OFFICIAL “Los Cabos Vacation” CONTEST RULES

March 8, 2011

1. Sweepstakes Description. This sweepstakes is sponsored by Budget Travel LLC, the publisher of Budget Travel, 530 Seventh Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10018 ("Sponsor"). The sweepstakes begins on March 22, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. EST and ends on April 19, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. EST (the "Sweepstakes Period"). Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST April 18, 2011. Sweepstakes is void where prohibited. By entering, each entrant accepts and agrees to be bound by these sweepstakes rules.

2. Eligibility. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. This sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and its territories, except Arizona, who are 21 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees of Budget Travel LLC, Playa Grande Resort & Grand Spa, Solmar Hotels & Resorts, United Continental Holdings, Inc., Los Cabos Convention and Visitors Bureau, and each of their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and immediate family members or persons living in the same household of such individuals are not eligible to participate in this sweepstakes. Acceptance of prize is subject to the policies and rules or restrictions of winner's employer.

3. How to Enter. You must be the registered subscriber of the e-mail account which you used to create your my Budget Travel account at the time of entry. To enter a photo in the contest, log in to my Budget Travel and upload your photo. Your first five (5) photo submissions submitted during the Entry Period will be the only submissions that will be considered (i.e. no more than 5 entries total per person). Incomplete entries will not be accepted. All entries become the property of Budget Travel. By participating, entrants agree to these Official Rules, including all eligibility requirements.

Entries must be filled out completely and legibly in order to qualify, and will be void if they are, in whole or in part, incomplete, illegible, damaged, irregular, counterfeit, altered, or obtained through theft or fraud. No mechanically reproduced, software-generated or other automated multiple entries are permitted. Neither the Sponsor, its parents, nor respective affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, advertising and promotion agencies, or any telephone network or service providers is responsible for lost, late, illegible, misdirected or mutilated entries, including due to transmission, technical, and/or network failures of any kind, including, without limitation, malfunctioning of any hardware or software (whether originating with sender or Sponsor), telephonic failures, human error, or any other error or malfunction. The authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of entry will be considered the entrant. An "authorized account holder" shall mean the natural person assigned to such e-mail account by the Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with such e-mail account. A potential winner may be requested to provide proof that he or she is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with a winning entry.

Entrants agree not to upload, post or transmit any materials which contain any computer viruses, Easter eggs, worms, Trojan Horses or other harmful component or programming routines that are intended to damage, detrimentally interfere with, surreptitiously intercept or expropriate any system, data or personal information. Any attempt to deliberately damage any web site or undermine the operation of the sweepstakes is a violation of criminal and civil laws, and Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any person who makes such attempt(s).

Entry materials that have been tampered with or altered are void. Any questions regarding the number of entries submitted by an individual or the authorized account holder of an e-mail address shall be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, and Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entries by persons determined to be tampering with or abusing any aspect of the sweepstakes.

4. Prize. One (1) Grand Prize Winner will be selected for the best photo, as determined by the BudgetTravel.com editors, that also receives a high rating from the my Budget Travel community.

The Grand Prize Winner will receive the "Los Cabos Vacation" prize package supplied by Solmar Hotels & Resorts and United Continental Holdings, Inc., which includes:

- Roundtrip, coach airfare for two people (2) to Los Cabos International Airport, Baja Sur State, Mexico, on United from their Los Cabos non-stops Houston and Newark

- 7 days/6 nights at the Playa Grande Resort & Grand Spa

Trip must be booked at least sixty (60) days prior to departure or prize will be forfeited. Trip is subject to blackout dates and availability. Travel must be round-trip. United Continental Holdings, Inc. will determine flight itinerary in its sole discretion. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. The award cannot be transferred or exchanged for cash. The prize is valid June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012 or prize will be forfeited in its entirety. Subject to availability with prior reservation. Not valid during Christmas, New Year's, President's Week and Easter holiday, or the months of February or March, 2012. Estimated retail value of the prize package is $2,500. Actual value may vary based on airfare fluctuations, distance between departure and destination and dates of travel. Winner will not receive difference between actual and approximate retail value. Airport taxes, customs fees and 9/11 security fees are additional and the responsibility of winner.

