blink and you'll miss it: the world's best pop-up wonders

Nothing lasts forever, particularly with these destinations, which transform based on the month you travel. From algal blooms to pop up rainforests in the barren desert, these are trips that are exclusive by their very nature.

Salalah desert, Oman


For most of the year, there is only a lonely desert in Oman. From July to September, the desert transforms into a colourful, subtropical city, and has been compared to the Amazon jungle. That's Salalah, a beautiful place that combines desert and oasis.  The Khareef, an annual monsoon, heralds the mountains turning green and with many waterfalls in the peaks, the Salalah Festival is coming. The Festival lasts from July to September every year. It's one of the most famous festivals in Oman with many cultural and traditional shows to celebrate this green season and to welcome people from all over the world. Visitors picnic under the rain clouds and enjoy the carnival.

 Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

There is a tropical Eden lies in the northeast of Brazil: Lençóis Maranhenses National park includes 70 kilometres of coastline and the biggest dune field in Brazil. Moreover, from May to September each year, rain filters through the sand to form thousands of emerald-green pools between the dunes. Lençóis Maranhenses is a perfect destination for adventuring. You can cross the dune fields with an off-road vehicle, and be sure to cool off at the numerous crystal-clear lagoons that spring up at this time of the year only, and watch the unique sunset in Brazil's desert.

Rainbow River, Colombia

From the end of summer until November, this captivating river is a veritable chameleon. It turns green, blue, black, red, yellow, and shades in between. The river is called Caño Cristales, and it is a Colombian river commonly called the " Rainbow River". The clear water reflects blossoms. It’s not an illusion, or a reflection: the colours come from an aquatic plant that is highly sensitive to its environmental and light conditions. A change in water levels means that it appears in different colours.

The Sea of Stars, The Maldives

The Maldives is known for its day time diversions, but at night it offers something all the more magnetic. Time of year dependent, the coast has bursts of blue lights coming from the rolling waves, and there is a sparkling "Sea of Stars". The stars are phytoplankton which create bio-luminescence. You can wave your arms or run your fingers on the sand while under the sea to cause a reaction on the glowing plankton. It’s pretty special to have the Milky Way overhead and the inky black ocean sparkling beneath you.

Fireflies Festival, Japan

When the summer moon comes up in the Japanese town of Tatsuno, thousands of fireflies wave their wings and dance through the black night air. Local people hold the fireflies festival every year. Many visitors marvel at the spectacular landscape full of lights and stars. Fireflies know how to put on a show, blinking on and off. The tiny body flits to and fro, shining in the sky. It's part of the summer ritual that the locals take care of the firefly population s they return the following year.