Travel Packages All Inclusive from our Advisors
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The west-coast community of Ka'anapali, Maui, has several nice resorts, an excellent beach and two fine golf courses (one designed by Robert Trent Jones, the other by Jack Snyder). Though the lovely beach at Ka'anapali is lined with resort hotels, the general public is guaranteed access to the sho...
This impressive park, 250 mi/400 km northwest of Kampala, is the largest in Uganda, and its wildlife has largely recovered from the poachers and fighting armies that depleted its stocks in the 1980s. Elephant, lion, Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo, Uganda kob, Jackson's hartebeest, oribi, buffalo and ...
Overview Introduction Set atop a plateau nearly 6,000 ft/1,825 m high in the Hindu Kush mountain range, 3,000-year-old Kabul once rated at least a three-night stay. Today, the arid capital city is not much more than ruins. Thousands of missiles fell on the city during the Soviet war, and street f...
Overview Introduction The country's third-largest city (pop. 22,000), Kaedi lies in the southern region along the Senegal River. It's a colorful market town, well worth a two-night stay. The surrounding verdant scenery is a nice change from the desert. 200 mi/320 km southeast of Nouakchott.
Overview Introduction Zambia's largest game reserve (at 8,685 sq mi/22,500 sq km, it's half the size of Switzerland) is not the country's best game reserve. Visit the park if it's your only chance to see a game reserve, but otherwise don't bother. The same animals can be seen in greater numbers a...
This impressive region is set in the heart of the Himalaya. Kaghan Valley offers the beautiful, deep blue Lake Saiful Muluk (at an elevation of 10,000 ft/3,200 m), interesting bazaars, stunning waterfalls, glaciers, boat rides and picturesque small villages. Pony rides can be arranged to help you se...
A former U.S. Navy bombing target, Kahoolawe Island has since been returned to the state of Hawaii, to be held in trust for the Hawaiian nation. Despite a major cleanup area, much of the island remains unusable because of unexploded ordnance. A cultural and environmental preserve, it has no tourism,...
On the northern coast of Maui's central valley, Kahului is a fairly large town, with shopping centers, some no-frills hotels, a commercial harbor and cruise-ship dock, and Maui's main airport. All the big-box stores, car dealerships and warehouses are there. It's generally less expensive to stay i...
Overview Introduction In the bamboo forests just north of Bukavu , this park is one of the last refuges of the endangered mountain gorillas. The gorillas, which are the same species studied by Dian Fossey (who wrote the book Gorillas in the Mist ), live high on Mount Kahuzi. When conditions are...
Boat trips offering whale-watching and swimming with dolphins, seals or sharks have helped put Kaikoura, New Zealand, a once-quiet South Island fishing village 115 mi/185 km north of Christchurch, on the map. Whale-watching boats are equipped with underwater microphones, so the success rate for sigh...
The famed Kona coast covers about two-thirds of the western coastline of Hawaii Island—the perfect spot for spectacular sunsets. At the heart of Kona is the town of Kailua-Kona, where many of the area's restaurants and tourist activities are clustered. Along the North Kona and South Kohala coasts, ...
In Kainaliu, 9 mi/15 km southeast of Kailua-Kona, stop for a meal at Rebel Kitchen and browse through the neighboring stores. A number of gift and specialty shops on the busy main street are worth checking out, including old-time Oshima's drug store and surf shop, and Blue Ginger Gallery. Nearby H...
Overview Introduction In Kainantu, on the Highlands Highway east of Goroka, you'll find the Eastern Highlands Cultural Centre (shopping and demonstrations of handicraft-making). Nearby is Ukarumpa , a fairly large missionary community connected to the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL). (SIL ...
Kairouan was one of the first cities founded by Muslims in North Africa. Its most important monument, the ninth-century Great Mosque, is one of the oldest surviving mosques in the world. The square, three-tier minaret will be the first thing to catch your eye, but also look for smaller details, such...
Kajaani, 300 mi/480 km northeast of Helsinki, is a relatively quiet place, and it is also the spot where Finnish folklorist Elias Lonnrot completed his epic Kalevala . Visit the small Kainuu District Museum (displays about the tar trade and traditional ways of living), the Kajaani Castle ruins (not...
Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, 125 mi/200 km east of Darwin, is one of the few places in the world that is listed twice as a UNESCO World Heritage site: once for its amazing ecosystem and a second time for Aboriginal rock paintings. With 1.2 million acres/486,000 hectares of wilde...
Overview Introduction Elephant, leopard, buffalo, warthog and a variety of monkey and antelope species are among the somewhat elusive mammalian residents of this 230 sq mi/600 sq km of protected rain forest. Although park facilities are limited, there is a good restaurant at the entrance—a 45-min...
Don't dismiss the Kalahari Desert as just sand. Covering more than two-thirds of Botswana, this home of the San (also known as the Bushmen) and the Tswana herdsmen consists primarily of small scrub trees and tall grass crisscrossed by dry riverbeds, which fill during thunderstorms. The Kalahari, o...
Kalambaka is located in central Greece about 170 mi/285 km northwest of Athens. It is the place to stay during a tour of the monasteries of Meteora. Kalambaka has post-Byzantine churches and an 11th-century cathedral (with frescoes) that are worth exploring, but get out of the city, too: The surro...
Overview Introduction Set in the forests 48 mi/78 km west of Inle Lake, the former hill station of Kalaw, Myanmar, seems far more British than Burmese with pine tree forests, mountain vistas and a cool, elevated climate. The main activity in these parts is trekking; a popular route is the two- to...
The town of Kalgoorlie, 375 mi/600 km east of Perth in Western Australia, is still considered the Queen of the Golden Mile, a gold vein discovered in 1893 that contains one of the richest lodes ever found. Kalgoorlie's 20,000 residents continue to make their living from mining. You can descend 200...
Located 420 mi/675 km northeast of Jakarta, Kalimantan is Indonesia's portion of the island of Borneo, which it shares with Brunei and the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah. Clashes between ethnic groups have taken place in Kalimantan, especially in the central and western portions of the territ...
Located in the northwest part of the state, 420 mi/675 km northwest of Billings, Kalispell is in the heart of the Flathead Valley, a popular area for visitors. The main visitor attraction in town is the Conrad Mansion National Historic Site, the 1890s Victorian home and gardens built for Kalispell's...
Located 60 mi/100 km south of Budapest, Kalocsa is known for its decorative embroidery, and for its paprika production. While there, you can visit the interesting Hungarian Spice Paprika Museum, the Regional House of Folk Arts Museum, and a cathedral (if possible, attend an organ recital there). A...
Overview Introduction Kalona, 90 mi/245 km southeast of Des Moines, is home to a community of old-order Amish who live and work as their ancestors did in the mid-1800s. The Kalona Historical Village offers driving tours through the surrounding countryside and also has a large number of historic b...
Located in the southeastern Aegean Sea, just off the coast of Bodrum, Turkey, Kalymnos Island is known for its ample rock climbing and bouldering opportunities year-round. Kalymnos Island is also a perfect setting for swimming and diving—particularly sponge diving. Sponges, or "Kalymnian gold," ha...
The most impressive site in the ancient city and religious center of Kamakura, located 30 mi/50 km south of Tokyo, is the photogenic Daibutsu , a giant 120-ton/108-metric ton bronze statue of the Buddha. The statue has an amazing history: Cast in the 13th century, it originally was housed in a temp...
Overview Introduction One of the top attractions in the far eastern region of Russia is an excursion to the spectacular volcanoes and parks of the pristine Kamchatka Peninsula. There are grizzly bears, salmon-filled rivers and geyser activity (in Geyser Valley) to rival Yellowstone National Park ...
A short drive east of the Fraser River and 220 mi/355 km northeast of Vancouver, Kamloops, British Columbia, makes a convenient stop on the way to or from Jasper or Banff, Alberta. The town is a popular base for trout fishing in the area lakes. Other attractions include a museum and art gallery, t...
Set just a few miles/kilometers north of Lake Victoria in the heart of Buganda, Kampala is the capital of Uganda and the country's largest city. It's a hilly, congested town, and the scars of war that dominated in the early 1990s have long since been repaired or replaced by bright malls and high-ri...
Riverside Kampong Cham, Cambodia, is a scenic 4½-hour bus ride from Siem Reap, passing rice fields, stilted homes with tin roofs and street-side vendors selling Jack Daniels bottles filled with gasoline to locals who zoom around on scooters, the preferred form of transportation in Cambodia. Any vis...
While the nearby resort town of Sihanoukville has long since woken up to tourism, Kampot, Cambodia, still slumbers. This enchanting town is set against the backdrop of the Elephant Mountains and offers an interesting mix of Chinese and French colonial architecture that gives it a special character. ...
