DestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaGallo pinto: Costa Rica rice and beansDeeply rooted in Costa Rican and Nicaraguan culture, this staple of rice and beans with a side of eggs gets a spicy kick from Salsa Lizano (a sauce similar to Worcestershire).TravelIs this the next smoothie trend?In southern Belize, a sweet and creamy heritage drink made from seaweed has become a symbol of the country's sustainable underwater farming initiatives.TravelGallo pinto: Costa Rica rice and beansDeeply rooted in Costa Rican and Nicaraguan culture, this staple of rice and beans with a side of eggs gets a spicy kick from Salsa Lizano (a sauce similar to Worcestershire).TravelIs this the next smoothie trend?In southern Belize, a sweet and creamy heritage drink made from seaweed has become a symbol of the country's sustainable underwater farming initiatives.TravelThe Maya's ingenious secret to survivalTikal was the economic and ceremonial hub of the Maya civilisation. But its stone palaces and temples would never have been constructed without mastery over one vital substance.TravelThe islands with a 'third gender'In the small indigenous territory of Guna Yala off Panama’s eastern coast, a flourishing ‘third gender’ community is defying stereotypes – and venerating women.TravelAn eerie portal to the Maya underworldIn Belize's ATM Cave, details of ancient Maya religious sacrifices come into focus as new research creates a picture of how rituals were used to re-enact the Maya creation story.The Maya's ingenious secret to survivalTikal was the economic and ceremonial hub of the Maya civilisation. But its stone palaces and temples would never have been constructed without mastery over one vital substance.TravelThe islands with a 'third gender'In the small indigenous territory of Guna Yala off Panama’s eastern coast, a flourishing ‘third gender’ community is defying stereotypes – and venerating women.TravelMore Central America travelThe simple Costa Rican secrets to longevityCosta Rica is home to one of the five Blue Zones – regions of the world with populations that regularly live into healthy old ageTravelCosta Rica's uniquely positive outlook on lifeCosta Rica's national saying "pura vida", which is associated with a sense of wellbeing, positivity and gratitude, is far more than just a simple catchphrase.TravelSustainable travel destinations for 2024With huge numbers of travellers now seeking to travel more lightly and mindfully, these destinations are making sustainable travel easier this year.TravelThe Americas' disappearing islandFor more than 100 years, the Indigenous Guna people have lived on a tiny Caribbean island. Now, they're poised to become some of the Americas' first climate change refugees.TravelThe 2,000-year-old tamale few knowAn icon in its native land, the Guatemalan tamale is wrapped in a striking green banana leaf that gives way to an airy corn dumpling stuffed with spicy pork, peppers and olives.TravelA crowd-pleasing chicken soupPanama's version of the ubiquitous Latin American soup is a nostalgic panacea of poultry and produce that is both restorative and celebratory.TravelMore travelHollywood's unlikely movie set for blockbustersConstructed more than 100 years ago, the Yamashiro Historic District is as fantastic as any story that Hollywood could put on the silver screen.TravelThe dark side of a couple's Alaskan wilderness dreamIn this BBC archive clip from 1962, Alan Whicker meets the adventurous New Jersey couple who chose to tough it out in a new life as homesteaders.CultureThe US Founding Father who travelled the globeThanks to a new series starring Michael Douglas, Benjamin Franklin is enjoying a renaissance. But as Eric Weiner discovers, the printer, publisher and diplomat was also a consummate traveller.TravelYosemite's hidden Chinese American historyFrom the park's mountain peaks to its winding roads to its wood-panelled buildings, Chinese American history is everywhere in Yosemite – if you know where to look.TravelDalí talks about his iconic 'aggressive' moustacheIn an exclusive BBC archive interview the Surrealist artist shared the secret behind the most famous moustache in the world.CultureThe eerie story behind the newest US national parkDuring World War Two, this haunting site was home to more than 7,500 interned Japanese Americans and was 50% more crowded than New York City.TravelSleep like a samurai in Kyoto's shōgun-era ryokanRun by the same family for the past 12 generations, this more-than-300-year-old inn is considered one of the finest in all of Japan.TravelHow the world's oldest travel story inspired my ownTravel writer Laura Coffey sets off on an epic adventure to discover the modern destinations behind The Odyssey, the real places where myths meet geography.TravelCivilisation collapse: Lessons from the pastPre-modern states and civilisations became more prone to collapse as time passed – a pattern that holds lessons for today's ageing global powers.Future