Where in the world will you be?

The best days of your life: that is the prospect for 2006. Plan your adventure now!

January

7 LOVE PARADE, SANTIAGO, CHILE The Love Parade in the Chilean capital is reputedly the world's largest electronic dance festival. The 4km-long street party starts in the centre of Santiago at noon, and the beats go on until dawn.

Information: Love Parade ( www.loveparade.cl); Chile Tourist Department (020-7580 6392; www.sernatur.cl).

Got to be there: no direct flights from the UK; connections in Paris from a wide range of British airports on Air France (0870 142 4343; www.airfrance.com/uk) to Santiago.

8 WAKAKUSA YAMAYAKI, NARA, JAPAN Priests dressed as warriors set alight a 342m-tall grass hill in the beautiful temple city of Nara for this ancient tradition. The blaze is accompanied by fireworks, making this a spectacular sight. The best views are next to the hill itself, but get there early - 100,000 people a year turn out to watch.

Information: Japanese Tourist Organisation (020-7734 6870; www.seejapan.co.uk).

Got to be there: the closest airport with non-stop services from Heathrow is Kansai, also known as Osaka, served by Japan Airlines (08457 747700; www.jal.com).

10 EID AL-ADHA, THE ISLAMIC WORLD Unusually, Muslims will get two chances to mark this religious four-day holiday; the Islamic calendar is 11 days shorter than ours, and so Eid al-Adha will occur again on 31 December. The first day is dedicated to prayer. The ancient land of Yemen is an ideal place to observe the festival.

Information: the Foreign Office warns against "all but essential travel to the area around Saada in northern Yemen".

Got to be there: fly Gatwick to Sanaa on Yemenia (020-7323 3213; www.yemenia.com).

13 FESTIVAL AU DESERT, TIMBUKTU, MALI Camel races and singing are among the daytime highlights of this three-day festival. Music and dancing continues through the night.

Information: Festival au Desert ( www.festival-au-desert.org); Mali Tourism (00 223 223 64 50; w ww.malitourisme.com).

Got to be there: Afriqiyah Airways (01293 596 638; www.afriqiyah.aero) will get you to Mali's capital, Bamako, from Gatwick via the Libyan capital Tripoli.

13 END OF POLAR NIGHT CELEBRATIONS, ILULISSAT, GREENLAND

One of the biggest events in the Greenland calendar, when almost all the local population travels to a viewing point well above the Arctic Circle to watch the sun return to view for the first time in a couple of months.

Information: Greenland Tourism (00 45 32 83 38 80; www.greenland.com).

Got to be there: good luck. The easiest approach is via Copenhagen and Kangerlussuaq, with the last two legs on Air Greenland (00 299 34 34 34; www.airgreenland.gl).

February

3 NEW ZEALAND SEVENS, WELLINGTON The defending IRB Sevens Champions, New Zealand, defend their title against the best sevens teams from around the world. Held in Wellington's Westpac Stadium, the two-day tournament will feature some of the fastest rugby on the planet.

Information: New Zealand Sevens ( www.irb sevens.com); Tourism New Zealand (0906 601 3601, calls 60p/min; www.newzealand.com).

Got to be there: a minimum of two stops is required, either via LA and Auckland on Air New Zealand (0800 028 4149; www.airnz.co.nz) or via Singapore and Sydney on Qantas (0845 7 747 767; www.qantas.com.au).

9 HONG KONG ARTS FESTIVAL Running through much of February and to 13 March, this festival celebrates the city's cultural dynamism with theatre, opera, classical music and dance.

Information: Hong Kong Arts Festival (00 852 2824 2430; www.hk.artsfestival.org); Hong Kong Tourism Board (020-7533 7100; www.discoverhongkong.com).

Got to be there: you can fly non-stop from Heathrow on British Airways, Cathay Pacific or Virgin Atlantic, or from various UK airports via a host of connecting cities.

10 WINTER OLYMPICS, TURIN, ITALY Journey to Italy to see Turin host the Winter Olympic Games (10-26 February) - the biggest event in the winter sports calendar, with skiing, sledding, skating and more against the spectacular backdrop of the Italian Alps.

