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Overview Introduction Several remote islands neighboring Kiribati remain in U.S. hands, and hotly debated proposals would make them all part of the state of Hawaii. Palmyra Atoll , in the Line Islands group, is an uninhabited island that was used as an air base during World War II. The island is...
Ubud has been something of a destination-within-a-destination since Bali became widely popular on the international tourism scene: a place where resort relaxers would mount an expedition for cultural visits, local food and souvenir shopping. Since it featured heavily in the international bestseller ...
The fascinating walled city of Udaipur, India, sits on the shores of Lake Pichola, 385 mi/620 km north of Mumbai. It presents an enchanting landscape of man-made lakes and gentle hills, dotted with fairy-tale palaces. It is known as the Venice of the East. Udaipur is renowned for its palaces—the wh...
Known locally as Ooty, Udhagamandalam, India, was the most popular hill station in south India for colonial officials on summer holiday. It remains a popular tourist destination and is a common location for Indian feature films. Attractions include the Ooty Club, St. Stephen's Church (intriguing hea...
The site of a major American air force base during the Vietnam War, Udon Thani, Thailand, about 350 mi/560 km northeast of Bangkok, makes a nice weekend retreat for those living in Laos to go shopping and fly cheaply to Bangkok. Likewise, if traveling from Thailand to Laos, its airport offers an exc...
The Eastern Arc Mountains is the collective name used to describe a chain of mountain ranges in Kenya and Tanzania that are influenced by the climate of the Indian Ocean. Blanketed in ancient forests, which support literally thousands of taxa found nowhere else in the world, it is believed that the ...
Uganda has once again become an outpost of hope in East Africa. As it makes steady progress toward peace and works to improve its tourist facilities, travelers have returned in ever-increasing numbers to enjoy its stunning landscape—green rolling hills, lush rain forests, snowcapped mountains, majes...
Overview Introduction The Golden Ring town of Uglich is on the Volga River in Russia. Everything in this historic town is within walking distance. Location The dock's location is picturesque, sitting next to the onion-domed Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood. Guests receive a warm welcome on...
Overview Introduction Located in Banten, in far-southwestern Java, World Heritage site Ujung Kulon is the home of the almost extinct single-horned Javan rhino. Leopards, crocodiles, macaques, gibbons and leaf monkeys also inhabit the area. The park also includes the volcanic island group of Kraka...
One of two World Heritage sites situated within a half-day's drive of Durban (150 mi/250 km away), the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg—which runs to the west of the N3 to Johannesburg—is the largest mountain range in southern Africa. Its Afrikaans name of Drakensberg, literally "Dragon's Mountain," refers ...
The natural charms of Ukraine are slowly supplanting the dismal Soviet legacy that has deterred so many visitors in the past. Despite the ominous ruins of Chernobyl (the corroded nuclear reactor there is now a tourist attraction) and the economic hardships that have persisted since the dissolution o...
Locally known as "UB," Ulaanbaatar was, for centuries, a mobile "tent city" that followed the Royal Court around the country. Today, its oldest buildings date from the 17th century, when the city finally settled by the Tuul River. The city is a bit of a contrast—faceless Soviet high-rise apartment b...
A popular tourist resort in Montenegro, Ulcinj has an 8-mi-/13-km-long sand beach. Located 60 mi/100 km by road south of Podgorica, it is close to Ada Bojana, a river island known for nude bathing. Although most visitors to Ulcinj spend time sunning and swimming, don't neglect the ancient quarter ...
The city of Ulm, Germany, features a Gothic cathedral with the tallest spire in the world (528 ft/161 m) dating from 1890—the view from the top is worth the exhausting climb (768 steps). Do not miss the magnificent choir stalls carved between 1469 and 1474 depicting characters from the Bible and f...
The birthplace of Lenin, Simbirsk, Russia, was renamed in 1924 in honor of its native son. Understandably, Ulyanovsk used to be a much more popular destination than it is now. However, the city, 445 mi/715 km east of Moscow, is a fascinating glimpse into the cult of Lenin: The entire city center is ...
Overview Introduction A photographer's delight, Umatac, with its colorful cemetery and well-kept old Catholic church, is the best place to look for traditional Guam. Pottery shards suggest that Umatac has been settled for nearly 3,000 years. Visit the monument that marks the spot where Magellan l...
In the late seventh and early eighth centuries, Umayyad caliphs and princes built quite a number of palaces, retreats, hunting lodges, country estates and caravan stations in the region. Today, they are collectively called the Desert Castles, even though they weren't necessarily castles and much of ...
Overview Introduction This coastal suburb of Durban is around 30 minutes north of the city center, and its Zulu name means "Place of Reeds," in reference to years gone by when reeds were washed down to the beach by the Ohlanga River. In the 19th century, local farmers leased small plots on the be...
Overview Introduction This small emirate 105 mi/170 km northeast of Abu Dhabi has no major attractions, but it could be interesting to explore for a day. The town of Umm Al Quwain sits on a peninsula and has an old fort, a mosque and a few watchtowers. The other major town, Falaj al-Mualla, is an...
Overview Introduction This ancient (first century BC) Nabataean city—whose name means "mother of camel"—lies near the border with Syria, 40 mi/65 km northeast of Amman. It offers 2,000-year-old ruins in various states of preservation in the shadow of Syria's Mount Jebel al-Arab (topped with snow ...
Union Island, The Grenadines, is a hilly, sparsely populated island just west of Palm Island and the closest population center to Tobago Cays. This island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is quiet and relaxing. The beaches are pleasant, the hotels casual and comfortable, and there is some remarkabl...
