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5 Undiscovered Destinations To See Before You Die

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  • 5 Undiscovered Destinations To See Before You Die

    5 UNDISCOVERED DESTINATIONS TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE
    Olivia Katrandjian

    PolicyMic
    http://www.policymic.com/articles/7997/5-undiscovered-destinations-to-see-before-you-die
    June 29 2012

    If you're looking for an atypical vacation in a non-traditional
    location, these five places are among the most beautiful in the world:

    1. Nagorno Karabakh

    If you're looking for an adventure through largely unknown territory,
    Nagorno Karabakh, a landlocked autonomous region between Armenia and
    Azerbaijan, is the place to go. A country recognized by no one, it's
    the kind of place that's so contested that not only does it not have
    an embassy anywhere, but its "Office of Permanent Representation"
    in Armenia doesn't even ask if you want your visa pasted into your
    passport. They know you don't, so they just attach it with a paper
    clip.

    Once you make it to Karabakh (which is only accessible through
    Armenia), stay at the recently built Armenia Hotel in the capital,
    Stepanakert, and use the city as your base to explore the region.

    Feast on shish kebob and grilled vegetables. Go to the local market
    where an old Armenian woman will fry you a piece of jengyalov hatz,
    a bread stuffed with 13 types of herbs, on a burning hot griddle.

    While in Stepanakert, visit the Museum of Fallen Soldiers, where the
    walls are lined with photographs of the Armenians who died during
    the 1990-1994 war with Azerbaijan.

    Don't miss the Gandzasar Monastery, meaning "hilltop treasure,"
    built in the 10th century. Visit at night when the lighting gives
    this ancient church a ghostly presence.

    To explore the countryside, use the Janapar hiking trail, which
    will take you through snow-topped mountains and fields of yellow and
    red flowers.

    "Karabakh and Armenia have always had footpaths used by natives to get
    from one village to the next, to monasteries and to trade routes,"
    said Raffi Kojian, who designed the trail in 2007. "Shepherds have
    created a network as well, to graze the animals. The Janapar is a
    weaving of these many paths to form one long route for visitors who
    want to experience some of the best Karabakh has to offer. Hikers
    will meet lots of helpful and curious locals along the route, and no
    doubt experience some of the legendary hospitality."

    The trail is designed to end at a different village each night, so you
    can easily plan accommodations. If you're staying with a local, don't
    be surprised if you're offered homemade mulberry vodka with breakfast.

    Drink up.

    2. Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Every February, the beat of the samba drum spreads through the streets
    and beaches of Rio de Janeiro like a disease, infecting all those
    who flock to the city for the festivities with the spirit of Carnival.

    Wings made of brightly-colored feathers glitter on the backs of women
    wearing little more than jeweled bikinis. Bronze men in lipstick and
    coconut bras down cans of ice-cold beer, called cerveja. Tourists
    look on in amazement, stunned to see the biggest street party in the
    world sprawled out in front of them.

    Samba, which was born in the favelas, is now danced by all classes
    during Carnival, from the ballroom of the Copacabana Palace to the
    streets of the slums.

    Members of Rio's six best samba schools practice for months to compete
    in the Samba Parade, one of the highlights of the festival. Each
    school, made up of between 3,000 and 5,000 people, has 75 minutes to
    dance, sing their theme song, and impress the judges and millions of
    viewers with intricate costumes and floats.

    The schools that don't qualify for the competition take to the streets,
    performing in block parties, called blocos. During Carnival, hundreds
    of blocos take place in Rio, effectively shutting down the city.

    Costumed strangers press up against each other in the crowded streets.

    Beach volleyball and pick-up soccer games make way for groups that
    parade down the beach. No one seems to tire.

    3. Atacama Desert, Chile

    The Atacama Desert in northern Chile may be one of the most
    inhospitable places on Earth. "You would have to be mad to live here,"
    said Fiona Martin of the Tierra Atacama, a hotel in the area.

    Climatologists call it the driest place in the world, and some areas
    have not seen rainfall in recorded history. But the sights the region
    has to offer more than make up for having chapped lips and dry skin.

