kids throwing colored powder during Holi, India
a person rappeling at Waitomo Caves, New Zealand
tulip fields in Noordoostpolder, Netherlands
new bourbon barrels being charred
pelicans flying along the Danube Delta, Romania
women wearing dresses made of flowers at the Madeira Flower Festival, Madeira Island, Portugal
visitors tasting wine at the Catena Zapata winery, Mendoza, Argentina
the Queen Victoria Inn, Cape May, New Jersey
bikers on the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, West Virginia
the vineyards at Riebeek Kasteel, Swartland, South Africa
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Holi Festival, Jaipur, IndiaJaipur, capital of northwest India’s Rajasthan state, owes its “Pink City” nickname to terra-cotta-hued building facades within the Old City walls. Each spring, a tide of raucous revelers magnifies the Technicolor-like glow during the frenetic city’s Holi celebrations. Heralding the arrival of spring, Holi—the Hindu “Festival of Colors”—is marked throughout India and around the world (beginning March 27 this year). In traveler-friendly Rajasthan—Land of Kings—locals and visitors jubilantly join impromptu and organized color eruptions. Prepare to be doused with brightly tinted powders and scented water. Long-sleeve shirts, pants, and a layer of sun block help minimize skin staining, but count on tossing your clothes at festival’s end. Jaipur ushers in Holi with its annual Elephant Festival March 26. Held at the Jaipur polo grounds, the festivities include elephant polo and tug-of-war matches, as well as a parade of elaborately painted pachyderms. Splurge on a luxury tent at the Oberoi Rajvilas to soak your Holi colors away in a vintage, claw-foot tub. See More Coloful Photos of India >>
Photograph by Leeuwenberg, Hollandse Hoogte/Redux

Best Spring Trips 2013

Tasting tours and tulips, fish fries and far-flung festivals … Just in time for spring, our editors have selected ten trips that will awaken your senses—and your sense of adventure. Share your favorite and tell us your own trip ideas in the comments.

February 25, 2013

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