End of the (Mayan) world? 10 places to go out in style
— -- It could all end one year from now on December 21, 2012. Or not. The prophecies and speculations about what might happen on the last day of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Maya calendar are, well, endless. For you planners and you naysayers, we've compiled a list of the top 10 destinations to witness the event (or nonevent). These cool bunkers, mystical sites, places with ironic names, and culturally significant locations are great spots to go out having the time of your life, even if the end of days is a no-show.
Hell's Door (Darvaza Gas Crater)
Derweze, Turkmenistan
The entrance to the underworld: Just north of the Iran border, natural-gas vents feed a sunken inferno in the middle of the Karakum Desert that constantly burns. If you can stand the heat, walk right up to the edge of the football-field-sized hole and look in at the blaze locals have dubbed "The Door to Hell." Fingers crossed that the doors don't swing open when you're there at world's end. Get there on an Intrepid Travel tour.
Fritz Underground Winery
Cloverdale, Calif.
We'll drink to that: The perfect pairing with the apocalypse: a luxe wine cave in California's Sonoma Wine Country. Fritz Underground Winery's cave burrows 200 feet into the mountain and holds 300 barrels, plus 100 Chardonnay drinkers. For Pacific Northwesterners, the clutch Doomsday go-to bunker is an Oregon craft brewery's 1,500-square-foot keg cooler. Able to withstand a 10.0 earthquake on the Richter scale, this certified bomb shelter has enough stout, Scotch ale, pale ale, and IPA to go around a few times for the 300 revelers that could be taking their last sips of the GoodLife.
Caana (Sky Palace)
Caracol near San Ignacio, Belize
A climb up a Maya temple: If the end is imminent, there's no time like the present to tick off your bucket-list trip to Belize and see the last page of the Maya calendar from atop a Maya ruin. After nightfall, Ka'ana Boutique Resort takes guests to the ancient Maya city of Caracol for a private, torch-lit tour. Climb the 143-foot temple of Caana with an archaeologist who is helping with the excavation of this ancient city. Then enjoy an authentic Maya dinner as your last supper before retiring at the resort in a replica room of the temple.
Pu'u Keka'a (Black Rock)
Ka'anapali Beach, Maui
A leap into the unknown: Meet the afterlife head-on in Maui, where there's easy access from one of the world's prettiest spots: Pu'u Keka'a on Ka'anapali Beach. According to Hawaiian legend, this sacred place is where spirits of the deceased left the earth to meet their ancestors by leaping from the black rock. Want to prep for your final 350-foot send-off? The on-site Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa puts on a nightly cliff-diving ceremony. Check out the video.
Playa Viva
Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Off the grid and self-sustainable: It's the end of the world as you know it, and you feel fine because you and 21 others are kicking back in beachy paradise at this completely sustainable boutique hotel between Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco. It could be a real-world Survivor situation, but at least you'll have an organic garden, a biodiesel vehicle, a fuel-producing facility, and—so long as the sun still shines—100 percent off-grid solar power and thermal solar hot water. Did we mention that the force (field) will be with you? This was once a Maya and Aztec community and is now an archeological site.
Samoa
South Pacific
The first to know: Pack your bags for a trip to the South Pacific to find out what happens before anyone else. At the end of 2011, Samoa is switching time zones with a jump to the west of the International Date Line, making it the first place on earth to see the sun rise each day instead of the last place to see the sun set. If you're going to be the first to know, and maybe the first to go, greeting Armageddon in a beautiful blue lagoon isn't such a bad deal.
Mt. Kilimanjaro
Tanzania, Africa
Taking the high road: For those going with the better-safe-than-sorry approach, Africa is your haven. If the rapture brings a megaquake, it likely won't happen here. There are no major fault lines on the continent. In the event of a world-ripping tsunami, your best chances for survival are at elevations high above sea level. Enter Mt. Kilimanjaro. At an astounding 19,340 feet, it's daunting for sure but a piece of cake compared to the Everest summit. Acacia Africa tours will take you up.
Spider Rock
Canyon de Chelly National Park, Ariz.
Where Navajo legend says it all began: Go full-circle and end at the beginning: Canyon de Chelly National Monument. According to Navajo legend, the 800-foot Spider Rock is where the world started, and it could be an apt place to be for the world's finale, too. It was here that Spider Woman emerged from the land and gave humans (who were besieged by monsters) the ability to defend themselves. We wonder what a perfectly timed apocalyptic sequel would look like. Take a tour of the canyon with a Thunderbird Lodge Navajo guide.
The Western Wall/Wailing Wall/Al-Buraq Wall/Kotel
Old City of Jerusalem, Israel
For prayer on speed dial: Jews, Christians, and Muslims don't necessarily agree on what this ancient wall represents, but they all acknowledge its spiritual significance. It's a safe bet you won't be alone if you show up here when things start to go haywire. Jewish sages say praying at this sacred place is like praying before the throne of glory. Word has it that popes have even tucked prayer messages into the wall's cracks. Who knows, maybe a new era of world peace begins at a stone wall in Jerusalem.
Lake Atitlan/Uaxactun Ruins/Other Locations
Guatemala
The prime Maya country destination: In Guatemala, where Maya beliefs and rituals are still the order of the day, no one is worried about 2012. They're still using the ancient calendar, and Maya elders don't foresee any impending demise. In fact, locals are capitalizing on the publicity by planning Celebrate with the Maya events in 2012.
With Adventure Life tours at Uaxactun Ruins in Tikal National Park, you can watch the sun align with ancient temples on December 21, 2012, and camp near the oldest complete Maya astronomical complex. Sacred Rides is running a special "End of the World" departure around December 21, 2012, for its La Ruta de Maya mountain-biking trip. Ride Lake Atitlan's trails, swing in a hammock, or soak in a hot tub at Casa del Mundo, and take part in a special Maya ceremony with locals. Or, shift your perspective and learn about Maya culture with one of GoVoluntouring's service projects in Guatemala. You can help build a village for orphaned children, put your computer skills to work, or give back in other ways. It's never too late to make a lasting change in our world.
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