#842 Skagway, Alaska, USA

At the top of the Inside Passage, as Alaska's fjords are known, in the closest accessible place to Canada, lies Skagway, gold-mining thoroughfare, but now a quaint little town. Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park surrounds the area, and includes treasures such as the Chilkoot Trail, the White Pass Trail Corridor, and the nearby ghost town of Dyea. These all commemorate the approximately 40,000 miners that headed into the Yukon Territory to mine gold, stampeding the city and bringing a colorful time period to Alaskan history. Infamous and lawless 'Soapy' Smith controlled the town, contractor Michael J Heney built the White Pass and Yukon Railroad over steep mountains (a superhuman feat) which helped make this place what it is, and the town couldn't survive without the railroad now as a tourist attraction. Despite being an important cruise ship destination, it is wild west town with character.

The famous White Pass and Yukon Railroad linked the gold-mining interior to the sea transportation.

Source: Lonely Planet Alaska 9th Edition

#843 Delos, Greece

Just off Mykonos (#895) lies the most sacred island of Delos, the whole reason why the Cyclades Islands are named as a circle: they encircle this island. As the mythical birthplace of twins Apollo and Artemis, it has always been famous and formed one of the three most important religious centers in ancient Greece, but it was also an important commercial center. It has been inhabited since the 3rd Millenium BC, and a shrine to Apollo from the 8th Century BC. From 487 BC Athens had established the Delian League with their treasury on Delos, and all native inhabitants were removed because no one was supposed to be born or die on the island. The Romans made it a free port in 167 BC where it became a slave trading center. However, by the 3rd Century AD its decline was clear as only a small Christian settlement remained and many of the antiquities were looted in following centuries.

Boats from Mykonos land to the south of Sacred Harbor and passengers disembark onto Sacred Way to make their way to Sacred Lake (drained in 1925) past the Sanctuary of Apollo in the direction of the famous terrace of the lions: the originals are in the museum, but superb copies give an accurate sense of their towering shapes which protected the sacred area of the birth. 

One of the more rewarding options is to climb Mt Kynthos (113m), past the Sanctuaries of the Foreign Gods (built by merchants who lived on Delos), the Theatre Quarter and a deep cystern for a view back to Mykonos and over to neighboring Renia. Many houses are named for their beautiful mosaics discovered, such as the House of the Dolphins or the House of Dionysus which has one depicting the wine god riding a panther. The House of Cleopatra had headless statues of its owners.

Source: Lonely Planet Greece 8th Edition

#844 Mirissa Beach, Sri Lanka

Similar to the perhaps more famous Unawatuna, further along Sri Lanka's southern coast, past many beautiful stretches of beach and picturesque coves lies Mirissa. Of surfing fame, its headland divides the sleepy fishing village from a long stretch of gorgeous sand. It's a low-key spot where visitors eat fresh seafood from simple shacks on the sand. 

Perfectly clear water makes it ideal for snorkelling, but lying on the sand or wandering up to the Kandavahari temple on the top of the hill or checking out the fishing fleet in the bay next door are equally enjoyable. Parrot Rock, the outcrop of land seen below is a great sunset or fishing spot.

The nearest town is Matara.

Sources: Lonely Planet Sri Lanka 9th Edition