It’s a fact: travel is sexy. Studies have shown that most people prioritise finding a partner with similar levels of wanderlust, while including a holiday snap in your dating app profile improves your chances of scoring a first date.
The journey doesn’t end there, of course. From the first romantic city getaway to a round-the-world adventure for two, the highs and lows of travelling as a couple can deepen the bond you share with your other half. Here’s how.
In travel, as in many other areas of life, you’re stronger together. freemixer / Getty Images
You work as a team
Successful couples know how to problem solve and compromise, and there’s no better place to hone those skills than on the road. Planning and booking a trip, navigating an unknown city and coping with unexpected challenges – such as late trains, lost credit cards or even scammers – all require teamwork. The buzz you’ll get from overcoming such obstacles together will no doubt bring you closer and build trust.
Couple’s counsel: Making joint decisions isn’t always easy – particularly if you have different travel styles. If you find yourselves bickering, heed this Vanilla Ice-inspired motto: Stop. Collaborate and listen. If all else fails, you could always consider a rap battle…
What shared passions might you discover as a couple on the road? Carlina Teteris / Getty Images
You experience new things together
You don’t want to grow apart, so why not grow together? Perhaps quite literally, if the sight of tropical flora ends up inspiring you to spruce up your garden when you return home. Whether your tummies rumble in unison at the sight of unusual street snacks or you lock eyes and share a gleeful smile when you spot an exotic bird in the wild, the joint encounters and learning opportunities globetrotting gives you will help foster collective interests that will only make your connection stronger.
Couple’s counsel: Take your new worldly wisdom home with you: learn to cook your favourite Thai dish and host a dinner party for friends; hang that Moroccan mirror you haggled so hard over in your love nest; or enrol on a Spanish language course.
You enjoy a vital break from routine
Binge-watching Narcos in your PJs and ordering a biryani may be the norm for long-term twosomes, but wouldn’t you rather get a taste of the real Colombia or India instead? Travel breaks your everyday routine, injecting a little spontaneity back into your relationship in the process.
Couple’s counsel: While away you may reflect on your life at home and decide to make some changes that will benefit you both, such as taking more mini-breaks, minimising screen time or taking up a new hobby. If a trip inspires you to shake things up, make a pact and stick to it – it’s easy to fall back into old habits once you return.
Empathy goes a long way when your partner hits a low point. Cavan Images / Getty Images
You see each other at your worst
Hangry. Stressed. Sick. Chances are you’ll both be all of these at some point during your travels. If your partner’s suffering, you’ll have to bear the brunt of each and every grumble – with the understanding that sooner or later, the situation will be reversed. If the pair of you are worse for wear simultaneously, prepare to fight over the last chip, or worse, the toilet bowl.
Couple’s counsel: Feeling vulnerable so far from home means you’ll need each other now more than ever. Have your loved one’s back and take the lead when they’re low. You’d be amazed what a quick nap and a bite to eat can cure.
Can travel put the va-va-voom back in your relationship? We think so. Monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images
You see each other at your best
Travel puts a twinkle in your eye and a spring in your step. When you see the world as a couple, you associate that feel-good factor with each other. Combine this with your sweetheart’s sun-kissed glow and your new-found carefree attitude and you’ll be eyeing each other up like a pair of love-struck teenagers.
Couple’s counsel: Now is the time to be present. You will never again be as young as you are in this moment (a motivational maxim if ever there was one), nor will you always be as happy. Make the most of it.
Travel companions reveal their true selves to each other, quirks and all. Jacob Staedler / Getty Images
You get to know each other’s quirks
There’s a lot you can glean about a person by observing their behaviour as they travel. Packing techniques (or lack thereof), aeroplane etiquette and breakfast buffet habits can all highlight character traits you were, until now, blissfully unaware of. Fortunate couples may find their foibles are completely in sync – or at least complementary – while others will have to work out how to marry one’s aptitude for losing their passport with another’s fear of missing a flight.
Couple’s counsel: Patience is key here and you’ll need to take the rough with the smooth. Remember: your partner isn’t the only one with flaws.
You’ll have time to put the world to rights together, which may lead to a deeper level of understanding. Aurora Open / Getty Images
You gain new, shared perspectives
Travel can stretch time. Suddenly you have hours, days or weeks to discuss anything and everything, from distant childhood memories to global politics. With a deeper understanding of each other’s viewpoints, a new, shared outlook may arise (eg if we can survive a 19-hour bus ride through rural China, we can survive anything) and vague plans for the future become thought-out, achievable goals.
Couple’s counsel: While travel can lead to many aligned perspectives, it may also unearth differences of opinion you never knew existed. Use the time you have on the road to discuss important issues in a stress-free environment and resolve recurring niggles.
Travelling as a twosome is a surefire way to make memories that last. Gaile Juknyte / Getty Images
You create memories that last a lifetime
You don’t need to traverse the globe to make wonderful memories, but it helps. Once you’ve tackled the Trans-Siberian, cruised along the Amazon and road-tripped Route 66 hand-in-hand, you’ll have plenty of glorious experiences to reminisce over in your old age – and anecdotes aplenty with which to bore the grandkids.
Couple’s counsel: Keep a journal during your travels, and when you’re back, create a scrapbook and organise and print special photos. When you’re old and grey these visual prompts will spark cherished memories of adventure and romance – or even inspire you to take an anniversary trip.
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For one of the most beautiful stretches of Mediterranean coastline, with glittering islands, wonderfully well-preserved medieval towns, pristine national parks and fabulous cuisine, head to Croatia.
Starting in Zagreb and ending in Dubrovnik, this seven-day itinerary is perfect for first-time visitors. You’ll explore the Croatian capital as well as UNESCO World Heritage-listed old towns on the Dalmatian coast, hopping on a catamaran or ferry between exquisite islands along the way. We’ve included some gorgeous beaches, breathtaking architecture, delicious food and wine, some outstanding museums, and sunsets to swoon over. What are you waiting for?
Ready to start planning? Time your visit just right with our seasonal guide
Visit in summer for the best options for ferry travel out to the islands. Darios / Shutterstock
When to arrive: Late spring and early fall are great times to visit Croatia, thanks to pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds. However, for the smoothest connections out to the islands, you’ll want to visit Croatia in the high-season months of June to August, when ferries are running the most frequent services.
How to get to/from the airports: It is a 40-minute bus ride from Zagreb’s airport into the city center bus station and tickets can be bought online in advance or from the driver. Taxis are available outside the terminal. In Dubrovnik, jump on the airport shuttle bus at the main bus station, Grawe station, at the Old Town cable car stop or outside One Suite hotel. Buy tickets at the stops or online.
What to pack: Swimming shoes are highly recommended for beach visits. It is not acceptable to walk around beach towns in your swimwear, so be sure to pack non-beach clothes too. Include some smarter outfits for evenings out and clothes that will cover bare shoulders and thighs when visiting religious sites.
First time in Croatia? Here are the things you should know before you go
Before heading to Croatia’s world-famous coast, spend a day exploring Zagreb, its charming capital. Dreamer4787 / Getty Images
Day 1: start your week in Zagreb
Many Croatian itineraries just stick to the coast and islands – but in missing the Croatian capital, you’re really only seeing half the country. Zagreb has a number of excellent museums and galleries to visit, fabulous bars, cafes and restaurants, and a beautifully preserved old city center filled with Secessionist-style architecture.
How to spend the day: Start with a walking tour of the Upper Town (Gornji grad), which centers on the iconic St Mark’s Church. Don’t miss the excellent (and unique!) Museum of Broken Relationships. Then head downhill and visit the big open market and the beautiful Gothic cathedral. From bustling Ban Jelačić Square, wander through the parks and squares that run down towards the main railway station.
Take a break: When you feel like a coffee or a drink head along Tkalčićeva, a narrow, pedestrianized street teeming with vibrant cafes.
Join locals and tourists on the seafront to watch one of Zadar’s spectacular sunsets. xbrchx / 500px
Day 2: watch the sunset from the waterfront in Zadar
Morning: Take an early bus to Zadar, around a 3.5-hour journey. If you’re driving on your own, consider stopping off at the unforgettable Plitvice Lakes National Park on the way.
How to spend the day: Zadar’s old town is a beautiful cluster of narrow streets and medieval churches, all arranged along a narrow peninsula with jaw-dropping sunsets from its waterfront. Visit the Cathedral of St Anastasia and the distinctive Church of St Donatus, beside the Roman Forum.
Take a break: Stop for an ice cream, or sit on the seafront by the remarkable Sea Organ (a quayside stone “instrument” that makes haunting noises powered by the tide), as you admire the view over to the islands.
Dinner: Before settling in for a standout dinner at Foša, which serves top-notch seafood and has a lovely waterside terrace (bookings advised), watch the sunset from the Greetings to the Sun installation on the waterfront.
Traveling more of Croatia? Here’s our guide to getting around
Get lost among the alleys, paths and squares of the 4th-century Diocletian’s Palace in Split. Jazzmany / Shutterstock
Day 3: soak up the atmosphere in Split
Morning: It’s around 2.5 hours by bus to your base for the next couple of nights: Split, a coastal city with incredible architecture and popping nightlife.
How to spend the day: The lively heart of Split is Diocletian’s Palace. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was built in the 4th century as a truly magnificent retirement palace for the Roman emperor Diocletian. The complex is packed with hundreds of buildings that have been added throughout the ages and today is home to around 3000 people. Start your sightseeing here and don’t worry about getting lost – that’s half the fun.
Find your way to the center of the palace to admire the well-preserved colonnaded Roman Peristil (courtyard), and the octagonal Cathedral of St Domnius, which was originally Diocletian’s mausoleum. Below ground, the palace’s substructures are a wonderfully atmospheric place to explore. Don’t be surprised if you get the feeling dragons might be lurking: when filming Game of Thrones, these substructures stood in for the home of Daenerys’s… er… children.
