Scenic Coastal Drives
Ocean roads, island loops, cliff drives, and surf-backed highways from California to New Zealand. 225 curated drives with mapped stops, distance, duration, and route notes — including Pacific Coast Hwy, Overseas Highway, Sea to Sky Highway.
These 225 routes range from 10 to 7820 km and from 0.5 to 30 days, across 90 countries. Top picks: Pacific Coast Hwy, Overseas Highway, Sea to Sky Highway.
No routes match these filters. Clear a filter or try a broader search.
LegendaryPacific Coast HwyCalifornia Highway 1 hugs the coast from San Francisco to Los Angeles, cliffs, redwoods, Big Sur, and beaches that look designed for film shoots.EV-friendly
IconicOverseas HighwayUS-1 leaves the Florida mainland and drives 230km over 42 bridges across the Florida Keys, the highway that goes to sea. Turquoise flats on both sides, pelicans on every railing, and America's most southerly point at the end.EV-friendly
IconicSea to Sky HighwayBC-99 from Vancouver to Whistler is one of the world's great short drives, Howe Sound's fjord on one side, the Coast Mountains on the other, threading through old-growth forest past tumbling waterfalls and into a world-class mountain town.EV-friendly
LegendaryRoad to HānaThe Hāna Highway winds along Maui's dramatic northeastern coastline through 59 bridges and 620 curves, bamboo forests, hidden black-sand beaches, waterfalls tumbling into the sea, and one of the most lush drives on Earth.EV-friendlyPermit required
LegendaryCabot TrailCape Breton's Cabot Trail is one of the most scenic drives in North America, the road climbs over the Cape Breton Highlands, drops to sea-level fishing villages, and traces cliff edges with 300m drops into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.EV-friendlyPermit requiredLoop / circuit
IconicLas Vegas to Stovepipe Wells via Death ValleyThe lowest, hottest, driest national park on Earth, and one of its most spectacular. Golden badlands, salt flats at 86m below sea level, rainbow-painted hills, and dunes that hum when the sand shifts in the wind.
LegendaryBaja California Highway 1The world's longest peninsula drive, Highway 1 traces 1,700 km of Pacific surf, Sea of Cortez lagoons, giant cardón cacti, and grey whale sanctuaries from Tijuana all the way to Cabo San Lucas.
IconicSeward HighwayThis classic Alaska drive runs from downtown Anchorage south to Seward, following Turnagain Arm past tidal mudflats, glacier-capped peaks, and roadside viewpoints. It’s a straightforward paved route, but the scenery demands frequent stops for hikes, wildlife viewing, and overlooks along Kenai Peninsula’s dramatic coast.EV-friendly
IconicSeattle–Olympic Peninsula CircuitA true Seattle circuit: cross Puget Sound, tour Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent, continue through the Hoh and wild Pacific beaches, then return to Seattle through Lake Quinault and Olympia.Loop / circuit
LegendaryGreat Ocean Road and Western Coast ExtensionThe classic Torquay-to-Allansford Great Ocean Road links surf coast, rainforest and the Twelve Apostles. This extended itinerary begins in Melbourne and continues beyond Allansford through Port Fairy to Portland, which is why its headline distance is 660 km.EV-friendly
LegendaryMilford Sound DriveFiordland is New Zealand's wildest corner, a frayed landscape of mountains sliced with fjords. The only road into Milford Sound from Te Anau follows Lake Te Anau's inland fjord shores, traverses the Eglinton Valley, passes the Mirror Lakes, climbs to the Divide through the 1.2 km Homer Tunnel, then descends steeply into mountain-rimmed Milford Sound.EV-friendly
IconicGreat Alpine RoadVictoria's B500 climbs over the Australian Alps from Wangaratta to Bairnsdale, the highest sealed road in Australia, through snow gum forests, Mount Hotham ski resorts, and the gold-rush valley of Harrietville.EV-friendly
IconicPacific Coast Highway, New ZealandNew Zealand's Pacific coast from Whakatane to Napier, through Māori culture, East Cape's remote headlands, Gisborne's chardonnay vineyards, Hawke's Bay's Art Deco cities, and the easternmost point of the North Island. Off the beaten track until the final destination: Napier's extraordinary Art Deco streetscape.EV-friendly
IconicCairns to Port Douglas Coastal DriveThis classic tropical coast drive follows the Captain Cook Highway from Cairns to Port Douglas, skimming rainforest-clad headlands, palm beaches, and the Coral Sea. It is one of Australia’s most accessible scenic routes, with easy stops for lookouts, swimming beaches, and reef-day-trip departures.EV-friendly
LegendaryRing RoadA complete clockwise Reykjavík-to-Reykjavík circuit of Iceland Route 1, paced across the south coast, East Fjords, Mývatn, Akureyri and the west.EV-friendlySUV onlyLoop / circuit
LegendaryAmalfi CoastThe SS163 may be the most beautiful road on Earth, hairpin bends cut into cliffs, pastel villages above an impossibly blue sea, lemon groves scenting the air.EV-friendly
LegendaryNorthern and Western Wild Atlantic Way to the Ring of KerryA linear ten-day journey from Malin Head through Donegal, Sligo, Achill, Connemara, Galway, Clare, Dingle, Killarney and the Ring of Kerry.EV-friendly
LegendaryNorth Coast 500A correctly ordered six-day clockwise NC500 from Inverness along the east and north coasts, then through Ullapool, Wester Ross, Applecross and back to Inverness.EV-friendly
LegendaryGrossglockner High Alpine RoadThere's a reason the Grossglockner Road is often cited as the finest drive in the Alps, a 48 km rollercoaster of sheer glacier-encrusted mountains, waterfalls, forested slopes, jewel-coloured lakes, and 4,000 m peaks on almost every distractingly lovely bend. The crown is Grossglockner itself at 3,798 m, Austria's highest peak, and the rapidly retreating Pasterze Glacier below the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe lookout.EV-friendly
IconicThree Corniches: Nice–Menton LoopA two-day loop that names the actual Moyenne and Basse Corniche segments while giving Èze, Monaco, Menton and Villefranche realistic time.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
LegendaryAdriatic Coastal HighwayA linear Trogir-to-Dubrovnik Adriatic route with Split first, then Makarska, Biokovo, the Neretva delta and Ston.EV-friendly
LegendaryRoute des Grandes AlpesA true Alpine spectacular, La Route des Grandes Alpes traverses the French Alps from the shores of Lake Geneva to the French Riviera, ascending and descending 16 mountain passes including some of the highest sealed roads in Europe. The route took almost 30 years to construct and passes through three national parks, Vanoise, Queyras, and Mercantour, with views of Mont Blanc from the opening passes.EV-friendly
LegendaryAtlantic Ocean Road: Kårvåg to BudThe classic 36 km Norwegian Scenic Route from Kårvåg over the Atlantic Road bridges and island walks to the fishing village of Bud.EV-friendly
IconicAlbanian Riviera and Llogara PassA correctly ordered two-day Vlorë-to-Sarandë coast route over the old Llogara road, with one day-one beach and the Porto Palermo–Qeparo–Borsh sequence on day two.
