Abu Dhabi and the Seychelles (La Digue and Praslin)

Abu Dhabi rises on an archipelago of islands facing the Persian Gulf, capital of the United Arab Emirates and a showcase of modern opulence built on desert sand. Along the Corniche, the broad waterfront lined with gleaming towers, palms and groomed beaches, the city shows its contemporary face, while the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque — with its white domes, slender minarets and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet — embodies its spiritual soul and architectural ambition. On Saadiyat Island the cultural district is home to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, beneath its famous latticed dome that filters a «rain of light», the centrepiece of an ambitious museum quarter. On Yas Island, by contrast, the Yas Marina Formula 1 circuit, the Ferrari World and Warner Bros theme parks and vast shopping malls all pulse with energy. Among the dunes of the Liwa desert, at the edge of the legendary Rub’ al-Khali, visitors enjoy 4×4 safaris, nights in tented camps and dinners under the stars, in a landscape of sand that turns gold at sunset. Iconic palaces such as the Emirates Palace, luxury hotels and an international dining scene sit alongside the flavours of Emirati cuisine. Abu Dhabi blends Bedouin tradition with futuristic vision, offering a journey suspended between desert, sea and man-made wonders.

La Digue preserves the slow rhythm of another age, where people travel by bicycle or traditional ox-cart and cars are almost absent. The island's emblem is Anse Source d'Argent, perhaps the most photographed beach in the world, its huge pink-granite boulders rising from powder-fine sand and shallow lagoons, set within the historic L'Union Estate where a vanilla plantation and ancient giant tortoises endure. Cycling the tracks leads to other lovely bays such as Grand Anse and Petite Anse, wilder and washed by stronger surf. The waters offer superb snorkelling and diving, while small Creole restaurants serve the freshest fish. La Digue delivers the purest, most authentic essence of the Seychelles, suspended between granite, palms and ocean.

Praslin, the archipelago's second island, guards one of the Seychelles' most extraordinary natural treasures: the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage forest reserve where the endemic coco de mer palms grow and the rare black parrot survives. Among its beaches, Anse Lazio is regularly ranked among the world's finest, with pale sand, sculpted granite boulders and crystalline water ideal for snorkelling; nearby Anse Georgette enchants with its secluded perfection. The calmer eastern coast holds resorts and fishing villages, while reefs teeming with fish and turtles make the island a prime diving destination. Praslin is also the springboard for boat excursions to La Digue, Curieuse and the islet of Saint Pierre. Praslin blends primeval forest with dream beaches, a rare balance of wild nature and tropical ease.