Yu Garden embodies the quintessence of classical ancient Chinese gardens south of the Yangtze River — a creation of maximum out of minimum. While it takes a familiar person only five minutes to walk from the entrance to the exit, most first-time visitors find themselves lost in this little paradise with fish ponds, rockeries, plants, bridges and buildings of various types arranged along zigzagging paths. The ingenious use of Chinese gardening art in combination with the garden’s 400-plus years of history makes Yu Garden one of the most popular tourist attractions in Shanghai.

Caravelle Peninsula is a narrow strip of land that shoots out into the Caribbean waters from the east coast of Martinique. It is protected as a nature reserve and thus wonderfully unspoiled. It is home to a large number of animal and plant species, making it a fascinating place for a hike.

From May to July, magnificent humpback whales pass Cape Byron on their journey to breeding grounds further north. From September to November, they come past Byron Bay again when they migrate south to the Antarctic with their young calves. Spot them swimming and playing from a coastal lookout or join a whale-watching cruise.