Overview of all travel destinations
Americas
The Americas run from the Arctic ice of Greenland and Canada to Tierra del Fuego. North America combines great cities with national parks on a vast scale, Central America packs rainforest, volcanoes and Maya ruins into a narrow land bridge, and South America adds the Andes, the Amazon and the Inca heritage of Peru. Distances are huge, so most trips focus on one region.
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North America
North America covers Canada, the United States and Mexico, together with Greenland and Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Road trips through the national parks, cities such as New York and Mexico City and the beaches of the Yucatán are the classic reasons to go.
Central America
The seven countries between Mexico and Colombia form a narrow bridge between two oceans. Maya cities such as Tikal, active volcanoes, cloud forests and the reefs of Belize lie relatively close together, and Costa Rica is a model of nature tourism.
South America
South America stretches from the Caribbean coast of Colombia to Cape Horn, with the Andes along its western edge and the Amazon basin at its heart. Machu Picchu, Patagonia, the Galápagos Islands, Rio de Janeiro and the Iguazú Falls are highlights, and the Falklands lie off its southern tip, from where expedition ships sail to Antarctica. Parts of Venezuela are under travel warnings.
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a chain of islands between Florida and the coast of Venezuela, known for white beaches, coral reefs, rum and music. Large islands such as Cuba and Hispaniola combine colonial towns with resorts, while the small islands of the Lesser Antilles are ideal for sailing and island hopping. The dry season from December to April is the main travel time, and hurricanes can strike from June to November. Cuba and Haiti are currently under travel warnings.
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Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles are the large islands of the northern Caribbean, from Cuba and Jamaica to Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, joined here by the Cayman Islands. They combine mountains and colonial cities with long beaches and a rich musical heritage from son to reggae. Cuba and Haiti are currently under travel warnings.
Northern Lesser Antilles
The Northern Lesser Antilles run from the Virgin Islands to Guadeloupe. Independent island states and islands under British, French, Dutch and American flags lie close together, which makes the region ideal for sailing and short ferry hops.
Southern Lesser Antilles
The Southern Lesser Antilles curve from Dominica to Trinidad and Tobago. Volcanic peaks, rainforest and waterfalls meet sheltered bays, from the Pitons of Saint Lucia to the Grenadines, while Barbados and Trinidad add cricket, rum and carnival.
ABC Islands
Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao lie just off the coast of Venezuela, outside the main hurricane belt. The dry, sunny Dutch islands are known for beaches, shore diving and the colourful waterfront of Willemstad.
Bahamas & Turks and Caicos
The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands lie in the Atlantic north of the Caribbean, surrounded by some of the clearest shallow water on earth, and Bermuda sits far out in the ocean to the northeast. Island hopping, beaches, diving and sailing are the main draws.
Europe
Europe packs an extraordinary density of history, culture and landscapes into a small continent, from the fjords of Norway to the islands of Greece. Great cities such as Paris, Rome, London and Barcelona, the Alps, the Mediterranean coast and countless old towns lie close together and are well linked by train. Many countries share the euro and open borders, which makes combining them easy.
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Western Europe
Western Europe covers Britain and Ireland, France and the Benelux countries, together with Andorra, Monaco, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. London, Paris and Amsterdam, the castles and coasts of Britain and Ireland and the wine regions of France are the great classics.
Northern Europe
Northern Europe reaches from Iceland and Scandinavia to Finland, the Baltic states and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. Fjords, glaciers and lakes, the northern lights in winter, the midnight sun in summer and design capitals such as Copenhagen and Stockholm define the region.
Central Europe
Central Europe spans the Alps and the lands to their north and east, from Germany and Switzerland to Poland and Hungary. Alpine peaks and lakes, historic cities such as Vienna, Prague, Budapest and Kraków, Christmas markets and a dense rail network make it easy to travel.
Southern Europe
Southern Europe stretches from Portugal and Spain through Italy and Malta to Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. Sun, beaches and islands meet ancient sites, Renaissance art and some of the most celebrated food in the world.
Balkans
The Balkans run from the Adriatic coast of Croatia and Montenegro to Romania and Bulgaria on the Black Sea. Old towns such as Dubrovnik and Kotor, rugged mountains, Ottoman and Byzantine heritage and good value for money make the region rewarding.
Eastern Europe & Caucasus
Eastern Europe and the Caucasus reach from Ukraine and Belarus across Russia to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Orthodox monasteries, the wine regions and mountain villages of Georgia and the vast distances of Russia define the region, and several countries are currently affected by war or travel warnings.
Africa
Africa is the second largest continent, a place of deserts, savannah, rainforest and long coastlines. Safaris in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and South Africa, the pyramids of Egypt, the medinas of Morocco and the beaches of Zanzibar and the Indian Ocean islands are the best known reasons to go. Travel conditions vary widely, and some regions are under travel warnings.
