Maui, both second youngest and second largest of the Hawaiian Islands, is home to the world's largest dormant volcano, Haleakala, meaning "House of the Sun." Last erupting about 200 years ago, it makes up the eastern end of the island. Maui was formed by volcanic activity from Haleakala on the east and the West Maui Mountains to the west. The connecting isthmus between the two spots was formed from joining lava from both and gives Maui its nickname, the Valley Isle.

Gásadalur is a small village on the western side of Vágar in the Faroe Islands, set in a narrow valley between steep mountains and the North Atlantic. The settlement overlooks the sea toward the island of Mykines and is surrounded by high slopes, green pasture, and rugged cliffs. Its remote position shaped village life for generations, when access required crossing the mountains on foot.

Amboise has 12,000 inhabitants and is in the heart of Touraine, in the land of chateaux. It is a town both traditional and modern, lively and quiet. In Amboise, there is a royal castle set above the Loire Valley and is a strong point extensively embellished during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Niger, located in West Africa, is a country of vast landscapes and diverse cultures. Much of its territory is covered by the Sahara Desert, with rolling sand dunes, rocky plateaus, and oasis towns defining the northern regions.

Kittilä is a municipality in Finnish Lapland, extending across a broad area of forests, rivers, wetlands, and open fells north of the Arctic Circle. The municipal center lies along the Ounasjoki River, while smaller villages and settlements are scattered through the surrounding wilderness. Kittilä is closely associated with Levi, one of Finland’s best-known fell resorts, but the municipality extends well beyond the resort area into quieter rural landscapes.