Macau

Macau is a genuine one-off: four centuries of Portuguese and Cantonese life folded into a few square kilometres. In the old town, black and white calçada cobbles ripple past pastel churches, and the smell of fresh egg tarts drifts from bakeries that have been perfecting them for generations. Ten minutes away, the Cotai strip performs its nightly spectacle of light and ambition, home to some of Asia's most extravagant hotels and restaurants. The food is the secret star. Macanese cooking is arguably the world's first fusion cuisine, and eating your way from tasca to teahouse is the best itinerary here. Macau works beautifully as two or three indulgent days alongside Hong Kong: history in the morning, spa in the afternoon, a show and a feast at night.