Prize may be exchanged for cash. No prize transfer, assignment, or substitution is permitted. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be awarded.

5. How the Prize is Awarded. Selection of the winner will occur on or about May 1, 2011 from among all eligible entries received. Winners will be notified by e-mail only on or about May 1, 2011. In the event that any prize notification or attempted notification e-mail is returned as undeliverable, or if any attempted notification by e-mail is not successful within seven (7) days, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from among the remaining eligible entries.

6. Odds of Winning. The odds of winning depend on the number of entries received.

7. Conditions of Acceptance of Prize. Winner must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. Driver's license or other appropriate picture identification is required to claim Grand Prize. Grand Prize Winner and travel companion must have a valid U.S. passport at time of travel. Grand Prize Winner is subject to verification by Sponsor, whose decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the sweepstakes. An entrant is not a winner of any prize unless and until entrant's eligibility has been verified and entrant has been notified that verification is complete. In the event that winner is determined to be ineligible, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from among the remaining eligible entries.

Grand Prize Winner and the Grand Prize Winner's travel companion will be required to execute and return to Sponsor a release and affidavit of eligibility (except where prohibited) within fourteen (14) days of notice of winning; failure to timely execute and return such releases and affidavits (except where prohibited) may lead to Grand Prize Winner's forfeiture of the prize, and Sponsor reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from among the remaining eligible entries.

Grand Prize Winner will be solely responsible for any and all local, state, and federal taxes, as well as license and registration fees incurred by participating in the sweepstakes, including, but not limited to, transportation costs, gratuities and other items of an incidental nature. Sponsor will report any individual winnings over $600 (in cash or fair market value of goods or services) in a one year period to the Internal Revenue Service. Grand Prize Winner will receive a Form 1099 from Sponsor if Sponsor reports any winnings to the Internal Revenue Service. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash or any other consideration.

Grand Prize Winner agrees to the use of his or her name and likeness in publicity without any additional compensation (except where prohibited). By entering this sweepstakes, winner acknowledges that Sponsor has the right to publicize, by any medium, winner's name, voice, and likeness, the fact that he or she won, and all matters incidental thereto.

8. Limitation on Liability. By entering this sweepstakes, each entrant forever discharges, releases, and holds harmless the Sponsor, Playa Grande Resort & Grand Spa, Solmar Hotels & Resorts, United Continental Holdings, Inc., Los Cabos Convention and Visitors Bureau, and each of their parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability, claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits, and demands of any kind arising from or in connection with the sweepstakes, including, without limitation, responsibility for property damage, loss of life, or personal injury resulting from or in connection with participating in the sweepstakes or from or in connection with use or receipt of the prize, however caused.

9. Sponsor's Reservation of Rights. These Official Rules are subject to modification at any time for any reason by Sponsor. In the event of a dispute, all decisions made by Sponsor are final and binding. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any person who tampers with the entry process or the operation of Sponsor's web site, or who otherwise acts in violation of these Official Rules. Sponsor further reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to rescind, cancel, terminate, or modify this sweepstakes in whole or in part, at any time, without notice or liability, for any reason, including, but not limited to, if the sweepstakes is not capable of completion as planned due to infection by computer virus, technical corruption, force majeure, or non-authorized human intervention that compromises or affects the administration, fairness, integrity, security, or proper conduct of the sweepstakes.

10. Name of Winner. For a name of winner, send a self-addressed stamped envelope after June 1, 2011 to Budget Travel, Attn: Los Cabos Vacation Contest, 530 Seventh Avenue, Second Floor, NY, NY 10018. Requests received more than sixty (60) days after June 1, 2011 will not be honored.

