Niwa's scientists have again shown off their photographic flair with pictures showcased at the institute's Excellence Awards ceremony in Auckland this week. The images offer an insight into the stunning landscapes the scientists get to work in, from the ice shelves of Antarctica to the summit of Mt Ruapehu. Scientific diver Crispin Middleton (at left) won the Our People section for a photograph he calls "Toado Selfie". Taken at the Poor Knights Marine Reserve, he is surrounded by panicked Starry Toado pufferfish. These fish are rarely seen and usually live in deep open water. On rare occasions they stray too close to land and get attacked by hungry kingfish and snapper. The judges - photography professionals Ross Giblin of Fairfax Media, Gerry le Roux from Science Lens and Niwa's Dave Allen, commented that the world would be a better place "if more selfies were this good".

Adventure World launched its Faces of the Globe competition in February 2015, asking travellers to capture portraits of those they encountered on their travels. These are the winning entries ...

Images from the Balloons Over Waikato event, which runs until this Sunday.

A renovation has seen this storied property in eastern Sydney tastefully revamped.

For further information see intercontinental.com.

This luxurious property on Sydney's waterfront is a favourite haunt of the rich and famous.

For further information see luxehouses.com.au.

Voted the Leading Hotel Suite in New Zealand at the 2014 World Travel Awards, once you've settled in you won't want to leave these luxurious lodgings.

For further information see skycityauckland.co.nz.

Named after the country's longest river, the Loire Valley is referred to as the 'cradle of the French language' because of its rich history of human habitation going back thousands of years. It's also renowned for its magnificent chateaux, from mediaeval fortresses to renaissance palaces, all within a relatively short distance of each other.

These beautifully-appointed apartments in a quiet street offer the perfect holiday accommodation option for families.

For further information see wla.co.nz.

This beautiful Otago property is the perfect place to relax and unwind or to enjoy a more adventurous holiday, taking in the on-site golf course and the surrounding area's many outdoor leisure options.

Further information see millbrook.co.nz.

Hiking the Catalonia Classic trail, taking in the Spanish villages of Calella de Palafrugell, Peratallada, Begur and many others.

Northwest of Adelaide lies this fascinating land of ancient rock formations, salt lakes, native wildlife and several national parks.

This property, less than half an hour's drive from Rotorua, is modelled on the game reserves which are big business in South Africa.

For further information see treetops.co.nz.

All you'll hear at this quiet resort is the tide lapping at the nearby beach, the odd fish slapping back into the water and perhaps the twitter of a bird now and then.

This 700-year-old Spanish castle will appeal to amateur historians, hikers and those who enjoy fine dining.

Personal stories distinguish this war museum, which has reopened on London's South Bank following an $80 million refurbishment. Its showpiece, the display in the new World War I Galleries, was completed just in time for the centenary of the century-defining conflict.

For further information see iwm.org.uk.

Just 90 minutes' drive from Sydney lies this incredible landscape of soaring mountains, rugged canyons and precarious pathways.

The astonishingly wild setting of this Palliser Bay lodge belies the extreme luxury of its accommodation spaces.

For further information see: wharekauhau.co.nz.

This inviting hotel, with a cosy alpine lodge feel, is the perfect place to retire to after a busy day exploring the Ruapehu District.

For further information see: powderhorn.co.nz.

This boutique hotel offers a cosy and elegant place to stay, with a popular restaurant and busy cocktail and espresso bars onsite.

For further information see: marltonhotel.com.

This coastal hotel in the suburb of Scarborough offers all the modern comforts and sea views aplenty.

For further information see: tfehotels.com.

This hand-laid, three-kilometre-long railway snakes its way through rugged Coromandel bush terrain to a tower that affords wonderful views out to the Hauraki Gulf.

For further information see: drivingcreekrailway.co.nz

This resort in Hokkaido prefecture, 1000km north of Tokyo, gets enough snow to allow skiing for seven months of the year.

For further information see 360niseko.com.

This former mining settlement sits on a windswept plateau in eastern California, some 2500m above sea level. Notorious for lawlessness in its heyday, it's now an isolated ghost town whose buildings have been left to the elements.

For further information see: parks.ca.gov.

From The Leaning Tower of Pisa to South America's Iguazu Falls, check out the places on Expedia's Listopedia Bucket List of the best places to take a selfie.

You can trace the story of Australia's most infamous outlaw by visiting some of the sites along this route, which runs through New South Wales and Victoria.

This east African country is fascinating in its diversity, with verdant highlands in the south and dry, dusty landscapes to the north. The most populous land-locked country in the world, it is also home to numerous tribes who are trying, with mixed success, to preserve their traditional ways of life.

The caves at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in northern Wisconsin have been transformed into a dazzling display of ice sculptures by the arctic siege gripping the Upper Midwest. The caves are usually accessible only by water, but Lake Superior's rock-solid ice cover is letting people walk to them for the first time since 2009.

Every January, the Gold Coast hosts ten days of carnival events that revolve around the famous yearling sales. Clarke Gayford went along on race day and soaked up the atmosphere trackside.