The contrasts between old and new in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) are not only dramatic—they're often deliberate. The leaders of this oil-rich nation, made up of seven emirates along the Persian Gulf, have succeeded in drawing tourists with new hotels and diversions that have made cities such a...
The sun hasn't set yet on the United Kingdom. Though its empire of past centuries has dwindled into the shadows, the U.K. remains a prominent figure in the European and world communities; the nature of its influence may have changed, but it is still ubiquitous. Regardless of whether it's England, ...
Regionalism rules in the U.S. Those who manage to travel beyond internationally known cities such as New York or Los Angeles will inevitably conclude that this is a country difficult to define or categorize. The U.S. population of nearly 300 million is as diverse as its natural landscapes and attr...
Overview
The slopes of Haleakala descend gently to the lower altitudes of central Maui. The area about halfway down is known as the Upcountry, Maui's cowboy district: Ranches, horses, wooden fences and fields of wildflowers dot the landscape, away from the bustle of commercial activity on the island. If you ...
Situated 15 mi/20 km east of Savai'i, Upolu is the smaller but more developed of Samoa's two main islands (430 sq mi/1,100 sq km). Its coastal highway provides what James Michener called "the most beautiful drive in the South Pacific." You'll get to enjoy it immediately—it's part of the 25-mi/35-k...
The stretch of coast that runs north of the Tampa area to the Panhandle is often ignored by travelers. This happens, in part, because the views from the road are only intermittently scenic. Those who take the time to get off the main highways, however, will find some interesting and often uncrowded ...
Scenic Upper Sure Nature Park, Luxembourg, located 31 mi/ 50 km northwest of Luxembourg City in the Ardennes, covers approximately 70,000 acres/28,300 hectares. The park encompasses several villages, as well as forests and cultivated land—agricultural products include organic teas and barley for loc...
Uppsala, home to the 500-year-old Uppsala University, is 50 mi/80 km northwest of Stockholm and may be Sweden's fastest-growing city. It is also steeped in history. Explore the history of Uppsala with a tour of the cathedral—one of the oldest and largest in Scandinavia. The 16th-century Uppsala Ca...
Overview Introduction Ur's history has been traced back nearly 6,000 years. Important to the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians, it was also the birthplace of Abraham (in about 2000 BC). The ruins include the reconstructed Great Ziggurat, the courtyard area of Ur Nammu, the Ningal Shrine Egipar...
Urbino, Italy, is a wonderful city for art lovers. The town is noted for its sublime Renaissance Palazzo Ducale, which contains the National Gallery of the Marches, featuring important works by Raphael, Santi, Piero della Francesca and Barocci. Also worth seeing is the Oratorio di San Giovanni Bat...
Often seen in conjunction with a visit to Morelia and Patzcuaro, Uruapan, Mexico, doesn't seem to have much to offer, but it's a good starting point for visiting Paricutin, 22 mi/35 km away. In 1943, Paricutin Volcano rose up outside of town (a farmer watched it grow in his cornfield). Before it w...
The small town of Urubamba is about 18 mi/29 km northwest of Cusco. While most tourists choose to stay in Cusco, Urubamba is nonetheless an important town in the Sacred Valley, with a number of good to top-end hotels. It also sits at a lower attitude than Cusco, making it the perfect place to acclim...
Compared with its gigantic South American neighbors, Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay may lack size, dramatic landscapes, and cultural and natural diversity. Still, it's found a niche on the international tourist circuit with its beaches—inundated by Argentine celebrities and fashion shows in the summe...
Urumqi, often included on Silk Road tours of far western China, is a modern city that wasn't actually part of the ancient silk trade. Urumqi (pronounced uh-RUM-chee ) is an Islamic city inhabited by a variety of people speaking various Turkic languages (Uighurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Hui, Tadjiks, Sibo)...
A trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands is the closest thing to a Caribbean sampler, as it provides several different island experiences in one territory. For bustling beaches, nightlife and great shopping, look to St. Thomas. Its heavy development, North American atmosphere and throngs of cruise-ship vi...
Most consider Ushuaia to be the southernmost city in the world, but technically, the honor goes to the town of Puerto Williams, across the channel in Chile. All around the city, travelers will find the saying, "Fin del Mundo," which translates to "End of the World." Ushuaia's port is one of the main...
There are many places in Utah that can seem as much like another world as another state. From massive rock arches to oddly shaped pillars to sheer river gorges, it's a land that has been bent by weather and time into strange, fantastic shapes. Accordingly, many visitors to Utah will do anything—hi...
Overview Introduction Known as Utica in ancient times, Utique is worth at least a half-day visit to see its museum (containing funerary objects and jewels), Roman villas and Punic sarcophagi. 25 mi/40 km northwest of Tunis.
Located 30 mi/50 km southeast of Amsterdam, Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. It's known for its churches, and if you walk along the Wittevrouwensingel, the city's main street, or the Oudegracht (old canal), you're certain to hear church bells tolling. In the town center is D...
Located 60 mi/100 km south of Merida, Uxmal (pronounced OOSH-mal —"thrice built," in the Mayan language) is the largest site built in the Puuc style with long, gracious lines. The city started to flourish in the seventh century AD, and many changes were made over the following 300 years. The topogr...
Tamerlane, ruler of an empire stretching from India to Asia Minor, was as fond of building and boasting as an Egyptian pharaoh. Above the doorway to his massive palace he had inscribed: "If you doubt our power, look at our buildings." Centuries later, that challenge remains the most compelling reaso...