The winds of change in Cuba blow stronger every day.These are heady days for both the country's creaking authorities and its bemused 11 million inhabitants. From its picturesque beaches at Varadero (left) to the national park at Vinales (right) and its stunning capital (inset), Cuba makes for one of the most fascinating holidays - and one that should be taken sooner rather than later, reports The Daily Mail's Richard Eden.

Travel blogger Stana Ferrari, from Rome, had a sneaking suspicion the entire scene was staged when her tourist group rode the metro in North Korea's capital. She said locals (top right) ignored the foreigners and didn't appear to be acting naturally. There seemed to be too much order as they walked in and out of the carriages 'in a much studied fashion', she added. During her time inside cavernous stations (left), the 32-year-old was in awe of giant murals (bottom right) depicting pretty scenes or war victories, and elaborate chandeliers.

Situated 137ft underground, Rudolf Mine in Romania has been transformed into a lively tourist hotspot that draws in around 600,000 visitors a year. The popular attraction boasts
an 180-seat amphitheatre and a boating lake (top right) as well as a fairground with rides such as a carousel and big wheel (top left).

Will Burrard-Lucas has spent 10 years taking photographs for his book 'Top wildlife sites of the world'. He travelled around the world visiting places including Zambia (bottom right), China (top left), Borneo (bottom left) and the Falklands Islands (top right). The photographer uses a buggy cam that lets him get closer to the animals than was possible before, helping him to capture these stunning images.

The Waterfront suite, designed by a number of US companies, could become the most well-connected plane seat in the world by allowing passengers to customise almost every feature or setting. Using an app, passengers can convert their seat to a flat 79in bed (left), display films or programmes from their device and adjust the LED lights or temperature. Mobile phones recharge wirelessly when placed on a side table (top right) and the seat itself (bottom right) is hidden by wall partitions and a sliding door, offering privacy from flight attendants or fellow travellers.

Many travellers share idyllic images of exploring the world living in a van, but one couple has revealed the stark truth behind their life on the road. Photographers Shelby Lisk, 23, and Simon Stiles, 26, from Canada set off last August with visions of the van making it easier for them to create art and see the world, living rent-free. While their glossy images paint a picture of waking up in paradise and cosy nights in their 1992 Dodge B350's bunk, the creatives found their quality of life actually suffered,

Kronborg Castle (main) in Helsingor, Denmark, is the home of Hamlet. It's known as Elsinore in Shakespeare's tragedy. It will host two guests for one night to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth. It will be the first time that anyone has stayed at the castle for 100 years. The guests will stay in the King's Tower (bottom right) and enjoy dinner in the ballroom (top right).

Adventure Hornblower charged at the pier in San Diego, USA, after a mechanical malfunction meant it could not stop in time. A video taken at the scene showed about a dozen people waiting to board as the ship careered towards them (top left). One woman (top right) scarcely made it to safety before the vessel crashed into the pier (bottom left and right). Seven people were injured but none of the injuries were life threatening.

As tourists look on, footage captures an angry rhino storming across a road through the Kaziranga National Park in the Assam region of India towards a man who is forced to climb a tree. The protective adult continues to butt its horn aggressively towards the terrified man as its calf watches.

The First Spaces concept, from London design firm Seymourpowell, is aimed at solo passengers or couples who don't want to be bothered or even seen by fellow travellers on a long-haul flight. Each suite has an armchair or couch (inset) that folds into a bed (top left, top right), a retractable door (bottom left) and a tablet that controls in-flight entertainment (bottom right), seat position and lighting. At the heart of the suite is a new 'smart in-flight service system' that uses sensors and logs passengers' preferences to anticipate their needs.

Google Street View added 150 spectacular points for users to navigate around this week and revealed that the large collection was compiled by a lone intrepid trekker over two years. Trudging through tea plantations (top left), the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (bottom left), forests, rolling hills and ornate temples, the exploration created stunning maps that reveal the full extent of Thailand's beauty. The mapping mission was entrusted to Thai triathlete Panupong Luangsa-ard (pictured) who used a variety of transportation methods during the task.

The Floatti case, which LA-based designers claim is a world first, has a built-in charger for devices as well as a detachable electronic compartment for laptops and smartphones that aims to keep travellers moving quickly through security lines. The handle can also be used to touch control smart phones and to weigh itself.

A fun-loving polar bear cub in Czech Republic's Brno Zoo desperately tries to get a response from his uninterested mum, even walking up and down her back and nibbling her face. Nothing appears to work and the resting mother seems more keen on getting some peace and quiet. The heartwarming clip has racked up over 323,520 views since it went up last week.

Over the decades it's been much more than a bit player in Hollywood's history. It's appeared in numerous films and TV shows from The Last Action Hero to Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. The luxury hotel was constructed by Harry Culver in 1924 in Culver City, which by the 1940s was where around half of America's movies were made. Actors and actresses that have checked in also include Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford and Buster Keaton.

Butlin's resorts were founded in 1936 by Billy Butlin as an all-weather holiday destination. Photographs and postcards show the visitors having fun in resorts around the UK. Camps can still be found in several different parts of the country, offering affordable luxury to the British public.

A film shot at the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud, Indonesia, shows a holidaymaker facing off with a monkey which bears its teeth and makes a move towards the man's cheek. Amazingly the tourist maintains his smile as he quickly moves away from the primate's jaws.

