Think of California, and its iconic landmarks immediately jump to mind: The famous Hollywood sign poised high above Los Angeles, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge defining the San Francisco skyline, San Diego’s museum-filled Balboa Park. Indeed, these are the state’s star cities, each bursting with its own local flavour and vibe. The palm-lined avenues of LA, where the who’s who of the silver screen rub shoulders with the surfer clans of Venice Beach.

The Rocky Mountains and the Prairie come together in a spectacular display along the Pacific Coast in Western Canada. This is perhaps one of the most awe-inspiring natural landscapes in the world: iridescent blue glacial lakes, endless pine forest, rugged cliffs, magnificent fjords, and stunning beaches. Canada’s West Coast - British Columbia and Alberta - is the ultimate outdoor playground. You could whizz down Whistler’s postcard-perfect mountain slopes on bikes or on skis, hike in Banff’s incredible national parks in the summer, or watch grizzly bears forage for food in the forests.

Mexico is also an outdoor playground. Landscapes morph from cactus-strewn desert to 10,000 kilometres of coastline to dense forest. Glorious blue cenotes are perfect for swimming on a hot day. There’s adventure everywhere, whether it’s hiking across Oaxaca’s mountain forests or surfing the waves in Baja California. Travel with us to diverse, dramatic Mexico and we’ll introduce you to its best-kept secrets.

Evenings awash with the swirling skirts of tango dancers. The air charged with the uproarious cheer of football fans. Argentina has an unrivalled dramatic flair. The cities - Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Salta - each a thriving centre of the arts and urban life, with cool galleries, grand architecture, and buzzing restaurants.

A blend of Bedouin, Arabian and Persian cultures, cosmopolitan cities and cutting-edge technology, rich heritage and fabulous lifestyle experiences - the UAE embraces all of these facets with equal zeal. Glitz and glamour in Dubai, vibrant arts and culture in Sharjah, glorious beach adventures in Ras al Khaimah, grand Islamic architecture in Abu Dhabi - each of the seven Emirates has a distinct flavour. Even the lesser-known areas of Ajman, Fujairah, and Umm al Quwain are worth a visit for fabulous cuisine and cultural experiences.

Complex history and glorious architecture are on display everywhere in this diverse country. Wander through the lantern-strung alleys of Hoi An, taking in the wooden-fronted merchant houses and sampling delicious banh mi. In Ho Chi Minh City, museums preserve the legacy of past wars and wide boulevards recall the French Colonial period. Come with us to Vietnam, a dazzling treat for all your senses where the pho is plentiful and the streets never sleep.

Japan is where dizzyingly fast-paced cities meet ancient traditions, where glitzy new technology meets a deep-seated reverence for nature, and where vibrant nightlife meets the serenity of zen gardens. Japan is a study in contrasts, and therein lies its charm.

Deep in the ridges of the Eastern Himalaya, an ancient Buddhist kingdom preserves its traditional way of life and primordial landscapes. Bhutan is the last Shangri-La - a land where imposing monasteries rise out of rugged clifftops, where snow-capped peaks meet swathes of forest, where glacial rivers and pastoral lands stretch as far as the horizon.

History and culture in Tanzania is perhaps as rich and alluring as its outdoors. Get to know the traditions of the Swahili people, meet Maasai warriors and nomadic tribes. Explore the remnants of the ancient trade route from the era of the Sultans, and discover the buzzing vibe of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s first city. Let us introduce you to East Africa’s rising star - we promise a journey like no other.

South Africa has much on offer for the culture enthusiast as well, whether it’s the vibrant city life of Cape Town or the laid-back vibe of coastal hamlets along the Garden Route. The country’s history is tumultuous, and museums in Johannesburg and other cities preserve much of this legacy. We’ll take you from the great outdoors to the finest offerings of city life here in South Africa.

Medieval cities like Fez and Marrakech burst with flavour, from the maze of curio-filled medinas to charming old-world cafes with fragrant mint tea. Magnificent palaces and mosques, adorned with Arabic calligraphy and imposing studded doorways stand in sharp contrast to the sleek beach clubs and fast-paced life of Casablanca, among Morocco’s most modern cities. Come with us to Morocco, and we’ll take you on an epic adventure here in North Africa’s last frontier.

