Margaret River, Australia

The wine-lovers' town of MARGARET RIVER and the surrounding region is busy at weekends and holidays with surfers, tourists and gastronomes escaping from Perth and the East Coast cities, with many making it their base for wine tasting by day and fine dining by night. Though you may not want to stay here if it's beach or rural bliss you're seeking, you'll still find the town handy for shopping (supermarket open till 9pm), eating out and browsing for art, crafts and gourmet goodies. Also worth visiting are remote Cape Leeuwin and historic Augusta.