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A journey through one of the world’s last, best travel secrets.

Given its long history—including time before records or even writing—Scotland has a wealth of fascinating sites to visit. Spread across the country, from the Borders in the south to the Shetland Islands (which are closer to Norway than to most of Britain), these must-see attractions range from standing stones and prehistoric settlements to ancient abbeys, medieval battlegrounds, and Jacobite monuments.

Born free, today’s post-apartheid generation asks, what’s next?

What could an Alaska local ever discover on a voyage through the Inside Passage? Just the essence of the place he thought he knew.

At Salt Water Farm, students return to the land—and the sea—to learn forage, fillet, and feast.

An aspiring bluegrass fiddler from London discovers much more than music on a trip to North Carolina.

Driving up Independence Pass is a beautiful way to spend the afternoon and along the way to the top of this 12,096’ pass you can stop at highlights. For the thrill seekers, near the Grottos there is a series of waterfalls that flow into a crystal clear pool of mountain river water called the Devil’s Punch Bowl. People jump from 20 foot cliffs into borderline hypothermic cold water that takes your breath away when you hit it. Make sure you jump out far enough so you don’t hit the jutting rock bed on the way down. Some might think it is crazy but it is the ultimate adrenaline rush.

On a recent trip up and down the Belgian coast, as the sun was setting on one of the beaches NOT in front of a town, I saw in the distance several horses and riders coming up the beach. When they passed, on the horizon a ship was also passing in the opposite direction. This picture is the result. The Belgian coast runs from De Panne on the French border right up to Knokke-Heist, on the Dutch border. For convenience, and the fact that it gets very congested in the warm months, there is a tram that runs the entire coastal distance.

Located along the eastern border of the four-million-acre Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the island’s first national park mixes swamp gums, stringybarks, and massive tree ferns with snow gums and deciduous beech trees at higher elevations. Depending on the season, you might walk the suspension bridge to the three-tier stunner Russell Falls or take the Pandani Grove walk around Lake Dobson—keep your eyes peeled for platypus. In winter, skiers, snowboarders, and backcountry trekkers can explore the lakes and glacial terrain of the Tarn Shelf. In autumn, the same area blazes red and orange on hikes to the Twilight Tarn Hut, an unofficial ski museum. Five other huts offer basic accommodation year-round at 3,280 feet.

This hotel is on our list of The 10 Best Hotels in Canada.

One luxury of this wilderness retreat owned by the Klahoose First Nation is its location. Accessed via a 60-minute seaplane ride from Vancouver or 45-minute boat transfer from Lund, B.C., the resort is surrounded by more than 2,500 acres of Klahoose territory that the community has protected for centuries. Here, glacial waterfalls plummet down snowcapped mountains and evergreens border the Homfray Channel. The four lodge rooms and three cedar cabins all face the sea, where guests might glimpse humpbacks blowing at sunrise. Activities include Indigenous-led grizzly bear tours, wood-carving lessons from Klahoose interpreter Klemkwateki Randy Louie, and—perhaps the most meaningful experience—a participatory smudging and brushing ceremony around a fire.

The biggest nature reserve in the country, Yok Don spreads across 450 square miles next to the Cambodian border and west of the town of Buon Ma Thuot, an important center for Vietnam’s coffee industry. The park is largely a dry dipterocarp forest of towering deciduous trees that provides a habitat for an array of flora and fauna—including some leopards and tigers, though you shouldn’t anticipate spotting any. Much more visible are deer, buffalo, some semi-tame elephants (the highlight for many visitors), plenty of avian life, and crocodiles that inhabit the Srepok River, which slices through the park. Great hiking and the chance to visit a handful of ethnic-minority villages are guaranteed. Visitors are required to use the services of a park guide.

Hakei began as a single boutique, but in the last five years has expanded rapidly, even crossing Spanish borders. The secret to its success? Gorgeously simple leather bags, supremely gorgeous shoes that tend toward the suede-leather persuasion, and luxe, drapey, oh-so-soft clothing for women. The price is right, too.

You’ll feel like royalty from the moment you touch down at the 19th-century Palais Sheherazade, a traditional Moroccan palace with zellige tiling, sculpted plaster, and stained glass. A massive courtyard patio lies at the hotel’s heart, with a pool bordered by 100-year-old palm trees, Andalusian-style greenery, and elegant black-and-white seating from the adjacent restaurant, where you can sip mint tea from etched-glass cups as the scent of jasmine wafts through the air. The 24 chandeliered suites are regal in size and decor, bedecked in sumptuous textiles, handpainted cedarwood ceilings, and gleaming copper sink basins. But the true star here is the Anne Sémonin spa, a palace unto itself with an array of decadent rooms, an Aquatonic pool, and a traditional hammam.

The Bayerischer Landtag (Bavarian State Parliament) is housed in the Maximilianeum, an impressive, palatial building at the end of Maximilianstrasse on the border of Haidhausen, overlooking the Isar River. Construction first started on the building in 1857. It has undergone numerous additions since. Stop by in the evening when it’s lit up and particularly impressive.

The second property in the Bulgari Hotels collection is an Italianate stunner perched on the cliffs of Uluwatu, a region at the southern tip of the Bukit peninsula. While the hotel’s vibe stays true to the brand’s roots, hand-hewn volcanic rock, Javanese mahogany, and exclusive fabrics banded and bordered by local artisans reflect the heritage of the archipelago. In fact, Asian-European duality is a prominent theme here: One restaurant focuses on Indonesian fare, while the other is a formal reflection of Italian culture. Watching over the resort at its highest point sits a temple, which employees use to perform daily rituals, as well as a traditional guardian—the Hindu elephant Ganesh. And at Bulgari’s base is a private stretch of sand accessible via an inclined elevator.