The places that made me: Craig Jeffery, academic and author

SCOTLAND

I was born in Edinburgh and later met my wife there, so Scotland is a special place. But it's the west coast that I really love. My parents took me there as a child, and I've returned with my own children numerous times, exploring the far north-west in particular. The Scoraig peninsula is a highlight; entirely off-grid, and only accessible by an eight-kilometre walking track or boat, it feels more like an island. The temperatures keep people away, but the rainbows are extraordinary.

DELHI

Delhi is a city that buzzes with discussion of politics, social change, sport, and culture. I have visited 20 times since 1996, but always return to some of the same spots, usually with the same reading material: Shrilal Shukla, William Dalyrymple, and Ismat Chughtai. A perfect afternoon would be an hour in the incredible Bahri and Sons Bookstore in Khan Market, a couple of circuits of Lodi Gardens, and an evening meal at Karim's in Old Delhi.

HORNBY ISLAND, CANADA

We spent four years living in the Pacific Northwest of the US in the 2000s, but for holidays we often went across the border into Canada. One of our favourite places was Hornby Island, an idyllic island two ferry rides off the east coast of Vancouver Island – hardly undiscovered but somehow indelibly laid back. Tribune Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and supposedly has the warmest water in Canada.

UTTARAKHAND, INDIA

My wife, Jane, has carried out anthropological research in a village in the Indian Himalayas since the early 2000s, and I started working with her from 2012, when we took our two children for the first time. The village has become a second home to our family and we try to spend time there each year. Nestled beneath Trishul and Nanda Devi, two of the highest peaks in the Indian Himalayas, the village is near a little known trekking route that winds its way between villages, over the Kuari Pass and through rhododendron forests that are ablaze with pink and red flowers in spring. The region has developed considerably over the last decade but it remains a tough place for villagers to earn a living. Increasing tourism could be part of the answer.

SURF COAST, VICTORIA

It amazes me that you can drive 90 minutes from Melbourne and be in a fairyland of pristine bush and sublime beaches. I am a runner and there are terrific events that showcase the Surf Coast's stunning scenery. The Surf Coast 100-kilometre is my favourite, combining the magic of running from Anglesea to Torquay on the beach with long adventures into the Otway hills surrounding by wildflowers, tree-ferns, and waterfalls.

Craig Jeffrey is director of the Australia India Institute, Australia's only national centre for research and analysis on India. He is also a Professor of Geography at the University of Melbourne, formerly at Oxford. His eight books focus on youth and India, the latest of which is Modern India: A Very Short Introduction. See aii.unimelb.edu.au