On Greenland’s west coast, Ilulissat (once known as Jakobshavn) welcomes travelers with astonishing ice scenery and a sense of scale that feels almost otherworldly. The town sits beside Disko Bay, where immense icebergs drift silently past, glowing pink and gold in the Arctic light. The name “Ilulissat” means “icebergs,” and it could not be more fitting. Here, every turn toward the sea offers a fresh view of towering ice forms, each one sculpted by nature into something fleeting and beautiful.

Dubai is a grandiose, extraordinarily modern metropolis in the United Arab Emirates. Visitors will marvel at the dramatic skyline, the musical Dubai Fountain and the manmade archipelago right offshore that features a major resort.

The Dades Gorges, carved by the Dades River in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, offer a winding stretch of road, towering rock walls, and centuries-old kasbahs perched on the cliffs. Located between the towns of Boumalne Dades and M’semrir, the gorge is especially known for its switchback road, often nicknamed “the snaking road of Tissadrine.” It’s a favorite among photographers and motorcyclists, with hairpin curves that reveal a new layer of landscape with every turn.

The largest Pacific seaport in Guatemala, Puerto Quetzal is also the gateway to Antigua, a well-preserved colonial city.

Who would have thought, back in the tumultuous coup and counter coup days of the 1970s, that Burkina Faso would become the cultural darling of West Africa? Unlikely as it seems, Burkina Faso has become the Utah of West Africa, hosting a biennial film festival that rivals the Sundance Film Festival for cultural clout. When it's not hosting film festivals, it's busy organizing its other biennial cultural festival.