Jet, set, go!

From gorilla-trekking in the Congo to playing polo in the Gulf. ES chooses seven trips you'd be mad to miss this year

DUBAI
If London's relentless chill is getting you down, in just six hours you could be sunning yourself in style. Dubai is home to some weird and wonderful developments: a theme park where kids run the world? Check. The world's tallest tower? Obviously. A 490ft fountain? Duh! And if Dubai's superlatives aren't enough (what's wrong with you?), its luxurious hotels surely will be. One such property, the Desert Palm, has opened five new suites this month. The hotel features polo fields and riding lessons for guests and the spacious new suites have floor-to-ceiling windows and large terraces with sweeping views across the four polo fields. From £255 per night B&B. Giddy up!(desertpalm.peraquum.com)

VANCOUVER
This laid-back Canadian city makes for a truly diverse break. There's wilderness to entice the adventurous, trendy gastro hot spots for foodies, great galleries and a buzzing gay scene. In May, Virgin launches its new route to Vancouver, making it easier than ever to drop by. And where to stay during a sojourn in the city? Amid the plethora of funky boutique hotels, one property stands firm as the last word in good, old-fashioned Canadian hospitality: the Rosewood Hotel Georgia. The hotel is home to an incredible collection of art by the likes of Douglas Coupland and Damien Hirst. It's the perfect place to get a sense of the cultural vibrancy of very cool Vancouver. From $235 per night. (rosewoodhotels.com)

MILAN
Ah Milan, home of the super-chic, the über-glam, the eco-friendly Wait, what? Yes, that's right, Italy's style capital has declared green the new black, darlings. December saw the opening of E.c.ho., an eco-chic hotel in the heart of the city. Its 125 sq m of solar panels provide energy to light the corridors and public spaces, interiors are designed with mainly recycled materials and there's energy-efficient glass in the conservatory. Environmentally friendly travelling has never looked so good. From 190 per night. (onstarhotels.com)

GREECE
No, not your favourite 1980s smash-hit movie, but that ancient land at the heart of the Mediterranean. The country's economy may be in free fall but its luxury hotels are not - and one you can't afford to miss out on is the new Kinsterna Hotel & Spa in the southern Peloponnese, transformed from the wreck of a Byzantine mansion into a jewel of a hideaway. Throw in all mod cons, a fab spa and champagne breakfasts and you have all the ingredients for a modern and indulgent holiday. From 180 per night.
(kinsternahotel.gr)

CONGO
Weary of wildebeest? Had enough of hippos? Go get some gorilla. Wilderness Collection is launching Lango and Ngaga, two gorilla camps, in the Republic of Congo this May. Tourism here is at a fledgling stage and the country's tropical forest and verdant savannah is ripe for discovery. The two eco-camps will offer visitors the chance
to track gorillas in the Odzala-Kokoua region. Six nights from £4,635pp with Africa Travel. (africatravel.co.uk)

COLUMBIA
Next time your hairdresser asks if you're going anywhere nice on your 'olidays, declare you're off to Colombia - there's little chance her boyfriend's mate's cousin has been there. Caffeine fiends, beach bums and history buffs will find much to enthral them. Explore the stunning coast, colonial cities and coffee plantations. Experience jungle walks, mountain trekking, scuba diving and whale-watching. Stay in the sleek Anandá hotel in Cartagena, close to the magnificent wall that once protected the city from pirates and plunderers. Exus Travel offers tailor-made trips from £3,499 for two weeks. (exsus.com)

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
Witnessing the northern lights features on many travellers' must-do lists, and this is the year to tick it off. According to NASA, 2012 will see the most spectacular aurora activity in 50 years, due to a peak in the sun's sunspot cycle and the associated surges of charged sub-atomic particles. We may not be able to explain the science, but we can almost guarantee the spectacle. Book a two-night trip with Black Tomato and you'll stay in the chic urban splendour of Reykjavik's Hotel 101 before quad biking into the wilderness to grab a front-row seat for this wonder of the world. From £1,049pp. (blacktomato.com)