This classic castle town, 180 mi/290 km northwest of Tokyo, offers streets of samurai houses and two geisha quarters around the partially reconstructed castle. The place's claim to fame is Kenroku-en, the garden adjacent to the castle, which is considered one of the three great gardens of Japan. It ...
Visitors to Thailand may not have heard of Kanchanaburi, a town 75 mi/120 km northwest of Bangkok, but they're likely to know about the nearby bridge over the River Kwai built by Allied prisoners of war during World War II. Many prisoners died while working the infamous Death Railway; the bridge its...
Located about 42 mi/68 km west of Chennai, Kanchipuram is one of seven sacred cities in India. It's dotted with the soaring spires of 1,000 temples, the most notable being the Ekambareswarar, or "One Mango," Temple. Kanchipuram is famous for its hand-woven silk, and many shops and and outlets offe...
Overview Introduction Kandahar, the nation's second-largest city, is considered to be the birthplace of modern Afghanistan. Virtually all of this 200-year-old city was destroyed during the battles of the last 20 years. Muhammad's Sacred Mantle (a cloak believed to have been owned by the great pro...
Set in the scenic hill country around a pretty, manmade lake, 60 mi/100 km northeast of Colombo, Kandy was the last seat of the Sinhala kings. Today it is the site of Sri Lanka's greatest annual spectacle: the Esala Perahera . The perahera (or "procession") is a 10-day event—usually held in late ...
Although best known as the site of a large U.S. Marine Corps base and Naval Air Station, Kaneohe, Hawaii, has other attractions, including the largest sheltered bay in the Hawaiian Islands. It's dotted with small picturesque islands, two marinas and a yacht club. The 200-acre/80-hectare Hoomaluhia...
Kangaroo Island is an island wilderness with only one major city, Kingscote, which harbors a population of less than 2,000 people. More than one-third of the island is either a conservation or national park, allowing visitors to experience unadulterated nature at their fingertips. The island is cer...
Overview Introduction Unless you're on your way to or from Mali, the regional capital of Upper Guinea is far off the beaten track. The nation's second-largest city, Kankan (pop. 310,000) claims a large university population and is the stronghold of political opposition to Conte's Party for Unity ...
Kano, Nigeria, is an atmospheric, mud-walled, 1,000-year-old Muslim center in the far northern part of the country. On the edge of the Sahel (the fringe of the Sahara), Kano is the oldest city in West Africa and has many cultural and historical links to the ethnic groups of the southern Sahara. Kano...
The Midwest doesn't get any more middle than Kansas. In fact, the exact middle of the continental U.S. is found there, and the state's western geography has all the flatness you would expect from an area known as the Great Plains. Many travelers mistakenly jump to the conclusion that "plain" also me...
A boulevard is all that separates Kansas City, Kansas, from Kansas City, Missouri, so visitors may want to take in many of the attractions across the border in Missouri. Although Missouri's is the larger of the two cities, there are a number of things to see on the Kansas side of the line. Be sure ...
Overview Introduction Largest and most northerly of the Phoenix Islands, Kanton atoll has a large airstrip built by the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II—but no scheduled flights. Sights on the island include an abandoned NASA satellite tracking station and a bird refuge (home to red-footed...
Although not a major tourist destination, Taiwan's second-largest city is also a sprawling industrial port. (It is the world's third-largest container port after Hong Kong and Singapore.) Kaohsiung provides a day's worth of sightseeing for anyone in the area. Begin early (or it will be too hot) at S...
The most important urban crossroads in the Senegalese interior, Kaolack is a bustling medium-sized town known for its immense mosque, sprawling market and salt refinery alongside the saline Saloum River. It is also the best base for day trips to the World Heritage sites of Sine Ngayene and Wanar, bo...
Overview Introduction This town is near Lake Kaptai in the Chittagong Hill Tracts area. Kaptai offers a full range of water sports. The town of Rangamati, set on the lake, can be visited by water launch. There are several interesting tribal villages nearby. 40 mi/65 km northeast of Chittagong. ...
This very large port (pop. 11,800,000) on the Arabian Sea is a city of two sides: It's dirty and noisy, but with some exciting ancient and modern attractions. The gap between Pakistan's rich and poor is unescapably evident in Karachi: Filthy slums irrigated by open sewers close to the downtown distr...
Though Karaganda is one of the cities in Kazakhstan, give it a pass if time is short. Relatively new, it is primarily a coal-mining center located 500 mi/800 km northwest of Almaty. Attractions in Karaganda are limited to the obligatory war memorials and miners' palaces, the Karaganda Oblast Museu...
The roster of peoples who once controlled this ancient hilltop fortress reads like a who's who of Middle Eastern history: Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Muslim conquerors and the Ottomans were among the successive occupants, as each overran their predecessor. The castle's heyday was in the 12th century,...
Overview Introduction This quiet, picturesque town near the eastern end of Lake Issyk-Kul is a good base for exploring the lake and the central part of the Tien Shan range, or just for relaxing at one of the many nearby hot springs. Among the historical oddities in town are a Tungan (Chinese Musl...
Overview Introduction Originally a Mongol encampment, this "City of Black Sand" was the capital built by Genghis Khan's son Ogadei. (Khan hated cities and the people in them and remained a nomad his entire life). Karakorum could once have been called the capital of the known world. From there, Kh...
Overview Introduction This village in Turkish Cyprus is a picturesque reminder of what the island used to be. A trail leads from the village to St. Hilarion Castle, a huge ruined fortification dating from the time of the Crusades. 12 mi/20 km northwest of Nicosia.
The Shiite holy city of Karbala has several religious shrines, the most famous of which is the burial place of Hussein, the Muslim martyr and grandson of Muhammad. The tomb, which has minarets and a gilded dome, is surrounded by a large courtyard. There is also the tomb of Abbas, Hussein's half brot...
Mostly inhabited by Arab-speaking Shiites, Kargil, India, is the second-largest city in Ladakh, the eastern two-thirds of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. While there's not really much to see or do there, the bus from Srinagar to Leh stops in Kargil overnight. Travelers should be alert to the unrest...
Overview Introduction This small market town on the Nile north of Khartoum is near the ruins (small pyramids and a temple) of Jebel Bakal . Farther south in Kurru are other interesting antiquities (underground tombs with paintings). And just across the Nile by ferry are the ruins of Merowe (...
In the Czech Republic, a country of many spas, Karlovy Vary is the biggest spa town of all. Situated 80 mi/130 km west of Prague in a winding river valley huddled between verdant hills, the town has a wonderfully evocative, aristocratic feel, left over from the days when the nobility would spend tim...
Karoo National Park, South Africa, is located near the town of Beaufort West, approximately 250 mi/400 km northeast of Cape Town. Heading into the Karoo, you pass through a landscape of rusty windmills and sheep the color of old corn. Vast plains of stunted bushes disappear into a horizon of jagge...
Although it is a sizable town, Kars could hardly be more remote—it's on Turkey's northeastern border with Armenia, 600 mi/960 km east of Ankara. Not surprisingly, it looks as much Caucasian as Turkish, especially when the weather is cold (which is much of the year, owing to the city's elevation 6,56...
Once the Greek port of Andifli, Kas (pronounced cash ) is now one of Turkey's more bohemian resorts. There aren't a lot of obvious attractions for families or day-trippers in this region 380 mi/610 km south of Istanbul; the rocky coast is for serious swimmers only, and the village itself is tiny. ...
Overview Introduction Abbas I, the shah responsible for the beautiful mosques of Isfahan, liked Kashan so much that he asked to be buried in it. This oasis town has carpets, pottery, tiles and various Timurid and Seljuk minarets and mosques. Just west of town are the beautiful royal gardens of Ba...
Kashgar is an oasis in far western China. It was a former stop on the Silk Road, but modernization has robbed the town of some of its traditional atmosphere. Kashgar is located 300 mi/500 km south of Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. A city of bazaars, two-wheeled carts, dusty streets, camels and numerous ...
In the northwestern corner of India, 290 mi/465 km north of Delhi, the beautiful, mountainous Kashmir area has been a trouble spot since India was partitioned in 1947. At that time, the Hindu ruler chose to be incorporated into India rather than Pakistan, despite the fact that the overwhelming major...
Overview Introduction Surrounded by strange jebels (rounded hills), Kassala (pop. 430,000) has an active souk (market) selling locally made handicrafts (jewelry, knives, swords). Women of the Rashida tribe (descendants of 19th-century immigrants from Saudi Arabia) make the silver jewelry. Kassa...
Unlike many other Anatolian towns, Kastamonu, Turkey, has retained not only its old Ottoman mosques and medreses but also many of its fine old wooden houses. It is only 150 mi/240 km north of Ankara and is slowly being discovered as a destination for overnight visitors. In the nearby village of ...
