Whether affected by erosion and wild storms or devastated by fires and overtourism, these destinations are no longer what they were in years gone by. From Vietnam's famous Train Street to the world's tallest tree, we take a look at tourist attractions, natural wonders and ancient cities you're no longer able to visit, along with the reasons behind their demise.

Known as the Azure Window, this limestone arch was Malta's top tourist spot for a long time. Located near Dwejra Bay on the gorgeous island of Gozo, the arch was shaped by centuries of natural coastal erosion. Thanks to its unique appearance it was featured in numerous films and TV shows, including Game of Thrones, where it was the location of the Dothraki wedding.

In March 2017, when heavy storms hit the Maltese archipelago, the striking rock formation collapsed into the rough seas. Also known as Tieqa tad-Dwejra, it continues to draw tourists but for a different reason. Even though the stunning arch doesn't exist anymore, the rock still attracts scuba divers who come to see its submerged boulders beneath the waves.

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Also known as the Tunnel Tree, the Pioneer Cabin Tree was a giant sequoia in Calaveras Big Trees State Park in California. One of the US's most famous trees, it was estimated to be more than 1,000 years old and measured 22 feet (6.7m) in diameter. Sadly, the tree fell and shattered during a storm in January 2017.

Of the several trees that were carved to have drive- and walk-through tunnels to attract tourists to California's national parks, only two walk-through giant sequoia tunnel trees remain. Both found in Yosemite National Park, one is a dead tunnel tree in Tuolumne Grove while the other, known simply as the California Tunnel Tree, is part of the famous Mariposa Grove. The loss of the Pioneer Cabin Tree has restarted the conversation on how California's tunnel trees should be preserved.

A beloved attraction, the Duckbill Rock Formation in Oregon's Cape Kiwanda was a seven-foot-tall (2.1m) sandstone formation that got its name from its resemblance to a duckbill. Then, in 2016, it was discovered toppled over and smashed into boulders without explanation. Thanks to a drone operator who contacted the authorities, it turned out that a group of people had intentionally knocked the formation down because their friend had broken their leg on it. The group thought they were doing the public a service by removing a safety hazard.

Located in New South Wales' Royal National Park, this dramatic cliffside attraction is named Wedding Cake Rock thanks to its unique white colour and smooth appearance, which make it look just like a slab of iced wedding cake. Until fairly recently, the unusual formation was a popular attraction, located along the challenging Coast track in Sydney's Royal National Park. 

But if you visit the rock today, you'll be met with a fence and warning signs all around the unique attraction. In 2015 the sandstone ledge was deemed very fragile and a geotechnical survey found that it could collapse at any time, meaning it can now only be viewed from afar.

 

When the ban to climb Uluru, a sandstone monolith in Australia's Northern Territory, was announced in 2017, thousands of people rushed to climb the famous landmark before the ban came into effect in October 2019. Visited by some 250,000 people every year, numerous tourists who have attempted the climb have been injured and 37 people have died.

Now Uluru can only be viewed from afar, and rightly so. Not only has its delicate surface suffered horribly, it's also a sacred formation, revered by the indigenous Anangu people. They have long campaigned against people climbing the rock as it causes the local community anger and upset. 

Located on New Zealand's South Island, Franz Josef Glacier has been a major tourist draw for decades. Part of the appeal was that it's so easily accessible in comparison to other glaciers. Here, hikers could just walk up to it, attach the crampons and go trekking on the ice, enjoying the majestic landscape surrounding them. This has meant that visitor numbers have been increasing steadily over the years.

Concerned by the rapid retreat of the glacier, New Zealand's Department of Conservation deemed the activity too dangerous and destructive for the glacier in 2016 and banned hikers from walking on the ice. The only way to see the glacier now is to take a helicopter flight then a guided walk.

A beloved landmark among locals, the Honey Run Covered Bridge crossing Butte Creek in northern California had stood for 132 years and was one of the few remaining covered bridges in the country. A popular spot for engagements, weddings and afternoon outings along the river, the bridge was the only surviving example of a three-span timber Pratt-type covered bridge in the USA and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1988.

Unfortunately, the unforgiving Camp Fire in November 2018 destroyed the bridge completely. The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in Californian history, Camp Fire took 17 days to contain and it was deemed the most expensive natural disaster in the world in 2018, with the damaged estimated at £12.8 billion ($16.5 billion). Volunteers are currently campaigning to raise funding to rebuild the bridge.

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Built in the third millennium BC, the ancient city and its Roman Theatre combine Greco-Roman, Persian and Arabian architectural influences. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was one of the largest and best-preserved ancient cities in the world with the Temple of Bel, the Great Colonnade and Damascus Gate sitting alongside the Roman Theatre.