Dinner: You’ll find plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars in the old city for when you start to feel peckish. Nosotromo, across from the fish market, is one of the best places to enjoy fresh Adriatic seafood. In the evening, take a stroll and grab a drink on the city’s Riva waterfront promenade.
Go windsurfing off Zlatni Rat, Croatia’s most-photographed beach, on Brač Island. Simone Simone / Getty Images
Day 4: relax on the iconic Zlatni Rat beach near Bol
Morning: Take a fast catamaran from Split to Bol on Brač Island. This pretty little town is most famous for Zlatni Rat beach, a glorious spur of smooth white pebbles and shingle that extends 500m (1640ft) straight out into the Adriatic, reached by a mile-long stroll along a pine-shaded waterfront promenade.
How to spend the day: The beach is hugely popular, and is also a great spot for windsurfing thanks to its steady winds. For astounding views across to Hvar and beyond, take a two-hour hike up to Vidova Gora. At 778m (2552ft), this is the highest point in the Adriatic Islands. Don’t forget to take water, sunscreen and a sun hat, as there’s virtually no shade on the trail up.
Planning tip: If you’re traveling outside of high season, you won’t make it to Bol via direct catamaran as they only run from June to September. But no worries: you can take the regular ferry from Split to Supetar and then the bus across the island to Bol – just allow enough time on the way back, as the bus sometimes gets stuck in traffic waiting for the ferry outside Supetar.
In the evening: If you have time in the evening, take a local bus to see UNESCO-listed Trogir and its amazing 13th-century cathedral.
Day 5: chill out in Hvar Town, and explore Korčula’s old town
Morning: In high season (June to September) you have several choices of catamaran when traveling from Split to Korčula Town, and it’s easy enough to stop off at Hvar Town for some chill-out time on the way. (Note that catamarans between Split, Hvar, Korčula and Dubrovnik in the summer do get fully booked up, so make sure you buy your tickets in advance. )
How to spend the day: The glittering capital of Hvar Island, Hvar Town is one of the most glamorous spots in Croatia, famous for a vibrant nightlife scene combined with historic architecture in a stunning setting. Wander the narrow streets of the old town past pretty churches and squares; if you fancy a swim, take a boat ride out to the Pakleni Islands. Then, take an afternoon catamaran to Korčula – or if you fall in love with Hvar and can’t bear to leave, count on taking a catamaran direct to Dubrovnik tomorrow.
Korčula Town is a picture-perfect walled settlement on a boat-shaped peninsula jutting into the Adriatic. Tightly clustered within a ring of walls and towers, the old town centers on the 15th-century St Mark’s Cathedral, which houses artworks by Tintoretto and Ivan Meštrović. The island is known for its wine; sample some at one of the wine bars in the lanes near the harbor.
Dinner: There are plenty of choices for food and drink in Hvar Town. Macondo on the harbor serves fresh-off-the-boat fish and steaks stuffed with seasonal and local ingredients like olives.
Save the experience of walking the walls in Dubrovnik until the morning of your second day. Benny Marty / Shutterstock
Day 6: prepare to be wowed by Dubrovnik’s old town
Morning: Catamarans run from Korčula Town to Dubrovnik in high season (June to September), but at other times of year you should catch a car ferry from Dominče to Orebić (on the Pelješac Peninsula) and continue on to Dubrovnik by bus. Your first glimpse of Dubrovnik’s UNESCO-listed old town – its magnificent white limestone walls standing proud above the turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea – will take your breath away. You’ll want to spend at least two days exploring this remarkable city and its surroundings.
How to spend the day: Wander the marble streets within the walls, stopping by the city’s various palaces, churches and museums. It’s best to walk the walls first thing in the morning, so keep them for tomorrow if you’ve just arrived from Korčula. The War Photo Limited gallery is a particularly powerful experience, with a permanent collection of images from the war in former Yugoslavia, as well as temporary exhibits on other worldwide conflicts.
Dinner: Join locals at the taverna-style Glorijet by the water for a hearty seafood meal or try Nishta with its creative vegan and vegetarian menu that makes the most of Croatia’s abundance of fresh produce.
In the evening: Finish your day off with a cable car ride up Mt Srđ, which rises directly behind the old town, to watch the sunset glint off the rooftops, then dip into the Adriatic sea.
Day 7: walk the city walls of Dubrovnik, and head to Lokrum for a swim
How to spend the day: Start your second day in Dubrovnik with a walk around the top of the old city walls; it’s best to go as soon as they open to avoid the crowds. This is the classic Dubrovnik experience and it will take you at least a couple of hours to check out all the various towers, taking in views of the old town rooftops and glittering Adriatic on the way.
In the afternoon you should have time to head out of town for a refreshing swim, either on Lokrum Island, a 10-minute ferry ride away, or at one of the local beaches. Bring your journey to a close with a sunset drink at one of the tiny bars on the rocks outside Dubrovnik’s city walls.
What’s perhaps the strangest thing about the Yucatán Peninsula? That this rain-rich, jungle-clad region of Mexico features a complete lack of rivers.
Rather than pooling in streams, the water that falls here seeps through the peninsula’s base of permeable limestone.
The result is an underworld of interconnected subterranean rivers and semi-submerged caverns – a unique geographical calling card that has spawned millennia of myths, and which continues to intrigue to this day.
Over the centuries, many of these cavern roofs have collapsed, exposing the underground water to the sky – forming Yucatán’s famous cenotes, ideal spots for swimming, diving and beating the brutal heat.
Since thousands of these watering holes dot Yucatán, we’ve suggested a few of the best ones to add to your list – 10 reasons why the peninsula is a place of singular natural wonders.
Overall planning tip: Unless stated otherwise below, most cenotes can only be accessed by car or by taking a tour. Prices start at around M$80 (US$4) per person, but can rise to 10 times that when including guided tours and equipment rental.
1. Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich
Best for a full Maya experience 8 miles north of Tulum
Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich (or “giant bird cage” in the Mayan language) is located on land owned and operated by a Mayan family – a parcel locally known as Rancho San Felipe.
Although you can visit the cenote solo, with your entry fee including rental of a life jacket and a snorkel, we highly recommend guided snorkeling tours of the cenote and caves.
This way, you can explore the stalactite- and stalagmite-covered caverns that aren’t accessible to general visitors.
These spaces are just about accessible with a snorkel, thanks to the sliver of air at the top of the caverns, which form part of the Sistema Sac Altun, thought to be the world’s longest underwater cave system at 229 miles (369km) long.
You can also take in a traditional Maya purification ceremony and buffet that includes typical Maya dishes such as panuchos and papdzules.
Planning tip: As with all swimmable cenotes on this list (unless stated otherwise), you’ll need to bring your own towel, bathing suit, sandals or similar, along with some money (cash is the best option) for renting lockers and buying refreshments.
Swimmers take the water at Cenote Dos Ojos, near Tulum. Getty Images
2. Cenote Dos Ojos
Best for snorkeling 11 miles north of Tulum
The jungle surrounding Cenote Dos Ojos (“two eyes”) is packed with hundreds of small cenotes, which in turn attract plenty of wildlife in the early morning and evening.
The main pool at Dos Ojos consists of a “pupil” of rock in the center, around which sits an azure “iris” of crystalline water, partly exposed to the sky.
Such a configuration makes it ideal for snorkeling. More-adventurous visitors may want to swim deeper into the caves of the gloomier second “eye.”
Experienced divers (equipment and flashlights are available to rent) can delve deeper into either of the cenotes, which are both connected to an extensive underground system. The Dos Ojos site also has a (water-free) bat cave, shower rooms, hammocks and laid-back cafe.
Planning tip: The best way to get to Dos Ojos is by car or as part of a tour. To reach the site on a budget, you can hop on a colectivo in Playa del Carmen or Tulum, disembark at Jacinto Pat and walk the 1.6 (2½km) miles along a dirt road. Bring plenty of water.
3. Gran Cenote
Best for experienced cave divers 2.5 miles north of Tulum
While generally considered to be a top choice for scuba diving and snorkeling, Gran Cenote’s assortment of pools and caverns allow for many activities.
Scuba divers can explore submerged caverns – being sure to take care to avoid the clusters of stalactites and stalagmites above and below.
Because precise diving is required to avoid damaging these unique structures, only fully certified cave divers are allowed into Gran Cenote’s depths.
Yet there’s plenty to be said for the combination of clear water and snorkeling gear back on the surface, where turtles and fish ply the water.
Planning tip: To maintain the clarity of the water and protect the species living within, visitors are not allowed to swim while wearing sunscreen. You’ll need to take a shower (facilities are available on-site) before entering the water.
Beautiful Cenote Zaci is in the center of the city of Valladolid. Shutterstock
4. Cenote Zací
Best for easy access In Valladolid’s historic center
The city of Valladolid is a great base for visiting many of the best cenotes in the Yucatán, as well as the ruins at Chichén Itzá.
But no cenote is easier to reach than Cenote Zací, which lies at the core of the city, only three blocks east of the Parque Principal.
The cenote is named for the Maya settlement that existed here until the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century.
Although the water may not be as clear and the cavern roof not quite as impressive as some cenotes on this list, it still makes for an impressive swimming spot – not least given the busy city streets surrounding it.
Vegetation grows up the sides of the sinkhole, and water occasionally cascades down into the pool from above.
Planning tip: If you’re staying nearby and plan to swim, it might be worth coming prepared with a swimsuit under your clothes since use of the changing rooms costs extra. Wearing of life jackets (provided at the site) is obligatory.
5. Cenote de Dzitnup
Best for swimming in dramatic caverns 3 miles southwest of Valladolid
Legend has it that a snuffling pig discovered Cenote de Dzitnup in the 1950s. Today, steps lead down into the cavern, whose small opening allows sunlight to paint the pool of water below turquoise.
Curiously, the cenote is also known as X’kekén and is often confused for Cenote Samulá, a smaller, shallower cavern cenote located on the grounds of Parque X’kekén.
Swimming in both cenotes, alongside shoals of languid blackfish beneath a roof spiked with hundreds of stalactites, is an eerie experience indeed.