LegendaryRuta 40: Full Seasonal ExpeditionArgentina's longest highway traces 5,000 km of the jagged Andes from the shores of the South Atlantic at Punta Loyola through Los Glaciares, Bariloche, Mendoza, Salta, and the Bolivian border at La Quiaca, traversing 20 national parks, crossing 18 major rivers, and climbing over 27 mountain passes. One of the most epic drives on the planet.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicAngra dos Reis to Santos: Costa VerdeThe Rio–Santos coastal highway (BR-101) threads between the Serra do Mar mountains and the Atlantic, colonial fishing villages, the world's largest urban forest at Tijuca, islands, and Brazil's most spectacular beaches.EV-friendly
IconicTranspantaneiraThe only road into the Northern Pantanal, 147km of raised dirt track on 122 wooden bridges through the world's largest tropical wetland. In the dry season, caimans line every bridge, capybaras graze the shoulders, and the Cuiabá River banks are the best place on Earth to see a wild jaguar.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicSerra do Rio do RastroSC-438 climbs the Serra Geral escarpment in 18km of relentless hairpins, from the subtropical coastal plain to a cold gaucho plateau at 1400m. Above the clouds, apple orchards, frost-dusted dawns, and the sheer-walled canyons of Aparados da Serra await.EV-friendlyPermit required
IconicCaminho dos Diamantes, Estrada RealThe Royal Road built in the 1700s to carry gold and diamonds from the Minas interior to the coast. This stretch, the Caminho dos Diamantes, connects UNESCO Ouro Preto through the colonial hill towns of Tiradentes and São João del-Rei to the diamond capital of Diamantina, birthplace of President JK.EV-friendlySUV onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicPan-American Highway, PeruPeru's stretch of the Pan-American Highway takes in everything from pre-Inca history to world-renowned wineries, the road winds through coastal desert, tiny fishing villages, the Islas Ballestas wildlife islands, the mysterious Nazca Lines, colonial-era towns, and the Atacama at Tacna. Drive only during daylight hours; fuel up wherever you can.Permit required
LegendaryCape Town & Garden RouteSouth Africa's most celebrated road trip, from Cape Town's two-ocean peninsula along the Garden Route's coastal forest to Storms River. The Cape Point/Boulders Beach loop, Chapman's Peak Drive, the whale nursery of Hermanus, the lagoon town of Knysna, the Tsitsikamma forest's 800-year-old yellowwood trees, and the Bloukrans Bridge bungee jump (the world's highest) are strung along a coast of extraordinary biodiversity.EV-friendly
IconicChapman's Peak DriveThe official 9 km Chapman's Peak toll road packs 114 curves between its Hout Bay and Noordhoek approaches. Built during World War I and blasted from the face of the 593 m peak, “Chappies” delivers cliff-edge Atlantic views throughout; the harbour and beach are worthwhile bookends outside the mapped toll-road section.EV-friendly
IconicSkeleton CoastThe C34 salt-and-gravel coastal road from Swakopmund north along Namibia's Atlantic fringe to Terrace Bay, through the Skeleton Coast National Park, past bleached whale bones, shipwrecks, and Cape Cross Seal Reserve's 100,000-strong fur seal colony. Ultra-desolate. Motorbikes not permitted on the coast road.SUV onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicKyrgyzstan LoopA classic national circuit through Burana, Kochkor, Song-Kul, Naryn, Tash Rabat, Issyk-Kul's south shore, Karakol and the north shore before returning to Bishkek.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsLoop / circuit
LegendaryShimanami KaidōSix islands linked by six bridges across the Seto Inland Sea, Japan's most celebrated drive arcs from Onomichi in Hiroshima to Imabari in Ehime, past lemon groves, castle ruins, and views so perfect they feel composed rather than found.EV-friendly
IconicTaiwan Island LoopA current ten-day clockwise circuit with every major transfer visible: Taipei to Hualien, the East Rift Valley to Taitung, the South Link to Hengchun and Kenting, Kaohsiung, Alishan, Sun Moon Lake, and back to Taipei. Hualien receives a strong coast-and-culture day instead of promising closed Taroko attractions, while Kenting, Alishan, and the lake retain the island loop's classic highlights.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
IconicBali West and Highlands LoopFive days around Ubud, Kintamani, Lovina, Pemuteran and the west before a measured Tanah Lot–Jimbaran finish. Gilimanuk port is removed as a supposed attraction.Permit requiredLoop / circuit
IconicCosta Rica: Parks & WildlifeThe world's greatest concentration of biodiversity per square kilometre in a country the size of West Virginia, from San José through the cloud forests of Monteverde, the active Arenal Volcano's lava fields and hot springs, down to Manuel Antonio's rainforest beaches where sloths hang in the canopy above white sand. 5% of the world's species in one small, peaceful country.SUV onlyOff-road sections
NotableHummingbird HighwayBelize’s Hummingbird Highway is a lush, low-stress drive from Belmopan to Dangriga, threading through citrus groves, Maya hills, and rainforest-covered valleys. The route is known for roadside fruit stands, mountain views, and easy detours to waterfalls, caves, and small Garifuna communities near the coast.
NotableA Venetian SojournPink palaces, teal canals, golden domes, the Veneto is unlike anywhere else. From Venice's lagoon by vaporetto to Murano's glass furnaces, then on to the Brenta Riviera's Palladian villas, Vicenza's architectural masterpieces, and Asolo's hundred hilltop vistas.EV-friendly
NotableAbruzzo HighlandsItaly's most underrated region, the SS17 and mountain roads through the Apennine backbone past medieval hill towns, the wolf-and-bear wilderness of Gran Sasso, and a coastline that the Adriatic sun turns an extraordinary turquoise.EV-friendly
NotableAlentejo & Algarve BeachesPortugal's southern Atlantic coast, from the long, uncrowded beaches of the Alentejo costa vicentina through the wild Sagres peninsula to the Algarve. This isn't the Mediterranean; it's the Atlantic with surfable waves, maritime history, pine and rosemary dunes, and beaches so remote that access tracks are unmarked. The drive takes in the finest beaches in Portugal's least developed coastline.EV-friendly
IconicAlgarve Coastal DrivePortugal's golden south, the Algarve runs from the white-cube towns of the eastern barrier islands to the wind-battered sea stacks of Sagres, with the most dramatic sandstone cliff scenery in Western Europe between.EV-friendly
NotableAral Sea Route: South to NorthA conditional 1,800-plus-kilometre expedition tracing the real corridor through Kungrad, Daut-Ata/Tazhen, Beyneu and Shalkar before Aralsk and a guided Small Aral excursion.4WD onlyOff-road sections
IconicArica to Lauca and Putre AltiplanoClimb from the Pacific heat of Arica into Chile’s high Altiplano on one of the country’s most dramatic mountain drives. The route follows the Lluta Valley to Putre, then continues into Lauca National Park for volcano views, bofedales, turquoise lagoons, and herds of vicuñas under thin, brilliant air.SUV onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicArthur's PassThis classic South Island drive runs from Christchurch across the Canterbury Plains to the alpine village of Arthur’s Pass and on to the West Coast. It pairs braided rivers, beech forest, steep mountain walls, and dramatic viaduct engineering with easy roadside access to short walks and viewpoints.
Hidden GemAzuero Peninsula LoopThis relaxed loop traces Panama’s sun-baked Azuero Peninsula from inland Chitré to the Pacific coast and back through traditional towns, beaches, and artisanal villages. Expect smooth paved highways, small-town detours, wildlife-rich estuaries, and a strong sense of rural Panamanian culture far from the canal corridor.Loop / circuit
Hidden GemB9 Road, MauritiusSkirting the Indian Ocean-facing Mauritius shoreline from Le Morne Brabant, a UNESCO World Heritage monolith with a poignant memorial to escaped slaves, east past Macondé Rock's viewpoint, Saint Martin, Bel Ombre, and the island's finest beaches at St Félix and Riambel to Souillac, finishing at Gris Gris. Le Morne sits a few km south of the B9's official western start at Grande Riviere Noire, so this drive begins just south of the true road terminus.
IconicBaltic Capitals and CoastA nine-day Tallinn-to-Vilnius coast variant with a Kolka overnight, Riga’s Art Nouveau district, the Hill of Crosses, a real Kaunas day and Trakai from Vilnius.EV-friendly
NotableBelize Coast and Maya Ruins LoopThis loop begins in Belize City and follows the coast and inland highways through the country’s most rewarding mix of Caribbean shoreline, ancient Maya sites, and laid-back towns. Expect easy driving, jungle views, and stops at Altun Ha, Dangriga, Hopkins, and the impressive stone temples of Xunantunich before returning north.Loop / circuit
IconicBlue Mountains and North Coast JamaicaThis Jamaican loop links the cool, misty slopes of the Blue Mountains with the lush east and north coasts. Start in Kingston, climb past coffee estates and forest viewpoints, then descend through Port Antonio to Ocho Rios and the island’s resort-lined northern shoreline.4WD onlyOff-road sections
NotableBoston–Newport–Hartford–New Haven–New YorkThe east coast's most storied corridor, from Boston's Freedom Trail and Samuel Adams breweries, zig-zagging through Newport's Gilded Age ocean mansions and Hartford's Mark Twain House to the architectural immensity of New York City. Tesla Superchargers every 100 km make this the original electric road trip route in America.EV-friendly
NotableCannonball-Inspired Cross-Country Road TripA legal sightseeing route inspired by the historic New York-to-Redondo Beach idea, with disclosed detours for cities, Route 66 landmarks, Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon, and the Mojave. It is not a speed record attempt.
