2001 has finally begun and memories of Christmas and New Year are already drifting away, so it's time to start making plans for trips to recover from it all, maybe even time to start travelling with a new, fresh outlook. Call it what you like - recharging batteries, getting away from it all, just chilling out - there are many destinations that offer more than just a holiday. They are somewhere to restore your well-being, physically and mentally, places to which you definitely don't need to bring along your cell phone, Wap, portable computer or Palm. On these travels you might have a massage by a swirling whirlpool, go hiking up a mountainside, or take part in a mass meditation ceremony. You may end up staying in a luxury, expensive hotel, or cheap, spartan accommodation - and it could be thousands of miles away or just the other side of the Channel.
Rejang River, Sarawak, Malaysia
Sarawak is in the middle of the world's oldest rainforests in Borneo, and before becoming part of modern Malaysia was the private fief of Britain's Brooke family, known as the Land of the White Rajahs. Running through the jungle is the Rejang River, on whose banks live the Iban people, who were headhunters until half a century ago.
Why there? The Ibans live in communities of longhouses, where several hundred people share the same building, where only the sleeping quarters are kept private. The Ibans are friendly and welcoming to visitors, though don't be surprised to see skulls hanging from the ceiling, as they are still used for animist ceremonies.
Auroville, Pondicherry, India
A hundred miles south of Madras lies Auroville, the City of Dawn, a community of followers of the Sri Aurobindo ashram, a mystical, idealistic movement. More than 1,000 people live in Auroville, and over two-thirds are foreigners, including Brits and other Europeans.
Why there? Whether you find it a fraud, a rip-off or the recipe for surviving the future, a visit to Auroville - and especially its meditation centre, the Matramandir, a vast windowless globe - is a unique experience that may start you asking questions about your life.
Where to stay It is possible to stay in the utopian city of the future. Alternatively you can relax in nearby quaint Pondicherry, staying in the delightful hotel, Villa Helena, set in a luxurious old colonial bungalow. Auroville Guest Programme, Visitors Centre, 605 101 Auroville. Villa Helena, 14 Rue Suffren, Pondicherry. Tel: 00 91 413 226789, fax: 227087
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Forget the claim that Bali has been ruined by tourism because with a little effort anyone can find their own corner of paradise on this island where art and culture, religion, music and dance remain inextricably woven into people's daily lives.
Why there? If the island's cultural capital, Ubud, seems too busy and touristy, then head for nearby Sayan valley, Bali's most beautiful hidden vista of terraced rice fields. Spend your days having long, languid massages, witness trance dances and strange animist rites that cover Balinese life from birth to death.
Where to stay You can stay in a simple wood-carver's cottage in Sayan, but if budget is no problem, don't miss one of the world's ultimate luxury hotels. Four Seasons Resort at Sayan Ubud, Gianyar, Bali 81571. Tel: 00 62 361 977 577, fax: 361 977 588
Venice in winter
Discover why this city can still be called La Serenissima. Don't bother with the carnival, which has turned into a tacky circus; choose November, January, February or March and pack Wellington boots for the Aqua Alta floods.
Why there? Venice in the rain, the thick, enveloping winter fog, is Venice as it was centuries ago - silent, eerie, incredibly beautiful, and most importantly, inhabited mostly by locals rather than the thousands of tourists that flood in each day during the rest of the year.
Where to stay Avoid spending a fortune at the overpriced palace hotels but equally don't end up in a depressing one-star dive with loo and bathroom down the corridor. Book months in advance, and bag a room in Locanda Ai Santi Apostoli, a small elegant palazzo with a view over the Grand Canal. Locanda Ai Santi Apostoli, Strada Nuova 4391, Cannaregio. Tel: 00 39 0415 212 612, fax: 212 611
Little Palm Island, Florida Keys, US
Leave behind mainstream America and hit the road from Miami on the Overseas Highway, a silver ribbon that streaks southward through the Florida Keys, a long coral necklace of 40 islands, surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The Keys have an eccentric, independent island mentality.