Overview Introduction Malawi's biggest game reserve, Kasungu is great for bird-watchers (more than 300 species have been sighted). We suggest a minimum of two nights at one of several lodges to see the birds, as well as bushbuck, impala, elephants, zebras, lions, cheetahs and other animals. Visit...
Katakolon, Greece, in western Ilia, is the gateway to Olympia, which is about 30 minutes away. The price of fare to and from Olympia, including waiting time for the taxi, can be steep. Location Visitors may take an excursion to Olympia through their cruise line, or board a taxi once they have rea...
Situated in the remote Western Rift Valley between lakes Rukwa and Tanganyika about 870 mi/1,400 km west of Dar es Salaam, the 2,750-sq-mi/4,500-sq-km Katavi is Tanzania's third-largest national park and possibly its most remote. Its isolation, difficult access routes and lack of facilities mean tha...
Most visitors to this rugged area in the Northern Territory, 215 mi/350 km south of Darwin, head straight to Katherine Gorge National Park, which contains 13 sandstone gorges filled with Aboriginal paintings and wildlife (emus and dingoes). The gorges, which were carved by the Katherine River, are u...
Everywhere you look in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital city, there is something of interest—perhaps a small ancient temple tucked in a row of shops, an old stone figure set in the middle of the pavement, a religious sadhu in bright saffron robes meditating on the steps of a building or a Tibetan refugee ...
Katmai National Park, Alaska, is a nature lover's paradise—4.2 million acres/1.7 million hectares of fishing, camping, hiking, boating and sightseeing. It includes volcanoes, waterfalls and diverse wildlife. It's an especially good place to see magnificent brown bears—but follow park rangers' instru...
One of five dams created by the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, the vast Katse Dam and its resevoir dominate Lesotho's highlands. At the dam is a visitors center, and guided tours are conducted along the dam wall. The real highlight, however, is getting there: The road from Holtse is mostly above 9...
If there's time, take a look at the Kau Desert, located 50 mi/80 km southwest of Hilo. Highway 11 crosses through the edges of the Kau Desert between Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park and the small town of Pahala. Not technically a desert—the average rainfall is too great—the desertlike appearance ...
Kauai Island is farther north and west than the other major Hawaiian Islands. It has dramatic craggy mountains, luxuriant valleys and many breezy beaches that have mostly managed to dodge excessive development. Yes, Kauai has many hotels, resort complexes and some of the state's best golf courses, ...
Kaunas is Lithuania's second-largest city, as well as a university town and a center for industry. Before World War II, Kaunas was the national capital. It is 55 mi/85 km west of Vilnius, which was then part of Poland. Like many cities in the region, Kaunas is divided into an Old Town and New Tow...
Kaundorf, Luexmbourg, located 25 mi/40 km northwest of Luxembourg City, is small, but it's a good example of a typical Ardennes village. It is a good place to start a hike through the countryside or to visit a rebuilt World War II bunker. On the Monday after Pentecost, there is a procession from K...
Kavala, Greece, is located 215 mi/345 km north of Athens in the country's far north. It has a Byzantine hilltop castle overlooking the city, a lively, breathtaking harbor and a huge Turkish aqueduct that was modeled along Roman lines. Kavala is where you catch the ferry to Thassos, Greece's north...
Located near the center of Saitama Prefecture and a 30-minute drive northwest from Tokyo, Kawagoe City reveals a very different side of Japan, where tradition and all its glory seems to trump modernity. A day trip to Kawagoe, or Little Edo as it is affectionately called, is a must-do excursion for...
Overview Introduction The twin towns of Kawkaban and Shibam are located in Al Mahweet province (locally claimed to be the most fertile and beautiful in Yemen). Shibam (not to be confused with the city of the same name—320 mi/515 km to the east) lies at the foot of Mt. Kawkaban. It has an excellen...
Overview Introduction Administrative capital of the scenic western part of Mali, this town on the Senegal River is a regional trading center. Kayes' three markets offer a variety of goods from Tuareg, Fulani and Moorish traders. The downside is that Kayes is Africa's hottest town, with blistering...
Kayseri, Turkey, once the principal city of ancient Cappadocia, lies in the shadow of Mount Erciyes 165 mi/265 km southeast of Ankara. St. Basil the Great established an ecclesiastic center here in the fourth century, confirming Kayseri's place in early Christianity. Today, it is one of Anatolia's...
While still off the beaten path, Kazakhstan is benefiting from its oil-rich status to make a new image for itself. The country's decade-old capital is a showcase of modernity, rich with newly constructed skyscrapers and multicolored city lights. It's a multibillion-dollar flashy showcase, and it sho...
On the Volga River 450 mi/725 km east of Moscow, intriguing Kazan, Russia, is an ancient and historical city. Primary sights include its university (where Tolstoy and Lenin studied), the Kazan Kremlin (http://www.kazan-kremlin.ru), the 16th-century Spasskaya Tower, and charming gardens and parks. ...
Located on the banks of the Vistula 57 mi/92 km southeast of Warsaw, Kazimierz Dolny, Poland, is one of the country's most charming towns and a favorite of Poles. It was never scarred with ugly Soviet-style buildings (which makes it a popular movie location). Start your stroll at the main square, ...
Overview Introduction Founded in the first century AD, Kazvin has a regional museum and interesting narrow streets. Visit the Friday Mosque and the Hossein mausoleum and check out the local antiques shops. Kazvin is a good place to stay if you're visiting the Valley of the Assassins and its famou...
Near Napoopoo, just south of Captain Cook, is Kealakekua Bay, where Cook's ships made their unwise anchorage in 1779. You can see a tall white marble obelisk that commemorates the bay as the place where the explorer was killed. The monument, at the far northern end, marks the spot where Cook was mor...
The Oregon and Mormon Trails converged in Kearney, Nebraska, and the travelers flowing through the town in the mid-1800s helped it grow into one of the prominent communities along the Platte River. Kearney (pronounced KAR-nee ) is located 185 mi/297 km southwest of Omaha. Pioneer history is the f...
Huge art-nouveau buildings dominate the center of Kecskemet, a pleasant town in the heart of Hungary. These landmarks were built mainly by the Hungarian Odon Lechner in an effort to develop a new architectural identity drawn heavily from folk art. The Cifrapalato, a ceramic-covered palace, is the mo...
Overview Introduction Taiwan's second-largest port lies at the northern end of the North-South Expressway (Route 1). Historically, Keelung has been a commercial, military and fishing harbor, but the area's most important function was acting as a protective zone around the whole Taipei area after ...
The charming colonial town of Keene, New Hampshire, is nestled in the foothills of the White Mountains near Mount Monadnock. Each October, Keene is home to what is called the world's largest pumpkin festival. At night, volunteers place candles in each of the town's more than 20,000 jack-o-lanterns,...
Formerly known as the Keewatin, this area to the west of Hudson Bay includes an engrossing Inuit Museum in Rankin Inlet . The main commercial center of the Kilvalliq, Rankin Inlet is the gateway to Marble Island, where Thule camps, shipwrecks and the remains of a whaling station lie spread across a...
Take time to explore the inland area of forest, lakes and streams that is Kejimkujik National Park, 75 mi/120 km west of Halifax. Kejimkujik Lake has many secluded coves. Look for wildlife such as black bears, white-tailed deer, barred owls, woodpeckers, beavers, bobcats, loons, scarlet tanagers, th...
Kelowna, British Columbia, 245/395 km east of Vancouver, maintains a reputation for wild summer fun that centers on its bars and beaches on Okanagan Lake. The surrounding Okanagan-Similkameen area is a popular holiday destination with an abundance of fast-food restaurants and hotels. And, because th...
Overview Introduction A small and unexceptional far-northern coastal town and port for most of the year, Kemi (320 mi/520 km northwest of Helsinki) hosts the extraordinary SnowCastle from January until April—or until it starts to melt. The castle is a fantasy in ice and snow, with elaborate ice s...
Overview Introduction This isolated park on the border with Brazil is named for scientist Noel Kempff, who was killed by drug smugglers at a jungle airstrip in 1986. This is some of the wildest terrain in Bolivia—it inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel The Lost World . The lush jungles, savan...
A few hours' drive south of Anchorage, Alaska's beautiful Kenai Peninsula area offers excellent king-salmon fishing and other outdoor activities. Driving southeast from Anchorage on the Seward Highway, stop first at Portage Glacier, where the Begich-Boggs Visitors Center has exhibits and a short fil...
The Kennebunk villages that cluster some 50 mi/80 km southwest of Portland (Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Kennebunk Beach) have long been some of Maine's most attractive and most popular resort towns. This area of beautiful beaches, fine sand, rocky shores, excellent restaurants and summer theater ca...
It's not a ghost town, but it's as close to that as any inhabited place could get. Once the heart of a thriving silver-mining district, this frontier mountain town—named for a gambling game—now has a population of fewer than 20. Some are ex-miners; among the newer arrivals are artists drawn to the i...
