How much cash to bring?

The cities that matter

• Tokyo — A megalopolis of a thousand faces — Shinjuku neon, the old lanes of Yanaka, remarkable food on every floor.
• Kyoto — The ancient capital of two thousand temples, where geisha hurry through Gion at dusk.
• Osaka — The nation's kitchen — kuidaore, “eating yourself to ruin”, is a local art of living.
• Hakone — Onsen facing Fuji — the Japanese bathing ritual amid volcanic steam.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 10'000 · comfort 20'000 · high-end 40'000 JPY.

Accommodation per night — simple 8'000 · comfort 20'000 · palace 60'000 JPY.

On the ground — Very strong — cash is king. Useful notes: 1,000 · 5,000 · 10,000 ¥.

Field advice — Ryokans, small restaurants, temples and rural transport often take cash only. Leave well covered — compatible cash machines are rare outside the konbini.

The highlights and their price range

• teamLab Planets — Immersive digital art, barefoot through water and mirrors — book ahead, it sells out weeks in advance. 3'800–4'800 JPY
• Shibuya Sky at sunset — A rooftop 229 m above the world's most famous crossing. 2'200–2'700 JPY
• Tsukiji Market — The breakfast of kings: skewers, tamagoyaki omelettes and seared tuna on the go. 2'000–5'000 JPY
• Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion — A gilded reflection on the pond, unchanged for six centuries. 500 JPY
• Kaiseki dinner — Seasonal haute cuisine in ten tiny acts. 8'000–25'000 JPY

The cities that matter

• Dubai — Excess, embraced — record towers, world-malls and old-style gold souks.
• Abu Dhabi — The cultivated capital — white marble of the Grand Mosque, the dome of the desert Louvre.
• The desert — An hour from the towers, the red silence of the dunes — camps, camels and skies riddled with stars.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 300 · comfort 550 · high-end 1'100 AED.

Accommodation per night — simple 250 · comfort 600 · palace 2'000 AED.

On the ground — Moderate — cards widespread. Useful notes: 50 · 100/200 · 500 AED.

Field advice — Large notes are accepted everywhere. Keep medium notes for taxis, souks and tips — local custom appreciates them.

The highlights and their price range

• At the Top — Burj Khalifa — Floors 124–148 of the world's tallest tower; book the sunset slot. 170–400 AED
• Desert dinner show — Dune bashing by 4×4, a falconer, embers and dancing under the stars. 300–550 AED
• Louvre Abu Dhabi — Jean Nouvel's rain of light beneath a dome of stars. 65 AED
• A night in a Bedouin camp — Dinner over embers and sunrise on the crests. 600–1'500 AED

The cities that matter

• New York — The electric vertical — monument-museums, Broadway musicals and delis that never close.
• Miami — Art-Deco beaches, Cuban coffee and Latin nights — America in the sun.
• Las Vegas — Neon excess — world-class shows and pharaonic buffets in the middle of the desert.
• San Francisco — Golden fog, cable-car hills and the most photographed bridge in the world.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 90 · comfort 160 · high-end 320 USD.

Accommodation per night — simple 120 · comfort 300 · palace 800 USD.

On the ground — Useful — daily tipping. Useful notes: 1/5/10 · 20 · 50/100 $.

Field advice — The land of the tip: 15 to 20% in restaurants, a few dollars per service. Bring a real wad of small notes.

The highlights and their price range

• Broadway — The great thrill of musical theatre — try the day-of lottery for tickets. 80–250 USD
• Empire State Building — The Art-Deco classic, at its finest after dark. 44–80 USD
• Historic steakhouse — Porterhouse for two, old-school service — plan the tip in cash. 80–160 USD
• Ocean Drive & South Beach — Pastel façades, muscle cars and mojitos facing the Atlantic. 30–80 USD
• A show on the Strip — Cirque du Soleil and star residencies — book before you fly. 80–250 USD

The cities that matter

• London — An empire of free museums, West End stages and Georgian pubs.
• Edinburgh — The castle city on its rock — medieval closes and whisky by the fire.
• Bath — Honey-coloured Georgian crescents and steaming Roman baths.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 70 · comfort 130 · high-end 260 GBP.

Accommodation per night — simple 90 · comfort 220 · palace 600 GBP.

On the ground — Low — cards almost everywhere. Useful notes: 5/10 · 20 · 50 £.

Field advice — London lives by card. A reasonable reserve is enough — markets, black cabs, the unexpected.

The highlights and their price range

• A West End musical — Broadway's great rival — matinées cost less, and Leicester Square sells last-minute seats. 30–150 GBP
• Tower of London — Crown Jewels, ravens and Beefeaters. 34–40 GBP
• Afternoon tea at a grand house — Scones, silverware and tiers of sweets — reservation required. 60–95 GBP
• Edinburgh Castle — The Crown of Scotland at the top of the Royal Mile. 20–22 GBP
• A whisky tasting — From Speyside to the peat of Islay, guided by a master blender. 25–60 GBP

The cities that matter

• Bangkok — The capital of golden temples and vertiginous rooftops, between canals and skyscrapers.
• Chiang Mai — The Rose of the North — 300 temples, misty mountains and hill-tribe crafts.
• Phuket & Krabi — Karst cliffs, emerald water and Andaman sunsets.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 1'500 · comfort 3'000 · high-end 7'000 THB.

Accommodation per night — simple 800 · comfort 2'500 · palace 9'000 THB.

On the ground — Strong — markets and islands. Useful notes: 20/100 · 500 · 1,000 ฿.

Field advice — Night markets, taxis, islands: cash dominates. 1,000 notes are sometimes hard to break with small traders.

The highlights and their price range

• Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo — The Emerald Buddha in a jewel-box of mosaics — shoulders covered. 500 THB
• Thai cooking class — Market in the morning, wok in the afternoon: you leave with your recipes. 1'000–1'600 THB
• Rooftop at sunset — A cocktail 60 floors above the Chao Phraya. 400–900 THB
• Ethical elephant sanctuary — A day feeding and bathing the giants, no riding. 1'700–2'500 THB
• Sunday night market — A kilometre of crafts and skewers in the old town. 300–800 THB

The cities that matter

• Beijing — The imperial capital — Forbidden City, hutongs and ceremonious Peking duck.
• Shanghai — The Bund facing the towers of Pudong — China racing towards tomorrow.
• Xi'an — The first emperor's buried army, and city walls by bicycle.
• Yiwu & Guangzhou — The capitals of wholesale — the world's largest small-commodities market and the Canton Fair.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 300 · comfort 600 · high-end 1'300 CNY.

Accommodation per night — simple 300 · comfort 700 · palace 2'500 CNY.

On the ground — Low — mobile payment is king. Useful notes: 10/20 · 50 · 100 ¥.

Field advice — WeChat Pay and Alipay rule, but merchants are required to accept cash — precious when foreign apps let you down.

The highlights and their price range

• The Great Wall at Mutianyu — The most photogenic restored section — cable car up, toboggan down. 45–120 CNY
• Forbidden City — 9,999 rooms of empire — online booking compulsory, passport in hand. 60 CNY
• Peking duck — Carved into 108 slices before you, pancakes and hoisin sauce. 150–320 CNY
• Shanghai acrobats — Contortions and motorbikes in the sphere: the great thrill. 200–420 CNY
• Terracotta Army — 8,000 soldiers, no two faces alike — take a guide. 120–300 CNY

The cities that matter

• Hong Kong Island — Skyscrapers pinned to the mountain, double-decker trams and jungle trails above Central.
• Kowloon — Neon, night markets and the skyline opposite — the Hong Kong of the movies.
• Lantau — The great Buddha in the clouds and stilt fishing villages.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 600 · comfort 1'100 · high-end 2'300 HKD.

