Wadi Rum, Stonehenge 'in need of some TLC'

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LONDON, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- A British travel magazine chose Stonehenge and Jordan's Wadi Rum valley for its list of "Threatened Wonders 2010."

Wanderlust magazine said Wadi Rum, which topped the list, is in danger due to the lack of environmental precautions observed by the three Bedouin tribes that operate tours of the desert region.

The second location on the list, Yangshuo, China, was cited for an overabundance of tourists and souvenir shops while the No. 3 spot, Tulum, Mexico, was listed as threatened due to the waning of Mayan culture brought on by development.

The magazine said Stonehenge, which was fourth on the list, is being "brutally divorced from its context" by having paying visitors view the prehistoric monument from a remote area near a noisy intersection. The situation was described by a House of Commons Select Committee as a "national disgrace."

Wanderlust said other "magnificent destinations in need of some TLC" include Machu Picchu, Peru; Jaisalmer, India; Timbuktu, Mali; and the Bay of Fires beach in Tasmania, Australia.