Hidden GemCape Ann, MassachusettsThe North Shore route from Newburyport south along Cape Ann, clam shacks on Route 1A, the Parker River Wildlife Refuge's 800 species of birds and plants, Crane Beach (one of the longest and sandiest in New England), maritime Essex, and the working fishing port of Gloucester. A short drive dense with seafood and Atlantic atmosphere.EV-friendly
IconicCape Cod Route 6A and Outer CapeRoute 6A, the Old King's Highway, traces the Bay side of Cape Cod through 300 years of sea-captain architecture, cranberry bogs, saltmarsh, and shingled villages. The Cape narrows to a sandy hook at Provincetown, where the Pilgrims first landed in 1620.EV-friendly
IconicCaptain Cook Highway and Daintree CoastA two-day coast journey: the named Captain Cook Highway links Cairns and Port Douglas, then the explicitly disclosed Daintree Coast extension continues through Mossman, the ferry and rainforest to Cape Tribulation.EV-friendly
IconicCaspian Coast to Persian Gulf TransectA repaired nine-day north-to-south transect from Anzali and Rasht through Qazvin, Tehran, Kashan and Isfahan to Persepolis, Shiraz, a Lar transit night and Bandar Abbas. The impossible Shiraz-to-Gulf sightseeing day is split and Persepolis/Naqsh-e Rostam restored.Permit required
IconicCauseway Coastal Route: Belfast to DerryA two-day Belfast-to-Derry journey along the Antrim and Causeway coasts, with Carrick-a-Rede, Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce and Mussenden in geographic order.EV-friendly
IconicCentral Cross-Island Highway Access AlternativesThe historic Central Cross-Island Highway cannot currently be presented as a routine through-drive. This repaired itinerary offers two honest modules: a two-day western high-country trip from Taichung to Lishan and Wuling Farm via Puli, Highway 14A, and Dayuling, returning by the same verified public roads; and a separate one-day Hualien-side visit to the open Taroko Visitor Center and Qingshui Cliff coast. There is no drive between the modules and no recreational gorge transit.EV-friendly
IconicChain of Craters RoadThe most geological road on Earth, descending 1200m from Kīlauea's active summit caldera to the Pacific coast, past pit craters and still-smoking lava fields, ending where a previous flow swallowed the road whole and entered the sea.EV-friendly
IconicChâteaux of the LoireThe Loire Valley is the garden of France, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of Renaissance royal châteaux, troglodyte wine cellars cut into chalk cliffs, and river islands of white-sand beaches linking Chinon's medieval fortress to Chambord's Renaissance fantasy.EV-friendly
IconicChiloe Island LoopThis loop traces Chile’s misty Chiloé Island from Castro through stilt-house villages, tidal wetlands, and fishing coves to the windswept south coast. Expect slow scenic driving, colorful wooden churches, artisan markets, and wild Pacific views, with the route naturally closing back through Ancud.Permit requiredLoop / circuit
IconicCircuit of MallorcaA full loop around the Mediterranean's most beautiful island, southwest from Palma through Palmanova to Sóller's mountain village in the Serra de Tramuntana, east through Sa Pobla and the flat grape-growing Manacor plains to the east coast beaches, then back to Palma. Six Endesa EV charging stations make it Spain's smoothest electric island loop.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
IconicClarence DriveThe R44 (Clarence Drive) from Gordon's Bay to Kleinmond, continuing on the R43 to Hermanus, hugs the Kogelberg coastline, mountain cliffs plunging to turquoise sea, fynbos slopes, penguin colonies, and the world's finest shore-based whale watching.EV-friendly
IconicColombia Caribbean CoastThis coast-to-coast drive follows Colombia’s Caribbean shoreline from Cartagena through Barranquilla and Santa Marta to the gateway of Tayrona and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Expect colonial cities, mangrove lagoons, beach towns, and long stretches of warm coastal highway with lively regional food and music.Permit required
Hidden GemCopan to the Caribbean CoastThis cross-country drive links the Maya ruins of Copán with Honduras’s Caribbean shore, tracing a varied inland-to-coast corridor through green highlands, lakeside scenery, and lowland plantations. It’s a practical road trip for travelers who want archaeology, mountain vistas, and a final stretch to the beach or port towns.
NotableCosta do Descobrimento Porto Seguro to CaraivaThis short Bahia coast drive links Porto Seguro with the rustic river village of Caraíva through the historic beaches of the Costa do Descobrimento. Expect coconut-lined shoreline, village stops, and a final stretch where the paved road gives way to sand, mud, and a simple boat crossing.
NotableCosta do Sol: Búzios and Cabo FrioA relaxed coastal loop through Rio de Janeiro’s Costa do Sol, this drive links the relaxed beaches of Cabo Frio with the granite coves and viewpoints of Búzios. It’s best as a short two-day road trip with time for beach stops, seafood lunches, and sunset along the shore.Permit required
IconicCross-Island Dominica via Morne Trois PitonsA one-day cross-island drive from Roseau to La Plaine through Morne Trois Pitons National Park, centered on Trafalgar Falls, Emerald Pool, and the volcanic rainforest interior.
NotableD-Day BeachesA paced three-day east-to-west D-Day route from Pegasus Bridge and Juno through Arromanches and Longues-sur-Mer, then Bayeux, Omaha and Pointe du Hoc, finishing with Utah Beach and Sainte-Mère-Église. It limits each day to one major museum and the defining outdoor sites.EV-friendly
Hidden GemDakar to Saint-Louis CoastThis easy Senegalese coast drive follows the Atlantic north from Dakar to the UNESCO-listed old city of Saint-Louis. Expect ocean views, fishing villages, salt pans, and broad sandy beaches, with the route becoming especially atmospheric near the Langue de Barbarie and the river mouth at Saint-Louis.
LegendaryDempster HighwayCanada's loneliest highway branches off the Klondike near Dawson City and swings north through pristine wilderness to Inuvik, past the Arctic Circle, over two river ferries, through permafrost tundra, and finally to the shores of the Mackenzie Delta. Bring two spare tyres and emergency supplies; there is no phone reception.SUV onlyOff-road sections
IconicDili–Balibo–Ermera LoopA complete three-day western loop: Dili to Balibo along the Liquiçá–Maubara coast, inland through Maliana and Ermera, then back to Dili.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsLoop / circuit
NotableDominican Republic North Coast and Samana LoopA seven-day loop from Santo Domingo to Samaná and Las Terrenas, west along the classic north coast through Cabrera, Río San Juan, Cabarete, and Puerto Plata, then back through Santiago.Loop / circuit
IconicDurban to the DrakensbergFrom Durban's Indian Ocean beachfront west into the Drakensberg, the Barrier of Spears, through the Zulu heartlands, the Midlands Meander of cheese farms and craft studios, the Cathedral Peak wilderness, and up the legendary Sani Pass to Lesotho, the mountain kingdom in the clouds at 2,874 metres.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsLoop / circuit
IconicEast Coast TasmaniaThe long way from Hobart to Launceston, up Tasmania's sun-drenched east coast past convict sandstone, Wineglass Bay's perfect crescent, penguin colonies, and the fire-orange boulders of the Bay of Fires.EV-friendly
IconicEastern Anatolia to TrabzonA complete nine-day east-Türkiye traverse: Diyarbakır, Nemrut, a Tatvan transit night, Akdamar and Van, Doğubayazıt, Kars and Ani, Erzurum, then Trabzon and Sumela. The missing Black Sea finish and unrealistic Van transfer are corrected.
Hidden GemEssaouira to Agadir Atlantic CoastThis relaxed Atlantic drive follows Morocco’s coast south from Essaouira to Agadir, with sea views, windswept beaches, and easy stops in fishing towns and surf breaks. It is a straightforward paved route with good road access, best enjoyed in mild weather when the ocean light is clear.
IconicEstrada da Graciosa Self-Drive LoopThe historic colonial road carved through the Serra do Mar Atlantic Forest in 1872, PR-410 descends 900m from the Paraná plateau to the coast through dense rainforest, roadside waterfalls, and the colonial riverside town of Morretes, the home of barreado.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
IconicEtosha Pan CircuitA vast white salt pan, 120km across, visible from space, ringed by waterholes where lions, elephants, and black rhinos gather in the dry season. The Etosha circuit is Africa's most accessible concentrated wildlife driving, all on good gravel roads.Loop / circuit
LegendaryFrench and Italian RivierasA six-day Nice-to-Cinque Terre route with Hanbury before Sanremo, separate Genoa, Portofino/Tigullio and train-based Cinque Terre days.EV-friendly
IconicGaspésie LoopQuebec's classic 885 km Gaspésie Route 132 loop begins and ends at Sainte-Flavie, following the continuous coast past fishing villages, Forillon's sea cliffs, Percé Rock, and the Baie des Chaleurs.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
Hidden GemGhana Cape Coast Heritage RouteThis coastal heritage drive links Ghana’s most important slave-trade memorials with lively fishing towns and Atlantic scenery. Start in Accra, follow the shoreline through Elmina and Cape Coast, and finish at Kakum National Park for rainforest canopy views and a powerful historical contrast.
NotableGippsland & Wilsons PromontoryFrom Melbourne's fringe to the southernmost tip of mainland Australia, Victoria's south-east corner delivers ancient rainforest, Tidal River wallabies, the mirror stillness of the Gippsland Lakes, and Squeaky Beach's white silica sand.EV-friendly
IconicGrande Terre East Coast and HienghèneA security-checked five-day progression from Noumea through La Foa and Sarremea, across to Houailou, then north through Poindimie and Touho to Hienghene. The Ouaieme vehicle ferry is an optional extension beyond Hienghene.
