A week at an all-inclusive resort promises idle, sunny days but it doesn’t usually spell adventure. After all, where’s the thrill of exploration when there’s a beach in easy reach of your bed, and all meals and drinks are served on site? But hold the piña coladas: resorts can offer much more than a do-nothing holiday.

The Sungai Melaka has meandered through Malaysia's Melaka City for centuries, but with glitzy new shopping malls opening along its riverbanks and boutique hotels now overlooking its picturesque bridges and art murals, this snaking waterway is being rejuvenated by creative urban planning.

The all-enveloping equatorial rainforests of Borneo's fine national parks are great for day hikes, but nothing beats an overnight trek to really experience these incredible jungles. A world full of orangutans, carnivorous pitcher plants, gargantuan Rafflesia flowers deserves in-depth exploration. But the land is diverse and conditions change throughout every trek, so having the right gear (there are some pretty unique needs out here) can mean the difference between a thrilling voyage of discovery and sodden misery.