Between 2015 and 2017 the city was badly rampaged and parts of it blown up by ISIS, who captured the site and partially destroyed it. Significant parts of both the Roman Theatre and the city itself were badly damaged while others like the Temple of Bel and the Arch of Victory were completely destroyed.

For years, attaching an engraved lock on the iconic Pont des Arts bridge in Paris was a must-do for loved-up couples. Around 700,000 locks were placed on the bridge until engineers deemed it to be too heavy to be able to hold its own weight for much longer, weighing an estimated 93 metric tonnes – equal to around 20 elephants. It was feared it would simply collapse under the weight so the city was forced to take drastic action.

The grilles on the famous bridge were replaced in 2015 and further love-lock proof design elements, including glass panels, were put up to prevent people from attaching the locks to the bridge. It is now apparently illegal for romantics to even attempt it. 

The Azure Window isn't the only incredible arch to have been badly affected by erosion. Legzira Beach in southern Morocco was home to two imposing arches until 2016, when one collapsed due to erosion.

Still a popular destination for tourists, the beach doesn't have quite the same impact anymore and although the other arch can be reached in low tide, it's highly likely it will suffer a similar fate soon.

Brazil's oldest scientific institution, the National Museum of Brazil was one of Rio de Janeiro's most popular attractions. Housing an impressive collection of 20 million artefacts relating to South American history as well as natural history and anthropology, the museum was located in a former palace of the Portuguese Royal Family inside the public Quinta da Boa Vista park.

A devastating fire in 2018 destroyed more than half of the collection, including entire expositions on entomology and Brazil's indigenous people. Thankfully crews were able to save some of the most significant items, including the 11,500-year-old skull of the oldest-ever human remains found in the Americas. Work to rebuild the palace is ongoing although it's expected to reopen in 2027. 

Towering 380 feet (116m) high (that's taller than the Statue of Liberty), this coastal redwood named Hyperion was certified the world's tallest tree by the Guinness World Records when it was last measured in 2019. Only discovered in 2006 and hidden within a densely-forested section of California's Redwood National Park, visiting the tree has always been a questionable undertaking, with no nearby trails and patchy GPS signal.

Nevertheless, a steady stream of bloggers and thrill-seekers have made the hazardous trek to the tree's location, causing severe erosion to its base and leaving a trail of litter and human waste. In July 2022, the National Parks Service announced that anyone found in the tree's vicinity could face a $5,000 fine and up to six months in jail, and pleaded with visitors to instead head for the Park's 200-odd miles of approved trails.

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Vietnam's capital has long attracted tourists, and while some use it as a gateway to discover the rest of northern Vietnam, others come for the frenetic city life. One of the most popular attractions, Hanoi's Train Street, had cafés and shops spilling out onto a railway line for a long time. With some buildings only five feet (1.5m) from the tracks, tourists came to snap a photo or take a video of the trains rushing through the street. 

Due to overcrowding and safety concerns, authorities have now closed the street twice. In October 2019 all the street's cafés were ordered to shut up shop and pack away their chairs and tables. The street was allowed to reopen when tourism returned after COVID-19, but in September 2022 all businesses on the street were again ordered to close, and barricades were put in place to stop tourists from accessing it.

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Officially opening in 1971, Singapore's Jurong Bird Park was the largest bird park in Asia and was home to an impressive 3,500 feathered friends, which ranged from parrots to flamingos, eagles to penguins. The popular attraction had been open for more than 50 years when it was announced it would be shutting its doors for good from 3 January 2023.

However, there's good news for wildlife fans. While Jurong may be no more, a new ecotourism hub is set to open in 2023 in northern Singapore, bringing together an array of birdlife and other animals (as well as a luxurious Banyan Tree resort). The Mandai eco hub also has impressive plans to be carbon neutral by 2024 and to produce all of its energy from renewables by 2030. In the meantime, an exhibit has been put in place at Jurong Bird Park commemorating its five decades of conservation work.

Dublin has a long history as a literary city, with four Nobel prize winners (William Butler Yeats, Samuel Beckett, George Bernard Shaw and Seamus Heaney) hailing from here. The Irish capital has a whole host of haunts for book lovers, including the beautiful Trinity College Library and half a dozen book festivals held here throughout the year. Sadly, it lost one of its shining attractions in March 2020, when the Dublin Writers Museum closed its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although its closure had initially been temporary, it never opened its doors again. In August 2022, when the museum's permanent closure was announced, a spokesperson from the Irish tourism board said that it "no longer meets the expectation of the contemporary museum visitor in terms of accessibility, presentation and interpretation." Fortunately, a new attraction has filled the gap: the Museum of Literature Ireland, which opened in 2019, pays tribute to important Irish writers and holds a number of fascinating artefacts, including the first copy of James Joyce's Ulysses. 

Now discover the historic tourist attractions we've lost forever