For nature lovers, Christmas Island National Park provides fantastic opportunities to observe unique plants and animals in their natural habitats. The park covers about two thirds of the island. As an isolated oceanic island, distant from other land masses, Christmas Island is home to a high proportion of endemic species. Several are endangered. The park protects significant ecosystems including much of the island's uniquely structured rainforests and two wetlands of international importance, the Dales and Hosnie's Springs. In and around the national park you will find a host of native sea and forest birds, unique marine life and land crabs — including tens of millions of red crabs, famous throughout the world for their spectacular annual breeding migration.

If you're up for hiking in the fresh air, climbing Mount Qingcheng is the ideal activity for your trip to Chengdu. The mountain is the cradle Taoism and is considered sacred according to the Taoist culture. There are dozens of Taoist temple hides under the greenery, some abandoned, some are still prosperous.

The Dales is one of the Island's iconic sites and one of the few places with permanent flowing water and stunning wet areas, providing significant habitat for endemic blue crabs and impressive stands of Tahitian chestnut trees. The drive through the Dales leads through rainforest to a scenic and tranquil area, which has two walking trails starting from the Dales 4WD car park. The first trail is mostly a boardwalk, leading to Hugh's Dale Waterfall, about 1 kilometre each way from the car park. Signage along the trail offers information on the island's plants and animals. For the adventurous, the second trail leads on from Hugh's Dale for about 800 metres to Anderson's Dale, a small gorge with a stream that flows to the sea.

The Vincent van Gogh House: a living arts centre in the birthplace of Brabant’s most famous artist ever, stands on the spot where Vincent van Gogh came into the world on 30 March 1853. The protestant Van Gogh spent his childhood years in catholic Zundert, not far from the Belgian border. A reticent and introvert boy, he was educated at home and it soon became clear that Vincent was ‘different’. In the Vincent van GoghHuis you can experience how his time in Zundert moulded him and eventually enabled him to mature to become a world-famous artist. “A must see if you want to know Van Gogh” Vincent’s life had a tough beginning. As the son of the minister Theodorus van Gogh, he quickly became an outsider in the catholic village. He could often be found in the large garden with his younger brother Theo. He would have a wonderful time outdoors, but could also take comfort in it. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why the countryside played such a large role in Van Gogh’s later work? More than a museum In the permanent presentation ‘Vincent van Gogh – the Roots of a Master’, Vincent will take you by the hand and lead you through a re-enactment of his youth and you can learn more about his struggle with faith. Changing exhibitions show the enormous influence of Van Gogh on 20th and 21st century artists, modern art enthusiasts are therefore very much catered for. In addition, the Van GoghHuis has an artist in residence scheme, where an artist can literally step, and live, in Van Gogh’s footsteps every day! Heritage locations in Brabant The Vincent van GoghHuis has its own VVV (Tourist Information) counter and is of course one of the five Van Gogh Heritage locations in Brabant. You can also get to the Van GoghHuis by bike via the Van Gogh Cycle Route that connects all the heritage locations in Brabant.