The Atlas Mountains extend across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, forming a vast system of ranges between the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts and the Sahara.
Swakopmund, on Namibia’s Atlantic coast, is a town where desert meets ocean in striking contrast. Founded by German colonists in the late 19th century, its streets are lined with colonial-era buildings painted in pastel colors, giving the town a distinctly European feel.
Toyama is a regional capital on the Sea of Japan coast, set between Toyama Bay and the mountains of the Northern Japan Alps. The city is known for its close relationship with both the sea and the alpine interior, with waterways, fertile plains, and snow-fed rivers shaping the surrounding landscape. Toyama also serves as a gateway to the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route and the mountain communities of the wider prefecture.
Sandwich Harbour is a remote coastal wetland within Namib-Naukluft National Park, about 55 kilometres south of Walvis Bay. It lies where the Namib Desert meets the Atlantic Ocean, with tall dunes rising beside a lagoon, mudflats, and shallow coastal waters. The area is part of the Namib Sand Sea, where wind and ocean moisture shape one of the world's most distinctive desert environments.
Tinghir is an oasis town in southeastern Morocco, set between the High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas mountains at the entrance to the Todra Valley. The town is surrounded by an extensive palm grove where date palms, gardens, and small agricultural plots follow the Todra River. Its traditional earthen buildings and kasbahs rise above the greenery, creating a clear contrast with the dry mountain slopes nearby.