Jakarta History Museum and Ragunan Zoo

This museum, housed in the old Batavia Town Hall, is probably the most solid reminder of Dutch rule anywhere in Indonesia. The large, bell-towered hall was built in 1627 and served the administration of the city and the law courts. These days, it's the place to go if you're into heavy carved furniture and other memorabilia from the Dutch period. Among the more interesting exhibits is a series of gloomy  portraits of all the Dutch governors-general and early pictures of Batavia. The Fine Art Ceramics and Puppet Museums are all in waiting distance.

Ragunan Zoo

Formerly named as Taman Marga Satwa Jakarta before 1974, Ragunan Zoo is home to some 4,000 animals and over 50,000 plants of around 1,000 various species. Covering  135 hectares of land in the Ragunan area, Ragunan Zoo also provides itself as the unofficial botanical garden and a water catchment area for Jakarta.

On weekends, the zoo is usually very crowded with visitors pouring from all parts of the Capital as well as other nearby cities such as Bogor and Bandung. They are all eager to see the animal correction, in which the primary focus is still on Indonesia animals and only about a third come from all over the world. Here, you can take a closer look of the beautiful birds of paradise, the Sumatran tiger, the exquisite Komodo dragon, and many more.

Hiking at Sai Kung, Hong Kong

Sai Kung is unusual in that its villages possess more churches than temples. This is due to the vigorous passion of missionaries like Father Volonteri, an Italian priest who tramped this peninsula in the 1860s, long before the New Territories were leased to Britain. Many residents then converted to Catholicism. While the liturgy was conducted in Latin, the European priests often learnt Hakka to communicate with the local people.

As you walk beside the wide rivulet to enter Sai Wan, its small ruined church can be seen in undergrowth to your right. The peaceful village makes a living these days from providing drinks to passing hikers; three or four cafes are open, selling the usual range of beer, tea, noodles and fried rice. One of the elderly restaurateurs has a broad Mancunian accent as a result of working in England as a youth, formerly a common practice among New Territories villagers.

No sign of an economic downturn here. Business is stimulating and village, especially on weekends, offers a choice of sea view restaurants with expanded menus and supplements its income by renting beach supplies. There are two beaches, both with lovely stretches of sand. The trail leads through the village to cross a bridge and heads north over the rocks and then through tall grasses which back the wide beach, bounded by a tidal creek. Pools lie upstream. At the far end, you're obliged to turn inland to cross the  bridge - unless the tide is out, in which case you have direct access to the  mounting coastal path.

Alila Villas Hadahaa at Maldives

The  first luxury resort in the idyllic South coral reefs of the Maldives, Alila Villas Hadahaa offers the definitive in privacy, with the nearest inhabited island some 10km away. Of the 50 modish, minimal-impact villas that constructed with minimal destruction to the natural environment, 14 are strung out along a jetty over a effervescent coral reef while the rest are scattered like seashells on a pristine spit of land.

For a inspirational sunset vista, you can't do better than Aqua Villa 51. Alighted at the end of the jetty, a brilliant ocean scene awaits just outside your window. If you're staying at any of the Island Villas, make sure to marinate up the wonderful bathrooms, complete with deep terrazzo tubs and outdoor showers.

Guests should also make time for Journeys by Alila, customized three-day experiences that give you an insight into the culture, life and history of the Maldives. Choose from snorkeling tours that show you about island and coral isle organization, tour visits to a local traditional village, Maldivian cooking sessions, nature trail walks with a resident biologist, play with dolphin, or diving with manta rays.

Save your stomach for Buttuta's, the only native eatery among the top properties on the Maldives, and enjoy a taste of neighboring cookery with the dishes like char-grilled chicken marinated in pomegranate molasses or snake gourd salad. Then cosy up on the padded swings at the hotel's Bell's Bar as you join in of their sexy cocktails.