Nima is a must even for non handbag lovers, and residents speak admiringly of the Vietnamese Craft Guild and the silks at Chi Vang.

SPA La belle France - and its devotion to all things pampering - is showcased at Villa Beaute, quite the slickest spa in the capital, housed in a stunning century-old villa.

SWING Mission Hills it's not, but King's Island offers the best golf out of Hanoi. Both the Mountainview and Lakeside (designed by Robert McFarland) courses have their idiosyncrasies, and the clubhouse facilities are excellent. From US$40 a day (84 3 483 4666).

SUP Street food is superb, though the surroundings less so. Go to Cafe des Arts (84 4 828 7207) for bistro, Bobby Chinn (84 4 934 8577) for upscale eating, and Emperor for the best Vietnamese.

SIP For the best views, sounds, service and something to wash them down with, Summit Lounge

(84 4 823 8888) is tops.

Vietnam Airlines flies non-stop. A good AsiaMiles trip as it's just 15,000 return. Log on to vietnamairlines.com.

Kingdom of Bhutan

Vistors to Bhutan can still be counted in the hundreds and the kingdom remains the wild card of Asian getaways. Beautifully unspoilt, endlessly picturesque, it  would be ranked as a 'world-class destination' - if it wasn't out of this world.

SLEEP Christina Ong's perfectly situated masterpiece, Uma Paro  (www.comohotels.co.uk; rates from US$250), is a glorious agglomeration of rooms, suites and villas, with panoramas to be reincarnated for.

SHOP The weekend market in  Thimphu is the top place to  peruse local handicrafts and  there is  a good arts-oriented boutique at the Motithang Hotel (tel: 975 2 322747). However, the bespoke jewellery of the city's dextrous, ingenious gold- and silversmiths  is the best buy.

SPA If you weren't feeling on top of the world already,  Como Shambhala (tel: 975 8 271597) goes the extra mile, making extensive use of natural ingredients and working with Bhutan's Hospital of Traditional Medicine. Its hot stone bath could easily be renamed 'bliss'. Week-long supervised yoga retreats are also available for the truly dedicated.

SWING The nine-hole  Royal Thimphu ranks as one of the most delightfully eccentric courses on the planet. Call 975 2 327167 for information.

SUP No one has yet to label Thimphu a gourmet capital and outside the top-rated hotels, free-standing restaurants are few and far between. For a  casual, yet still very well-prepared meal, drop by Pine Bark (tel: 975 2 322966),  where you'll discover reasonably priced Indian, Chinese and  international fare.

SIP A true celebration of life, the name Living Room is absolutely apt for the main lounge at  Amankora (www.amanresorts.com). It's strewn with  all-embracing armchairs, with waiters on hand and views on tap.

Flights from Bangkok to Thimphu are with Druk Air (www.drukair.com.bt). The carrier also runs spectacular mountain flights.

Taichung, Taiwan

Taipei we know all too well, but Taichung? Well, it's one of the most pleasant cities in Taiwan; hospitable, buzzing, well laid out and ideal for a short break - even more so if you have time to get up

into the foothills of the Central Mountain Range.

SLEEP Taichung's premier address is the Evergreen Laurel  (www.evergreen-hotels.com; from US$193), which employs former Eva Air first-class flight attendants as butlers. If you've got time for

an outing, the luxurious Lalu Hotel  (886 49 285 5311), on Sun Moon Lake, was  Chiang Kai-shek's

country retreat.

SHOP A Tang dynasty-style tea set? Bowls of vases with intriguing petal designs? Expert Hong Chi-suen's Ceramic Art (321 Wenxin South 5th Road) is the place to go. The Wenxin Jade Market (weekends only) offers the best buys for connoisseurs.

SPA A spa explosion in Taichung has seen new outlets pop up almost daily. Pure Land Day Spa (tel: 886 4 2259 5199) is popular, while the staff at  Cristal Day Spa (tel: 886 4 2206 8001) are experts at touch therapy.

SWING The Tai Chung International Country Club (tel: 886 4 239 2214) offers a highly respectable 18 holes, with green fees starting at US$60.

