Kaohsiung sits on Taiwan’s southern coast and rises from one of the island’s busiest harbors into a city that rewards slow exploration and lively discovery. History and local belief surface at the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas beside Lotus Pond in Zuoying District. These twin pagodas that are connected to the shore by a zigzag bridge, invite visitors to walk through the dragon’s mouth and out the tiger’s, a practice locals associate with turning bad luck into good fortune.

Cancún sits on the northeastern tip of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, where the Caribbean Sea meets a narrow stretch of sand shaped by ancient Maya trade routes and modern development. While widely known as a resort destination, Cancún’s roots trace back to a quiet fishing area near important pre-Hispanic sites, with nearby Isla Mujeres and the mainland serving as part of a broader coastal network connected to inland Maya cities.

Kaziranga National Park stretches across the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, shaped as much by water as by wildlife. Established in the early 20th century, it became central to conservation efforts in India, most notably for the greater one-horned rhinoceros. The park’s history reflects a long negotiation between protection, seasonal flooding, and the human communities that live around its edges.

Tayrona National Natural Park, located on Colombia’s northern Caribbean coast, is where the Sierra Nevada mountains plunge into the sea, creating a landscape of wild beaches, dense rainforest, and ancient archaeological sites. Just an hour from Santa Marta, this protected area stretches over 150 square kilometers of land and marine territory. Its coastline is dotted with hidden coves, palm-fringed bays, and massive boulders sculpted by wind and time.

Visitors to the state of Colima will experience mountains, volcanoes, rivers and alluring beaches. Jalisco sits to the north, and to the south lies Michoacán.