Accommodation per night — simple 700 · comfort 1'500 · palace 4'500 HKD.

On the ground — Moderate — Octopus + cash. Useful notes: 20/50 · 100 · 500 HK$.

Field advice — The Octopus card covers transport and small purchases — topped up in cash. Dai pai dong and markets remain cash.

The highlights and their price range

• Peak Tram & terrace — The century-old funicular, then the whole bay at your feet. 108–168 HKD
• Starred dim sum — Tim Ho Wan: the cheapest Michelin star in the world — the baked pork bao is compulsory. 60–160 HKD
• Temple Street Night Market — Fortune tellers, peppered clams and cheerful counterfeits. 100–300 HKD
• Ngong Ping 360 & the Big Buddha — A cable car over the sea, then 268 steps to the bronze giant. 235–320 HKD

The cities that matter

• Marina Bay — The futurist waterfront — three towers, a ship on top, supertrees that sing.
• Chinatown & Little India — The flavours of all Asia, two metro stops apart.
• Sentosa — The island playground: beaches, luge, a giant aquarium.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 120 · comfort 220 · high-end 450 SGD.

Accommodation per night — simple 150 · comfort 350 · palace 900 SGD.

On the ground — Low — everything goes by card. Useful notes: 2/10 · 50 · 100 S$.

Field advice — A frictionless city: the card is enough almost everywhere. The hawker centres, though, still like small notes.

The highlights and their price range

• Gardens by the Bay — Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, Supertree show at 7.45 pm (free). 28–55 SGD
• Marina Bay Sands SkyPark — The pool is for guests; the view is for everyone. 32–36 SGD
• Chicken rice at a hawker — The national dish for S$5 — Tian Tian or Ah Tai, an eternal debate. 5–9 SGD
• A Singapore Sling at Raffles — The cocktail in its colonial cradle, peanuts unlimited. 37–48 SGD
• A Sentosa day — Monorail, beaches and attractions à la carte. 20–80 SGD

The cities that matter

• Seoul — Joseon palaces, hanok lanes and K-culture until the end of the night.
• Busan — Korea's Marseille — urban beaches, a temple on the rocks and market sashimi.
• Jeju — The volcanic honeymoon island — craters, waterfalls and haenyeo diving women.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 90'000 · comfort 160'000 · high-end 320'000 KRW.

Accommodation per night — simple 60'000 · comfort 150'000 · palace 450'000 KRW.

On the ground — Low — cards dominate. Useful notes: 1,000/5,000 · 10,000 · 50,000 ₩.

Field advice — Seoul lives by card, but traditional markets and temples appreciate cash. The 50,000 note breaks easily.

The highlights and their price range

• Gyeongbokgung in hanbok — Entry is free if you rent the royal costume — photos for the ages. 3'000–33'000 KRW
• Korean BBQ — Pork belly grilled at the table, sesame leaves and iced soju. 15'000–40'000 KRW
• Jjimjilbang — The Korean spa: baths, salt saunas and the option of a night on the heated mats. 12'000–25'000 KRW
• Jagalchi Market — Choose your fish alive; it is grilled upstairs. 15'000–40'000 KRW
• Sunrise at Seongsan Ilchulbong — The UNESCO-listed volcanic cone, an hour's walk. 5'000 KRW

The cities that matter

• Istanbul — The only city astride two continents — domes, bazaars and ferries at sunset.
• Cappadocia — Fairy chimneys, rock churches and a hundred balloons at dawn.
• Antalya & the coast — The turquoise riviera — ancient ruins with their feet in the water.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 2'500 · comfort 4'500 · high-end 9'000 TRY.

Accommodation per night — simple 1'500 · comfort 4'000 · palace 15'000 TRY.

On the ground — Strong — bazaars and taxis. Useful notes: 50/100 · 200 · 500 ₺.

Field advice — Inflation moves fast: exchange in stages rather than all at once, and keep a few euros in reserve — they help out everywhere.

The highlights and their price range

• Hagia Sophia — Fifteen centuries of empire beneath the dome — a working mosque, modest dress. 900–1'000 TRY
• Historic hammam — Warm marble, a vigorous scrub and tea — Cağaloğlu or Kılıç Ali Paşa. 800–2'600 TRY
• Bosphorus cruise — Palaces and yalıs glide past between two continents. 300–900 TRY
• Hot-air balloon flight — 45 minutes above the pink valleys at sunrise — book early. 5'000–9'500 TRY
• A night in a cave hotel — Sleeping in the rock, a terrace facing the balloons. 1'500–6'000 TRY

The cities that matter

• Marrakech — The red city — labyrinthine souks, hidden riads, and the great square that catches fire at dusk.
• Fez — The thousand-year medina, the world's largest pedestrian space — tanners, madrasas and copperware.
• Chefchaouen — The blue town of the Rif — every alley is a photograph.
• Merzouga — The great dunes of Erg Chebbi — camps and wild skies.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 600 · comfort 1'100 · high-end 2'300 MAD.

Accommodation per night — simple 400 · comfort 1'000 · palace 3'500 MAD.

On the ground — Very strong — souks and riads. Useful notes: 20/50 · 100 · 200 DH.

Field advice — The dirham cannot be exported: exchange just enough, spend it all. Small notes win the souk negotiations.

The highlights and their price range

• Jemaa el-Fna at twilight — Storytellers, charmers, and a hundred grills lighting at once. 60–160 MAD
• Jardin Majorelle — Yves Saint Laurent's electric blue beneath the bamboo. 170 MAD
• Hammam & scrub at the riad — Black soap, kessa glove and mint tea. 150–600 MAD
• Bou Inania Madrasa — Carved cedar and 14th-century zellige. 20 MAD
• A night in a luxury desert camp — Camel at sunset, drums and a thousand stars. 600–2'000 MAD

The cities that matter

• Cairo — The megalopolis of a thousand minarets, keeper of the colossi and the new Grand Museum.
• Luxor — Hundred-gated Thebes — the world's densest concentration of ancient wonders.
• Aswan — The Nubian Nile — feluccas, garden islands and painted houses.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 2'500 · comfort 4'500 · high-end 9'000 EGP.

Accommodation per night — simple 1'500 · comfort 4'000 · palace 15'000 EGP.

On the ground — Very strong — baksheesh culture. Useful notes: 10/50 · 100 · 200 £E.

Field advice — Tips at every turn — temple keepers, porters, guides. A few US dollars in reserve also open doors.

The highlights and their price range

• The Giza plateau — Khufu, Khafre, the Sphinx — go at opening, before the coaches. 700–900 EGP
• Grand Egyptian Museum — Tutankhamun's treasure united at last under one roof. 1'200–1'550 EGP
• Khan el-Khalili — The 14th-century bazaar — copperware, spices and tea upstairs at El Fishawy. 100–400 EGP
• Valley of the Kings — Three tombs of your choice — Seti I's is worth its supplement. 750–2'000 EGP
• Balloon over the West Bank — Temples and cane fields at sunrise. 1'500–3'000 EGP

The cities that matter

• Mexico City — The world-capital — pyramids beneath the streets, century-old cantinas and museums galore.
• Riviera Maya — Turquoise cenotes, ruins facing the sea and parties till sunrise.
• Oaxaca — The gourmet capital — moles, mezcal and indigenous markets.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 1'200 · comfort 2'200 · high-end 4'500 MXN.

