World’s Most Mysterious Destinations

Nazca Lines, Peru

The mystery of Peru's Nazca (or Nasca) Lines is best appreciated from a distance. Specifically, from a few thousand feet up. The lines, barely visible from the ground, unite into vast drawings of animals, plants, and fantastic figures. The exact purpose of the massive geoglyphs dating from between 500 BCE to 500 CE will never be known, but some speculate they had ritual astronomical functions. Whatever the reason behind their creation, these massive works make other art forms seem unambitious by comparison.

The Nazca Lines are about 250 miles south of Lima. Frommer's puts the cost of a sightseeing flight departing from the Nazca region between $50 and $150 per person. Tours leaving from and returning to Lima are also available for visitors who prefer a day trip from the major city.

Easter Island, Chile

On Easter Island, you can look mystery in the eye. The island, locally known as Rapa Nui, is famous for its hundreds of massive stone heads and torsos, or moai. Their precise significance, as well as the sheer number of statues, continues to inspire wonder even today. In addition to the standing statues, hundreds more remain in the quarry where they were carved, or sit broken and abandoned along paths where they likely fell during transport. How their creators transported the carved stones, which average 14 tons each, is another of the island's mysteries. The statues are keeping mum, so visitors content themselves with simple awe.

Easter Island, about five-and-a-half hours by plane from Santiago, Chile, is among the most remote inhabited islands in the world. Tour operators run multiday trips to the island, often as part of larger South America trips. Independent travel is another option, and local guides can enrich the experience.

Stonehenge, England

The questions surrounding Stonehenge place it among the ancient world's most enduring mysteries. Even today, debates about the origin, construction, and use of the prehistoric monument remain. Built in several stages beginning around 5,000 years ago, the circle of massive stones might have been a temple, a burial site, a calendar, or something else entirely. Rampant speculation is a key part of any visit, so let your imagination run wild.

During regular opening hours, visitors are not allowed inside the stone circle. However, on certain days (except during October and November), visitors who have booked well in advance can walk amongst the stones in the early morning or late evening. English Heritage members can also join guided tours to get up close.

Sailing Stones, Death Valley National Park, California

On most raceways, speed is the thrill; at the Racetrack in Death Valley National Park, the excitement comes from seemingly stationary rocks. The dry lakebed is known for its "sailing stones," which stay perfectly still for as long as you're willing to stare at them, but whose activities are apparent in the long trails—some as long as 1,500 feet—they leave. Researchers suggest that a precise combination of wind and rain enable the movement.

Death Valley is about 100 miles from Las Vegas. Las Vegas is served by low-cost carriers including AirTran, Allegiant, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, and Virgin America.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Widely considered to be one of the most mystical places on earth, in 2011 Machu Picchu is celebrating the hundredth anniversary of its rediscovery. With a remote cloud forest setting high in the Peruvian Andes, and extensive ruins to fire the imagination, this Inca gem is irresistible to the tens of thousands that visit each year. Likely constructed between 1438 and 1493, no one is entirely sure why the city was built, though the ruins yield clues that Machu Picchu was once home to both royalty and farmers.

The two ways to reach Machu Picchu are by foot and by train. The hike is an arduous, multiday trek affording amazing views. Hikers must be part of a licensed tour. Trains to Machu Picchu depart from Cusco and Ollantaytambo.

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