What sets Kaikōura apart are the extraordinary marine encounters that begin just off the shoreline. The Kaikōura Canyon, an underwater gorge that plunges to great depths close to land, creates currents rich with nutrients that attract a remarkable array of sea life year-round. Sperm whales are a common sight here and are frequently spotted on local boat tours. Dusky dolphins twist and leap in large pods, and colonies of New Zealand fur seals laze on rocky outcrops along the coast.

Skopelos is the largest island of the Northern Sporades, situated between Skiathos and Alonissos in the Aegean Sea. It is notably green, with pine forests and olive groves covering much of the island and reaching close to the coast. Skopelos Town, the island’s main settlement, rises amphitheatrically above the harbor, with white houses, tiled roofs, stone lanes, and numerous churches.

Puerto Varas is a lakeside city in Chile’s Los Lagos Region, set on the southern shore of Lake Llanquihue with views toward the volcanoes Osorno, Calbuco, Puntiagudo, and Tronador. The waterfront, with its promenade and gardens, forms the center of the city’s relationship with the lake, while wooded hills and agricultural land extend beyond the urban area.

Kaohsiung sits on Taiwan’s southern coast and rises from one of the island’s busiest harbors into a city that rewards slow exploration and lively discovery. History and local belief surface at the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas beside Lotus Pond in Zuoying District. These twin pagodas that are connected to the shore by a zigzag bridge, invite visitors to walk through the dragon’s mouth and out the tiger’s, a practice locals associate with turning bad luck into good fortune.

Nestled in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, Addo Elephant National Park offers a unique safari experience centered around one of the country’s most impressive wildlife spectacles. Established in 1931 to protect the last remaining elephants of the region, the park now spans over 1,640 square kilometers and is home to a thriving population of more than 600 elephants.