TASCHEN Books: Great Escapes Around the World. The world is truly your oyster. Whether it is back-packing in South America, a scenic road trip in the US or a wondrous safari in Africa, no one photographs it better. Hardcover. 9.4 x 11.9 in. 720 pages.

Whether you want to take a relaxing vacation in Asia, a backpacking journey in South America, a road trip in the USA, a cultural tour in Europe, or a safari in Africa, we’ve got the most inspiring and eclectic collection of hotels, guesthouses, boats, lodges, spas, and houseboats that you could ask for. Culled from our Great Escapes series, favorite spots include futuristic-looking, Star Wars-style houseboats made of bamboo poles, palm leaves, and coconut fibers in Kerala, India, as well as a luxury lodge and spa on a java plantation in (you guessed it) Java. An Ayurvedic spa in the Himalayas where nothing matters but peace and relaxation will certainly tempt you, or perhaps you're more the type for a lush Kenyan open-walled, thatched-roof hut fashioned from tree trunks? On a more modern vibe, oogle Gio Ponti's sleek blue and white hotel perched on the cliffs in Sorrento, Italy, and you'll yearn for a sojourn there.

Other highlights include an elegant auberge in Napa Valley, California, where you can stay during your wine tasting tour, a historic ranch nestled in a Death Valley oasis, an adobe hotel in the Chilean desert, a hotel built entirely of salt in Bolivia's Uyuni salt desert, and an ecolodge on a natural reserve in the Amazon rain forest. Just flip through the pages of this new compilation of dreamy spots to plan your next holiday, wherever on the planet it may be.

About the editor: Angelika Taschen studied art history and German literature in Heidelberg, gaining her doctorate in 1986. Working for TASCHEN since 1987, she has published numerous titles on architecture, photography, design, contemporary art, interiors, and travel.