Singapore

Singapore is what happens when a country treats urban planning as an art form. Half a century ago it was a humid trading port; today it has the world's best airport, a Marina Bay skyline that looks photoshopped, hawker centres listed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, and one of the safest, cleanest, most multicultural cities on the planet — Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English all official, all everywhere. It's also four to five hours from any major Indian city, eVisa in days, and three days is enough to make sense of it. Singapore works as a standalone short break, the perfect family trip, or — most usefully — a stopover en route to Bali, Australia or Japan.

February to April is the driest, most pleasant stretch — 27–32°C, low rainfall, full event calendar (Chinese New Year, Formula 1 night practice in September is a separate appeal). May to October is the south-west monsoon — short afternoon rains but otherwise fine. November to January is the wettest stretch, with heavier rain that can disrupt outdoor plans but rarely cancels them. Singapore is hot and humid year-round; pack light, hydrate, plan outdoor activity for morning or evening.