The capital of French Polynesia, Papeete is a veritable island paradise with bright cerulean waters, iconic overwater bungalows, and palm trees galore.

Ankara, the capital of Turkey, sits on the Anatolian plateau and reflects the country’s layered history more quietly than Istanbul, yet with equal depth. Once an important settlement for the Hittites, Phrygians, Romans, and Byzantines, Ankara rose to national prominence in the 20th century when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk chose it as the heart of the modern Turkish Republic. Today, it functions as Turkey’s political center while preserving traces of its ancient and Ottoman past.

Durban is a big subtropical city in the north-eastern province of KwaZulu/Natal. It has been a major port since the 1850s and is home to the largest concentration of Indian-descended people in the country - Mohandas Gandhi arrived here as an indentured labourer in 1893. Today the city is better known as a holiday-makers' fun parlour with a happening nightlife.

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.

Haines is a charming stop in the Alaska Panhandle and a gateway to Glacier Bay National Park and Tongass National Forest.