Information: 00 39 011 11 2006; www.torino2006.org; Italian State Tourist Board (020-7408 1254; www.enit.it).

Got to be there: too late to qualify for competition, but British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair will get you there from Gatwick, Luton and Stansted respectively. You decide which of the airlines are gold, silver and bronze.

24 CARNIVAL, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL For four throbbing days, until the last day of the month, one million people gather in Brazil's most beautiful city. The centrepiece is the Sambadromo parade, when neighbourhood groups compete for the title of best samba school; flashy floats and nearly nude women feature prominently. The Masquerade Ball is almost as breathtaking, rammed with celebrities and mortals alike, all bemasked, bewigged and becostumed. Wear a thong for best results.

Information: Carnival ( www.ipanema.com); Brazilian Tourist Office, c/o Brazil Embassy (020-7629 6909; www.brazil.org.uk).

Got to be there: no non-stop flights from Britain; Journey Latin America (020-8747 8315; www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk) will help you find scarce seats and beds.

24 TANGO FESTIVAL, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA You wait all month for a Latin American fiesta of music, dance and passion, then two come along at once. You could follow the Rio Carnival with the Tango Festival, in the Argentinian capital until 6 March. The sultry sound and moves of tango were born in Buenos Aires, where the best dancers from around the country and further afield converge on the city to swing their hips for two weeks of competitions, performances and classes.

Information: World Tango Festival (00 54 11 4374 2829; www.festivaldetango.com.ar); Embassy of Argentina (020-7318 1300; www.turismo.gov.ar).

Got to be there: Aerolineas Argentinas (0800 096 9747; www.aerolineas.com.ar) will get you there from Gatwick via Madrid; British Airways (0870 850 9850) flies from Heathrow via Sao Paulo.

26 KILIMANJARO MARATHON, TANZANIA The route does not ascend to the top of Africa's highest mountain, though it does climb 300m during the 42.2km course. The Kilimanjaro marathon, which attracts runners from all over Tanzania, the rest of Africa, and the world, is a great spectator event - and, for those who are feeling fit, there is a half-marathon and a 5km fun run.

Information: Kilimanjaro Marathon (00 27 11 702 2035; www.kilimanjaromarathon.com); Tanzania Tourism (020-7569 1470; www.tanzaniatouristboard.com).

Got to be there: KLM (08705 074 074; www.klmuk.com) will get you to Kilimanjaro from a dozen UK airports with a change of plane in Amsterdam.

March

14 HOLI, INDIA AND NEPAL A two-day celebration to herald the arrival of spring, Holi is the most colourful of Hindu festivals. It is also one of the few events in which the sexes mix freely. You could travel to northern India and participate in the human pyramid built at Haryana, to break a pot of buttermilk hung high above the street.

Information: India Tourism (020-7437 3677; www.incredibleindia.org); Nepal Tourist Board 00 977 1 4256 909; www.welcomenepal.com

Got to be there: this year you cannot move for cheap flights to India on a wide range of airlines; the lowest return fare we have found is £331 from Heathrow to Delhi on Alitalia via Milan. From the Indian capital it is relatively cheap and easy to find a flight to Kathmandu.

15 COMMONWEALTH GAMES, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA The 2000 Sydney Olympics showed how spectacularly Australia could succeed at a sporting celebration; Melbourne will be trying to do even better from 15 to 26 March. Twenty-four disciplines will be contested, from gymnastics to bowls.

Information: Commonwealth Games 2006 (00 61 1300 00 2006; www.melbourne2006.com.au); Tourism Australia (0870 556 1434; www.australia.com).

Got to be there: a dozen airlines will fly you to Australia's second city for £600 return.

17 ST PATRICK'S DAY, US New York is holding its 245th St Patrick's Day parade, while Philadelphia and Boston will be buzzing; in Chicago the river is dyed green. Not a bad tribute for an ancient snake charmer.

Information: St Patrick's Day Parade ( www.saintpatricksdayparade.com).

Got to be there: transatlantic fares before the Easter holidays will be low; to get in the party mood, book your flight via Dublin on Aer Lingus (0870 876 5000; www.aerlingus.com).