SUP Taichung likes to eat in style. Try Feng Chuan 1999 (tel: 886 4 2473 5880) for a variety of Chinese dishes, Sono Japanese (tel: 886 4 2302 2024), a favourite among high-ranking politicians, or the heroically named Fatty's Family Style Italian restaurant (tel: 886 4 2319 4898).

SIP The Wu Wei Tsao Tang Guesthouse (tel: 886 4 2329 6707) is an excursion into days gone by, with spreading willow trees, a carp-filled pond and a gentle ambience, as well as a huge variety of teas from which to choose.

Mandarin Airlines (www.mandarin-airlines.com) flies non-stop to Taichung. Alternative flights are available via Taipei.

Bintan, Indonesia

This is Singapore's backyard and, at times, it's hard to credit it's part of Indonesia.  It has the whole sun-sand-sea thing in one package and is where Crusoe might have gone if his first name had been Casanova. It's perfect for families, too.

SLEEP One of the  first properties in the classic Banyan Tree chain (www.banyantree.com/bintan) and still one of the best. Showering in one of the exquisite villas with nothing between you and the sea but a pane of glass is Edenesque. Pay US$1,300 for a spa-pool villa. For those with children, there's a wealth of diversions: from  kayaking to all-terrain-vehicle jungle treks.

SHOP  Pasar Baru is the colourful and very Indonesian market in the centre of the main town,

Tanjung Pinang. The array of batiks for sale is mind-boggling, but fragrant oils are the best buys here.

SPA Regular weekenders make a bee-line for the Angsana (www.angsanaspa.com/resortspas/bintan),  having booked the three-hour Bliss package (body polish

and massage)  in advance.

SWING Australian golfer

Greg Norman loves  Laguna Bintan's 18 holes with a passion; then again, he did design them. US$55 will buy you a day's play. Call 65 684 95885 for reservations.

SUP The main resorts are awash with glam restaurants, but for a touch of local colour, try Cafe Helo Helo (tel: 62 771 23995), celebrated for its steamboats and laid-back alfresco dining.

SIP The Baan Aarya bar (www.baanaarya.com) takes its cue from Thailand and is housed in a graceful pavilion amid lush gardens. Ideal for a sundowner, pre-lunch cocktails, a nightcap or something to replace those lost fluids at practically any time of day.

The easiest way to get to Bintan is via Singapore. Once there, hop aboard the ferry (www.brf.com.sg), which takes just under an hour.

Fukuoka, Japan

Unlike many other Japanese cities,  Fukuoka is pedestrian friendly, making it easy to get about. Loads of shopping, a lively arts scene and some of the best food  outside Tokyo make it the undiscovered gem of southern Japan.

SLEEP Bag a pad at the Grand Club, in the Grand Hyatt  (fukuoka.grand.hyatt.com; rates from US$130), and head for the private roof garden, Fukuoka's most exclusive pied-a-terre. The rooms are especially spacious and are inclined to minimalism, with wood panelling and soft-toned furnishings, while the staff are endlessly courteous and helpful, even by Japanese standards.

SHOP  Comme Ca (tel: 81 92 282 0555) in Canal City is a one-stop shop for fashion, casual suits

and lingerie, much of it put together by innovative young Japanese designers.

SPA  Club Olympus (tel: 81 92 282 1234) remains ahead of the pack in a nation where onsens are a passion. Go for the Conchi Splash massage.

SWING The 18-hole, par-72  Keya Golf Club (tel: 81 92 327 1500) has some lovely fairways separated by pine forests. From US$128 a day.

SUP Opinion is divided as to whether you go to  Toc Toc (tel: 81 92 741 5232) for the seafood

or for the young musicians who turn up to jam. Either way, you're assured of a good night out. Alternatively, the intimate Zakaya (tel: 81 92 752 6620) serves excellent country-style food.

SIP The unwritten rule that all the world's major cities must have at least one Irish pub holds true at  Slainte (tel: 81 92 712 8580), which has Guinness and good cheer flowing in equal  measure in sophisticated surroundings. The  tiny bars that spring up in Tenjin district and on  Nakasu Island after dusk are extremely companionable.

Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific.com) flies non-stop to Fukuoka. To explore further afield, pick up a Japan Rail Pass -  $1,855 for seven days.



Great Escapes