It might be only six hours away by plane, but the unhurried tropical vibes you'll bask in on this balmy archipelago – strewn across the middle of the South Pacific – feel positively Caribbean. And though you might know of its legendary beaches, you'll be awed by its untamed interior. Whether you're after hiking, biking or glamping in wild, pristine surrounds, the Cook Islands' 'mainland' of Rarotonga delivers.

“The Cooks are such an obvious escape for Aussies that we were almost reluctant to feature them,” explains Justin. “But swapping the beach for the bush is not something we'd heard of before, and the unspoiled, greenery-drenched landscape we saw just blew our minds.”

“From rambling around ancient volcanic peaks steeped in myth and legend in the company of Rarotonga's very own David Attenborough to catching some Zs in a luxury safari tent straight from the pages of Out of Africa, we think you'll be floored by Rarotonga's bounty of up-country treasures.”

Tapping into the secret side of a familiar destination is a recurring theme in issue 54. From the untapped northern corners of Spain ­­– where Basque is more common than Spanish, pigeon is a local delicacy and one of Europe's largest deserts is hiding in plain sight – to Uruguay's capital in full-on carnival mode with a side serve of political protest.

This issue also explores 'believe it or not' territory, with a month-by-month breakdown of the world's most gob-smacking natural phenomena. Think a Moses-like parting of the sea, a million-strong congregation of bubblegum pink birds in deadly waters and the secret South American delta where an everlasting storm brews. 

You'll find all this and more in the new issue of get lost magazine. On sale from this week at newsagents and online from Apple Newsstand and Amazon.

For more information or to organise an interview, contact Justin Jamieson on 
(03) 9486 0550 or justin.jamieson@grincreative.com.au.