Accommodation per night — simple 800 · comfort 2'000 · palace 7'000 MXN.

On the ground — Strong outside the hotel zones. Useful notes: 50/100 · 200 · 500 $.

Field advice — In tourist areas the US dollar circulates too — but paying in pesos avoids unfavourable counter rates.

The highlights and their price range

• Teotihuacan — The Pyramids of Sun and Moon — at dawn by balloon, if your heart says yes. 100–2'600 MXN
• Museum of Anthropology — The Sun Stone and all of pre-Columbian Mexico. 100 MXN
• Lucha libre at Arena México — Masks, high-flying moves and a crowd on fire. 200–600 MXN
• Chichén Itzá — El Castillo and the great ball court — go early, the heat climbs fast. 614–700 MXN
• A cenote swim — Gran Cenote, Dos Ojos: the crystal water of the Mayan wells. 150–350 MXN

The cities that matter

• Rio de Janeiro — The marvellous city — Sugarloaf, sambas and beaches that never sleep.
• Salvador de Bahia — The Afro-Brazilian soul — pastel Pelourinho, capoeira and acarajés frying on the square.
• Iguaçu — 275 waterfalls on the border — the Devil's Throat roars enough to soak your soul.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 350 · comfort 650 · high-end 1'300 BRL.

Accommodation per night — simple 250 · comfort 600 · palace 2'000 BRL.

On the ground — Moderate — Pix everywhere. Useful notes: 10/20 · 50 · 100 R$.

Field advice — Pix has conquered the country, but it requires a Brazilian account: the visitor lives on cash and card. Beaches and kiosks: cash.

The highlights and their price range

• Christ the Redeemer — Ride the little rack railway up through the Tijuca forest. 100–160 BRL
• Sugarloaf Mountain — Two cable cars up to the granite — sublime at sunset. 160–205 BRL
• Churrascaria rodízio — The endless round of meats, picanha in majesty. 100–250 BRL
• Brazilian-side walkways — The panoramic view; the Argentine side offers the plunge into the gorge. 100–120 BRL

The cities that matter

• Montréal — America in French — warm bagels, spiral staircases and festivals without end.
• Québec City — North America's only walled city — ramparts, copper roofs and squeaky-cheese poutine.
• Vancouver & the Rockies — Sea, forest, then the turquoise lakes of Banff — nature in majesty.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 110 · comfort 200 · high-end 400 CAD.

Accommodation per night — simple 150 · comfort 350 · palace 900 CAD.

On the ground — Low — cards everywhere. Useful notes: 5/10 · 20 · 50/100 C$.

Field advice — The card rules. A reserve for tips, markets and remote regions is more than enough.

The highlights and their price range

• Old Montréal & Notre-Dame Basilica — The midnight-blue nave starred with gold. 15 CAD
• St-Viateur bagels — Sesame, straight from the wood oven, at any hour. 2–5 CAD
• Sugar shack (in season) — Maple taffy on snow and a country feast. 40–70 CAD
• Lake Louise & Moraine — The continent's most photographed glacial waters — summer shuttle required. 10–30 CAD
• Whale watching (Victoria) — Orcas and humpbacks by zodiac. 100–160 CAD

The cities that matter

• Sydney — The Opera House, the bridge, the beaches — a city that lives outdoors.
• Cairns & the Great Barrier Reef — Gateway to the largest living structure on Earth.
• Uluru — The sacred monolith of the red centre — it changes colour with every hour.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 130 · comfort 240 · high-end 480 AUD.

Accommodation per night — simple 150 · comfort 350 · palace 900 AUD.

On the ground — Low — contactless is king. Useful notes: 5/10 · 20/50 · 100 A$.

Field advice — Contactless is everywhere, the outback less so: if you leave the cities, cash becomes insurance again.

The highlights and their price range

• BridgeClimb — Harnessed up the arch of the Harbour Bridge, high above the bay. 300–420 AUD
• Opera House tour — Behind the scenes of the white sails. 45–75 AUD
• Snorkelling day on the reef — Outer pontoon, turtles and coral gardens. 200–320 AUD
• Field of Light & sunset on Uluru — Fifty thousand lights in the desert after the rock catches fire. 50–120 AUD

The cities that matter

• Delhi — Two cities in one: Mughal-British avenues and the marvellous chaos of the old town.
• Agra — The Taj, simply — marble that blushes at dawn.
• Jaipur — The pink city — the Palace of Winds, ridge-top forts and bangle bazaars.
• Varanasi — The oldest living city in the world — evening aarti and dawn boats on the Ganges.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 3'000 · comfort 6'000 · high-end 13'000 INR.

Accommodation per night — simple 2'500 · comfort 8'000 · palace 30'000 INR.

On the ground — Strong — small notes are vital. Useful notes: 10/50/100 · 200/500 · 2,000 ₹.

Field advice — Rickshaws, chai, temples: small notes are survival currency — large notes are hard to break outside hotels.

The highlights and their price range

• Old Delhi by rickshaw — Chandni Chowk, the spice market and Jama Masjid — sensations guaranteed. 200–500 INR
• Humayun's Tomb — The Taj's ancestor in its Mughal gardens. 600 INR
• Taj Mahal at sunrise — Enter at opening through the East Gate — the mist, the silence, the masterpiece. 1'300–1'400 INR
• Agra Fort — The balcony where Shah Jahan died facing his beloved's tomb. 650 INR
• Amber Fort — Up to the mirror palace, down by jeep. 550–600 INR

The cities that matter

• Hanoi — Misty lakes, the old quarter of 36 guilds and egg coffee on tiny stools.
• Ha Long Bay — Two thousand sugarloaves set on a jade sea.
• Hoi An — The lantern town — prodigious tailors, Chinese houses and an illuminated river.
• Ho Chi Minh City — The effervescent South — ten million scooters and boundless energy.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 900'000 · comfort 1'700'000 · high-end 3'500'000 VND.

Accommodation per night — simple 400'000 · comfort 1'200'000 · palace 4'000'000 VND.

On the ground — Very strong — daily cash. Useful notes: 10–50,000 · 100–200,000 · 500,000 ₫.

Field advice — Zeros everywhere: check notes twice (the 20,000 and the 500,000 look alike). Street food and taxis: cash.

The highlights and their price range

• Egg coffee by the lake — The dessert-like creamy coffee invented here — Giảng Café, the original. 30'000–60'000 VND
• Street phở at daybreak — The broth of kings for three francs. 40'000–80'000 VND
• Overnight cruise — Kayaking in the lagoons, sunset on deck. 1'000'000–2'200'000 VND
• Tailor-made suit in 48 h — Choose the fabric in the morning, fitting in the evening. 2'000'000–5'000'000 VND
• Lantern release — A candle on the Thu Bồn river at full moon. 100'000–300'000 VND

The cities that matter

• Kandy — The capital of the Sinhalese kings around its lake and the Sacred Tooth.
• Ella — The hill village — tea bushes, waterfalls and the Nine Arch Bridge.
• Galle — The Dutch fort with ocean-beaten ramparts — boutiques, cafés and golden light.
• Yala — The kingdom of the leopard — dawn safaris in the coastal bush.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 15'000 · comfort 28'000 · high-end 60'000 LKR.

