Puerto Morelos - Maxico

Puerto Morelos is a town in Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula, about 20km south of Cancun. It is both a fishing village and a resort and diving destination. It is located roughly halfway between Cancun and Playa del Carmen on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. 

The pier in the center of town hosts snorkel and sport fishing boats while yachts dock in a man-made harbour just south of town. The village used to be the embarkation point for the car ferry to Cozumel, but that now leaves from Calica, a major port south of Playa del Carmen. 

About

If you’re looking to escape the crowds of the Riviera Maya, don’t miss Puerto Morelos, just 20 minutes south of Cancún.

It's the ideal location for those who want a quiet beach vacation away from the glitz, but with ample tourist amenities. The town has just two principal streets and you can walk from one end to the other in about 15 minutes.

You can get by with English, but Spanish is not superfluous. Most places accept US dollars but not credit cards. Almost all prices are quoted in Mexican pesos and it is generally cheaper to pay in pesos, than in US dollars.

The reef just off shore is part of the Great Mesoamerican Reef, the second largest reef system in the world and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. In 1998 the reef in front of Puerto Morelos became a protected National Marine Park, preserving its rich biodiversity and making this area one of the best preserved of the Great Mesoamerican Reef. Buildings in Puerto Morelos are limited to three stories by local bylaws, to preserve the village type of character.

There are two parts to Puerto Morelos, the former fishing village on the coast, now Hotels, Condominiums, Restaurants and Tourist shops, and the second part about 2 Km. inland and adjacent to Highway 307, on the western side, called La Colonia by locals. The inland portion is mainly single level dwellings for the local workers, as well as amenities such as small/local food stores, pharmacies, and several casual restaurants, serving simple fare such as tacos. 

 

 Beach at Puerto Morelos, in front of the Casita del Mar at the north end of town

Get there

By plane

The nearest major airport is in Cancún International Airport (IATA: CUN) (ICAO: MMUN). It is 20km away from Puerto Morelos and is Mexico's second busiest airport.

By car

Puerto Morelos is situated at the junction of Route 307 and a paved road to Leona Vicario in the interior of the Yucatan Peninsula. This recently paved road is the eastern terminus of La Ruta de los Cenotes, a network of minor roads that allows access to many cenotes in the interior. At Puerto Morelos, the beginning of this road network is marked by an archway. The waterfront is about 2km from Highway 307. Puerto Morelos is about 30km south of Cancun, 30km north of Playa del Carmen, and one hour north of Tulum.

By bus

Buses from Cancun and Playa del Carmen traverse Route 307, the coastal highway and the main highway into town:

• From Cancun airport take the Riviera/ADO bus to Playa del Carmen, hourly from 10:30. The bus departs from Terminal 2, east end (terminal faces north). Buy a ticket for Puerto Morelos just inside terminal or on bus. Ask the driver to stop at Puerto Morelos. Cost: 50 pesos as of 12/09

• From downtown Cancun (el centro) take the Riviera/ADO bus for Playa del Carmen from the bus terminal on Av. Tulum. Departs every 15 minutes. Buy your ticket at the station.

• From Playa del Carmen, take any ADO bus for Cancun from either bus station in Playa. Buy your ticket to Puerto Morelos at the station.

Cancún and Playa del Carmen buses arrive and depart from the highway, about 2km from town. Each side of the highway has its own small station and ticket office.

Frequent local buses travel between the highway/la colonia and the beach/el puerto for 4 pesos per person. Or take a taxi into town 22 - 25 pesos. If you decide to walk instead, ensure adequate insect repellent, as the road leads through a mosquito-infested mangrove swamp - and watch out for inquisitive crocodiles about half way, particularly on the northern side.

By private transfers

Private Transfers to Puerto Morelos start at $55 US each way for 2 people or $90 round trip.

• Airport Transfers from the Cancun International Airport Direct to your hotel.