IconicGuatemala HighlandsThis highland circuit links Guatemala City with Antigua, Lake Atitlán, and the colonial-and-indigenous heartland around Quetzaltenango. Expect volcanic scenery, market towns, cool mountain air, and long stretches of winding pavement that reward slow travel with lake views, textile villages, and dramatic Pacific-facing ridges.
NotableHaida Gwaii AdventureThis focused Graham Island drive begins at Skidegate Landing, prioritizes the Haida Heritage Centre, then follows Highway 16 through Tlell and Port Clements to Masset before taking Tow Hill Road to Naikoon Provincial Park’s road-accessible trailhead.
NotableHainan Island LoopA balanced six-day clockwise circuit from Haikou through Wenchang, Boao, Wanning, Lingshui, and Sanya, followed by Jianfengling rainforest and the quieter west coast through Baimajing and Danzhou. The pacing preserves the classic east-coast highlights, gives the rainforest its own overnight, and returns to Haikou without an unnecessary cross-island Baoting detour.EV-friendlyPermit requiredLoop / circuit
NotableHighway 1, FloridaUS-1 traces Florida's Atlantic spine from the Georgia border to Miami Beach, through the Golden Isles, historic St Augustine, Kennedy Space Center, the Space Coast, and Miami's art deco shore. Not to be confused with the Keys Overseas Highway; this is Florida's forgotten Atlantic coast road through lighthouse towns, rocket launch pads, and Art Deco glamour.EV-friendly
Hidden GemHong Kong Island South & Shek OA correctly named two-day Hong Kong Island south-coast itinerary: one compact scenic drive from Central and Victoria Peak through Repulse Bay, Stanley, and Tai Tam, followed by a car-free Dragon's Back hike from To Tei Wan to Big Wave Bay and a relaxed finish at Shek O Beach.EV-friendly
Hidden GemHurghada to Marsa Alam Red Sea CoastThis Red Sea Coast drive runs south from Hurghada to Marsa Alam on Egypt’s desert highway, pairing blue-water views with long, quiet stretches of tawny mountains and open shore. It is a straightforward road trip with resort stops, dive towns, and a strong sense of remoteness.
LegendaryIsle of Skye CircuitA four-day Inverness circuit through Eilean Donan and across the Skye Bridge, with dedicated time for Trotternish, Dunvegan and Neist Point, then the Fairy Pools, Cuillin and Talisker before returning to Inverness. The island’s single-track roads and exposed walks reward deliberately short daily lists.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
IconicIzu Peninsula LoopA volcanic peninsula south of Tokyo where the Pacific crashes against black-sand beaches, hot springs rise from the ground mid-forest, and the road clings to sea cliffs past fishing villages that time left behind. One of Japan's great onsen drives.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
IconicJalapão CircuitThe Jalapão Circuit is a classic cerrado road trip through eastern Tocantins, linking Palmas with sand tracks, orange dunes, blue springs, and river beaches around Mateiros, São Félix do Tocantins, and Ponte Alta do Tocantins. It is remote, scenic, and best tackled at a slow pace.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsPermit requiredLoop / circuit
Hidden GemJarabacoa and Constanza Mountain LoopThis highland loop links the Dominican Republic’s two classic mountain towns, climbing from Jarabacoa into the cool Valle Nuevo plateau and down to Constanza’s vegetable fields. Expect steep switchbacks, pine forests, waterfalls, and broad views of the Cordillera Central, with the best driving in the dry season.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsLoop / circuit
IconicJeju Island CircuitA deliberately paced three-day circuit through Jeju's strongest east, south, and west-coast sights: Manjanggul and Seongsan Ilchulbong, a defined section of Jeju Olle Route 7, Jungmun's waterfalls, and Hallim Park with Hyeopjae Beach. The plan stays on paved roads, gives each coast its own day, and returns to Jeju City with time to spare rather than treating the island as a two-day checklist.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
IconicJerusalem to Acre via Dead Sea, Negev and GalileeA seven-day one-way route from Jerusalem to Acre that gives the Old City, Dead Sea, Masada, Negev and Eilat proper time, inserts a northbound transit night, then finishes with Galilee, Nazareth and Bahá’í heritage at Akko/Bahji.
IconicJimmy Buffett's Florida KeysThe Florida Keys Scenic Highway, a prestigious All-American Road, is Jimmy Buffett's country. Hemingway lived here, Tennessee Williams wrote here, and Thomas McGuane caroused here. The drive hops one bridge at a time through a magnificent seascape to Key West's Margaritaville.EV-friendly
IconicKarelian White NightsThe Finnish-Russian lakeland where 60,000 lakes, ancient pine forests, and wooden Orthodox chapels create Europe's most pristine wilderness drive, from St. Petersburg along the shore of Lake Ladoga to Sortavala's granite skerries and the island monastery of Valaam.
NotableKenting and the Hengchun PeninsulaAn efficient two-day Hengchun Peninsula circuit: old-town and west-coast highlights through Houbihu and Maobitou on Day 1, then the classic eastbound sequence from Kenting and Sail Rock to Eluanbi and Longpan on Day 2 before returning to the night market.EV-friendly
IconicKerala Coast and Western GhatsEight days from Fort Kochi through Munnar and Periyar to one Alappuzha backwater base, then a direct Kollam–Varkala finish without reverse-order hill transfers.
IconicKola Peninsula LoopA road-only Arctic circuit from Murmansk to Teriberka, Lovozero, Kirovsk and Monchegorsk, pairing the Barents coast with Kola Sami history, Khibiny geology and Lake Imandra.Permit requiredLoop / circuit
LegendaryLake Baikal West and East Shore JourneyA source-honest Baikal itinerary linking the best accessible west and east shore experiences without drawing a road across missing shoreline links. It gives Listvyanka one museum visit, Olkhon two operator-supported days, Ulan-Ude meaningful cultural time and Zabaikalsky National Park two protected days before returning to Ulan-Ude.SUV onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicLake Kivu Road DriveThe Congo Nile Trail follows Rwanda’s lush western shore of Lake Kivu from Rubavu to Rusizi, winding through tea hills, lakeside villages, and ridge-top viewpoints. It is one of East Africa’s most scenic overland drives, with frequent stops for hiking, kayaking, and local guesthouses.
