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Emily Williams, dnata Travel’s resident globetrotter, reveals the best places to hop on a plane to this month

Seattle

It's an excellent time to visit Seattle, with its sunny weather and variety of outdoor events. In August alone, there's Seattle Art Fair, Watershed (a country music festival) an air show, car show, film festival, and even a salmon festival. Famous for its coffee culture – the world’s first Starbucks opened here at the popular Pike Place Market – this Washington city is also a great spot for whale watching around the San Juan Islands.

Highlights

1. Uncover a host of oddities, including shrunken heads and washed-up mermaids, at the century-old Ye Olde Curiosity Shop.

2. Take to the sky with a scenic seaplane tour and experience the Emerald City from above.

3. Go north and pay a visit to the 18-foot-tall stone troll that lives under Aurora Avenue Bridge. With any luck, he shall let you pass.

Tunis

Where else can you visit the Sahara Desert, the beach and some of the world’s most impressive Roman ruins all in one day? Tunisia is expecting a record number of tourists this year. Its capital, Tunis, is located on the Mediterranean coast and is home to some of North Africa’s most beautiful beaches. Here, you can discover a land brimming with atmospheric souks, aromatic spices and incredible local cuisine.

Highlights

1. Tuck into a traditional lamb with apricots dish at the popular homegrown restaurant El Ali on Rue Jamaa Ez Zitouna.

2. Pay a trip to Zitouna Mosque. Built in 732 CE, its prayer hall is a dazzling sight.

3. The largest Roman amphitheatre in Africa, El Jem (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), is about a two-hour drive away.

Jaipur

Live like a Maharaja in the majestic city of Jaipur. The capital of India’s Rajasthan state, the Pink City (a moniker inspired by the trademark colour of its buildings) evokes a regal ambience – it was founded and ruled by the royal family until 1971. Visit the opulent City Palace complex and explore its courtyards, gardens and museums, or venture into the surrounding former palaces, some of which are now converted to five-star hotels.

Highlights

1. Drink a traditional masala chai at Sahu Tea Shop – one of the most famous places for a brew in the city.

2. Head to Hanuman Ji Temple to soak up the peaceful ambience and to see the mischievous monkeys that call the place home.

3. Before your time in the city is up, visit Jantar Mantar, the world’s largest sundial – it's one of five such observatories in West-Central India built by Jai Singh.

Larnaca

It’s peak summertime on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Just a four-hour flight from Dubai, it is an enduringly popular place to escape the desert heat. Fly into Larnaca, a beautiful town on the coast with long stretches of golden sand. Next, head further inland to explore the modern downtown district, historic Old Town and atmospheric Turkish Quarter for the perfect blend of relaxation and activity.

Highlights

1. Take a trip to Larnaca Salt Lake and see its dry shores strewn with pink flamingos.

2. Seasoned scuba divers can venture below the surface to see the Zenobia Shipwreck, a ferry that sank in 1980 – you'll find it just off the fishing harbour.

3. Got kids in tow? Hire a car and make the one-hour drive to Nicosia's Fairytale Museum, which brings the magical world of fairy tales to life.