Get around

There are many local taxis around, they gather at a taxi stand on the west side of the main square in Puerto Morelos. Bicycling is an excellent way to get around town, and they can be rented at a number of places in town. There is also a local car rental agency in the main town on the highway. Always make sure you find out the price of a taxi ride before you get in to avoid disagreements. At the car rental place you can bargain for a cheaper rate. 

 The Original Lighthouse at Puerto Morelos, Mexico in Feb. 2007. In 1967 the structure was tilted over in Hurricane Beulah. It has since survived Hurricanes Gilbert in 1987 and Wilma in 2005, but has not been knocked down. The new light house replacing this one is visible in the background.

 A quiet beach just north of the Puerto Morelos town square.

See

• Sit on the white sand beach in the shade of a thatched palapa

• Visit the Jardin Botanico just outside town and watch out for the spider monkeys.

• Birdwatching in the mangroves.

• Browse the various shops around the central square. 

Do

• Scuba Diving.PUERTO MORELOS offers a large variety of marine life on one of the most beautiful reefs in the world. The dives inside the reef can be from shallow up to dives where you can see large coral formations at greater depths. For more advanced divers there a few wrecks and the cenotes to explore. Also has easy access to various dive sites ranging from very easy to very challenging ones. For those who are looking for some relaxed diving there are some beautiful shallow reef formations in water of 40 feet/12 meters depth where you can dive among turtles, schools of colorful fish, eagle rays, and many species of crabs and lobsters only to name a few.For wreck lovers, there are two accesible wrecks near Puerto Moleros. The nearest is the C-56, a navy boat that has beautiful coral and which is home to very large pelagics at 60-90 feet/18-27 meters). For more experienced divers there's the Tulum which is at a depth of about 120 feet/36 meters.
• Swimming. Near the shore, water temperatures average about 27°C (80°F) year round. Freshwater swimming is available inland, at several cenotes. At cenotes that are not exposed to sunlight, temperatures are colder, and a partial wetsuit may be necessary for anything more than a brief dip.
• Reef Diving. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef lies about 500 meters offshore. It is closer to the shore near Puerto Morelos than it is at most other points along the coast of Quintana Roo. Several dive shops and nearby resorts offering diving on the reef.
• Snorkeling. Guided trips by boat are offered to the reef. Snorkeling out to the reef from shore on your own is not permitted. To protect the reef against intentional and unintentional damage, you are only allowed onto the reef in the company of an accredited guide and wearing a life jacket. If you do go it alone, you risk being picked out of the water by park wardens who may just tell you off and take you back to the shore, but are within their rights to fine you. Note that these rules are not clearly signposted anywhere. A light wetsuit is welcome certain times of year.