Accommodation per night — simple 8'000 · comfort 20'000 · palace 70'000 LKR.

On the ground — Strong — local tourism runs on cash. Useful notes: 100/500 · 1,000 · 5,000 Rs.

Field advice — Tuk-tuks, guides and small guesthouses live on cash. A few US dollars in reserve are reassuring if something goes wrong.

The highlights and their price range

• Temple of the Tooth — The Buddha's relic, pujas at dawn and dusk. 2'000 LKR
• The Kandy → Ella train — Seven hours of tea, tunnels and waving children. 1'000–3'000 LKR
• 4×4 safari — Leopards, elephants and sloth bears — take the first slot. 15'000–26'000 LKR

The cities that matter

• Punta Cana — Thirty kilometres of coconut palms — all-inclusive as an art form.
• Santo Domingo — The New World's first city — primatial cathedral and the streets of Columbus.
• Samaná — The wild peninsula — humpback whales in winter, El Limón falls all year.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 3'500 · comfort 6'500 · high-end 13'000 DOP.

Accommodation per night — simple 2'500 · comfort 6'000 · palace 20'000 DOP.

On the ground — Strong outside the resorts. Useful notes: 50/100 · 500 · 1,000/2,000 RD$.

Field advice — Resorts take US dollars, the real island lives in pesos — paying local costs less and earns smiles.

The highlights and their price range

• Saona island excursion — Catamaran, natural pools with starfish, lobster on the beach. 3'500–6'000 DOP
• Colonial Zone — The Alcázar de Colón and the flower-decked balconies of the 16th century. 150–400 DOP
• Whales (Jan–Mar) — The giants come to calve in the bay. 2'500–4'000 DOP
• El Limón waterfall — By horse then on foot to the emerald pool. 1'500–2'500 DOP

◈ We do not stock the rupee: leave with US dollars and exchange them locally.

The cities that matter

• Ubud — The spiritual heart — terraced rice fields, dawn yoga and legong dances at dusk.
• Uluwatu — Surf cliffs and a temple suspended above the rollers.
• Nusa Penida — The spectacular isle — Kelingking, the T-Rex cliff, and manta rays.
• Munduk — The cool highlands — waterfalls, coffee trees and morning mist.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 60 · comfort 110 · high-end 220 USD.

Accommodation per night — simple 25 · comfort 80 · palace 300 USD.

On the ground — Very strong — warungs and temples. Useful notes: USD: 20 · 50 · 100 $, NEW.

Field advice — An absolute particularity: Balinese money changers only accept IMMACULATE, recent US notes — folded or marked, they are refused or discounted. We prepare new notes.

The highlights and their price range

• Tegallalang rice terraces — The sculpted terraces, swings over the void optional. 2–5 USD
• 90-minute Balinese massage — Oils, frangipani and prodigious hands. 10–25 USD
• Kecak at sunset — A hundred-man choir facing the blazing ocean. 10–15 USD
• Snorkelling with mantas — Manta Point: the giants glide beneath you. 35–60 USD
• Waterfall loop — Four falls in one morning of gentle walking. 2–5 USD

◈ The Bahamian dollar is pegged 1:1 to the USD — US dollars are accepted everywhere, no need to look for BSD.

The cities that matter

• Nassau — The pastel colonial capital — forts, rum and the giant shadow of Atlantis.
• The Exumas — 365 cays of unreal water — and the world's most famous swimming pigs.
• Harbour Island — The three-mile pink beach and loyalist cottages.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 130 · comfort 240 · high-end 500 USD.

Accommodation per night — simple 150 · comfort 350 · palace 1'200 USD.

On the ground — Moderate — USD accepted everywhere. Useful notes: USD: 10/20 · 50 · 100 $.

Field advice — Pay everything in US dollars, receive change in either currency — spend the BSD before you leave, it cannot be bought back.

The highlights and their price range

• An Atlantis day — Aquariums and waterslides through shark lagoons. 130–200 USD
• Fish Fry at Arawak Cay — Minute-made conch salad and rum-coconut at sundown. 15–30 USD
• Swimming with the pigs — Big Major Cay, iguanas and nurse sharks on the same menu. 200–400 USD

◈ The Cuban peso cannot be exchanged abroad: leave with euros in cash — the island's favourite currency.

The cities that matter

• Havana — Time suspended — weathered façades, '52 Chevrolets and the Malecón at sunset.
• Viñales — Mogotes, tobacco fields and orchards — rural, red-earthed Cuba.
• Trinidad — A colonial jewel frozen in 1850 — cobbles, sugar palaces and salsa on the steps.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 60 · comfort 110 · high-end 220 EUR.

Accommodation per night — simple 30 · comfort 60 · palace 150 EUR.

On the ground — Total — Swiss cards do not work. Useful notes: EUR: 5/10/20 · 50 · 100 €.

Field advice — Western cards are all but useless: your WHOLE stay must leave in cash. Casas and guides prefer the euro to the (taxed) dollar.

The highlights and their price range

• Ride in a vintage American convertible — An hour along the Malecón with the wind in your hair, candy-pink if possible. 25–50 EUR
• Cuban son concert — La Bodeguita or a casa de la música — a mojito, as is the custom. 20–40 EUR
• Tobacco farm — Rolling a puro under the drying barn, coffee from the finca. 10–25 EUR
• Casa de la Música — The whole staircase dances from 10 pm. 5–10 EUR

◈ Resorts bill in US dollars — the rufiyaa is only useful on the local islands.

The cities that matter

• Malé — The dense, lively capital-island — fish market and coral-stone mosque.
• The resort atolls — One island, one hotel — overwater villas and house reefs.
• Local islands (Maafushi) — The Maldives of the Maldivians — guesthouses, dedicated bikini beaches and gentle-priced excursions.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 150 · comfort 300 · high-end 700 USD.

Accommodation per night — simple 150 · comfort 500 · palace 3'000 USD.

On the ground — Low in the resorts, strong on the local islands. Useful notes: USD: 10/20 · 50 · 100 $.

Field advice — In a resort, everything goes on the bill in USD. An outing to an inhabited island? A few small dollars for cafés and crafts are enough.

The highlights and their price range

• Torchlit dinner on the sand — A private table, lobster and bioluminescence if the night allows. 150–400 USD
• Spa above the lagoon — A glass floor beneath the massage table. 100–250 USD
• Sunset dolphin trip — Spinner dolphins play at the bow as the sun goes down. 60–120 USD

◈ Prices have soared in Iran: generous budgets are a must. Euros and dollars in 50/100 notes, new bills — damaged ones are refused at the exchange.

The cities that matter

• Tehran — The bustling capital beneath the Alborz — Golestan palace, bazaars and treasure museums.
• Isfahan — “Half the world” — the royal square, the bridges over the Zayandeh and the turquoise domes.
• Yazd — The adobe city of windcatchers — Zoroastrianism, covered lanes and confectionery.
• Shiraz — The city of poets and gardens — and the gateway to Persepolis.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 100 · comfort 180 · high-end 400 EUR.

Accommodation per night — simple 60 · comfort 140 · palace 400 EUR.