A woman on a flight from Houston to Boston hung her hair over back of seat, obstructing her fellow passenger's TV screen. A photo of the incident was posted on Twitter and quickly went viral. It was captioned: 'Congrats to the ponytailed young woman in seat 22B. You've invented a whole new way to be awful at 35,000 feet.' Many on the social media site suggested that the person sitting behind the offending ponytail should cut it off. Others advised mixing up the hair with a drink or some well-placed chewing gum. One user thought that the ponytail had a practical use - that the passenger could use it to pull himself out of the chair.

The Surma people are made up of the Suri tribe and the Mursi tribe. These images of the tribes were taken in Ethiopia by Louisa Seton, who wanted to photograph them before they disappeared. Their way of life is threatened by extreme drought, building of dams and the establishment of national parks.

Sam Huang, from Pasadena, California, spent part of his flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi in Etihad's The Residence, the most exclusive suite on a passenger jet. He scored a first class seat after cashing in 60,000 frequent flyer miles and spent part of the 15-hour flight inside the suite, which boasts a bedroom, living room and en-suite shower. Back in first class, he had his own private suite, although smaller, complete with a couch that converts into a bed, meals prepared by a chef and bottomless Champagne.

While it may seem revolting to some, the unusual tourist attraction (inset) at the Isle of Wight Zoo is intended to inform visitors about human and animal health. The National Poo Museum features 18 samples that have been dried and stored in glass orbs that can illuminate with the touch of a button. Visitors can see samples of excrement from a lion (top left), pigeon (top right), human baby (bottom right) and a fox (bottom left). One sample, a fossilised poo, is believed to be 38 million years old.

The stunning display of 50,000 lights - which are solar powered and grow brighter as the daylight fades - was created by artist British Bruce Munro, and is his largest piece of work to date.The artwork at Uluru fills an area the size of four football pitches and will be open to visit for an entire year.

The incredible footage was filmed at Dusseldorf Airport in Germany and shows planes thrown left and right in the winds as Storm Katie raged. The video shows incoming aircraft struggling to maintain a straight line, while planes flying out rise off the tarmac in dramatic fashion. The planes in the footage include an Airbus A340-600, Airbus A380, Airbus A330, Airbus A320, Boeing 737, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, ERJ-170.

Hawkeye Huey, from Seattle, has been showing the world just how apt his name is with a series of holiday photographs that are so good they've been published in the latest issue of National Geographic Traveler Magazine. It's a publication renowned for its exceptional pictures, so it's quite an achievement. For comparison, his images have been published alongside those of his professional photographer dad, Aaron Huey. His pictures are so remarkable that they've made him an internet sensation and he now has over 200,000 followers on Instagram.

The ride was coined as the Sui-Slide Zip Line by the mayor of Danao and is located in the Danao Adventure Park in Bohol. It's a lofty 650ft above sea level. The video, filmed earlier this year, shows the tourist setting off on the second-leg of the line and then being treated to amazing views of thick jungle vegetation and the winding river.

The Aquarium De Paris has built a bedroom in their shark tank. Through an Airbnb competition, guests will sleep in a room 10 metres underwater, surrounded by 35 of the deadly animals. The event aims to teach people more about the 'misunderstood' animals.

The video, which was uploaded to YouTube, shows the small creature slide to a halt in front of shallow water in Tanzania, Africa, while out for a walk with its herd. The group all saunter over the murky stream, but the smallest of the bunch cannot figure it out. After the majority of the group clear the stream, the calf can be seen standing beside its mother as it hesitates to touch the water.

Nestled on top of a large cliff in New Mexico is a sleepy commune that is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America. Acoma Pueblo in Valencia County has been occupied by the Acoma people for over 800 years - though today it only has 50 full-time residents (pictured centre are residents in 1897) and no electricity. In the 1950s part of the rockface was blown up and a road was constructed to the top. But before that the only way to visit the site - which is 360 feet above the desert (top left and bottom right) - was up a near-vertical staircase carved into the golden rockface.

If you crave a retreat overlooking a spectacular ocean view, then perhaps this luxury stay would be for you. American designer Alex Hogrefe has created some incredible concept images of a sprawling apartment with protruding balcony (top left) perched on the edge of a cliff in Iceland. The drama of staying at this heart-stopping location would be heightened by the thunderous waves that crash below.

The three-mile stretch of Welsh shoreline was up for auction in a rare sale because most of Britain's coastline is owned by the Queen. And the stretch of beach sold for more than three times its £20,000 asking price - even though buyers were warned that it can only be used at low tide before the sea comes in from the Bristol Channel.

MailOnline Travel's James Dunn takes a tour of the sights that feature in Steven Spielberg's Cold War spy thriller and discovers along the way just why Berlin is a world-class city. Dunn visits the world-famous Glienicke Bridge, which is the centrepiece of the film's gripping finale (top left and top right) and stays in the luxurious Hotel Adlon Kempinski (bottom left), which is just a stone's throw from the Brandenburg Gate and on the site of the infamous 'dead zone', where defectors would be shot as they tried to cross from East to West.

The simple wooden cabin (left) on Mudeford Spit in Christchurch, comfortably sleeps four (top right) and has an electricity supply via solar panels on the roof and a fully fitted kitchen (bottom right). The exterior however is looking tired and requires updating, preferably replacing with a brand new one at a cost of up to £40,000.

Adorable shots of two-month-old cubs exploring their Canadian wonderland for the first time were taken by Thomas Kokta, who spent over eleven days waiting for them to emerge. In his quest for the perfectly-timed pictures, Thomas faced strong winds, temperatures of -55C, and estimates he kept watch over the den for 250 hours before having any luck. The photographer, originally from Hagen, Germany, continued to snap the bears over a number of days, capturing them playing in the fresh snow, acclimatising to life outside the den, and climbing on each other.