By
Laura Kiniry, for CNN
Some things are just better after dark.
Just because the sun goes down doesn't mean you have to turn in, too.
Swimming with manta rays in Hawaii
The waters off the Big
Island of Hawaii's Kona Coast are known for their manta rays: majestic
and curious sea creatures with wings that can span up to 20 feet.
After sunset, many area
dive companies run boat excursions for both snorkelers and certified
divers to get within inches of anywhere from a few to more than a dozen
of them.
The water's not
completely dark: once you reach your location, operators use either
spotlights or equip you with an underwater flashlight to attract the
harmless rays by drawing plankton to the area.
The lighting adds to the
experience -- illuminating the creatures as they gracefully sway, twist
and dive in an extraordinary water ballet around you.
Big Island Divers is one
of many reputable companies running year-round night trips for ages 10
and older to both dive and/or snorkel with manta rays.
"All the boats have
snorkel guides and large lighted surfboard floats that guests can hold
on to," says Big Island Divers' Frank Hendriks.
"Our divers are also
guided around the manta ray dive site with their own divemaster, to make
sure they are having a great -- and safe -- time while being 30 feet
underwater."
Big Island Divers,
74-5467 Kaiwi St., Kailua-Kona, Hawaii; +1 808 329 6068; rates from $99
and include snorkeling equipment and dry towels. Dive gear available to
rent
Kayaking Puerto Rico's bioluminescent bay
Mosquito Bay off Puerto
Rico's Vieques Island is renowned for its bioluminescence: waters that
glow an electric blue and green -- a combination of environment and the
tiny luminescent micro-organisms called dinoflagellates that live there.
"We have the brightest luminescent bay in the world," says Barbara Schneider of Abe's Snorkeling and Bio-Bay Tours.
The Vieques-based company runs two-hour kayaking tours to experience this spectacular natural light display.
There's an info session on the bay's unique ecology beforehand.
Despite recent news
reports about the bay's loss of bioluminescence, Schneider assures that
it's nothing more than an unusual -- and temporary -- occurrence, and
the water's have since returned to glowing "really, really bright."
The best time to go is
on a moonless night after an especially sunny day, since dinoflagellates
collect sunlight during the day and then flash that light as a defense
mechanism in the darkness.
Abe's Snorkeling and Bio-Bay Tours; +1 787 741 2134; $45 per adult, $22.50 for kids
More fun than "Jurassic Park."
Night Safari in Singapore
Next door to Singapore's 69-acre zoo is a separate zoo that's home to around 2,500 nocturnal creatures.
The Night Safari
includes both a guided, open-air tram ride through the park's seven
geographical zones as well as walking trails.
You can wander the zoo's tropical rainforest setting spotting striped hyenas and sloth bears as you go.
There are no cages or
walls to deter your view (there are still barriers between you and the
animals, they're just hidden), and the lighting is designed to resemble
moonlight.
According to Wildlife
Reserves Singapore, this May the zoo marked its 20th anniversary with
the introduction of two white lions and "two new exhibits featuring
Asiatic black bears and Malayan tigers -- the finale to the park's
35-minute tram experience."
Singapore's Night Safari is open 365 days a year, beginning at 7:30 pm.
A couple of live
performances -- including a 20-minute Creatures of the Night show
highlighting the many behaviors of nocturnal animals -- takes place each
evening.
Night Safari, 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore; +65 6269 3411; $39 for adults, $25 for kids
Exploring America's most notorious prison
For nearly 30 years, Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay was home to one of America's most notorious security prisons.
Approximately 1,500
criminals cycled through this federal penitentiary, including some of
the most disruptive men of their time: gangster and crime boss Al
Capone; Arthur "Doc" Barker, killed by Alcatraz prison guards during an
escape attempt; and Robert "Birdman" Stroud, who spent the first six
years of his 17-year sentence in solitary confinement.
In fact, with its tiny
bare bones cells, inhospitable grounds and a well-known reputation for
housing the worst of the worst criminals (not to mention being a
favorite subject of Hollywood directors), Alcatraz has achieved
legendary status.
A visit to the island is creepy in the afternoon, but touring the empty prison halls at night is bone-chilling.
"It's an intimate
experience compared to daytime," says Alexandra Picavet, public affairs
specialist for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Only 700 people are allowed on the island at night, compared to the approximately 5,000-6,000 people that come through each day.
"You also have access to areas -- such as the former hospital -- that are typical off limits," she says.
The Alcatraz Night Tour
takes place Thursday through Monday and includes an audio cell house
tour, as well as a narrated boat tour around the island.
Due its popularity the night tour is often sold out weeks in advance.
Alcatraz Night Tour, Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing, San Francisco; +1 415 981 7625; $37 per person
Experiencing the ancient ruins of Petra
Located in the desert of
southern Jordan, ancient Petra is an architectural marvel of ancient
sandstone temples, intricately carved tombs and the elaborate Al
Khazneh, an incredible former treasury featured as the final resting
place of the Holy Grail in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."
