BA - The Club - Eight life-changing travel ideas

Santiago, Chile

Best for… business
Says who? Jenny Southan, editor and founder of Globetrender, and features editor for Business Traveller

Chile’s capital city lies in the Santiago Basin, flanked by fertile fields, vineyards and the snow-capped Andes mountain range. But Santiago is also a business capital to watch: the modern metropolis has a stable, healthy economy (based on finance, agriculture and copper mining) that is complemented by a nurturing environment for innovation – the government’s seed accelerator Startup Chile is attracting entrepreneurs from all over the world.

Photo: Getty Images

Tampere, Finland

Best for… adventure
Says who? Rachel Taylor and Jody Daunton, founders of Another Escape magazine

The Finnish Lakeland is the perfect place to get back to nature. After the long, dark nights of winter, the ice and snow melt to reveal the ‘land of a thousand lakes’. The rosy glow of the midnight sun – an orange orb hovering no lower than just above the horizon, even in the smallest hours - turns the idyllic lakes into blue mirrors, reflecting the forests of spruce and pine that flank the shoreline.

Photo: Getty Images

Hobart, Tasmania

Best for… quirky culture
Says who? Ross Clarke, content editor, The Club

Just a short flight from both Melbourne and Sydney, the blossoming harbour city of Hobart is alive with culture, from the eye-opening weird and wonderful exhibits at the infamous MONA to the local gastronomic scene. Stop by the waterfront and Salamanca Place every Saturday for the market, where you can pick up everything from fresh produce to art – all to the soundtrack of top-rate buskers.

Photo: Getty Images

Mexico City, Mexico

Best for… families
Says who? Katja Gaskell, family travel writer and co-founder of Globetotting

Families often overlook the capital when visiting Mexico, using it as a stop-off en route to the Caribbean or Pacific coastlines. But big, brash Mexico City is a great place to explore with kids. Yes, it’s enormous (one of the biggest cities in the world) with a population to match, but within the colourfully chaotic city limits lie myriad activities and sights for young explorers, from ancient Aztec temples to enormous parks, innovative museums and some of the best food on the planet.

Photo: Getty Images

Hsipaw, Myanmar

Best for… getting off the grid
Says who? Anisha Patel, acting editor, The Club

While there’s no denying that change is afoot in Myanmar, it’s one of the few accessible places where you can still enjoy the simple pleasure of slow travel – and nowhere more so than Hsipaw (pronounced ‘see-paw’) in the northern Shan state, where pine forest-clad hills and terraced rice paddies offer brilliant get-away-from-it-all trekking opportunities. The 10-hour train ride from Mandalay is half the adventure – especially over the vertigo-inducing Gokteik Viaduct (pictured), a 2,260ft-long and 320ft-high bridge that crosses a craggy, deep-river gorge.

Photo: Adobe Stock

Greek Islands

Best for… value for money
Says who? Claire Bentley, managing director, British Airways Holidays

Greece is a mythical myriad of destinations – thousands of islands trail from the mainland and are ripe for exploration, offering everything from family-friendly beaches to romantic hideaways in pine-covered hills. All-inclusive holidays are on the rise again following currency fluctuations from 2016 – because they offer upfront, locked-in costs for food and drink – and Greece has plenty of great value-for-money options. Why not try Skopelos Village, where the cast of Mamma Mia! stayed while shooting on the island?

Photo: Getty Images

Singapore

Best for… foodies
Says who? Chris Fynes, food writer (@wethefoodsnobs)

A fast-paced city fed on Malay, Indian and Chinese influences, Singapore is cooking around the clock and fast becoming one of the hottest travel spots due to its bustling food scene. Hawker culture is what draws the crowds, with large urban street markets alive with both traditional dishes and innovative chefs, looking to forge a new direction for the city’s food scene, while picking up the odd Michelin star along the way.

Photo: Getty Images

Okinawa, Japan

Best for… solo travel
Says who? Ben Groundwater, travel writer (@bengroundwater)

The Japanese have been visiting Okinawa for years, lured by the promise of tropical paradise, seduced by the mix of Asian and American cultures that this Pacific island chain possesses, and understandably enamoured with the lush green forests, the clear, warm waters, the white-sand beaches and the relaxed island pace. Okinawa is nothing like the Japan you probably know – it’s more Hawaiian-style heaven than big-city bustle – but this is an amazing part of the world that won’t stay a secret for long.

Photo: Adobe Stock

Eight life-changing travel ideas

Santiago, Chile

Tampere, Finland

Hobart, Tasmania

Mexico City, Mexico

Hsipaw, Myanmar

Greek Islands

Singapore

Okinawa, Japan

Santiago, Chile

Tampere, Finland

Hobart, Tasmania

Mexico City, Mexico

Hsipaw, Myanmar

Greek Islands

Singapore

Okinawa, Japan

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