It’s associated with Bollywood, beaches, bars and beautiful people and it’s arguably the most happening and ‘Western’ city in India, but is Mumbai really the NYC of the East? 

It might be a city that never sleeps, with more than enough bars, restaurants and night-time haunts to satisfy any thrill-seeking traveller, but it is also extremely traditional and uniquely Indian.  Where else would you sit in a taxi in traffic that eclipses New York’s, alongside rickshaws, donkeys, London buses and children begging?

Where else could you stand knee-deep in the Indian ocean, before filtering through the vast array of award-winning entertainment options, all stemming from the city - from world-renowned film to theatre and a million different dance and music shows. 

With its millions of sights, smells and sounds, Mumbai is not a city that can be contained or compared to anywhere else in the world - See it to believe it!

Cuba is a hive of creative and cultural activity at the best of times, but in February the island’s creative juices go into overdrive, with a plethora of music, literary and multimedia events happening throughout the month and into March.  These include the Festival Internacional Jazz Plaza, which is one of Havana’s most famous music events.   The Jazz Festival celebrates the connection between Cuban rhythm and jazz, which goes back to the late 19th century when newly freed slaves immigrated to New Orleans.  If swinging your thing isn’t your bag, what about the Festival de Música Antigua Esteban Salas?  Previously an event to commemorate the music of Cuban composer Esteban Salas, it has now become a festival of early music. Every year the event gathers outstanding performers of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music who perform in Old Havana.  

For book worms the Feria Internacional del Libro is a must to visit.  What began as a modest book fair founded by the famous Cuban writer, scientist and philosopher Alejo Carpentier, and held in the surrounding areas of Havana’s Central Park, eventually became the most important book and literary event on the island!  Anyone feeling that bit more cutting edge will appreciate the Muestra Nacional de Nuevos Realizadores, which is an event for the promotion of new filmmakers and showcases daring and inquisitive works usually produced outside official production. The event includes the screening of films by young filmmakers, as well as international contemporary cinema.

Go to Goa for a barefoot, beach-bum break…go a little further south and you get all of this and more.  Kerala in 2010 is what Goa was back in its day, before the back-packers and budget package holiday mob took over.  Created just 54 years ago (it was previously the Madras State), Kerala is essentially new even to its inhabitants!  Relatively unknown until the mid-1980’s, Kerala has now become a hot tourist destination, owing to its location on the lush and tropical Malabar Coast, its famous backwaters and its striking greenery.  In recent years it has been named as one of the ‘Ten Paradises Of The World’ and ‘50 Places Of A Lifetime’ by the National Geographic Traveler magazine.

If the post-Christmas bulge is proving difficult to shift, then it’s probably time to up sticks and head for sunnier climes.   Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia are all good choices - lying on a beach in 30 ºC heat is a sure fire way to nip cravings for British stodge in the bud!  What’s more, the food in many South East Asian countries is light on meat and dairy and bursting with vegetables and spices, so you get all the flavour and half the fat - and a chance to kick start that ‘healthy new you’ that you promised yourself at midnight in the pub, downing that less than calorie-free glass of wine! One tip though – steer clear of coconut milk, which is laden with fat and added to everything in South East Asia - curries, rice, marinades and even your morning porridge!  Thai sweets (based on egg yolks and sugar) are pretty lethal, too!  However, whilst in Rome…

It may be the smallest micro-state in South East Asia, but Singapore offers a world of contrasts and with its diverse racial mix of Indian, Malay and Chinese, it is an exciting and authentic destination for visitors to experience Chinese New Year.  The Lunar New Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar and is a time to exchange well wishes and gifts of good fortune. The streets of Singapore’s Chinatown become lit with red lanterns, twinkling lights and elaborate decorations, fireworks colour the sky and busy street bazaar stalls are laden with Chinese delicacies and symbols of prosperity and good luck. Part of the festivities is the Chingay Parade, the largest and grandest street procession in the country, which is a multi-cultural and cosmopolitan parade featuring some of the finest performing groups from around the world. This colourful event presents lavishly decorated floats, stilt-walkers, lion dancers, fire jugglers, and music performances. Another annual New Year must-see is the River Hong Bao, which is a cultural event including a range of performances from top national artists, as well as art and craft stalls and floats!