Antigua is a city shaped by centuries of artistry, tradition, and natural forces. Set in a highland valley and surrounded by volcanoes, its streets are lined with colorful buildings, hidden courtyards, and open-air plazas. The Santa Catalina Arch is one of Antigua’s most recognizable features, originally built as a passage between two sections of a convent. Today, it frames a dramatic view of Volcán de Agua and is a popular gathering spot for both locals and visitors.
Sharing a common lagoon with Raiatean and accessible only by boat, Taha'a produces about 80% of all vanilla in French Polynesia. Taha'a is the only island in the Society Islands that can be completely circled by boat inside the protected lagoon.
Dambulla, situated in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, is best known for its rock temple complex that has been in use for over two thousand years. The Dambulla Cave Temple, also called the Golden Temple of Dambulla, is made up of five caves carved into a granite outcrop, filled with over 150 Buddha statues and intricate wall paintings. These caves were first used by King Valagamba in the 1st century BCE as a refuge during exile, and later transformed into a sacred site.
Tenby sits on the Pembrokeshire coast of southwest Wales, where medieval walls still encircle a compact town above the sea. Its history as a fortified port is visible in stone ramparts, narrow lanes, and the ruins of Tenby Castle, which overlook the harbor.