Today, luxury travel means the first-class cabins, high-profile dining, luxury hotel rooms, amenities with world-famous brands, and all the other things unachievable for the average traveler. Soon, in turn, thanks to the speed at which we pollute our environment and destroy nature, “clean water”, “untouched wilderness”, and similar things might become luxury amenities.
Some places are already being destroyed by humanity’s reckless behavior, and the worst could happen to others in the future, near and far. Below, here are some destinations for which the end is already in sight – so you should visit them before they disappear for good.
Maldives
The Maldives archipelago is one of the top tropical island destinations today. It consists of a chain of 26 atolls – coral islands – south of Sri Lanka, with a total surface of 115 square miles, with its highest natural point being the lowest in the world, at 2.4 meters above sea level.
And this is exatly the reason why it is going to disappear. According to scientists, the rising sea levels will lead to the entire group of islands to disappear underwater in the next 30 years.
Venice
The rising sea levels are not threatening only the tropical paradise of the Maldives but the coastal areas of Italy, too. Venice, for example, might be gone forever by the end of this century. According to research done by Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, the rising sea levels will cause the city to disappear underwater by the year 2100.
Actually, the Institute has identified 33 areas in Italy which are at risk of being submerged in the next 100 years, including the country’s North Adriatic coastline, the Versilia in Tuscany, the plains around the Po river, along with the coasts of Catania, Cagliari, and Oristano.
Kilwa Ruins, Tanzania
The island of Kilwa Kisiwani, located in a large bay on the coast of Southern Tanzania, holds many historic landmarks visited by large numbers of tourists each year. Among others, it is home to the Great Mosque, once the largest mosque in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Palace of Husuni Kubwa, an amazing complex with spectacular pools and courtyards.
This historic site will not submerge, like the other two – the main risk that threatens its integrity is erosion. The damage to the soil done by rainwater has put the ancient buildings of the island at risk of collapsing. Conservationists have tried to prevent further erosion by planting vegetation into the soil – this, in turn, causes the break-up of masonry structures.