• Cenotes. Cenotes are sinkholes in the native limestone that are filled with crystal-clear groundwater; some are large and deep, while others are small passages through a cave. Inland from Puerto Morelos, many cenotes are accessible along the road from P.M. to Central Vallarta, some with really good swimming in clear blue water; To take local transport to the cenotes take colectivo bus "jacinto kanek" from Puerto Morelos to the other side of the highway get off at pemex station (colonia zetina gasca) once there go to the main zocalo two blocks west of 7 eleven and take the bus heading to Leona Vicario, they leave Morelos at 7.00, 8.00, 9.00AM and return from Leona at 12.00,13.00,16.00,and 17.00PM you can get off at Boca del Puma, just past central vallarta at km16, which has nice trails through the forest and a cool snorkel through a cave passage, the owner Jesus will rent you a bicycle if you want to explore the nearby cenotes on your own. Snorkel in a cenote a few meters out in front of the Ojo de Agua hotel or the Puerto Morelos Reef, about 500-1000 meters from shore. You can rent equipment at the dive shops around town and swim there yourself, or book a boat trip outside the Casita del Mar (north end of town, on the beach) for USD22. Downtown operations offer trips for USD25.
• Walk on the boardwalk through the mangroves behind Ceiba del Mar resort (N end of town), and look at birds, fish and cool plants.
• Marina La Bonita (in Hotel Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita, +52 9988728300 ext 8066, info@marinalabonita.com)- Offers high end catamaran sailing tours to Puerto Morelos, Punta Maroma, Cozumel, Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Isla Contoy. They also offer private deep sea fishing trips, snorkeling and scuba diving tours and PADI certified scuba diving training.
• Almost Heaven Adventures in Puerto Morelos, +52 9988710230 - Offer scuba diving, reef snorkeling, fishing trips and jungle tours. They also sell equipment. For those who want to try out scuba diving but are not certified, you can try a resort course and dive today. Night snorkeling trips and cenote diving are also popular.
• Jungle Spa, Calle de Las Reinas (Zona Urbana), ☎ 998 2089148 or Cell 044 998 1805424 (starseed@prodigy.net.mx). Make an appointment Tues, Wed, Thur, Fri and Sat. Reservations 10AM, 12PM, 2PM or 4PM. Limited time Sunday - 1.30PM and 3.30PM after Jungle Market. Closed Mondays. The spa is operated by non profit organization and directed by Sandra A. Dayton. The spa was created so that the Mayan women could benefit from the tourists coming to the area and provide for their families. They provide an authentic Mayan massage. 
• Aquanauts Dive Adventures (in Hotel Carmen Hacienda), Ave. Rafael E. Melgar (one block south of the town center), ☎ 998-206-9365. 8AM to 4PM. Offers scuba diving tours, PADI certification classes, snorkeling tours, and fishing. 
• The Little Mexican Cooking School (Cooking in Paradise), Avenida Rojo Gomez 768 (On the main avenue facing the beach), ☎ 52 998 2518060. 10AM-4PM. The cooking school offers a fun day of learning how to cook all your favourite Mexican foods and teaches you about the flavours and ingredients used in this fascinating cuisine. The school has classes during the week in CAsa CAribe (cat@puertomorelosliving.com) with an experienced local (English-speaking) chef, and students receive an apron and recipes to take home with their memories. USd90-130. 
• El Rey Polo Country Club (Horseback riding, polo and fourwheelers), Ruta de Cenotes 11.5km (On highway 308 turn right at Ruta de Cenotes, the club is 11.5 km down the road). An attraction in the middle of the jungle. A huge green polo field, club house with restaurant and bar surrounded by pristine tropical forest. Here you can take a trail ride on horse back take riding and polo lessons, hire a four wheeler to visit the cenotes or just relax at the bar. Regular polo matches are on the calendar and visitors are welcome to watch.  
• Diverspoint, Ave Javier Rojo Gomez #17 (Inside posada el Moro), ☎ +52 998 1893628 (info@diverspoint.com). 09.00 - 18.00. Offers diving, snorkeling and fishingtrips. Offers PADI certification training until Divemaster. Also rents bicycles and snorkeling gear.

