Stretching 277 miles in length and more than a mile deep, this vast canyon reveals layers of geologic time stacked like pages in a book. Standing on the South Rim, visitors can look out over colorful cliffs and winding trails that have drawn explorers, artists, and travelers for generations. The views change with the light starting with crimson at sunrise, golden at sunset, and every hue in between.

Ella is a small hill-country town in Sri Lanka’s Badulla District, surrounded by tea plantations, cloud-covered mountains, forests, and deep valleys. Its elevated setting gives the area a cooler climate than the lowlands, while the Ella Gap opens dramatic views toward the southern plains. The town itself is compact and serves as a base for exploring the surrounding countryside by foot, road, and the railway that winds through Sri Lanka’s central highlands.

Tongatapu, the main island of Tonga, is where tradition, history, and the South Pacific’s natural world intersect in quiet and unexpected ways. As the political and cultural center of the Kingdom of Tonga, it is home to the capital city, Nukuʻalofa, as well as ancient royal burial grounds, dramatic coastal blowholes, and friendly villages where daily life unfolds slowly.

Twizel is a 40 minute drive from Mt. Cook Village. Nearby is Mount Cook National Park and Lake Ruataniwha.

Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, is a city of striking contrasts where gilded temples stand beside sleek skyscrapers and centuries-old traditions thrive amid modern life. At its heart is the Grand Palace, a dazzling complex that once housed the Thai kings, along with Wat Phra Kaew, the revered Temple of the Emerald Buddha.