Hike, climb, cycle, surf, canoe... there are countless ways to explore a country if you've got a taste for adventure. But which of these pulse-quickening experiences fall into the 'don't-leave-without' category?

In this excerpt from Lonely Planet’s Atlas of Adventure, we look at some of the action-packed activities that define a destination, from kayaking through sea caves in Vietnam to paragliding over beaches in Turkey.

The head-spinning view from Zion National Park's Angels Landing © evenfh / Getty Images

1. Don’t leave the USA without...

Hiking Zion National Park’s Angels Landing Trail – just 8km long, but utterly unforgettable. The last 100m traverses a ledgy via ferrata route to a pedestal smack in the middle of the canyon, 460m above the canyon floor and the Virgin River below. Not for the faint of heart or the acrophobic.

2. Don’t leave Australia without…

Riding Mt Buller’s 40km Australian Alpine Epic Trail in the Victorian highlands – the only track in the country granted official ‘epic’ status by the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA).

Kayak is a great way to get around in Vietnam's extraordinary Halong Bay © TonyNg / Shutterstock

3. Don’t leave Vietnam without...

Kayaking through sea caves and arches in Halong Bay. Many Halong tour boats carry kayaks, or they can be hired from operators and hotels on Cat Ba Island.

4. Don’t leave Guatemala without…

Hiking 60km into Petén jungle to the spectacular ruins of El Mirador, a fascinating, largely unexcavated Mayan city. The vast Maya Biosphere Reserve is one of the most ecologically diverse regions in the world, home to giant anteaters, scarlet macaws, jaguars and pumas, plus hundreds of unique plants and trees.

The Buddhist temple complex of Borobudur is a highlight of a visit to Indonesia © Jokoleo / Getty Images

5. Don’t leave Indonesia without…

Climbing ancient Borobudur. The world’s largest Buddhist monument features massive temple spires that sprout from the Kedu Plain valley floor, all set against a backdrop of countless volcanic peaks, including the volatile Mt Merapi.

6. Don’t leave Brazil without…

Taking a tandem hang-gliding flight from Pedra Bonita over Rio de Janeiro, landing on a beach below. Check that the operator is certified by the Brazilian Hang-Gliding Association.

You'll need an exceptional sense of balance to do a passing impression of the fabled fishermen of Inle Lake, Myanmar © Sergwsq / Getty Images

7. Don’t leave Myanmar without…

Learning how to paddle a skiff with one leg across Inle Lake. Fishermen here are famous for paddling their watercraft with one leg while they toss their large nets into the water with both hands. It’s even more difficult than it looks.

8. Don’t leave Cambodia without…

Cycling around Angkor Wat, a 12th-century World Heritage-listed monument and the world’s largest religious site, close to Siem Reap. Ride from crumbling tower to ancient pagoda to serene pond, basking in boundless positive vibes.

Iceland is the only place in the world where you can explore the magma chamber of a volcano © sergemi / Shutterstock

9. Don’t leave Iceland without…

Venturing into a volcano. Iceland is home to the world’s only volcano that can be explored from the inside: Thrihnukagigur, east of Bláfjöll Mountain, which hasn’t erupted for 4000 years. Using an open elevator, subterranean explorers experience a journey into the Earth as they’re lowered 120m into the magma chamber.

10. Don’t leave Georgia without…

Paragliding over the Caucasus Mountains. With a range of launch sites countrywide, from 500m to 2500m high, paragliding the Caucasus is a serene experience that will linger long after feet touch terra firma.

Madagascar's Ankarana National Park is riddled with caves © aaabbbccc / Shutterstock

11. Don’t leave Madagascar without....

Going caving in Ankarana National Park, where you can explore some of its 140km of subterranean rivers and caves – just watch out for the cave-dwelling crocodiles.

12. Don’t leave Japan without…

Skiing Mt Fuji. In Shinto it’s the embodiment of nature itself, for Buddhists it’s a gateway to another world. There is something special about skiing or boarding down the beautiful, conical Mt Fuji – the most iconic peak in Japan.

You'll feel as if you're cycling across the surface of a giant mirror at Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni salt flats © Olga_Gavrilova / Getty Images

13. Don’t leave Bolivia without…

Cycling the world’s biggest salt flats, Salar de Uyuni, a disorientating, surreal and unforgettable experience. In the vast white expanse, you’ll encounter Dalíesque standing rocks, brightly coloured hot springs and miraculous colonies of chinchillas and flamingoes.

14. Don’t leave Laos without…

Scrambling up the 100 Waterfalls Trek. Accessed via Nong Khiaw village, ankle-tickling water is a constant chaperone for this 10km ascent that involves ropes and rickety bamboo ladders beside cascading waterfalls.

Paragliders get a bird's-eye view of Turkey's gorgeous Ölüdeniz Beach © Danita Delimont / Getty Images

15. Don’t leave Turkey without…

Paragliding from one of the highest commercial sites in the world, perched atop the 1960m Mt Babadağ. It’s a 30-40 minute thrill ride back down, landing on the postcard-perfect Ölüdeniz Beach. Almost as adrenaline-pumping is the 4WD journey up to the summit and the brief instruction session – ‘Run. Fast. Don’t stop.’

16. Don’t leave Nicaragua without…

Exploring the excellent diving and snorkelling around the Corn Islands on the Caribbean coast, with wrecks and reefs accessible from the beach.

The art really rocks in Botswana's Tsodilo Hills, a Unesco World Heritage site in Ngamiland © Patrick Dieudonne / Getty Images

17. Don’t leave Botswana without…

Hiking into the sacred Tsodilo Hills to examine some of the 4000 prehistoric San rock paintings – it’s an outdoor art gallery like no other.

18. Don’t leave Samoa without…

Going underground in one of Samoa’s incredible caves, such as Pa’ape’a Cave on Upolu (with its population of Polynesian swiftlets) or Dwarf’s Cave on Savai’i, a surreal subterranean lava tube leading into the underworld.

Oman's Wadi Ghul is a Grand Canyon-like rift in country's Al Hajar Mountains © typhoonski / Getty Images

19. Don’t leave Oman without…

Exploring Jabal Shams and Wadi Ghul, ‘Arabia’s Grand Canyon’, and daring to do the nerve-wracking Balcony Walk around the rim.

20. Don’t leave Tahiti and French Polynesia without…

Trying outrigger paddling, which is a way of life in French Polynesia. You can still opt for the traditional dug-out experience, or go for the comfort of a modern sea kayak, so you can stow camping gear and set off to discover your own empty patch of paradise.

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