Bucket List Destinations - Part 2

In a previous post, we investigated Africa, Bora Bora, Northern Lights, Pyramids of Egypt, and Dubai. Adding to this bucket list the following destinations are also on many eager traveler’s bucket lists.   

Banff and Lake Louise, Canada 
Every time someone inquires about the most beautiful place I have ever been I always reply Lake Louise, Canada.  It is hard to beat the majestic and awe-inspiring views of beautiful turquoise blue water fed by a glacier melt with a backdrop of Mount Victoria and the Canadian Rocky Mountains. It is positively breathtaking!  The Fairmont Hotel there is perfectly situated to encompass all the beauty.  Just 40 minutes down the road is Banff with it’s own majesty and a fabulous Gondola ride to see the entire area.   The best time to visit (unless going for snow skiing) is June through the end of September.  
The Maldives 
When you think of over water bungalows, clear and bright blue water, you are imagining the Maldives.  The Maldives is a nation of islands in the Indian Ocean.  The country is comprised of 1192 islands.   
The country’s unique geography mesmerizes everyone…reefs that offer bands of color, tiny islands with the whitest of soft sand that are surrounded by shallow waters that one can hardly imagine. Only 200 of the islands of the Maldives are inhabited. A few of the islands are only used for agriculture and industry. The Maldives is home to about five percent of the planet’s reefs and they are extremely colorful.  They are home to a thousand species of fish.   
I always recommend stopping over in Dubai for a couple of days before heading to Male to board a boat or seaplane to your island destination in the Maldives!   
Australia 
From world-class wine and kangaroos to koala bears and glistening beaches there are many reasons to visit Australia! How many times do you hear that Australia has the world’s biggest, oldest, or greatest of something?  Quite a few, actually.  From the only living organism visible from outer space (the Great Barrier Reef) to the planet’s biggest rock, Mount Augustus, many of the Aussie attractions are the greatest. Australia is the world’s biggest island with the world’s oldest rainforest, and the world’s oldest civilization.    
Eighty percent of Australia’s wildlife is so unique that it can’t be found anywhere else in the world!  From wombats to the shy platypus (hiding in Australia’s rivers) and one of the planet’s largest birds, the emu, it is an amazing island for wildlife.    
Everyone wants to climb the bridge and see the famous Opera House in Sydney! 
The Grand Canyon 
The Grand Canyon is a wonderful year-round vacation destination and has been a lifelong venture of research and exploration.  It is 277 miles long and up to 18 miles wide.   It took 3-6 million years to form, and erosion continues to alter its contours.  It is home to approximately 70 species of mammals, 250 species of birds, 25 types of reptiles, and five species of amphibians. The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and was established in 1919 when Woodrow Wilson was President.   
On average the Grand Canyon is around a mile deep.  There are eight exposed layers and the oldest rocks in the canyon are 1.8 billion years old and predate the dinosaurs. It takes a reasonably fit hiker around 4 to 5 hours to hike from the South Rim to the Colorado river and a good bit longer to hike back.   It is a definite bucket list destination for those who love pure beauty and have a sense of adventure.