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Riding the Trans-Siberian Railway

For more than a hundred years, the Trans-Siberian has been the stuff of travel fantasies, an epic trip into some of the world's most remote landscapes, through spruce forests, traditional villages, and sweeping steppes. It's possible to ride from Moscow all the way to the Sea of Japan in one long stretch (a whopping six days, two hours, and eight minutes), but breaking up the trip into legs is far more enjoyable. Before buying your ticket, you should have a general idea of the stops you'd like to make along the way. Surprisingly, you can't buy hop-on hop-off tickets-only point-to-point ones. Bryn Thomas's Trans-Siberian Handbook is a handy place to start your planning, with profiles of each stop on the rail line. Or you can see it all with your own eyes: Google and Russian Railways recently debuted a series of videos that depict every minute of the Trans-Siberian route; visit google.ru/transsiberianvideo. Whatever the itinerary, most travelers begin their trip in Moscow at the city's main Yaroslavsky Station. You can buy your tickets there in person within 45 days of departure, or book online at sites like bilet.ru/eng or russianrail.com. If you'd like to reserve seats further ahead, you'll have to go through a travel agency, which will charge markup fees of 15 percent or more. In general, budget at least $1,500 for train fare. Get on Board Many visitors are surprised to find all the train signs in Cyrillic-and only Cyrillic. But  this year, Russian Railways is making navigation a bit easier by upgrading stations with helpful timetable screens. Until then, however, plan ahead: When purchasing train fares, it's best to hand the railway agent a written request to prevent any confusion. Visit budgettravel.com/transsiberianphrases for a printable list of useful, train-themed phrases written in Cyrillic, such as "Pardon me for not speaking Russian. May I please buy one second-class ticket to ____ city?" Regarding which kind of ticket to purchase, most visitors opt for second class over a premium fare, which can be double the price. The coed kupey (koo-pay) compartments accommodate up to four overnight passengers on separate berths. They don't offer the privacy of double-berth premium cars, but you'll meet your fellow travelers, which, after all, is half the fun.   The Route 1st Stop Yekaterinburg 1 day, 1 hour, and 43 minutes minutes from Moscow One of the most renowned cities in Russia, Yekaterinburg is full of historic sites: the gold-domed Church on the Blood, where Czar Nicholas II and his family were executed in 1918; the 1912 red-brick Opera and Ballet Theatre; and the wooded 109-acre "mafia cemetery" (the Shirokorechenskoye Kladbishche) where famous 1990s criminals were laid to rest. Downtown, the 97-room, Soviet-style Hotel Iset is newly renovated. hoteliset.ru/eng, doubles from $107. Center of the Line Midway Point 2 days, 19 hours, and 20 minutes from Moscow About 17 miles west of the small town of Nizhneudinsk, the Trans-Siberian reaches its halfway point, roughly the distance between New York City and Los Angeles. By now, most visitors should have learned a few rules of the rail: For instance, vodka is perfectly acceptable at breakfast, and the pieces of smoked fish sold for about $2 by babushkas at the stations are fresh and delicious. Also, no one commands more respect than the provodnitsy, the Russian Railways version of flight attendants. They collect tickets, sell snacks and bottles of beer for about $3, and serve free hot water for tea in ornate glass-and-silver steins. Treat them right and your trip will be all the smoother. 2nd Stop Irkutsk 3 days, 3 hours, and 51 minutes from Moscow Once considered "the Paris of Siberia," Irkutsk still draws visitors with its 19th-century mansions, but it's best known as the jumping-off point for Lake Baikal. Ringed by snow-covered mountains, Baikal is the largest freshwater body in the world and one of the more ethereal sites in all of Asia. From Irkutsk, local tour companies such as Baikal Club International arrange bus service to and from the lake, 40 miles south, for any day-trippers. baikalclub.com, one-way bus service from $5. Off-Line Adventure Irkutsk 5-hour bus ride from Irkutsk, then a 30-minute ferry Flanked by rocky cliffs, Olkhon Island rises like a fortress from Lake Baikal, with unsurpassed views of the water and jagged peaks beyond. The island's pine forests are filled with colorful prayer flags-a glimpse of the locals' unique Shamanic traditions-along with hiking trails and the occasional wild horse. At Nikita's Homestead, you can get a cozy private cabin, Russian-style sauna, and three home-cooked meals a day. olkhon.info/en, doubles from $54. 3rd Stop Ulan-Ude 3 days, 10 hours, and 22 minutes from Moscow Set at the edge of the Siberian steppe, Ulan-Ude is home to Russia's most important Buddhist monastery, Ivolginsky Datsan. A 30-minute bus ride from the city center takes you to the sprawling complex of yellow- and green-roofed pagodas. The datsan has a small hostel for pilgrims on-site; be prepared to be awoken at dawn by the chants of the Buddhists gathered in the various temples. datsan.buryatia.ru.   End of the Line Vladivostok 6 days, 2 hours, and 8 minutes from Moscow With icebreakers crowding its harbor, and Chinese, Japanese, and Korean traders hustling its docks, Vladivostok is the busiest port city in Russia. From here, you could simply turn around and ride back to Moscow. Or take a nine-hour flight. For the cheapest fare, book with one of the aviakassy (ticket offices) scattered across the city or directly at the airport desk of a national carrier like Aeroflot Russian Airlines. Expect to pay around $300 for a last-minute ticket. aeroflot.ru/cms/en.

