Planning your next adventure? How about making a visit to one of the world’s most incredible National Parks? Here are three you will definitely want to consider.

Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote

If you want to see… volcanoes

Declared a National Park in 1968, The Montañas del Fuego started life as active volcanoes back in 1730. They’ve been dormant since 1824, and now the area regarded as Parque Nacional de Timanfaya attracts many visitors each year. It is the most popular tourist attraction in all of Lanzarote. Plus, it’s low entry fee means that those on a cheap holiday to Lanzarote can add this to their itinerary too.

The Fire Mountains that made more than 100 volcanoes back in the day are no longer in action. However, the temperatures underground are still phenomenal. Just a few metres below ground, they can reach up to 600 oC!

There are a number of ways to enjoy the park. A coach tour is included in the general park entry fee. Or, for a bit extra, you can take a camel ride across the landscape instead! There are two routes that you can go by foot, also, although much of the park is still inaccessible in this way.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam

If you want to see… caves

In the North Central Coast region of Vietnam, you’ll find the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Here you’ll find a number of incredible caves. There is the Phong Nha cave, which is only accessible via boat. There is the Son Doong cave, which was only discovered in 2009. There is also the Tien Son and Thien Duong cave to explore. The latter, which is known by many as Paradise Cave, is incredible in its width; 100m in some places. Like Phong Nha, you can explore the first 1km of this cave either on foot or via golf buggy.

The National Park isn’t entirely open to the public yet. At the Phong Nha cave, for example, only 1km of the 8km’s of the cave is open to the public. While this may seem disappointing, what it means is that the locals have been able to preserve the area well.

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

If you want to see…lakes

Home to 16 bluey-green crystal clean lakes, the Plitvice Lakes National Park are found in Croatia. Here you’ll find lakes, pools, waterfalls… and around 1.2 million annual visitors! Protected since 1979, when it too was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can no longer swim here. You can, however, walk along the many paths between the water. There are eight official routes, meaning your stroll can last anywhere between two and eight hours! You can also hire a boat to take you out into the water. Thanks to all the stuff on offer here, the park is a place your kids will love. The park is home to a swarm of butterflies, as well as over 120 different species of birds. Bears and wolves also live in the forests surrounding the parks, although you’ll be pleased to hear that you won’t find them inside the park.