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.

Located along the British Columbia coast, it is the last northern road access to the coast and the a ferry port for the BC ferry system.

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.

Tonga is distinctly different to its neighboring island nations. This Polynesian kingdom, made up of 170 islands, carries a proud history that dates back over 3,000 years. On the main island of Tongatapu, travelers can explore ancient stone structures like the Haʻamonga ʻa Maui Trilithon—sometimes called the Stonehenge of the Pacific. Royal tombs in Lapaha offer a glimpse into the lineage of Tonga’s kings, while village life remains guided by customs that have changed little over centuries.

Seen from the train, Durham presents a magnificent sight, with cathedral and castle perched atop a bluff enclosed by a loop of the River Wera, and linked to the suburbs by a series of sturdy bridges.