Africa and Indian Ocean

Located in the Indian Ocean just off the east coast of Kenya, this tropical island is quiet and peaceful with a laid-back atmosphere. Established in the 14th century, the largest town is Lamu Town, described by the World Heritage List as "the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa". Here travelers will find distinguishing architecture, carved doors, narrow streets, several mosques and bui bui clad women. Automobiles are not allowed on the island, so expect to travel the old-fashioned way - on foot. Donkeys can also be hired for transportation, but dhows are the most common...

You have to hand it to the Maldivians. Here, on a far-flung archipelago of low coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, they have raised the notion of the private island resort to a fine art. The conservative Islamic nation encompasses nearly 1,200 islands stretched over some 35,000 square miles, but the scantily clad, beach-going overseas visitors are steered (and pretty much restricted) to about 90 small resort islands. These cater to an upscale clientele looking for a tropical getaway where the thatched huts come with fine linens and haute cuisine. So what's paradise like, Maldives-style? In...

Like Seychelles, its neighbor to the northwest, Mauritius enters the 21st century as an exotic alternative to more traditional sun-and-fun beach destinations. This Indian Ocean crossroads has seen its share of cultural collisions – Dutch, French, British, Indian, and Creole – and today those influences flavor the island's colorful mix of religious festivals, as well as its spicy cuisine. French colonial buildings line the streets of the capital, Port Louis (where the Natural History Museum exhibits include a replica of the ill-fated, extinct dodo bird), and hikers can explore a world of...

When the eccentric british adventurer and general Charles “Chinese” Gordon visited Seychelles in the late 19th century, he became convinced he'd found the original Garden of Eden. After all, there in the Indian Ocean, some 600-700 miles east of Africa, he had come upon a dazzling chain of mountainous, verdant granite islands fringed by low coral atolls and possessing what many have since described as the most beautiful beaches in the world. Modern paradise-seekers will enjoy superb diving; fine fly-fishing on the flats, and deep-water trolling offshore; year-round charter sailing; and...

Madagascar is one of those "lost world" islands, where intrepid travelers – particularly those seeking exotic wildlife in a remote tropical setting – can go days on end without rubbing shoulders with that less-than-endangered species… tourists. Known for centuries as the Great Red Island (for its red-orange soil), it's the world's fourth largest island. The capital of Antananarivo (usually called Tana) is home to no less than 2 million people, with street markets, botanical gardens, a zoo, and museum. Poverty is rampant and English rarely spoken (practice your French). The backpackers...

Ask any surfer about the curls at Jeffreys Bay - J-Bay to anyone who ever waxed a board - and watch their eyes frost over with delight at the thought of that swell, those tubes and the most consistent wave formations in South Africa, a place that knows about surf. J-Bay is in Eastern Cape, an area with some of South Africa's wildest coastline, which is backed by some of Africa's most spectacular sub-tropical rainforest. Once a sleepy hollow, J-Bay is now a flashy town with rampant development: low-rise apartment blocks, beachside resorts and chrome-benched cafes are becoming the norm...

Zanzibar is an archipelago made up of Zanzibar and Pemba Islands, and several islets. It is located in the Indian Ocean, about 25 miles from the Tanzanian coast, and 6° south of the equator. Zanzibar Island (known locally as Unguja, but as Zanzibar internationally) is 60 miles long and 20 miles wide, occupying a total area of approximately 650 square miles. It is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs, and the magic of historic Stone Town - said to be the only functioning ancient town in East Africa. Wildlife There are no large wild animals in Zanzibar, and forest...