5 nearby under the radar destinations for your next vacation

Do your eyes glaze over whenever someone mentions going to Tokyo or Phuket for their next holiday — again?

How about hearing about destinations such as Kampot or Bacolod instead? We bet even frequent travellers will be impressed.

And frequent travellers we certainly are. A survey by Visa Global Travel Intentions Study 2015 released last week showed that 95 per cent of Singaporeans have travelled for leisure in the past two years compared with the global and regional average of 76 and 84 per cent, respectively. The survey further revealed that Singaporeans intend to chalk up four leisure trips in the next two years.

In that case, why not be more adventurous? Travellers are getting increasingly interested in emerging travel destinations. Think out-of-the-box spots such as Penghu in Taiwan, Emei in China and small towns such as Thailand’s Buriram which made it to the Agoda Fresh Destination 2015 list, thanks to a spike in bookings on the accommodation website.

Global travel search site Skyscanner also recorded a significant number of searches from Singapore for unusual locations such as Havana and Almaty last year. But if the idea of going all the way to Havana sounds too daunting for you, here are some suggestions in the region that you should definitely think about — with hotels and itineraries sorted. You’re welcome.

New Taipei City, Taiwan

While we would love to visit the dazzling blue island of Penghu the next time we head to Taiwan, it might be a little more convenient to start with New Taipei City. No, it’s not Taipei per se, it’s actually the county bordering the capital city and which consists of cities such as Keelung, Yilan and Wulai. For utter relaxation, base yourself in the picturesque hot spring town of Wulai. Besides hot springs — including an open-air public hot spring you can jump into — Wulai is known for its aboriginal culture and its quaint Old Street. It’s a wonderful location for families — attractions such as the Wulai mini tram, cable car, waterfalls and the Wulai Atayal Museum are pretty fun and educational for kids.

Within walking distance of the museum and old town is the gorgeous Volando Urai Spring Spa and Resort. There are only 23 rooms here, all fitted with en-suite onsen, which makes it doubly inviting to just stay in and soak in the tranquil view of the mountains and lakes. From Wulai, you can easily make your way back to Taipei and take day trips out to Pingxi to set sky lanterns off (a practice made famous by the Taiwanese hit movie, You Are The Apple Of My Eye) or to Keelung for its seafood.

Solo, Indonesia

The beating heart of Javanese culture isn’t confined to Yogyakarta. Solo — or Surakarta, as it’s also known — is a city steeped in Javanese history and heritage, and stands proudly as a rival custodian. The fading but elegant Kraton (royal palace) houses treasures such as Hindu-Javanese figures and royal heirlooms. Solo is also nearer than Yogya to the Hindu temples of Candi Cetho and Candi Sukah, which are worth a look-see. Beyond culture, the city’s second-biggest draw is probably its awesome shopping — from picking antiques at the flea market Pasar Triwindu to the mind-boggling array of batiks at Pasar Klewer.

Solo is also growing in stature with the opening of Alila Solo on Nov 1. The hotel is already the city’s tallest building and will boast a rooftop restaurant, Agra. To further entice travellers, the hotel introduced an attractive Heart Of Java package that includes three nights’ stay, massages, a visit to the kraton, batik shopping and trips to Borobudur and Prambanan temples from just 5,500,00 rupiah (S$552). The best thing? Solo is just a two-hour flight away.

Chengdu, China

It’s panda-monium here in this Chinese city. With more than 80 per cent of the world’s pandas in Sichuan, Chengdu is where you can get your fill of those cute furry creatures. But Chengdu has got more than that — it has fabulous cuisine: The city was named UNESCO city of gastronomy in 2011 (the first in Asia). It boasts a rich teahouse culture spanning centuries and jaw-dropping attractions such as the Dujiangyan irrigation system built in 256 BC. The legendary Emei Mountains of Chinese folklore is also only a one-hour high-speed train ride away.

Of course, there are modern pleasures here. A bustling cafe scene has built up in Xiaotong Xiang with indie outlets that wouldn’t look out of place in Tiong Bahru; and there’s a growing appreciation for artisanal sophisticated fare evident in the rise of Chengdu’s homegrown celebrity chefs such as Lan Guijun. Book a stay at the newly opened Temple House, which is as achingly hip as its counterparts Opposite House in Beijing or the Upper House in Hong Kong. The hotel is offering a very convenient Gong Fu Panda package for 1,888 yuan (S$420) per night, which includes transfers to the Giant Panda Base (with two tickets).

Bacolod, Philippines

This Philippine city registered a surprising 2,287 searches from Singapore last year, said Skyscanner, making it the second most-searched city on the website’s 10 Rather Amazing Hidden Gems.

There’s good reason for the interest in Bacolod, which is an hour’s flight away from Manila. It has a host of natural and man-made wonders nearby, be it the fascinating ruins of Talisay City or the mountains outside the city dotted with resorts. And if you love food, Bacolod is where famed Filipino dish chicken inasal originated — there’s a whole street of restaurants at Manokan Country selling it — while the Old Pala Pala market is where you load up on fresh seafood which is cooked in front of you.

Check into Campuestohan Highland Resort, which is pretty much a kitschy theme park and summer camp rolled into one. There are log cabins and canopy tents to reside in and the resort offers all kinds of activities. Have a go on the hamster wheels, zip lines and sky bicycles before taking cheesy photos with knock-off statues of comic-book superheroes and celebrities.

Kampot, Cambodia

A two and a half hour car ride from Cambodia’s capital, Kampot can be likened to Laos’ Luang Prabang - a sleepy riverside town with beautiful French colonial architecture. Well, the town did used to be a retreat for its Gallic masters during colonial times. Little cafes, yoga classes and homely spas abound and this is where you truly kick back to embrace the slow life. Food is cheap and cheery ; there’s even a tapas restaurant (Baraca Rooms and Tapas) alongside another selling Portugese food (Tertuli) for a taste of how cosmopolitan the town has is become.

The beachside town of Kep is only 30 minutes away from Kampot and we advise you to spend a night - or two - in Kep to add to the experience. Start off at the cosy riverside hotel Rikitikitavi, raved about by travellers for its location and warm service; and once you have enough of Kampot, decamp to Knai Bang Chatt at Kep for a spectacularly stylish seaside stay.