Koh Samui was once a Thai fishing community, and that charming sensibility is still present today. Spending time in Bophut is a wonderful way to soak up local culture; the beachy village restaurants and pubs are perfect spots to experience the sunset. There aren’t many other places where you can bask in the camp of a cabaret show and the solemnity of a Buddhist temple. As far as the latter goes, Wat Plai Laem is a magnificent vision of gilded red rooftops and a massive spindly-armed statue of Guanyin.

Da Nang is laid-back and friendly, maybe because everyone you meet has just finished an amazing meal. Culinary tours are a hugely popular way to experience literal local flavor. After you’ve stuffed yourself with bold noodle soups and savory street foods, walk it off by exploring the limestone caves and Buddhist grottos of the Marble Mountains.

Kota Kinabalu on the island of Borneo is the bustling gateway to acclaimed Kinabalu National Park. The park's high point is 13,400-foot Mount Kinabula, Malaysia's tallest peak, a mecca for climbers. Ninety miles away, thrilling jungle trekking and camping await in the Crocker Range National Park.

Palawan is a slice of heaven, a sliver of an island that teems with exotic wildlife, quaint fishing villages, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Wave hello to endangered animals at the Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary or explore the Japanese shipwrecks of Coron Island, regarded as one of the best dive sites in the world. A guided boat tour of the Puerto Princesa Underground River will take your breath away.

The biggest island in the Philippines, Luzon is also one of the most diverse—it’s where mountain peaks and volcanoes meet miles of coastline, and indigenous culture melds with Spanish colonial history. You can relax at the beach in Pagudpud, hike with locals up the Batad Rice Terraces, ride in a horse-drawn carriage in Vigan, and snack on street food and dance the night away in Manila. You’ll need a few days and a bus pass, but you’ll be glad you stayed.

Boracay Island has reopened with new rules and regulations in place to protect the island from overdevelopment. Not all businesses were allowed to reopen. Please check with the Philippine Department of Tourism for details: http://www.tourism.gov.ph/

From the cosmopolitan metropolis of Cebu City and the white-sand beaches of Mactan to the electric-blue waters of Kawasan Falls and the whale sharks of Oslob, it’s easy to see why Cebu Island is one of the Philippines’ top destinations.

One of the world’s fashion capitals, Milan offers endless opportunities for chic shopping. Hit the artsy neighborhood of Brera for leather goods and Via Monte Napoleone for exclusive, expensive boutiques. The enchanting mosaics and glass vaults of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II make shoppers feel like they’re wandering inside a painting. Take break from your spree to gape at the iconic Duomo, then grab tickets to a performance at La Scala. Post-opera, the Navigli district pulses with late-night activity.