In the southernmost region of Taiwan, Kenting National Park offers scenic routes and paved paths lined with some 1,300 species of exotic plants (each marked with its Latin, English and Chinese names). This 70-sq-mi/175-sq-km peninsula is 220 mi/355 km south of Taipei. The roads and paths also skirt...
Bluegrass means a lot of things in the Bluegrass State. There's the grass itself, a lush variety of groundcover—more green than blue—that powers the state's racehorses. There's Bluegrass Country, where most of those horses are raised—a region of immaculate rolling pastures, tidy white fences and lar...
Everyone should visit Kenya at least once—not just for the spectacular wildlife, but also for its beautiful lakes and beaches and for the sweeping vistas of the Great Rift Valley. The landscape is just as memorable and photogenic as that lion walking, right there, beside the Land Rover or that Masai...
Overview Introduction Despite being the third-largest city in Eritrea, Keren has a relaxed, small-town feel and, like Asmara, it has some fantastic Italian architecture, but the principal attraction is the bustling markets. Silver and gold jewelry is cheaper there than in Asmara, though the selec...
Overview Introduction Kerman is a world-famous carpet town, although because of the lack of tourist trade, the city today has a very limited number of carpet shops. Spend a day exploring the Friday Mosque, lofty citadels, the bazaar, the historical museum (once a public bath) and the Sheketeh Far...
Overview Introduction The spectacular mountain setting is reason enough to visit this city, which dates back to the fourth century AD. But the absolute highlight is the bas-reliefs at Taq Bostan just north of Kermanshah. 250 mi/403 km west of Tehran .
Excavations on the Kernave World Heritage site, 40 mi/65 km north of Vilnius, are uncovering a long-forgotten medieval town believed to be the first capital of Lithuania. A nearby hill holds the ruins of the town's protective castle. Archaeological finds from the site can be seen at the Kernave Hist...
Ketchikan, Alaska, is the site of an ancient Tlingit fish camp and was a supply town during the gold rush. Ketchikan is about 3 mi/5 km long but only a couple of blocks deep. Located on the southwest shore of Revillagigedo Island, it's the first port of call into Alaska, hence its nickname, The Fir...
For two months every year, the "kitchen garden" (as Keukenhof translates) boasts a spectacular 65-acre/25-hectare array of more than 6 million tulips and other flowering plants. Miles/kilometers of paths wander through some of the most beautiful gardens in the world. Pick out a plant, and when it ...
Key West, Florida, is a haven for the famous, the nonfamous and for those looking to get a little lost. Everyone seems to enjoy Key West's relaxed pace, storybook architecture, colorful history, live-and-let-live local attitude and end-of-the-world feel. The natural surroundings in Key West are j...
You really haven't seen Florida until you've seen the Florida Keys, a 125-mi/200-km archipelago of approximately 1,000 coral islands at the southern end of the state. The residents who have settled in the islands have much to do with the area's distinctive character: They're a mix of salty sea do...
Though the village of Keystone is known primarily for its slopes, there are plenty of things a visitor can do beyond downhill skiing. Off-mountain activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, sleigh rides and snowmobiling. Keystone is a haven for culinary enthusiasts with the...
This town 20 mi/32 km southwest of Rapid City is the entrance to Mount Rushmore. Keystone was also the home of journalist Carrie Ingalls Swanzey, sister of famed author Laura Ingalls Wilder. Shop for souvenirs, take a guided tour of Big Thunder Gold Mine or take a Mount Rushmore history lesson at ...
Previously known as Gemsbok National Park (or Kalahari Gemsbok National Park on the South African side), this vast and desolate dry park east of Keetmanshoop on the Botswana/South African border requires at least three days to see fully. It offers the opportunity to see dry-country antelope such as ...
Situated 400 mi/650 km south of Delhi in a beautiful region of hills, lakes, and 10th- and 11th-century Chandela Dynasty temples, Khajuraho, India, has much to recommend it. But it's the temples and their leave-nothing-to-the-imagination erotic carvings that make it a must-see. (This is a favorite h...
This town, located 325 mi/525 km southeast of Jeddah, gets its name from the market that was traditionally held there every Thursday (Khamis means "Thursday" in Arabic, and Khamis Mushayt means "the Thursday market" of the Mushayt clan). Khamis lies in the country's cool, fertile southwestern region...
The jungles of rural central Laos are virtually unexploited, marked by spectacular limestone karst formations that thrust through the jungle canopy, forming jagged cliffs, caves and river canyons. From the provincial capital Tha Khaek, 224 mi/360 km southeast of Vientiane, the Khammouane National Li...
Khao Yai National Park is Thailand's best-known and most important expanse of heavily forested wilderness. The park, which covers an area in excess of 772 sq mi/2,000 sq km about 120 mi/200 km northeast of Bangkok, is at the gateway to the country's northeast, an area known locally as Issan. Khao Ya...
The arid capital city (pop. 4,495,000) of Sudan, at the junction of the White Nile and the Blue Nile, merits a stay of at least two nights. It's an interesting place to walk around, snoop in shops and people-watch. Also take a ride on the Nile (in Khartoum or in nearby Omdurman), and then visit the ...
Overview Introduction Khatyn, 32 mi/52 km northeast of Minsk, is a moving memorial to the destruction suffered at the hands of the Nazis. It was just one of hundreds of small villages burned to the ground during the Great Patriotic War (as World War II is called locally). Today, bell-topped colum...
Overview Introduction This region in the northeastern corner of the country includes Khentii National Park and the Khentii Mountains. It's good for horseback-riding trips and for anyone interested in Ghengis Khan (he was born somewhere in the area, and his tomb is supposedly hidden in the regio...
The remote town of Khiva is one of the best-preserved and most intact Silk Road cities in Uzbekistan. Compared with Bukhara and Samarkand, it's also compact, making it easy to explore on foot. In fact, evening strolls through the nearly deserted old city were some of our favorite moments. Start you...
Overview Introduction The small church complex at Khor Virab houses one of the holiest sites in Armenia—the dungeon where St. Gregory was imprisoned near the end of the third century AD. After his release, Gregory converted Armenia's King Trdat III to Christianity, and Armenia became the world's ...
Overview Introduction Set in the foothills of the Pamirs, this quiet, remote town is generally used as a jumping-off point for climbing and trekking trips to nearby mountains. The town lies on the border with Afghanistan and is currently accessible only from Dushanbe via a less-than-reliable Taji...
Overview Introduction This tree-lined town in western Mongolia along the Buyant Gol River is an excellent jumping-off point for a number of excursions. From there, you can get to spectacular Tavanbogd, Mongolia's highest peak (on the borders with Russia and China), in the rugged Altai Mountains; ...
Overview Introduction One of the oldest towns in Central Asia, Khujand (pop. 160,000) was a major stop on the Silk Road. Until the security in Dushanbe improved, it was the site of much of the Western business focus in Tajikistan, at least in part because the northern regions of the country, incl...
Overview Introduction This former mountain resort is now rather decrepit and is of note only because you must drive through it on the way to the impressive Orkhon Waterfall. There is a ger camp in town, although most travelers prefer the facilities in nearby Karakorum. 190 mi/305 km west of Ul...
Although Khunjerab Pass itself isn't that long, it is the highest part of the Karakorum Highway and encompasses some of the most impressive mountain scenery in the world, including the Pamirs, Karakorum, Hindu Kush and Himalaya. Khunjerab Pass is located in far western China, about 300 mi/500 km nor...
Overview Introduction The Khyber Pass is one of the world's most notorious highways. It winds 35 mi/55 km through the Himalaya to link Afghanistan and Pakistan. We recommend the trip with a caution or two: Even in more tranquil times, check locally about the safety of making the crossing. As has ...
Wedged between swamps that edge metro Charleston and the North Edisto River, the oceanfront development of Kiawah Island, South Carolina, has some of the best golf courses north of Florida. The private Kiawah Island Golf Resort boasts five quality courses, including the Ocean Course (host of the 19...
Overview Introduction Located on the border with Sudan, 355 mi/570 km northeast of Kampala, Kidepo Valley Park is the third-largest national park in the country. In spite of its significant size, it has never attracted many tourists because of its remoteness, but the opening of an upmarket lodge ...
Located on the Baltic Sea at the end of a fjord, Kiel has a rich maritime history and serves as the major departure point for ferries from Germany to Norway and Sweden. The shipbuilding port was heavily bombed during World War II and most of its historic buildings were destroyed, but the city was ...
Overview Introduction This desert town of 4,500 is on the Transmauritanienne Highway (the Road of Hope), in south-central Mauritania. Although it's a crossroads for travelers and an important trading center, Kiffa has no hotel. Nearby is an interesting canyon—to see it, you'll need an all-terrain...