Best Destinations for 2012

What places are calling your name for 2012? Whatever your mood, Traveler magazine has a recommendation for you—from the romantic hills of Croatia to the perfect beach in Thailand.

Iceland

Harmonic Convergence

Dusk falls on a primeval landscape on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. A final relic from the world’s last ice age, this North Atlantic island nation is a world of knife-cut valleys, gargantuan fjords, monumental cliffs, black-sand beaches, thundering waterfalls, and silent white glaciers. Recent volcanic eruptions remind us that Iceland is still a country in the making, with changed landscapes that even Icelanders continue to discover.

Three years of financial recovery have made Iceland more affordable, with consumer prices now largely pegged to the euro. The country’s return to a humbler attitude stems from a thousand-year-old tradition of self-reliance—a tradition that has preserved one of the world’s oldest living languages and harnessed some of the cleanest energy on Earth.

Koh Lipe, Thailand

The Perfect Beach

Thailand's sun-drenched jewel in the South Andaman Sea, Koh Lipe has recently risen to the top of intrepid beach lovers’ A-list of island paradises. Considered an alternative to the overexploited Koh Phi Phi (which gained fame as the setting for the film The Beach), Koh Lipe is accessible only by boat, with departure ports that include Krabi and the nearby Malaysian island of Langkawi.

Crystal waters and pristine reefs surround the island. Up to 25 percent of the world’s tropical fish species swim in the protected waters around Koh Lipe (the island is in Tarutao National Marine Park). Pattaya Beach may be the island’s most developed tourist spot, but head to quieter Sunrise Beach, where a now settled community of “sea gypsies,” the Chao Lei, live and fish. Take in the view from Castaway Resort's "chill-out deck," above.

Dresden

The Comeback Kid

Dresden shone brightest in the 1700s, when the kings of Saxony spent their wealth to turn their capital into “Florence on the Elbe.” But in February 1945, two days of British and American bombing destroyed much of Dresden’s center and killed tens of thousands of civilians.

Nearly 70 years later, the city has been resurrected as one of Germany’s top tourist destinations. The landmark Frauenkirche (“church of our lady”), a baroque masterpiece designed by George Bähr, was rebuilt from rubble in 2005 (above). Today it towers above a carefully reconstructed historic center that is home to half a dozen world-class museums—from the Albertinum and the Old Masters Picture Gallery, with its Vermeers and Titians, to the oddly named but unforgettable German Hygiene Museum.

Istria, Croatia

On the Trail of Romance

Think Tuscany, but with a Habsburg past. The shady, rolling hills of Istria—Croatia’s northernmost peninsula—are becoming widely known for their truffles, Malvazija white wines, olive oil stancijas (estates), and crumbling hill towns. Cyclists can spin their spokes over some 2,000 miles of extensively maintained bike trails. Along the coast, sunny ocean views and impromptu opportunities for swimming and snorkeling abound.

The romantic town of Rovinj (above), a former Venetian vassal state, rises from the Adriatic like an estranged island of Venice. Pine-shaded Adriatic coves entice with a refreshing plunge. Evenings are capped off with Champagne cocktails at the Valentino Bar, a breezy boîte perched directly on the water and illuminated in vivid cerulean by underwater lights—not a bad spot to nurture your own inner Casanova.

North Colombia

Lost No Longer

Tayrona National Park's gorgeous beaches are a highlight of northern Colombia, home also to the famed Ciudad Perdida. The cleared mountaintop terraces of the "lost city" shine like a green grassy beacon declaring the country’s rebirth as a travel destination at the crossroads of the Caribbean and South America.

Virunga Volcanoes

Africa's Green and Fiery Heart

Perhaps nowhere on Earth is the dual creative and destructive nature of volcanoes more evident than in central Africa’s Virunga Volcanoes Massif. Straddling the borders between Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the eight-volcano chain is one of Earth’s most active volcanic regions and a veritable salad bowl for mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, elephants, and other wildlife. Landscapes in all three countries conjure visions of both Eden and hell.

In Congo, the swirling plume of the active Nyiragongo Volcano (above) beckons. Check on the security situation in the troubled country before going, but those who make the steep five-hour hike up Nyiragongo are rewarded with heady vistas of the world’s largest lava lake. Spend the night on the rim to fully experience the crater’s fiery light and sound spectacle.

Costa Brava

The Creative Coast of Spain

The boats painted in yellow, crimson, and white that bob in the water could belong to any scraggy Mediterranean coast. The polar bear that guards them, however, means only one thing: Salvador Dalí’s home in Costa Brava. Dalí, one of art’s greatest eccentrics, came from this part of Catalonia, in northeastern Spain. His giant eggs, swan fountains, and melting clocks drew inspiration from this sunshine-laced wilderness.

The medieval city of Girona also overflows with creativity during its annual spring flower festival, the Temps de Flors. Surprising floral creations spill down cathedral steps and bloom-inspired art installations fill city squares and stone-walled courtyards. The fishing village of Calella de Palafrugell (above) charms with seaside restaurants and homes.