25 PASIFIKA FESTIVAL, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND With the largest Polynesian population in the world, Auckland is the ideal place to hold a festival dedicated to their arts, crafts and heritage. Pasifika attracts 150,000 people every year.

Information: Pasifika Festival ( www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/whatson/events/pasifika/); Tourism New Zealand (0906 601 3601, calls 60p/min; www.newzealand.com).

Got to be there: Air New Zealand or Singapore Airlines will fly you there.

April

1 CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, JINHAE, SOUTH KOREA This is the largest blossom festival in South Korea: around 225,000 cherry trees cover the town and surrounding areas with a pale pink haze.

Information: Jinhae Tourism (00 82 55 548 2114; www.jinhae.gso.kr); Korea National Tourism Organisation (020-7321 2535; www.tour2korea.com).

Got to be there: you can fly non-stop from London Heathrow to Seoul on Asiana (020-7514 0201; www.uk.flyasiana.com) or Korean Air (020-7495 8641; www.korea air.eu.com).

9 HOLY WEEK, JERUSALEM, ISRAEL For many of the pilgrims, this is the spiritual journey of a lifetime. The acts of the Passion are re-enacted with processions through the streets, and there are constant services, masses and liturgies.

Information: Israel Government Tourist Office (020-7299 1111; www.go-israel.org).

Got to be there: the nearest international airport is Tel Aviv, served from Heathrow and Stansted by El Al (020-7957 4100; www.elal.co.il), and from Heathrow by British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com).

9 SEMANA SANTA, ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA The Hispanic version of Holy Week commemorates the Passion, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Christ in a week of feverish worship. Statues of Jesus are paraded through streets adorned with flowers, pines and fruits. The sentencing and crucifixion of Christ is re-enacted, complete with Roman centurions and Pontius Pilate, while, seemingly, the entire city is draped in black crêpe and smelling of incense. Even an atheist's jaw would drop in awe at the sheer scale and passion of the proceedings.

Information: Semana Santa ( www.terra.com.gt/semanasanta); Guatemala Tourism (00 502 2 421 2879; www.visitguatemala.com).*

Got to be there: fly via Miami on the world's biggest airline, American (08457 789 789; www.aa.com).

14 WATER SPLASHING FESTIVAL, CHINA In the Yunnan Province of south west China, the residents of Jinghong celebrate the New Year according to the Dai calendar by getting wet. The Dai people are an ethnic minority in China, and this highly localised festival celebrates an old Dai custom, of dousing all the inhabitants in water. There are also dragon boat races and fireworks.

Information: China Tourist Office (020-7373 0888; www.cnta.org.uk).

Got to be there: good fares are available to many destinations on China Eastern (0870 760 6232; www.chinaeastern.co.uk) from Heathrow via Shanghai.

19 QUEEN ELIZABETH'S 80TH BIRTHDAY, UK As part of Her Majesty's birthday celebrations, 10 of the royal collection of works by Leonardo da Vinci will travel to galleries throughout the UK, including Exeter, Aberdeen, Leeds and Cardiff. On 19 April, two days before her birthday, there will be a garden party at Buckingham Palace, for all Britons who were born on the same day as the Queen.

Information: 020-7930 4832; w www.royal.gov.uk.

May

12 REYKJAVIK ARTS FESTIVAL, ICELAND Music is the focus for 2006, the 20th anniversary of the annual festival. This is your chance to find out if there is more to Icelandic music than Bjork (answer: yes, of course, but you might not like it).

Information: Reykjavik Arts Festival (00 354 561 2444; www.artfest.is); Iceland Tourist Board (00 354 535 5500; www.icetourist.is).

Got to be there: a new British Airways flight from Gatwick joins Icelandair from Glasgow and Heathrow and Iceland Express from Stansted.

20 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST, ATHENS, GREECE The 51st Eurovision Song Contest is likely to take kitsch to an even higher level, thanks to the venue: the Olympic indoor arena. Europe's biggest "musical" contest becomes ever more bizarre, with complex geo-politics interacting with terrible songs and even worse outfits. An unmissable event, but arguably best seen on TV in Britain with the added protection of a layer of irony which the live audience might lack.

Information: Eurovision Song Contest ( www.eurovision.tv); Greek National Tourist Office (020-7495 9300; www.gnto.co.uk).

