Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

There are relatively few spots on the banks of the 2,700-mile-long Mekong where you can relax in great comfort to enjoy the mesmerising spectacle of the river, and this is one of them. Situated close to Thailand’s easternmost point, the resort consists of rooms in a modern, 3-storey block and pricier private villas, all smothered in tropical foliage. The furnishings and décor are generic Asian-fusion, but the views from the balconies are simply wonderful: watch fishermen chugging upstream in their pirogues, as egrets flap past the Lao village on the far bank.