Sonoma, California

American as Apple Pie

“I’ve been to Napa and Sonoma,” you hear people say, as if they were one and the same. Sure, Sonoma’s 300-plus wineries, like those of vine-centric Napa, offer peak wine tasting, from Ravenswood’s deep Zinfandels to Gloria Ferrer’s sophisticated sparklers. But if you’ve visited only the county’s wineries, come back to sample the astounding diversity that makes Sonoma one of America’s travel treasures.

Spend some time floating in an inner tube down the Russian River and walking amid ancient giants—one over 1,400 years old—at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Poke around the old Russian stockade at Fort Ross, which turns 200 in 2012, or the Spanish adobe mission, San Francisco Solano, in Sonoma town. Hunt for antiques along Petaluma’s downtown Victorian row, and dine on seasonal sake-steamed, aged abalone at Michelin-starred Cyrus in Healdsburg. And don’t miss a flaky, fruit-packed slice of Gravenstein pie from Mom’s Apple Pie, a roadside stop outside Sebastopol. It ranks up there with a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir as a real taste of Sonoma.

Muskoka, Ontario

Quintessential Cottage Country

Just two hours by car—but a world away—from powerhouse Toronto beats the heart of Ontario’s cottage country, Muskoka. Families have gathered here for generations to revel in true wilderness. The 2,500-square-mile area includes 8,699 miles of shoreline, 17 historic towns and villages, and innumerable waterfalls and lakes (like Kahshe Lake, above) framed by the peaks of Algonquin Provincial Park to the east and the isles of Georgian Bay Islands National Park to the west.

There’s plenty to do here but nothing you’d put on an agenda. Lounge with friends, barbecue everything, watch the night sky from the dock in the pitch black, play board games while listening to the rain. And run around barefoot all day.


Oman

Perfumed Oasis

While neighboring oil-rich countries on the Arabian Peninsula are building skyscrapers and convention centers, Oman is erecting an opera house and planting desert gardens amid capital city Muscat’s white stone buildings. Sultan Qaboos sparked the country’s modern renaissance with his rise to power in 1970—adding scores of new schools and hospitals and increasing the miles of paved road from six to over 3,700.

Many of Oman’s delights cater to the elite luxury traveler. The ritziest hotel in Muscat offers a helicopter landing pad out back. Pleasure yachts anchor off the coast; it can be easy to forget the sea is Arabian, not Mediterranean. Muscat's Park Inn, pictured here, has a roof terrace view to rival any.

London

Faster, Higher, Stronger

In Olympic-ready London, a new landmark (City Hall) meets old (Tower Bridge) along the Thames. The last time London hosted the Olympics, in 1948, locals subsisted on rations, there was no budget for new sports venues, and many competitors slept in military huts in Richmond Park. Britain may be entering another age of austerity, but nearly $15 billion has been spent on sprucing up the capital for the 2012 Olympics.

Many sporting events have already sold out, but there will be hundreds of free cultural events to enjoy throughout the summer. The London 2012 Festival will turn the whole country into a living stage, from a multilingual bonanza of Shakespeare productions at Stratford-upon-Avon to a soccer-inspired art installation deep in a Scottish forest. David Hockney, Leona Lewis, and Philip Glass are among the heavyweights headlining in London.


Sri Lanka

Jolly Good Times in Hill Country

The first thing that strikes you is the climate. Damp and bracingly cool, this place doesn’t fit your image of Sri Lanka, the lush island nation—formerly known as Ceylon—that hangs like a teardrop off the tip of southern India.