OFFICIAL "SAVOR SAN ANTONIO" SWEEPSTAKES RULES

1. Sweepstakes Description. This sweepstakes is sponsored by Budget Travel LLC, the publisher of Budget Travel, 469 Seventh Avenue, Third Floor, New York, NY 10018 ("Sponsor"). The sweepstakes begins on June 26, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. ET and ends on August 27, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. ET (the "Sweepstakes Period"). Entries must be received by 9:30 a.m. ET August 27, 2012. Sweepstakes is void where prohibited. By entering, each entrant accepts and agrees to be bound by these sweepstakes rules. 2. Eligibility. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. This sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and its territories, except Arizona, who are 21 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees of Budget Travel LLC, Texas Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism, San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau, Hotel Contessa, La Gloria Ice House, SeaWorld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas and each of their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and immediate family members or persons living in the same household of such individuals are not eligible to participate in this sweepstakes. Acceptance of prize is subject to the policies and rules or restrictions of winner's employer. 3. How to Enter. One entry per person. Individuals must go to budgettravel.com/savorsanantonio and fill in their name, address, phone number, e-mail address and all other applicable fields. All entries must be completed by 9:30 a.m. ET on August 27, 2012 in order to qualify. All entries become the property of Sponsor, and Sponsor reserves the right to use any information submitted by entrants. Entries must be filled out completely and legibly in order to qualify, and will be void if they are, in whole or in part, incomplete, illegible, damaged, irregular, counterfeit, altered, or obtained through theft or fraud. No mechanically reproduced, software-generated or other automated multiple entries are permitted. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, misdirected or mutilated entries, including due to transmission, technical, and/or network failures of any kind, including, without limitation, malfunctioning of any hardware or software (whether originating with sender or Sponsor), telephonic failures, human error, or any other error or malfunction. For online entries, the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of entry will be considered the entrant. An "authorized account holder" shall mean the natural person assigned to such e-mail account by the Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with such e-mail account. A potential winner may be requested to provide proof that he or she is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with a winning entry. Entrants agree not to upload, post or transmit any materials which contain any computer viruses, Easter eggs, worms, Trojan Horses or other harmful component or programming routines that are intended to damage, detrimentally interfere with, surreptitiously intercept or expropriate any system, data or personal information. Any attempt to deliberately damage any web site or undermine the operation of the sweepstakes is a violation of criminal and civil laws, and Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any person who makes such attempt(s). Entry materials that have been tampered with or altered are void. Any questions regarding the number of entries submitted by an individual or the authorized account holder of an e-mail address shall be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, and Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entries by persons determined to be tampering with or abusing any aspect of the sweepstakes. 4. Prize. One winner will receive the following: Roundtrip airfare for two from major airport in the Continental US, or up to $600 to cover transportation needs Four nights' accommodation at the Hotel Contessa Dinner for two at the La Gloria Ice House Two passes for a complimentary Rio San Antonio cruise Two one-day passes to SeaWorld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas Trip must be booked at least sixty (60) days prior to departure or prize will be forfeited. Trip is subject to blackout dates and availability. Travel must be round-trip. Sponsor will determine airline and flight itinerary in its sole discretion. Maximum amount that sponsor is responsible to cover for total flight cost is $600.00. