Travelers beware: The Pyramids of Giza, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Israel’s Dead Sea and Fenway Park in Boston are among 500 famous sites worldwide which are reportedly in danger of being swallowed up by global warming and development—so see them while you can.

At least that’s what the authors of Frommer’s new book 500 Places to See Before They Disappear think.

Following in the footsteps of similarly-themed books such as 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, the guide is an encyclopedia of endangered world treasures that is aimed squarely at the eco-conscious traveler.

If you’re not a believer in global climate change you may think the premise of the book is a bit weak, but regardless, it offers a welcome change from the usual travel guidebook’s  tedious listings of hotels, restaurants and shops.

Instead, readers get a sampling of some of the most beautiful, unique and often lesser-known monuments and natural phenomena that they might not ordinarily think to visit, such as the Bialowieza forest in Poland, one of the last primeval forests in the world, or Little Green Street in Kentish Town, North London, one of the last intact Georgian streets in the city.

Though it might seem counter-intuitive to encourage large numbers of people to visit monuments that have been ruined by humans  for generations, the authors of the book suggest ways that travelers can visit responsibly, and even how tourists can help preserve each site for future generations of visitors.

Related links: The Age (Australia), Canadian Press, Frommers

By Karen Elowitt for PeterGreenberg.com.

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