Nuwara Eliya (pronounced nyur-RAIL-ya) is a colonial-era resort town in Sri Lanka’s stunning hill country. This mountainous, mist-draped realm has long been popular with backpackers and other adventurers for its tea plantations (above) and rain forest preserves, known as the Central Highlands, which recently were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

Greece

Ancient Beauty

Patrick Leigh Fermor, the dashing philhellene who died last June, knew that to get under Greece’s skin you must stray from the instant gratifications of its seaside resorts. Traveling on foot across the gorges of Roumeli and mountains of Mani, Leigh Fermor discovered a land of fierce beauty where traditions run deep. Eventually, he settled in Kardamíli, a sleepy hamlet in the southern Peloponnese, which he hoped was “too inaccessible, with too little to do, for it ever to be seriously endangered by tourism.”

Happily, he was right. While some islands have been scarred by unregulated development—and as the country grapples with the worst financial crisis in its modern history—Greece’s rugged mainland retains its unadulterated allure. Foraging for mushrooms in Epirus, watching pink pelicans take flight over Prespa Lake, listening to ethereal chanting in Meteora’s monasteries (such as the Roussanou Monastery, above)—there remain pockets of Greece where time stands still. You just have to know where to look.

New Zealand

Cyclists' Bliss

A violent struggle created this world, according to Maori mythology: Indigenous New Zealanders say Sky Father and Earth Mother were ripped from each other’s arms to make room for mountains, forests, and oceans. Around Rotorua, a Maori heartland and home of the mineral-rimmed Champagne Pool (above), it’s easy to believe the struggle continues, as the eerie landscape bubbles and churns like some primordial stew. Geysers erupt, mud boils, and steam seeps from cliffs and sidewalks, leaving a sulfurous scent in the air.

In a land where adrenaline lovers ride rockets suspended on wires and roll downhill inside giant plastic balls, biking seems one of the saner ways to plunge into a landscape that compels exploration: hot springs, glaciers, rain forests, and volcanoes, encircled by nearly 10,000 miles of coastline, packed into a country barely bigger than Colorado. New Zealand is made for journeys, physical and spiritual.

Panama

Eco-Wonderland

As a bridge between continents, Panama, 51 miles sea-to-sea at its midpoint, only looks slight. The Panama Canal, which capitalized on the Central American country’s slim waistline to become a literal nexus of global trade, will expand with two new sets of locks, one on the Pacific side of the canal and one on the Atlantic, designed for massive, 13,000-container cargo ships, due to be completed in 2014. World traders occupy gleaming new hotels that modernize the colonial capital.

In Panama, nature and indigenous culture are abundant. The canal-bordering tropical lowlands of Soberanía National Park ring with the cries of howler monkeys and the chatter of toucans. The cool, flower-filled highland town of Boquete sits in the shadow of the country’s tallest volcano. Embera women paint their bodies and create elaborate neckpieces (above). At the offshore Coiba National Park, where a maximum of only 40 overnight visitors are allowed, divers share the pristine waters with scientific researchers and whale sharks.

Mongolia

Untamed Hovsgol

If you yearn for a connection to the wild, you will find it here. Hovsgol is the northernmost of Mongolia’s 21 provinces, shadowing Russia’s border and sharing the great Siberian taiga (subarctic coniferous forest). Lichens in bright greens and oranges color 10,000-foot passes, while sacred rivers, rumored to never freeze, feed lakes framed by snow-tipped mountains.

Hovsgol is just now opening its arms to travelers who come to catch and release taimen, giant salmonid “river wolves” that stalk Hovsgol’s waterways. Others come to ride Mongolian ponies in search of the Tsaatan, small bands of nomadic reindeer herders (above) who live in encampments and follow shamanistic beliefs.

Sri Lanka; A Land Like No Other !

Mainly named as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka as a small island has many names which people call; Serendib, Ceylon, Teardrop of India, Resplendent Isle, Island of Dharma, Pearl of the Orient are some of those beautiful names. This colorful collection reveals its richness and beauty, and the intensity of affection which it has evoked in visitors.

Head for the rolling hill country to escape the heat of the plains in the cool of tea plantations. The entire island is abundantly filled with bird life, and intriguingly unusual animals like Elephants and leopards are not uncommon. The most important thing is, the people are friendly, very hospitable, the food is delicious and costs are low.

