Botswana, a jewel of southern Africa, offers a captivating blend of natural beauty and unique wildlife experiences. The country is renowned for its pristine wilderness areas, including the Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This sprawling inland delta floods annually, creating a lush oasis in the Kalahari Desert. Here, visitors can explore a maze of waterways and lagoons by traditional mokoro canoe, spotting a rich array of wildlife such as elephants, hippos, and various bird species.
Arrawarra is a small coastal community on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, located north of Coffs Harbour. Its landscape centres on Arrawarra Headland, where a sandy beach meets rocky shoreline, coastal vegetation, and waters protected within the Solitary Islands Marine Park. The area is known for surfing, fishing, swimming, beach walking, and exploring rock pools.
The Caribbean's Saba Island is the perfect hideaway! Climb 1,066 hand carved steps to the top of Mount Scenery, or take a roller coaster ride on "The Road", the only road on Saba. Scuba dive, hike, go deep sea fishing, shop for Saba Lace and Saba Spice (an innocent sounding but potent local rum), or relax and enjoy the spectacular views high above the blue Caribbean.
Rovaniemi, located just a few kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, is widely recognized as the official hometown of Santa Claus. From late August through early April, the Northern Lights are visible on clear nights, and several local guides offer nighttime tours to remote locations for optimal viewing. During summer, the sun doesn't set for weeks, giving travelers the rare chance to hike or kayak under a sky that stays bright at midnight.
Adjoining the idyllic farm of the McGill family are miles of beaches, tussock grass, and wildflower meadows, the nesting grounds of hundreds of Magellanic and gentoo penguins, upland and kelp geese, crested and flightless steamer ducks, tussock birds, and night herons. After viewing the birds, take a spot of tea in Mrs. McGill's kitchen.
Photo Credit: Photo by Michelangelo Azzariti on Unsplash
Located in western Austria, Innsbruck is a charming European destination on the banks of the Inn River. A popular stop for skiing, Innsbruck is nestled within the Alps and offers a variety of cable cars to whisk you to the mountains for outdoor sports and spectacular views of the Innsbruck below. The city itself is home to centuries-old architecture dating back to the Medieval Period and the Renaissance, particularly in the Altstadt, or Old Town. Highlights of the city center include Hofburg Palace, St. Anne's Column, Ambras Castle, and the Golden Roof.
Other Popular Destinations in Austria
Vienna
Vienna has a long memory. Once the capital of the Habsburg Empire, the city still carries signs of its imperial past in its palaces, concert halls, and wide boulevards. Visitors can walk through the Hofburg complex, where emperors once ruled, or tour the opulent rooms of Schönbrunn Palace, which features 1,441 rooms and a maze in its gardens. But Vienna’s many historic buildings now house contemporary art museums, cafés, and institutions that reflect the city’s modern identity.
Dürnstein
West of Vienna, the quaint town of Dürnstein lies on the banks of the iconic Danube and is the perfect destination for river cruising, sightseeing, and enjoying the best of Austrian culture. Though small, this picturesque village offers plenty to see and do.