Too readily derided as a world trouble spot, the Middle East offers endless intrigue for the discerning traveller.

Dubai 

The oil-rich capital of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai's stated goal is to be the world's number one travel destination by 2015.

The rapidly developing city is a veritable shrine to modern technology and Western influence, with sky's-no-limit high-rise buildings sprouting up as immense shopping malls and extravagant entertainment complexes. Visitors to Dubai enjoy year-round sun, excellent beaches and tax-free shopping.

Egypt

Egypt has been seducing travellers for thousands of years. While just about every significant empire has conquered Egypt, it is the eternal treasures left by the Pharaohs some 5,000 years ago that continue to capture the imagination of visitors and dominate the mostly desert landscape.

Israel 

As the Holy Lane for four of the world's monotheistic faiths, Israel was always destined to oscillate between tourist hot spot and world trouble spot.

With its Mediterranean climate, ancient cities, biblical sites, archaeological treasures, verdant mountains, world-class museums, modern metropolises, vast desertscapes, pumping beach resorts and underwater wonders, Israel packs everything you could want from a holiday destination into its coveted slither of land. 

Jordan  

The playground of Lawrence of Arabia and Indiana Jones as well as the setting for many a sensational biblical story, Jordan remains a relatively underappreciated tourism destination.

Turkey

With one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, Turkey straddles the physical and cultural divide between East and West.  

The beach resorts along Turkey's Aegean coast may be popular year-round holiday destinations for sun-starved Europeans, but strike further east, towards the borders with Syria, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Georgia, and you'll encounter a Turkey barely touched by tourism - a land of snow-capped mountains, medieval ruins, Armenian churches, dramatic castles and Biblical landmarks.