IconicLake Maggiore and Lake Como to BergamoFormed at the end of the ice age and a holiday destination since Roman times. Lake Maggiore's Borromean Island palaces, the cross-lake ferry to Laveno, then Lake Como, the siren call of Hollywood stars, traced from the silk capital of Como to Bellagio's perfect promontory and beyond to Bergamo.EV-friendly
IconicLake Malawi Lakeshore DriveThis classic lakeside road trip follows Malawi’s western shore from Mangochi through Monkey Bay, Cape Maclear, Senga Bay, Nkhotakota, Nkhata Bay, and Rumphi to Karonga. Expect a changing ribbon of blue water, fishing villages, palm-lined beaches, limestone headlands, and easy detours to island viewpoints and national park turnoffs.SUV onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
LegendaryLençóis MaranhensesThe "Maranhão Bedsheets", 1500km² of white sand dunes rising from a flat coastal plain, filled between July and September with hundreds of turquoise and emerald rainwater lagoons. One of the most surreal landscapes on Earth, reached from São Luís via the Preguiças River delta.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicLycian CoastA six-day Antalya-to-Fethiye coast journey that separates the ancient cities, a licensed Kekova boat day, Patara and the Fethiye/Ölüdeniz finish.EV-friendly
LegendaryMagadan to Yakutsk via Current R-504The canonical direct Road of Bones on today’s R-504, sequenced from Magadan through Palatka, Susuman, Kadykchan, Ust-Nera, Kyubeme, Khandyga, Churapcha and Nizhny Bestyakh before the seasonal Lena crossing to Yakutsk. Ten days preserve two buffers and keep Yakutsk sightseeing separate from the final transport day.4WD onlyOff-road sections
IconicMaine Coast to Acadia and BangorA four-day US Route 1 coast trip through Portland, Bath, Pemaquid, Rockland, Camden, Acadia, and Bangor. The literary connection is an optional Bangor coda; the route itself is a classic Maine coast drive.EV-friendly
NotableMakgadikgadi PansThe remnant of an ancient mega-lake larger than Switzerland, two vast salt pans at the Kalahari's heart. In the dry season: meerkats and brown hyena. In January: roughly 20,000-30,000 zebra on the world's second-largest migration.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
Hidden GemManhattan–Montauk–North Fork–BrooklynA four-day traverse from Manhattan to Montauk, back through the Hamptons and North Fork, then along the South Shore to Brooklyn. Sagamore Hill is included as the principal North Shore history stop.EV-friendly
NotableMantiqueira to Itatiaia: One-Way Mountain RouteThis mountain loop follows the Serra da Mantiqueira between Campos do Jordão and Itatiaia, linking cool pine-covered highlands, small historic towns, and sweeping escarpment views. The drive is best in the dry season, when clear days reveal the peaks, valleys, and parkland landscapes that define this part of southeastern Brazil.SUV onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicMassawa to Asmara EscarpmentThis classic Eritrean ascent leaves the Red Sea heat of Massawa and climbs more than 2,000 meters to the cool plateau of Asmara. The road threads dramatic escarpments, switchbacks, and rock-cut viewpoints, turning a short drive into one of East Africa’s most striking elevation changes.Permit required
NotableMediterranean MeanderFrom the Costa Daurada to the Costa del Sol, from Catalan pride in Sitges to Andalucian passion in Almería, from the Roman ruins of Tarragona to the Modernisme buildings of Barcelona, proving that not all of southern Spain's Mediterranean coast is tourist clichés. Follow the A7 northeast from Málaga through four regions, two languages, the buzzing urban centres of Barcelona, Valencia, and Málaga.EV-friendly
NotableMelbourne to SydneyNot the straight Hume Highway but the longer, scenic route, east through Gippsland's green hills, past remote Croajingolong National Park's wild beaches, across the New South Wales border to the Sapphire Coast's calm bays and surf towns, and north to Sydney. The coastal alternative that takes a few days and arrives relaxed.EV-friendly
NotableModern Art MeanderThe French Riviera and its hinterland produced more Modern Art masterworks per square kilometre than anywhere on earth, from Matisse's cut-outs in Nice and Chagall's biblical message to Renoir's olive grove studio, Picasso's antibes castle, and Cézanne's Mont Sainte-Victoire, ending with Van Gogh in St-Rémy.EV-friendly
NotableMozambique EN1 Coastal RouteMozambique’s EN1 is the country’s spine, linking the southern capital to the far north through palm-fringed coast, busy market towns, and long Indian Ocean stretches. This overland drive mixes beach access, a passenger ferry at Inhambane, and everyday Mozambican life, with highlights around Inhambane, Beira, and Nampula before reaching the far north.SUV onlyOff-road sections
IconicMuscat, Wahiba Sands, Sur and Ras al JinzA practical three-day eastern Oman loop: Wadi Bani Khalid and a Wahiba camp, Sur and an overnight turtle session at Ras al Jinz, then the coast back to Muscat with Mutrah saved for the return.
NotableNadym to Salekhard and LabytnangiA geographically honest two-day tundra drive from Nadym to Salekhard, followed by the real seasonal Ob ferry or officially opened ice-road connection to Labytnangi. The plan prioritizes the Arctic Circle marker, Shemanovsky Museum, Obdorsky Ostrog, and riverfront without inventing a bridge or padding Labytnangi with a generic outskirts drive.SUV onlyOff-road sections
IconicNelson & Marlborough ExplorerThe top of the South Island from Nelson's arts scene and Abel Tasman coast to Marlborough's Wairau River vineyards, World of Wearable Art, the Moutere Valley's pinot noir, the turquoise waters of Abel Tasman National Park, and Blenheim's sauvignon blanc (and Framingham's riesling, which you must also taste).EV-friendly
NotableNicaragua Volcano RouteThis volcanic corridor links Nicaragua’s most dramatic landscapes, from the colonial streets of León to the smoking crater of Masaya and the lava fields around Cerro Negro. It finishes on Ometepe’s twin volcano island, pairing black-sand shores, crater viewpoints, and classic Pacific coast driving. The drive is one-way from León to Ometepe; most travelers exit via the Rivas/Managua corridor rather than looping back to León.SUV onlyOff-road sections
NotableNicoya Peninsula Surf CoastThis laid-back road trip crosses by ferry to Paquera, follows the southern Nicoya coast through Curú, Montezuma, Cabuya, and Mal País, then finishes northbound through Santa Teresa at Playa Hermosa.SUV onlyOff-road sections
NotableNormandy & BrittanyFrance's northwest corner carries the biggest scars of WWII alongside the most intact medieval coastline in the country, spartan watchtowers and solemn cemeteries haunt the idyllic pine-backed shores of Normandy, while Brittany's rocky coastline of dramatic tides and purple-pink twilight feels like it predates the nation's union. Mont St-Michel rises from the bay at the hinge between the two.EV-friendly
IconicNorthern Madagascar and Tsingy: Flight-Linked ExpeditionA flight-linked expedition combining Madagascar’s north coast and parks with a separate western 4WD journey from Morondava through Belo-sur-Tsiribihina to Bekopaka, the road base for Tsingy de Bemaraha. The map focuses on that continuous western ground leg rather than drawing false road lines across domestic flights and the Nosy Be boat transfer.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicNorthland Pacific Coast HighwayFrom Auckland through Northland to the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua, where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean meet and Maori tradition marks the departure place of spirits returning to Hawaiki.EV-friendly
LegendaryNorwegian West CoastNorway's National Tourist Routes string together the most dramatic fjord scenery on Earth, hairpin switchbacks over Trollstigen, the Geiranger serpentine road above a UNESCO fjord, Atlantic Ocean Road's storm-bathed bridges, and Flåm.EV-friendly
IconicNullarbor Plain and Eyre HighwayCross Australia’s great southern expanse on the Eyre Highway, linking Ceduna to Norseman across the treeless Nullarbor Plain. Expect vast straightaways, salt-lake country, roadhouses, and dramatic coastal detours to the Bunda Cliffs and Head of Bight, where the continent seems to drop into the Southern Ocean.
IconicOaxaca to the PacificFrom 2,500-year-old Zapotec temples on cloud-wrapped peaks to mezcal villages in high pine valleys and world-class surf breaks, Oaxaca's mountain-to-coast road is Mexico's most culinarily and culturally intense drive.
IconicOʻahu Windward and North Shore TripThe Ko'olau pali throws a wall of fluted green peaks above Oahu's windward shore. H3 and the Kamehameha Highway trace the coast through taro fields, ancient heiau, sacred valleys, and turquoise bays where Hawaiians surfed a thousand years before tourists arrived.EV-friendly
Hidden GemPedernales and Barahona Scenic SouthA focused two-day drive along the Dominican southwest coast from Barahona through San Rafael, Los Patos, and Oviedo to Pedernales, capped by a boat trip from Cabo Rojo to Bahía de las Águilas.
IconicPeloponnese Coastal LoopA seven-day clockwise Peloponnese loop through Epidaurus/Nafplio, Monemvasia, Elafonisos/Gytheio, Mani, Pylos, Olympia and back to Corinth.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
IconicPeninsula Valdes and Atlantic PatagoniaThis Atlantic Patagonia drive links Puerto Madryn with Península Valdés, Punta Tombo, and the long empty coast toward Rawson and Comodoro Rivadavia. Expect whale cliffs, sea lion colonies, penguin rookeries, and big-sky steppe scenery on paved roads with long, rewarding detours.SUV onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicPicos de EuropaThe Picos de Europa are where the Atlantic meets the Alps, limestone massifs rising 2,600m from a green Asturian coast. The Cares Gorge, Covadonga, and mountain passes through silent medieval villages make this Spain's finest mountain drive.EV-friendly
IconicPortland to Bar HarborMaine's rocky Downeaster coast from the peninsula city of Portland north to Bar Harbor, through Bath's shipyards, Rockland's lobster wharves, Camden's perfect harbour, and the spruce-forested headlands of Acadia National Park. The US Northeast's finest short coastal drive.EV-friendly
IconicQatar Inland Sea and North Coast LoopA two-day Qatar classic: a prebooked licensed 4WD expedition to the Inland Sea, followed by Al Zubarah, the northwest coast and a tide-confirmed mangrove activity.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsLoop / circuit
IconicQinghai Lake Circuit from XiningA genuine clockwise circuit from Xining reaches Qinghai Lake through Riyue Mountain, uses the officially managed Erlangjian and Heimahe viewing areas, follows the west and north shores through Gangcha and Haiyan, and returns to Xining. Chaka Salt Lake is deliberately excluded: it is a separate southwest extension, not part of the 360-km lake loop.Permit requiredLoop / circuit
IconicReunion Island LoopCircle Réunion on its coastal roads for a compact but dramatic island drive, linking volcanic cliffs, black-sand beaches, sugarcane fields, and Creole seaside towns. The loop pairs the palm-lined east coast with the wilder south and the dramatic western lava coast, with mountain access spurs inland.Loop / circuit
NotableRiviera Nayarit and Sierra Madre CoastThis Riviera Nayarit road trip links Puerto Vallarta with the Pacific beaches and jungle-backed fishing towns of Nayarit, then climbs into the Sierra Madre foothills around Compostela and Jala for a cooler, volcanic-soil inland finish, not the high Sierra Madre Occidental itself. Expect whale-watching bays, surf breaks, cobbled village streets, and a gentler ocean-to-highland shift throughout.Loop / circuit
LegendaryRN7 Antananarivo to ToliaraMadagascar’s RN7 is the country’s classic overland journey, linking the highland capital to the southwest coast through rice terraces, red-earth villages, and dramatic sandstone massifs. The route passes Antsirabe, Ambositra, Ranomafana, Fianarantsoa, and Isalo before descending to the dry thorny plains around Toliara.SUV onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicRuta Panorámica Puerto RicoPuerto Rico’s Ruta Panorámica is a mountain-to-coast drive across the island’s interior, linking forested ridges, coffee towns, and panoramic overlooks. The classic road-trip stretch runs from the western highlands near Mayagüez to the eastern side around Maunabo, with switchbacks, cool cloud-forest air, and views that change with every climb.
