Pristine beaches, compelling marine ecosystems, to-die-for reefs, friendly, sun washed locals– Derawan Islands is a slice of dive heaven. Located on the northeastern coast of Kalimantan lie the Derawan Islands – home to a diver’s enclave of white sand beaches and crystal clear waters.

While Japan’s always been known for classic trips locales like historic Kyoto or kitschy Akiba, there’s another entirely lesser-known side to the country that’s begun attracting plenty of winter enthusiasts.

The Red Sea, the body of water which technically divides Africa from the Middle East at the channel of the Suez Canal, is divided in the north into 2 major bodies of water – the gulfs of Sinai and Aqaba. Separated by the Sinai Peninsula, the expansive, arid, southward-pointing triangle of land that connects Egypt to Israel, has a number of key diving areas along both its eastern (Sinai) and western (Aqaba) shores.

When it comes to popular destinations within Laos, both Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng often top the list. While plenty of tours zoom visitors between the two towns on buses, the best way to appreciate the beauty of the countryside is on two wheels.

Nestled high in the Austrian Alps, the Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck makes an ideal base for skiing in winter, hiking in summer, and exploring the region’s unique culture and quaint villages year-round.

Patagonia is known as one of the most beautiful regions of both Chile and Argentina, comprising amazing steppes, lonely landscapes, huge lakes, glaciers and mountain ridges.

The recent Laguna Phuket race was the culmination of WTC’s annual Ironman 70.3 Event Series – which included earlier races in Singapore, Japan and the famous, original Hawaiian Ironman.

The mountains of Ladakh may not be as high as elsewhere in the Himalayas, but what it lacks in height, it makes up for in scenery. Here is a land where picturesque meadows explode with colour in spring and snaking rivers carve into dramatic valleys.

Mongolia is known for a lot of things, from its culture and festivals to its vast desert plains and its nomadic herders. Many visitors come to experience the country’s famous festivals like the Naadam, or spend a night with nomadic families in their colourful gers.

Despite being Korea’s second-largest province, Gangwon is also one of the least populated places in country. Cut through by the rugged Taebaek Mountains, it’s home to huge tracts of wilderness, with more than eighty percent of land covered in forests.

When you think of the classic Taiwan trek, it’s probably steep cliffs, waterfalls, mountain trails hugging valley walls – and at the end of the day, after a long hike – soothing hot springs.

The southwest and west of Rwanda, bordering Burundi and the DR Congo, is a land of lush, fertile green hills with dense forests and the misty high-altitude Lake Kivu which forms a watery border between Congo and Rwanda. One of Africa’s “Great Lakes”, situated along the north-south Rift Valley, Lake Kivu is one of Rwanda’s most famous destinations.

When people think of Manitoba one of two things typically come to mind. It is either the vast prairies landscape or polar bears roaming icy Hudson’s Bay. The reality is both of these areas make up a very small portion of the province.

It’s only seven fifteen in the morning and already the fish market at Kompong Khleang is beginning to look desolate, at least for the day. The last few baskets of fishes are being transacted just as our boat jostle for position among the floating homes.