Your questions: Which Asian destinations are warm but not humid?

We are four fit and active ladies in our 60s who want to spend about 10 days in July celebrating our long friendship. We considered Cambodia/Laos, but I’m concerned it may be too hot and humid. Can you suggest some Asian destinations that are warm but not too humid in early July?
A. Osborne, South Yarra, Vic

Tea country in Sri Lanka is warm but not humid in July. Credit: iStock

Asia in July with warmth and low humidity is a tough call. Ulaanbataar fits the bill – as do parts of northern China – but unless you plan to make this a yurt holiday, this is unlikely to work. The most practical solution is to head for the hills. Anywhere above about 1000 metres will be less humid. Sri Lanka’s tea country qualifies, and you can get there on a non-stop flight from Melbourne. On the downside, it’s likely to be cloudy. The same applies to Bhutan, Nepal and the upland regions of northern India.

One place that might work for you is Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, which has mild summers with lower humidity compared with other parts of the country. The island’s appeal stems from its natural attractions, including forests, caldera lakes, alpine wildflowers and bubbling hot springs.

Another is Bali’s Ubud. This is the dry season in Bali, and while humidity is still high, it’s less so than other times of the year; however, you would be travelling there during Australia’s school holidays.

I’ll be travelling to Samoa with my partner in July. What are your must-sees and is there anything I should keep in mind?
N. Liondos, Hurstville NSW

Samoa consists of nine islands, although for practical purposes you can discount all but the largest two, Savaii and Upolu, where the capital, Apia, is located. The sheer physicality of Upolu is staggering. At its centre, the volcanic peak of Mount Fito forms a waistband from which the island falls like a giant skirt, pleated with rainforest and ribboned with gushing streams, descending to a final frill of beach trimmed with coral reefs.

Upolu, Samoa.Credit: iStock

On Apia’s Beach Road, the Samoa Cultural Village is a showcase for various elements of Fa’a Samoa, the Samoan way, including dances, handicrafts and food. You can try Samoan cuisine cooked in an umu, a stone oven and a traditional way of cooking meats, fish and vegetables.

Samoa moves to a different rhythm from other Polynesian hot spots such as Hawaii and Tahiti. Its main attractions include lava fields, blowholes, waterfalls and jungle-rimmed waterholes fed by water flowing through lava tubes from the ocean. Swimming with sea turtles at Namua Island, just off the east coast of Upolu, is another high.

Diving, fishing, snorkelling, sea kayaking and surfing are popular visitor activities. Most make the pilgrimage to Villa Vailima, the house built by writer Robert Louis Stevenson at the foot of Upolu’s Mount Vaea, where he dressed his Samoan servants in Stuart tartan. Buses are a fun way to get around but unless you want to stay in a resort you’re better off hiring a car, which gives you the freedom to explore. Roads are generally slow and traffic is light.

The coast of Upolu is ringed with fale-guesthouses. Simple, basic and mostly open to the elements, the guesthouses are a natural extension of Fa’a Samoa. If you’re looking for an intimate experience of village life at a bargain price, fale accommodation is the way to go.

We are a couple looking at travelling to Paris for a few days. We would also like to base ourselves there and do day trips to Lille, Brussels, Dijon and Reims. Where would be a good location to stay close to the station, and how to book train tickets? To break up our flights, can you suggest two different stopovers each for a day and not in the Middle East?
S. Murnane, Rosanna VIC

Using Paris as a base for day trips to these cities is problematic. Accommodation in Paris is expensive, about double what you would pay for a hotel or pension of the same standard in most of the other cities on your list. Even if you use the TGV to travel around, you’re going to spend a lot of time watching the scenery rush past at the expense of experiencing some wonderful cities. Also, travelling by train back and forth to these cities in a single day is quite costly, and exhausting. It will be more satisfying as well as more cost-effective if you spend at least three nights in each city. For checking timetables and booking train tickets, use the Rail Europe website.

Excluding the Middle East cities from your two-stop flight itinerary is difficult since any flight from Australia to Europe is going to be via the major hubs, several of which are located in Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. One route that would work would be to fly to Singapore and then to India, and Delhi, Mumbai and Amritsar in the northern Punjab region all offer non-stop flights to Paris. However, these are great cities and deserve more than just a one-night stop.

My partner and I are spending four weeks travelling around Spain in April/May, with several days in Madrid and finishing in Seville. Any thoughts on what else is a must-see or do on a two-week self-drive itinerary? We have been to Barcelona.
J. Todd, Perth WA

Leaving Madrid, you might drive 2½ hours north to Burgos. The former capital of Castile and Leon, Burgos has some of the finest medieval buildings in Spain, with a superb Gothic cathedral as the icing on the architectural cake. The Museum of Human Evolution is another standout, while the city has its own distinct gastronomy. Burgos is also the birthplace and burial place of El Cid, folk hero and national icon, celebrated for his role in the reconquest of Spain from the Moors.

From there, drive to San Sebastian. You’re well ahead of the crowds, so make the most of this lovely Basque city with its streets lined with Belle Epoque buildings, but you’re really here for the food, from the giant La Bretxa market to the bars and the city’s Michelin-star restaurants. The essential San Sebastian dish is pintxos, the local version of tapas, served in the city’s bars.

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.Credit: iStock

Head west along the coast to Bilbao to take in the Guggenheim Museum then to Oviedo, one of the most attractive cities in northern Spain, built around a medieval quarter that has been handsomely restored. Oviedo is one of the best places to sample the distinctive cuisine of the Asturias region, which includes such dishes as bean and pork stew and farmhouse cheeses, matured in caves and made with milk from cows fed on high summer pastures.

Continue west to A Coruna, spend a couple of nights and explore this beautiful Galician coastal city, known for its rich history, architecture and vibrant culture. From here head south with stops at Leon and Salamanca. Since you’re spending time in Seville, you should also include Cordoba, Granada and possibly Malaga.

Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances.