On South Plaza Island, sea lions breed all along the low lying northern coast. These sheer cliffs are home for swallow-tail gulls and the beautiful red billed tropic birds. The landscape is dominated by optunia cactus trees. A look under each tree reveals a land iguana patiently waiting for a succulent cactus pad to fall.
Colca Canyon, located in southern Peru’s Arequipa region, is one of the deepest canyons in the world, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in some areas. What makes it stand out even more is how human settlements have coexisted with the landscape for centuries. Along its walls, pre-Inca agricultural terraces still hold crops like corn and quinoa. One of the main draws of the canyon is the opportunity to see Andean condors in flight.
Sakkara, located just south of Cairo, is one of Egypt’s most important archaeological sites and the vast necropolis of the ancient capital of Memphis. Stretching over seven kilometers, it served as a burial ground for pharaohs, nobles, and high officials across multiple dynasties.
Laguna Beach is a coastal city in Southern California, set between steep hills and the Pacific Ocean in Orange County. Its shoreline is marked by sandy coves, rocky headlands, sea caves, tide pools, and coastal cliffs, while the surrounding hills contain chaparral and protected open spaces. The city has a compact downtown with galleries, restaurants, shops, and small public spaces close to the water. Unlike much of the more heavily developed Orange County coast, Laguna Beach retains numerous und
Located in the Gulf of Honduras, this area of the Mayan offers jungle tours along the Rio San Carlos or walking through the Mayan ruina at Quirigua. In ancient Mayan culture, priests used to drive sting ray spines through their tongues to appease their gods.
Other Popular Destinations in Guatemala
Antigua
Antigua is a city shaped by centuries of artistry, tradition, and natural forces. Set in a highland valley and surrounded by volcanoes, its streets are lined with colorful buildings, hidden courtyards, and open-air plazas. The Santa Catalina Arch is one of Antigua’s most recognizable features, originally built as a passage between two sections of a convent. Today, it frames a dramatic view of Volcán de Agua and is a popular gathering spot for both locals and visitors.
Tikal National Park
Tikal is one of the most extraordinary ancient cities in Guatemala, hidden deep in the Petén region’s tropical forests. Once called Yax Mutal by its Maya builders, these ruins reveal thousands of years of history in carved stone stelae and towering limestone structures, some of which rise more than 60 meters above the jungle floor. Today, visitors can walk among the Great Plaza and gaze up at the Temple of the Great Jaguar and the Temple of the Masks, reminders of the city’s long legacy.