Even in the best of times, Kigali, Rwanda's capital city, didn't have much for visitors to do, other than visiting its food market in the town center, enjoying the views (the city is built on a series of steep hills) or taking a walk. These days, the market again bustles with activity. However, pr...
On the island's southwest coast you'll find Kihei, Maui's fastest-growing resort community, which is a paradise for golfers but also offers watersports. Thousands of condos and several luxury hotels line the coastal road as you drive through Kihei to Wailea. Hotels in Kihei tend to be less preten...
The county town of Kildare, Ireland, is set in the heart of the Curragh, the huge, grassy limestone plain 30 mi/48 km southwest of Dublin where Ireland's famous racehorses are bred. Its main attraction is the Irish National Stud on the outskirts of town, where in 1900 Colonel William Hall-Walker use...
The medieval Irish town of Kilkenny is on the River Nore, about a 60-mi/100-km drive southwest of Dublin. There you'll find interesting architecture, several abbeys and arguably the best pub in Ireland. Start at the tourist information center to see an audiovisual presentation of the town's rich his...
Killarney has been marketing itself as Ireland's principal tourist destination for much longer than anyone can remember, and with some justification. It is surrounded by outstanding scenery, has an interesting history and is ideally situated as a base for exploring The Ring of Kerry, The Dingle Peni...
New England's most extensive ski resort region is the Killington/Pico Resort of central Vermont, 84 mi/135 km from Burlington. It has seven different peaks, 200 trails, and 32 lifts and a high-speed quad on Bear Mountain. There are routes that will please experts, while novice-class skiers can enjoy...
On Tanzania's seldom-visited south coast, Kilwa is of exceptional historical interest and is a group of three settlements magnificently situated on a mangrove-fringed bay dotted with numerous small islands. It is split between Kilwa Kisiwani (Kilwa on the Island) 1 mi/2 km offshore, Kilwa Kivinje (K...
Located 550 mi/880 km east of Vancouver, Kimberley, British Columbia, is a Canadian Rockies and ski-resort town with an intentionally Bavarian flavor. The downtown contains a Platzl (plaza) with Bavarian bakeries and restaurants, and it's home to what's said to be the world's largest cuckoo clock. ...
The center of the 19th-century diamond rush that made millionaires of Cecil John Rhodes and Barney Barnato, Kimberley, South Africa, is most famous today for its Big Hole. The Hole ranks as one of the world's three largest man-made excavations, having produced more than 14.5 million carats of diamon...
Set at the northern end of Western Australia about 400 mi/650 km southwest of Darwin, the Kimberley is an isolated region considered by many as one of the world's last frontiers. Covering more than 261,000 sq mi/420,000 sq km, the area has raging rivers and tropical forests, pristine beaches and rug...
Overview Introduction Kinderdijk is a Dutch village known for its 19 windmills that date from the 18th century. Guided tours are available from the visitors center, though admission into a windmill costs extra. The town was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997 and offers a window into the N...
Hard-core history buffs will enjoy visiting Kinderhook, near Albany. When Henry Hudson sailed the Hudson in 1609, he reportedly found many Native American children gathered together to see his boat. His name Kinderhook, in Dutch, means "children's corner," appropriately enough. The town is home to...
Overview Introduction Kindia makes a nice day trip from the capital. Take in the market and visit the Institut Pasteur, located appropriately in nearby Pastoria . The institute prepares vaccines and antitoxin serums, and houses an impressive number of snakes and chimpanzees. Nearby Mount Gangan ...
Though not a major tourist spot like Montego Bay or Ocho Rios, Kingston is worth seeing because it is the cultural and musical center—as well as the capital and commercial business hub—of Jamaica. If you're in Jamaica primarily for a beach vacation, the best way to see Kingston might be on a day...
A historic city with old-fashioned charm and the first capital of Upper and Lower Canada, Kingston, 160 mi/260 km east of Toronto, was built where Lake Ontario empties into the St. Lawrence River. Kingston's major attraction is Fort Henry, which was built by the British during the War of 1812. Cru...
The historic village of Kingston is home to the University of Rhode Island (URI)—the main entrance to the university is on Kingston's main street. On the campus is the Watson House, a colonial farmhouse with 18th- and 19th-century furniture, household items and tools on display. URI men's basketball...
This flat-topped mountain in southern Sweden, 200 mi/320 km southwest of Stockholm, is a favorite destination for hikers. The mountaintop is huge—about 8 mi/14 km by 4 mi/7 km—and is all that remains of a large, ancient plateau. The walking trail to the top is 27 mi/45 km long, and the mountain's ...
Overview Introduction The country's capital and largest city (pop. 5,717,000) is on the Congo River directly across from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. Presently, government curfews are in force in Kinshasa. When (and if) things return to normal there, be sure to visit St. Anne's Cathedral (and ...
Kiribati may seem a little behind the times, but because the international date line now makes a detour around its islands, every new day on Earth begins in this Pacific island nation. And a day can take a long time dawning on Kiribati, if you take into account all its islands: Kiribati's total span...
Kiritimati is the I-Kiribati word for Christmas. The island got its original name from Captain James Cook, who sighted the island on 24 December 1777. Kiritimati is an enormous atoll: It contains about half the land area of the entire country and offers a bit more to do than most of the islands. Th...
The last city in Norway on the coastal-steamer route, the town of Kirkenes, 880 mi/1,415 km northeast of Oslo, is the beginning or end point for anyone taking the entire coastal voyage. If you have time, take a 5-mi/8-km cab ride through Norway's "lake country" tundra to the border with Russia and...
Despite its big name, Kirkjubaejarklaustur, Iceland, is a small village near the Laki lava fields (some of the largest in the world), volcanoes and the Myrdalssandur outwash sands (caused by glacial flooding). Kirkjubaejarklaustur, located 170 mi/275 km east of Reykjavik, merits one night or a day...
Kirkuk, a center of the Kurdish community, is the site of the furnace into which Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown when they refused to worship an idol. There's little to see in this area now, except the oil-drilling equipment (this is a major oil area). Kirkuk has a mosque dedicated to the...
Kisangani was known in colonial times as Stanleyville. Plan to stay one night in this city, located 760 mi/1,225 km northeast of Kinshasa. Today the former neighborhoods of Belgian expatriates have an atmosphere of decaying elegance—grand old houses have fallen into disrepair, and formerly fancy ho...
Overview Introduction This coastal city once had a nice zoo. Fighting was particularly heavy in this area in 1992, the animals were eaten, and little of anything remains standing. 250 mi/400 km southwest of Mogadishu.
Overview Introduction Near Guinea's border with Sierra Leone, Kissidougou has a small museum and a good daily market. The town is named for the Kissi people, who are traditionally rice farmers and animists. There are several nearby refugee camps and a large population of Sierra Leonean refugees i...
Just minutes from Orlando, the city of Kissimmee, Florida, is rapidly becoming a prime vacation destination because of its proximity to some of the best theme parks that the U.S. has to offer. With a variety of outdoor activities and tours, as well as fun dinner theaters and restaurants, visitors...
A pleasantly run-down town on the shore of Lake Victoria, 270 mi/430 km northwest of Nairobi, Kisumu, Kenya's main draws are its museum (displays of animals and musical instruments, ethnographic exhibits and a traditional Luo homestead) and daily market (the biggest and best in western Kenya). The c...
Also known as the Arctic Coast, the Kitikmeot region includes a wide swath of Canada's northern mainland, as well as islands to the north. The largest population center is Cambridge Bay , located on Victoria Island. The Inuit name, Ikaluktutiak, means "place of good fishing." Aside from fishing for...
The history of Kitimat, British Columbia, extends back only to the 1950s, when it was built by the Alcan Smelters and Chemical Company. You can get a feel for the area's industrial character by taking a tour of the Alcan smelter plants or Ocelot's methanol plant. Located 885 mi/1,425 km northwest ...
A popular destination 80 mi/130 km southwest of Portland, Kittery is known for shipbuilding at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and a variety of outlet stores. Take a look at the ship models and submarine display at the Kittery Historical and Naval Museum; visit Fort McClary State Historic site, a mi...
Overview Introduction Even though its location 810 mi/1,300 km north of Vancouver is not exactly close to any of the province's most popular destinations, Kitwancool, British Columbia, is interesting for its wealth of indigenous cultures. The world's oldest standing totem pole (Hole-Through-the-I...
Kitzbuehel, Austria, a popular ski resort area, was founded as a mining and copper town just 40 mi/65 km southwest of Salzburg (50 mi/75 km east of Innsbruck). Its lovely old town has a number of interesting sights, including the Kitzbuehel Museum, featuring works by the artist Alfons Walde, a cable...
