The island state of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea is one of the world’s most densely populated countries. It is also supremely popular with tourists — on some of the island’s sandy beaches, deck chair rows stack up like cinema seat lines. But for the enterprising few who wish to swim in tranquility, there is hope for solitude. The key is to let go of the idea of sitting on a sandy beach. The best swimming in Malta? Off the rocks. Specifically, a set of rocks called Wied iz-Zurrieq.

The Himalayas aren’t the only hiking game in Nepal. The half-day Kathmandu Valley trek from Telkot to Nagarkot is safer than Everest and offers better insight into day-to-day life in rural Nepal than any Himalayan jaunt. The compact hike also offers stunning views and the opportunity to get up close with nature. Don’t be fooled, though: The hike may be short, but with a 1,500-foot incline at an altitude of over 7,100 feet, it’s challenging.

There’s something hypnotic about prehistoric rainforests. The spectrum of greens, the smell of mist, the fluorescent flora hugging the damp bark of towering trees. Life grows upon life and worlds within worlds evolve as they’ve done for millennia. Tasmania, the island off Australia’s east coast, has so many rainforests you’ll be spoiled for choice. No wonder Indigenous communities have had such a deep connection to this corner of the world for more than 40,000 years.

Want a much cheaper, less crowded alternative to the Inca Trail? The Choro Trail, on the outskirts of Bolivia’s capital, also travels ancient Inca paths — and you just might have the route to yourself. Over three days and 34 miles, you’ll descend — yes, it’s mostly downhill — from 16,000 to 4,000 feet on mostly paved paths, passing through little-changed ancient communities, and seeing firsthand the impact of altitude on climate, vegetation and the human psyche. There are cloud forests and waterfalls too.

Some places are frozen in time by ordinance, and some by volcanic ash. Joya de Cerén was frozen in time by a volcanic eruption around A.D. 630, making this Mayan village in El Salvador an archeological time capsule. So why isn’t it as famous as Pompeii? Maybe because it wasn’t discovered until the 1970s, when bulldozers building grain silos unearthed the houses. A tour guide will walk you through the site, where you’ll see rooms that once served as kitchens, bedrooms and a steam room known as a temescal.

Hiking through scenic Alta Canyon in Norway is well worth the trip far north. After a nearly tree-free trek over a section of the Finnmarksvidda Plateau, you’ll find a shockingly verdant view of a canyon below — one cut through by one of the world’s most famous rivers among intrepid anglers. It’s a 7-mile geological marvel. Come prepared for unpredictable weather and other potential dangers, and also for reindeer and eagle sightings.

Visitors to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur might know about the temple at the Batu Caves, but likely not about its 170 climbing routes up eight gorgeous rock faces. The Batu Caves are a pilgrimage site for Hindus all over the world. But just a couple of miles away, you’ll find eight limestone walls beloved by climbers: Chalk up your hands and scale the walls for unbeatable views.