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North Africa
North Africa stretches along the Mediterranean and into the Sahara, from Morocco and Western Sahara to Egypt and Sudan. The pyramids and temples of the Nile, the medinas of Marrakesh and Fez and desert camps among the dunes are the great highlights. Sudan and Libya are under travel warnings.
West Africa
West Africa reaches from Senegal and the islands of Cape Verde to Nigeria and the Sahel. Music, markets and vibrant cities, the forts of the Ghanaian coast and the mud architecture of Mali reward travellers, though Mali, Niger and large parts of Burkina Faso are under travel warnings.
Central Africa
Central Africa is the land of the Congo Basin, one of the largest rainforests on earth, and stretches from Chad in the north to Angola in the south. Gorilla trekking, the forests of Gabon, the volcanoes of Cameroon and the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe attract adventurous travellers, but infrastructure is limited and several countries are under travel warnings.
East Africa
East Africa is the classic safari region, from the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara to the mountain gorillas of Rwanda and Uganda. Kilimanjaro, the Great Rift Valley, the highlands and ancient churches of Ethiopia and the beaches of Zanzibar complete the picture. South Sudan, Somalia and parts of Ethiopia are under travel warnings.
Southern Africa
Southern Africa combines big game safaris with dramatic landscapes, from Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta to the dunes of Namibia and the Cape. South Africa is the easiest entry point, with good roads, wine regions and a long coast, and Saint Helena lies far out in the Atlantic.
Indian Ocean
The islands of the western Indian Ocean range from Madagascar and Réunion to Mauritius, the Seychelles and the Comoros, joined by remote French island territories. Beaches, reefs, volcanic landscapes and unique wildlife such as the lemurs of Madagascar are the main draws.
Asia
Asia is the largest and most varied continent, from the deserts of Arabia and the steppes of Central Asia to the Himalayas and the tropical islands of Indonesia. Ancient temples, megacities such as Tokyo and Bangkok, rich street food and a huge range of budgets make it one of the most rewarding regions for travel. Some countries, above all in the Middle East, are under travel warnings.
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Central & East Asia
Central and East Asia reach from the Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan and the steppes of Mongolia to China, Japan and Korea. The Great Wall, the temples of Kyoto, Tokyo and Seoul, Samarkand and Bukhara show how varied the region is.
South Asia
South Asia is shaped by India and framed by the Himalayas, with Nepal and Bhutan in the mountains and Sri Lanka and the Maldives in the ocean. Palaces, temples and spice markets, treks to Everest base camp and tropical beaches all lie within reach. Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan are under travel warnings.
Middle East
The Middle East reaches from the Mediterranean coast of Lebanon and Israel to the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Petra, Jerusalem, the desert of Wadi Rum, the souks of Oman and the skylines of Dubai and Doha draw visitors, while several countries in the region are under travel warnings.
South East Asia
South East Asia is one of the most popular backpacking regions in the world, with Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos on the mainland and thousands of islands in Indonesia and the Philippines. Temples such as Angkor Wat, street food, beaches and low prices make long trips easy.
Oceania
Oceania spans Australia, New Zealand and thousands of Pacific islands scattered across the largest ocean on earth. The Great Barrier Reef, the Outback, the fjords and mountains of New Zealand and the lagoons of Fiji, Tahiti and Bora Bora are the best known sights. Beyond them, many small island nations see very few visitors and are reached only by rare flights or ships.
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Australia & New Zealand
Australia and New Zealand are the large, easy to travel heart of Oceania, joined here by the Australian territories of Norfolk Island, Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands. Road trips, national parks, beaches and cities such as Sydney and Melbourne define a visit.
Melanesia
Melanesia lies north and east of Australia, from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji. Its islands combine volcanoes, rainforest and reefs with strong village traditions, and Fiji is the region's main holiday destination.
Micronesia
Micronesia is a scattering of small islands and atolls in the western and central Pacific, from Palau and Guam to the Marshall Islands and Kiribati. World class diving, wrecks from the Second World War and remote atoll life are the reasons to come.
Polynesia
Polynesia is the great triangle of the central and eastern Pacific, from Samoa and Tonga to the Cook Islands, French Polynesia and remote Pitcairn. Turquoise lagoons, overwater bungalows, whale watching and a proud Polynesian culture make it the classic image of the South Seas.
Antarctica
Antarctica covers the frozen continent around the South Pole and the remote islands of the Southern Ocean, from South Georgia and Bouvet Island to Heard Island and the French Southern Lands. Penguin colonies, glaciers, whales and the history of polar exploration draw visitors, almost all of whom arrive by expedition ship from Ushuaia or Punta Arenas in the southern summer.
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