The 6 most incredible road trips in Guatemala

Peru has plenty of lesser-known pre-Incan archaeological sites, lush jungles, and tranquil beaches to explore – but you'll need a car to reach them.

On my first day in Iceland, I paid 2,690 ISK, or about $20, for a piece of avocado toast at the Blue Lagoon.

The Cycladic island of Ios is a rocky, mountainous environment of winding roads sometimes blocked by herds of bleating goats and sleepy villages hugging cerulean coastlines. In the 1960s, backpackers discovered the nearly untouched island and it became known as a hippie haven, hosting all-night beach parties, with a handful of cheap bars operating in the Chora (main town). A few decades later, nearby Santorini and Mykonos began to outshine their neighbor, attracting hordes of tourists each summer and investing in new developments. Meanwhile, Ios only got electricity across the entire island in the 1970s and most residents here are goat herders or farmers. Today, Mykonos has taken the nightlife crown and both it and Santorini have become severely over-touristed. Ios on the other hand, remains a quiet, mostly undeveloped paradise.

Canada, our friendly northern neighbor, boasts extraordinarily diverse geography, from tall Rocky Mountain peaks to expansive flat prairie land and seaside communities on both coasts. With a smaller national population than that of California, it's perhaps unsurprising that Canada is also full of charming small towns and welcoming rural communities worth planning a trip around. You’ll find salty little enclaves, graced by orcas and world-class surfers in British Columbia; tiny mountain towns with Gold Rush history in the Yukon’s Grizzly country; and, of course, flannel-filled hubs for outdoors lovers who want to bike and hike in the country’s dramatic national parks. What links them together, though, is that small town spirit, and undeniable charm. (Don’t be surprised if your small town trip warrants big time vacation days—please like these are never easy to leave.)

Touted for its gastronomy, revered for its cultural legacies and marveled for its biodiversity, Peru is a land worthy of multiple visits – how else would you be able to see, taste and do it all?

Guatemala may be called the Land of Eternal Spring, but that doesn’t mean the weather is spring-like all year round.

Distinguished by three topographical regions – mountains, jungle, and arid coast  – Peru is an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts as all roads seem to lead to a superb hiking trail. 

A new pilot went viral after sharing a heartwarming video capturing the moment he finally got to fly his parents on a recent flight. He later told Insider it was the "most special day" of his life. 

Destinations that can only be reached by sea are among the most world's most brag-worthy. There’s something alluring about the cachet associated with arriving at a destination the “old-fashioned way”—stepping onto the pier (or alighting off a tender) knowing that you’ve shifted from the microcosm of a ship to that of a remote destination. Your two community bubbles will mingle for a few hours and then part, much the way calls at remote ports have always been, dating back to the days of sail.

When I stay in hotels, I try to make my room feel like home by unpacking my belongings.

If your first port of arrival in Thailand is Bangkok, you might feel a little apprehensive about the idea of taking to the highway on a road trip. In the Thai capital, cars are stacked bumper to bumper, motorcycles duel for space with pedestrians, and seemingly anything goes when it comes to road rules. But breathe easy: Bangkok is not all of Thailand.

Flying in for a few nights at a splendid luxury lodge is a marvelous way to see the remote corners of beautiful Botswana, but to truly enjoy this country’s monumentally wild spirit, it’s all about taking to the open road.