From the people who have been delivering trustworthy guidebooks to every destination in the world for 40 years, Lonely Planet?s 50 Natural Wonders To Blow Your Mind will take you on a tour of the world?s most mind-boggling wild and wonderful places, and help you discover just how extraordinary our planet really is. 
In today?s age of information, there are smartphones in the most remote corners of our world and our cities are huge bustling metropolises growing larger by the day. But despite this cumulative urbanisation, there is a tacit understanding among the human race that connection to nature is an essential factor in our happiness.
For all our obsession with man-made wonders, nothing compares to the creations of Mother Nature. Vast underground cave systems, wild desert landscapes, breathtaking waterfalls, staggering geology and spectacular vestiges of our prehistoric past all remind us of our small place in earth?s story.
Even with our ever-expanding knowledge of the way the world has come to be, some landscapes still leave us utterly perplexed. This is the mystery and the majesty of the natural world. In this book we?ve attempted to capture just a fraction of what our planet has to offer, and we hope it inspires you to get out and find your own slice of pleasure in the great outdoors.

From the people who have been delivering trustworthy guidebooks to every destination in the world for 40 years, Lonely Planet?s 50 Places to Stay To Blow Your Mind will make your next trip an unforgettable one. 
From glass igloos in Finnish Lapland to wooden spheres suspended in Canadian treetops; from geodesic domes in the Patagonian wilderness to old-school opulence at New York?s Plaza Hotel ? these are the ultimate in overnight experiences. Not every place is a budget buster; sometimes it?s about the spectacular locations, like the gravity-defying Bivacco Gervasutti on Mont Blanc in Italy (page 50). There are places that literally disappear into their surroundings like the Mirrorcube in Harads, Sweden (page 42), and others that stand tall and command attention like the Frank Gehry-designed Hotel Marques de Riscal in Spain (page 92).
We?ve only included a place if it gives us a thrill, makes us catch our breath and inspires us to see the world through different eyes. We hope they make you smile, make you marvel, and that they motivate you to go on a journey to a new destination.
With this pocket-sized gift book showcasing 50 of the most luxurious, extraordinary and spectacular accommodation offerings around the world, even sleeping will be an adventure on your next trip.

From the people who have been delivering trustworthy guidebooks to every destination in the world for 40 years, Lonely Planet?s 50 Festivals To Blow Your Mind will make your next trip an unforgettable one.
There?s something about festivals. Whether it?s a giant, joyous party or a respectful honouring of tradition, a seemingly bizarre adherence to ritual or a celebration of a quirky obsession ? a festival is a uniquely human thing to be involved in. We like to get together to dance, sing, eat, laugh, drink, dress up, light fires, take our clothes off, throw tomatoes at each other, roll around in mud ? just about anything really, but we seem to like doing it in really large groups with bags and bags of enthusiasm.
Festivals are life-affirming and take our desire to have a good time with friends and family to a global level. They continue to thrive because they ignite curiosity and help to promote understanding, compassion and a greater acceptance of other races, cultures and traditions.