Hiking, snorkelling, cycling, desert safaris, helicopters and other experiences where the landscape is the attraction.
A hillside garden city planned by Gaudí for a wealthy patron, with a mosaic-covered terrace, a long serpentine bench, a hall of Doric columns and views over the whole city to the sea. It was never finished as housing and became a public park in 1926.
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843 acres in the middle of Manhattan, with lakes, bridges, lawns and the Bethesda Fountain. It is free to enter and large enough to need a plan.
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Dune driving in a 4x4, sandboarding, camel rides and a barbecue dinner at a desert camp with live entertainment.
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A 13-mile scenic drive through red sandstone cliffs 30 minutes from the Strip, with hiking trails of all lengths.
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Red sandstone formations and petroglyphs about an hour from the Strip.
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A night flight over the Strip's lights, with views of the casinos.
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A volcanic crater with a 1.6-mile round-trip trail to a summit with views of Waikiki and the coast.
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Green sea turtles feed along the north and west coasts of Oahu. Boat trips take you to the spots where they gather.
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A protected marine reserve in a volcanic crater, one of Oahu's best snorkelling spots.
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A rocky desert 40 minutes from the city with camel rides, quad biking and a sunset dinner under tents.
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Southern right whales visit the coast from June to November, and Hermanus is one of the best places in the world to see them from land.
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A two-hour pre-dawn hike to the summit of an active volcano for sunrise, with breakfast cooked on volcanic steam.
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A scenic hillside of stepped rice paddies north of Ubud, with swings and viewpoints.
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A guided climb to the top of the bridge, 134 metres above the harbour, with views of the Opera House and the city.
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A six-kilometre coastal path linking some of Sydney's best beaches, with clifftop views and ocean pools.
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Freshwater sinkholes in the limestone for swimming and snorkelling, some open to the sky and some in caves.
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A snorkelling or diving site off Cancún and Isla Mujeres with sculptures on the seabed.
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A high-altitude hike to a striped mountain at about 5,000 metres, with long views of the Andes.
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A four-day trek along the ancient paved trail to Machu Picchu, passing cloud forest, ruins and mountain passes.
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A turquoise glacial lake beneath snowy peaks, reached on a steep morning hike near Mollepata.
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Madrid's grand central park, with a lake, the Crystal Palace and rose gardens.
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One of the largest medicinal baths in Europe, set in a yellow neo-baroque building with outdoor pools that steam in winter.
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An extinct volcano in Holyrood Park, 251 metres high, with a short hike that gives a 360-degree view of the city and the Firth of Forth.
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A hill with monuments and one of the best views of Edinburgh's skyline.
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A scenic 10 km cliff-top path linking the two main towns, with constant caldera views.
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A 1935 observatory on the slopes of Mount Hollywood, with free entry, planetarium shows and one of the best views of the Hollywood Sign and the city.
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A scenic stretch of Pacific Coast Highway with beaches, cliffs and the Getty Villa nearby.
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The 1937 suspension bridge is the symbol of the city. You can walk or cycle across it for views of the bay and the skyline.
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A path through towering bamboo on the western edge of the city, near Tenryu-ji temple, the monkey park and the Togetsukyo Bridge.
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Dune driving, camel rides and a barbecue dinner under the stars in the desert outside the city.
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A guided kayak through the mangrove channels near the Eastern Corniche, with birds and calm water.
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A 4x4 trip over the dunes to the Inland Sea, where the desert meets the water, with camel rides and sandboarding.
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A garden across the river from the Taj Mahal, with one of the best views of the monument at sunset.
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A hilltop fort overlooking Jaipur, popular for sunset views over the old city.
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A four-tiered waterfall in the Western Ghats, reached by a jeep safari through the forest.
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A 17th-century Portuguese fort overlooking the Arabian Sea, usually combined with Baga, Calangute and Anjuna beaches.
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A national marine park with some of Thailand's clearest water, white beaches and excellent snorkelling and diving.
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Thailand's highest peak, with waterfalls, rice terraces, two royal pagodas and cool mountain air.
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A peninsula of white beaches, limestone cliffs and caves, reachable only by boat and known for rock climbing.
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A turquoise forest pool and a stream of warm mineral water in the Khlong Thom rainforest.
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A 14 km Ming-dynasty wall that you can cycle around in about 90 minutes, with views over old and new Xi'an.
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One of China's five sacred mountains, with narrow cliff paths and cable cars.
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A jeep ride around the slopes of one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, with views of lava fields and old villages.
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A two- or three-day trek to the crater rim of Indonesia's second-highest volcano, with a lake and hot springs.
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Two waterfalls at the foot of Rinjani reached through a short rainforest walk.
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A string of white-sand beaches and surf breaks along the south coast, such as Tanjung Aan and Mawun.
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A sunrise flight over the Nile, the temples and the west bank landscape.
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A quad bike or jeep trip into the Eastern Desert, with a Bedouin dinner and stargazing.
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A protected reserve at the tip of Sinai with some of the Red Sea's richest reefs and clear water.
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A quad bike drive into the desert with a Bedouin camp, dinner and stargazing.
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Five limestone and marble hills with caves, pagodas and sweeping views over the coast.
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A long beach and the Son Tra Peninsula, with Lady Buddha, forest and viewpoints.
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Golden dunes with Bedouin camps, dune bashing and stargazing, about three hours from Muscat.
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A canyon with turquoise pools, a short hike and a swim to a hidden waterfall cave.
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A huge rock-cut monument at the top of about 800 steps, with views of the valley.
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A desert of red sand and sandstone mountains, with jeep tours, camel rides and Bedouin camps.
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A trip to snorkel with whale sharks, mostly in South Ari Atoll.
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A quiet bamboo raft ride past villages, water buffalo and limestone hills near Yangshuo.
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Terraced hillsides where Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea is grown, with farm visits and tastings.
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A quiet wetland of waterways and persimmon trees, with boat rides and walking paths.
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An airboat ride through sawgrass marsh, where alligators, birds and wildlife live in the wetlands.
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An airboat ride or wildlife park visit to see alligators and native birds in central Florida.
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A boat trip into the bayou to see alligators, herons and moss-draped cypress trees.
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A scenic cove with sea lions, seals and snorkelling and kayaking among sea caves.
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A sunrise above the clouds at the summit of a dormant volcano, 3,055 metres up.
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A short ferry ride to a car-free chain of islands with beaches, bike paths and skyline views.
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A huge urban park with a seawall path, totem poles, beaches and forest trails.
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A city mountain reached by gondola, with views, hiking, wildlife and ski runs.
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A large park on the hill that gives the city its name, with a lookout over downtown.
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A glacier-fed lake with a famous turquoise colour, surrounded by peaks and trails.
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A strikingly blue lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, one of Canada's most photographed spots.
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A canyon with catwalks, waterfalls and a trail to the Ink Pots.
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A waterfall higher than Niagara, with a cable car, suspension bridge and zip lines.
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A park on the site of the 1759 battle, with trails, views and a museum.
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The volcano that destroyed Pompeii, with a walk to the crater rim and views over the Bay of Naples.
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Rio's famous beaches, with promenades, volleyball and beach bars.
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The world's first commercial bungy site, a 43-metre jump over a river.
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A wildlife park with lions, giraffes, rhinos and buffalo against a city skyline.
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A visit to a farm to see and taste cloves, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg growing.
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A seaside promenade with beach clubs, cafés and the Atlantic breeze.
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A cycle through rice fields, villages and water-coconut forests.
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