Got to be there: seats on British Airways, easyJet and Olympic Airlines are going to be scarce for the days immediately before and after the contest. Book now to avoid being an also-ran; easyJet is offering a return from Gatwick in 19 May, returning 21 May, for just £115.

20 INDEPENDENCE DAY, EAST TIMOR Having been occupied by Indonesia for decades while western powers offered little aid, East Timor finally achieved its independence on this day in 2002. Liberation is celebrated annually with parades, arts festivals, and street parties.

Information: East Timor Tourism (00 670 331 0371; www.turismotimorleste.com).

Got to be there: there is no easy way in, but the least stressful is probably via Darwin in Australia; alternatively, make your way to Bali, for example via Singapore.

June

9 WELTMEISTERSCHAFT, GERMANY The 2006 World Cup Finals kick off in Munich on 9 June (and ends a month later in Berlin), and by day two England face mighty Paraguay in Frankfurt. With Trinidad & Tobago in Nuremberg the next sturdy hurdle, followed by Sweden in Cologne, England confidently expect to be playing Portugal in the last 16 match in Stuttgart. Each night the team will return to their opulent hotel in Baden-Baden. Put all these locations into a computer, and the optimum location is... the fine French city of Strasbourg.

Information: www.fifaworldcup.yahoo.com); German Tourist Board (020-7317 0908; www.germany-tourism.co.uk); Strasbourg Tourist Office 00 33 3 88 52 28 28; www.ot-strasbourg.fr).

Got to be there: Air France (0870 142 4343; www.airfrance.com/uk) flies from Gatwick to Strasbourg; Ryanair (0906 270 5656; www.ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Baden-Baden, from which there are buses to Strasbourg and the England hotel (Brenner's) is easily accessible.

22 KIRKPINAR OIL WRESTLING, TURKEY Male oil wrestling is almost as popular as football and the Eurovision Song Contest in Turkey. Wearing only tight leather trousers, and smeared in olive oil, the wrestlers attempt to pin their slippery opponents to keen interest and amusement of the crowds. All this and with traditional folk dancing going on in the background until 26 June, Turkish oil wrestling surely is an event to be witnessed first hand.

Information: Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling ( www.kirkpinar.com); Turkey Tourist Office (020-7839 7778; www.gototurkey.co.uk).

Got to be there: British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com) and Turkish Airlines (020-7766 9300; www.turkishairlines.com) fly frequently between London Heathrow and Istanbul's Ataturk airport; the latter also flies from Manchester.

24 INTI RAYMI, CUSCO, PERU The ancient Inca festival of the sun is staged in the ancient Saqsaywaman amphitheatre. With 100,000 sun-worshippers, Inti Raymi is rather refreshingly one of the few big events in Peru where locals outnumber tourists.

Information: Peru Tourism (020-7235 1917; www.peru.org.pe).

Got to be there: Explore (0870 333 4001; w ww.explore.co.uk) has a High Trail of the Incas departure on 18 June that will put you into Cusco right on time for the festival.

July

1 TOUR DE FRANCE If the overspill from the World Cup were not enough, Strasbourg also hosts the start of the 93rd Tour de France. This year's epic race will include a prologue and 20 stages, covering 3,600km. Twenty-one teams of nine riders will be watched in awe as they whizz through 580 towns throughout France, finishing at the Champs Elysées in Paris on 23 July.

Information: Tour de France ( www.letour.fr); French Government Tourist Office (09068 244123; w ww.franceguide.com).

Got to be there: get on your bike.

6 FIESTA DE SAN FERMIN, PAMPLONA, SPAIN Otherwise known as the Running with the Bulls, this event marks the saint's day of the patron of bakers and wine merchants - and transforms the sleepy town of Pamplona in northern Spain into a huge party. Thousands of spectators clad in red and white gather daily at 8am to watch participants being chased through 790m of narrow streets by a horde of two-ton aggravated bulls.

Information: Running of the Bulls (00 34 848 420420; www.sanfermin.com); Spanish Tourist Office (0845 940 0180; www.tourspain.co.uk).

Got to be there: fly to Vitoria on Ryanair or Bilbao on easyJet.

