Best places to visit in January

Iceland has many highlights, and it’s nearly impossible to choose one place over another.

Following is our regular summary of the latest travel news and best frequent traveler promotions reviewed during the past week.

The late great Anthony Bourdain once said “without Montreal, Canada would be hopeless.” Of course this isn’t true as Canada has many charms but it’s fair to say that the Anglo francophone city is a sheer delight, from both a culinary and cultural perspective. This unique melting pot of cultures, set on an island in the St. Lawrence River, is the birthplace of Leonard Cohen, Mordecai Richler, Arcade Fire, Cirque du Soleil and jazz legend Oscar Peterson.

Despite India’s vastness, foreign travellers tend to clump together in a relatively small number of well-known regions or cities, leaving plenty of destinations to the more intrepid few who are willing to take the challenge of escaping the tourist trail. Here’s a selection of our favourites:

Southeast Asia is the quintessential backpacker destination – all noodle stands, grungy hostels and full moon parties, right? Not necessarily. There are still plenty of authentic Southeast Asian escapes. You just need to know where to find them. Start here.

Ticked off New York City’s big sights and wondering where to go next? From sinking a pint in Brooklyn's Red Hook to sampling Italian delicacies in The Bronx, Stephen Keeling picks the city’s off-the-beaten track highlights.

The Patagonian craft beer scene has only recently emerged on the international stage, but it’s been a long time coming. While the influences of German settlers responsible for breweries such as Austral in southern Chile have long been felt, it’s taken a while for others to catch on.

Access to even some of the more remote parts of South America has improved in the past few decades, establishing a now well-etched tourist trail. But if you want to escape the crowds and make a beeline for an unexplored South American treasure, look no further than this list of the places you’ve never heard of, but should definitely visit.

Few countries in Asia boast such dramatic natural diversity and such a range of hiking opportunities as Japan. Mountains make up two-thirds of the country, with beaches fringing the coast and the balmy southern islands. Japan is well set up for hikers, with the ultra-efficient rail network making getting around the country a breeze. Here are ten of our favourite places to go hiking in Japan.

Webcams: we’ve all got one, eyeing us from our computer screen. But don’t forget that there are plenty further afield too, set up in staggeringly beautiful spots around the world. Here, we bring you 10 places that you can visit by webcam – while actual travel is still off the cards.

Read through our ultimate travel bucket list, with not just the top places to see, but the unique experiences that you can have when you visit these amazing locations around the world.

If you're planning an autumnal escape, check out where our editors and writers have chosen as their favourite destinations at this time of year.