NotableSakhalin Southern Excursions and Northbound SpineThree nights based in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk cover the island capital, boat-only Aniva Lighthouse and the operator-led Mys Velikan coast. Four geographically ordered days then drive north through Vzmorye and Tikhaya Bay, Poronaysk, the Smirnykh wartime museum, Tymovskoye and Nogliki without backtracking.4WD onlyOff-road sections
Hidden GemSamaná Peninsula to Punta CanaA three-day point-to-point trip from Santa Bárbara de Samaná through Las Galeras to Punta Cana, with an inland final transfer via El Seibo and Higüey rather than a fictional continuous coastal highway.EV-friendly
NotableSanriku Coast: Hachinohe to HiraizumiA reverse journey down the official northern Sanriku corridor, from Hachinohe's fishing coast through Kitayamazaki, Jodogahama, Kamaishi, Rikuzentakata, and Kesennuma before finishing at Hiraizumi's World Heritage temples.EV-friendly
NotableSanriku-Akita Custom Tohoku SamplerA six-day custom regional sampler combining two excellent but distinct Tohoku drives: Matsushima and the Sanriku coast, then the Morioka-Lake Tazawa-Kakunodate inland corridor. Clearly exposed transfer days lead south to Hiraizumi for Chuson-ji and its Konjikido, then west to a separate Yamadera day. The result is a broad one-way Sendai-to-Yamadera journey, not a classic loop.EV-friendly
IconicSantiago to San Pedro de AtacamaFrom the Pacific Coast to the world's highest and driest desert, north from Santiago via Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, La Serena, and Copiapó to the Atacama. Parts haven't felt rain in 400 years (possibly ever), yet snowflakes occasionally fall. The Salar de Atacama, Valle de la Luna, and El Tatio geyser field are the rewards.Permit required
IconicSavannah WayThe Savannah Way links tropical northern Australia from Cairns to Broome through some of the country’s most remote country. Expect long sealed stretches mixed with isolated highways, red-dirt detours, stock country, gulf wetlands, gorge country, and classic outback towns along one of Australia’s great cross-continent drives.4WD onlyOff-road sections
IconicScenic Konkan Coast: Mumbai to GoaSeven deliberate coastal stages through Alibag, Murud-Janjira, Dapoli, Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri and Malvan, ending directly in Panaji with no Palolem reversal.
NotableShikoku Pilgrimage Road TripDrive the canonical Shikoku Henro in clockwise jun-uchi order from Temple 1 Ryozenji to Temple 88 Okuboji. The 12-day plan visits every numbered temple in sequence through Tokushima, Kochi, Ehime, and Kagawa, with the long Muroto, Ashizuri, and southern Ehime transfers given their own realistic stages. It is an intensive pilgrimage rather than a general sightseeing loop: the temples, worship routine, coastal roads, and mountain approaches are the experience.EV-friendly
IconicSierra Nevada de Santa Marta and TayronaThis Caribbean-road trip links Santa Marta’s laid-back waterfront with the jungle-cloaked foothills of the Sierra Nevada and the palm-fringed coast of Tayrona National Natural Park. Drive through banana country, stop at Minca’s cool mountain cafés, then finish with turquoise bays, white sand, and dramatic granite headlands.Permit required
IconicSintra to Arrábida LoopA compact loop around the Lisbon peninsula, from the fairy-tale UNESCO palaces of Sintra on the Atlantic clifftops to the westernmost point of continental Europe at Cabo da Roca, then south through Cascais to the impossibly turquoise bays of the Arrábida Natural Park.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
NotableSnaefell Mountain CourseThe world's oldest motorcycle race circuit, since 1911 the TT course has looped from Douglas up through mountain villages to the 621-metre Snaefell summit road and back. Outside TT week you can drive the full circuit at your own pace through stone walls, coastal hedgerows, and moorland; during TT the roads close and 250 riders race at an average of 216 km/h.EV-friendly
IconicSoufrière and the Pitons DriveA compact south-west coast loop from Castries to Soufrière, this drive follows winding shoreline roads past fishing villages, rainforest hills, and black-sand coves, with constant views of the UNESCO-listed Pitons. It is best enjoyed slowly, with stops for viewpoints, waterfalls, and the sulphur springs around town.
NotableSouth Korea South Coast: Busan to MokpoA coherent westbound journey along South Korea's southern shore, linking Busan's temples and beaches with Tongyeong's island views, Namhae's terraced coast, Hadong's tea country, Yeosu's waterfront, and Mokpo's mountain-and-archipelago panorama.EV-friendly
NotableSouth West Wine, Coast and Seasonal WhalesA three-day Perth-to-Augusta coast and wine route with a leg-by-leg EV charging plan. Augusta whale watching is offered only from June through September; Cape Leeuwin and the coast remain the year-round finish.EV-friendly
IconicSouthern Scenic RouteThe long U-shaped journey around New Zealand's deep south, from Dunedin's Scottish history through the Catlins' wild surf beaches, coastal cliffs, and waterfalls, past Invercargill to the remote Fiordland and the sea-kayaking wilderness of Doubtful Sound. The South Island's least-driven great road.EV-friendly
IconicSri Lanka Grand Route: Colombo to TrincomaleeA linear two-week traverse from Colombo through Galle, Ella, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Dambulla, Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa to Trincomalee, with no coast-to-hills backtracking.
Hidden GemSt Catherine to DahabThis short Sinai drive links the granite monasteries and mountain basins of St Catherine with the Red Sea town of Dahab. The road drops from stark high desert into wide wadis and open coastal plains, with rugged peaks behind and clear water ahead.
IconicTahiti Island Circle RoadA two-day Tahiti Nui coastal circle that returns to Papeete, with Teahupoo handled accurately as an out-and-back Tahiti Iti peninsula spur rather than a road around the smaller island.
NotableTaranaki's Surf HighwaySH45 around the western flank of Mount Taranaki, a short coastal drive past dairy farms, surf breaks made famous by boardriders seeking the perfect wave, shipwrecks, and lighthouses. New Plymouth's Len Lye Centre kinetic sculpture and the Tawhiti Museum of settler history frame the journey's beginning and end.EV-friendly
IconicTasmania East CoastThe Tasman Highway from Hobart up Tasmania's beach-lined east coast, through dry hills, Freycinet Peninsula's geometrically perfect Wineglass Bay, the Bay of Fires' white sands and orange lichen-stained rocks, and the Pyengana Dairy Company to Launceston. The gentle counterpoint to the wild west coast.EV-friendly
IconicTasmania West CoastThe wild side of Australia's island state, from Hobart west through Queenstown's moonscape to Strahan, the fishing town once described as "the best little town in the world", then north past the Henty Dunes, Cradle Mountain, and Mt Roland to Launceston. Tasmania's west coast keeps giving long after you think it's done.
