Iquique, perched between the Pacific Ocean and the sweeping sand dunes of the Atacama Desert, offers more than just sun and surf. This coastal city in northern Chile is a duty-free port, drawing visitors with its unique blend of high-end shopping, historic districts, and adrenaline-filled adventures. Whether wandering along the palm-lined Baquedano Boulevard or gliding down the towering sand dunes on a sandboard, Iquique surprises at every turn.

The Namib Desert, one of the world’s oldest deserts, stretches along the western coast of Namibia, offering a landscape of stunning, otherworldly beauty. The name “Namib” means "vast place," and fittingly so, as this desert spans over 2,000 kilometers and includes some of the tallest sand dunes on Earth, such as those found in Sossusvlei.

El Calafate, a small town in southern Patagonia, serves as the main gateway to one of Argentina’s most spectacular natural wonders, the Los Glaciares National Park. Sitting on the shores of Lake Argentino, El Calafate was once a quiet outpost known mainly for sheep farming and the hardy calafate berry. Today, it attracts travelers from around the world who come to witness massive ice formations and the shifting blue walls of nearby glaciers.

Adak Island lies in the central Aleutian Islands of southwest Alaska, where steep volcanic mountains meet the North Pacific. The community of Adak occupies a sheltered harbor on the island and is one of the few remote Aleutian locations accessible by commercial airline. Much of the island consists of open tundra, rugged slopes, coastal wetlands, and rocky shorelines shaped by strong winds and frequent rain.

Dampier Peninsula is situated along the north east coast of western Australia within the famous Kimberley. Around half of the Peninsula is covered by Aboriginal land, and so you should check with the Tourist Information Centre in Broome about the areas where you may not be permitted. However, there are several places where you can stay.