A tributary of the Amazon, the Napo River (Río Napo) originates in the east Andes mountains. It flows east through Ecuador, then southeast into Peru, where it joins the larger river roughly 50 miles downstream from Iquitos.
Gotland, Sweden’s largest island, sits in the Baltic Sea and feels like a world of its own. Its main town, Visby, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Northern Europe. Surrounded by a 3.5-kilometer stone wall with original towers still intact, Visby once served as a key Hanseatic trading hub. Visitors can walk along cobbled streets lined with rose-covered cottages, explore Gothic church ruins, and climb up the city wall for views over the harbor.
Khuruthang is a small town in Punakha District in western Bhutan, situated along the Punatsangchhu River in the fertile Punakha Valley. It serves as the main township of Punakha and contains residential areas, shops, government institutions, schools, and a local market. The town is surrounded by hills, villages, and cultivated land, with rice fields visible across parts of the valley. Khuruthang is also an important stopping point for travelers visiting nearby Punakha, making it a practical base
Sierra Leone, on the coast of West Africa, is a country of striking contrasts, where white-sand beaches meet green mountains and vibrant cities. Its Atlantic shoreline stretches for miles, offering quiet escapes as well as lively coastal communities.
Šiauliai, often referred to as the "City of the Sun" due to its high number of sunny days, is a vibrant gem in northern Lithuania. The city's most iconic landmark is the Hill of Crosses, a profound site of pilgrimage adorned with thousands of crosses placed by visitors over the decades. This unique and moving monument, which has been recognized by UNESCO for its cultural significance, symbolizes the resilience and spirit of the Lithuanian people.
Photo Credit: Photo by Sterling Lanier on Unsplash
A relatively recent addition to Costa Rica's list of national parks is Tenorio Volcano National Park, home to its namesake Tenorio Volcano as well as its taller sister, Miravalles Volcano, also the highest mountain in the Guanacaste Mountains.
The unique combination of this rugged volcanic landscape, combined with the surrounding tropic forests set the stage for a variety of hot springs, geysers, bubbling mud pools, and the one-of-a-kind Rio Celeste, famous for its sky blue color. It's also an ideal habitat for endangered felines, such as ocelots and the jaguars, and a diverse bird population.
Other Popular Destinations in Costa Rica
San Josè
San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and is located in the province of San Jose, which is in the Central Valley. The city is surrounded by high green mountains. There are numerous museums as well as art galleries, theaters, exhibitions, parks and garden in the city. All regions in Costa Rica are accessible from the capital city of San Jose, which makes its an ideal starting point for touring the country.
Monteverde
Monteverde, located in the Tilarán Mountains of northwestern Costa Rica, is known for its cloud forests, winding trails, and biodiversity that has drawn researchers and travelers for decades. The area was settled in the 1950s by Quakers from the United States who were looking for a peaceful place to raise dairy cattle. They also played a major role in preserving the local ecosystem, helping to establish the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in 1972.