In Southern Africa, where the Kalahari meets the savanna, lies one of the greatest safari destinations in the world. Botswana is a small country defined by its vast wilderness. National Parks and protected game reserves cover nearly a quarter of the land, providing safe haven to massive African elephants and lions, rhinos and leopards. The Big 5 are undoubtedly the highlight of any game drive, but Botswana is also home to lesser-known stars: giraffes, meerkats, jackals and, when the plains flood, a stunning variety of bird life.

As the home of Shakespeare and The Beatles, the country’s theatre and music scene is unparalleled even today. Visit some of the finest museums in the world in England, sip scotch whiskey in Scotland, seek out Belfast’s iconic public murals, and soak in the refined nightlife at Cardiff - the UK offers a wealth of diverse experiences to every kind of traveller.

Sandwiched between Italy and Croatia, Slovenia is often overlooked, but this hidden gem of a country has many wonderful charms up its sleeve. Grand old cities with stunning architecture, pine-covered countryside, the soaring Julian Alps, the lovely Adriatic coastline, glacial rivers and emerald lakes. Slovenia is blessed with glorious natural landscapes, and the outdoor playground lends itself well to many active pursuits like skiing, hiking, and biking.

With its wealth of prized art, grand architecture, and rich history, Italy is often considered the cultural capital of the world. At its centre, stands the Eternal City, Rome, home to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, the Vatican, and a never-ending list of global landmarks. Italy is where Renaissance art meets Baroque architecture, where vestiges of the ancient Roman empire meet the glittering, modern fashion houses of Milan, where Venice’s canals, Tuscany’s wine regions, and the gorgeous Amalfi Coast have drawn visitors for hundreds of years.

Greek gods, Greek theatre, Greek cuisine, and the stunning Greek isles - Greece has brought so much to the world. Legends and lore, drama and dance, a fantastic resort-strung coastline and delicious Mediterranean food, all of it is on offer to visitors to this culturally-rich, historic country. The ancient Acropolis looms over the capital city of Athens, its marble edifices dating back to 3000 BC. From the ruins of Meteora to Delphi, once considered the centre of the world, and the drama of ancient Olympus, with its centuries-old temples and stadiums - Greece is the epicentre of the Western world’s history.

Great drifting icebergs and bubbling hot springs, spewing geysers and ice-clad volcanoes - Iceland is a country of extremes. The landscape is ethereal - all ice and fire - and the natural phenomena here are unlike anything else in the world. The aurora borealis paints the night sky with dancing beams of light, in one of the greatest shows on earth. In summer, the sun shines a pale pink at midnight. The beaches are black with glittering ice diamonds strewn across the sands.

New Zealand is home to some of the most fantastic natural landscapes in the world, so it’s easy to understand the Kiwis’ enduring love for the outdoors. Their backyards open up to glorious ski runs in winter and mountain biking trails in summer, primordial forests of ancient kauri trees and iridescent blue volcanic lakes. South Island’s Queenstown is the adventure capital of the world, enticing thrill-seekers with bungee jumping and skydiving, stunning walking trails and canoeing. South Island is especially popular for cruises along stunning fjords, particularly Milford Sound, which gradually gives way to the Southern Alps.

In the movie Cast Away, Tom Hanks washes up on a desert island with palm-lined white sands and dazzling blue waters. The island in question was Monuriki in Fiji - a gloriously beautiful place to be stranded. The tiny blip in the South Pacific is one of the 300+ islands that make up the archipelago of Fiji.

Australia is a heady cocktail of contemporary cities, ancient cultures and an epic outdoors, topped off with a famously laid-back vibe. The island-continent is home to some of the best beaches in the world, which give way to buzzing urban centres built along the coast. Melbourne, with its cool street art and cafe-lined laneways, and Sydney, with its sleek architecture and vibrant restaurant scene are well-known capitals of Australian culture. Equally interesting but lesser-frequented spots like Darwin stand out for their diversity, blending a large Asian influence with Aborignial cultures.