Punakha sits in one of Bhutan’s most fertile valleys, cradled where the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu rivers meet. For centuries it served as the kingdom’s capital and remains a place rich with stories woven through its fields, temples, and riverbanks. The city’s low elevation brings warmer weather than much of Bhutan’s highland regions, and rice paddies fill the landscape with vivid green during planting and golden hues at harvest.
At Chile's northernmost end, the dizzying railway from high Bolivia comes down to the sea. Arica, the City of Eternal Spring, has a population of 169,000. and is located in the Atacama Desert. See San Marcos Cathedral, designed by Gustave Eiffel, and marvel at Pre-Incan relics in the City Museum. Or leave the city to venutre to the White City of Arequipa, the Incan capital of Cuzco and Machu Picchu and the ancient Inca city in the clouds.
Hilo, the charming and laid-back gateway to Hawaii’s Big Island, offers an authentic Hawaiian experience steeped in natural beauty, history, and culture. As the largest town on the east side of the island, Hilo sits at the foot of two majestic volcanoes: Mauna Loa, the world's largest volcano, and Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano that hosts some of the world's most advanced astronomical observatories.
Iceland, a land of extraordinary contrasts and natural wonders, offers an experience unlike any other. Its dramatic landscapes are defined by active volcanoes, geysers, and sprawling glaciers, all set against a backdrop of ethereal Northern Lights. A must-see is the Golden Circle, a popular route encompassing the Thingvellir National Park, the geothermal area of Geysir, and the majestic Gullfoss waterfall.
Photo Credit: Photo by Daniel Pelaez Duque on Unsplash
One of the most unspoilt and undeveloped tourism destinations in the area - ideal for the visitor looking for both pristine natural beauty and a relaxed quiet getaway. The coastal fringe has wide sandy beaches, lined with small resorts and more than 25 offshore islands, while bushwalking and camping opportunities abound throughout the adjacent Wet Tropics rainforest areas.