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. The award cannot be transferred or exchanged for cash. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be awarded. The prize is valid September 1, 2012 through September 1, 2013 or prize will be forfeited in its entirety. Estimated retail value of the prize package is $3,785.  Actual value may vary based on airfare fluctuations, distance between departure and destination and dates of travel. Winner will not receive difference between actual and approximate retail value. Airport taxes, customs fees and 9/11 security fees are additional and the responsibility of winner. 5. How the Prize is Awarded. Random selection of the winner will occur on or about September 1, 2012 from among all eligible entries received. One (1) winner will be randomly selected. Winner will be notified by telephone or e-mail on or about September 1, 2012. In the event that any prize notification or attempted notification e-mail is returned as undeliverable, or if any attempted notification by phone is not successful within seven (7) days, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from among the remaining eligible entries. 6. Odds of Winning. The odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. 7. Conditions of Acceptance of Prize. Winner must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. Valid mailing address is required to claim a prize. Winner is subject to verification by Sponsor, whose decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the sweepstakes. An entrant is not a winner of any prize unless and until entrant's eligibility has been verified and entrant has been notified that verification is complete. In the event that winner is determined to be ineligible, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from among the remaining eligible entries. Winner will be solely responsible for any and all local, state, and federal taxes, as well as license and registration fees incurred by participating in the sweepstakes, including, but not limited to, transportation costs, gratuities and other items of an incidental nature. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash or any other consideration. Winner agrees to the use of his or her name and likeness in publicity without any additional compensation (except where prohibited). By entering this sweepstakes, winner acknowledges that Sponsor has the right to publicize, by any medium, winner's name, voice, and likeness, the fact that he or she won, and all matters incidental thereto. 8. Limitation on Liability. By entering this sweepstakes, each entrant forever discharges, releases, and holds harmless the Sponsor, Texas Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism, San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau, Hotel Contessa, La Gloria Ice House, SeaWorld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and each of their parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability, claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits, and demands of any kind arising from or in connection with the sweepstakes, including, without limitation, responsibility for property damage, loss of life, or personal injury resulting from or in connection with participating in the sweepstakes or from or in connection with use or receipt of the prize, however caused. 9. Sponsor's Reservation of Rights. These Official Rules are subject to modification by Sponsor. In the event of a dispute, all decisions made by Sponsor are final and binding. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any person who tampers with the entry process or the operation of Sponsor's web site, or who otherwise acts in violation of these Official Rules. Sponsor further reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to rescind, cancel, terminate, or modify this sweepstakes in whole or in part, at any time, without notice or liability, for any reason, including, but not limited to, if the sweepstakes is not capable of completion as planned due to infection by computer virus, technical corruption, force majeure, or non-authorized human intervention that compromises or affects the administration, fairness, integrity, security, or proper conduct of the sweepstakes. 10. Name of Winner. For the name of winner, send a self-addressed stamped envelope after July 1, 2012 to Budget Travel, Attn: Savor San Antonio Sweepstakes, 469 Seventh Avenue, Third Floor, NY, NY 10018. Requests received more than sixty (60) days after September 1, 2012 will not be honored.

