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Unless you have been living under a rock, you will have noticed that we are currently living under a volcanic ash cloud.

Thanks to the wonderfully named Eyjafjallajökull, flights across Europe are being grounded, holidays are being prolonged and news reporters are contorting their mouths in never-before-seen constellations. And it seems likely that this will be continuing for a while yet.

Has the seismic activity in Iceland stirred your imagination? Interested in combining language study with volcano exploration?

Here are our five top language travel destinations for volcano lovers:

1) Sainte Anne, Guadeloupe

Sainte Anne in Guadeloupe is tropical paradise. White, sandy beaches, palm trees, warm, turquoise waters – they’re all here.

Just 40km away, on the other wing of the butterfly shaped island is 1,467m tall La Grande Soufrière, which last erupted in the 70s. The volcano is criss-crossed with paths and makes an excellent day trip from Sainte Anne.

Find out more about our French courses in Guadeloupe.

2) Tokyo, Japan

On a clear day, you can see Mount Fuji from downtown Tokyo, which is little over 100km away.

The currently dormant volcano is one of Japan’s most popular destinations and can be climbed during July and August each year.

If you want to see the volcano up close, without leaving your seat, take the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) from Tokyo in the direction of Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka and look out of the right hand windows around Shin-Fuji Station, 40 to 45 minutes after leaving Tokyo.

Find out more about our Japanese courses in Tokyo.

3) Tenerife, Spain

At 3718m above sea level, Pico del Teide is Spain’s highest point. Known as Echeyde before Spanish colonisation in 1495, the volcano is a great day trip if you want to get away from the beach.

Find out more about our Spanish courses in Tenerife.

4) Fukuoka, Japan

Fukuoka is a vibrant city in the far west of Japan, within easy reach of Shanghai and Seoul. Check out our Japanese courses in Fukuoka.

115km away, Mount Unzen is one of the world’s great live volcanoes, attracting geologists, artists and explorers from all corners. It last erupted in the mid-nineties.

5) Wellington, New Zealand

2,797m tall Mount Ruapehu is 233km from Wellington. That’s just as well, really, as Ruapehu is one (well, technically three) of the world’s most active volcanoes and has seen minor eruptions on more than 60 occasions since 1945.

Don’t let that put you off though… the kiwis certainly don’t! Whakapapa on the northern side and Turoa on the southern slope are New Zealand’s largest ski areas and are usually open from June to October.

Find out more about our English courses in Wellington.

Five great volcanoes, five great destinations!