Groningen is a university city in the northern Netherlands, known for its historic center, extensive cycling culture, canals, and strong student population. The city grew around the meeting point of waterways and regional trade routes, and its compact center contains medieval churches, former warehouses, courtyards, and market squares.

Skeleton Coast National Park stretches for about 500 kilometres along Namibia’s northwestern Atlantic coast, from the Ugab River toward the Kunene River. The park covers roughly 16,390 square kilometres of beaches, dunes, gravel plains, ephemeral riverbeds, canyons, and rugged mountain landscapes. Cold Atlantic water from the Benguela Current helps produce frequent coastal fog, which can extend inland across the desert.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve lies off the southern coast of Ambergris Caye, near San Pedro in northern Belize. The protected area covers coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, and channels that form part of the Belize Barrier Reef. Its name comes from the Maya words for “little channel,” referring to a natural break in the reef that allows water to move between the Caribbean Sea and the shallow lagoon.

Altun Ha, where archaeologists found a nine-pound jade carving among these ruins, the largest ever uncovered in a Mayan civilation.

Ullapool is a village in the Scottish Highlands about 65 miles north-west of Inverness. Ullapool is known for the progressive, ecologically sound practices of its inhabitants and is the center for the Highland Environment Centre; a project of the Highland Eco Trust.

Pemba Island, located off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean, offers an idyllic escape for travelers seeking pristine natural beauty and cultural depth. Known as the "Green Island" for its lush, tropical landscapes, Pemba is a quieter, less-visited alternative to its famous neighbor Zanzibar. The island is a haven for those interested in diving and snorkeling, as its coral reefs teem with marine life, from colorful fish to graceful sea turtles.