El Castillo pyramid in Mexico

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The Pyramids
Everybody wants to see the pyramids at Giza, but with the hefty cost of airfares (and political changes in Egypt), you might want to consider a swap for the equally inspiring Mayan pyramids, suggests Kelly Regan of Frommer's Travel Guides, particularly those on the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. Rent a bungalow on the beaches of Tulum and tour the ruins. Then venture west to the famed El Castillo of Chichén Itzá or south to lesser-known Cobá, which Regan says is hidden within "a seemingly impenetrable jungle. It feels like discovering something no one has seen."