Kitzingen is a small town surrounded by vineyards in the heart of Germany's largest wine-producing region. The wine at local restaurants is obviously superb. The town's main landmark is the Leaning Tower, which was built in the 13th century and has a distinctive crooked roof. According to local le...
A small island in Lake Onega 200 mi/320 km northeast of St. Petersburg, Kizhi, Russia, has a collection of fascinating wooden churches and other nicely preserved wood structures. There aren't many places left in Russia where these buildings survive, and as a result, Kizhi has been designated a UNESC...
Overview Introduction Noted for its grasslands, this popular hiking and four-wheel-drive route winds between Iceland's Hofsjokull and Langjokull ice caps and reaches an altitude of 2,300 ft/700 m. The highlight of the trail is Hveravellir, a geothermal area of differently colored hot springs (whi...
In southern Austria, 145 mi/230 km southwest of Vienna and near the Slovenian border, Klagenfurt is the provincial capital of Carinthia. North Americans do not often visit this 12th-century city, which is a shame, because it warrants at least a day's visit, especially to see its many castles and man...
The port of Klaipeda, a fishing and manufacturing center 175 mi/280 km northwest of Vilnius, is Lithuania's oldest city, dating from the seventh century. Although much of its original architecture has been destroyed through the years, the city has a distinctly Germanic look from its 700 years of Pru...
Located 250 mi/400 km south of Portland, the Klamath Falls area provides lots of sunshine and hundreds of lakes and streams for hunting, fishing (including fly-fishing in local creeks), boating and waterskiing. From November to early spring the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is a great place...
Tiny, uninhabited Klein Bonaire is just off Bonaire's west coast. Until 1999, this 1,500-acre/600-hectare cay was owned by a private developer who never developed it. Now the island has been returned to Bonaire, with the stipulation that it remain an undeveloped natural area forever. Klein Bonaire...
Klosterneuburg, Austria, a scenic mountain destination, is dominated by its famed baroque church. The north section of Klosterneuburg, called Kierling, is where there's an Augustinian abbey, founded in 1114. There's also a wine cellar with the famous tausendeimerfass , a barrel over which the peo...
Kluane National Park takes up the entire southwestern corner of the Yukon Territory 80 mi/130 km west of Whitehorse. It is an immense wilderness containing more than 4,000 glaciers. Canada's highest peak, Mount Logan—at 19,550 ft/5,960 m, the second-tallest mountain on the North American continent—a...
Knin, located 120 mi/195 km south of Zagreb, is an important town in Croatian history: Tomislav, the first free king of Croatia, was crowned there in the 10th century. Be sure to see the impressive medieval fort of St. Saviour located on Mount Spas. Knin is also a popular spot for horseback riding a...
Located 165 mi/265 km east of Nashville, Knoxville, Tennessee, is the largest city in eastern Tennessee and the third-largest in the state. Knoxville features a skyline of steel and glass skyscrapers. You may want to begin your visit to Knoxville at Volunteer Landing, a complex of restaurants and ...
Kobe is an important Japanese port and is considered one of the country's most attractive cities because of its abundance of new buildings after the devastating 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, the early influence of Western architecture and the sandwich effect of the lush Rokko range to the north and...
Set where the Moselle River meets the Rhine, some 79 mi/127 km northwest of Frankfurt, Koblenz, Germany, offers an impressive waterfront and a number of graceful 17th- and 18th-century buildings. The small Mittelrhein Museum displays some of the Romanticism-era paintings that helped to make the n...
Overview Introduction Caves and rock outcroppings surround this village. Settled since the eighth millennium BC, the area contains thousands of incredible prehistoric petroglyphs depicting hunting scenes, people, animals and even 2,000-year-old graffiti left by Roman legionnaires. The rock painti...
Known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi, India is home to beautiful lagoons, lakes, islands and greenery that offer a lovely setting for a stay of a few nights. Located 670 mi/1,080 km southeast of Mumbai, Kochi was once visited by King Solomon, and it was the intended destination of Christ...
The island of Kodiak, Alaska, 250 mi/400 km southwest of Anchorage, is known for its large population of Kodiak brown bears. The largest town on the island, also named Kodiak, is known for its big fishing fleet. Kodiak is the second-largest U.S. island (the Big Island of Hawaii is No. 1). It is som...
Koge, Denmark, is a quaint shopping town just 22 mi/35 km southwest of Copenhagen, with a cobblestoned market square and many half-timbered houses. Most of the first-rate shops and restaurants are in historic houses that date from the Middle Ages. Koge also has a good town museum, as well as an art ...
About 140 mi/225 km southeast of Bangkok, Koh Chang is Thailand's second-largest island, after Phuket. Koh Chang is a peaceful, laid-back beach destination and a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of Thailand's big cities. Time seems to slow down as soon as you arrive there. Local merchants sell...
As a late arrival to the tourism market 55 mi/88 km south of Phuket, Koh Lanta is still relatively low-key, a refreshing change of pace for travelers hoping to escape the nonstop party of nearby Koh Phi Phi. It is also beautiful, with dramatic vistas and pristine beaches, and it feels welcoming—loca...
Koh Pha-Ngan is an island just north of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand (east of the peninsula) and is just as developed for tourism. It's something of a backpacker hangout, and the age of most visitors is under 30. Reef snorkeling is popular, and you can make a day trip to Ang Thong National Mari...
The largest of a cluster of islands just 4 mi/6.5 km off the coast, Koh Samet is popular for its proximity to the capital (140 mi/225 km south of Bangkok), on the Gulf of Thailand. Despite its convenient location, this area has been spared some of the overdevelopment of its southern neighbors, per...
Koh Samui, 295 mi/475 km south of Bangkok, was one of Thailand's early tourist developments. With its international airport and visitors flying in for a week of sun and sea, it sometimes resembles a foreign country. In the two main towns—particularly Chaweng—clubs, bars and large hotels dominate. Al...
Overview Introduction This small, turtle shaped island about 28 mi/45 km and a couple of hours north of Koh Pha Ngan is arguably Thailand's top spot for learning to dive. Surrounded by reefs and pinnacles, it has a range of sites of varying difficulty, with schools of vibrantly coloured fish and ...
The fabled Kohala coast extends north for about 15 mi/24 km until just past the small town and harbor of Kawaihae. The Kohala coast is home to some of Hawaii's most magnificent luxury resorts. The Hilton Waikoloa Village is among the lavish properties there: Even if you're not a guest, it's worth ...
Overview Introduction This city, set in a fertile region of oases in the Ferghana Valley, is an interesting blend of Islamic, Chinese and Russian influences. Once the chief city of a khanate, Kokand's primary attraction is the lavish 113-room Palace of Khudayar Khan, which has seen a decent resto...
Overview Introduction Kokkola, a once-important seaport 260 mi/420 km northwest of Helsinki, now offers sporting activities (soccer, skiing, rowing and watersports), but we also enjoyed its nature museum and the old town center filled with colorful, beautifully renovated wooden houses from the 19...
Overview Introduction The site of World War II battles, the Kokoda Trail is the name given to what was once a long wartime supply line, beginning near Port Moresby, continuing across the Owen Stanley Ridge to Buna on the northern New Guinea coast, and passing several Kaoiri native villages. Treks...
Formerly known as Calcutta, Kolkata, India, is fascinating—and awful. The poverty, bustees (slums) and filth in this east-coast metropolis 815 mi/1,310 km southeast of Delhi are enough to make Kolkata a one-day, one-time destination for some. But there are enough beautiful sights to justify a thre...
Kollam, India, is usually seen by travelers as the starting point for a boat trip down tropical inland waterways to the town of Alappuzha. Located 760 mi/1,220 km south of Mumbai, Kollam is an ancient city with traces of Portuguese, Dutch and British influence. There's a nice government rest house a...
Overview Introduction Copper is all-important in this southern town near the Zambian border. Visit the open-pit copper mines, or for a real adventure, take an excursion to Kamoto Mine, a complete underground city with automobiles and streetlights. 400 mi/645 km southeast of Kananga.
Overview Introduction For something very different, make a trip to Komodo Island to see the fascinating Komodo dragons, giant carnivorous monitor lizards that grow up to 18 ft/5.5 m long. This impressive, mountainous island (peaks rise more than 2,000 ft/610 m) also has a wide variety of interest...
Konya, Turkey, one of the world's oldest cities (dating from 7000 BC), is the spiritual center of Turkey—this is where the whirling-dervish sect began (a weeklong dervish festival, which includes dancing, is held in December). Plan a day there; it's 150 mi/240 km south of Ankara. This city has sev...
Overview Introduction One of the four Rocky Mountain national parks, British Columbia's Kootenay National Park sits on the Alberta border and adjoins Banff National Park (you can enter Banff from Kootenay). About 350 mi/564 km northeast of Vancouver, this park is famous for its hot springs, which...
