French Guiana, tucked between Brazil and Suriname on the northeast coast of South America, offers an unexpected blend of Amazonian wilderness, colonial intrigue, and French flair. As an overseas department of France, it uses the euro, speaks French, and has croissants alongside cassava bread at breakfast. Yet just beyond the cafés of Cayenne, vast rainforest stretches for hundreds of kilometers, home to rare wildlife, remote rivers, and Indigenous communities.

Cankuzo, tucked in Burundi’s eastern corner near the Tanzanian border, offers travelers a lesser-known but deeply rewarding experience. Known for its rolling hills, scattered woodlands, and untouched landscapes, Cankuzo is one of the country’s least populated provinces, which adds to its charm. The region’s peaceful setting makes it an ideal place to experience rural Burundi in its most genuine form.

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.

Tree-lined avenues, grand architecture, and the imperative to live well defines Bucharest, a bustling city that is rebounding and expanding. In the 1900s, this vibrant Romanian capital was nicknamed "Little Paris" and that jubilant, raise-a-glass spirit carries over to this day.

Nestled between two nature parks and the Rhône River, picturesque Arles will absolutely delight any traveler to the south of France. Situated near Marseille in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, Arles boasts small town charm and its architectural treasures have been heavily influenced by the city’s role as an ancient Roman capital.