On the ground — Total — no foreign card works, the whole stay in cash. Useful notes: EUR: 50 · 100 € and USD: 50 · 100 $ — recent, immaculate notes.

Field advice — Take euros AND dollars — both are exchanged everywhere at the best rate of the day. Prices have risen sharply: plan generously, even a decent restaurant costs real money.

The highlights and their price range

• Golestan Palace — Qajar mirrors and tilework, the marble throne hall. 10–25 EUR
• Naqsh-e Jahan Square — Shah Mosque, Sheikh Lotfollah, the bazaar: four wonders around one mirror of water. 5–15 EUR
• A night in a caravanserai — A courtyard with a pool, iwans and the starry desert sky. 60–150 EUR
• Pink Mosque at dawn — Nasir-ol-Molk: the stained glass sets the carpets ablaze at first light. 10–15 EUR
• Persepolis — The stairway of nations, the columns of the Apadana — grandiose. 15–30 EUR

◈ Leave with your dinars in your pocket: on site, official exchange takes patience and paperwork. A few euros in reserve round things off nicely.

The cities that matter

• Algiers — The white city terraced above its bay — Ottoman casbah, Haussmann seafront and cafés where time stretches.
• Oran — The radiant west, homeland of raï — Spanish, Ottoman and French at once.
• Djanet & the Tassili — The gate to the deep Sahara — red dunes, canyons and ten-thousand-year rock art.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 6'000 · comfort 11'000 · high-end 25'000 DZD.

Accommodation per night — simple 6'000 · comfort 14'000 · palace 40'000 DZD.

On the ground — Very strong — foreign cards work almost nowhere. Useful notes: DZD: 500 · 1000 · 2000 DA.

Field advice — Everything is settled in cash dinars, from the taxi to the restaurant. The grand hotels of Algiers are the only card exception.

The highlights and their price range

• The Casbah — A UNESCO maze of palaces and sea-view terraces — richer and safer with a local guide. 1'500–3'000 DZD
• Notre-Dame d'Afrique — The basilica blessing the sea since 1872, immense panorama. free
• Jardin d'Essai du Hamma — One of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world, giant dragon trees and avenues of century-old ficus. 150 DZD
• Fort Santa Cruz — The Spanish lookout above the city — sunset over port and corniche. 100–300 DZD
• Seafront & Place d'Armes — An Italian-style theatre, a town hall with bronze lions — the elegance of 1900. free

◈ Avoid €100 notes and above — shops frown at them. Twenties and fifties make for a smooth stay.

The cities that matter

• Amsterdam — The Venice of the North — 165 canals, dancing gables and golden museums.
• The Hague & Delft — The royal court, the sea at Scheveningen, and blue Delft ten minutes away.
• Keukenhof & the polders — Seven million tulips in spring, Zaanse Schans windmills all year.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 70 · comfort 120 · high-end 250 EUR.

Accommodation per night — simple 90 · comfort 180 · palace 450 EUR.

On the ground — Moderate — but many tills refuse foreign credit cards. Useful notes: EUR: 10/20 · 50 €.

Field advice — Markets, stroopwafels, bike hire: cash saves the day where only the Dutch debit card works.

The highlights and their price range

• Rijksmuseum — Rembrandt, Vermeer and the Night Watch — book the morning slot. 25 EUR
• Canal cruise — An hour on the water at sunset, the finest lesson in architecture. 18–30 EUR
• Jordaan & Albert Cuyp market — The village within the city — warm stroopwafels at €3–5 in cash. free
• Mauritshuis — The Girl with a Pearl Earring at home, in a pocket-sized jewel-box. 19 EUR
• Delft — Miniature canals, blue faience and Vermeer's tomb. free

◈ Brussels + Bruges in two days: count €50 in cash per day; the rest goes on the card without trouble.

The cities that matter

• Brussels — The gilded Grand-Place, Horta's Art Nouveau and surrealism as heritage.
• Bruges — The Gothic Venice of the North — canals, the beguinage and carillons.
• Antwerp — Rubens, fashion and Europe's most beautiful station hall.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 60 · comfort 110 · high-end 220 EUR.

Accommodation per night — simple 80 · comfort 160 · palace 400 EUR.

On the ground — Moderate — fritkots, waffles and markets stay loyal to coins. Useful notes: EUR: 10/20 · 50 €.

Field advice — The best fritkots have never seen a card terminal. Keep €20–30 in change for pavement pleasures.

The highlights and their price range

• Grand-Place — The world's most beautiful square, said Hugo — illuminated at night, free forever. free
• The Magritte Museum — Two hundred canvases from the master of the bowler hat. 10 EUR
• Royal Galleries & chocolatiers — Sablon, Marcolini, Neuhaus — boxes from €15. 15–40 EUR
• Belfry of Bruges — 366 steps, a 47-bell carillon and medieval roofs as far as the eye can see. 15 EUR
• Boat on the canals — Thirty minutes beneath willows and stone bridges — cash welcome. 12 EUR

◈ The Western European country most attached to cash — leave with a real cash float, not an emergency note.

The cities that matter

• Berlin — History laid bare, and the freest nights in Europe.
• Munich & Bavaria — Century-old beer gardens, the Alps as a backdrop, and fairy-tale castles.
• Heidelberg & the Romantic Road — The rose-coloured castle above the Neckar, student lanes, and Rothenburg the perfect.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 60 · comfort 110 · high-end 230 EUR.

Accommodation per night — simple 80 · comfort 160 · palace 420 EUR.

On the ground — Surprisingly strong — “Nur Bargeld” still reads everywhere. Useful notes: EUR: 10/20 · 50 €.

Field advice — Beer gardens, bakeries, kiosks and Christmas markets: a third of Germany is still paid in cash.

The highlights and their price range

• Museum Island — Pergamon, Nefertiti and five UNESCO-listed museums on an island in the Spree. 24 EUR
• East Side Gallery — 1.3 km of painted Wall — the Brezhnev–Honecker kiss made icon. free
• Reichstag & dome — Parliament under glass, free with a reservation, 360° view. free
• Neuschwanstein — Ludwig II's castle that inspired Disney — booking required, two hours from Munich. 21 EUR
• Hofbräuhaus & Viktualienmarkt — The litre Mass (~€10) and the gourmet market — where cash is king. 10–25 EUR

◈ Vienna + Salzburg + Hallstatt: €60–115 in cash per day depending on your lifestyle, Sachertorte included.

The cities that matter

• Vienna — The capital of emperors and cafés — waltz, Klimt and Sachertorte.
• Salzburg — Mozart, the white fortress and baroque domes pressed beneath the rock.
• Hallstatt & the Salzkammergut — The postcard village between mirror lake and millennial salt mine.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 65 · comfort 115 · high-end 240 EUR.

Accommodation per night — simple 90 · comfort 180 · palace 450 EUR.

On the ground — Real — neighbourhood cafés, alpine huts and tips. Useful notes: EUR: 10/20 · 50 €.

Field advice — The Viennese tip slips into the bill in coins. Mountain huts and small Konditoreien live on cash.

The highlights and their price range

• Schönbrunn — The Habsburgs' Versailles, 1'441 rooms — gardens free up to the Gloriette. 24–32 EUR
• Upper Belvedere — Klimt's Kiss in its baroque palace. 18 EUR
• Café Central or Sacher — Melange, apfelstrudel and waiters in dinner jackets — count €15–25 for the ritual. 15–25 EUR
• Hohensalzburg Fortress — A thousand years of ramparts, funicular and Alpine view. 14–17 EUR
• Old town & Getreidegasse — Wrought-iron signs and Mozart's birthplace. 0–13 EUR

◈ The 50 Kč pint still exists two streets from the crowds. With crowns in your pocket, Prague becomes cheap again.

