10 Off-The-Beaten Path Travel Destinations
9. The Maldives

Photo: Flickr/Badruddeen
South of Sri Lanka, this stunning island series speaks to people looking for a peaceful escape, though 27-hour plane ride generally deters most North American travelers. That’s a shame, especially because this serene series of white sand islets might not be around for long. As climate change causes sea levels to rise, popular science holds that ocean will eventually reclaim these low-lying atolls. So, go now.