We’ve laid out the places you have to see this year, and they’re all weird, tasty and incredibly exotic. Like Cambodia, whose people have left behind a horrific past to bring you an intense cultural experience at a stunning price, or Bhutan, which is pretty much showing the world how a country should be run – by preserving its incredible natural beauty and its picturesque traditions. Or New Orleans, where the party never ends, and where you’ll beg and beg for more of the excellent food and jazz. Even in India, we have the too-often-ignored Orissa, which combines giant crocodiles and dolphins that help fishermen, and centuries-old handicrafts with hidden palaces.

Plus, our calendar of travel tells you exactly where you should find yourself every month – and we bring you brilliant off-season ideas, heads-ups on great festivals, and advice on what weather to avoid where. And you’re going to tell us what you like best on this buffet table: we bring you the Lonely Planet Magazine India Travel Awards, where you can vote for your favourite destinations and experiences, from cultural hot-spots to the homestays you like best. The only question here is your table manners. In Goa last month, I was horrified by how little we Indians seem to care for the places we visit: people were peeing everywhere, chucking garbage around, making a racket and showing zero respect for local culture. Indians have a crappy rep as travellers, despite how much everyone wants our money – perhaps this is the year we can change all that. Most important of all, though, you’re going to enjoy yourselves this year. Whether you like it or not. We’ve laid out the places you have to see this year,and they’re all weird, tasty and incredibly exotic.Like Cambodia, whose people have left behind a horrific past to bring you an intense cultural experienceat a stunning price, or Bhutan, which is pretty much showing the world how a country should be run– by preserving its incredible natural beauty andits picturesque traditions. Or New Orleans, where the party never ends,and where you’ll beg and beg for more of the excellent food and jazz.Even in India, we have the too-often-ignored Orissa, which combinesgiant crocodiles and dolphins that help fishermen, and centuries-old handicrafts with hidden palaces.Plus, our calendar of travel tells you exactly where you should find yourself every month – and we bring you brilliant off-season ideas,heads-ups on great festivals, and advice on what weather to avoid where.And you’re going to tell us what you like best on this buffet table:we bring you the Lonely Planet Magazine India Travel Awards,where you can vote for your favourite destinations and experiences,from cultural hot-spots to the homestays you like best.The only question here is your table manners. In Goa last month,I was horrified by how little we Indians seem to care for the places we visit: people were peeing everywhere, chucking garbage around, makinga racket and showing zero respect for local culture. Indians have a crappy rep as travellers, despite how much everyone wants our money – perhaps this is the year we can change all that.

Most important of all, though, you’re going to enjoy yourselves this year. Whether you like it or not.