Sarah Marshall rounds up the new travel destinations for 2012

JANUARY may be a depressing month, but with a full holiday allocation at your fingertips, it's time to think about this year's big trip. And while Spain and the USA are bound to be popular there are plenty of more unusual destinations tipped to be popular in 2012. Where will you go?

VIETNAM

Best for... grown-up backpackers.

Why go now? Opportunities for visiting Indochina have opened up thanks to a new direct flight from London to Vietnam with Vietnam Airlines. Shaving seven hours off the flight time, visitors can now travel in greater comfort with increased possibility for “power break” stays, making Vietnam a viable option for a two-week holiday.

Although long-haul travel may seem like an extravagance in cash-strapped times, day-to-day living in Vietnam is actually very cheap; the Post Office rated it in the top three best destinations for value for money in its 2011 Long Haul Holiday Report.

Travel back several centuries by visiting the world heritage town Hoi An, take a luxury cruise along the Mekong or have a suit made for a pittance in Ho Chi Minh City.

BOOK IT NOW:

WEXAS Travel offers a nine-night Saigon and Luxury Mekong itinerary, from £2,925pp, based on two sharing. Price includes direct flights with Vietnam Airlines, two nights at An Lam Saigon River, a seven-night cruise on the new 26-stateroom colonial cruiser, The Jahan, and domestic flights. Visit www.wexas.com or call 0845 643 6568.

Travelbag offers eight nights at the 4* Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa (B&B basis) in Hoi An for £969pp. Price includes direct flights with Vietnam Airlines and internal flights. Book by January 30, 2012. Visit www.travelbag.co.uk or call 0871 703 4240.

PERU

Best for... history buffs

Why go now? Last year marked a century since American archaeologist Hiram Bingham's discovery of Machu Picchu, but Peruvians would argue 2012 is the real year for celebration.

At the end of 2011, the long-anticipated Casa Concha museum opened in Cusco, housing artefacts from the ancient Inca citadel, taken by Hiram Bingham 100 years ago.

Coupled with the discovery of a new Inca trail to Machu Picchu, there's now more reason than ever to visit this historical site, recently named by the Huffington Post as the top place to see before you die.

Two new hotel openings in Cusco also look likely to put the ancient Inca capital on every luxury traveller's map. Orient Express opens the all-suite Palacio Nazarenas in June while JW Marriott will open a property on the site of a colonial church. Both will have oxygenated rooms to help guests acclimatise to the 3,400m altitude.

Food is also playing a big part in Peru's rising international profile, with Lima named by Frommers Guides as the top food destination to visit in 2012.

BOOK IT NOW:

Kuoda Travel, based in Cusco, offers luxury tailor-made tours of Peru using local guides and comfortable transport. See www.kuodatravel.com for a quote.

MYANMAR

Best for... culture shocks

Why go now? Curious travellers have always had Myanmar (Burma) on their radar, but up until now the political situation has kept most visitors away.

Following the release of pro-democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and her subsequent seal of approval for tourism, tour operators predict this predominantly Buddhist south-east Asian country will be the place to go in 2012.

Highlights include cruises along the Irrawaddy river and visits to picturesque pagodas, enchanting monasteries and forgotten hill stations.

But the biggest allure is a country largely untouched by the outside world, with only a total of 9,000 hotel beds available.

If you do want to travel responsibly, avoid using government-owned hotels and instead, invest your money in local enterprises.

BOOK IT NOW:

Travel Indochina offers a nine-day Highlights Of Burma escorted group tour, covering Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake, from £1,045pp, including all accommodation, domestic flights and entrance fees. International flights are extra. Visit www.travelindochina.co.uk or call 01865 268 940.

TransIndus offers a 14-day escorted group tour covering Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, Inle Lake and the ancient capital cities of Ava, Amarapura and Sagaing, from £2,495pp (based on two sharing) including B&B accommodation, flights, internal travel and sightseeing. Visit www.transindus.co.uk or call 020 8566 3739.