Long known as one of Southeast Asia’s most visually stunning cities, Luang Prabang, Laos, is replete with uncommonly beautiful sights. Now also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and must-see destination for anyone fascinated by the remarkable ancient culture of Laos, the city remains largely protected from the stresses of mass tourism, awaiting visitors with spectacular sunsets along the Mekong and morning processions of saffron-clad monks receiving their daily alms.

Mention literary destinations and many people immediately conjure up images of 19th-century Britain – dingy Dickensian London and the rolling hills of Wordsworth’s beloved Lake District – or the United States, with its Beat poets in New York and San Francisco, and Mark Twain’s tales of life on the Mississippi. Of course, literature has left its imprint far and wide across the globe. Here is just a smattering of other novel (excuse the pun) locations.