Raglan, on New Zealand’s North Island, is a coastal town that has earned international renown for its surf culture while retaining a bohemian, community-centered spirit.

Capital of Martinique, a French overseas territory, Fort-de-France is a veritable island paradise replete with striking colonial architecture, exotic flora and fauna, verdant nature parks, and sparkling beaches. Highlights of this vibrant island capital include the colorful Jardin de Balata, the cascading Fontaine Didier waterfall, and the expansive Schoelcher Library.

Tasiilaq is the largest town in East Greenland, situated on Ammassalik Island beside a sheltered fjord and surrounded by steep mountains. Its remote setting gives the town a distinct character, with colorful houses scattered across hilly terrain and waterways leading into a rugged Arctic landscape. Tasiilaq serves as a base for exploring the surrounding fjords, glaciers, valleys, and smaller settlements.

Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost main island and the country's second-largest island, known for broad landscapes, volcanic mountains, forests, lakes, and a cooler climate than most of Japan. Sapporo serves as the prefectural capital and largest city, while smaller communities extend across farmland, coastlines, and mountain regions.

Who would have thought, back in the tumultuous coup and counter coup days of the 1970s, that Burkina Faso would become the cultural darling of West Africa? Unlikely as it seems, Burkina Faso has become the Utah of West Africa, hosting a biennial film festival that rivals the Sundance Film Festival for cultural clout. When it's not hosting film festivals, it's busy organizing its other biennial cultural festival.