Dinner time in Katmai National Park

With some of the world's best bear-viewing, salmon fishing, canoeing and hiking, Katmai National Park should be more well-known than it is.

Most visitors come in June when brown bears congregate at Brooks Falls to catch red salmon trying to get up the river to spawn. Standing on the viewing platform less than 10 metres from a dozen bears is an amazing experience - like living inside a wildlife documentary. A couple of days watching bears easily justifies the relatively high cost of flying in here (over US$500 from Anchorage), but once here is would be a shame not to enjoy a bit more of the wonderful country hereabouts.

A daily bus runs to the Valley of 10,000 Smokes, a vast and barren volcanic landscape created in 1912 by the largest eruption of the 20th century. A couple of days camped out here can be wonderfully rejuvenating.

Then there's the Savonoski Loop, a six-day canoeing trip through bear country linking a couple of large lakes and a gentle section of river. Chances are you'll see no-one on the whole trip.