At the edge of the High Atlas Mountains, Boumalne Dades stands as a gateway to one of Morocco’s most striking landscapes. The town stretches along a broad valley where the Dades River cuts through layers of red and ochre rock. This setting creates a dramatic backdrop that shifts in color throughout the day. Travelers often arrive here as a stopping point, but many stay longer after discovering the slower rhythm of village life and the easy access to nearby valleys and gorges.
Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo León, stands at the foot of the Sierra Madre Oriental and has long been recognized as one of Mexico’s most industrial and innovative cities. The Macroplaza is one of the largest public squares in Latin America and links historic buildings like the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral with newer sites like the Museo de Historia Mexicana and the Faro del Comercio, a towering orange structure that beams a green laser across the sky each night.
Manaus, capital of Brazil’s Amazonas state, is a city that rises unexpectedly from the rainforest. Once the center of the global rubber boom in the late 1800s, Manaus still holds onto that legacy with surprising elegance. The Teatro Amazonas, an opulent opera house imported piece by piece from Europe, sits at the heart of the city, its pink façade and domed roof tiled in the colors of the Brazilian flag. Today, it hosts concerts, festivals, and curious visitors eager to step back in time.
The River Nile, most often associated with Egypt and its ancient civilizations, actually flows through eight other countries including Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Kenya. It is formed by two major tributaries, the White Nile and Blue Nile, and is considered by many to be the longest river in the world when measured from its source waters in Rwanda and Burundi.
On the east coast of North Island, Napier is considered the "Art Deco capital" of New Zealand and the gateway to the Hawke's Bay wine region, whose popular varietals include pinot gris and syrah.
No airport, a single unnamed village, clear waters and white-sand beaches make Mayreau a quiet, rustic getaway. About 200 people live on this 1.5 mile (2.5km) long island just west of the Tobago Cays. Most visitors arrive via small cruise ships that dock at Saline Bay on the southwestern shore - making the island's other beaches best for seclusion. Salt Whistle Bay, at the northern end of the island, is protected from rough Atlantic breakers by a long narrow arm. This gorgeous bay has clear waters, beautiful white sands, calm swimming conditions and a protected anchorage for visiting yachts. The 20 minute walk from the village (near the middle of the western coast) to Salt Whistle Bay follows a path lined by cacti and scored by birdsong. There's a good view from the hilltop stone church at the northern side of the village.
Take a time machine to another century. One road, one pick up truck and more farm animals than citizens. Hunt for sea shells, sunbathe and surrender to the peace and quiet that make this a most serene island.