The Global Warming Bucket List: Where To Go Before It Vanishes
The past few weeks have been wild for climate change: Greenland may be melting more quickly than scientists had expected, Leonardo DiCaprio met with the President-elect to discuss the future of green jobs (yes, seriously), and The Weather Channel threw some serious shade at the notorious Breitbart, saying “No, the earth is not cooling, and global warming is real.”
Yes, global warming is real, and it’s coming for some of the most beautiful places in the world — including our favorite vacation spots. Visit these places before global warming takes them. We’ve gathered a list of our favorite endangered places around the globe that includes everywhere from Italy to Vietnam to Brazil.
image via Toonts
Li River, China
Li River is scarily beautiful. At twilight, it’s surreal, eerie, and haunting in its tranquility. It’s cloaked in a mist from April to June, and tour guides recommend heading there early morning. There are limestone picket mountains looming on the outskirts of the river, and the view is breathtaking. While you’re there, talk to local fisherman — in Chinese! — about the dying art of cormorant fishing, which involves catching fish using live birds. China is one of the most at-risk countries because of global warming, so go out there and take advantage before this beautiful river dries up.
image via Amusing Planet
Hang Son Doong, Vietnam
More people have stood on Mount Everest then entered the underground cave in Hang Son Doong in Vietnam. This cave is home to a massive underground world, stretching more than 5 kilometers, and reaching heights of 650 feet. It’s so large it has its own localized weather system, thick foliage coating its walls, and rivers. The trek in the cave is physically demanding, involving a swim and a hike in order to get there, but in the operation you’ll be taken care of by two caving experts, three local guides, two chefs, two park rangers and 20 porters that join every expedition. But if you’re up for it, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
image via Debbie Sassen
The Dead Sea, Israel
The famously salty Dead Sea is five to nine times as briny as typical seawater and is too saline to sustain life. The buoyancy is so high that you could basically take a seat on the water and read your paper effortlessly. Or you could choose to get smeared with the dark virgin sea mud, which is supposed to be rejuvenating for skin. Unfortunately, records show that the shore of the Dead Sea is drying up and receding at a rate of one meter per year.
image via Chamonix
Alpine Glacier, Switzerland
If you haven’t already, now is the time to go to Switzerland. Interlaken has some of the most beautiful sceneries in the world, where you could stroll the cobblestone streets, sit at a cafe near one of the canals, and enjoy a glass of wine while you take in a gorgeous view of the alps.
Unlike the Rocky Mountains, the glaciers in the European Alps are more liable to melting because they’re located at a lower altitude. In fact, the Alpine glacier will probably disappear completely between 2030 and 2050, according to National Geographic. These alps stretch Italy, France, and Germany, so why not brush up on your languages before you go. When you do go, your best bet is Gimmelwald, a beautiful remote town, and Mürren. Yes, Mürren only accessible by cable car, but it’s only five minutes, and the small cottages on this mountain offer stunning vistas of the mountain tops.
image via GetMeTravelled
Amazon Rainforest, Brazil
Don’t be surprised if you come across blood-colored sunsets or the ghostly calls of howler monkeys; in the rainforest in Brazil, anything goes. The Juma River is so calm and clear that the trees and sky are crisply reflected in the waters. Stay in the nearby town Manaus, and brush up on Portuguese before you go so you can get the real local experience.
The world’s largest tropical rainforest might not survive the deforestation as both locals and corporations take advantage of the rich forests for the biofuel. As the trees get cut down, the climate in the areas gets warmers and drier, until the foliage can no longer renew itself. Go by boat, so that you’ll leave less of a bruise on the ecosystem.
image via Yervant Photography
Venice Canals, Italy
For centuries, Venice has seemingly been defiant against nature — after all, it’s an entire city built on moving plates of water. For a long time, it was a city to be reckoned with, once the hub of trade and industry for Europe. But today, researchers say that Venice is at risk for flooding at an ever increasing rate due to climate change. For now though, learn Italian, have a fling with a gondoliere, and eat all the carpaccio — while you still can.
