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Get inspired

A closer look at unique panoramas, a selection of travel ideas and expeditions to the farthest reaches of distant lands: in this section, Escales shares insider favourites. Fauna & flora, arts & heritage, gastronomy, architecture, history are all covered. Inspiration, no matter what you desire, no matter where you want to travel.

The Top 7 UNESCO Sites to Visit in Oceania

The Top 7 UNESCO Sites to Visit in Oceania

From preserved underwater paradises and extraordinary geological formations, to extraordinary cultural landscapes and pristine wilderness areas, as well as lands with spectacular flora and fauna, it is not surprising that UNESCO has awarded many of Oceania’s most outstanding locations and sites with World Heritage status. Here are seven amazing places in Oceania that should be on your list to visit soon if you have not already.

8 reasons to spend Christmas or New Year in Antarctica

8 reasons to spend Christmas or New Year in Antarctica

When it comes to once-in-a-lifetime journeys, they don’t get much better than this. Picture this: a festive season spent sailing the infinite surreal landscapes of Antarctica, and swapping the crowds of people gift shopping for seals or penguins relaxing atop the ice. As if you needed any more convincing, here are our top reasons to plan for a once-in-a-lifetime Christmas or New Year celebratory polar expedition cruise to enjoy a special stress-free holiday packed full of outstanding memories.

The Persian Gulf: 1,001 landscapes

The Persian Gulf: 1,001 landscapes

Never-ending skyscrapers, luxury shopping centres and skiing resorts in the middle of the desert… The taste for excess in the biggest cities of the Persian Gulf needs no introduction. But few travellers know that they can visit this region differently, where magical moments off the beaten track in the heart of still-untouched natural settings, far from the thronging crowds, await. From Abu Dhabi to the Sultanate of Oman, explore these richly contrasting lands.

Coastal Italy

Coastal Italy

Six wonders to explore in the Riviera and Tuscany.

Iceland, a country of contrasts

Iceland, a country of contrasts

A spectacular land born from the fury of volcanoes, Iceland offers visitors an impressive range of unique landscapes. From fjords and glaciers to lava fields and black sandy beaches, the story of the Earth’s geology is told before your very eyes. And there is also a wealth of cultural heritage to explore: Icelanders are still strongly attached to their Viking architecture and legends. Here is a shortlist of our favourite places to visit to discover a country untouched by time.

Journey to the ends of the Earth: our selection of remote destinations

Journey to the ends of the Earth: our selection of remote destinations

It goes without saying that you need to travel, and a long way at that… But, most importantly, you need to get off the beaten track. There is still a whole host of remote destinations that provide curious travellers with the chance to rediscover their inner adventurer. And there are so many desert islands all over the world that evoke the spirit of Robinson Crusoe thanks to their remote locations and protected wildernesses. Visiting these places at the ends of the Earth is not just a journey but an experience.

Six truly colourful destinations

Six truly colourful destinations

Shaped over centuries by geological and climate evolutions, these landscapes remain engraved in the memories of lucky visitors forever. From Réunion to South Africa via Italy, here are six destinations worth discovering for their unique and varied colours.

The top 5 most beautiful primary forests in the world

The top 5 most beautiful primary forests in the world

Virgin forests contribute to environmental balance and are the true guardians of biodiversity. These woodlands, which have never been exploited or influenced by humans, are found in both tropical and temperate zones, and constitute landscapes of unspoilt beauty. Here is an overview of five of these outstanding protected areas.

Nicaragua, where water sets the pace

Nicaragua, where water sets the pace

The largest country in Central America, Nicaragua is entirely dedicated to this classical element. Lakes, lagoons, rivers, coastlines and streams: water is everywhere. Escales takes you to explore one of the most “well-watered” regions on the planet.

The idyllic islands of the North Atlantic

The idyllic islands of the North Atlantic

Take a walk on the tropical side of the United Kingdom.
The Pacific islands do not have a monopoly on white sand beaches, palm trees and turquoise water. The landscapes in the North Atlantic are equally beautiful, inviting you to daydream and enjoy.

Wallis and Futuna: lose yourself in the South Pacific

Wallis and Futuna: lose yourself in the South Pacific

In distant Oceania, where seafarers can go days without sighting land, there is a kingdom consisting of three islands. These three tiny dots are French territories and, located 16,000km from Paris, they are the furthest reaches of the French Republic – welcome to Wallis and Futuna!

Zanzibar, a tiny African pearl off the coast of Tanzania

Zanzibar, a tiny African pearl off the coast of Tanzania

Like Ushuaia, Dakar or even Petropavlovsk, Zanzibar is one of those destinations that you can’t necessarily point to on a world map, but whose name is enough to spark the wildest of dreams. But what if you’re no longer content to just dream? Head for this gem of the Indian Ocean, located off the east African coast just a stone’s throw from the coast of Tanzania!

United States: West Coast and contemporary art, a trip for aesthetes

United States: West Coast and contemporary art, a trip for aesthetes

If there is an ultimate luxury, it is the pleasure of combining our passions into one memorable experience. When the love of discovery meets the love of art, a whole world of possibilities opens up. On this Ponant cruise along the West Coast of North America, between Canada and the United States, the world’s largest auction house of contemporary art, Christie’s, will open doors to galleries and museums, revealing the secrets of key pieces of contemporary art.

Olivier Levasseur: on the trail of the lost treasure of the pirate La Buse

Olivier Levasseur: on the trail of the lost treasure of the pirate La Buse

“Olivier Levasseur, historical figure or folk legend? Both, my captain! Since his death in 1730 in Réunion, this famous French pirate, better known as La Buse, has lost none of his mystery and intrigue. And neither has his elusive lost loot, the stuff fantasies are made of and the focus of an astounding treasure hunt which began almost 300 years ago…”

The Arctic, a ocean of ice, pristine and unsullied

The Arctic, a ocean of ice, pristine and unsullied

In recent years, the North Pole has become a barometer of the global environment: so fragile and, paradoxically, such immense power. Everything here is raw, natural and in stark contrast: a pure, unsullied continent of ice resting on an inky black sea. And at the heart of this dialogue between land and sea, the wildlife, superlative in its untamed splendour. A tale of a singular and unique expedition.

The Seychelles archipelago: the great getaway

The Seychelles archipelago: the great getaway

If you’re looking for the keys to paradise, you are certain to find them in the Seychelles. White sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, powerful and preserved nature, unusual fauna, and more besides. Located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of East Africa, this archipelago deploys its generous beauty across islands of granite or coral. An Eden-like wonderland.

Top Five Secret Seas

Top Five Secret Seas

Almost 70% of our planet is covered by water. If you include gulfs, bays and straits, you can count over 150 seas brimming with animal and plant life as well as ecosystems and unique scenery.

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