7 LAUSANNE ARTS FESTIVAL, SWITZERLAND The home town of the International Olympic Committee happens to be a spectacular city overlooking Lake Geneva. The nine-day arts festival provides spectators with more than 200 free open-air shows and concerts. Expect creativity by artists from around the world.

Information: Lausanne Arts Festival (00 41 21 311 0375; www.festivalcite.ch); Switzerland Tourism (00800 100 200 30; www.switzerlandtourism.com).

Got to be there: fly to Geneva on easyJet (0905 821 0905; www.easyjet.com) - the biggest airline to Lake Geneva's main airport.

August

7 NATIONAL HOBO CONVENTION, BRITT, IOWA, US This unusual gathering transforms Britt to a seething mass of more than 20,000 independent travellers. The term "hobo" is believed to come from the nickname "hoe-boys", which was originally given to any tool-carrying migrant farmer following the Great Depression. Now the word is used for those working travellers of no-fixed-abode, who are fuelled by wanderlust. Hundreds of current and past hobos meet for a week to exchange tales and some compete for the crown of King and Queen of the Hobos. Other attractions include a craft and flea market, and a gospel concert.

Information: National Hobo Convention (00 1 641 843 9104; www.hobo.com); Travel Iowa (00 1 515 242 4700; www.traveliowa.com).

Got to be there: fares will be high in August, but try to hitch a ride on Air India to Chicago and make your way by freight train - or Greyhound bus.

16 BEER FESTIVAL, BELGRADE, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO In contrast to more infamous Bavarian beer festivals, Belgrade's is a relative newcomer yet it hosted a huge attendance in its third year last year, advocating peace, reconciliation and good lager as its main causes. The festival encompasses classical music and DJ events with beer-drinking competitions, 10am-4am daily.

Information (and to confirm dates): Belgrade Beer Festival (00 381 11 635 622; www.belgradebeerfest.com); National Tourism Organisation of Serbia (00 381 11 3342521; www.serbia-tourism.org).

Got to be there: British Airways and JAT Yugoslav Airlines fly between Heathrow and Belgrade.

30 LA TOMATINA, BUÑOL, SPAIN A more pointless, messy, wasteful and fun festival is difficult to imagine. The last Wednesday in August sees the industrial town of Buñol transformed by a giant food fight. Around 20,000 revellers gather ammunition from 140 tons of tomatoes trucked in for the event. The firing of a rocket signals the start of the mayhem, which ceases only when the second rocket is fired around an hour later and the cleaning up begins. Standard uniform includes an old T-shirt, shorts and eye goggles.

Information: Spanish Tourist Office (0845 940 0180; www.tourspain.co.uk).

Got to be there: fly to Valencia on easyJet or Thomsonfly.

September

1 ARTS ALIVE, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA This festival takes place at venues in Newtown but also in Soweto and Tembisa, on the outskirts of South Africa's largest city. It runs throughout September, offering jazz, gospel, comedy, photography, dance, choral singing and arts and crafts.

Information: Arts Alive (00 27 11 268 2577; www.artsalive.co.za); South African Tourism (0870 155 0044; www.southafrica.net).

Got to be there: British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com), Virgin Atlantic (08705 747747; www.virgin-atlantic.com) and South African Airways (0870 747 1111; www.flysaa.com) fly from Heathrow.

2 MUSEUMS' LONG NIGHT, ZURICH, SWITZERLAND More than 30 museums throw open * their doors until 2am or 6am, enticing people in with concerts, open restaurants and film screenings. One "combi-ticket" gains access to all museums, which specialise not only in anthropology, archaeology and architecture but also in toys, clocks, music and jewellery to name but a few. Coffee stands line the streets, providing visitors with fuel to see them through the night.

Information: Museum Night (00 41 44 215 40 00; www.langenacht.ch); Zurich Tourism (00 41 44 215 4000; www.zuerich.com).

Got to be there: British Airways (0870 850 9 850; www.ba.com) and Swiss (0845 601 0956; www.swiss.com) are the main carriers between the UK and Europe; easyJet (0905 821 0905; www.easyjet.com) flies to Basel, from which there are connections to Zurich.

