Have you ever wanted to drop everything and fly to the other side of the world? Travelers have dreamed of adventures to remote locations—to get away from it all. Many artists, writers, painters, and musicians have created works dedicated to these flights of fancy, which have in turn sparked the imaginations of us all, inspiring us to journey where few travelers have been.

Easter Island, Chile

Created nearly one thousand years ago, the moai, Easter Island’s famous monumental
statues, never cease to intrigue. Their origins mysterious, they contemplate the horizon, proud and impassive, their gaze fixed toward the distance. The island, whose Polynesian name is Rapa Nui, is a piece of volcanic land adrift in the Pacific, 2,300 miles (3,700 km) from the Chilean coast. It constitutes one of the most intriguing riddles in the history of humanity: After crossing an immense ocean, Polynesian voyagers landed on the island and built a monumental civilization. The impressive megalithic statues, numbering nearly one thousand in all, were made from the rock of the Rano Raraku volcano. These imposing stone giants, the only survivors of a bygone culture, are believed to be representations of deities and ancestors, venerated by the inhabitants of the island. But little is actually known. It’s precisely because Easter Island remains an unsolved mystery that travelers continue to challenge the winds and tides to land on its shores, reputed to be the most isolated on the planet.

Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego, Antartica

Off the southernmost tip of Argentina, on the borders of Antarctica, stretches Tierra del Fuego, hugging its famous capital, Ushuaia—whose name, in Yámana, means “deep bay.” A huge archipelago of more than 27,000 square miles (70,000 km2), it is studded with titanic ice blocks, which rush into the Pacific Ocean. Majestic snowy mountains overlook a jagged coastline, a maze of threatening cliffs buffeted by crashing waves. Its winding rivers curl up like lace before diving into huge crystalline blue- green lakes. From the port of Ushuaia, you can take the Beagle Channel to Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, nicknamed “the lighthouse of the end of the world.” On the road, the majestic tail of the Andes Cordillera, which ends its run by diving into the ocean, unfolds before your eyes.

Vladivostok, Russia

Vladivostok, literally “Lord of the East,” beckons only the most tireless of travelers.
The terminus of the 6,000 miles (9,000 km) Trans- Siberian Railway, it is the Easternmost city in Russia and a land of myths, dreams, and fantasies. And yet, as much as it feels like you’ve reached the end of one world, it’s just the beginning of another. This little piece of Europe is nestled in the peaceful confines of Asia is a pivotal city, enjoying an amazing location. At the border between China and North Korea and bound by the Sea of Japan, Vladivostok Bay is a historical crossroads through which goods and merchandise have passed, cultures have met, and lives and landscapes intertwine. Warning! Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, travel to this destination is not recommended.

Java, Borneo, New Guinea, Indonesia

Volcanic lands, isolated islets. Indonesia is a place where all your dreams of escape can
come true. In Java, a constellation of volcanoes (Mount Bromo among them) punctuate
landscapes that seem like they belong on another planet. The rainforest of Borneo, one
of the densest in the world, invites you to experience a real change of scenery that will
put you far—very far—from the trappings of modern life. From there, it’s only a few hours by boat to Sulawesi, known for the funerary ceremonies of the Toraja people, during which sacrificed buffaloes accompany the deceased to the land of the dead. To the east is New Guinea, one of the most inaccessible territories in the world. Its wild nature hosts both adventurous backpackers and cultures that have never had contact with the modern world.

Iqaluit, Canada

Welcome to the Arctic! Canada’s largest province, a huge territory on the ice, Nunavut—“our land”—is the first autonomous territory of the Inuit people. Its capital, Iqualuit, is a city of six thousand whose name means “place of many fish,” is now famous around the world for its unique culture. Living in such cold climes led to some amazing cold- weather innovations, including the legendary igloo. A visit to this frozen part of the planet, dotted with icebergs and home to seals, is a disorienting and challenging but
rewarding experience.

Excerpted from Wanderlust: A Traveler’s Guide to the Globe

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