Cuba

Cuba is like nowhere else — a Caribbean island frozen in a gorgeous, faded time-warp of vintage American cars, crumbling colonial mansions, revolutionary murals and endless music spilling from every doorway. It mixes white-sand beaches and tobacco valleys with the salt-worn splendour of Havana, warm and irrepressible people, and a rum-and-cigar culture all its own. Complicated, soulful and utterly captivating, it rewards travellers who come with patience, curiosity and cash (cards often don't work). A one-of-a-kind, unforgettable destination.

What things cost: Cuba runs largely on cash — bring euros or US dollars to change, as foreign cards frequently don't work and ATMs are unreliable. Casas particulares (family guesthouses) are great value and the best way to stay; state restaurants can be dear and hit-or-miss, private 'paladares' better. Prices for tourists are higher than for locals. When a zone says 'low', it's cheap by Western standards.