Ko Chang means “Elephant Island,” and indeed, if you’d like an up-close-and-personal encounter with the world’s largest land mammal, you can do that here—you can even swim with them at Ban Kwan Chang, an elephant preserve recommended by TripAdvisor travellers. In the past few years, the island has experienced a huge boom in tourism, so new hotels and restaurants abound.

Rawai is an off-the-beaten-path area of Phuket that attracts devotees of Muay Thai martial arts. Training centers here teach all levels, from absolute beginner to world champion. On the opposite end of the vacation spectrum, there’s the Phuket Seashell Museum, an immense collection of delicate specimens from around the world. A visit to the Sea Gypsy Village on the eastern end of Rawai Beach is a transformative experience.

If you’re looking for a Robinson Crusoe experience, you can still find that thatched-hut-on-the-beach vibe in the North Malé Atoll. But this chain of 50 or so palm-shaded islands in the Maldives has been stepping up its game lately with sleek, stylish accommodations. These days, even the islands themselves are designer. The newly opened Patina Maldives and Ritz Carlton Maldives sit on an archipelago that construction crews built in the Indian Ocean. Divers love North Malé Atoll for spots like Manta Point, where manta rays congregate so they can be “cleaned” by small fish. You can even snorkel with curious hawksbill turtles. North of the capital city of Malé are some prime surf spots.

Dubai is a destination that mixes modern culture with history, adventure with world-class shopping and entertainment. Catch a show at the Dubai Opera, see downtown from atop the Burj Khalifa and spend an afternoon along Dubai Creek exploring the gold, textile and spice souks. If you’re looking for thrills, you can float above the desert dunes in a hot air balloon, climb aboard a high-speed ride at IMG Worlds of Adventure or skydive over the Palm Jumeirah.

A gorgeous backdrop of pine-clad mountains looms behind the seaside resort of Marmaris in southwest Turkey. Popular as a cruise ship and yacht port and with the British budget holiday crowd, Marmaris offers an abundance of fast food restaurants, the restored castle of Suleyman the Magnificent and an appealing cobblestoned old quarter. Outside the busy town, coves and bays of the Datça Peninsula make lovely daytrip destinations for those travelling by boat.