You’ve explored the UNESCO-heritage center of Hoi An, spent some time on An Bang beach, seen plenty of arts and crafts, and the new clothes you ordered at one of the town’s many tailors will be ready any day. While you wait, however, there’s lots to see beyond the Old Town. Here are some great day trips to take from Hoi An.

If the idea of crowded museums or pin-drop-quiet art galleries doesn’t float your boat, remember that cultural experiences come in all colours, shapes, and sizes – and August delivers the lot. Live like the locals in Papua New Guinea’s rainforest-clad mountains; be inspired by incredible architecture in Bulgaria’s capital; dance the tango in Buenos Aires; and roam the rich tapestry of Stockholm’s archipelago. Here are some of the best places for culture in August.

One of the great joys of travel is trying new foods and exploring the restaurants and markets of an unfamiliar destination. However, travel can be expensive, even before considering the rising costs of trendy restaurants. Where do you go if you’re a foodie on a tight budget?

When we travel to an urban center, we’re often looking for the whole package — history, culture, exciting cuisine, modernity, antiquity, and everything in between. It sounds like a tall order, but the world’s best cities offer these attributes and more.

Rivers are all the rage. Travelers are increasingly interested in seeing the world on cruises through smaller waterways. A significant selling point is how river cruises allow guests to experience destinations in a deeper way. For instance, sailing Myanmar’s Irrawaddy River lets you explore a destination at a significant turning point in its history, while itineraries on the Rhine River showcase the charming villages and towns that line the waterway. In addition, these trips are heavy on cultural offerings and insider access, with excursions to museums, villages, wineries, and restaurants. The ships—intimate and often luxurious—are also appealing. While you might not encounter jaw-dropping waterslides on most lines, many river ships offer cabins with balconies, premium dining experiences, and spas. For example, Viking Cruises features an innovative Explorer Suite, complete with a wraparound terrace and heated bathroom floors. Every year, for the GoTravelDaily survey, readers weigh in on travel experiences around the globe to share their opinions on hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, and more. Readers rate individual cruise ships on their cabins/facilities, food, service, itineraries/destinations, excursions/activities, and value. These assessments generate results for the cruise lines in various categories, including river cruising. This year, top honors went to Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection—a line recognized for its style and elegance. Staterooms are plush and border on opulent. Even its new ships, such as theMaria Theresa, launched last year, take design cues from the past. Uniworld isn’t the only cruise company expanding its fleet; at least 11 new river ships debuted in recent years. Lines like Tauck, Viking Cruises, and AmaWaterways have all recently added new ships while expanding their itineraries. For instance, AmaWaterways has introduced wine-themed cruises—led by experts—along popular rivers like the Douro, Danube, Rhine, and Rhone, allowing guests to indulge in tastings with someone else at the helm.

Choosing the right hotel when visiting a major city can be a daunting task, as the range of options is often vast and varied. To help identify the very best urban stays in Australia and New Zealand, GoTravelDaily asked readers to rank their favorites based on facilities, location, service, food, and value.