IconicTenerife and La Gomera DriveA six-day Tenerife-to-La Gomera route with separate Teide, north-island, Masca and ferry days, ending only after the booked vehicle’s return ferry to Tenerife.EV-friendly
IconicThe Long Way Round, IrelandIreland's jagged, spectacular edges, this two-week circuit explores the island's coastline from Dublin through Belfast and the Causeway Coast, west to the dramatic cliffs and mountains of Connacht, south through Connemara and Clifden, the Cliffs of Moher, Kerry's Ring, and Cork to the final destination of Ardmore, one of the southeast coast's loveliest seaside villages.EV-friendly
IconicThe Two PassesA four-day loop from Christchurch through the Southern Alps via Lewis Pass and Arthur's Pass, two of New Zealand's great mountain crossings through forests, lakes, rivers, and the West Coast Wilderness Trail. Hanmer Springs thermal pools at the overnight waypoint; Kumara's gold-rush history on the return via State Highway 73.EV-friendly
IconicThermal Hot SpotsThrough the North Island's geothermal heart, spectacular geysers, steaming hot pools, Māori culture, and Tolkien's Middle-earth at Hobbiton. From Hamilton through Matamata's Shire to Rotorua's boiling mud and Hell's Gate, and south to Lake Taupo, a caldera formed after one of history's greatest ever volcanic eruptions.EV-friendly
IconicTrans-Andean HighwayThis classic Andean crossing links Santiago with Mendoza through one of South America’s most dramatic mountain corridors. Expect sweeping switchbacks, high desert valleys, vineyard foothills, and the iconic Cristo Redentor pass area, with changing conditions from coastal Chile to the dry Argentine side.Permit required
IconicTrans-Canada HighwayCanada’s classic coast-to-coast drive follows the Trans-Canada Highway from St. John’s, Newfoundland, across rugged Atlantic coastlines, Quebec’s river valleys, the vast Canadian Shield, the prairie heartland, and the dramatic mountains of British Columbia before ending at Victoria. It’s a true national road trip with huge scenery shifts and long, open stretches.EV-friendly
IconicTurkish Black Sea HighlandsA genuine Black Sea highlands route from Samsun through Akdağ, Perşembe and Bektaş yaylası, then Sümela, Uzungöl, Fırtına/Ayder and Şavşat.SUV only
NotableUruguay CoastTrace Uruguay’s Atlantic shoreline from Colonia del Sacramento to Punta del Este, following a relaxed mix of riverfront towns, dune-backed beaches, fishing ports, and polished resort strips. The drive is mostly flat and well paved, with easy detours for sunset viewpoints, seafood lunches, and long seaside walks.EV-friendly
IconicUshuaia and Argentine Tierra del FuegoThis southernmost Argentina itinerary combines Ushuaia, the drivable roads of Tierra del Fuego National Park, and an RN3 out-and-back through Paso Garibaldi, Tolhuin, and Río Grande. Alpine bays, peat bogs, lenga forests, and open steppe provide classic end-of-the-world scenery without inventing a western-island road loop.Permit requiredLoop / circuit
IconicVancouver IslandThe island that out-British-Columbias BC, Victoria's Empress Hotel and Butchart Gardens, the Pacific Rim National Park's Long Beach surfing, Tofino's temperate rainforest and whale-watching, Campbell River's wild salmon, and Telegraph Cove's orca colony in Johnstone Strait. The most accessible wild coastline in Canada.EV-friendly
IconicViking TrailTracing one of the most remote corners of Canada, the Viking Trail links 5000-year-old burial grounds, UNESCO fjords, and icebergs drifting past monumental sea stacks, ending at L'Anse aux Meadows, a Norse settlement established five centuries before Columbus.
NotableWaiheke Island CircuitTwo days divide Waiheke into a reliable western Oneroa-Onetangi coast day and a slower eastern Stony Batter-Man O War day, with vehicle-ferry planning and sober transport for any tasting.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
IconicWhite Rim RoadThe otherworldly terrain of Canyonlands National Park is intimidating enough from the hard-top, once you leave the tarmac for the White Rim Road, it feels like driving on Mars. A 4WD-only loop around the Island in the Sky mesa, sneaking along sheer cliff walls above two deep river canyons. Built by Cold War uranium miners; no potable water anywhere on the route.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
NotableWillamette ValleyPinot Noir is the grape that put Oregon on the wine map when Eyrie Vineyards beat the French at the 1979 Wine Olympics. The 180km Willamette basin runs between the coast and the Cascades, I-5 and 99W threading past vineyards, hop yards, winding rivers, and bubbling hot springs from Portland to Eugene.EV-friendly
IconicYucatan Peninsula LoopA circular odyssey through the greatest concentration of living Maya culture, cenotes, Caribbean sea cliffs, fortified colonial ports, and jungle pyramids in a single loop from Mérida.Loop / circuit
Hidden GemZanzibar Island LoopThis relaxed island loop traces Zanzibar’s best road-accessible highlights, from Stone Town’s coral-stone lanes to spice farms, northern beaches, and the quieter east coast. It blends Swahili history, dhow harbors, and palm-fringed villages into an easy coastal circuit with frequent photo stops.Permit requiredLoop / circuit
IconicAparados da SerraThe Serra Geral escarpment splits the Rio Grande do Sul plateau with two of the deepest canyons in South America, Itaimbezinho (720m deep, 5.8km long) and Fortaleza (900m deep). The araucária pine forests above and the Atlantic Forest below create two entirely different worlds within 20km.SUV onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
NotableAtlantic Sahara Coast and Banc d'ArguinThis Atlantic coast drive follows Mauritania’s desert edge from Nouadhibou to the Banc d’Arguin region, where dunes, tidal flats, and empty beaches meet the sea. Expect a stark, wind-shaped landscape, fishing villages, and exceptional birdlife in one of West Africa’s most distinctive coastal parks.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsPermit requiredLoop / circuit
IconicGrand Pacific DriveAustralia’s Grand Pacific Drive traces a classic coastal day trip from Sydney’s southern beaches to the Illawarra and Shoalhaven. The route crosses the Sea Cliff Bridge, passes rainforest-fringed headlands and surf towns, and finishes among Kiama’s famous blowholes, lookouts and rolling green coastline.EV-friendly
IconicSanto Antão Island CrossingThis island crossing follows Santo Antão’s dramatic north-to-south mountain roads from the ferry port at Porto Novo up through the cratered highlands to the lush valley country around Ribeira Grande, continuing on to Ponta do Sol and the cliffside village of Fontainhas. Expect plunging views, terraced slopes, and some of Cape Verde’s most memorable switchbacks.
NotableWaterfall WayWaterfall Way is one of northern New South Wales’ most rewarding short road trips, climbing from the coastal plains at Coffs Harbour into the cool New England tablelands near Armidale. The drive strings together rainforest, escarpment lookouts, and a run of dramatic waterfalls in national parks along a well-sealed, easy route.EV-friendly
NotableWhite Desert and Bahariya OasisThis desert road trip begins in Cairo and runs west to Bahariya Oasis, then into Egypt’s surreal White Desert, where chalk towers, mushroom rocks, and wind-carved plains glow gold at sunset. It combines a sealed highway approach with short, guided desert sections and overnight camping under clear Sahara skies.4WD onlyOff-road sectionsPermit required
IconicZagorohoria, GreeceInto the slate-and-stone villages of the Zagori in the Pindos Mountains of Epirus, one of Greece's most untouched regions where roads are steep and narrow, stone bridges arch over rushing rivers, and village squares are shaded by centuries-old plane trees. The antidote to the Greek islands.EV-friendly
NotableAlnwick to LindisfarneNorthumberland's panoramic coast road from Alnwick north along the A1 to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, through one of Britain's finest stretches of undeveloped shoreline past Bamburgh Castle, Seahouses harbour, and the causeway that connects Holy Island only at low tide. Lindisfarne Priory closes November through January.EV-friendly
IconicAlUla to Haql via Tabuk and Wadi Al DisahA coherent four-day point-to-point route: timed AlUla heritage visits, a Tabuk transfer and castle stop, a dedicated Wadi Al Disah day from Tabuk, then a final Red Sea drive to the clearly defined endpoint of Haql.Permit required
IconicAtlantic Highway and West Cornwall ExtensionA four-day route that follows the classic A39 Atlantic Highway to Newquay, then transparently continues through St Ives to Mount’s Bay and Land’s End.EV-friendly
IconicBaeksu Coastal RoadKorea's classic short Yellow Sea drive, beginning with Beopseongpo harbour and the region's croaker-drying and gulbi food tradition before following the finest Baeksu cliff section from Daesin Lighthouse past the Sunset Exhibition Hall and 365 Health Stairs to a signed golden-hour viewpoint.EV-friendly
NotableBangladesh River and Tea Country LoopA six-day Dhaka–Sylhet–Sreemangal loop with a transfer-only northbound day, a season-aware wetland or river outing, two proper tea-country days and a direct daylight return.Loop / circuit
IconicBasque Coast: Bilbao to UrdaibaiA one-way Basque coastal route from Bilbao through San Sebastián, Getaria and Zumaia to Gernika and Urdaibai, with reservation-controlled sights paced honestly.EV-friendly
IconicBay of Kotor to DurmitorA three-day western Montenegro route from Kotor via Lovćen/Cetinje, Nikšić and Piva Lake to the seasonal Trsa–Durmitor Ring and Žabljak.EV-friendly
NotableBohemian Paradise to South Bohemia Road TripA point-to-point three-day Czech route from Turnov/Hrubá Skála through Jičín and Třeboň to České Budějovice and Český Krumlov.EV-friendly
Hidden GemBulgarian Black Sea Coast Burgas to SinemoretsA two-day southbound Bulgarian coast route from Burgas and Pomorie through Sozopol to Arkutino, Ahtopol and the Veleka mouth at Sinemorets.EV-friendly
IconicCebu and Bohol Road TripFive days separate southern Cebu wildlife or coast, Kawasan/Moalboal, the ferry transfer and a full Bohol countryside circuit with Corella tarsiers.Permit required
LegendaryFaroe Islands Weather-Flex DriveA five-day Tórshavn-and-Vágar itinerary with Kirkjubøur restored, separate Sørvágsvatn and guided Drangarnir days, and a movable weather reserve.EV-friendly
LegendaryKaikoura CoastSH1 north of Christchurch is one of the world's great coastal drives, the Seaward Kaikoura Range falls sheer into the Pacific, sperm whales feed in the canyon just offshore, and New Zealand fur seals laze on every rock shelf.EV-friendly
IconicKrabi and Phang Nga Andaman CoastFour geographically coherent days: Krabi coast; southern Khlong Thom; northbound Tha Pom and Than Bok Khorani; then Phang Nga Bay and town.Permit required
IconicLake Khövsgöl from MörönA five-day Mörön circuit that uses the paved road to Khatgal, then slows down at Lake Khövsgöl for a weather-checked boat trip, a separate guided horse-riding day, and a locally driven western-shore stage through Jankhai to Toilogt before returning to Mörön.4WD onlyOff-road sections
LegendaryLake Tahoe to Death Valley via US 395Follow the classic Eastern Sierra road from Lake Tahoe past Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes, Bishop, Manzanar, and the Alabama Hills before descending into Death Valley. Yosemite is deliberately excluded from the core line so seasonal Tioga closures do not create a major backtrack.
