The scenic stretch of highway N3 that runs from Fort-de-France all the way to Mount Pelée, better known as Route de la Trace, follows an old route carved out by the Jesuit missionaries of the 1600s, running through beautiful expanses of thick rainforest. Stunning hiking trails branch off from the main route should be thoroughly explored to get an idea of the wild natural beauty of Martinique.

About 9 metres high, the Big Prawn is exactly what you'd expect it to be: a huge sculpture of a crustacean. You’ll find it in a parking lot on River Street outside Ballina’s town centre. Just park your car and take a few pictures with this Australian icon, likely among the oddest monuments you’ll ever encounter.

The sea around Byron Bay has abundant marine life among the rocky reefs. If you are not a certified diver yet, Byron Bay Dive Centre is the place to go for a guided experience and maybe complete your training. They will take you to the beautiful Julian Rocks Aquatic Reserve, one of Australia's major diving sites.

Enclosed within a protective wall reaching up to 20 metres in width, the Ciudad Amurallada (or Walled City) is Cartagena's old beating heart. Packed with well-preserved colonial buildings, it's a pleasure to stroll through; its streets of colourful low-rise merchant homes marked by iconic balconies are now mostly walked by either tourists or students who attend classes at the University of Cartagena during the day and linger for meals and nightlife after school is out. Cafes in Plaza Aduana and Plaza Santo Domingo teem with patrons, forging an incredibly jovial atmosphere; the districts of San Diego and El Centro are two not to be missed. There is plenty of food and shopping to be had, with a mixed bag of world-class restaurants and street food hawkers and the incredibly photogenic palenqueras — women dressed in vibrantly coloured clothing selling fruit in the streets — images of whom have become emblematic of Colombia as a travel destination.