Planning tip: There’s a changing room close to the steps down into Cenote de Dzitnup, but you’ll need sturdy sandals for the descent.
Stalactites add a touch of drama to Cenote Palomitas. Shutterstock
6. Cenotes Agua Dulce y Palomitas
Best for a limestone natural wonder 17 miles northeast of Valladolid
One forested site northeast of Valladolid hosts two underground cenotes. Both Agua Dulce (“freshwater”) and Palomitas (meaning either “little doves,” or more commonly “popcorn”) feel more like caves than your average cenote, since both have small openings in their roofs leading to vast water-filled chasms.
At both, the rock above the water is tight-packed with thousands of spear-like stalactites, which were formed by minerals slowly deposited over many thousands of years.
You’ll access both cenotes in novel ways. The larger of the two, Palomitas is reached via stone steps cut directly into the limestone.
But if you’re planning to swim in the cenote, there’s no more dramatic entrance than at Agua Dulce, where a spiral staircase corkscrews down through the tiny opening at the top of the cavern, straight into the water.
Planning tip: You must pay separately to enter each of the cenotes. If you only want to visit one, Agua Dulce is the more impressive.
7. Cenote Sagrado
Best for history lovers Within the Chichén Itzá site
Whenever you find an ancient Maya city, you’ll no doubt find a cenote nearby. The water sources sustained thriving urban populations, and eventually became significantly intertwined with Maya folklore and ritual.
Chichén Itzá, which many archaeologists suspect was the most important religious center in the Maya world, has two cenotes at its center. (Indeed, Chichén Itzá means “at the mouth of Itzá’s well”).
That revered well is today referred to as Cenote Sagrado (Sacred Cenote). A sacbe (raised stone road) directly connects it to El Castillo, the site’s famous main temple – marking the final leg of what, for many in the Maya world, was the most important pilgrimage one could complete.
These days, the sacred and archaeological value of Cenote Sagrado means recreational use is prohibited, yet visitors can still enjoy good views over the murky green water from above.
In the early 20th century, the bottom was dredged, revealing a large number of votive offerings in gold and jade (treasures that mostly were removed from the country, sadly) – but few human remains.
These discoveries undermined the grizzly assumption that the cenote was used for human sacrifice, although this notion still stubbornly persists.
Planning tip: Chichén Itzá can get extremely busy once the tour buses show up. Check the site’s latest hours online and aim to arrive 15–30 minutes before the gates open to enjoy the site and cenote without the crowds.
Cenote Ik Kil is spectacular – and, given its proximity to Chichén Itzá, popular. Tiago Fialho/Shutterstock
8. Cenote Ik Kil
Best add-on to a Chichén Itzá visit 2 miles east of Chichén Itzá
The landscape around Chichén Itzá is riddled with cenotes, some of them major attractions that draw plenty of visitors thanks to their proximity to the ruins.
Among them, Cenote Ik Kil is the most popular spot – and deservedly so thanks to its photogenic cascades of tree roots and vines, which drip over the lip of the cenote toward the water 131ft (40m) below the surface.
At around 100 pesos (US$5) for admission, it is also one of the better-value cenotes to visit, particularly if you don’t plan to swim. Just be prepared to share the space with plenty of other visitors.
Planning tip: Ik Kil offers a wide range of amenities, with decent lockers, changing rooms and a wide staircase with chains to hold on to as you descend toward the water. As always, sporting decent footwear is recommended.
9. Cenote Yokdzonot
Best for natural beauty 11 miles west of Chichén Itzá
Cenote Yokdzonot is a success story for the local Maya. In 2005, a group of women from Yokdzonot town belonging to the Zaaz Koolen Háa Cooperative decided to do something about the forlorn and overlooked cenote on the edge of town, planting gardens and building trails.
Today, their work has resulted in one of the best-tended, cleanest and prettiest cenotes in the entire Yucatán Peninsula.
Trees crowd around the cenote, their tangled roots dangling down to the water, enhancing the natural beauty of this remarkable geological formation.
You can zip-line over the water, relax in a hammock or grab a bite at the restaurant. Better yet, with a trip here, you know that your money will be going directly to a local Maya community.
Planning tip: Although the best way to reach Cenote Yokdzonot is by car, the town is on the main Valladolid–Chichén Itzá–Mérida road, so it’s possible to get a local colectivo to drop you off in Yokdzonot along the way. The cenote is four blocks south of the central plaza.
Deep-blue Cenote Azul provides a striking contrast to the pale waters of adjacent Lake Bacalar. Daniel Bouquets/Shutterstock
10. Cenote Azul
Best for photogenic vistas 3 miles south of Bacalar
Lake Bacalar is revered for its brilliant blues. Every imaginable hue, from glowing cerulean to rich royal blue, transforms its shallow waters when the sun is out. Just south of Bacalar town, Cenote Azul (Blue Cenote) sits like a navy punctuation mark on the lake’s shoreline.
The 300-ft-deep (90m-deep) sinkhole, one of the Yucatán Peninsula’s largest, is separated from the lake by a thin strip of forest. In this way, it feels like an extension of the lake. While this makes it better for more-capable swimmers, snorkeling along the shallows at the edge of the cenote is also possible.
At every majestic red, brown and pink turn, Grand Canyon National Park wows, with nature’s utmost beauty on full display.
The Grand Canyon is a global destination that offers more than 1.2 million acres of rocky, woodsy and riverine landscapes. It’s a paradise that appeals to travelers in search of many sorts of excursions, from family-centric outings to the most challenging of hikes.
Geologic forces have been molding this scenery for millions of years – and how you choose to take it all in, and which activities you opt for, will define your impression of this natural icon. The Arizona park features more than 130 trails, plus museums to explore, lodges to cozy into and water activities to enjoy.
Amid the many options, here are the top things to do in Grand Canyon National Park.
1. Ride the train to the South Rim via Grand Canyon Railway
Getting to the Grand Canyon is half the fun. Sure, you can embark on a desert journey from Las Vegas via car, or weave through towering hardwoods en route from Flagstaff. However you choose to arrive, consider completing the last leg via the Grand Canyon Railway. With daily routes from Williams, Arizona – approximately 60 miles south of Grand Canyon Village – the railway provides the perfect hybrid of desert and forest landscapes. And it’s always a hoot onboard, with Western-inspired entertainment that the whole family will enjoy.
Planning tip: The train departs Williams at 9:30am daily and returns at 3:30pm (with the exception of November and December). This schedule leaves you approximately three hours and 45 minutes at the canyon.
2. Absorb the canyon’s majesty from several viewpoints
You can plausibly argue that every step in Grand Canyon National Park provides a memorable viewpoint. Yet a handful of lookouts within the park along the South Rim’s main drag (Desert View Dr / Rte 64) – easily accessible to all, and all with guardrails – truly stand out. These include the primed-for-a-sunset Mather Point, partially paved Mohave Point and Grandview Point, from which you can see a bend in the Colorado River below.
Grand Canyon National Park is a piece of art in itself, true – yet there is an actual art studio within its limits, too. Situated on a cliff along the South Rim, Kolb Studio was once a family residence and photo studio. Today, the multi-level cabin boasts vintage photos from its namesakes – brothers Ellsworth and Emery Kolb – as well as paintings and portraits of folks exploring the canyon’s acreage in times past.
4. Take a hike along Bright Angel Trail or South Kaibab Trail
Once you lace up your hiking boots, everything from a death-defying, drop-filled, 11-mile jaunt (the Nankoweap Trail) to a flat straight shot to panoramic vistas (Shoshone Point) awaits. Yet the quintessential trails at the Grand Canyon – each containing a range of difficulties along them – are the nearly 8-mile Bright Angel Trail and the 6-plus-mile South Kaibab Trail. They’re both located in the South Rim, and provide stunning lookouts (such as Ooh Aah Point on South Kaibab) as they descend into the canyon.
Planning tip: The park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with its busiest hours from 10am to 4pm. Arrive early (or late) to avoid the crowds.
5. Check into Phantom Ranch or another woodsy in-park lodge
The only lodging option below the canyon rim, Phantom Ranch is nestled alongside Bright Angel Creek, just a half mile from the banks of the Colorado River. On its grounds, visitors can check into one of 11 cabins as well as single-sex dormitories. (Reserve early, as accommodations typically book up months in advance.) Beyond Phantom Ranch, a handful of above-rim lodges lie within the park, including the Maswik Lodge South, which opened in 2022; Charles Wittlesey-designed El Tovar; and the contemporary, cement-draped Kachina Lodge.
You guessed it: Horseshoe Bend is sheer sandstone wizardry, sculpted by nature in the form of its namesake. Dipping more than 1000ft to the Colorado River below, the trailhead to this popular attraction is located just south of the town of Page. While the trail itself provides 1.2 miles of sweeping beauty, opt for a kayak adventure for a bottom-to-top perspective. Companies like Kayak Horseshoe Bend and Kayak the Colorado have the goods – and, if desired, the guides – to make it happen.
Detour: For more boating adventures, head 15 minutes north to Lake Powell, where operators like Lake Powell Boat Tours offer excursions.
There are few things more refreshing than a hearty splash of Colorado River water after a trek through an often blazing-hot canyon. Go for more than just a quick dip and make a day out of it with a rafting trip. April through October are the best months for rafting, and companies like Grand Canyon Expeditions know exactly where to take thrill seekers and tranquil floaters alike.
Planning tip: Beyond half-day and full-day adventures, three- to five-day rafting and boating trips can take you to the canyon all the way from Las Vegas. Advantage Grand Canyon is a comprehensive site that has a list of all your rafting choices.
8. Take in layered vistas with a bike ride along the South Rim Trail
Between driving, hiking and strolling the viewpoints, add in a bike ride for a full canyon experience. Along the South Rim, a wonderfully paved, 13-mile route offers canyon vistas with every rotation of the pedals. Bikes and e-bikes are now permitted in the park; if you left yours at home, Bright Angel Bicycles and GC-Bikes are tucked near the rim in Grand Canyon Village, with offerings for both adults and kids.