The cities that matter

• Prague — Gothic, baroque and Art Nouveau stacked over the Vltava — the golden city.
• Český Krumlov — A river loop, a painted tower, red roofs — a stage set come true.
• Kutná Hora — Prague's old silver rival and its ossuary of 40'000 souls.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 1'200 · comfort 2'200 · high-end 4'500 CZK.

Accommodation per night — simple 1'800 · comfort 3'500 · palace 9'000 CZK.

On the ground — Strong outside the tourist centre — pubs and trdelník in cash. Useful notes: CZK: 200 · 500 · 1000 Kč.

Field advice — Pay everything in crowns: the centre's “in euros” prices hide an unfavourable rate of 10–15%.

The highlights and their price range

• Prague Castle & Golden Lane — The world's largest ancient castle, St Vitus cathedral included. 450 CZK
• Charles Bridge at dawn — Thirty statues in the mist, before the crowd — free and unforgettable. free
• Czech pub (U Fleků or the Žižkov district) — Pilsner at 45–70 CZK a pint — this is luxury. 45–200 CZK
• Castle & tower — Renaissance frescoes, bears in the moat and a panorama over the river bend. 180–330 CZK
• A canoe on the Vltava — Drift through town by boat, swimming stops in summer. 400–700 CZK

◈ Budapest in forints: the grand gilded café costs the price of a Geneva espresso. Plan generously, everything is tempting.

The cities that matter

• Budapest — Royal Buda facing living Pest, stitched by the Chain Bridge.
• Eger — Baroque, a heroic castle and the Valley of the Beautiful Women with its Bikavér cellars.
• Lake Balaton — The “Hungarian sea” — Tihany peninsula, vines and milky sunsets.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 18'000 · comfort 32'000 · high-end 70'000 HUF.

Accommodation per night — simple 28'000 · comfort 55'000 · palace 140'000 HUF.

On the ground — Strong — baths, ruin bars and markets prefer hard forints. Useful notes: HUF: 5000 · 10000 · 20000 Ft.

Field advice — The baths are booked online, but lockers, massages and market lángos like cash.

The highlights and their price range

• Széchenyi Baths — A yellow thermal palace, 38° pools under the sky — chessboards in the water. 10'500–12'500 HUF
• Hungarian Parliament — The neo-Gothic giant of the Danube, the Crown of Saint Stephen inside. 12'000 HUF
• Fisherman's Bastion & ruin bars — A fairy-tale view by day, Szimpla Kert by night — beer 900–1500 HUF. 0–1'500 HUF
• Valley of the Beautiful Women — Horseshoe of cellars cut into the rock — Bull's Blood by the glass. 800–1'500 HUF
• Eger Castle — The fortress that repelled the Ottomans in 1552. 3'000 HUF

◈ June and September: the same sea as in August, 30% cheaper and without the crush on the ramparts.

The cities that matter

• Dubrovnik — The pearl of the Adriatic — complete ramparts above a sea of stone roofs.
• Split & Hvar — A Roman palace become a city, and the Adriatic's most golden island.
• Plitvice Lakes — Sixteen terraced lakes sewn with waterfalls — turquoise has its capital here.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 55 · comfort 95 · high-end 200 EUR.

Accommodation per night — simple 70 · comfort 140 · palace 380 EUR.

On the ground — Strong on the coast — taxi boats, konobas and cove car parks. Useful notes: EUR: 10/20 · 50 €.

Field advice — Island taxi boats and family konobas run on banknotes. €50–100 in cash per coastal day.

The highlights and their price range

• Walk on the city walls — 2 km of walls above the rooftops — at opening or sunset, never at noon. 35 EUR
• Mount Srđ by cable car — The old town like a medallion, the Elaphiti Islands offshore. 27 EUR
• Diocletian's Palace — 1,700 years old and still alive — cellars, peristyle, Egyptian sphinxes. 0–15 EUR
• Hvar & the Pakleni islands — Lavender, a fortress and coves by taxi-boat (€10–15 a ride). 0–15 EUR
• National park (dated ticket) — Boardwalks skimming the water, electric boat included — book in summer. 40 EUR

◈ Four days are enough for the whole country — €40–60 in cash per day and the cream slice is yours.

The cities that matter

• Bled — The emerald lake, its wishing island and clifftop castle — Slovenia in one image.
• Ljubljana — A small Art Nouveau capital, Plečnik's market and bronze dragons.
• Postojna & Predjama — The underworld: 24 km of caves and a castle set into the cliff.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 50 · comfort 90 · high-end 190 EUR.

Accommodation per night — simple 70 · comfort 140 · palace 350 EUR.

On the ground — Moderate — pletna boats, gorges and market stalls in cash. Useful notes: EUR: 10/20 · 50 €.

Field advice — The Bled boat, the gorge car parks and Ljubljana's market prefer cash euros.

The highlights and their price range

• Pletna to the island & the wishing bell — The traditional standing-oarsman boat, 99 steps and the bell of wishes. 18 EUR
• Bled Castle & cream cake — A 130 m cliff, a museum and the famous kremšnita (~€6). 17 EUR
• Vintgar Gorge — Walkways from 1893 above unreal water. 10 EUR
• Castle & funicular — Above the pink roofs, a view to the Julian Alps. 16 EUR
• Triple Bridge & central market — Plečnik's masterpiece; cheeses and honeys paid in cash. 0–10 EUR

◈ May–June and September: warm sea, relaxed prices, golden sunsets — Santorini without August's open-air metro.

The cities that matter

• Athens — Twenty-five centuries in the open air, and neighbourhoods crackling with life.
• Santorini — The caldera born of a volcano — black cliffs, white villages, legendary sunsets.
• Crete — A continent as an island: Minoan palaces, the Samaria gorge and raki on the house.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 55 · comfort 100 · high-end 220 EUR.

Accommodation per night — simple 60 · comfort 140 · palace 400 EUR.

On the ground — Strong on the islands — tavernas, kiosks and island taxis. Useful notes: EUR: 10/20 · 50 €.

Field advice — The hotel takes the card; the harbour taverna, rarely with a good heart. €60–100 in cash per island day.

The highlights and their price range

• Acropolis & Parthenon — At opening (8 am) for raking light and silence. 20–30 EUR
• Plaka & Anafiotika — The hidden Cycladic village beneath the rock — white lanes, free. free
• Taverna in Psiri — Mezze, grills and live music — €15–25 per person, cash appreciated. 15–25 EUR
• Oia at sunset — The most photographed sunset in the world — arrive 2 hours early for a spot on a wall. free
• Caldera cruise & hot springs — Catamaran to the volcano, sulphur swim included. 90–150 EUR

◈ Safari tips: $20–30 a day for the guide, in envelopes prepared in Geneva. On Kili: $250–350 for the team.

The cities that matter

• Serengeti & Ngorongoro — The planet's greatest animal migration, and a crater that is Noah's ark.
• Zanzibar — Stone Town of carved doors, powder beaches and spice farms.
• Kilimanjaro — Africa's roof, 5'895 m — five climates in one ascent.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 50 · comfort 100 · high-end 250 USD.

