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Explore Australia’s natural offerings, learn how to play the didgeridoo, and—most importantly—learn about this indigenous culture.

Dawa Gyaljen Sherpa, a Nepal native who has conquered the world’s highest peak four times, shares his story with AFAR.

Tourist-Free Thailand

An hour’s drive north of Hambantota is Yala National Park, Sri Lanka’s second-largest nature reserve, where visitors flock to catch a glimpse of one of the elusive leopards that prowl among its jungles, bush and rocky outcrops. Even if you don’t manage to spy a spotted feline, there are more than 40 mammal species here—including elephants, water buffalo and macaque and langur monkeys—as well as two species of crocodile and hundreds of types of birds.

A visit to the incredible 365-island archipelago (also called the San Blas Islands) within the communal lands of the Guna Yala indigenous nation provides some extraordinary seaside experiences. The islands making up the outer archipelago are unspoiled and feature gorgeous white-sand beaches, turquoise seas, and a one-of-a-kind encounter with Guna culture. Visitors lodge in natural-material huts (cane walls and interwoven palm-frond roofs) or—if you’re in the mood—sleep under the stars in palm-strung hammocks. Local women sport colorful dress made in the style known as mola, a traditional Gula artisanal weaving technique. A highway was built several years back that lets you travel from Panama City to Puerto de Cartí in as few as two hours.

The family-owned Yandup Island Lodge is located on a private island across from the remote Playon Chico community on the Caribbean coastline of San Blas, Panama. The eco-lodge offers two tours a day: a visit to a beach on one of the archipelago’s deserted islands and a cultural tour that connects guests to the local Kuna Yala indian community.

Tropical North Queensland offers some incredible wildlife tours but there are also opportunities to experience local aboriginal culture. Enter Linc Walker, owner of the Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours. Linc welcomed us to the wonderful world of Cooya Beach, leading us through the waters and mangroves of this magical place. Australia can make you feel like you’re nowhere else and Cooya Beach is indicative of this. Linc taught us how to throw a spear, hunt for coastal wildlife like crabs (and cooked it for us!) and told us about the ecosystem of the mangrove trees.Note: you’ll need to wear your shorts for this slightly swampy experience!. He then took us to his modest home after the tour where we were treated to relics of his ancestry from the Kuku Yalanji tribe featuring a performance on the didgeridoo and homemade muffins. If you want that local experience of Australia, this is it. Note: the tour does not have a website but you can contact Linc Walker at 1 Palm Street, Cooya Beach. Phone: 07 4098 3437

Join the indigenous guides at the Mossman Gorge Centre for a hosted Dreamtime walk through this spectacular canyon, starting with a traditional smoking ceremony to ward off evil spirits and finishing with bush tea and damper (bread). Along the way, you’ll take in traditional bark shelters, medicinal and artistic uses of native plants, and fascinating legends about the relationship between the rainforest and its native residents. Before you leave, cool off in one of the sheltered swimming holes that pool along the Mossman River. Nearby, on Cooya Beach, the owner of Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours demonstrates Aboriginal spear-throwing, hunting for (and eating) mud crabs, and playing the didgeridoo during an unforgettable cultural exchange.

On this week’s episode of Travel Tales by AFAR, playwright Michelle Law road trips through Cairns, Australia.