?Sri Lanka the finest island of its size in the entire world? ? Marco Polo

This will be true to you if you explore the country?s authentic ecstasies. What ever it takes to amuse you in you?re your holiday in Sri Lanka is just a breath away. If it is, Beaches; the coastal stretch south of Colombo offers palm-lined sandy expands as far as the eye can see. If it is, Culture; Try the Kandyan dances, a procession of elephants or the masked devil dances. Or if it is the Ruins; you?ll find enough ancient and inspiring architecture in the cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa to satisfy that inner archaeologist. 

 

Poya Festival

A long line of lights illuminates the path to the summit of Adam's Peak during the Poya Festival in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka. This mountainous, mist-draped realm has long been popular with backpackers and other adventurers for its tea plantations and rain forest preserves. The Central Highlands recently were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

Dambulla Cave Temple

The cave monastery of Dambulla, a World Heritage site, has five sanctuaries and is the largest, best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. 

Temple of the Tooth

In the northern part of the Central Highlands lies the historic town of Kandy and its 18th-century Temple of the Tooth, an important Buddhist shrine.

Leopard

A leopard (Panthera pardus) rests in tree in Yala National Park. Located on the southern coast of the island, Yala is Sri Lanka's most visited and second largest national park.

Grand Hotel

Pristine grounds surround the Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka.

The 10 Best Treks In The World

These 10 classic treks are for serious walkers. All of them require a sturdy pair of lungs, fit legs and a good amount of preparation. However, if you choose to go on any of these trails then you will be rewarded with experiences that last a lifetime. In no particular order:

 

1. GR20, France

This demanding 15- day (168km, 104mi) slog through Corsica is legendary for the diversity of landscapes it traverses. There are forests, granite moonscapes, windswept craters, glacial lakes, torrents, peat bogs, maquis, snow-capped peaks, plains and névés (stretches of ice formed from snow). But it doesn’t come easy: the path is rocky and sometimes steep, and includes rickety bridges and slippery rock faces – all part of the fun. Created in 1972, the GR20 links Calenzana, in the Balagne, with Conca, north of Porto Vecchio.
 

2. Inca Trail, Peru

This 33km (20mi) ancient trail was laid by the Incas and is currently traversed by thousands each year. The trail leads from the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu winding its way up and down and around the mountains, taking three high passes en route. Views of white-tipped mountains and high cloud forest combine with the magic of walking from one cliff-hugging ruin to the next – understandably making this South America’s most famous trail.
 

3. Pays Dogon, Mali

‘The land of the Dogon people’ is one of Africa’s most breathtaking regions. A trek here can last anywhere between two and 10 days, and takes in the soaring cliffs of the Bandiagara escarpment inlaid with old abandoned cliff dwellings. Dogon villages dot the cliffs and are an extraordinary highlight of the journey. The Dogon are known for their masked stilt dancers, intricately carved doors and pueblo-like dwellings built into the side of the escarpment.
 

4. Everest Base Camp, Nepal

Reaching a height of 5,545m (18,193ft) at Kala Pattar, this three-week trek is extremely popular with those who want to be able to say, ‘I’ve been to the base of the world’s highest mountain’. The difficult trek passes undeniably spectacular scenery and is trafficked by Sherpa people of the Solu Khumbu. The heights reached during this trek are literally dizzying until you acclimatise to the altitude, and the continuous cutting across valleys certainly has its ups and downs.
 

5. Indian Himalayas, India

Fewer folk trek on the Indian side of the world’s greatest mountain range. So, if isolation’s your thing try trekking in Himachal Pradesh. Hardcore hikers can try teetering along the mountain tops for 24 days from Spiti to Ladakh. This extremely remote and challenging walk follows ancient trade routes. The bleak high-altitude desert terrain inspired Rudyard Kipling to exclaim, ‘Surely the gods live here; this is no place for men’.
 

