Fathom founder Pavia Rosati takes in Rio from various elevations, seaside to mountaintop.RIO DE JANEIRO – Rio is visually dazzling. A natural wonderland where mountains meet ocean, bays and inlets beg to be Instagrammed, and scenic palm fronds frame the whole gorgeous scene. You can enjoy the views from any vantage point, but you should vary your vantage point because the city is spectacular at every elevation.Looking out onto Pão de A

INSTAGRAM – We love action, so we asked for your best jump shot tagged #travelwithfathom on Instagram. We never thought wed receive so many impressive sky-high stills from around the world. After deliberating, double-tapping in disbelief, and perfecting our form, were happy to share our favorites from the batch.THE WINNERThis rounds winning photo by @saraeloca was over-the-rainbow amazing. Congratulations, Sara! She will receive a beau

On a recent trip to the Oaxaca surf mecca Puerto Escondido, Natasha Hecher musters the courage to jump into a murky swamp to party with luminescent plankton.PUERTO ESCONDIDO, Mexico – ­My gumption had abandoned me. Just as I was about to jump into a dark, murky swamp that held magical, sparkly secrets. I have a girly fear of things unseen, but I didnt want to back out. Especially because the six year old behind me was getting eager for her

Oliver Hartman from Jungles in Paris (one of Fathoms 24 Best Travel Blogs and Websites of 2015) spent time on Quebecs northern coast with filmmaker John Marton. They shot a documentary about the northern gannet (out next week), one of the largest sea birds of the North Atlantic, and sent over a few favorite behind-the-scene stills.How did you reach the giant colony of gannets?From Montreal, we took a small flight (a ten-seater, tw

Portugal is trending this year, which means its now-autonomous Atlantic islands arent far behind. Scientist Julie Pullen turned a work trip into a short vacation and discovered all the wonders the Azores have to offer.THE AZORES – The Azores have been on the radar of rugged European types for some time, but are only now developing a following among travelers from the northeast United States and Canada who are looking for an easy island dest

At a crossroads? Before choosing a path, author Christine Lennon recommends making a detour that is at once awe-inspiring and humbling. And connecting to something much bigger than all of us. Its an exercise that has come in handy for her before.U.S.A. – Sometimes, you come across a place that is so unusual and breathtaking that it changes your life, a view so beautiful that you’re inspired to make some kind of grand gesture to match i

Theres no denying it: Iceland is the place to be for in-the-know traveling types. Skip the crowds in favor of an off-season visit. Seasoned traveler and journalist Elizabeth Johnson shows us the way. ICELAND – The magic began before the plane even nosed its way to the ground.Everyone, you need to wake up right now, the pilot crackled over the intercom. Look out the window.Splashes of emerald green wavered in the ether. The light danced and

Whenever someone tells us a story about their trip to Hawaii, they tell us a story about the aloha spirit. Its everywhere, and its a beautiful thing. Especially when it also involves noodle soup.KAUAI – By the time my friend got back to the restaurant after a dash to the ATM, our lunch was already paid for. The generous hosts practically ghosted.Thats the aloha spirit, our cab driver and guide for the morning, Danny, quietly said. No braggi

Tom Quigley, an American based in Australia, observes the many sounds of a summer night Down Under. A reader story.CAPE OTWAY, Australia – Cicadas act as a backdrop, an orchestral build behind the real music. If youre near water, you can hear the frogs begin snoring, rich and pleasant. Some nights you can hear the bats as they patrol for insects, blipping away like the sound of a fork on a plate, but the volume turned low. Together, they so

Today Fathom debuts Hello Again, a collaboration with Lincoln Motor Company about interesting and non-traditional hotels around the world. In our first installment, we visit Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur. Because who wouldnt want to spend a few days in a swank treehouse?BIG SUR, California – Design can leave an equally stunning mark by either defying its environment or acquiescing to the nature that surrounds it. Delicately balancing elements o