Local tip: When you tire, the park’s shuttle-bus system has bike racks. The shuttle stops almost every mile of the 13-mile stretch, and runs every 15 to 30 minutes.
The bulk of the Grand Canyon’s buzziest spots – Bright Angel Trail, Desert View Watchtower and the Trail of Time being among them – are found at the South Rim. But let’s not forget the generally more remote and less developed North Rim. Some of the best viewpoints in all of this part of the Southwest are to be found here, including Cape Royal and Point Imperial.
Planning tip: The North Rim is open May 15 through December 1 annually, and is otherwise closed to vehicular traffic.
10. Explore the East Entrance and Desert View Watchtower
The East Entrance of Grand Canyon National Park offers access to the Desert View Watchtower, a historic stone structure designed by architect Mary Colter. From this vantage point, you can enjoy panoramic views of the canyon and the Colorado River, making it a prime spot for photography. The watchtower also features a gift shop and interpretive exhibits.
11. Admire the view from Roosevelt Point
Roosevelt Point is a lesser-known but spectacular viewpoint along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. From this vantage point, visitors are treated to sweeping, panoramic views of the canyon’s vast expanse and the winding Colorado River below. Unlike the South Rim’s bustling lookouts, Roosevelt Point offers a tranquil atmosphere. The overlook is particularly renowned for its spectacular sunrise and sunset views.
12. Embark on a mule trip to the bottom of the canyon
For a unique way to experience the Grand Canyon, consider a mule trip. These guided tours descend into the canyon, offering a different perspective of the rugged terrain. Mule trips are available from the South Rim and can be a memorable way to reach Phantom Ranch or the Colorado River.
Planning tip: Mule trips are popular and often require reservations up to 13 months in advance.
13. Visit the Trail of Time for a geologic journey
The Trail of Time along the South Rim offers a self-guided walking tour that illustrates the geological history of the Grand Canyon. Markers along the trail highlight significant rock layers and geological features, providing a fascinating educational experience about the canyon’s formation.
14. Tour the East Cabin at Pipe Spring National Monument
Located near the Grand Canyon, Pipe Spring National Monument is home to several well-preserved historical structures that reflect early pioneer life in the American Southwest. The East Cabin, one of the key buildings on the site, was originally built as a residence. Visitors can explore its rustic interior and learn about the daily lives of those who lived and worked here. While not within the Grand Canyon itself, the East Cabin adds depth to the broader history of the region.
15. Marvel at the night sky
With its clear, high-altitude skies, the Grand Canyon is an excellent location for stargazing. Join a ranger-led astronomy program or simply lay out a blanket to enjoy the night sky. The park’s remote location minimizes light pollution, offering spectacular views of the Milky Way.
16. Step back in time at Bright Angel Lodge
Experience the historic charm of Bright Angel Lodge, an iconic destination located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Built in 1935 by Mary Colter, the lodge features a range of accommodations, from cozy cabins to charming lodge rooms, all designed to reflect the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the area. Guests can enjoy the lodge’s historic dining room, which serves hearty meals with stunning canyon views.
Planning tip: The lodge is a historic site with limited rooms, so book well in advance, especially for the peak summer season. It also offers guided tours of its buildings; inquire about tour times at the front desk.
17. Walk the edge of the Skywalk
For an unparalleled thrill, visit the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a stunning glass bridge extending 70 feet beyond the edge of the Grand Canyon’s West Rim. Suspended 4,000 feet above the Colorado River, the transparent floor and walls of the Skywalk allows visitors to look straight down into the canyon.
Planning tip: The Skywalk prohibits personal cameras, so consider purchasing the professional photos taken on-site.
18. Soar high on a scenic helicopter tour
For a bird’s-eye view of Grand Canyon National Park, consider taking a helicopter tour. These tours provide a breathtaking perspective of the canyon’s vast expanse, highlighting landmarks such as Horseshoe Bend and the Colorado River from above. Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters offers tours over the South Rim, North Rim, and a combination of both, as well as excursions that explore the Las Vegas Strip.
Planning tip: Helicopter tours offer various routes, so choose one that includes the landmarks you’re most interested in.
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Balmy evenings in sea-salted air and colorful cocktails at sunset are cornerstones of a romantic getaway or honeymoon, but who’s to say a holiday must be all about relaxing?
When lounging loses its luster and your paperback starts to wilt, try hiking, diving or climbing to create your own romantic adventures in these classic couples’ destinations.
Try a little competition to get your hearts racing in Maldives. amriphoto / Getty Images
Cocktails and kayaks in the Maldives
When your personal butler ships in a mango after you casually remark that you crave one, you can be certain you’re living in luxury. The high-end resorts of Maldives are not merely indulgent, they’re downright Epicurean. With private lap pools, in-room massages and even pillow menus, they cater for desires you never knew you had.
It’s little wonder then that this archipelago in the Indian Ocean is so popular with couples. A week of laze and languor is perfectly acceptable, but there’s plenty here for those seeking more. Explore the atolls by kayak on a mini-adventure. Setting out alone in a small watercraft has a romance of its own and offers the perfect antidote to a sun-baked stupor. Pack snorkels and fins to explore the islands’ world-class coral.
How to do it
Most Maldives hotels offer kayaking and water sports. Baros is particularly excellent for couples.
How to choose the best Maldives island for your travel style
Drive from sand to snow in tropical Hawaiʻi
Hawaiʻi’s Mauna Kea has its lower reaches beneath sea level, so while it’s not higher than Everest, it is taller. At 4207m (13,802ft) above sea level, this long-dormant volcano on Big Island is often capped with snow – yes, snow in Hawaiʻi. Visitors will also find a number of observatories dotting the slopes of this sacred mountain. The summit of Mauna Kea is so high, dry, dark and clean that it allows scientists to investigate the furthest reaches of the observable universe – a sure inspiration to venture from the beach.
How to do it
Drive to the visitor center to check conditions at the summit and pause for a while to adjust to the altitude. If you wish to drive further, a 4WD is recommended. Alternatively, book a tour with one of the officially permitted companies.
How to choose the best Hawaiian island for your trip
See which animals come out at dusk on a sunset safari. Tetra Images / Getty Image
One step beyond on a South African safari
A safari in South Africa is a great choice for those in search of adventure. The thrilling promise of the big five – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo – draws more than a million annual visitors to Kruger National Park. With vast swathes of open savannah, a rich array of luxury accommodation and a supporting cast of giraffe, hippo, zebra and cheetah, Kruger is popular with honeymooning couples.
Those seeking an extra dash of adventure can opt for a rhino walking safari in Kruger. Combining game drives and bush walks, this allows guests to experience the natural rhythm of the national park, guided by an experienced ranger.
How to do it
Learn more about South Africa’s walking safaris and book a Rhino Walking Safari.
South Africa safaris for first-timers: 8 things to know before you book
A camp in the Dubai desert. Traveller Tails / Shutterstock
From skyscrapers to stargazing in the deserts of Dubai
It’s clear that Dubai is a place to see and be seen. Its promise of sun, sea and shopping is rarely unfulfilled, but there is more to this gleaming metropolis. Couples searching for romantic adventures can choose to camp in the desert after a day of dune bashing.
Bedouin camps with Arabian tents offer comfortable overnight lodgings while entertainment comes in a range of guises: a feast of Emirati cuisine, lively local music, cookery demonstrations and even a spot of falconry. Above it all lies a glorious expanse of stars gleaming in their desert splendor.
How to do it
Choose from a selection of tours in Dubai.
Top 10 things to know before visiting Dubai
Le Morne on Mauritius is a romantic place to explore. Myroslava Bozhko / Shutterstock
Mauritian beach to mountain peaks
A beach paradise, Mauritius is popular with couples seeking luxury along with romantic adventures. Formed by volcanic activity eight million years ago, Mauritius is encircled by a broken ring of mountains. Ranging from 300 to 800m (1000-2600ft) above sea level, they’re not quite Alpine, but the views are nonetheless dramatic.
Hike Le Pouce for superb views of the Moka Range. At 812m (2664ft), Le Pouce is the third-highest mountain on the island and can be hiked in a three-hour round trip: gentle at first with some scrambling at the top. Le Morne on the southwest tip of the island is also worth a hike.
How to do it
Drive to Petit Verger near the village of Saint Pierre in the Moka region. Follow the small paved road that leads off the corner of the B47 road to the small car park by the trailhead. From there, follow the Le Pouce hiking route.
Escape into nature and isolate yourself in a luxurious pod
Escape the Venice crowds and head north to the Dolomites for a truly romantic experience. Westend61 / Getty Images
Venetian feast to mountain retreat
Few cities compete with Venice in terms of romance and splendor. Its motifs are unmistakable – the elegant curve of a gondola, the stone reliefs of Rialto Bridge, ornate basilicas – while canalside bistros serve cicheti (Venetian tapas) and prosecco.
Pair Venice with a trip to the Dolomites a few hours north. This region is home to some of the world’s most dramatic mountains: rugged crags, soaring pillars, breathtaking pinnacles and colossal rock walls. Visit from December to March for world-class skiing and May to September for sublime hiking.
How to do it
Join a trekking in the Dolomites tour or book a Dolomites hotel and go it alone.
A diver explores the reef in Fiji. Darryl Leniuk / Getty Images
Lagoon life and shark dives in Fiji
From the overwater bures (bungalows) of Malolo Island to the lush greenery of Taveuni, Fiji may well be the most beautiful place you have ever seen. Its landscapes are literally out of a movie scene: Brooke Shields’ infamous Blue Lagoon was filmed in part on Turtle Island while Tom Hanks’ Castaway was shot on Monuriki. Throw in rich, flavorsome food from its Indo-Fijian community and you have all the ingredients for an amazing trip.
Those in search of romantic adventures should pause at Pacific Harbour on Viti Levu. Here audacious divers can observe reef sharks, lemon sharks, bull sharks and even the occasional tiger shark.
How to do it
Book a dive with a reputable outfitter such as Aqua-Trek Beqa.