Why there? Though most visitors here can't resist the lure of Key West, Key Largo, or the romantic Matekumbe Key, head for one of the idyllic private islands.
Where to stay In Little Palm Island you'll be deprived of telephones and TV but find yourself in total luxury. Little Palm Island, 28500 Overseas Highway, Little Torch Key, Florida 33042. Tel: 00 1 305 872 2524, fax: 872 4843
Kuda Huraa, Maldives
The Maldives remain one of the world's fundamental 'get-away-from-it-all' destinations. The perfect plan is to organise a combined trip, where you take in the marvellous Buddhist temples of Sri Lanka - Kandy, Polonnurawa, Anuradhapura - then escape to a faraway tropical island.
Why there? The unique tiny atolls of the Maldives are seriously threatened by the effects of global warming, and although they're not going to disappear into the Indian Ocean just yet, staying on one of these fragile desert islands is an experience better planned sooner than later.
Where to stay There are dozens of luxury resorts dotted around the coral reefs and blue lagoons of the Maldives, but covering an entire island, Kuda Huraa has the added attraction of an ideal state-of-the-art spa, with a vast range of relaxing, imaginative massages and aromatherapy Kuda Huraa Reef Resort, North Male Atoll, Maldives. Tel: 00 960 444888, fax: 960 441188
Mont-Saint-Michel, France
Mont-Saint-Michel holds the rather dubious honour of being France's most visited tourist site, but it is certainly one of the greatest religious buildings in Europe.
Why there? Millions of tourists flock here in summer, but the Mont - known as God's Pyramid - is virtually deserted in winter and there is a strange magical feeling each time the sea swirls in and covers the dangerous sands that separate the island from the French mainland.
Where to stay It is crucial to stay inside the confines of the Mont, to experience the isolation as the high tide cuts off the abbey. Hotel Saint-Pierre is open all the year round and offers rooms with views overlooking the sea. Hotel Saint-Pierre, BP 16, 50116 Le Mont-Saint-Michel. Tel: 00 33 2 33601403, fax 33 2 33485982
Shirakawa-Go, Honshu, Japan
To discover the authentic Land of the Rising Sun head for the picturesque mountains of the Japanese alps near Nagoya, and in particular, the idyllic, unspoilt Shokowa valley.
Why there? You'll discover huge, four-storey traditional thatched roof farmhouses - gassho zukuri - transformed for the most part into welcoming inns, known as minshuku . In one night you'll be transported back into ancient rural Japanese life, where the evening begins with a steaming hot bath, then all guests eat together, graciously served by the lady of the house who makes sure everyone tries the lethal home-made sake .
Where to stay The Japanese Tourism Office in London can provide a list of minshukus in Shirakawa-go, or even the nearby ski resort of Hakabu. Try Minshuku Matsuhei, Shirakawa-go, Nagoya. Tel: 00 81 576961500
St Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, Egypt
Set in the wild, arid desert of the Sinai peninsula, the monastery of St Catherine is both one of the most important and visually stunning sites of the Christian world.
Why there? The monastery is overshadowed by the towering Mount Sinai, where pilgrims from all over the world come to retrace the steps of Moses on his climb to receive the Ten Commandments. The walk begins in the pitch darkness of the night, arriving at a tiny chapel on the summit as dawn breaks over the mountain range.
Where to stay The best plan is to actually stay in the hostel of the monastery itself. To reserve, contact the administrative office of St Catherine's: 18 rue El Zaher , Cairo. Tel: 00 20 2 482 8513. The nearest main hotel is St Catherine Tourist Village, Wadi el-Raha, tel:062 77 04 56, fax 062 72 02 21
Scilly Isles, England
Imagine over 100 tiny islands, reefs and atolls, surrounded by a turquoise, crystal clear sea. Brilliant white sand beaches stretch for as far as the eye can see. The Seychelles or Caribbean come to mind, but this paradise is in fact the Scilly Isles, just 50 kilometres off the rocky coast of Cornwall.
