SINGAPORE

Everyone has heard of the famous city, but where is Singapore? And more curiously, is it a city, island, or country?

The short answer: all three!

Singapore is a small-but-prosperous island nation, both a city and a country, located just off the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia.

Singapore is an anomaly, and they're quite proud of it. The country is currently the only island-city-country in the world. Although Hong Kong is also a city-island, it is considered a Special Administrative Region that is part of China.

Actually, Singapore's territory consists of over 60 islands and islets. Discerning the difference gets a little fuzzy. An ongoing land reclamation effort creates desperately needed real estate each year. Many new artificial islands get created, really stressing out the geologists in charge of keeping count.

BARCELONA, SPAIN

Barcelona

City of Gaudi

From the medieval cobblestone lanes of Barri Gòtic to the grand Modernista-lined avenues of L’Eixample, the Catalan capital is one splendid open-air museum. Basked in color and creative energy, it’s not only the City of Gaudi, but a city of a million facets. It’s the fine golden sands of Barceloneta, the molecular gastronomy of Ferran Adrià, and the dribbling genius of Messi. It’s art, history, and Mediterranean exuberance – all rolled into one magnificent, never-ending spectacle.

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand's dazzling landscapes are made even more alluring because so few people are around to make them feel crowded. With only 4.6 million people inhabiting islands that cover the same space as the UK, its North and South Islands are a traveler's dream. Everything is geared up for visitors, from plush campsites to perfect roads.

Highlights include a trek along one of its nine Great Walks, from the otherworldly Kepler Track to the volcanic Tongariro Northern Circuit. Or learning about the country's Maori past. Then there's exploring Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, cities that have a wonderful small-town charm.

JEJU ISLAND, SOUTH KOREA

Jeju, Korea’s largest island and only an hour flight from Seoul, is filled with folklore and culture, says the KTO. The island is known for its beach resorts, volcanic coastline and cavelike lava tubes.

Jeju Island has its own distinct culture that differs greatly from that of the mainland Korea, he added. Due to its special geographic location, both historically and in modern day, Jeju is a sought after and much-visited destination in Asia. The geographical evolution of the island is truly unique and offers a very different landscape and culture than the mainland of Korea.

YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA

Yogyakarta (pronounced 'Jogjakata' or often simply 'Jogja') is often referred to as the main gateway of Central Java and is a popular destination among visitors to Indonesia.

The city is renowned as being the centre of Javanese fine arts and culture such as the Wayang Kulit shadow puppetry, as well as for music, ballet, drama, poetry, and batik. Home to many fascinating attractions and two UNESCO Heritage Sites, Yogyakarta is more than just a cultural and religious site. Its city centre, the Kraton or Sri Sultan’s Palace, is relatively lively while the Malioboro, the centre of economic activity, is a paradise for shoppers and travelers.

HONOLULU, HAWAII

Honolulu delivers exactly what you expect of it – a sparkling crescent of colour, kitsch and curling surf. And if you grew up watching endless repeats of Blue Hawaii and Hawaii Five-O you'd be disappointed with anything else. Honolulu is one of the world's most striking cities, a long, slender strip of 400,000 people with beach out the front and a phalanx of extinct volcanoes out the back.

It's also supremely easy to navigate (turn left at the beach, turn right at the beach) and has a thoughtful chain of ABC Stores sited every 20 metres, so you're never far from a beer, postcard or T-shirt. Someday all cities will be made this way.