Overview Introduction Located near the border of Italy, Koper is the center of the ethnic Italian community in Slovenia and you'll hear both Italian and Slovenian when wandering the streets. Koper's main draw is the Venetian-style Old Town, including the main street, Cevljarska, which is only 10 ...
Located in the Sredna Gora mountains about 70 mi/115 km east of Sofia, Koprivshtitsa is a symbol of Bulgarian national independence. This pretty village is preserved as an open-air museum in honor of the revolution that led to war between Turkey and Russia and, ultimately, Bulgarian independence. ...
Overview Introduction Also known as Korca or Koritsa, this city of many names is 75 mi/120 km southeast of Tirana and near the border with Greece, set among scenic mountains. The city has several museums, including the National Museum of Medieval Art, Museum of Education, and the Museum of Bratko...
Located about 204 mi/328 km southeast of Zagreb, Korcula is one of the lushest of the Croatian islands. The island was first colonized by the Greeks in the sixth century, who named it Korkyra Melaina (Black Korcula) after the many dense forests. It can be reached by a short ferry ride from Orebic, ...
Overview Introduction The small border town of Kordai, 135 mi/220 km southwest of Almaty on the main highway (Silk Road) to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, is a good base for exploring the nearby Chumysh Hills (approximately 3 mi/5 km from the center of town). The hills harbor a collection of 2,000-year-old...
Travel to Korhogo is currently considered hazardous. When (and if) things return to normal be sure to add it to your itinerary. Many visitors leave Korhogo and other towns in the Senoufo and Malinke country feeling as if they've had a mystical experience—the people's customs are very different from ...
Koror, the principal city and island area of Palau (though not the largest), is where most visitors stay. This is a convenient base for exploring Babeldoab and the Rock Islands. Returning visitors will notice that it is becoming more modern and traffic is getting worse. It has restaurants and stores...
Kos Town, the capital city of Kos Island, serves well as a base for exploring the island's sights. Be sure to visit the fairly well-preserved Asklepeion Sanctuary, 4 mi/6 km west of Kos Town. The guide may tell you Hippocrates practiced there, but it was built in 357 BC, 20 years after he died. Pla...
The centerpiece of this scenic park in New South Wales, about 150 mi/110 km southwest of Canberra, is 7,308-ft/2,228-m Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest peak. One of the country's primary ski destinations, the park is open year-round, though most skiing is done mid-year. Chairlifts take you to...
The second-largest city in Slovakia and the capital of eastern Slovakia, Kosice, which is 190 mi/300 km northeast of Bratislava, deserves a two-night stay. With three universities, a charming historic center, and a pedestrian zone full of cafes and shops, Kosice is one of the liveliest Slovakian tow...
In early 2008, Kosovo separated itself from Serbia. Battered first by Soviet-era architectural planning that often replaced historical sites with concrete-box-style construction and later by the Balkan conflict in the 1990s, there's not much left to see—what remains standing sometimes comes with war...
Overview Introduction South of Khartoum, Kosti sits in an area that's usually considered safe. Visit the Kenana Sugar Project, as well as the Mahdi's Mosque on nearby Gezira Aba Island . Try the local fish from the Nile at one of the restaurants. The Nile steamer that used to travel from Kosti t...
Overview Introduction Famous in Hungarian history for its gallant stand in 1532 against a 200,000-strong Turkish army, the walled city of Koszeg is chockablock with monuments, museums, a castle and other interesting old buildings, including some very fine examples of sgraffito decor. It's worth...
Overview Introduction This town is the site of the Brunei Museum, which has excellent exhibits of ceramics, Chinese porcelain, bronzeware and natural history. Just below the Brunei Museum, on the edge of the river, is the Malay Technology Museum, which isn't centered around the oil industry, as y...
Overview Introduction Several nights could be spent in Kota Bharu, which is 200 mi/320 km north of Kuala Lumpur near Thailand in the northeastern corner of peninsular Malaysia. The city is a good place to learn about traditional Malaysian and Muslim culture—see exhibitions of top spinning, kite m...
Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysia's Sabah province, is a popular tourist spot and a gateway for people traveling to Sabah and Borneo. The city was formerly known as Jesselton and is now commonly referred to as KK. The city center is small but has a number of cultural attractions, such as t...
Overview Introduction Located 75 mi/120 km northwest of Burgas, Kotel, Bulgaria, is charming. This beautiful old town is known mainly for its rug weaving and fabrics. Visitors can spend several hours shopping for rugs and walking the old quarter, where you can see 19th-century wooden houses with ...
A busy harbor town 75 mi/120 km east of Helsinki, Kotka is known for its lively waterfront saloons, particularly the one named Kairo. The rest of the area is worth a visit to see the St. Nikolaos Orthodox Church (built 1799-1801) and the fishing lodge of Russian Czar Alexander III in nearby Langinko...
The city of Kotor, Montenegro, is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the Mediterranean. Steep cliffs surround the Bay of Kotor, inviting its nickname "Europe's most southern fjord," and the city is still surrounded by its ancient walls. Kotor rates a full day to walk its narrow streets,...
Northeast of Nome and above the Arctic Circle, Kotzebue, Alaska, is fun to visit during the summer because, for one month (3 June-9 July), the sun never sets. It's also the largest Alaska Native community in the state. You can see it on a long day trip from Anchorage or Fairbanks, but it's better to...
Overview Introduction This coastal area contains several notable cultural and historic sights, including the city of Pointe Noire. The traditional village of Diosso (20 mi/30 km from Pointe Noire) is where the Loango kings are buried. Note the cannons, which are fired on the occasion of royal c...
Overview Introduction This town is in an area inhabited by Pygmies. Hikers may want to explore nearby Mt. Kondzo, which overlooks the town. (There are some interesting caves on the way up.) In the regional markets, look for mvoudi or bodi masks, characteristic of the region. 235 mi/380 km so...
Overview Introduction A few decades ago, Kourou was just a small village of 650 souls who raised cattle and farmed for a living. In 1964, all of that changed when the French Space Research Center, launch site of the Ariane rocket, was built in town. Located 25 mi/40 km northwest of Cayenne, Kou...
The wonderful town of Koyasan is perched high atop sacred Mount Koya in southwestern Honshu, 40 mi/65 km south of Osaka. It's well-known to the Japanese—thousands of Buddhist pilgrims make the rounds of its wealth of temples—and becoming increasingly popular among Western visitors. The temple comple...
Its high altitude gives Kpalime, Togo, a mild climate and pleasant scenery. Although accommodations are rough in Kpalime, nearby plantations of cocoa, coffee and tea are worth touring. The craft center sells batik fabric decorated with local motifs. More handicrafts can be found at the Kloto Craft...
Known for its "Graveyard of Shells" (fossil beds near the sea), Krabi, Thailand, also has nice beaches and an interesting botanical garden. Krabi province lies mostly on the mainland of Thailand, about 40 mi/65 km northeast of the island of Phuket. It encompasses beach areas along the coast as well ...
Built by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, the Crusades-era fortress Krac des Chevaliers is one of the most breathtaking sites in Syria. If you have time to visit just one attraction outside of Damascus, make it this one. The fortress commands the only significant pass between Turkey and Lebano...
The administrative, industrial and cultural center of central Serbia, Kragujevac features a national museum, concert hall, the children's theater Joakim Vujic and the vibrant University of Kragujevac. The 19th-century church of Sv. Duh is also worth seeing for its unique design. Kragujevac, locate...
The granddaddy of all volcanoes (the effects of its 19th-century eruption were felt in most parts of the world, and heard as far as 2,500 mi/4,000 km away), Krakatoa sits off the island of Rabata, just west of Java. Tours of varying length can be arranged from Jakarta, or have your travel agent book...
The 1,000-year-old former capital of Poland, Krakow is the only large urban area in the nation that escaped World War II without serious damage. (The retreating Nazis wired the city so they could blow it up with dynamite, but the Polish resistance cut the wires.) Coupled with Krakow's physical beau...
Bonaire's capital and principal town is Kralendijk (pronounced Kraal-en-dake ). It's tiny—the center encompasses all of three blocks and has a population of about 1,300. It's very picturesque, though, with brightly painted Dutch-Caribbean buildings and sidewalk cafes. As you explore, look down occ...
Overview Introduction Located 43 mi/70 km from Vienna, Krems is a small but pretty town on the northern bank of the Danube River. The surrounding area is saturated with vineyards, and Krems has been a facet of the wine trade for centuries. Krems an der Donau is made up of three parts—Krems in the...
Overview Introduction Set on the Atlantic coast, Kribi (pop. 10,000) has excellent white-sand beaches with good restaurants overlooking the sea. The area isn't very crowded, so it's a good place to spend a couple of relaxing nights. 70 mi/115 km south of Douala.
