May

Madagascar is a large island nation in the Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Africa, where people have lived for over 2,000 years. It is the world’s fourth largest island, boasting 5,000 kilometres of coast and a current population of twenty-five million, split between 18 ethnic groups and a multiplicity of social sub-groups.

Malawi is a warm and welcoming country that offers visitors wonderful scenery, fascinating parks and some of the friendliest people in Africa.

Morocco has been staunchly independent throughout its history yet remained open to ideas, creating a heady mix of cultures, religions and languages with ancient roots and a strikingly modern outlook.

After recovering from many years of civil war, Mozambique opened its doors to tourism and is fast becoming the hottest beach destination in Africa. With an enviable position between Tanzania in the north, Malawi and Zambia in the northwest and South Africa to the south, Mozambique has become the perfect compliment to any African safari.

Boasting seemingly endless tropical forest and fingers of moist savannah covering its interior, the Republic of Congo holds the majority of the world population of western lowland gorillas. Its largely pristine northern rainforest is the heart of the Congo Basin, the world’s second largest expanse of tropical rainforest.

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa known for its dramatic landscape, the majestic Victoria Falls and extraordinarily diverse wildlife, much of it within parks, reserves and safari areas.

Decorated with the words ‘Unity in Diversity’, Indonesia’s national emblem is representative of its 700 languages and 17,000 islands scattered over 5,000km of equatorial turquoise seas.

Malaysia is a destination full of surprises. A bustling melting pot of traditions and religions where Malays, Indians, Chinese and many other ethnic groups influence its rich and vibrant culture.

Far more than its celebrated idealistic beaches, Thailand is known as The Land of Smiles thanks to its warm people. This mythical nation accommodates a diverse assortment of ancient temples; buzzing, frenetic cities and its infamous cuisine.

Jordan is a land steeped in history. It has been home to some of mankind’s earliest settlements and villages, and relics of many of the worlds great civilizations can still be seen today.

Mauritius is a fascinating, world-in-one island slice of paradise. Its very name conjures up images of tropical luxury and stupendous extravagance.

Off the east coast of Africa lies a cluster of 115 islands, together making up the Republic of the Seychelles. This cluster truly seems to epitomise the expression ‘tropical island paradise’; pristine soft white sands on coconut fringed beaches lie adjacent to the brilliant underwater shapes and colours of the coral atolls while above them rise granite peaks shrouded in verdant mountaintop forests.  

Seated on a plateau at an altitude of more than 4,000 metres, Tibet is quite befittingly called the Roof of the World. It is also home to other impressive superlatives, such as the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest and deepest canyon, the Yarlung Zangbo Canyon. Home to almost three million people, Tibet forms the border China shares with several countries, including Myanmar, India, Bhutan, and Nepal.

Queenslanders will tell you that their state is the best of Australia all rolled into one – it is the home of some of the world’s most treasured natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef and the ancient Daintree Rainforest. It boasts beautiful beaches, perfect islands and the razzle dazzle of the Gold Coast; there is the channel country, the savannah country, Cape York, the Great Dividing Range and the Gulf country. Queensland is larger than life!

Western Australia is full of sun, wide open space, and friendly people – it is a great place for a relaxing holiday and a great place to experience some rather special natural attractions.

At the geographical centre of the Australian continent the Desert Centre is home to Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the remarkable rock domes of nearby Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). Uluru rises out of the flat desert – a geological work of art, Uluru is riddled with caves, rivulets, strange wounds and gashes and is adorned with ancient Aboriginal rock paintings. To the west, the equally impressive, Kata Tjuta is a spectacular collection of 36 weathered red domes separated by narrow valleys and covering 35 square kilometres.  

New Zealand is a small country, similar in size to Great Britain or Japan and with a population of only four million, it’s also gloriously uncrowded.

Lying just south of the equator, 160km north of Australia, Papua New Guinea is part of a great arc of mountains stretching from Asia, through Indonesia and into the South Pacific. With a vibrant and colourful Papua New Guinea culture, more than 600 islands and 800 indigenous languages, PNG is made up of 4 regions with 20 provinces.The striking natural beauty and myriad complex cultures in Papua New Guinea offer some riveting and truly life-affirming experiences.

Most visitors to Peru will almost immediately find themselves drawn in to the story behind the Inca Empire. This enigmatic tribe has left on earth an imprint of how truly extraordinary the human race can be but left so many questions unanswered. It is no wonder that some of the world’s greatest adventurers who stumbled into Machu Picchu went on to dedicate the rest of their lives to researching questions unanswered.

Those seeking to immerse themselves in art, music and a way of life that has refused to conform to Western expectations will not be disappointed by a visit to Cuba. The country exemplifies a raw and heady fusion of Caribbean, Spanish and Latin culture that is utterly intoxicating.

A visit to Ecuador delivers a punchy balance of Latin American culture, extraordinary wildlife and contrasting landscapes. 600 miles off the mainland, is the county’s star attraction – the Galapagos Islands. This pinprick in the Pacific Ocean is surly one of the world’s greatest wildlife hotspots and they should be on every nature-lover’s bucket list.