These historic ruins are
stunning by day, but become dazzling after dark when the ancient city
is awash in the glow of thousands of candles.
A softly lit path
through the Siq, or Petra's main entrance, leads to Al Khazneh, where a
short performance of haunting Bedouin music and poetry takes place
Monday through Wednesday.
"Al Khazneh is Petra's most impressive monument," says Sallah A. Alfaqeer of Petra's Marketing and Tourism Authority.
Petra At Night,
Wadi Musa, Petra, Ma'an, Jordan; +962 3 215 7093; takes place Monday,
Wednesday and Thursday evenings, beginning at approximately 8 p.m.;
tickets cost about $17, in addition to your Petra admission ticket
Granada is teeming with natural and cultural curiosities.
Delving underground in southern Spain's Granada
Granada sits at the foot
of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in southern Spain, and the
centuries-old city is teeming with natural and cultural curiosities.
Play Granada's Night Adventure Tour brings you in contact with many of them under the cover of darkness.
"Every night is a
different tour," says Play Granada manager Elisabetta Aguzzi, "because
every guide brings his or her personal touch."
Tours often include
visits to the Albayzin (the city's ancient Muslim quarter) and the house
caves of Sacromonte, as well as a bit of strenuous climbing -- using
nothing but headlamps to guide your way -- that culminates with a
fantastic panoramic view of the city.
"Normally, the tour ends in a tapas bar," says Aguzzi.
Each tour lasts three hours, beginning at 6 p.m. in winter and 8.30 p.m. in summer.
Play Granada's Night Adventure Tour, Calle Santa Ana, 2, Bajo 1, Granada, Spain; +34 958 163 684; $27 per person
Immersing in Costa Rica's nocturnal wonders
Well known for its rich variety of wildlife, Costa Rica has as much to offer visitors at night as it does by day.
It's under the cover of darkness that the country's iconic reptiles, birds and animals become really active.
You can meander the
Peñas Blancas river by raft on a Twilight Safari Float, listening to the
sounds of the jungle and seeking out howler monkeys hanging from tree
branches, or embark on a guided night walk through Ecocentro Danaus, a
private nature reserve that's home to frogs, birds and sloth.
According to Anywhere
Costa Rica travel planner Gema Cantillano, "The forests become louder
with insects as dusk sets in, mammals forage for food and nocturnal
reptiles hunt for bugs. Expert guides know these patterns and can help
visitors gain insight into the rhythms of nature."
Anywhere Costa Rica Ecocentro Danaus Night Walk; +1 310 853 1167; Twilight Safari Float, $60 per person; Ecocentro Danaus Night Walk, $37 per person
Aladdin experience in Dubai
Just outside the glitz
and flash of the UAE's most populous emirate lies the expansive
emptiness of the desert, where you can experience a traditional Arabic
meal and cultural performance beneath the glow of thousands of stars.
Camel rides, temporary
henna tattoos and belly dancing are all on offer while you enjoy a
buffet barbecue dinner that includes chicken tikka and lamb kabobs.
It's a stunning and
remote campsite with low-slung tables, pillows for seats and plenty of
shisha (Arabic water pipe) for smoking.
The true beauty of this experience is being so close to Dubai's nonstop action but feeling worlds -- if not centuries -- away.
ABC Tours Acico Business Park, Office No. 901, Port Aeed, Dubai; +971 800 2225
Nightlife as it's meant to be.
Tracking lion, elephant and rhino in South Africa
South Africa's night game drives offer the chance to experience wildlife viewing in a unique way.
Kruger National Park's night game drives give the chance to spot the Big Five: lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, rhino.
Most safari companies
use open-sided vehicles so there's nothing between you and the animals,
getting you as close as possible to the action -- which may include a
wandering pack of wild dogs, a whooping pair of hyena or a leopard on
the prowl.
There's no guarantee you'll see anything, but the suspense alone is worth it.
Night Game Drives typically begin around 5-6 p.m. and last three hours.
Most often include sundowners stops in the bush for snacks and drinks and to watch the sun set.
Safari Rangers LTD, Henley on Thames, Oxon, UK; + 44 (0) 7540 577725; night safaris in 20-seat open-sided vehicles for about $20 per person
Zip-lining through the snow in Whistler, B.C.
Whistler's Superfly Ziplines offers nighttime zipping in winter.
A heated snowcat
transports you to the top of Rainbow Mountain, where you sit down to a
multi-course meal (catered by Whistler Village's famed
Barefoot Bistro) in a yurt.
Then it's time to
descend -- in near total darkness -- on a series of zips through remote
stretches of nothing but snow and old growth forest and reaching speeds
of up to 62 mph.
"We take heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping fun to a whole new level," says Superfly's Eric Whittle.
Superfly Ziplines, 211-4293
Mountain Square, Whistler, British Columbia; +1 604 932 0647; nighttime
zips with dinner from mid-October to mid-April, $199 per person
Other special experiences include: 
