Compare 576 Travel Destinations

300km of South Africa's southern Cape coast between Mossel Bay and Storms River — a forested, lake-stitched, lagoon-laced ribbon between the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountain ranges and the Indian Ocean. The drive itself (the N2 highway) is the trip: Wilderness National Park's beaches and lakes, Knysna's spectacular Heads (cliff-bound estuary mouth), Plettenberg Bay's white-sand resort beaches and dolphin spotting, Tsitsikamma's ancient yellowwood forests and Storms River suspension bridge, and Bloukrans Bridge's 216m bungee jump (world's highest from a bridge). Garden Route National Park spans three sections (Wilderness, Knysna, Tsitsikamma); Mediterranean climate makes November-April peak with no malaria. Most travellers self-drive over 4-7 days; George Airport (GRJ) is the western anchor.

The world's fourth-largest island drifted away from Africa 160 million years ago — 90% of its wildlife exists nowhere else. The Avenue of the Baobabs near Morondava, lemur-packed Andasibe-Mantadia rainforest, the jagged limestone tsingy at Bemaraha (UNESCO), and Nosy Be beaches off the northwest coast. Road network is sparse and slow — internal flights via Madagascar Airlines save days. Antananarivo (Tana) is the highland capital and transit hub. Best visited April-November (dry season).

115 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean, 1,600 km east of mainland Africa — the granite-boulder beaches of Anse Source d'Argent and Anse Lazio regularly top "world's most beautiful" lists. Mahé holds the capital Victoria and international airport; Praslin protects the Vallée de Mai palm forest where the coco-de-mer grows; La Digue is pedal-and-ox-cart slow. Among the most expensive island destinations on Earth — dive operators, private-island resorts, and honeymoons dominate the market.