Wander Antigua’s peaceful sanctuaries where wise tortoises and gentle donkeys graze beneath swaying palms. Meet rescued animals cared for by local guardians, learn about conservation and support rehabilitation through visits or volunteering. It’s a calm, meaningful way to connect with Antigua’s quieter side and leave a positive paw — or hoof — print.

Punta Arenas, the southern gateway to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, is famed for dramatic coastal views, colorful historic buildings and maritime and colonial history. Visitors enjoy Strait of Magellan vistas, wildlife (Magellanic penguins & whales), nearby glaciers and pampas and museums, cemeteries and former whaling sites that reflect its multicultural past.

Eight miles west of San Pedro de Atacama, in the heart of the Atacama Desert, unfolds the enchanting Valley of the Moon. Part of the Los Flamencos National Reserve and declared a Nature Sanctuary in 1982, this spot offers a unique lunar landscape: rock formations and sand dunes patiently shaped by wind and water, as if time had carved a secret planet under the northern Chilean sun.

With a gorgeous beach for every day of the year, tortoise sanctuaries and loads of succulent seafood, Antigua & Barbuda is truly a hidden gem. The island offers endless amounts of sunbathing, swimming and water sports but still feels quaint and untouched. It also has rich British history as a British naval headquarters and sugar colony.

The Atlas Mountains unfurl for about 1,500 miles across northwestern Africa, a mosaic of sun-baked ridges, secret canyons and timeworn Berber villages. Local families tend terraced fields and cliffside gardens, carrying on age-old, self-sufficient traditions — churning golden butter, pulling warm loaves from wood-fired ovens. From the bustle of Marrakesh, you can be winding through this quieter, soulful landscape in roughly an hour.

Antigua’s nearby villages brim with cultural charm — macadamia groves, handwoven textiles and the hearty flavors of traditional Guatemalan cuisine. Unplug, meander the quiet lanes and discover the gentle rhythms of life in these off-the-beaten-path indigenous communities.

Southwest Cappadocia is storybook: fairy chimneys, honeycombed cliffs and sculpted rock faces. Wander Pigeon Valley’s alcoves where light and drifting birds add quiet poetry. Climb Selime Monastery’s cavernous chapels and carved stairways. Follow Ihlara Valley’s cool, green canyon with a river and frescoed cliffside churches. Descend the Underground City’s labyrinth of chambers. Together, these sites form an ancient, living tapestry of nature and history.

Busting with idyllic beaches, parrot sanctuaries and wild zip lines, Sint Maarten is a Dutch territory and country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Part of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Sea, this little island is also home to Saint Martin in the north.

Once the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Ruhuna as early as the 3rd century BC, Tissamaharama is steeped in history. This quiet town in Sri Lanka is known for Buddhist monasteries, beautiful beaches and wildlife reserves like Yala National Park, where visitors can join a wildlife safari.

The emerald green forests of Japan’s Arashiyama offer more than meets the eye. Come for the bamboo but stay to explore the charming temples, beautiful shrines and cherry blossoms along Ōi River.

An island off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, Vieques is a land of untouched beaches, roaming wild horses and spark-filled Bioluminescent Bay.

With an unimaginable food scene, delicious Chilean wine and streets filled with art, history and culture, Santiago is worth getting to know.

"Pearl of the Adriatic," Dubrovnik sits in southern Dalmatia along the Adriatic Sea and is known for its unique Old Town, enclosed with massive stone walls from the 16th century and packed full of delicious seafood restaurants and charming boutiques.

Even after a decade of solo travel to more than 50 countries around the world, I'm often reminded that most others aren't as adventurous as myself. Still, it only takes following a few tips to create a seamless and safe holiday trip.

Coined the "City of a Thousand Temples," Kyoto oozes old world charm, steeped in centuries of spiritual tradition. It's also the perfect jumping off point for areas like Japan’s Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Nara Park.

Founded in the early 16th century, Antigua is a small town in Guatemala surrounded by massive volcanoes and famed for its candy colored Spanish colonial buildings.

Formerly Constantinople, Istanbul straddles both Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait and is the largest city and main seaport in Turkey. Delight in all things spices, traditional meze, Turkish baths and towering mosques.