8. The Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are magical. Visiting this special collection of islands, you’ll feel like you’ve stumbled upon an alternate universe. Sea Lions are the heralds for this utopian colony of diverse animal species. The Galapagos Islands have been in danger before, threatened by economic and environmental degradation. The islands are in jeopardy today because of massive tourism growth and smuggled animal species. Both threaten delicate ecosystems and many native plants and animal species. Some of the Galapagos Islands will never be as they are at this moment. Sadly, the environmental condition on some Islands is much worse now than even 10 years ago.

Are any of these spectacular places to visit on your list? I hope reading about their possible fates motivates you to book a trip soon. Where all of them aren’t in danger of completely disappearing, it may become impossible to gain access or experience some in the same state they are in today.

This post originally appeared on Lifehack