NotableLinha Verde, Coconut CoastBA-099 traces Brazil's most beautiful coastal highway from Salvador north through the "Estrada do Coco" and "Linha Verde", past sea turtle reserves, endless coconut-palm beaches, coral reefs at Praia do Forte, and the dune world of Mangue Seco immortalised in Jorge Amado's novel Tieta.EV-friendly
IconicMadaba, Dead Sea and KarakTwo logical days run Madaba–Mount Nebo–Dead Sea, then either a confirmed Wadi Mujib canyon slot or the all-season signed shore alternative via Lot’s Cave/Museum before Karak. The unverified salt-flat walk is removed.
IconicMumbai to Goa via NH 66A four-day highway-focused alternative from Mumbai to Panaji, selecting Chiplun, Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri and Malvan instead of duplicating the slow Alibag–Murud–Dapoli coast.
IconicPuerto Princesa to El Nido via the Underground RiverThree days deliver the promised experiences: confirmed Underground River entry and Sabang overnight, a daylight Taytay transfer, then a full licensed El Nido island-hopping day.Permit required
IconicShadow of VesuviusIn the shadow of the volcano that buried two cities in 79 CE, 90 km through Herculaneum's intact Roman houses, Pompeii's extraordinary preserved streets, the crater rim of Vesuvius itself, and Sorrento's clifftop lemon groves with the Amalfi Coast visible across the bay.EV-friendly
NotableSydney to Nelson BayNorth from Australia's largest city into the Port Stephens region, through dramatic dunes, palm-flanked waters, and the quiet coastal communities of Shoal Bay and Anna Bay before Nelson Bay's whale watching and waterfront promenade. The escape that Sydney doesn't talk about.EV-friendly
NotableTrincomalee to Arugam Bay: East CoastThree southbound days: Trincomalee and its Nilaveli marine outing, a direct transfer to Batticaloa, then the lagoon coast to Arugam Bay for the route’s surf finish.
NotableTrinidad North Coast RoadA focused daylight drive from Port of Spain to Maracas Bay, Las Cuevas, and Blanchisseuse along Trinidad’s classic North Coast Road. Toco lies on a separate northeastern corridor and is not part of this route.
IconicWaimea Canyon DriveThe "Grand Canyon of the Pacific", HI-550 climbs from Kauaʻi's red-dirt lowlands to a 1200m lookout above a canyon 16km long and 900m deep, its walls stripped in ochre, violet, and jungle green by five million years of erosion.EV-friendly
NotableZeeland Delta Works: Renesse to VlissingenA north-to-south point-to-point route from Renesse and Brouwersdam over the Eastern Scheldt barrier to Veere, then across Walcheren to Vlissingen.EV-friendly
NotableCoral Coast Road, FijiAlong Viti Levu's southern flank on Queens Road, from Korotogo east to Pacific Harbour, tracing a coral reef that protects beautiful beaches facing an iridescent Coral Sea. Past Sigatoka's sand dunes, Sovi Bay's swimming beaches, and the traditional-style Vatukarasa village. Traffic drives on the left, in theory.
IconicCorsica Island DriveA seven-day Bastia-to-Bonifacio traverse with proper Cap Corse, Corte, Porto/Scandola, Ajaccio and Bavella days.EV-friendly
NotableLavaux VineyardsA short but sublime drive along Route 9 above the northern shore of Lake Geneva, through the UNESCO World Heritage Lavaux wine terraces that stagger up from the water in sheer stone-walled tiers that beggar belief. The road links the higgledy-piggledy French-speaking city of Lausanne to Château de Chillon, an extraordinary 13th-century fortress immortalised in Lord Byron's poem.EV-friendly
IconicSardinia Island LoopA genuine clockwise Cagliari loop through Barumini, the Supramonte, La Maddalena, Stintino, Alghero, Bosa and Oristano.EV-friendlyLoop / circuit
IconicCastaway on Flores, AzoresA weather-led two-day Flores route: central crater lakes and Rocha dos Bordões first, then the west-coast waterfall circuit and Fajã Grande.EV-friendly
NotableCockle Creek, TasmaniaA two-day Huon Valley journey: book Hastings Caves first, then continue through Southport and Recherche Bay to the unsealed southern road end at Cockle Creek. Cygnet is only an optional pre-route loop.
NotableCosta Esmeralda: Santo Antônio de Lisboa to BombinhasThis short Atlantic-coast drive links Florianópolis to Bombinhas through Santa Catarina’s Costa Esmeralda, with beach towns, offshore islands, and turquoise bays along the way. The route is paved and straightforward, best enjoyed as a leisurely summer escape with stops for swimming, seafood, and viewpoints.EV-friendly
IconicCuronian SpitFrom the Hill of Crosses through the Baltic coast to the Curonian Spit, a 98 km slip of dunes and pine forest shared between Lithuania and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. The route ends in Nida, a village of painted fishing cottages and Thomas Mann's summer house above the world's tallest moving sand dunes.EV-friendly
IconicDublin to the Wicklow MountainsFrom Dublin's Georgian streets into the granite mountains of the Wicklow interior, through Sally Gap's bare moorland, the oak forest of Glenealo Valley, mirror lakes, and stone ruins. The Emerald Isle's most accessible wilderness drive, returning via the coast at Bray.EV-friendly
NotableGlasgow to Fort WilliamThe perfect introduction to the Scottish Highlands, from Glasgow's urban grit north through Loch Lomond's pastoral shoreline, the Trossachs National Park villages of Tarbet and Crianlarich, and along the great loch itself before the landscape shifts into the imposing drama of Glen Coe and Ben Nevis.EV-friendly
NotableMansfield to MarysvilleVictoria's High Country gravel road from Mansfield through Woods Point to Marysville, through remote forest and mountain ranges on unsealed roads that venture into country where 4WD clearance is an advantage. The section between Mansfield and Woods Point feels further from civilisation than its distance from Melbourne suggests.SUV onlyOff-road sections
NotableRoute de TuriniThe most celebrated stage of the Monte Carlo Rally, a sinuous mountain road climbing from the Ligurian coast through chestnut forest to the Col de Turini at 1607m. Every hairpin is banked, every view cinematic.EV-friendly
Hidden GemSuriname Coastal Highway Paramaribo to Nieuw NickerieThis straight, low-key coastal drive follows Suriname’s main westbound highway from Paramaribo to Nieuw Nickerie, crossing wide rivers on road bridges, rice-country plains, and sleepy villages. It is a practical road trip through long stretches of flat, tropical scenery rather than dramatic mountain views.
NotableRiga to Cape Kolka Coastal RouteA two-day Riga-to-Cape Kolka paved-coast route via Jūrmala, Ķemeri, Engure/Mērsrags and an official Slītere trail.EV-friendly
NotableSalento Coast, PugliaA two-day Adriatic-to-Ionian Salento coast run from Otranto through Castro and Leuca to Gallipoli.EV-friendly