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| | | See ‘Norway in miniature' on a wild drive | Have two days free and fancy the idea of seeing a microcosm of Norway’s best bits — white sand beaches, majestic mountains, a churning ocean, loads of whales? This wild drive will not disappoint. The journey begins in Bodø and ends in Senja, a rugged island north of the Arctic Circle that typically only sees tourists from Norway. You’ll see massive mountain walls, dense forest, raw and exposed coastlines, the world’s fastest tidal current and one spectacular fjord and tiny fishing hamlet after another. Tip: If you travel during mid-May to early August you’ll have nonstop daylight. |
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| | | Head out of Hanoi and into the hills … on a scooter | A 50-mile motorbike ride is tonic for the soul — especially with stunning Vietnamese scenery and a stop at a bear sanctuary. This drive begins at the mythical, pea-green expanse of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and heads into the hills to the cool, forested embrace of Tam Đảo. Along the way you’ll cross the Red River on a 2-mile wind-buffeted bridge, see miles of rose and chrysanthemum farms, experience perilously steep climbs, travel narrow and winding roads through primal forest and then climb some more. The best part? You’re more likely to be held up by a posse of fluffy yellow ducks than any human traffic. Tip: Plan your two-wheeled escape during a weekday and avoid national holidays. |
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| | | Take a lush drive through Rwanda’s tea fields | With its breathtaking views of tea fields, volcanoes and beaches, do you need more reasons to take this stunning road trip in Rwanda? The Kivu Belt road stretches 120 miles along sparkling Lake Kivu and through iridescent tea plantations as well as other terraced farmlands. It takes five hours to drive from the Rubavu district to the southern Rusizi district but you’ll want to break the journey up over two days. There’s just so much to see: volcanoes, sweeping views of lush islands, banana plantations, palm-lined streets and bicyclists loaded up with steel canisters of milk, earth colors changing from volcanic black to a rusty red. Tip: Consider ending your journey at Emeraude Kivu Resort, Cyangugu, with a mug of green tea. |
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| | | Forget bingo. The best thing to do in Mauritius is drive it | Mauritius has a tawdry reputation for bingo nights and all-you-can-eat buffets. But there’s another side to this island nation, and you need to get in a car to see it. On this drive in southern Mauritius you’ll see spectacular deserted beaches, fecund forests, crumbling stone churches and miles of photochromic sugar fields, all on roads virtually devoid of tourists. In 58 short miles you’ll pass authentic fishing ports, centuries-old ruins, pristine forests and azure waters. Even the island’s lumo-green interior will take your breath away. Be sure to enjoy the sections of indigenous forest and splendid jungle before hitting the village of Chamarel — that’s where you’ll finally have to contend with busloads of tourists. Tip: Pack a swimsuit and a snorkel as there are many beautiful watery places to explore. |
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| | | The beautiful backroads of South Africa’s coast | The Garden Route — a land of primeval forests, rugged white beaches and vertiginous coastal cliffs — is one of South Africa’s most beautiful regions. Most people see it from the newer highway, but those in the know drive the old Route 102 (R102) and its various offshoots, which snake their way in and out of every single valley and see hardly any traffic. The 200-mile stretch between Great Brak River and Van Stadens Pass is a dramatic drive of hairpin bends, mystical villages, majestic mountains (with splendid Indian Ocean views) and stunning passes, including a narrow gravel gem through ferns and forest — and a few roads that might look closed, but are passable to the adventurous. Tip: Take a detour on the Montagu Pass, the oldest unaltered gravel pass in the country. |
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| | | A hairpin road to paradise in Greece | Not for the faint of heart, this winding, treacherous road — well, an old mule path — has sections through the mountains so narrow that two cars and maybe an eyelash can pass through them. But the white-knuckle drive (rumor has it even taxi drivers get queasy) to Kyparissi, Greece, is definitely worth it. With hair-raising twists and turns alongside precipitous drops, gorgeous (and terrifying) views of the Myrtoan Sea and too few guardrails, expect many adrenaline rushes. Danger aside, it’s worth the trek to see the three villages of the Kyparissi region, including Kapsala, a mostly abandoned village. Anyway, wouldn’t you risk life and limb to see a place so intoxicating it became the seaside getaway of George H.W. Bush, Prince Charles and, reportedly, Princess Diana, the morning before her death? |
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Community Corner
| | Do you have a favorite off-the-beaten-path drive? Is there a little-known road trip you’ve always wanted to take? Share your hidden gem with us and we may cover it next. |
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