From castles to quaint ski villages, here's our list of places around the world where you'll find communities that make the most of the colours of the rainbow.

Andrew Louis gets a taste of life as a superhero with the help of a water-propelled jet pack.

A Rotorua couple's retreat is full of surprises, finds Rebecca Barry Hill.

Dave Watts and Chris Gill pick their favourite resorts in the US and Canada for beginners, experts and those in between.

Michael Brown and his family test-drive some of the city's 21st century attractions.

Kelly Lynch outlines what's happening at the largest ski resorts around the country.

Giovanna Dell'orto achieves a long-held goal of conquering a three-day Grand Canyon trail.

Fiona Knight and family opt for the serene style of the Scandinavian ski scene.

If perfect ski snow is your passion this is the Japanese destination for you, but don't count on admiring the scenery, writes David Lewis.

Rosalie France explores National Park without snow.

Catherine Smith checks out waterfront activities celebrating the Volvo Ocean Race.

Twenty-six years ago, Nicholas Jones' father tested his youthful stamina on the mountainsides of Nepal. Recently, he returned to the roof of the world with his sons to relive his trekking adventure.

A year-long global ed-venture (education adventure) is giving a mother and her young son a year of discovery they will never forget.

Lace up your hiking boots and discover north-east Spain by foot. P.K. Stowers pays homage to Catalonia.

New cruise line's winning formula puts creatures before home comforts, write Anne Z Cooke and Steve Haggerty.

A snowmobile is an unwieldy beast, with handling a far cry from his 250cc motorbike, finds Andrew Louis.

In the adventure sports world, dangerous and unsafe have different meanings, writes Diana Balham.

Leah McLennan looks at what's big and what's new on the Otago skifields.

Ian Henderson relished the chance to venture beyond the world of safe, scheduled travel. His wife was not so sure...

Paul Abercrombie gets to grips with Venice's watery warrens during a once-in-a-lifetime rowing lesson.

Head over heels for NSW waves, Duncan Gillies feels the fear but does it anyway.

A bird's eye view is your reward when you take to the skies above Waiheke, discovers Helen van Berkel.

Raising your children on a sailing boat has its dangers, but seafaring parents claim the benefits are vast.

Dionne Christian joins tourists on the Breeze for a trip back into Auckland's coastal trading history.

Sarah Lawrence and her teenage son have a wheely good time in Central Otago.

Elisabeth Easther goes in search of animal encounters in the untamed central North Island.

An adventure holiday in the Colombian forest is an exhilarating experience, writes Christopher Adams, as he reflects on a few bumps and bruises.

Dionne Christian is cleared for a nervous lift-off on a Rotorua eco-adventure tour.

On visiting a women-only surf and yoga retreat, Elisabeth Easther found everyone on the same wave length.