Natasha Amar

Trying to come up with an itinerary in a country that’s as chock-full of spectacular landscapes as Iceland can leave you scratching your head. After one visit, you will likely want to return a second (or third time) because it really is that beautiful.
For a first-time trip, begin with these 10 attractions, from the bird cliffs of west Iceland to the fabled canyons of the north.
Spend time in a cool Nordic capital
With quaint streets lined with colorful houses, cute boutiques, interesting art...

The Greenland Ice Sheet covers over 80 percent of Greenland—the world’s biggest island— leaving its nearly 57,000-strong population to live in cities and villages along the coast. To get around between these small towns, you need to travel by helicopter and ferries, not cars, trains, or buses. Meaning that a trip to Greenland takes a lot of careful planning. Even to the first-time visitor, it quickly becomes clear that for every aspect of life in Greenland, the weather dictates where and when...

I’ve barely just met him earlier in the day, but it takes only a minute to see that Salik Hard, one of my hosts in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland that lies 240 km south of the Arctic Circle, is a gifted storyteller. His eloquence lies not just in his words, carefully chosen for the greatest impact, but also in the many emotions that flicker across his face momentarily when he is telling a story—especially if that story is about food.
An eyebrow raised ever so slightly, a pause, uncertain and ...

Home to over 200 nationalities, Dubai is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world and a true melting pot of cultural influences. Beyond the futuristic cityscape made up of sleek skyscrapers, contemporary architecture, and manmade archipelagos, Dubai has an open-minded and collaborative culture. For remote workers and digital nomads, that means it’s very easy to find community and network with other likeminded professionals.
In terms of lifestyle, Dubai plays host to art and cultural e...

Many visitors are drawn to Oman for its pristine landscapes and nature experiences, but Oman is also a modern Gulf country with a vibrant cultural heritage. This heritage is apparent in the many languages spoken in the country, forts and archeological sites along ancient trading routes, and traditional practices such as rosewater distillation.
Today warm and welcoming Omanis still live by its societal values of humility, kindness and hospitality, and will invite visitors to share a meal, or g...

Home to stunning dive sites, intriguing archeological ruins, historic forts and souqs (markets) and some of the region’s best hiking trails, Oman promises an unforgettable travel experience. Visas to visit this complex, storied land are easy to obtain, but there's some red tape to navigate compared to its Gulf neighbors.
Many people visit Oman after spending a few days in Dubai in the neighboring United Arab Emirates, but you may feel a bit overwhelmed by the visa process for Oman. Whether yo...

Oman’s cities and towns offer plenty of cultural experiences and historical sights, but the country’s biggest draws – and the sites that knock most visitors’ socks off – lie outside the city limits.
The landscapes in Oman are spectacular. Lush wadis (valleys) cut across jagged limestone mountains, and white-sand beaches hug turquoise waters. The wildlife is diverse: sprightly Arabian gazelles and horned Arabian oryx peer at you atop desert plateaus, rays and dolphins swim in cerulean seas and...

The beauty of the United Arab Emirates’ natural landscapes hits home when you venture outside city limits to sleep among golden dunes, under thousands of stars, in the deserts. Of course, this is a country with an unabashed love of luxury — so in Dubai and its neighboring emirates, you can sleep like royalty, even in the sand.
At these lavish UAE desert resorts, find yourself with Arabian oryx and gazelles for company, and partake in Bedouin traditions that make you feel right at home among d...

Oman’s stunning landscapes are this country’s marquee attractions.
And to truly appreciate the rose-gold desert dunes, trails crisscrossing mountainous terrain, white-sand beaches, quiet fishing villages and rocky valleys with turquoise pools, it’s best to explore by car.
While Oman’s public transportation system of buses and ferries will get you between the main cities and towns, a private ride is recommended if you want to travel deeper in search of nature experiences such as hiking, diving...

When my mother passed away, I did the only thing I could think of to connect with my father—I cooked.
Ask any Indian Sindhi and they'll tell you that sai bhaji (which translates to "green vegetable" in the Sindhi language), a hearty spinach and legume dish that's usually served with rice, is straight-up nostalgia and comfort in a bowl. They might even admit what nearly every Sindhi truly believes in their heart: that the best sai bhaji in the world is the one their mother makes.
I believed th...

Known for its rich cultural heritage, wildly beautiful landscapes and the heart-warming hospitality of its people, Oman is not a country you might associate with traveling on a budget.
After all, it shares borders with the United Arab Emirates, where neighboring Dubai is known for its pricey attractions and experiences geared towards wealthy visitors. But if you’re open to independent travel, it’s easy to go backpacking in Oman or otherwise travel around on a budget.
A first piece of advice: ...

There’s no better way to explore Oman’s pristine, wildly beautiful and surprisingly diverse landscapes than on a road trip. A network of excellent coastal highways and interior routes offers access to fishing villages, white-sand beaches, stunning gorges, mountain towns and lush nature reserves.
Whether you're spending one week or two in Oman, renting a car gives you maximum flexibility – something you’ll appreciate when faced with the prospect of spending an extra hour or two soaking in a tu...

First-time visitors to Oman might be surprised to learn that the range of natural landscapes in the country isn’t limited to undulating desert dunes, lush palm oases and rugged limestone mountains – the country’s 3165km-long coastline is dotted with sun-bleached swaths of white sand, rocky beaches and pristine islands where turtles outnumber people and pods of dolphins swim alongside boats.
If creature comforts are important, then the beach resorts in Oman or the city beaches, with tourism in...

Away from the cities, white-sand beaches and fishing villages along the coast, Oman’s craggy interior is truly rewarding for adventurers in hiking boots.
Deep within the Hajar Mountains lie cliff-top villages lost in time; terraced farms and date plantations; barren valleys and peaks; and natural springs and wadis (valleys or riverbeds) with turquoise pools of water that invite you to jump or wade in.
A network of marked and well-maintained trails makes adventure trekking in Oman easy for ind...

These tours in Dubai—which range from lavish desert feasts to vertiginous helicopter tours—are perfect for first-timers.
First-time Dubai visitors should prepare to be awestruck by its bold, futuristic cityscape, surprised by its not-too-distant history, and captivated by the richness of its cosmopolitan culture. The city invites visitors to live the high life for which it’s famous, of course, but there are also myriad ways travelers can explore far beyond preconceived notions of the region.
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