Bali, Indonesia

Bali is an island of layers. On the surface: infinity pools, smoothie bowls, world-class surf breaks. One level down: thousand-year-old subak irrigation societies still farming the UNESCO-listed terraces of Jatiluwih and Tegallalang. Deeper still: a Hindu-Balinese calendar of ceremony that fills the streets with bamboo penjor poles and gamelan music several times a month.

We base our journeys in the interior — Ubud's river gorges, Munduk's coffee highlands, Sidemen's quiet valley facing Agung volcano — with days on the coast for reef snorkelling and sunset temples at Uluwatu.

Every itinerary includes time with people: a blessing with a temple priest, a morning market walk with a Balinese cook, an afternoon with woodcarvers in Mas. The island opens up when you arrive as a guest, not a spectator.