1. Chamonix, France
 It’s the global capital of  mountain sports, where alpinism was invented; where tourists in Prada still mingle with sunburned alpinists packing steel and Gore-Tex; where you might share a cable car with the world’s best climber, and not know it; and where I nearly died, and was born again, many, many times.

2. Yosemite Valley,  California
You cannot but feel awe when you enter the valley, and meet a granite wall, rising milehigh above a tranquil green meadow with a stream meandering through it. This is when you understand what Aldous Huxley meant when he said that his father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing. Once upon a time, Yosemite was heaven, before the tourists took over. But it’s still every serious rock climber’s mecca.

3. Kinnaur Himalaya, India 
Green meadows, rushing rivers, steep, perfect granite. There are a few Shangri-Las in India, and this is certainly one of them. I would move here if it weren’t for a few factors, including regulations that prevent non-locals from buying land in certain parts of the country.

4. Donsol, Philippines 
One word: whale sharks. Okay, that’s two, but these bus-sized denizens of the blue are worth more than a few. This marine reserve proves that tourism is better for the economy than resource exploitation, where fishing is banned, and you can spend hours in the bay, looking out for and snorkelling with these gentle giants.

5. The Aquarium, Oman
I’m a mountain, not an ocean, person—but above this reef, in the middle of the Gulf of Oman, with its rich, clear waters, I found my peace in the sea. Two green turtles swam among schools of batfish, and I free-dived again and again, learning what it feels to be an aquanaut. 

6. Noravank Canyon, Armenia 
Some places make you feel like you’re at the end of the world, while simultaneously connecting you with ancient history. The world’s oldest artefacts, a stunning desert and mountain landscapes, Mount Ararat, the Caucasus, myths, legends, monasteries, kebabs, gorgeous women, and rock climbing… What’s not to like?







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