Cape Verde
Calhau
Climb a dead volcano from the beach and count three uninhabited islands from its rim.
Lava fields run down to a working shore where fishing boats sit under bare volcanic cones. Offshore, the swell that gives this coast its surf reputation rolls in from the open Atlantic, and everything smells of salt and hot rock.
Calhau is São Vicente's east-coast counterweight to Mindelo, a fishing village a short drive across the island's arid interior. The cone beside the village is extinct and climbable, a scramble of almost 150 metres that puts the uninhabited islands of Santa Luzia, Raso and Branco on the horizon. Surf and wind schools work the exposed beaches towards Praia Grande, though the currents are serious and local advice decides what is swimmable on any given day. At weekends Mindelo drives out to eat: Chez Loutcha's Calhau branch lays on its traditional buffet with live Cape Verdean music, and the village's fish kitchens do the rest.
Solo
Cross the island, scramble the cone for the three-island view, and time the return around a plate of whatever the boats brought in.
Couple
Trade Mindelo's noise for lava fields and Atlantic light, with a long weekend lunch as the anchor of the day.
- Calhau is a working fishing village on São Vicente's arid east coast.
- An extinct volcano of almost 150 metres rises by the village, its summit looking out to Santa Luzia, Raso and Branco.
- The exposed beaches towards Praia Grande carry a serious surfing reputation.
- Chez Loutcha's Calhau branch is a weekend institution of Cape Verdean buffets and live traditional music.
Chez Loutcha's Calhau outpost lays on its Cape Verdean buffet for the village's famous long lunches.
On other days the village's fish kitchens grill whatever the morning landed, simply and close to the water.
Antofagasta de la Sierra
Argentina
Puna silence at 3,300 metres as black lava fields meet flamingo lagoons.
Quebrada de las Flechas
Argentina
Tilted stone slabs pierce the earth like frozen arrows, a canyon turned sideways.
El Leoncito National Park
Argentina
Observatories under Argentina's clearest sky, where the Milky Way is bright enough to shadow.
Puente del Inca
Argentina
A natural stone bridge stained sulphur-yellow, slowly absorbing the ruins of a spa hotel.
Fajã d'Água
Cape Verde
From this bay sailed Cape Verde's first ship to America; the Matilde never arrived.
Salinas de Porto Inglês
Cape Verde
Women of the island's salt cooperative still harvest white gold from wetland pans.
Maio
Cape Verde
Three thousand turtles a summer nest on an island that is one whole biosphere reserve.
Cabo Santa Maria
Cape Verde
A freighter carrying gifts for General Franco has rusted on this beach since 1968.