Las Baulas National Park offers an often-overlooked natural getaway just outside the crowded beaches of Tamarindo. Take a tour of the park’s vast network of mangrove forests on a relaxing boat trip — howler monkeys, crocodiles and tropical birds will be your companions on this trip. Head to the beach for a chance to see the magnificent leatherback turtles. The turtle nesting season is from October to February. Except for the turtle nesting season (October-February), which allows you to stay on the beach until 5:00 PM.

The Presidential Palace, also known as Palais de la République, is home to the Senegalese Head of State. Though visitors are not allowed to enter the palace, this impressive neoclassical building is worth seeing. The structure from 1907 is surrounded by lush stately gardens and guards in their colonial-style uniforms.

While there's plenty to so in Charlotte Amalie on land, it would be a great loss not to explore the underwater wonders of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The easiest thing to do is rent a snorkel and explore the shallow waters by the beach, but you should definitely consider trying something more advanced at least once. Snorkelling is the cheapest choice. Add some diving equipment to go deeper and see more. Some tours now offer Sea Trek helmets — a modern take on the diving helmet. No matter your choice of equipment, do explore the coral reefs that are home to tropical fish such as snapper, hamlets, parrot fish, sturgeon, squirrel fish and majestic sea turtles.

On the edge of Cairo, the Giza Necropolis is home to the last remaining wonder of the ancient world — the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Alongside it stand the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, part of a vast complex that includes tombs, causeways, temples, and smaller pyramids built for queens and nobles. The scale alone is enough to stop you in your tracks. Just below the pyramids sits the Great Sphinx of Giza — carved from a single piece of limestone, with the body of a lion and the face of a pharaoh, likely Khafre. At around 73 metres long and 20 metres high, it’s one of the largest sculptures in the world.