Mexico

This is a truly vast destination, with a geography more varied than a tray of salsa at a street market. So you'll have to make some choices. The country stretches over 4,000 km, from the shores of the Sea of Cortés via Acapulco Bay to the white-sand beaches of the Riviera Maya, from the arid, cactus-clad western landscapes of the north to the subtropical plains dotted with Mayan cities of the Yucatán. Its history is just as rich, shaped by prestigious and, in some cases, still mysterious civilizations that have left some of the most fascinating remains on the planet.