Its been enchanting everyone since the Ancient Romans. Fathom founder Pavia Rosati was just one of the latest to be charmed by the archipelago off the Croatian coastline.BRIJUNI, Croatia – In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a sacred pleasure dome erect, and on the Brijuni Islands did Yugoslav honcho Josip Tito build himself one hell of a playground.I spent a day on Brijuni (Brioni in Italian) on a trip around Istria in June. I was on someone elses it

One of the best escapes 100 miles from midtown Manhattan is the village of Rhinebeck, New York — a haute hippie sort of place situated near the Hudson River. The town features an eclectic mix of architecture, sustainable dining, and residents (and weekenders) from all walks of life. Its a great place year-round, but summer features some of the best farmers markets, antiques shows, and country fairs youll find anywhere. 

HOW TO GET TH

There’s nothing like the coast of Maine in the summertime. And there’s no better place to spend the day than Acadia National Park, just outside your lobster-ific base in Bar Harbor. BAR HARBOR, Maine – For years, my family and I had two associations with Acadia National Park. The first, a brilliant, life-affirming sunrise over Cadillac Mountain. The second, a death-defying sea kayaking expedition that left us all awed by the power of t

Taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Australia? Thats the kind of change we can get behind. Researching the entire continent is overwhelming. But a tiny island off the southern coast feels like a good place to dive in.KANGAROO ISLAND, Australia – Heres where my heads at today: I want to be somewhere very remote, away from televisions and Twitter and close to wild animals and rugged landscapes. Preferably in another season, in another hemisph

Were all for taking that next big road trip, buying that round-the-world ticket, and diving with whale sharks. But were allergic to the term bucket list. That said, when we flipped through The Bucket List: 1000 Adventures Big & Small, we were pleasantly surprised with the sheer variety of unique ideas and blown away by the incredible photos of stunning landscapes and events — many in spots weve heard little to nothing about. The book

Fathoms contributing koan editor James Sturz has explored the mysteries of Kenyan wildlife, the Bengal tigers of Madhya Pradesh, the furry mammothness of the Canadian Rockies, and the utter savagery of Parisian runways. Now he turns his sights on former Northern and Southern Rhodesia, today known as Zambia and Zimbabwe.ZAMBIA and ZIMBABWE – After participating in last years Tour de Tuli — Wilderness Safaris annual four-day, 300-km (18

Copenhagen-based photographer Mark Gray, one of Fathoms 24 Best Travelers on Instagram, shows us around the Faroe Islands, a self-governing Scandinavian archipelago where there are more sheep than people.FAROE ISLANDS – The raw beauty of the Faroe Islands is hard to find anywhere else in the world. Its made up of eighteen rocky volcanic islands and sits between Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic Ocean. Due to its location, i

We love how our 24 Best Travel Photographers transport us to the farthest-flung destinations, shedding light on totally undiscovered parts of the world. Palani Mohan is a prime example: He spent four years documenting the burkitshi, Mongolian nomads who hunt with eagles on horseback in the Altai Mountains in western Mongolia. Through a series of stunning black and white photos in his most recent photo book, Hunting with Eagles, Mohan spotli

Fathom editorial director Jeralyn Gerba cant stop dreaming about her trip to Iguassu Falls, the incredibly powerful series of 275 waterfalls she had all to herself — thanks to privileges given to guests of the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas in Brazil.CHECKING INOverviewA Portuguese-Colonial beauty in tropicalia pink, the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas is the only hotel located inside the Brazilian Iguassu National Park. A heritage buil

Fathom editor Berit Baugher secures the hardest reservation in Kyoto — a ticket for two to an ancient zen temple and stunning moss garden at the foothills of Mount Arashiyama.KYOTO – When Im making travel plans, theres nothing that motivates me more more than being told no to a request — like getting a ticket to a cant-miss event or securing reservations at a noteworthy restaurant. The slightest sign of a challenge bec