Hidden Man-made Wonders of the World

Of course you've heard of Machu Picchu and Angkor Wat, but have you heard about an Incan city that seems truly lost to today's travelers, or the complex of 52 pre-Angkorian temples so deep in the Cambodian jungle that it takes a local to guide you there? These destinations are jaw-dropping, but they don’t pull in the massive western crowds for a reason: Some of them are remote. That's where we come in with suggested tour operators to make the experience easier and well worth it. Medieval churches made out of volcanic red rock: Lalibela, EthiopiaUnless you're from Ethiopia, chances are you don't know about these 11 medieval churches in the small mountain village of Lalibela. The destination is first and foremost a place of worship, which explains why the Ethiopians haven't done more to market it to tourists. You don't have to be devout, however, to marvel at the churches' unusual design. Legend has it that a visit to Jerusalem after its fall to a Muslim general in the 13th century inspired King Lalibela to rebuild the holy city in Ethiopia. He commissioned workers to dig these churches out of the area's red volcanic rock. One remarkable group of four—the House of Emmanuel, House of Mercurios, House of Gabriel, and House of Abba Libanos—was created from the same massive piece and connected by underground passageways. Light filters into the cruciform structures through cross-shaped windows. Another church, the Beta Medhane Alem (House of the Saviour of the World), rests some 35 feet below the surface of the desert. Find your way: Red Jackal Tours offers a five-day Addis Ababa to Lalibela tour; 011-251/11-155-9915, from $699 per person. Alternatively, any hotel can arrange a guide—we recommend Tukul Village Hotel, 011-251/33-336-0564, doubles from $40. Guide Terekbe Mersha can be reached at 011-251/911-034-463 or tflalibela@yahoo.com. Cambodia's oldest temple complex (hint: it's not Angkor Wat): Kampong Thom Province, CambodiaBuilt during the 7th century, the 52 standing temples of Sambor Prei Kuk are part of the remains of the former capital of Chenla, an ancient kingdom that once ruled much of present-day Cambodia. Spread across three square miles of jungle in Cambodia's Kampong Thom province, the complex predates even the oldest temples of Angkor by some 600 years. Amazingly, it's also far beneath the radar of most travelers—a meager 5,000 annual international visitors make it out to this destination, compared to the million-plus tourists who visit Angkor Wat (that may have something to do with the fact that getting to Sambor Prei Kuk entails a three-hour drive from either Siem Reap or Phnom Penh along the bumpy, stray-dog-ridden National Route No. 6). If you do want to visit, the new Isanborei community tourism project provides local English-speaking guides who will take you around the temples on a tuk tuk. If you’re looking for a truly authentic experience, opt for one of their homestays—you can live with a family, learn how to cook traditional dishes, and even help harvest rice. Find your way: Isanborei Community Tourism offers tours from Kampong Thom, Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, ranging from day excursions by tuk tuk or bike to homestays. 011-855/97-957-3520, from $26 for a day tour from Kampong Thom per person to $162, including an overnight home stay per person. World's oldest freestanding monuments: Malta and GozoThe stone temples on these small Mediterranean islands wedged between Sicily and Tunisia don't get much attention these days; you won't see them in a big-screen thriller or from a mega cruise ship. But as far back as 5000 B.C., millennia before work began on the Great Pyramid of Giza, they were drawing hordes of worshippers. Hagar Qim, the grandest temple complex, commands attention from its hilltop location on Malta’s southern coast. It was constructed from enormous limestone slabs raised to form doorways with lintels (similar to those at Stonehenge) and semicircle formations; one slab stands a commanding 20 feet high and, weighing nearly 20 tons, is believed to be among the largest of any temple. Hagar Qim’s best statues—three “fat lady” figurines and a slimmer Venus of Malta—were excavated in the mid-20th century and are now housed in the National Museum of Archaeology in the Maltese capital city of Valletta. But if you look closely while at Hagar Qim, you’ll find carvings of spirals, animals, and goddesses—all the more impressive given the builders' limited tools: flints and obsidian blades. Find your way: Take bus 38 or 138 from Valletta, Malta, to Hagar Qim and ferries between the islands of Malta and Gozo. Open 9 a.m.