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.

Olympia, the capital of Washington State, is a vibrant city situated at the southern tip of Puget Sound. Known for its scenic waterfront, thriving arts community, and political significance, Olympia offers a unique blend of natural beauty and urban culture.

Port Moresby sits by the Coral Sea as Papua New Guinea’s capital and shows visitors a city of contrasts where glittering new buildings rise beside traditional villages built on stilts. One such place is Hanuabada, the original Motuan village, where roofs reach above water’s edge and everyday life still unfolds in Tok Pisin and local tongue.

What sets Kaikōura apart are the extraordinary marine encounters that begin just off the shoreline. The Kaikōura Canyon, an underwater gorge that plunges to great depths close to land, creates currents rich with nutrients that attract a remarkable array of sea life year-round. Sperm whales are a common sight here and are frequently spotted on local boat tours. Dusky dolphins twist and leap in large pods, and colonies of New Zealand fur seals laze on rocky outcrops along the coast.

The Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, is renowned for its turquoise waters, white-sand beaches, and lush tropical landscapes.