Skanderbeg Square is the social and cultural centre of Tirana, this is an excellent place for people watching and absorbing the daily life of the denizens of this city. The famous Equestrian Statue is located on the Southern Side of the Square.

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah is a sprawling cultural park in East Jakarta that brings the whole country together in one place. Each province has its own pavilion built in traditional style, complete with crafts, costumes, and exhibits that show off local life. There’s even a lake shaped like the Indonesian archipelago, in addition to museums to wander through and a cable car that gives a great view of it all. It’s a fun way to get a feel for Indonesia’s diversity without leaving the city.

In July and August you can make boat tours on the Maas River, from the fortified town of Heusden. The tour boat, Wiljo, departs from the Molensteiger, the windmill base at the harbour at 13.30 and 15.00. The route runs along the Maas River and passes through the Heusden Canal (a man-made section of the river), past the village of Wijk & Aalburg and into the “dead end“ of the original Maas River and, after an hour of sailing, the boat returns to Heusden. Various drinks can be bought on board, both on the upper deck and in the cosy room below deck.

For a few days during the year the locals of Saint Lucia don their fanciest and most summery carnivalesque costumes before taking to the streets. Hailed as one of the best carnival celebrations in the Americas, this yearly event manages to portray the Caribbean culture of this small island nation perfectly. The festival arrives at its climax with a two-day long parade of live music, feathers, beads and scantily clad carnival-goers moving rhythmically under the radiant Saint Lucian sun.