If you look at a night image of Malta from space, the island is a blaze of light. Only Comino and Rdum tal-Madonna aren’t glowing like a nocturnal sunburst.

It’s actually rather lovely, but all of that man-made light has chased away the brilliance of the heavenly constellations above us; you just can’t see the stars clearly from Malta anymore.

When you travel somewhere with very little light pollution, on a clear night, the sudden dazzle of diamond bright lights in a deeply dark sky is breathtaking

Which is a pity because stargazing is in our DNA. We’ve done it since the dawn of time, navigating by the stars and foretelling cosmic events, building ancient temples to match up with heavenly constellations and creating stories to help us remember the pictures dotted across the night sky.

And when you travel to somewhere with very little light pollution, on a clear night, the sudden dazzle of diamond bright lights in a deeply dark sky is breathtaking. They go back in layers to eternity and they are scattered as far as the eye can see.

People who live in cities can usually see around 500 stars; but there can be well over 15,000 on view in the right location. The intensity of the Milky Way becomes a tourist attraction in itself and meteors regularly streak across the blackness, to be wished upon.

So where do you go to reconnect with the night sky? These destinations are stargazing hotspots.

At night, the bridges are the frame for a sky dotted with so many stars, you get star shadows down on earth.At night, the bridges are the frame for a sky dotted with so many stars, you get star shadows down on earth.

Utah’s Natural Bridges National Monument

In a remote canyon in southeast Utah, the US, a river cut through rock many thousands of years ago to create incredible natural bridges.

At night, the bridges are the frame for a sky dotted with so many stars, you get star shadows down on earth. The Milky Way at Natural Bridges is so clear that it has structure and you also see the glow from the zodiacal light (an east-west band of particles).

Astrophotographer Terry Acomb describes it as: “Amazing; there is a tremendous contrast between the bright night sky of stars and the dark canyon walls… it’s just beautiful out there.”

So much so, that it was the first place in the world to be designated as a Dark Sky Park (www.darksky.org). During the summer, the park provides astronomy ranger programmes to view those spectacular, starry skies.

What to do during the day: a hiking trail leads from an overlook to each of the three imposing natural bridges, given the Hopi names Kachina, Owachomo and Sipapu.

There’s lots of archaeological remains too as the area was occupied from 7,000BC and native American Indians also made their homes here.

Where to stay: camping is the best way to appreciate the constellations as it will keep you away from artificial light. The park’s 13-site campground is open year-round on a first-come, first-served basis, $10 per night for a site (up to eight people and one vehicle). Overflow camping is available outside the park.

Mauna Kea houses the largest observatory in the world.Mauna Kea houses the largest observatory in the world.

Big Island, Hawaii, US

Volcanic activity on Big Island, Hawaii, has created Mauna Kea, 4,205 metres of rough lava mountain.

No one lives on the upper slopes and this, coupled with the fact that Hawaii is thousands of miles from the next landmass, means that there’s very little light pollution.

Consequently, the summit houses the largest observatory in the world, with 13 telescopes operated by 11 countries. It has been described as “Earth’s connecting point to the rest of the Universe”.

The combined light-gathering power of the telescopes on Mauna Kea is 15 times greater than the next largest telescope on earth, the Palomar.

You can drive right to the observatory, but altitude sickness is a real possibility. Instead, it might be better to stop at 2,900 metres, where there’s a visitor information station, which has a free nightly stargazing programme every night from 6 to 10pm. The annual number of clear nights here is very high, so you should get lucky.

What to do during the day: Big Island is an adventure. Volcanoes National Park has a caldera filled with molten lava which glows by night and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see this lava as it slides down the mountain side and into the sea. The snorkelling and swimming are also incredible and, of course, there’s surfing. Kona coffee is also produced here so stop at one of the farms for a tasting and buy the one you like. The quality is less reliable in the supermarkets.

Where to stay: www.waianuhea.com B&B is out of the way in Honoka’a, but the place is a work of art. Five comfortable rooms are decked out in a plush but fun style (apparently, the house has over 80 colours of paint, which sounds like a rainbow disaster, but works surprisingly well) and there’s even a fibreglass couch next to the lily pond. Prices start at $170 (€125).

Take the cable car 2,877 metres above sea-level for the best views.Take the cable car 2,877 metres above sea-level for the best views.

Pic du Midi, France

Continental Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve was the Pic du Midi Observatory in the French Pyrenees mountains. Take the cable car 2,877 metres above sea level and you’ll find yourself looking down the spine of the Pyrenees as well as getting astonishing views of the dark sky, glitter strewn with stars.

What to do during the day: www.pyrenees-holiday.com makes it easy for you. For €705 per person, they will provide a full board stay in a two-star hotel, plus five days of guided snowshoe walks, five entries to the luxurious Aquensis Spa Baths and a ticket for the cable car. The walking is at a relaxed pace on “wild and magnificent trails” and you can soothe any aches away afterwards with the “swan neck jets, counter-current waves and hydro massage” at the spa.

Where to stay: the hotel is “in a wooded garden at the foot of the Pic du Midi in the Grand Tourmalet valley, in a real green oasis… Breakfast is taken on the terrace overlooking the gardens and for dinner, you’ll be served the best local produce and seafood”.

The Isle of Man has the largest concentration of Dark Sky sites in Britain.The Isle of Man has the largest concentration of Dark Sky sites in Britain.

Isle of Man, UK

This island off the northwest coast of England has the largest concentration of Dark Sky sites in Britain (26 in total).

The lack of light pollution is such that the Northern Lights are sometimes visible from the island even though it is much further south than the more typical locations such as Alaska and Iceland. This greenish glow on the horizon is particularly clear during the spring and autumn equinoxes.

The Orion Nebula is clearly visible, over 1,500 light years away, as well as the Milky Way Galaxy, and the Great Andromeda Galaxy, whose light has taken 2.5 million years to reach us. Bring a telescope or even binoculars and you’ll spot much more. Website www.visitisleofman.com has lots of useful information on what constellations and astronomical sights can be seen throughout the year.

What to do during the day: there’s a steam railway and an electric mountain railway which run from Douglas (the capital) to the summit of Snaefell, from where you can see the Seven Kingdoms: England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man and the kingdoms of heaven and the sea.

The TT motor race is also a huge draw. Foodies will have a ball trying Manx kippers, Manx queen scallops or tasty Loaghtan lamb, an unusual horned sheep believed to have come to the island with the Vikings.

Where to stay: the Best Western Hotel in Douglas has a weekend night special of €83, which includes dinner, bed and breakfast for two people until end of March 2014 (www.palacehotel.co.im). This four-star hotel is right on the Victorian promenade overlooking Douglas Bay, metres away from the beach and within walking distance of the town centre.

Setting of a Star Party last year hosted by the Astronomical Society of New South Wales. Photo: Greg PriestleySetting of a Star Party last year hosted by the Astronomical Society of New South Wales. Photo: Greg Priestley

South Pacific Star Party, New South Wales

The Astronomical Society of New South Wales owns 107 acres of land under dark skies and every year they host a party among the eucalyptus woodlands. From May 22-25 this year, around 300 people will come together for daytime workshops and lectures.

At night, experts will help newcomers to stargazing navigate the stellar skyscape, or guide participants to some of the more obscure objects they might wish to see. Visit www.asnsw.com to register.

What to do during the day: bushwalking is popular and bird watchers will be able to spot native Australian birds, brush and ring-tail possums, wombats and kangaroos.

Where to stay: there are basic camping facilities with hot showers, flushing loos and barbecue pits. Cabins are available at Cherry Tree Hill about 10 minutes’ drive away.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.