You’ve probably seen Kelingking Beach plastered all over Bali ads and Instagram—and there’s a reason for that. This Nusa Penida spot, approximately a 40-minute boat ride from Bali, is renowned for its T-Rex-shaped cliff and the breathtaking views it offers. The beach below is gorgeous, with white sand and turquoise water, but getting there means tackling a steep trail. It gets quite busy, especially midday, but still one of those places you don’t want to skip.

The La Brea Tar Pits and Museum offer a rare, up-close look at Ice Age fossils still being uncovered in the heart of Los Angeles. Tens of thousands of years ago, tar trapped mammoths, saber-toothed cats, and dire wolves, preserving their remains for modern paleontologists to study. Today, visitors can explore these discoveries in the museum, watch scientists at work in the Fossil Lab, and even see active excavation sites like Project 23, where new fossils are unearthed daily.

The so-called Temple of Hercules (AD 162–166) dominates Amman’s Citadel. These days, archaeologists prefer to call it the Great Temple of Amman, since its dedication remains uncertain. Only six Corinthian columns stand reconstructed today. The rest lie as fragmented drums, their dowel holes revealing Roman engineering techniques. A colossal marble statue once graced the site. All that survives is a weathered elbow and fingers, suggesting a figure over 13 metres tall, likely toppled in the 8th-century earthquake. The temple’s platform doubles as Amman’s premier viewpoint, framing the modern city against the 150-metre Jordanian flag. Excavations nearby expose layers of civilisation: Umayyad palaces, Byzantine churches, and Roman baths intertwine with older Bronze Age ruins. Though the Hercules name persists thanks to the sculptural remnant, archaeologists emphasise the temple’s civic importance. Its sheer scale reflects Amman’s status as a regional hub. Guides prove invaluable for deciphering 9,000 years of history compressed into a single hilltop.