Cuba (Cuba)
Cigar-chomping jefe Fidel Castro is in ill health, and when he dies, the future of this tropical Communist relic will be uncertain. All those vintage hot rods might soon be replaced by late-model Fords and Chryslers, and that would be a shame.

Venice (Venice)
Italy has taken extraordinary measures to preserve one of the world’s most beautiful cities, including the controversial Project Moses, which may never see completion. Even if it does, the floating city has been rapidly declining in population and might one day become more theme park than living municipality.

Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
Whether it’s caused by global warming or another factor, it’s widely agreed that the snows atop Tanzania’s fabled peak are dissipating. It will be a sad day indeed when hardy trekkers can no longer have a snowball fight on the rooftop of Africa.

Ruined Ruins
Revered archaeological ruins, from Peru’s Machu Picchu to Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, are in danger of being loved to death by too much tourism. Is it really necessary to offer helicopter tours of these ancient sites?

Galapagos Islands (Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands)
Ecuador’s fragile archipelago made legendary by Darwin has been under threat for hundreds of years – from pirates, errant weather and introduced species such as dogs and goats. But it’s still possible to visit these magical islands without leaving a destructive footprint.

South Pacific atolls (Pacific)
Tiny, low-lying countries such as Kiribati may be the canaries in the coalmine for global warming. If melting polar ice caps cause ocean levels to rise just a little, that could spell devastation for these fragile places that sit just a few feet above sea level.

Glaciers
Speaking of which, the earth’s frozen polar continents are crumbling at an alarming rate. So take an Arctic or Antarctic cruise, a dogsled expedition in the Yukon or a trek through Tierra del Fuego while you still can.

Rainforests
But if you really want to save the glaciers, first you must help preserve the “lungs” of the earth. Donate to a reputable organization like the World Land Trust, or sign up at i-to-i.com for a volunteer placement in the jungle. A rewarding, if grimy, way to spend a vacation.

Coral reefs
Without smoking something powerful, the only way to feel like you’re inside a rainbow is to dive or snorkel through a vibrant coral reef. But too many are vanishing. So find a well-managed reef, take a dive and feel transformed.

The pristine
As our world becomes more urban and the road less travelled becomes the beaten track, there are fewer places left unmarked by tourism or development. So travellers like me reach out to the more exotic and remote, and over time, the unspoiled spoils.