Don’t leave Fiji without visiting these national parks and marine sanctuaries
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With four seasons, a long multi-cultural history, and a sprawling metroplex, there’s a lot to see and do in Dallas year round. But when you go can depend on how much you want to spend, what festivals you’re hoping to experience, and the degree of tolerance you have for the high heat and humidity that settle on the city during the summer months.
Each season brings something new to the city, and is worthy of a visit. If your travel plans are flexible, you might even consider planning multiple visits throughout the year to experience it all. Four days in Dallas, Texas can help you hit the city’s highlights, though you could easily fill a week or more.
So, when is the best time to visit Dallas? Here’s the skinny on the high (temperatures), the low (seasons), and the month-by-months.
The summer “high” or busy season in Dallas runs from June through September–or, at least, that’s when the heat finally begins to wane. Dallas may be hot in the summertime, but that’s still when people have PTO to burn and the kids are out of school. Expect higher hotel prices during the summer, and extra competition for the beer garden seats in front of the fans and sprayers. In fact, the average hotel rates in Dallas during the peak tourist season are double that of the rates in the low season, reaching $250 a night on average.
Summer is not only peak tourist season, but also the peak of the heat. One thing to know about Texas is that it can experience some extreme weather. Despite the temperatures, outdoor activities are still popular. Just make sure to pack plenty of water and take long breaks. When you need to cool off, take advantage of Dallas’ love affair with air conditioning by ducking into shops, restaurants, bars, museums, and live music venues.
Shoulder seasons: March to May and September to November
If you’re wondering when the best time of year to visit Dallas is for mild weather, the shoulder season is the answer. There are actually two shoulder seasons in the city: March to May and September to November.
With cooler temperatures, spring and fall are prime time in Dallas for enjoying the city’s parks, food trucks, pedestrian trails, and patios. Visit in these seasons and you’ll have a chance to jog your way to the Katy Trail Icehouse without soaking in sweat or take in the skyline from Trinity Groves without the heat shimmering on the horizon.
However, keep in mind that while the shoulder seasons bring cooler temperatures, they can also bring more rain. March through May and September through November are considered the rainy season in Dallas. Luckily, rain showers tend to be short and rainy periods often last less than two days at a time. Storm season in Dallas falls in the spring each year and can bring strong storms, though these tend to pass quickly as well.
These shoulder seasons fall between the busy summer season and the holidays, which means that popular tourist attractions, malls, and other popular destinations tend to be less crowded.
Low season: November to March
Best time to visit for fewer crowds
If you’re really looking to enjoy the city with less crowds, the winter “low” season is the perfect time to visit. Running from November to March, with the exception of the holidays, these months often feature smaller crowds at Dallas’ most popular attractions.
With hotel prices at their lowest and the crowds thinned out in popular spots like Dealey Plaza, you’ll really have some elbow room no matter where you go.
You can still enjoy outdoor activities in Dallas during the winter months if you pack correctly. You won’t have to fight the heat and humidity, but you’ll want to pack some cozy layers – it can still get chilly in Dallas. While snow isn’t that common, the city has been known to experience an ice storm from time to time. Many of the city’s parks and other outdoor attractions stay open year-round and have special activities to enjoy around the holidays. For example, The Dallas Arboretum is open all year and has a holiday festival.
Sports season: September to December and October to March
Best time to visit for sports and festivals
If you want to catch a game or take part in Dallas’ famous festivals, you have a few options. The main sports seasons in the city run from September to December and October to March each year. But you’ll find festivals throughout the year.
Dallas has two professional sports teams: the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks. The Cowboys season usually runs from September to December, while the Mavericks season runs from October to March.
If you’re visiting during one of these seasons, you can hit up a festival at the same time. The State Fair of Texas occurs in Dallas from late September to mid-October each year. The best time to go to the State Fair is later in the season when the initial crowds have started to fade and temperatures are getting cooler.
The Riverfront Jazz Festival falls in September as well, while the popular Autumn at the Arboretum, which features more than 100,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squashes, runs through September and October each year.
Visiting Dallas: a month-by-month guide
It’s not just every season that brings something new to Dallas, Texas. Each month is packed with unique activities and must-dos for your next visit.
January
Dallas eases into the New Year with dry weather and a parade honoring Martin Luther King Jr. that culminates in festivities at the African American Museum on the grounds of Fair Park. Also on deck is the KidFilm Festival, the oldest and (and the biggest, this is Texas after all) all-ages film festival in the country.
Key Events: MLK Parade on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, KidFilm Festival during mid-January
Weather: Daily average highs in the high 50s°F and lows in the high 30s°F, with just five days of rain on average
February
Dallas is balanced geographically between the Gulf states and the southwest, so it’s maybe not surprising that the city takes a cue from its eastern neighbors and has its own Mardi Gras celebration every February featuring live country music at the Historic State Fairgrounds.
Key Events: Dallas Blooms from late February to early April, West End Mardi Gras on the Sunday after Fat Tuesday
Weather: Daily average highs in the low 60s°F and lows in the low 40s°F, with six days of rain on average
Since 1983, March has been all about honoring the Irish American community in North Texas, which itself dates back to the 1700s. The Irish Festival involves Celtic music, traditional dancing, and even some horse shows – this is Texas after all.
Key Events: North Texas Irish Festival during the first weekend in March, St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Weather: Daily average highs in the low 70s°F and lows in low 50s°F, with seven days of rain on average
April
The prime spring weather – still relatively cool and dry – is perfect for festivals and happenings. Cue Dallas Arts Month, a full slate of gallery showings, art talks, and even true crime theater experiences. If you love art, this should definitely be on your Dallas itinerary. Next up is Deep Ellum Arts Fest. What started as a small neighborhood block party has turned into a major event with 100 original bands and singer-songwriters rocking out from 5 stages, a juried arts show, street performances, and food trucks galore.
Key Events: Dallas Arts Month throughout the month, Deep Ellum Arts Fest during the first weekend in April
Weather: Daily average high in the high 70s°F and lows in the high 50s°F, with seven days of rain on average
As the weather starts to warm up, Texans turn to indoor events like the International Film Festival or savor the last of the spring weather in Richardson at Cottonwood Arts Festival. What started as a little hippie happening in 1969 has since evolved into a serious juried art show that features over 200 works of art as well as hands-on activities for kids and families.
Key Events: Dallas International Film Festival at the very end of the month, Cottonwood Arts Festival during the first weekend in May
Weather: Daily average high in the mid-80s°F and lows in the mid-60s°F, with eight days of rain on average.
June
Things start to heat up with Taste of Dallas, a beloved celebration of the city’s restaurant scene. Reunion Tower (that’s the big disco lollypop on the skyline) hosts parties in the park at the base of the building, complete with live music, lawn games, and plenty of cold beer. Best of all, Juneteenth on the 19th commemorates the day the last slaves in Texas learned they had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier. The MLK Community Center, The University of Texas at Dallas Multicultural Center, and African American museum are just a few of the institutions who put on celebratory events.
Key Events: Taste of Dallas during the second weekend in June, Juneteenth, Reunion Lawn Party from June through August
Weather: Daily highs in the mid-90s°F and lows in the mid-70s°F, with six days of rain on average.
Since 1972, Dallas has had its own Shakespeare company. Every summer, they present live productions at the Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre in East Dallas. Also in July, Fair Park puts on a big celebration for the Fourth, with water shows, fireworks, food trucks, and more.
Key Events: Shakespeare Festival runs from mid-June to mid-July without another festival in the fall, Fair Park Fourth on the Fourth of July
Weather: Daily highs in the high 90s°F and lows in the high 70s°F, with three days of rain on average
August
August ushers in the hottest temperatures of the year to Dallas. While this is a great time to hit the pool at your hotel or home rental, there’s still plenty going on throughout the city. DFW Restaurant Week is a great excuse to dine out and sample some of the city’s best cuisine. There’s still time to catch a performance by some of the world’s best cowboys at the Mesquite Championship Rodeo.
Key Events: DFW Restaurant Week starts the first full week of August
Weather: Daily average highs in the high 90s°F and lows in the high 70s°F, with four days of rain on average.
September
It should be no surprise that Dallas hosts one of the biggest, longest state fairs in the country. The fair is full of Lone Star culture, from ranching and livestock events. The museums of Fair Park throw their doors open to educate fairgoers on Hispanic and Black culture in Texas.
Key Events: Texas State Fair from late September to late October
Weather: Daily average highs in the low 90s°F and lows in the low 70s°F, with four days of rain on average
October
The Dallas Cowboys aren’t the only team in this football-loving town that get a standing ovation. Every October since 1900 the Cotton Bowl inside Fair Park fills up with fans of the Sooners of the University of Oklahoma in Norman and the Longhorns of the University of Texas at Austin. They go toe-to-toe for a gold ten-gallon hat, natch, and the rivalry runs deep. If sports isn’t your thing, the Stevie Ray Vaughn concert celebrates one of Dallas’ best-beloved sons, the legendary blues musician who grew up in the Oak Cliff neighborhood. He’s honored every year with a memorial concert and other festivities.
Key Events: The Red River Showdown the second Saturday of October,
Weather: Daily average high in the low 80s°F and lows in high 50s°F, with six days of rail on average
November
November is the start of the low season in Dallas, which means some of the smallest tourist numbers of the year. Take advantage of this month to score a great deal on hotels or to visit popular tourist attractions that can get crowded in the summer months. Some holiday festivities start this month, including the city-wide celebration, Big D Holiday, which begins in early November each year.
Key Events: Big D Holiday begins in early to mid-November
Weather: Daily average highs in the high 60s°F and lows in the high 40s°F, with five days of rain on average
December
December is a great month to take to the streets for epic runs and holiday fun, making the low season lively as the year winds down. Whether you want to take in some holiday festivities or put your fitness to the test with a winter marathon, you’ll find it all in Dallas this month.
