In an age in which monolithic global brands dominate, and the world’s leading destinations are all beginning to look very much alike, Herbert Ypma offers an inspiring alternative, insisting that the most amazing places in the world intrinsically cost nothing – and the most exciting and authentic places to stay while you see them don’t cost much more.

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience travelling the globe, Ypma presents a handpicked selection of thirty of the most interesting undiscovered hotels, guesthouses and resorts in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. These are places with real personality, free of branding, signposts and tourist hordes – places whose magic has nothing to do with money and everything to do with natural beauty, adventure and romance.

Some offer surprisingly inexpensive and characterful lodging in famous destinations such as Bali, Palm Springs and the south of France, while others provide bases for exploring off-the-beaten-track locations such as Laos, Uruguay and the Australian Outback. En route, Ypma regales the reader with the true stories of how he stumbled upon each of his astonishing hidden gems. Those of a nervous disposition be warned: these include a harrowing ride through a crocodile-infested mangrove swamp and a run-in with the US Border Patrol on a notorious drug-runners’ route from Mexico.