Lonely Planet - Secret Marvels of the World: 360 Extraordinary Places You Never Knew Existed and Where to Find Them

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Garden island, Fiji, -16.7839 / -179.9802

Waitavala Water Slide

Steamy, dreamy Taveuni seems purpose-built for doing sweet nothing. But too many days of languid lolling was making me feel as if Id been bonked on the head by a coconut. It was time for action, and on Fijis Garden Island, action means only one thing: water slide! No chlorinated chute here; this is a slick, scenic series of smooth-rock cascades that slice through the rainforest with surprising speed.

Wobbling on slippery boulders, I gawked as the local kids surfed, goofed and grandstanded down the gushing slide. Me? I went down on my bum, hit every bump and plonked into the water below with all the grace of a drunk giraffe. But injuries, indignity and all: it was the ride of a lifetime. By Tamara Sheward

The slide, on the Waitavala Estate, is a 20 minute walk from Waiyevo on Taveunis west coast.

Jason Edwards / Getty Images

Tonga, -20.3167 / -175.4167

FONUAFOOU DISAPPEARING ISLAND

The British vessel HMS Falcon reported in 1865 that it had discovered a new landmass in the central part of the Tonga Islands that was 50m high and 2km long. Naturally, they named it Falcon Island. Unsurprisingly, that didnt last. Tonga immediately changed the name to Fonuafoou (or new land), planted a flag and claimed it for the king. Not 30 years had passed before the island vanished in 1894, only to re-emerge from the Pacific two years later even taller at 320m. This ephemeral isle the tip of an underwater volcano has disappeared and reappeared at least five times over the years in a series of fiery eruptions. Current status: missing.

Check up on Fonuafoou (presently a shoal) on the monthly ferry from Niuafoou to Vavau.

ERIC CHENG

Tonga,-20.5369 / -175.3801

HUNGA TONGA-HUNGA HAAPAI

It was January 2015 when tiny Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai first peeked its head out of Mother Earths belly to greet the light of day. Formerly a quiet subterranean volcano, it burst through the surface of the Pacific with such bravado that its ash plumes diverted flights for days. When all the geothermal fireworks were done, the worlds newest island was 500m long and 250m high, with a sulphurous milky-green lake in its central crater. The seahorse-shaped landmark may have made a stunning debut, but its role on earth could be just a cameo. Scientists believe the fragile island (its best to not set foot on it) will likely erode back into the sea in a matter of years.

You can charter a boat to take a look in Tongas capital, Nukualofa. Its a 45km journey.

Ho / Reuters

Hawaii, usa, 21.4023 / -157.8237

HAIKU STAIRS

Otherwise known as the Stairway to Heaven, this flight of 3,922 steps steers itself up to the giddy apex of Oahus breathtaking Koolau Mountain Range. In a plotline straight from Lost, the stairs were created in 1943 to provide access to a top-secret radio facility. That base was decommissioned in the 1950s, but the stairs remained, tempting photographers and risk takers alike with the most spectacular views over one of the most spectacular islands on the planet. The staircase is technically off limits, but few pay attention to that when it offers the chance to view paradise from the heavens (and Instagram it). A non-profit group, the Friends of Haiku Stairs, is dedicated to its upkeep and preservation.

Access is via the John A Burns Freeway, 20 minutes north of Honolulu. www.haikustairs.org.

Matthew J. Bielecki / Getty Images

Alaska, usa, 56.9036 / -158.0990

ANIAKCHAK NATIONAL MONUMENT

More people explore space each year than visit Aniakchak National Monument, a collapsed volcanic crater that contains some of the rawest wilderness in North America. Fresh off the angry Bering Sea, waterfalls of billowing clouds spill over Aniakchaks steep crater rim during wet weather, adding a ghostly sheen to the lost world of giant bears and barren tundra below. If youre up for adventure, you can backpack into the crater using sinuous animal trails, before white-water rafting out along the foamy Aniakchak River to the sea. Hikers will need foldable kayaks, lightweight camping equipment and lots of courage.