Some of the most spectacular scenery is found on a trip to the San Juan Islands. No wonder. This 100-million-year-old mountain range turned archipelago, located a few miles northwest of Seattle, changes dramatically with the tide. There are 743 islands at low tide--and 428 at high tide.

Belize, tucked between Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean Sea, is a country where ancient history and untamed nature meet. Once the heartland of the Maya civilization, Belize is dotted with impressive archaeological sites such as Caracol and Xunantunich, where towering pyramids rise above jungle canopies.

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.

Vágar is one of the western islands of the Faroe Islands and the main arrival point for many visitors, with the archipelago’s only airport located near Sørvágur. The island combines high mountains, freshwater lakes, steep sea cliffs, and small villages set along sheltered bays. Its landscape is particularly varied for its size, ranging from the agricultural fields around Miðvágur and Sandavágur to the rugged western coast near Bøur and Gásadalur.

Gdynia is a Baltic Sea port city in northern Poland, forming part of the Tricity urban area with Gdańsk and Sopot. Its character is closely connected to the sea, with a large commercial harbor, marinas, beaches, and a waterfront city center. Unlike many Polish cities, Gdynia has a relatively modern urban fabric, with much of its central district shaped by interwar modernist architecture.