Accommodation per night — simple 60 · comfort 180 · palace 700 USD.

On the ground — Total — the recent dollar is king, from safari to dhow. Useful notes: USD: 1/5/10 · 50 · 100 $ (issued after 2009).

Field advice — US notes from before 2009, marked or torn, are flatly refused. $50/100 notes get the best rate; the small ones serve for tips.

The highlights and their price range

• Serengeti game drives — Lions, leopards, the migration (Dec–Mar in the south, Jun–Jul in the west) — included in the safari package, tips of $20–30 a day apart. 70 USD
• Ngorongoro Crater — Twenty kilometres of concentrated wildlife between 600 m walls. 70 USD
• Stone Town — Swahili lanes, Darajani market and Freddie Mercury's house. 0–10 USD
• Spice tour & Prison Island — Vanilla, cloves and century-old giant tortoises. 15–40 USD
• Nungwi beaches — Gentle tides, dhows at sunset — a massage on the sand for $15–25. 0–25 USD

◈ R800–1,500 in cash per day keeps the trip smooth; the card does the rest, even at the end of the wine route.

The cities that matter

• Cape Town — Table Mountain set upon two oceans — the continent's most beautiful address.
• Kruger Park — Two million hectares of bush — the Big Five in total freedom.
• Stellenbosch & the winelands — Dutch gables, century oaks and pinotage beneath the mountain.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 700 · comfort 1'300 · high-end 3'000 ZAR.

Accommodation per night — simple 900 · comfort 2'200 · palace 7'000 ZAR.

On the ground — Moderate — car guards, markets and tips in rands. Useful notes: ZAR: 100 · 200 R.

Field advice — Car guards (R5–10) watch over your car everywhere — always have coins and small notes.

The highlights and their price range

• Table Mountain (cableway) — The 1'085 m plateau and a 360° rotunda — go early, the cloud 'tablecloth' arrives fast. 420 ZAR
• Cape of Good Hope & Boulders — World's-end cliffs and the penguin colony at Simon's Town. 400 ZAR
• V&A Waterfront & Bo-Kaap — The living harbour and the rainbow houses of the Malay quarter. free
• Self-drive in the park — Entry ~ZAR 500/day, lodges from 1'500 to 15'000 — dawn belongs to the lions. 500 ZAR
• Guided sunrise safari — Rangers, fresh tracks and coffee in the bush. 800–1'500 ZAR

◈ The Great Migration crosses the Mara from July to October — book early and prepare your tips in envelopes.

The cities that matter

• Masai Mara — The savannah of the documentaries — the Great Migration crosses the Mara from July to October.
• Nairobi — The only capital on Earth with a lion park inside the city.
• Diani & the coast — White sand, coral reef and dhows — the Indian Ocean, Kenyan style.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 4'000 · comfort 8'000 · high-end 20'000 KES.

Accommodation per night — simple 6'000 · comfort 15'000 · palace 60'000 KES.

On the ground — Strong — Maasai markets, tuk-tuks and bush tips. Useful notes: KES: 500 · 1000 KSh.

Field advice — Shillings for local life, recent dollars for lodges and safari tips: Kenya's winning duo.

The highlights and their price range

• Game drives & river crossings — Reserve entry ~US$70–80/day inside packages; guide tips US$15–25/day. 70–80 KES
• A Maasai village — Warrior dances and homestead visits — negotiate craftwork in shillings. 2'000–3'000 KES
• Sheldrick Wildlife Trust — The orphan elephants' hour — 11 am sharp. 1'500 KES
• Giraffe Centre — Feed Rothschild giraffes at eye level. 1'500 KES
• Dhow trip & snorkelling — Kisite reef, frequent dolphins, a crab lunch. 4'000–8'000 KES

◈ The card rules in town, but the souk bargains in hard riyals. SAR 250–450 per day means ease.

The cities that matter

• AlUla & Hegra — A hundred and ten Nabataean tombs carved in rose sandstone — Petra without the crowds.
• Riyadh — The vertical capital — Kingdom Tower, original Diriyah and the Boulevard of lights.
• Jeddah — The Red Sea gate — an art-lined corniche, coral houses and mashrabiya balconies.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 250 · comfort 450 · high-end 1'000 SAR.

Accommodation per night — simple 300 · comfort 700 · palace 2'200 SAR.

On the ground — Moderate — souks, karak and local taxis in cash riyals. Useful notes: SAR: 50 · 100 · 500 ﷼.

Field advice — AlUla is booked weeks ahead in winter — the Hegra slots go fast.

The highlights and their price range

• Hegra (Madain Salih) — Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO site — guided visits in vintage Land Rovers. 95 SAR
• Elephant Rock & AlUla old town — The elephant rock at sunset, oasis and mud-brick lanes. free
• Diriyah (At-Turaif) — The kingdom's restored cradle, golden adobe after dark. 50 SAR
• Kingdom Centre Sky Bridge — The glass bridge 300 m above the lights. 69 SAR
• Al-Balad — The UNESCO old town with turquoise wooden balconies. free

◈ A 24–72 h stopover: near-free metro, free museums — it is the desert and the grand hotels that make the budget.

The cities that matter

• Doha — A glass skyline facing the wooden dhow — the Gulf, distilled and chic.
• Khor Al Adaid — The UNESCO inland sea, between 40 m dunes and turquoise water.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 280 · comfort 500 · high-end 1'200 QAR.

Accommodation per night — simple 350 · comfort 800 · palace 2'600 QAR.

On the ground — Low in town, useful at the souk and in the desert. Useful notes: QAR: 50 · 100 · 500 ﷼.

Field advice — The 1-riyal karak at Souq Waqif is the best deal in the Gulf — in coins, as it should be.

The highlights and their price range

• Museum of Islamic Art — Pei's masterpiece on its island — sumptuous collections, free entry. free
• Souq Waqif — Spices, falcons on the arm and QAR 1 karak — the soul that predates the towers. 0–10 QAR
• National Museum (desert rose) — Nouvel's flower-building, the country's pearling history. 50 QAR
• Dune safari & swim — Sliding 4×4s, camels and tea at the camp — half a day. 250–400 QAR
• A night at the desert camp — A starlit bivouac facing Saudi Arabia across the water. 600–1'200 QAR

◈ Petrol for nothing, forts at 5 rials, shawarma at 1 rial — it is the desert camps and hotels that make the budget.

The cities that matter

• Muscat — A corniche between sea and brown mountains, a marble mosque and a frankincense souk.
• Nizwa & the forts — The old capital of the interior — a round fort, and the Friday goat market.
• Wadis & the Wahiba Sands — Turquoise natural pools, then a sea of orange dunes — the perfect day.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 20 · comfort 40 · high-end 90 OMR.

Accommodation per night — simple 25 · comfort 60 · palace 180 OMR.

On the ground — Strong outside Muscat — wadis, villages and souks in rials. Useful notes: OMR: 5 · 10 · 20 ﷼.

Field advice — The rial is strong (1 OMR ≈ 2.3 CHF): prices look small but weigh. The Wadi Shab boat: 1 rial in cash.