6. Overland Track, Australia

Tasmania’s prehistoriclooking wilderness is most accessible on the 80km (50mi, five- to six-day) Overland Track. Snaking its way between Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair (Australia’s deepest natural freshwater lake), the well-defined path (boardwalked in parts) passes craggy mountains, beautiful lakes and tarns, extensive forests and moorlands. Those who want more can take numerous side walks leading to waterfalls, valleys and still more summits including Mt Ossa (1,617m, 5,305ft) – Tassie’s highest.
 

7. Routeburn Track, New Zealand

See the stunning subalpine scenery of New Zealand’s South Island surrounding this medium three-day (32km, 20mi) track. At the base of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, the track passes through two national parks: Fiordland and Mt Aspiring. Highlights include the views from Harris Saddle and atop Conical Hill – from where you can see waves breaking on the distant beach. The main challenge for this popular hike is actually securing a place among the limited numbers who are allowed on the track at any time.
 

8. The Narrows, USA

A 26km (16mi) journey through dramatic canyons carved over centuries by the Virgin River, the Narrows in Zion National Park is a hike like no other. The route is the river, with over half of the hike spent wading and sometimes swimming. The hike can be traversed in a day, though some choose to take the hanging gardens and natural springs at a more leisurely pace – spending a night at one of the park’s 12 camp grounds.
 

9. The Haute Route, France-Switzerland

Leading from Chamonix in France through the southern Valais to Zermatt in Switzerland, the Haute Route traverses some of the highest and most scenic country accessible to walkers anywhere in the Alps. The summer Haute Route walk (which takes a different course than the more famous winter skitouring route) takes around two weeks to complete. It mainly involves ‘pass hopping’ and demands a high level of fitness, with every section containing a high huff factor.
 

10. Baltoro Glacier & K2, Pakistan

This corridor of ice leads to the colossal peak of K2 (8,611m, 28,251ft), the world’s second-highest peak. This incomparable trek traverses some of the most humbling scenery on the planet. What begins following icy rivers boldly goes to the guts of the glacier before leading to the granite pyramidal mountains including Paiju (6,610m, 21,686ft), Uli Biaho (6,417m, 21,053ft), Great Trango Tower (6,286m, 20,623ft) and ultimately K2. If the 15 days doesn’t floor you, take side trips to more moraine-covered glaciers.

Sunny Island Escapes

You survived the post-holiday blues, but we’ll bet a pick-me-up is still in order. These sunny island escapes should do the trick.

 

Soggy Dollar Bar, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

It was once accessible only by water (there's now a rough road, though most visitors still arrive by boat), so thirsty sailors would brave the waters to make it ashore, and pay with wet, disintegrating bills.

Song Saa, Cambodia

Opening in February, Song Saa, Cambodia’s first private island resort, is sustainable (built from local, natural materials), with a wellness bent and overwhelming opulence (the spa commands its own island).

Long Beach, Kadavu, Fiji

Kadavu, the smallest and least developed of Fiji’s “big” islands, is best known for scuba diving and bird watching. But if you’ve got to have your beach fading out of sight in both directions, this miles-long sandy stretch on the north side of the island is for you. 

Le Taha'a Island Resort & Spa, French Polynesia

If it weren’t for the fact that the water, over a bottom of hard white sand, is only about waist deep, you’d feel as if you were at sea in the bungalows at this away-from-the-tourists (but with Bora Bora still visible on the horizon) resort.

Sonia Rican Restaurant, Puerto Rico

When galloping gourmet Anthony Bourdain ate at this Playa Jobos spot, he declared, "Food tastes better when you're not wearing shoes." It's a common reaction to the Sonia Rican, which features a smattering of tables, a salsa-pumping jukebox, and a view of locals shredding the waves.

Balenbouche, St. Lucia

A 70-acre plantation that has been lovingly refurbished by a stylish and statuesque Austrian and her two daughters, Balenbouche has four cottages for those who want to experience the island in its natural but cultivated state.