a humpback whale breaching with Maui in the background

A humpback whale breaches near Maui, Hawaii.

Photograph by Monica & Michael Sweet, Getty Images

101 Reasons to Travel Now: Outdoor Oases

We've scoured the globe in search of hidden gems to experience around the world. Experience the wonders of the natural world, whether on land or sea.

ByAmy Alipio and Jennifer Barger
August 20, 2015
2 min read

From the October 2015 issue of Traveler magazine

Reasons to Travel Now: 25-33

25. FLOWER POWER:

The night-blooming cereus opens up for just one evening a year, usually between late May and late July. Arizona’s Tohono Chul Park, in Tucson, holds the country’s largest collection of the cacti.

26. KOH BULON:

That idyllic untrampled Thai beach you’ve been dreaming of? This is it.

27. THE JOYS OF CAMPING:

No need to go anywhere exotic. The simple freedom of being in a tent makes for a multisensory journey of its own: rain pattering on the roof, the view out the flap, the woodsy smoke of a campfire.

28. WAKE UP IN NEW MEXICO:

D. H. Lawrence, writing in 1928, pretty much summed it up: “The moment I saw the brilliant, proud morning shine high up over the deserts of Santa Fe, something stood still in my soul.”

29. YELLOW MOUNTAIN:

Jagged, cloud-kissed peaks helped eastern China’s Huangshan range launch a thousand artworks. Either board a cable car or tackle a challenging daylong hike to the top of the western steps.

30. NATIONAL PARK YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF:

About 110 miles east of El Paso, the little-visited Guadalupe Mountains park encompasses a rare alpine habitat with elk and mountain lions, a fossilized reef, and the highest mountain in Texas.

31. WHALES ON MAUI:

From January to April, watch whales sans the expensive boat tours by parking yourself on the shores of the Au‘Au Channel. The humpback hangout makes spotting easy.

32. SUPER SONICS:

Snorkelers in the turquoise waters around Salt Cay, in Turks and Caicos, can hear the plaintive songs of thousands of humpback whales from January to April.

33. BATHING IN MUD:

Just outside Argentina’s top wine region, the Termas Cacheuta resort overflows with both mud and mineral baths.

More from 101 Reasons to Travel Now: Irresistible eats that capture a sense of place (#34-53)>>

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