7 under the radar spots you should see in your lifetime

IT’S hard to keep a good thing secret. But here’s how to avoid the throngs of tourists and still see some of the most amazing spots in the world.

7 secret spots that should be on your bucket list

THE term “bucket list destination” can be misunderstood, because it implies that there are certain select places in the world that everyone needs to see before they die.

But what if you don’t want to see the hordes of tourists at Grand Canyon, Machu Picchu, or the Roman Colosseum?

You can make your own list by researching the countless captivating places around the world that aren’t as popular, although they might still be important or even sacred to the locals.

Here are seven such incredible places that you may not have heard about but might inspire you take the road less travelled.

Caves of Crystal, Mexico

It would be tough to see, but certainly worth it.

This one is not for tourists, unless you’re well-connected to scientists who work here. That’s because the Naica Cave, 300 metres below the surface of Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico, is as dangerous as it is gorgeous.

The selenite crystals, which were only discovered in 2000, are among the largest in the world and reach 12 metres in length while weighing up to 55 tonnes. They’ve been heated by a giant pool of magma right underneath, which is what also makes the place so unbearably hot: temperature are reported at 58 degrees here with up to 99 per cent humidity. Anybody who enters for more than a few minutes has to wear a special cooling suit and mask.

To get a sense of the danger, you can read one BBC reporter’s account of entering the cave.

Ciudad Perdida, Colombia

South America has so many breathtaking spots. Photographer: poirpom

If Machu Picchu has become too touristy for you, you can visit the mountain home of a lost civilisation that’s 650 years older and has only recently been on the travel radar.

Ciudad Perdida (Lost City) is a network of villages believed to have been founded in 800 A.D. by the local Tairona tribe. It was lost to history and reclaimed by the jungle for about 1000 years until treasure looters rediscovered the place in 1972.

Only a fraction of the city has been excavated, but the haunting remains include stone terraces and plazas that you’ll have to climb 1263 steep steps over several days to reach, past beautiful waterfalls and streams. The round-trip journey lasts about 43 kms.

Travel companies briefly stopped giving hikes of the area in 2003, when eight tourists were kidnapped by the National Liberation Army, but since 2005 the hikes have resumed without incident. All four tour companies servicing Ciudad Perdida offer hikes lasting about six days for $390.

Thor’s Well

Be careful when checking out this one. Photographer: Bill Young

Is this the end of the world? The ocean consuming itself? Hardly. Thor’s Well, off the coast of Cape Perpetua, is something of an optical illusion. The apparent hole in the ocean is really just a hole in rock, and not a very deep one at about 7 metres.

Still, the effect created during high tide is magnificent and worthy of a trip to the Oregon coast. But bring a zoom lens, because you don’t want to get too close — getting swept into the hole would be deadly.

Red SeaBeach, China

The grass has grown to match the flag. Photographer: 吴张帆

The world’s largest wetland area seems like it belongs to another world entirely. The grass here may look like it’s been dyed, but this is totally natural and a result of alkaline soil.

Located in Dawa County, the delicate reed marsh is a protected reserve, but tourists can see it up close via a wooden walkway. You can also admire the estimated 236 species of birds that are found here. Go during September, when the grass is mature and at its brightest.

Falls Canyon, Death Valley, California

Infamous rock band The Doors would head to Death Valley to undertake psychedelic experiences.

People are more likely to equate Death Valley with sand dunes or the record-low elevation of Badwater Basin, but Fall Canyon is an underrated geological marvel that impresses in different ways. Walking through the wash in this ravine, prone to epic floods, with its towering and kaleidoscopic layered rocks, will make you feel wonderfully small.

Soon into the canyon’s entrance, you’ll reach a dry waterfall that you’ll want to climb up and see before walking through beautifully polished narrows in the mid-Canyon.

Pangong Tso Lake: India, China

Summer is a great time to visit this picturesque lake.

This Himalayan lake looks serene, though it’s also a source of tension because of its proximity to two countries: roughly one third of Pangong Tso is in India, with two-thirds in Tibet. Still, this is considered a safe place for tourists to ascend the 4349 metres and take their travel-brag Facebook photos.

The lake is five kilometres wide and 133 kilometres long, and it’s a five-hour drive from Leh, India. Depending on what kind of view you’re rather see, the lake freezes in winter.

Baalbek, Lebanon

Lebanon often flies under the radar as a tourist destination. Photographer: Francisco Antunes

You might not expect to find one of the greatest examples of Roman architecture in a Lebanese Valley, but Baalbek certainly qualifies — and its importance as a sacred site dates well before that empire. The site is like a layer cake of civilisations who worshipped here, including the Phoenicians before the Romans, when the city was known as Heliopolis — all told, the site’s history may go back 5000 years.

I walked through these stone ruins in 2008, and I was left in awe — the remaining 20-metre Corinthian columns tower over the surrounding area and the Roman temples are majestic, but even the small carvings littered all over the place impressed me. You’ll enjoy playing archaeologist on these grounds. It’s no wonder the place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city of Baalbek is 85 kilometres northeast of Beirut and can be easily accessed by car.