In Estonian, Soomaa means Land of Bogs, which is exactly what you'll find in this huge national wetlands park about an hour's drive from Pärnu. Your main peat bogs mingled with rivers and forests make up a lush playground for wolves, brown bears and flying squirrels, as well as some rare bird species.

Your first stop should be the Visitor's Centre in Tõramaa (tel. 435 71 64, soomaa.infocentre@mail.ee, www.soomaa.ee), where you can get trail maps to guide you through the bogs and meadows. Day hiking is popular, but most locals will tell you that the best way to explore the park is by canoe. For that, see Soomaa.com listing.