It should come as no surprise that this stunning 17-mile (27km) stretch of coastline along Kauai’s North Shore featured in the Jurassic Park movies. The sharp-ridged emerald cliffs look positively primordial as they rise dramatically from the Pacific Ocean. The ancient Hawaiians built settlements in the deep narrow valleys, living off the food they could grow or catch from the sea. Even today many of the most beautiful beaches here can only be reached by boat.

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Ranked: North America’s most beautiful attractions