Michelle Braham is a freelance travel writer who writes for NOW! Magazine, The Times and leading parenting titles. Michelle gives her insight on the trendiest places to be seen at some of the World’s most glamorous destinations.

MIAMI
For sherbet-white sands, sparkling oceans under cloudless skies, step into your jet-set best and discover South Beach, Miami.

Dazzling, dramatic and deliciously cool (think Baywatch with a 1930’s Art Deco backdrop) Miami’s South Beach oozes superstar appeal. Known simply as SoBe to its fans, this celebrity-drenched playground attracts weird and wonderful movers and shakers; from the Hollywood elite to bikinied rollerbladers. Thrill-seekers will be lured by its pulsating nightlife, sugary white sands, funky boutiques and 24/7 party vibe.

South Beach’s glory may be the hipper-than-hip Art Deco District – a fantasy world of pastel-coloured whimsical buildings – but the beachfront is the real superstar. Lap up the rays on Ocean Drive - especially the 10-block stretch from 5th to 15th streets – and walk along the two-mile sandy filled with lifeguards in Art Deco watchtowers.

For chic consumerism, follow the A-list to Lincoln Road Mall with its wall-to-wall designer labels and outrageous boutiques. Visit the backyard pool area of swanky crash pad Delano or crowd into Robert De Niro’s star-studded sushi restaurant Nobu. Sip cocktails at The Skybar at the Shore Club Hotel, party at Snatch or head to the ultra-chic Prive, for great music in fantastic surroundings.

DUBAI
Synonymous with modernism and decadence, this once humble trading port is now a shrine to Swarovski, sporting legends and swanky hotels. Perennially hip with billionaires, WAGS and wannabe Arabian princesses, this glittering metropolis is dripping with bling. Not for the fashion-challenged, the endless shopping malls and lavish high-end boutiques will dazzle even the most discerning of couture-crazed spenders.

Home to the rich and famous the exclusive man-made island Palm Jumeirah, hosts magnificent multi-million pound properties.  For the rest of us, a spot along the Jumeirah Beach Road is just as beautiful, with beaches boasting soft white sand that slips into the shallow warm turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf.
Picture of Palm Jumeirah

One of the best watering holes is at the uber-lavish seven-star Burj Al Arab. To dine in style and rub shoulders with the crème de la crème, book a table at Gordon Ramsay’s Verre, located at the Hilton Dubai Creek. The Peppermint Club at the Fairmont Hotel is another exquisite venue and restaurant-cum-bar-cum-nightclub Boudoir at the Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa will cater to a wide range of needs. For further indulgence visit the newly opened Harvey Nichols at the Mall of the Emirates.
 
RIO JE DANEIRO
If Rio is the city that never sleeps, Copacabana is the caffeine that keeps it up all night. This cidade maravilhosa (Marvelous City) boasts a Brazilian blend of sun, supermodels, surf dudes and sport.

Beach etiquette is crucial in Rio. Get into the carioca spirit by drinking caipirinhas and participating in a game or two of volleyball. Copacabana Beach still exudes urban sophistication with over three miles of spotless white sands, but Ipanema has taken over as the more fashionable shore on which to pose and preen.
 
For that sexy Rio rendezvous, head to the trendier-than-thou nightspots Baronneti, Nuth and Catwalk. Book a room at Philippe Starck’s swish new hotel the Fasano or rest your head at boutique hotel La Suite - aka the Brazilian Beverly Hills.

BARBADOS
Laid-back and luxurious, picture-postcard Barbados will appeal to almost anyone. Paradise becomes a reality as this beautiful country offers the whitest of sands with seas that sparkle like blue topaz. Barbados combines the rhythm of the Caribbean, with the tranquillity of cloud nine to bring you the perfect holiday destination.

This haven boasts three distinctive coastlines: the western coast (nicknamed The Platinum Coast) offers dreamy five-star resorts for a jet-set clientele; the southern coast offers more of a nightlife scene, whilst the rugged east is ideal for the more adventurous (the best-known surf spot is Soup Bowl). Crane Beach offers an exquisite crescent of pink sand, set in a remote peaceful setting.

For dining, The Lone Star and The Tides combine elegance with fabulous cusine, but it is The Cliff – hailed by Michael Winner as "The Ivy of the Caribbean" – that will truly inspire your taste buds . Daphne’s also proves itself as a culinary emperor, offering a fine Italian menu, served with idyllic scenery.

SYDNEY
Sydney is Australia’s cosmopolitan capital.  The city offers activities to the penny pinching back-packer right through to the luxury-seeking traveller. Be it surf, swim or sight see, Sydney can offer all these and more not only on the beautiful beaches of Bondi, Coogee and Clovelly but in the fabulous city district.

Five miles from Sydney’s business district is Bondi Beach, a boho chic paradise famous for its legendary surf breaks and golden sands. For those who prefer people-watching, Campbell Parade – the beach’s Art Deco promenade – is lined with bars and cafes. To try something different, book a room at Ravesi"s - Bondi’s only boutique hotel.

Paddington is where most of the fashion royalty have their signature stores, whilst the Queen Victoria Building on George Street is best for designer goods. A fabulous atmosphere awaits you at The Iguana Bar in Kings, The Slip Inn and Velvet Lounge. For decadent dining, book Otto in Woolloomooloo or Tetsya’s, a Japanese eatery similar to London’s Nobu.