Key Events: Dallas Holiday Parade on the first Saturday of December, BMW Dallas Marathon on the second Sunday of December
Weather: Daily average highs in the low 60s°F and lows in the low 40s°F, with five days of rain on average
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Full of surprises, epic Algeria is an adventurous traveler’s dream.
Africa’s largest country by area has a 1600km (994-mile) coastline fringed with long sandy beaches and dotted with history-rich cities which include some of the best Roman ruins in the world. Inland, a fantastic desert hinterland promises authentic oasis towns, vast sand seas and ancient volcanic mountains covered in rare prehistoric petroglyphs and paintings.
Until recently, Algeria was one of the hardest countries in the world to visit. But this is changing, with tourist visas getting easier to obtain (still, budget two months for the process), and an increasing number of flights from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Curiosity piqued? Read on for 10 places you’ll want to visit in this country, a travel destination that will soon get the attention it deserves.
The Arch of Trajan is a highlight of the magnificent Roman ruins at Timgad. Shutterstock
1. Timgad
Best for fans of epic Roman ruins
The UNESCO-listed Roman ruins at Timgad were built by the emperor Trajan in 100 CE. The site sits at a crucial pass through the Aurès Mountains, a strategic point that gave Rome control of access to the Sahara. Often called North Africa’s Pompeii, Timgad an exemplar of Roman urban planning, the city laid out like a chessboard over 50 hectares (123 acres). You’ll need a full day to explore all the forums, temples, markets, bath houses, theaters, law courts and villas here, as well as a rare public library. Look out for the inscription in the forum which reads “venari lavari ludere ridere occ est vivere” (“to hunt, to go to the bath, to play, to laugh: this is to live”). The on-site museum has 200 stunningly well-preserved floor mosaics.
Planning tip: Timgad is a very exposed site. You’ll need a hat and plenty of water in summer, and a jacket in winter or spring as it can be cold and windy.
The Sidi M’Cid Bridge leads to the remarkable pinnacle city of Constantine. Shutterstock
2. Constantine
Best for admiring one of the world’s most improbably sited cities
Since the 4th century BCE, Constantine has occupied a rocky pinnacle above the river Rhumel, encircled by 200m(656ft)-deep ravines. It’s a pleasure to admire the ingenuity behind this improbably located city – and to snap pictures from the Sidi M’Cid Bridge and the Monument aux Morts, a WWI memorial that offers a bird’s-eye view. Once you hit the streets, you can visit the finely decorated Ottoman Palace of Ahmed Bey, the National Museum and the beautifully contemporary Emir Abdelkader Mosque, one of the largest on the continent.
Planning tip: Non-Muslims are allowed to enter mosques in Algeria outside of prayer times, so plan your touring accordingly.
In Annaba, you can contemplate the legacy of the great early-Christian bishop, thinker and theologian St Augustine. Fares Makrouf/Getty Images
3. Annaba
Best for following in the footsteps of North African Christian pioneer
Charming Annaba is where Amazigh theologian St Augustine – a figure crucial to and “Father” of the Catholic Church – taught and wrote works that remain cornerstones of modern Christian theology. Augustine was bishop of Roman Hippo Regius, now a flower-filled ruin in the town suburbs. On a hill above is the Basilica de Saint Augustine, built by the French in the late 19th century and overlooking the Basilica of Peace, where Augustine taught and beneath which he was buried. It is still tended by Annaba’s Augustinian community and a site of Catholic pilgrimage.
Planning tip: Underrated Annaba has a beautiful seaside setting, an atmospheric old town and some lovely sandy beaches.
The images of hunters and animals in Tassili n’Ajjer National Park are tens of thousands of years old. Shutterstock
4. Tassili n’Ajjer National Park
Best for taking in the world’s oldest gallery of art
Tassili N’Ajjer National Park encompasses 72,000 sq km (27,800 sq miles) of extraordinary desertscape, characterized by a surreal sandstone rock forest covered with 15,000 prehistoric petroglyphs and carmine-colored rock paintings depicting herds of elephant, giraffe and buffalo. These images provide a reminder of the Saharan steppeland, where Neolithic pastoralists roamed alongside wild megafauna some 10–15,000 years ago. To see all of Tassili’s treasures, you’ll need a full 10 days, though tours of 5 or 6 days are also possible.
Planning tip: Remote Djanet (served by Air Algérie) is the gateway to the Tassili n’Ajjer National Park. Officially, travelers touring the desert require an agency escort/guide for security.
Getting lost in the alleys of the Casbah of Algiers is an atmospheric pleasure. Isa Terli/Anadolu via Getty Images
5. Algiers
Best for discovering a capital with character
Overlooking a beautiful crescent bay, Algeria’s capital city brims with atmosphere, interesting Ottoman and art deco architecture and cafes playing haabi – the Muslim-Jewish fusion style forged in the city’s ancient alleys. Algiers’ historic heart, the Casbah is a snakes-and-ladders labyrinth of staircases, antique palaces and mosques. After occupying the city in 1830, French colonists encircled Algiers with Parisian-style boulevards; added a botanical garden, the Jardin d’Essai; inaugurated the Bardo National Museum; and built the basilica of Notre-Dame d’Afrique. The Martyrs Monument, Maqam Echahid, bookends the south end of the city, commemorating those who died during the long fight for independence, finally achieved in 1962.
Planning tip: Explore the Casbah with a guide from Fancyellow. If you have time, take a day trip to the extraordinary Roman ruins of Tipasa and Cherchell.
Tlemcen’s 11th-century Great Mosque is an architectural gem. Samere Fahim Photography/Getty Images
6. Tlemcen
Best for rich medieval architecture
Tlemcen is an architectural jewel of medieval mosques and palaces set in a green pine forest. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the city was a hub of learning and trade that rivaled Fez, Tunis and Granada, trading gold from Timbuktu and salt from Taghaza with Europe. This explains the hybrid Hispano-Moorish architecture of the Great Mosque (1082), an Almoravid masterpiece, and the El Mechouar citadel, which echoes Spain’s Alhambra. On the western edge of town you’ll find the ruins of the military camp El Mansourah (1299), with a 40m(131ft)-high minaret that is near-twin to the Giralda in Seville.
Detour: Tlemcen remains spiritually significant due to the tomb of Sidi Boumediene, located 1.6km (1 mile) southeast of the city. From here, it’s a 10-minute drive to the El Ourit waterfalls and a half-hour drive to the stalactite-encrusted Grottes des Beni Add.
The basalt formations of remote Ahaggar National Park feel of another world. iStock
7. Ahaggar National Park
Best for feeling like you’re at the edge of the world
Older than Tassili, the Hoggar Mountains of Ahaggar National Park are volcanic basalt buttes that rise vertiginously from the desert floor. Ancient river valleys sweeping through them on their way to Lake Chad are lined with more petroglyphs and paintings of wild animals and charioteers, thought to be the Garamantian ancestors of the Tuareg tribespeople. Week-long camel treks and 4×4 tours depart from Tamanrasset to the high plateau of Assekrem (2728m / 8950ft) – which translates to “the end of the world.” Stay at the hostel to see a truly spectacular dawn over the Atakor massif.
Planning tip: Expect to tip guides and drivers the equivalent of an extra day’s payment for each week worked.
Amazigh adherents of the Ibadite sect, Mozabites inhabit the fortified cities of the M’Zab Valley. Shutterstock
8. Ghardaïa and the M’Zab Valley
Best for seeing secretive desert citadels
A collection of five ksours (citadels) built between 1012 and 1350 ( collectively referred to today as Ghardaïa after the principal one), the Pentapolis in the M’Zab Valley is one of the most fascinating places in Algeria. The fortified cities are today inhabited by Mozabites, members of an Amazigh tribe who adhere to the conservative Ibadite sect, observing distinct social codes and clothing, and permitting entry to outsiders only with a chaperone. Engage a guide to explore these closed communities to see, for example, the Sidi Brahim mosque in El-Atteuf, which inspired Le Corbusier. Don’t forget to check out the carpets in Ghardaïa’s market: weaving is a traditional craft here.
Planning tip: To visit Ghardaïa, the government requires tourists be on a group tour with required permits; try Algeria Tours. Within the ksours, you’ll also need to respect community rules, which include modest dress, no smoking and no pictures of people.
The ancient mosaics of Djemila are simply astonishing. hamdi bendali/Shutterstock
9. Sétif & Djemila
Best for gorgeous ancient mosaics
Sétif’s archaeological museum houses some of the best Roman mosaics in the world, including the unrivaled Triumph of Dionysus. Most artifacts come from Djemila (previously Cuicul), a UNESCO-heritage Roman city which sits on an scenic hillside in the Petit Kabyle mountains – and which is an essential excursion. You can tour the lovely ruins in half a day, but you’ll probably want to linger longer to enjoy the picturesque views. An excellent on-site museum exhibits incredible mosaics that cover almost the entire wall space.
Planning tip: Djemila is most easily visited from Sétif (1 hour) or Constantine (1 hours). Stay at Hotel Tadj el Mouada in Setif or Novotel Constantine.
The dunes around Timimoun extend seemingly forever. Ghulam Hussain/Getty Images
10. Timimoun
Best for oasis life and dune-bashing
Timimoun in Central Algeria is a spectacular desert oasis set at the edge of an escarpment overlooking a sebkha (salt pan) and the undulating dunefields of the Grand Erg Occidental. Since this stunning landscape is miles from anywhere, you’ll feel like you’ve landed on the moon, with the red town rising from the earth like a wind sculpture. From here, you can (and should!) head into the desert. Most hotels can arrange quad biking and sandboarding close to town. Or you can tour the Sebkha Circuit, which takes you to abandoned villages crumbling in the heat on a roller-coaster ride over towering dunes.
Planning tip: Timimoun’s S’Boue Festival lasts seven days and draws thousands who come to celebrate at the mausoleum of Sidi El Hadj Belkacem and enjoy sacred music, poetry and traditional dances.
Home to tropical beaches, pre-Columbian ruins and some of the world’s most celebrated cooking, Mexico has long captivated visitors. Its hiking trails, however, remain little known, which is great news for those eager to experience the nation’s diverse scenery without the crowds.