–5 p.m., last admission 4:30 p.m., daily in winter; hours extend to 7 p.m., last admission 6:30 p.m., daily in summer, about $13, 011-356/214-24231. A gravity-defying palace: Lucknow, IndiaFew people have heard of Lucknow, capital of the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh in India, and even fewer know of the maze-like palace complex—a blend of European and Arabic architecture—that is located there. It was the brainchild of 18th-century ruler Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula, who put nearly 22,000 city residents to work during a severe famine (struggling noblemen were rumored to have come in at night to avoid being identified among the crew). Bara Imambara's magnificent central arched hall—which stretches 50 meters long (roughly half the length of a soccer field) and about three stories high—is held up, amazingly, without any pillars, girders or beams. Instead, the hall was constructed solely with interlocking brickwork. Another one of its mysteries is the Bhulbhulaiya, a dense labyrinth of more than 1,000 narrow stairway passages meant to thwart any possible intruders—some stairways lead to abrupt drops, others have dead ends. It’s possible to roam around the secret maze, preferably with an approved guide, and to explore the adjacent mosque and manicured gardens. Find your way: Hussainabad Trust Road, $7; extra $3.30 for the main hall, extra $1.50 for a labyrinth guide, open daily, dawn to dusk. It's a two-hour flight from Mumbai to Lucknow at about $75 each way. The truly lost Incan city: Choquequirao, PeruThese 15th-century ruins, which consist of a central plaza and dozens of slope terraces built some 6,000 feet above the glacier-fed Apurímac River, received fewer than 7,000 visitors in 2006. That’s just a little more than 1 percent of those that made the trek to its far more famous sister site, Machu Picchu, whose nickname “The Lost City of the Incas” seems misleading given its typical tourist crowds. But at its height, Choquequirao was no less significant: It was roughly the same size as Machu Picchu and believed to be the last main religious center of the Incan Empire before its fall. From the tiny town of Cachora (about 100 miles away from Cuzco), getting to Choquequirao is an arduous 20-mile trek. You’ll pass arid country full of cacti and agave before the vegetation turns lush. Take a breather to spot the occasional condor, and exhale with the jagged, snow-capped Vilcabamba Range in the distance. Find your way: SAS Travel Peru offers a five-day Choquequirao trek; 011-51/84-249-194, from $390 per person with a four person minimum. An unexpected royal city: Isfahan, IranWhen Shah Abbas chose to relocate the capital of the Persian Empire to Isfahan around 1600, he was determined to make a big impression. So surely he'd be disappointed to know that centuries later his masterpiece remains hidden in plain sight—at least for Americans, who are largely restricted from and cautioned against visiting Iran. The Shah's massive building centered on grand Naqsh-e Jahan Square, which he surrounded with four monumental structures: the gleaming, mosaic-tiled Royal Mosque to the south, the Portico of Qaysariyyeh to the north, the Mosque of Sheykh Lotfollah to the east, and the magnificent entrance to Ali Qapu palace and the royal gardens to the west. Ali Qapu's grand covered balcony was where the shah and his guests would watch polo matches, horse races—even public executions. Inside, spiral staircases connect each floor, and the walls are adorned with intricate bird-patterned murals. Even more impressive is its sixth floor Music Room, covered with ornately decorated stucco niches and cutouts in the shapes of pots and vessels that once reverberated the sounds of the ensembles who performed there. Find your way: As an American, if you don’t know anyone in Iran who can sponsor your visit, then you have to go through a tour group and stick with it; Cyrus Travel arranges visas to Iran and offers customized tours throughout the country, 800/332-9787, from $300 per person per day. An open-air museum of elaborate wooden churches: Karelia, RussiaIt requires a flight or overnight train ride from Moscow or St. Petersburg and then a ferry ride to reach Kizhi Island, part of the 