4 TEUILA FESTIVAL, APIA, SAMOA A week-long cultural celebration offering traditional dance, choral recitals and a cricket tournament with canoe and fautasi (longboat racing), taking place in Apia Harbour and culminating in a Miss Teuila beauty pageant.

Information: Teuila Festival ( www.teuilafestival.ws); Samoa Tourism (00 685 63500; www.visitsamoa.ws).

Got to be there: Air New Zealand (0800 028 4149; www.airnz.co.nz) flies via Los Angeles.

10 KRAVJI BAL, BOHINJ, SLOVENIA The Cow's Ball in Bohinj is a kitsch weekend of food, drink and folk dance, heralding the return of the livestock to the villages from high pastures.

Information: Slovenia Tourism (0870 225 5305; www.slovenia-tourism.si).

Got to be there: fly from Gatwick on Adria Airways or from Luton on easyJet.

27 MESKEL, ADDIS ABADA, ETHIOPIA This eight-day festival, which dates back 1,600 years, is a landmark event in Ethiopian culture and spiritual belief. Meskel, meaning cross, signifies the finding of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified in Golgotha. Traditionally, family members return home for the ritual exchange of gifts, and the killing of a sacrificial ox is used to reassert female fertility and that of the land. Priests can be seen in brilliantly embroidered costumes and children run around with burning torches. Yellow daisies burn on bonfires to mark the end of the rainy season.

Information: Ethiopian Tourist Office (020-7838 3878; www.tourismethiopia.org).

Got to be there: Ethiopian Airlines (020-8987 7000) flies either non-stop or via Rome; British Airways (0870 850 9 850; www.ba.com) flies from Heathrow via Jordan.

October

9 CIRIO DE NAZARE, BELÉM, BRAZIL A highly emotional Catholic festival drawing more than a million people to watch the procession of the replica "Lady of Nazareth" through the streets of Belém to the Nazareth Basilica. Some devotees are barefoot and there is plenty of throwing of shredded paper and rose petals, chanting and singing hymns. Mid-festival a bright flotilla of decorated boats charges across Guaruja Bay, accompanied by a firework display.

Information: Brazilian Tourist Office, part of the Brazilian Embassy (020-7629 6909; www.braziltourism.org).

Got to be there: the quick, cheap way could be to find a cut-price flight to Madrid, and a connection on the low-cost airline Air Madrid ( www.airmadrid.com) to Fortaleza, from which Belém is easily accessible.

21 DIWALI, INDIA Throughout the Hindu festival of lights, which lasts until 10 November, in homes across India are filled with the light of tiny diyas. The festivities include constant feasting and present giving.

Information: India Tourist Office 020-7437 3677; www.incredibleindia.org.

Got to be there: cheap flights to India are now thankfully easy to find.

29 PUSHKAR CAMEL FAIR, INDIA And in the middle of Diwali, the largest camel and cattle fair in the world takes place in the town of Pushkar in the north Indian state of Rajasthan (to 5 November). Fifty thousand camels go on sale, with 200,000 people arriving in Pushkar to take in the fair. With music, traditional delicacies and entertainment, this is a fantastic opportunity to take in some Indian culture, and then see Rajasthan at its best - by riding a camel.

Got to be there: Rajasthan Travel Guide 00 91 141 222 6126; www.rajasthantravelguide.com; India Tourist Office 020-7437 3677; www.incredibleindia.org.

November

1 DIA DE MUERTOS, MEXICO Mexico's Day of the Dead is a two-day festival celebrating the reunion of relatives with their dear departed. Expect colourful costumes, loads of food and drink, skeletons on stilts, parties in cemeteries and mariachi bands performing next to graves. This beautiful spectacle will demystify your fear of crossing over, because, unlike Halloween's witches and all-round terror, the Day of the Dead celebrates the continuation of life beyond and the value of interdimensional communion.

Information: Mexico Tourist Office 020-7488 9392; www.visitmexico.com.

Got to be there: only British Airways (0870 850 9 850; www.ba.com) has scheduled flights to Mexico, but in winter plenty of charters operate from Gatwick and Manchester to Cancun.

