French Guiana, tucked between Brazil and Suriname on the northeast coast of South America, offers an unexpected blend of Amazonian wilderness, colonial intrigue, and French flair. As an overseas department of France, it uses the euro, speaks French, and has croissants alongside cassava bread at breakfast. Yet just beyond the cafés of Cayenne, vast rainforest stretches for hundreds of kilometers, home to rare wildlife, remote rivers, and Indigenous communities.

Icy Strait, Alaska, is a hidden gem for adventurers seeking an authentic Alaskan experience. Nestled between the rugged coastlines of the Inside Passage and the stunning wilderness of the Tongass National Forest, Icy Strait offers unparalleled natural beauty and wildlife encounters. This remote destination is ideal for those looking to explore the great outdoors, with opportunities for whale watching, fishing, and hiking through pristine landscapes.

Saudi Arabia is revealing chapters long unseen by tourists. Al-Ula is home to Hegra, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the kingdom and hosts to ancient Nabatean tombs carved in sandstone cliffs. Nearby, the mirrored Maraya Concert Hall reflects the desert sky, its design both unexpected and elegant amid the sands. Visitors can wander through narrow canyons, step inside rock-hewn facades, and feel the weight of ancient civilizations still echoing across the dunes.

Candi Dasa lies along Bali’s quieter east coast, where the village grew around a coastal lagoon once used for ritual and fishing life. Its development has remained low-key compared to southern Bali, and local temples and daily offerings reflect a rhythm shaped more by tradition than tourism.

Lake Maggiore, straddling the border of northern Italy and southern Switzerland, is the second-largest lake in Italy and one of the most scenically diverse. Surrounded by Alpine peaks and dotted with elegant towns, the lake has attracted visitors for centuries, including literary figures like Stendhal and Ernest Hemingway. The western shore is home to the Borromean Islands, a group of three small islands known for palaces, terraced gardens, and white peacocks that roam freely across the lawns.