Mexico’s trails can take you through astonishing landscapes, from newly formed lava fields to jaw-dropping canyons, as well as cloud forests teeming with wildlife.
Experienced mountaineers can plan a trip around the country’s famous mountains, like the challenging ascent up 18,491ft (5636m) Pico de Orizaba, Mexico’s highest peak.
Hiking here isn’t just about the panoramic backdrops, though. You can also head off on a trek through local communities, with indigenous guides shedding insight on the rich cultures that date back centuries.
Here are our picks for the top hikes in Mexico.
The climb to the top of Pico del Águila is challenging, but it rewards with views of rolling valleys and Mexico City in the distance. Getty Images
1. Pico del Águila
Best hike for views
2.8 miles (4.5km) roundtrip, 3 hours, difficult
Less than 25 miles (40km) south of Mexico City, the Parque Nacional Cumbres del Ajusco immerses you in a world of forested slopes and rocky peaks that seem a world removed from the bustling capital.
The challenging but rewarding climb to the top of Pico del Águila will take you through forests of oaks, firs and pines up to alpine terrain where the views over the rolling valleys and the distant metropolis grow more dramatic with every step.
Although the hike is relatively short, the going is steep as you ascend more than 2200ft (671m) en route to the lofty summit, which sits at 12,795ft (3900m) above sea level.
Along the way, keep an eye out for the teporingo, aka the volcano rabbit, a rare lagomorph and one of the smallest rabbit species on earth (only the pygmy rabbit is smaller).
Planning tip: The trail begins near El Abrevadero restaurant, a great place to treat yourself to a meal after completing the hike.
Volcán Paricutín is mostly dormant, which you can see firsthand on a walk from the village of Angahuan. Shutterstock
2. Volcán Paricutín
Best hike for volcano encounters
12 miles (19km) roundtrip, 5 to 7 hours, moderate
Most of earth’s geologic wonders can be measured in eons, but Volcán Paricutín has been around for barely 80 years. Back in 1943, a farmer was plowing his fields in the southwestern state of Michoacán when rumbling started, and steam, ash and lava spurted from the ground.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Paricutín volcano rose out of the bowels of the earth, growing over the next decade to around 1350ft (411m) above the surrounding valley.
Today, the large black cone is mostly dormant, which you can see firsthand on a walk from the village of Angahuan.
From there you can hire a guide from the Purépecha community and set out across lava fields, trekking past the ruins of the Church of San Juan Parangaricutiro with its battered belfry towering above blackened volcanic rock.
Later, you’ll scramble up loose rock and gravel to the summit of the youthful volcano, spying a few steam vents that are the only signs of its activity.
Experience jaw-dropping panoramas and learn about Rarámuri culture on a hike along the Copper Canyon’s Bacajipare Trail. Marisol Rios Campuzano/Shutterstock
3. Bacajipare Trail
Best hike for indigenous culture
2.5 miles (4km) roundtrip, 3 hours, moderate
The Copper Canyon in the north of Mexico isn’t one great expanse, but rather a system of six separate canyons that are larger and deeper in places than the Grand Canyon.
The rugged mountainous terrain is also home to the Rarámuri (Taramuri), an indigenous group known for their long-distance running traditions.
You can experience jaw-dropping panoramas of the Sierra Madre while also learning about Rarámuri culture on a guided hike along the Bacajipare Trail. Led by Rarámuri members, this memorable walk takes you along an ancient path past remote homesteads and down to the small Bacajipare community.
This is just one of several hikes you can undertake that is led by Experiencias Rarámuri, a sustainable community tourism project that’s been around since 2015.
Planning tip: Contact the guides in advance or find them at the lower cable car station inside the Parque de Aventura Barrancas del Cobre. Before or after a hike, be sure to ride the high-flying zip lines over the canyon – another spectacular way to experience this region.
4. Pueblos Mancomunados
Best hike for adventure
6-62 miles (10km to 100km) roundtrip, 4 hours to 4 days, moderate
Near the center of Oaxaca state, eight remote villages are linked by some 62 miles (100km) of high-country trails in one of Mexico’s best ecotourism projects.
You can plan a wide range of hikes here, from half-day excursions to multi-day treks, overnighting in Zapotec villages along the way.
Highlights include walking through misty cloud forests, crossing suspension bridges over ravines and scampering up rocky cliffs to views of snow-capped Pico Orizaba.
Planning tip: The community-run Expediciones Sierra Norte based in Oaxaca City can help with planning and logistics. Among other things, they can set you up with English-speaking guides, additional activities like horse and bike rentals and reserve your lodging in advance.
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5. Pueblo Fantasma
Best desert hike
3 miles (5km) round trip, 2 hours, moderate
The mines of San Luís Potosí showered riches on boom towns like Real de Catorce. When the price of silver went bust in the early 20th century, cobblestone centers turned into pueblos fantasmas (ghost towns) and the population pulled up stakes and moved elsewhere.
In recent years, boutique hotels and restaurants have breathed new life into Real de Catorce, though it still retains ghostly elements of its once-grand past.
With its population hovering around 1000, the small city makes a great base for hikes to abandoned sites, including a hilltop ghost town hidden in the desert landscape.
Along the way, you’ll ascend more than 850ft (259m) and enjoy sweeping views back toward Real de Catorce and the surrounding mountains stretching off toward the horizon.
Once inside the pueblo fantasma, you can explore eerie 200-year-old houses and peek inside open mine shafts (watch your step!).
Hike in the heartland of temascal (sweat lodges) ritual and pine-covered mountains near San Cristóbal. Light and Vision/Shutterstock
6. Cerro Don Lauro
Best spiritual hike
2.7 miles (4.3km) round trip, 2 hours, easy
Surrounded by dozens of traditional Tsotzil and Tzeltal villages, San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas is at the heart of one of the most deeply rooted indigenous areas in Mexico.
No matter where you walk, you’ll encounter residents with obvious pride in their Mayan ancestry. The forests and mountains here are considered sacred – none perhaps more so than the Cerro Don Lauro, a craggy, pine-covered mountain looming above San Cristóbal.
An uphill hike takes you through pine and oak forest, past trickling streams and small community farms. As you near the top, you’ll pass an oversized drum, an altar and an area for temascal (sweat lodge) ceremonies.
This is where Chiapaneco shaman Don Lauro, for whom the peak is named, leads workshops and ceremonies in honor of the mountain. You can learn more about him in the film El Hombre de la Montaña (2018).
At the summit, you’ll enjoy a mesmerizing expanse of San Cristóbal, fringed by lush peaks rising above the valley floor.
A country packed with misty peaks, hidden ancient temples, otherworldly karst outcrops and dense jungle teeming with wildlife, Thailand offers a veritable feast for hikers.
After you’ve laced up your boots (or fastened your sandals), you can conquer mountains, circumnavigate stunning sandy islands and make your way to Thailand’s biggest waterfall. What’s more, thanks to Thailand’s superb transport system, it’s easy to reach most hiking trails independently – though there are plenty of excellent trekking guides available, too.
So grab a heavy-duty insect repellent, pack some sunscreen and buy some leech socks: we’re about to set off. These are the best hikes in Thailand.
1. Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail
Best hike in entire country
2.7km (1.6 miles), 2–3 hours, easy
The short Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail offers hikers a chance to see one of the most beautiful panoramic views in all of Thailand. Within the Doi Inthanon National Park near Chiang Mai, the 2200m-high (7218ft-high) Kew Mae Pan mountain stands only a few hundred meters south of Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest peak at 2565m (8415ft).
The trek itself is a short circular trail with boardwalks, which begins inside a forest of mossy trees and ferns that bursts with red rhododendrons between January and March. After passing the Mae Pan waterfall, the thicket opens to a bright-green grassland and leads hikers to the Kew Mae Pan Viewpoint (also called Station 9), which dominates the whole reserve and is known for its breathtaking sunrise views.
Planning tip: Guides are compulsory here, so be prepared to pay 200B (US$5.87) per group.
You won’t have to share the trail with many other hikers in Um Phang and Tak. Shutterstock
2. Um Phang
Best multiday hike
Distances and times vary, moderate to hard
Um Phang and Tak offer spectacular hiking but with a fraction of the visitors of popular Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces. All treks start in and around the Um Phang Wildlife Sanctuary and use the Mae Klong River as an artery for deeper jungle exploration.
The region is well suited to multiday hikes. Travelers could spend a week trawling its hills, bunking down at Karen villages and hiking south along the border with Myanmar to the Three Pagodas Pass at Sangkhlaburi, an area that served as the main supply line for the construction of the Japanese Thailand–Burma railway in WWII.
Yet most come here to see Thailand’s largest waterfall, Nam Tok Thilawsu. From the wildlife sanctuary, it’s a two-hour hike to the striking cascade through dense palms, giant bamboo and strangler figs – an exertion that’s rewarded by a dip in the waterfall’s pools.
Planning tip: Advanced hikers and peak-busters can attempt the grueling 20km (12.5-mile) slog to Mt Kagerla, the fourth-highest peak in Thailand. However, at 1428m (4685ft), it’s not for the faint of heart (or muscle).
3. Phanom Rung
Best hike within an archeological site
1km (0.6 miles), half a day, easy
While not quite a traditional hike, few places are more inspiring than the Phanom Rung complex near Buriram. Standing on the rim of a dormant volcano, some 200m (656ft) above the rice fields of Isan in the northeast, this 10th-century Khmer temple is built from pink sandstone.
Complementing the striking archaeological site itself, the climb to Phanom Rung follows an ancient walkway flanked with the heads of Naga (serpent guardians). From the parking area, the trail morphs into a stairway to the plateau, where the main temple and its 15 doorways await.
