The coastal towns along the Fraser Coast offer plenty of in, on and high above water activities like diving, jet skiing, hang gliding, deep sea fishing, paragliding and more. You name it, it is all here!

In 1964, four businessmen conceived of the idea of creating a physical manifestation of the city's gratitude to God. As one result of this project, Thanks-Giving Square has been established. The square is decorated with fountains, a bell tower and the beautiful Chapel of Thanks-Giving, open to adepts of all faiths.

Qasr Al Hosn, the oldest and most significant building in Abu Dhabi, was built around the 1790s as the city's first permanent structure, initially serving as a watchtower to oversee coastal trade routes and protect the growing settlement. Over the centuries, it has been the home of the ruling family, the seat of government, a consultative council, and a national archive. Today, it stands as a living memorial and narrator of Abu Dhabi's history. The main entrance is adorned with colourful Islamic-style tiles, and inside, centuries-old mashrabiya screens and carved wooden doors showcase the enduring architectural beauty.

Once the first free settlement in the Americas, founded by those who escaped slavery during the colonial period, the town of San Basilio de Palenque still stands today, and with it the unique culture of its inhabitants. A portion of the population still speaks palenquero, a creole tongue that emerged from a mix of several European and African languages, now used almost exclusively in San Basilio de Palenque. Music and dance occupy a place of paramount importance in residents' lives, with the Drums and Cultural Expressions Festival held annually in October. The palenque cuisine deserves a separate mention — a culinary tradition upheld by inhabitants of a small Colombian village has garnered international acclaim, with a cookbook written in the town receiving the highest prize at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in 2014. If your schedule happens to be too tight for a dedicated day trip (which earns our highest recommendation), try some of the tropical fruit sold by palenqueras in downtown Cartagena. The village was named Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.