Avenue Of The Baobabs

The Avenue of the Baobabs is a road in Madagascar lined with thousand year old baobab trees that are up to 100 feet tall. Their unique shape and size have made them one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire country. Sadly this area has no conservation status, and in fact is not even designated as a park, so the risk of them being destroyed remains fairly high.

Angel Falls

Angel Falls, located on a tepui in the remote jungles of Venezuala is the tallest waterfall on earth. The falls are 3,212 ft in height, and is so tall that the water atomizes into mist before it ever reaches the bottom. To see these falls in person requires is a major undertaking though, and involves planes, river boats, and lots of hiking.

Uluru

This gigantic sandstone rock in Australia is over 1,100 feet tall and has a circumference of almost 6 miles. Depending on the time of day, this rock glows with different colors, with its most stunning being at sunset, when it becomes a bright red. It also holds strong spiritual beliefs of the local indigenous people who view it as sacred ground.

Sundarbans

The Sunderbans of Bangladesh are the largest halophytic mangrove forest on the planet. Taking up thousands of square miles, this swampy forest is home to a variety of wildlife ranging from tigers and crocodiles, to birds and deer.  Four million people also call this forest home, and as such it faces risks of development and exploitation.

Jeita Grotto

The Jeita Grotto is one of, if not the most beautiful limestone caves in the world. Located in Lebanon, this cave took millions of years to form, and has within it the worlds largest stalactite. During the Lebanese civil war it was used to house munitions, though thankfully very little damage was done to this stunning underground wonder.

Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave

Eisriesenwelt, German for World Of The Ice Giants, is the largest ice cave known to man. Formed by river erosion, the cave is filled with melting snow in the summer, which then freezes in winter creating its majestic ice formations. Located inside Hochkogel mountain in Austria, it is a very popular tourist attraction due to its unique formations and easy access via cable car.

By Mark Johnson