1 (OR LATER) BOM OM TUK, CAMBODIA The most important event in the Khmer calendar is Bom Om Tuk, the celebration for the end of the wet season. Around a million people flock to the capital city, Phnom Penh, to enjoy boat races, fireworks and carnivals. November, December and January are ideal months to visit Cambodia.

Information: Tourist Office 00 855 23 216 666; www.tourismcambodia.com.

Got to be there: the main gateways are Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The lowest fares are likely to be with the respective national carriers: Thai (0870 606 0911; www.thaiairways.co.uk) from Heathrow via Bangkok, Singapore Airlines (0870 608 8886; www.singaporeair.co.uk) from Heathrow via Singapore, and Malaysia Airlines (0870 607 9090; www.malaysiaairlines.com) from Manchester and Heathrow via Kuala Lumpur.

7 MELBOURNE CUP, AUSTRALIA On the first Tuesday of each November, Australia suspends normal life to tune into the Melbourne Cup - the most prestigious horseracing event in the southern antipodes. It attracts 120,000 spectators every year while millions tune in to watch on TV. Makybe Diva has won the last three Melbourne Cups. Safe money perhaps?

Information: www.melbournecup.com; Tourism Australia (0870 556 1434; www.australia.com).

December

1 (OR LATER) MOMBASA CARNIVAL, KENYA All of Kenya's cultural and religious groups put on parades in the streets of Mombasa for the country's biggest carnival.

Information: Kenya Tourist Office 020-72026373; www.magicalkenya.com.

Got to be there: Kenya Airways flies from Heathrow via Nairobi.

16 RECONCILIATION DAY, SOUTH AFRICA Initially known as the "Day of the Vow", going back to 1938 when 470 Afrikaners defeated 10,000 Zulus, this is now a day of reflection about how South Africa has overcome conflict - and a national holiday.

Information: South Africa Tourist Office 0870 155 0044; www.southafrica.net

Got to be there: fly from Heathrow on BA, SAA or Virgin Atlantic.

23 NOCHE DE LOS RABANOS, OAXACA, MEXICO The "Night of the Radishes" began as a marketing gimmick: when the Spanish first brought radishes to Mexico in the 16th century, they carved them into fancy shapes to attract buyers. The tradition is now a contest for local artisans.

Information: Mexico Tourist Office 020-7488 9392; www.visitmexico.com

Got to be there: Continental Airlines (0845 607 6760; www.continental.com) via the US.

THREE EXTREME DESTINATIONS

SAHARA DESERT, MALI

With snowcapped peaks in the central region of the Sahara and winter temperatures that drop as low as 14C (57F), you'd be forgiven for asking whether this was any way for a self-respecting desert to behave. Luckily for popular imagination, there's still enough sand, sun and space to go around. Today the Sahara covers an area the size of the US - and it grows larger by the day.

ATACAMA DESERT, CHILE

This is the world's driest desert. Parts of it have never been touched by rain, and the precious little precipitation that it does receive (1cm per year) comes from fog. Flanked on one side by Pacific coastal ranges and on the other by the snowcapped Andes, the desert comprises a series of salt basins that support virtually no vegetation.

DANAKIL DEPRESSION, ETHIOPIA

In the salt basin of the Danakil Depression, the only shade to be had is from cupping your hand over your eyes. You'll need to do this in order to see across the shimmering white salt surface punctuated by steaming yellow sulphur fields. Deeper than 100m below sea level, the depression is the lowest point on earth not covered by water.

THREE GREAT TREKS

EVEREST BASE CAMP

Reaching a height of 5,545m at Kala Pattar, this three-week trek in Nepal is extremely popular with those who want to be able to say: "I've been to the base of the world's highest mountain." A difficult trek.

INCA TRAIL, PERU

This 33km ancient trail was laid by the Incas. It leads from the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu, winding up and down and around the mountains, taking in three high passes en route and awesome scenery.

GR20, CORSICA

This demanding 15-day (168km) slog through Corsica traverses forests, granite moonscapes, windswept craters, glacial lakes, torrents, peat bogs, maquis, snowcapped peaks, plains and neves (stretches of ice formed from snow). But it doesn't come easy: the path is rocky and sometimes steep, and includes rickety bridges and slippery rock faces - all part of the fun.