It’s worth the steep climb to Tiger Cave Temple. Balate Dorin/Shutterstock
4. Tiger Cave Temple
Best hike to a temple
1km (0.6 miles), half a day, moderate
It’s a short, steep climb up to the 278m-high (912ft-high) limestone outcrop that overlooks Krabi Town – and hikers who successfully tackle the 1260 stairs to the summit are rewarded with access to Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple), plus stellar views. The temple is named for the tigers who locals once believed dwelled in the surrounding caves; while you won’t find any prowling cats today, you will encounter golden stupas and a large seated Buddha silently keeping watch over the emerald forest and sprawling blue sea below.
Carry plenty of water for the rigorous ascent and humid air. A hiking pole can be useful, too – both to haul yourself up and to keep the resident monkeys at a distance.
Planning tip: Since this is an active temple, remember to wear culturally appropriate clothing such as trousers or long skirts and tops that cover your shoulders.
5. Koh Jum
Best island hike
Distances vary, 4–6 hours, easy to moderate
Motorcycles are the only vehicles allowed on the low-key island of Koh Jum, just off of Krabi. Fortunately, the most rewarding way to explore this paradisiacal atoll is on foot. The western coast has a flat trail that flits between coves and quiet beaches for 6km (3¾ miles), but for views as far as Ko Phi-Phi (on clear days), tackle the steep climb up Khao Koh Pu hill.
There are two trailheads that lead to the 400m-high (1312ft-high) summit. The most direct route starts at the 2.9km sign on the circular road surrounding the hill. Navigating the empty rubber estates can be tricky, but locals will take guests up for about 1000B (US$29.25).
A hike through spectacular Khao Sok National Park will take you through dense jungles and past towering limestone karsts. Richard Whitcombe/Shutterstock
6. Khao Sok National Park
Best jungle trek
Distances vary, 2–3 hours, moderate
Skirting the southern side of Cheow Lan lake, the dense forest and towering limestone karsts of Khao Sok make this jungle trek one of the best in southern Thailand. And with 48 mammal species roaming the forests, there are plenty of excellent wildlife spotting opportunities, too. Expect gibbons, macaques and barking deer for the most part; more-elusive species such as sun bears, clouded leopards and tigers have been known to make appearances as well.
Several trails, each around 12km (7½ miles) long, start from Khao Sok village on the southern edge of the park, before cutting through dense forest and winding past tumbling waterfalls until reaching the southern shore of the lake. Post-hike, Cheow Lan’s floating homestays, surrounded by fang-like karsts that rise from the water, are a popular spot for taking in the lake and the northern side of the reserve.
Planning tip: In October and December, the world’s largest (and smelliest) parasitic flower, the Rafflesia kerrii, blooms in the jungle, which can be quite a sight (and scent).
Summit the peaks and cliffs at Phu Kradueng National Park for stirring views. Shutterstock
7. Phu Kradueng National Park
Best hike to a peak
9.5km (5.9 miles), 4–6 hours, moderate to hard
Phu Kradueng (Bell Mountain) is the main peak in the namesake national park in Loei Province in northeast Isan. The climb isn’t that taxing to begin with – but things get tougher as hikers approach the plateau-like summit. A campsite at the top offers hikers the chance to spend the night and rent bicycles for those wanting to explore the area at their own pace.
Locals typically complete the climb in a day. Yet staying over at the top affords hikers the chance to see a stunning sunset over the Mak Dook cliffs; sunrise over the Nok Aen cliffs is equally compelling.
Planning tip: The descent is hard on the knees; borrow one of the walking sticks on offer.
The Haew Suwat waterfall is a highlight of Khao Yai National Park. Shutterstock
8. Khao Yai National Park
Best hike in a national park
Distances vary, 2–3 hours, easy
Established as Thailand’s first national park in 1962, Khao Yai is the best place for a jungle trek near Bangkok. It boasts more than 50km (31 miles) of hiking trails that teem with macaques, gibbons, civets, barking deer and endemic bird species such as the great hornbill.
A couple of short loop trails begin near the park’s headquarters. Yet since wild elephants are often spotted in the reserve, guides are required for venturing any deeper into the rainforest. Avoid visiting on weekends and public holidays as cars often fill the roads to the main sights, including the 150m-high (492ft-high) Haew Narok waterfall and Haew Suwat cascade, whose 25m-high (82ft-high) drop dazzled millions in Danny Boyle’s cult film The Beach (2000).
The “Green Lung” of Bangkok, the Phra Pradaeng Loop provides essential space for walking and cycling in the busy city. Shutterstock
9. Bangkok Phra Pradaeng Loop
Best hike near Bangkok
12km (7.5 miles), 3 hours, easy
An essential green space in Bangkok, this walking trail and bicycle path starts at the Bang Krachao Pier (also known as Bang Kachao) and has been protected by long-standing laws prohibiting the construction of tall buildings in the area. Hiking out here is a rare opportunity to see how the ever-growing Thai capital looked decades ago.
Most of the route follows suspended pathways built above a mangrove swamp, past a number of homes built on stilts. Try to hike on a Sunday, when the Bang Nam Phueng market sells delicious street food and all sorts of goods, from pearl earrings to coconut pancakes.
Congratulations! You’ve found ‘the one’. Now you’re keen to seal the deal with a romantic proposal abroad. But where should you pop the question to your soon-to-be travel buddy for life?
Here are some of the world’s best places to get engaged – all you need to do now is get them to say ‘yes’.
Engaged couples often describe feeling like they’re on Cloud Nine – and you can get even closer to it by proposing on a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, Turkey. Afraid of heights? Take your pick of fairytale locations: the views from Göreme’s rooftops are dreamy at dawn, with hundreds of balloons silhouetted against pink skies; while the jagged rocks at Red Valley viewpoint come alive at sunset. Check into one of the region’s luxury cave hotels for an unforgettable end to your first day as fiancés.
Ushuaia, Argentina
You’d go to the ends of the earth for your partner – so why don’t you? Whisk them away on a trip to Argentina’s southernmost town Ushuaia, where you can hike through Tierra del Fuego National Park, visit the Martillo Island penguin colony or kayak in the Beagle Channel before getting down on one knee. There are a surprising number of restaurants here and Patagonia has a thriving craft beer scene – ideal for toasting a new engagement. Of course, if you have the budget you could save the proposal for an Antarctic Peninsula cruise, a true once-in-a-lifetime experience.
From Love Story to West Side Story, New York City is home to some of the world’s most famous romantic locations – so where better to make your engagement dream a reality? For something quintessentially NYC, pop the question in Central Park after a morning stroll (weather permitting), offer a rock on a ring at the Top of the Rock, or conspire with the staff at Tiffany & Co to surprise your other half as you ‘browse’ the diamond rings. Alternatively, a romantic walk along Brooklyn Heights Promenade as the sun sets behind Manhattan’s skyscrapers could provide the perfect moment.
Classic romantic trips with an adventurous twist
Anglesey, Wales
When it comes to proposals, timing is everything. On pretty Llanddwyn Island, a tiny tidal island off the coast of Anglesey in Wales’ wild north, this is especially true – as you’re also depending on the tides to allow for safe passing. This remote spot was the home of St Dwynwen, the patron saint of lovers and the Welsh equivalent of St Valentine. If February 14 seems too cliche, you could surprise your partner with a proposal on St Dwynwen’s day (January 25) – but a late summer proposal is likely to bring better weather.
Why wait until the honeymoon for an idyllic island getaway? The Maldives is the quintessential romantic destination, making proposal planning a breeze. You could ask your other half for their hand in marriage from the deck of your water bungalow; by candlelight over a private dinner on the beach; or on a luxury catamaran cruise at sunset as you watch spinner dolphins leap from the Indian Ocean around you.
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Garden Route, South Africa
Ready for a road trip to remember? Drive along South Africa’s Garden Route, which stretches from Mossel Bay to Storms River, taking in some of the world’s most beautiful coastline. Propose during a barefoot walk along Noetzie Beach, or pluck up the courage after a wine or two at the vineyards outside Plettenberg Bay. Alternatively, you could ask your loved one to take the leap – literally and figuratively – in the town of Wilderness, where you can paraglide over sweeping beaches or cliff jump on a canyon tour; marriage is an adventure, so why not start as you mean to go on?
Sure, it’s India’s equivalent of an Eiffel Tower proposal, but sometimes a tried and tested favourite is all you need. And unlike Paris’ icon, the Taj Mahal has a truly romantic backstory. Commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century as a memorial for his late wife, he was laid to rest there with her 35 years later. The beautiful white marble monument is one of the new seven wonders of the world and – unsurprisingly – welcomes millions of visitors each year. Come at sunrise for the best light and cooler temperatures, but prepare for the inevitable onlookers.
The build-up to a proposal can be stressful, but laid-back Byron Bay will help you forget your jitters and ease into that unforgettable moment. Nature does the heavy lifting when it comes to charming your other half – all you need to do is pack a picnic, perhaps some champagne and lead them to the beach. Between May and November you might even spot whales breaching from the shore – amble to Cape Byron Lighthouse for a bird’s eye view.
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Jökulsárlón, Southeast Iceland
With glistening waterfalls, bubbling geysers, dramatic coastlines and ice caves, Iceland’s otherworldly landscapes spoil proposal planners with beauty spot after beauty spot. Safe in the knowledge that there’s no shortage of epic scenery, you could choose your moment whenever the timing feels right – but if you need a clearer vision, consider Jökulsárlón. This glacial lagoon’s icebergs look particularly magical beneath the northern lights if you’re lucky enough to spot them. Nearby Diamond Beach, so-called due to the iridescent chunks of ice that wash up on its black sands, could be another worthy spot to offer a sparkling ring.
Vancouver, Canada
If you both feel as comfortable in a fancy restaurant as you do in hiking boots, Vancouver could be your dream trip. The cosmopolitan city’s food scene is second to none, and you’ll deserve a celebratory meal after a day spent exploring Capilano Suspension Bridge Park or cycling the Stanley Park Seawall Bike Trail. Book a table at Hawksworth for high-end Canadian cuisine or Forage for farm-to-table dining. Want something wilder? Head to Vancouver Island, where you can pop the question post-kayak trip, or at the summit of Mount Douglas.
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