1,650-island chain on northern Russia’s remote Lake Onega. Your reward is becoming one of the choice few to explore the one-of-a-kind State Kizhi Museum, made up of nearly 90 wooden structures, including chapels, windmills, and granaries. Its most remarkable portion, set on a narrow strip of land on the island’s southern tip, is Kizhi Pogost, a walled enclosure that houses an octagonal bell tower and two 18th-century wooden churches. Twenty-two cascading bulbous cupolas fashioned from aspen shingles top the 121-foot Church of the Transfiguration of Our Savior. Amazingly enough, this masterpiece was built without a single nail. Legend has it that a sole axe was used to carve the shingles and the interlocking corner joinery that hold the majestic structure up, and after its completion, was tossed into the water so a similar marvel couldn’t be built. Find your way: Transfers are available directly from Airport Peski, October–May, 011-7-814/2747-566; they can be made through Tourholding Karelia, May–October, 011-7-814/2-733-433. Admission to the island, $21.50; guide service, $3.50 per person. Summer, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; fall, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; winter, 10 a.m–3 p.m.; spring, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. A Buddha so large it took 90 years to build: Sichuan, ChinaIt took almost the entire 8th century to carve the 233-foot-tall Leshan Giant Buddha out of a mountainside in central China—about 1,400 miles west of Shanghai (and far out of sight and mind for most travelers)—but the result still stands as one of the world's largest Buddhas. Its ears alone are more than 23 feet in length (that’s the height of a two-story building), and even its smallest toe is large enough to sit on comfortably. But it’s not only the Buddha’s giant scale that’s impressive. On its head are 1,021 intricate, twisted hair buns hiding a complex drainage system that helps preserve the statue. The Mount Emei area itself has enormous religious significance; Buddhism was first introduced to China here. Thrill seekers can get up close to witness the Buddha’s sheer size by navigating down a steep, 250-step zigzag path along its side; those looking to take in the statue from a distance (and see additional figures carved into the cliff) can opt for a boat ride—the statue sits at the confluence of where three rivers meet. Find your way: Take bus No. 8 from Beinjiang Lu to the north entrance of Mt. Emei Scenic Area, within which the statue is located, or a ferry from the Port of Leshan to the Scenic Area (local bus routes No. 4, 9, and 12 connect Leshan to the port). Alternatively, a bus makes the 100-mile journey from Chengdu's South Gate Bus Terminal to Leshan and local buses run every 10 minutes between Leshan and Emei. Open May–Sept. 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m., open Oct.–Apr. 8 a.m.–6 p.m., $12. A Mayan complex that's still unearthing marvels: El Mirador, Guatemala The little-known Mirador Basin, hidden among 2,000 years of jungle growth in northern Guatemala, is called the Cradle of Maya Civilization—and for good reason. Its five Preclassic Maya cities—El Mirador, Nakbe, Xulnal, Tintal, and Wakna—are each larger and older than the nearby (and far more famous) Tikal by at least 1,000 years. Among their astounding innovations are super-size temples and pyramids, including La Danta, the largest-known pyramid in the world measured by volume, and the remains of the world's first highway system. And there may be more to uncover: Just two years ago, archaeologists discovered a massive limestone frieze that dates back to 200 B.C. But illegal logging and tree clearing to make way for cash crops like corn are threatening the forests (an alarming 70 percent has been destroyed in just a decade). In an effort to preserve the region, an international effort led by the Global Heritage Fund with help from the Guatemalan and U.S. governments is underway to establish an 810,000-acre national park in the region. Find your way: Tikal Connection Tour Operator offers a five-day trek to El Mirador from Flores in the region of Petén, Guatemala. Participants must be in good physical condition, as the trek and tour totals nearly 40 miles; 011-502/42-111-027, from $350 per person. See more popular content: 10 Islands to See Before You Die Secret Hotels of Paris What Your Bank Won't Tell You About Currency Conversion Top 10 Hottest New Travel Gadgets