On the southernmost tip of the country and 240 mi/385 km southwest of Oslo, Kristiansand, Norway, is the major city of the region called Sorlandet, known as the Norwegian Riviera. Founded in 1641 by the Danish-Norwegian King Christian IV, it has both a historic town center and one of the country'...
Overview Introduction Kristiansund, not to be confused with Kristians a nd, is a wonderfully attractive city, with a beautiful harbor in full view of the surrounding mountains. This maritime town was once the headquarters of Norway's petroleum industry. Location Cruise ships dock close to the ...
Overview Introduction One of Croatia's largest islands is connected to the mainland by a toll bridge, which makes it an easy 35 mi/55 km drive from Rijeka. The two main resort towns on the island are Krk (medieval monuments and a 12th-century cathedral) and Baska (the best beaches on the island)....
Located 205 mi/330 km northeast of Johannesburg, Kruger National Park, South Africa, is unquestionably one of the world's great wildlife reserves. Kruger has the "Big Five" animals—rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard and elephant—as well as plenty of others. An untouched wilderness of scrubland broken b...
In Tunisia, you'll find an interesting Berber structure called a ksar (plural, ksour ). These fortified complexes of granaries (the individual storage areas are called ghorfas ) can be found in many areas of the country, but the highest concentration of them, and the best preserved, are in and a...
Kuala Lumpur (or KL, as it's known to locals) is the center and symbol of Malaysia and its rapid rise as an economic powerhouse. Skyscrapers soar above a city built to impress, from the modern buildings of the Golden Triangle to massive shopping malls to driverless trains that glide across the bust...
Overview Introduction A most spectacular natural sound-and-light show in Malaysia takes place in Kuala Selangor, about 43 mi/70 km from Kuala Lumpur. Stretching for about 9 mi/15 km along the Selangor River, thousands and thousands of fireflies (actually beetles) perform an evening luminescent da...
Promoted as a tourist town, Kuantan has little that is unique—better examples of just about everything it offers can be found elsewhere in the country. However, it does have a decent craft center displaying woodcarving and batik textiles, a reasonable beach (Teluk Cempedak) and a Club Med near the s...
Kuldiga, known as "the Pearl of Courland," is a Baltic vacation spot 100 mi/165 km west of Riga with a wonderful old town full of Gothic, Renaissance and baroque architecture. It's a great place to stroll, and film crews love the colorful wooden houses. Latvians say it is good luck for a man on h...
Kumasi is the capital of the Ashanti (also known as Asante) region and the "Garden City of West Africa." As you might infer from its nickname, it's a pleasant place to visit—plan to stay for two nights—though these days it might more accurately be dubbed the country's traffic-jam capital. Kumasi lie...
On the eastern coast just north of the 38th parallel, the Geumgang Mountains ( Diamond Mountains ) are a beautiful, impressive range. Within the bounds of the Geumgangs is the largest national park in the country, covering 75 sq mi/194 sq km. Majestic waterfalls, beautiful vistas, birds, morning and...
Set in the beautiful and mountainous Highland Chimbu District between Mt. Hagen and Goroka, Kundiawa is usually seen as an overnight stop. We actually enjoy Kundiawa more than Goroka, as it has a less modern feel. An exciting side trip from Kundiawa is a trek to the top of Mt. Wilhelm, from which y...
Overview Introduction This town was known for having one of the most fascinating bazaars in the country before hostilities broke out. The nature of the bazaar has changed, but Kunduz's beautiful setting in the mountainous Badakhshan region is a permanent attraction. Kunduz is also home of the Spi...
Located 400 mi/645 km south of Chengdu at an elevation of 6,200 ft/1,900 m, Kunming, the "city of eternal springs," is surrounded by gorgeous mountain scenery. It's a pleasant, well-laid-out city, with a temperate climate and many gardens and lakes. The city was a base for the Flying Tigers during t...
Overview Introduction This capital of the ancient state of Khorezm is well worth a day trip, but getting there can be a bit difficult. The nearest town is Dashoguz , about 60 mi/100 km to the southeast. Trips can also sometimes be arranged from towns in western Uzbekistan (Khiva, Urgench or Nuku...
An 18th-century town, 220 mi/355 km northeast of Helsinki on beautiful Lake Kallavesi, Kuopio is an ideal starting point for a visit to Finland's lake region. It's well worth a two-night visit to see the Russian Orthodox church (icons, religious artifacts), spectacular scenery, the Kuopio Museum (ex...
Overview Introduction Kurtey, Bhutan's best-known weaving region, is high in the mountains of eastern Bhutan and is accessible only by foot beyond Lhuntsi. The fabrics are beautiful, but if you don't have a strong interest in weaving (or walking), you may want to give it a pass.
The hectic port town of Kusadasi (pronounced cusha-daser ) makes a popular base for visits to Ephesus, especially with those on package holidays and cruise ships for whom hundreds of identical high-rise hotels were built in the 1980s-90s. Today the port plays host to numerous cruise ships through...
About 600 mi/965 km east of Jakarta, Kuta was one of Indonesia's first tourist towns, and the years have taken their toll. Kuta appeals to travelers whose main interest is good nightlife and an ample supply of bars. Kuta is not our favorite place in Bali, although it is understandably popular with y...
Kutahya, Turkey, like Iznik, is a town famous for its painted tiles, examples of which can be seen all around you. Kutahya is 220 mi/355 km southeast of Istanbul and a pleasant place to pass a day. It has few foreign visitors, but there's a lively bazaar and several museums, including one full of ...
Founded as a Greek colony and then capital of Georgia until 1122, Kutaisi is a relaxed city 115 mi/180 km east of Tbilisi. It is worth a stop to view the spectacular ruins of Bagrat cathedral and, in the hills 7 mi/12 km north, the monastery of Gelati. Its pride and joy is a mosaic of the Virgin and...
One of Europe's largest cities in the 1300s and once the richest city in the Czech lands, Kutna Hora, 45 mi/70 km east of Prague, was an important silver-mining center and the site of the kingdom's first mint. All that wealth built some of the finest Gothic architecture in Bohemia—be sure to visit t...
Overview Introduction Before the Gulf War, Kuwait was not a top destination for leisure travelers. A business-oriented country, it didn't issue tourist visas. Now, long after the fires from the war have been extinguished and the destruction cleared away, Kuwait is making it easy for visitors with...
Visiting Kuwait City, Kuwait, today, you'd hardly know the whole Iraq tragedy began there with an invasion ordered by Saddam Hussein in 1990. Not only are there no signs of the war, but Kuwait is utterly peaceful and safe (if you exclude the frenetic traffic on the roads). This modern capital sittin...
Kwajalein is the world's biggest bull's eye. Unarmed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) streak in occasionally from California to plop into the center of the anchorage. Missile-defense systems, targeted against the ICBMs, have also been tested there. Nevertheless, Kwajalein Lagoon is a supe...
Kyiv is one of the oldest Slavic cities, situated at an ancient trade crossroads. Set on the right bank of the Dnieper, Kyiv has a Western European atmosphere and merits at least a two-night stay. Although it is the political capital of Ukraine, Kyiv is perhaps more important as a magnificent mon...
Overview Introduction Kyle Recreational Park surrounds Lake Mutirikwe, a man-made lake and Zimbabwe's third-largest. The varied landscape includes rocky beaches, sheer granite boulders and balancing rocks, and patches of thick woodland. It is home to giraffe, impala, warthog, kudu and white rhino...
If you can visit only one city in Japan, Kyoto is the one. This ancient city, 30 mi/50 km northeast of Osaka, was the capital of Japan for more than 1,000 years and still is considered the country's spiritual capital. Three thousand shrines and temples dot the city, including three shrines and 14 t...
The beaches near this pleasant, uncrowded resort town, at the foot of the Kyrenia Mountains on the central north coast of Turkish Cyprus, usually have cleaner and warmer water than you'll find elsewhere on the island. The beautiful historic harbor has a whole slew of fishing boats and yachts, watche...
In more ways than one, the Kyrgyz Republic is the odd "stan" out. To begin with, it dropped the customary suffix when it changed its official name from Kyrgyzstan to the Kyrgyz Republic. Its government also instituted far-reaching economic reforms in an attempt to attract investors and promote busin...
Overview Introduction Located off the southern end of the Peloponnese peninsula, Kythira is the most far-flung of the Ionian Islands. Its position in the middle of a longtime Mediterranean thoroughfare means that its cultural influences—Greek, Ottoman, French, Italian—are varied and create a uniq...
Located 63 mi/102 km southwest of Sofia, near the border of Macedonia, the ancient Roman town of Kyustendil is situated amid beautiful wooded mountains. Kyustendil contains the Municipal Museum of History, the Vladimir Dimitrov-Maistora Art Gallery, the ancient stone Hisarlaka Fortress, a historic B...
A list of travel tips and tricks for k.
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