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Think of holidays overseas and what springs to mind? Images of sun drenched beaches on tropical islands. Exotic, foreign cities teaming with flavours of the unknown.
Everyone has their own idea of a perfect holiday, be it culture, shopping or relaxation. Whatever your choice, a holiday abroad should all be about enjoyment and discovery, anything else is optional.
Stuck for ideas as to where to go? Check out my list of the top five international cities to visit, and you’ll be on your way in no time!
1: Hong Kong If you like a taste of the exotic mixed with the comforts of home, you’ll find it in Hong Kong. Located on the eastern border of China, it is a city where east meets west. Famed for its excellent market shopping at insanely cheap prices, towering, modern skyscraper buildings and friendly locals, Hong Kong is a great place for somewhere a little different.
What you should know:
The air in Hong Kong is heavily polluted and very humid; it takes some time to get used to. Most of the buildings within the city are heavily air conditioned which provides a welcome relief.
English is widely spoken everywhere except in rural areas. Street signs and places are usually in English as well.
NZ$100.00 = HK$574.98 2: London The streets are dirty, the locals sound funny, and there are more pubs than you can poke a stick at, so why wouldn’t you want to visit London? Forget all the bad things you’ve ever heard about it from others and get there yourself. The 12,000 miles are worth it!
What you should know:
Unless you’re keen on experiencing typically freezing temperatures and snow, the best time to visit London is in their summer months (May-July)
NZ$100.00 = UK£36.88
3: Tokyo Look beyond the neon lights and confusing Japanese characters and you’ll find Tokyo is an interesting mix of culture and modernity all in one. This is the city that never sleeps, where politeness and good manners are almost infused into its people. It’s is a mix of the weird and wonderful and one city you can’t afford to bypass.
What you should know:
Unless you already speak fairly fluent Japanese it’s best to stick to the phrasebook to get yourself understood. Most major hotels and department stores will have some English speaking staff, and you will not find it nearly as difficult as you think communicating with people as the Japanese are very friendly and welcoming of any Japanese spoken by foreigners.
Nearly all signs in Tokyo are in Japanese script. However, if you can, get someone to write down some basic characters for you so you can find things like toilets, restaurants etc.
NZ$100.00 = JP¥8843 4: Paris The world's famous city of love is, of course, a must visit, if not just to see the Eiffel Tower in all its glory, and to soak up the very romantic atmosphere of all things French. Indulge yourself with a typical French breakfast of croissants and café au lait or practice your French on unsuspecting locals. Paris is a city full of flavour and style.
What you should know:
The best time to visit Paris is June/July for their summer temperatures which can range up to 24°
Some shops in France close for 2 hours during lunchtime usually from about 12-2pm; this is due to longer store opening hours until about 7 or 8pm.
NZ$100.00 = EUR€54.11 5: Vancouver Located on the west coast of Canada lies its third largest city, Vancouver. A beautiful and vibrant city you definitely want to visit. With gorgeous backdrops of lush mountainous forests to the north and a modern metropolis of buildings in the surroundings areas, Vancouver is the perfect hideaway city to lose yourself and experience life the Canadian way.
What you should know:
Vancouver’s climate is one of the mildest in Canada due to its southerly position on the coast. Temperatures range from 3° in January to 18° in July.
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of sun drenched beaches on tropical islands. Exotic, foreign cities teaming with flavours of the unknown. 
1: Hong Kong
3: Tokyo
