Kirkwall, the vibrant capital of the Orkney Islands, Scotland, is a place where history and culture intertwine with stunning natural landscapes. Founded by Norse settlers over a thousand years ago, Kirkwall is steeped in Viking heritage, with its centerpiece, the magnificent St. Magnus Cathedral, standing as a testament to the town’s medieval past.

Isabella Island is the largest of the Galapagos islands, on the western end of the archipelago. Shaped like a seahorse when viewed from above, Isabella is home to more wild tortoises than any other island, as well as a wide variety of other animal, bird and marine life.

Ocho Rios is a resort town and popular cruise port on the northern coast of Jamaica. A favorite stop on Caribbean cruises, highlights of Ocho Rios include Ocho Rios Bay Beach, Mahogany Beach, Konoko Falls, and Turtle River Falls and Garden.

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.

The Falkland Islands are located about 300 miles off the southern coast of South America. The island is inhabited mostly by sheep farmers, and the only tourism the islands see is by cruise ships.