10 worldwide hot spots to visit in the new year

Home base: If you have the time, Explore New Zealand Holidays (011-64-3-366-6735, www.explorenewzealand.co.nz) has a three-week RV rental for the price of two weeks (from $359 a week) from April until October. Gateway Motor Home Hire (011-64-9-296-1652, www.motorhomehire.co.nz) rents RVs that sleep two to five people, with rates starting at $59 a day. Red Carpet Tours (011-64-9-410-6561) www.redcarpet-tours.com) runs tourists through different regions where "Lord of the Rings" scenes were filmed and shows them privately owned movie sets during two-week tours that include meals, lodging and local transport. From $2,578.

Info: New Zealand Tourism, 866-639-9325, www.newzealand.com.

Northern Manitoba

Two words — polar bears. The northern part of this central Canadian province — particularly the town of Churchill — is a prime place to spot Ursus maritimus, as well as other dramatic wildlife that can't be seen in many accessible places.

Details: The wildlife scene in Manitoba is unmatched, between frolicking polar bears in the fall and the 20,000 snow-white Beluga whales that flood the western Hudson Bay and Churchill River each summer. Combine that with stellar bird-watching, nature expeditions on the flowering tundra and a glimpse of the Northern Lights, and you have a wealth of eco-delights. Polar bears, though, are the biggest draw. The bears spend part of their year living on the ice of Hudson Bay, but between August and mid-November, when the ice disappears, they mosey onto land. There are about 1,400 polar bears in the area, accessible to visitors via "tundra buggy" tours.

Where to stay: The town of Churchill is close to several national parks and is accessible by train. The Aurora Inn (888-840-1344; $72) sees business pick up when the polar bears come out to play. The Bear Country Inn (204-675-8299; from $68) shows nature movies in its lobby, just in case your outdoor trek yielded disappointing results.

Info: Travel Manitoba, 800-665-0040, www.travelmanitoba.com; Churchill Northern Studies Centre, 204-675 2307.

Taiwan

Taiwan's traditional culture, temples and phenomenal national museum are catching the attention of Asiaphiles, despite the fact that political tensions with mainland China are increasing.