Located on the southern coast of Norway, Kristiansand is a charming port city and a favorite summer destination for locals and tourists alike. Highlights of this coastal gem include the Christiansholm Fortress, the Kristiansand Zoo, the Kristiansand Cathedral, Gimle Gård, and the Fiskebrygga wharf.
Réunion, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, lies east of Madagascar and combines European and Creole influences in a tropical setting. Its volcanic landscapes, lush forests, and coastal towns make it an extraordinary destination for those seeking both culture and nature.
Calvi, a picturesque gem on the northwest coast of Corsica, France, enchants visitors with its blend of rich history, rugged landscapes, and sparkling Mediterranean waters. This charming seaside town is dominated by its iconic citadel, a formidable 15th-century fortress that stands sentinel over the turquoise bay.
Socotra rises from the Arabian Sea like a world apart, its landscapes shaped over millennia. The Dragon’s Blood Trees, with their umbrella-shaped crowns and deep red sap, stand among the most iconic sights here. In places like Dixam Plateau and Homhil Forest, these trees gather in sparse formations, creating scenes that feel both ancient and alien. The resin remains valued for traditional dyes and remedies.
On the east coast of North Island, Napier is considered the "Art Deco capital" of New Zealand and the gateway to the Hawke's Bay wine region, whose popular varietals include pinot gris and syrah.
Lake Nakuru National Park is located in the heart of the Great Rift Valley. The Park encompasses the alkaline Lake Nakuru and has earned fame as the greatest bird spectacle in the world. The gathering of hundreds of thousands of greater and lesser pink flamingos. The massive flock of birds color the waters a delicate pink and feed on the abundant algae which thrives in the lake's shallow warm waters.
Lake Nakuru is subject to fluctuation in depth and once in every 20 to 30 years it dries up completely, in which case the flamingos and pelican fly over the Managaai crater to the more remote waters of Lake Bogoria. Lake Nakuru National Park covers 78 square miles, most of which is the lake itself. Nakuru has also been declared a black rhino sanctuary and has a number of these endangered animals underguard. Other wildlife found here are leopards, buffalo, Rothschild's giraffes, waterbucks, reedbucks, hippos, baboons, pelicans, and cormorants. The acacia savannah which surrounds the lake is itself beautiful and provides an area particuarly delightful for game viewing.