Alaska Inside Passage

Pressed between the Pacific and the Coast Mountains, Vancouver is the natural gateway to Alaska's Inside Passage — a city where temperate rainforest meets glass towers and where Dungeness crab and wild sockeye salmon define a Pacific Rim cuisine that rivals any in North America. Walk the 22-kilometre Stanley Park seawall, lose yourself in the Granville Island market, then ferry across to Victoria's Edwardian splendour. Alaska cruise season peaks from May through September, making Vancouver an ideal starting point for one of the world's great ocean journeys.

Tracy Arm is a stunning 30-mile fjord in Alaska's Tongass National Forest, celebrated for its dramatic landscapes and abundant wildlife. Must-do experiences include cruising through the fjord to view calving glaciers and enjoying local seafood like smoked salmon. The best season to visit is during the summer months when the area is vibrant and accessible.

Skagway, perched at the northern tip of the Lynn Canal in Alaska, is the gold rush boomtown that time has preserved almost perfectly — a frontier main street of false-fronted saloons and Victorian storefronts now protected as a National Historic Park. The legendary White Pass & Yukon Route railway, completed in 1900 to supply the Klondike goldfields, still climbs the vertiginous pass in vintage carriages, offering some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in North America. Glacier trekking and helicopter tours over the Juneau Icefield await the more adventurous. May through September brings long Arctic days and the most reliable access.

Mahé is the largest Seychelles island, a granitic paradise of ancient forests, over sixty pristine beaches, and the world's smallest capital city, Victoria. Must-do experiences include beach-hopping from Anse Intendance to Anse Major, hiking Morne Seychellois peak, and tasting octopus curry and Takamaka rum. November through March offers calm seas for beaches; May through September is cooler and ideal for hiking.

Whitehorse, capital of Canada's Yukon Territory, is a refined wilderness gateway born from the Klondike Gold Rush, where First Nations heritage, subarctic cuisine featuring Arctic char and wild bison, and the majestic Yukon River converge against a backdrop of boreal grandeur. Visitors should not miss the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre and a riverside walk along the Millennium Trail at golden hour. The ideal season spans June through August for endless daylight, or late August into September for aurora borealis viewing.

Dawson City, Yukon, is a historic port town famous for its role in the Klondike Gold Rush, offering a captivating glimpse into the past with its unique architecture and vibrant atmosphere. Must-do experiences include tasting local specialties like bison burgers and exploring the nearby natural wonders of Wells Gray Provincial Park. The best season to visit is during the summer months when the town comes alive with markets and cultural events.

Pressed between the Pacific and the Coast Mountains, Vancouver is the natural gateway to Alaska's Inside Passage — a city where temperate rainforest meets glass towers and where Dungeness crab and wild sockeye salmon define a Pacific Rim cuisine that rivals any in North America. Walk the 22-kilometre Stanley Park seawall, lose yourself in the Granville Island market, then ferry across to Victoria's Edwardian splendour. Alaska cruise season peaks from May through September, making Vancouver an ideal starting point for one of the world's great ocean journeys.