Why there? Go to the tiny island of Tresco, where you'll discover the wonderful botanical centre, the Abbey Gardens which are filled with extravagant, exotic plants from all over the world. Smell the deep fragrances of musk, cinnamon or eucalyptus, then pinch yourself to remember that this is actually England.
Where to stay If Tresco is the jewel of the Scillies, then the Island Hotel is the ideal spot to base yourself, understated luxury, fine gourmet cuisine, with a laid-back atmosphere more like the Hamptons than the West Country. Island Hotel, Tresco, Scilly Isles. Tel : 01720 422883 . Fax : 01720 423008
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Zambia
Situated on the boundary between these two African nations, the Victoria Falls remains one of the unspoilt wonders of the world, a rare sight that is even more breathtaking than you'd expected.
Why there? Explore the quiet, wild parkland on the Zambian frontier, which has even better views than the more frequented Zimbabwean side. There's a hair-raising, footbridge across the gorge that takes you to Knife Edge Point.
Where to stay Although the best views may be from the Zambian side, nothing can compare with staying in Zimbabwe's grand old relic from colonial times, the Victoria Falls Hotel, PO Box 10, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Tel: 00 263 13 3211, fax: 263 13 3205
Sukhothai, Thailand
Avoid Thailand's congested, polluted modern capital, Bangkok, and hop on an old-fashioned train to the centre of the country and visit the country's first capital, Sukhothai, a peaceful, meditative centre of Buddhist temples.
Why there? Explore the 45 square kilometres of old city ruins that represent the Golden Age of Thai civilisation and religious art. You'll see more yellow-robed Buddhist monks on pilgrimages here than foreign tourists, especially around the colossal statue of Buddha in Wat Mahathat.
Where to stay There's plenty of cheap and cheerful budget accommodation in 'new' Sukhothai, but it can be worth splashing out on one of the luxury hotels in the countryside, with spas, traditional massage and lotus-filled lakes. Sukhothai Resort Hotel, 99 Moo 7 Tambol Sarmruen, Amphur Srisamrong Sukhothai 64120. Tel: 00 66 55 681698, fax:681697
Monte Alban, Oaxaca, Mexico
The ancient capital of the Zapotec Indians, this eerie ceremonial site resembles a lunar landscape. It is literally an artificially flattened mountain top, whose origins go back to around 500BC.
Why there? Less visited than the classic Mayan sites of Mexico's Yucatan peninsular, Monte Alban is a much more spiritual centre, and local Indian shamans still gather here to take part in mystic rituals.
Where to stay Oaxaca is one of the most charming cities in all Mexico. The Camino Rail Hotel was a convent in the sixteenth century, and is just off the main square, the Zocalo. Camino Real Hotel, Calle 5 de Mayo 300, 68000 Oaxaca. Tel: 00 52 951 60611, fax: 951 60732
North Cape, Norway
What better place to get away from it all than the most northern point in all Europe, deep in the heart of the Arctic Circle. You won't see more than a few Lapp farmers herding their reindeer, or hardy fishermen out to catch the few elusive cod still left in these icy waters.
Why there? The North Cape is flooded with tourists in summer, but during the dark winter months when twilight stretches for most of the day you can explore this isolated, snow-covered outpost and scarcely meet another soul.
Where to stay The ideal solution is to book a few days' passage on Norway's coastal steamer, the Hurtigruten, where in winter prices are discounted and the boat is mostly deserted. To book directly on the Hurtigruten Ferry, telephone Norwegian Coastal Voyage on 020 7559 6666. A small hotel near the North Cape itself is the Rica Hotel, Honningsvag. Tel: 00 47 7847 2333, fax: 7847 3379.