    The town of San Pedro de Atacama is a stepping stone to the vast
    desert that surrounds it. The dusty streets are lined with day-trip
    operators who will take you to any of the area's spectacular sights.

    Go east to the Bolivian border, where you can climb the snow-capped
    Licancabur Volcano. South is the Salar de Atacama, the largest
    salt flat in Chile and the second largest in the world, where pink
    flamingoes graze in clear blue lagoons against a backdrop of volcanoes
    and the Andes Mountains. Go north to El Tatio, a field of more than 80
    active geysers that erupt up to six meters high. Or turn west to walk
    through the 23-million-year-old rock formations in the Valley of Death
    (Valle de la Muerte) and the Valley of the Moon (Valle de la Luna),
    where it's so quiet you can hear the salt crack from the heat.

    4. Luang Prabang, Laos

    Skip Laos' capital, Vientiane, and head to Luang Prabang, a city set
    at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan rivers. The quaint city has
    a laid-back charm and tranquility that exudes Laos' motto: Please
    Don't Rush. A designated World Heritage Site, the city is filled with
    golden Buddhist temples and colonial mansions that date back to the
    French rule. If you're up early enough, you'll see monks in orange
    robes walking down the main thoroughfare, collecting alms of rice or
    fruit from townspeople.

    A short tuk tuk drive away from Luang Prabang is the Kouang Si Falls,
    a multi-level waterfall, beginning with a 60-meter waterfall and
    spilling through several pools below. For a $2 entrance fee, you can
    feel like a kid again, taking dips in picturesque gem-colored pools,
    sliding down smooth rocks, jumping off waterfalls, or climbing a tree
    and rope swinging into the water.

    In the evening, head to the night market on Sisavangvong Road, where
    you can find painted paper umbrellas and lanterns, colorful handbags
    made by local tribes, handmade silver jewelry, and, of course,
    spice-filled Lao street food. This market may be one of the only
    places in Asia where you're not hassled.

    5. Cuba (Reporting provided by Whitney Sher)

    If you don't plan on working for the U.S. government or care to abide
    by the U.S economic embargo, Cuba is where you should plan your next
    trip. It will not be your typical Caribbean beach vacation or touristy
    activities-laden trip but a more cultural and historical (i.e.

    communist) experience.

    To get there, you can fly using any non-American airline carrier via
    Canada or Mexico on any passport to Havana. Get your tourist visa
    ahead of time from the Cuban Consulate (in person in Washington, DC
    or by mail). Stay at a casa particular every night. Like most things
    in Cuba, this B&B style housing is highly regulated by the government.

    You'll get to stay with local families renting out an extra bedroom
    and consume delicious eggs, toast, fresh milk and fruit, and freshly
    ground coffee for breakfast.

    Spend a day or two in Havana walking around this old cobblestoned
    city and drink guarapo (freshly pressed cane juice) in the heat
    of the afternoon, visit Ernest Hemingway's old haunts for a real
    Havana Club rum and coke, see the rations bodegas, eat ropa vieja
    (shredded beef simmered in tomato sauce) for dinner, and have ice
    cream, communist-style, at Coppelia's.

    Make sure to get your hand on some local currency, pesos nacionales,
    instead of the tourist currency, the CUC or "convertible," for a more
    authentic use of your money. You'll be able to buy the most delicious
    fresh guava, mango, and papaya smoothies and street food.

    Rent a car that comes with an almost-empty tank - to be returned as
    empty as you wish - and pick up locals along the deserted highway to
    have great friendly conversations during your drive. Go to Viņales, a
    town famous for its wooden porches and rocking chairs, its huge caves,
    and great luscious hiking landscape. On your way to Viņales, visit
    the Orquideario de Soroa, the largest orchid gardens in the world.

    Next, spend the day driving to Trinidad, famous for its Spanish
    colonial architecture and beaches. Go snorkeling during the day in
    the Casilda Bay or diving around sunken ships and salsa dance the
    night away in the street to ever-present live music.

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