The highlights and their price range

• Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque — An eight-tonne Swarovski chandelier, a single-piece Persian carpet — mornings only, dress modestly. free
• Mutrah Souk — Frankincense, khanjars and Bedouin silver beneath the lamps — smiling negotiation in rials. free
• Nizwa Fort — The giant cannon tower and its intruder traps — oasis view. 5 OMR
• Jebel Akhdar — The 'green mountain' of rose terraces — 2'000 m, ten degrees cooler. free
• Wadi Shab — A hike-and-swim to the hidden waterfall cave — entrance boat 1 rial. 1 OMR

◈ Arriving with manats avoids the airport's capricious cash machines. Sheki is worth the 5-hour drive.

The cities that matter

• Baku — The walled old city beneath the Flame Towers — Dubai meets Samarkand.
• Sheki — The Caucasian stage of the Silk Road — a palace of a thousand stained-glass panes.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 50 · comfort 90 · high-end 200 AZN.

Accommodation per night — simple 60 · comfort 130 · palace 400 AZN.

On the ground — Strong — bazaars, taxis and countryside in cash manats. Useful notes: AZN: 10 · 20 · 50 ₼.

Field advice — Bolt is a giveaway in Baku, but the driver will appreciate cash manats — and the bazaar knows nothing else.

The highlights and their price range

• Icherisheher & the Maiden Tower — The UNESCO medieval city, caravanserais and the Shirvanshahs' palace. 15 AZN
• The Heydar Aliyev Centre — Zaha Hadid's white wave — an absolute icon. 15 AZN
• Yanar Dag & mud volcanoes — The hill that has burned for centuries, the lunar mud of Gobustan. 9–20 AZN
• The Khans' Palace — Shebeke joinery without a single nail, frescoes of paradise — the jewel of the Caucasus. 10 AZN
• A caravanserai & Sheki halva — Sleep in yesterday's silk, taste the honey halva. 0–5 AZN

◈ May–June and the autumn harvest: the whole country smells of must and warm bread. Lari in your pocket opens every table.

The cities that matter

• Tbilisi — Hanging wooden balconies, domed sulphur baths and secret courtyards.
• Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) — Trinity Church beneath icy Mount Kazbek — the image of the Caucasus.
• Kakheti — Georgia's cellar — qvevri amphora wine and fortified villages.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 70 · comfort 130 · high-end 300 GEL.

Accommodation per night — simple 80 · comfort 180 · palace 500 GEL.

On the ground — Very strong outside Tbilisi — marshrutkas, baths and supra in lari. Useful notes: GEL: 20 · 50 · 100 ₾.

Field advice — The Georgian feast (supra) never ends and costs GEL 40–70 — toasts by the tamada included. Cash is indispensable in the mountains.

The highlights and their price range

• The Abanotubani baths — Brick domes, 40° sulphur water — an invigorating kisa scrub. 50–150 GEL
• Old town & Narikala fortress — Cable car, Mother Georgia and leaning lanes. 0–10 GEL
• Dry Bridge Market — Soviet silverware, enamels and carpets — bargaining in lari. free
• Gergeti Trinity Church — On foot (1 h 30) or by 4×4 — 2'170 m, a mythic panorama. 0–50 GEL
• Georgian Military Road — The Terek gorges, Ananuri fortress on the shore of the turquoise lake. free

◈ Patagonia from November to March, Iguazú all year round. The big items (glacier, falls) are paid in cash pesos.

The cities that matter

• Buenos Aires — A Latin Paris with a beating heart — tango, theatre-bookshops and Sunday asado.
• The Iguazú Falls — 275 cascades in the jungle — the Devil's Throat roars from 80 m.
• El Calafate & Patagonia — The Perito Moreno cracking and collapsing in cathedrals of ice.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 45'000 · comfort 85'000 · high-end 200'000 ARS.

Accommodation per night — simple 50'000 · comfort 120'000 · palace 380'000 ARS.

On the ground — Moderate since the unification — but parrillas and ferias in cash. Useful notes: ARS: 10000 · 20000 $.

Field advice — The rate has been unified: the card finally works well. Cash keeps its privileges at the San Telmo market and the milonga.

The highlights and their price range

• San Telmo & its Sunday feria — Antiques, street bandoneóns and smoking choripán. free
• An authentic milonga — Dance (or watch) till 3 am — gentle entry, wine by the jug. 3'000–8'000 ARS
• La Boca & Caminito — Multicoloured sheet metal, Maradona in murals — the cradle of Boca Juniors. free
• National park, Argentine side — Walkways to the Devil's Throat, pilfering coatis. 35'000 ARS
• Gran Aventura (zodiac under the falls) — A memorable drenching guaranteed beneath San Martín. 60'000 ARS

◈ The Machu Picchu ticket + train alone weighs 600–900 soles — the rest of Peru is gentle for those who pay in soles.

The cities that matter

• Cusco & the Sacred Valley — The navel of the Inca world — cyclopean walls beneath colonial balconies.
• Puno & Lake Titicaca — The world's highest navigable lake — 3'812 m of sky in the water.
• Lima — The gastronomic capital of the Americas, facing the Pacific.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 90 · comfort 170 · high-end 400 PEN.

Accommodation per night — simple 120 · comfort 280 · palace 900 PEN.

On the ground — Strong — Andean markets, colectivos and tips in soles. Useful notes: PEN: 50 · 100 S/.

Field advice — Acclimatise for two days in Cusco (3,400 m): coca tea, slow pace. Machu Picchu is booked weeks in advance.

The highlights and their price range

• Machu Picchu — Timed tickets (book weeks ahead) + train + shuttle — dawn through the Sun Gate remains the grail. 152–200 PEN
• Sacred Valley: Pisac & Ollantaytambo — Vertiginous terraces, an Andean market, the staircase fortress — the boleto turístico is recommended. 70–130 PEN
• Salinas de Maras & Moray — 3,000 cascading salt pans and circular agricultural laboratories. 10 PEN
• The floating Uros islands — Villages of woven totora — craftwork in cash, smiles guaranteed. 40–60 PEN
• Taquile island — The men's UNESCO-listed knitting, lake trout facing Bolivian summits. 60–90 PEN

◈ The Rosario islands, the coffee finca, the Salento jeep: all the best of Colombia is paid in cash pesos.

The cities that matter

• Cartagena de Indias — Golden ramparts, bougainvillea and drums — the Caribbean pearl.
• Medellín — The city of eternal spring, reinvented with cable cars and flowers.
• Salento & the Cocora valley — Giant wax palms in the mist, Willys jeeps and coffee fincas.

Cash per day (excluding accommodation) — budget 140'000 · comfort 260'000 · high-end 600'000 COP.

Accommodation per night — simple 160'000 · comfort 380'000 · palace 1'200'000 COP.

On the ground — Strong — lanchas, fincas and markets in hard pesos. Useful notes: COP: 20000 · 50000 · 100000 $.

Field advice — “No dar papaya”: nothing ostentatious, official taxis at night — and the most welcoming country on the continent adopts you.

The highlights and their price range

• The walled city & Getsemaní — Balconies drowning in flowers, salsa squares at night — free and magical. free
• The Rosario islands — Translucent water 45 minutes by lancha — beach day and fish lunch. 120'000–250'000 COP
• Comuna 13 & the escalators — Street art, hip-hop and the finest lesson in urban rebirth. 0–30'000 COP
• Guatapé & the Piedra — 740 steps up the monolith, jigsaw lakes below — a day trip. 25'000 COP
• The Cocora hike — A five-hour loop among 60 m palms — hummingbirds at the Acaime refuge. 5'000–15'000 COP