The 10 Most Beautiful Places in the World
The Azores, Portugal
Approximately 900 miles off the coast of Lisbon, this Portuguese archipelago can inspire wanderlust with a single photo. The verdant valleys, steep ocean side cliffs, rows of blue hydrangeas, and scattering of waterfalls create the Azores a paradise worth exploring. Just confirm you visit before everyone you know beats you to it.
Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Africa’s highest peak seems more striking than a lot of other popular mountains, because it’s an ancient stratovolcano that’s not part of any mountain range. That means the 19,000-foot summit drops down to vast, flat plains on all sides, creating it a mirage-like blip on Tanzania’s widespread topography. As an added bonus, the peak needs no technical mountaineering skills to summit, so also novice hikers can cross this item off their bucket list.
Wulingyuan Scenic Area, China
“Scenic’ might be an understatement here: This 100-square-mile attraction in the China’s Hunan Province includes thousands of sandstone pillars that are nature’s version of skyscrapers—some even stretch taller than the Empire State Building’s midpoint.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Japan
Every visitors should experience the ethereal glow and seemingly infinity heights of this bamboo grove on the outskirts of Kyoto. The experience also extends beyond the visual realm: In year 1996, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment contained the sounds here—wood creaking, leaves rustling—as one of the top 100 Soundscapes of Japan.
Antarctica
That’s right, we put an whole continent on here. Although 99 percent of Antarctica is included with ice, the landscape still manages to be stunningly diverse—surreal blue glaciers, active volcanoes, the rough waterways of the Drake Passage, and 360-degree views of untouched snow. And those scenes are made even better when an emperor penguin or humpback whale makes an appearance
Na Pali Coast, Hawaii
Kauai has one of the world’s most beautiful coastlines, with towering waterfalls and isolated crescent beaches. Just be prepared to put in a little try to soak up its wonders: Na Pali can only be viewed from a helicopter, catamaran, or a rather grueling hike.
Namib Desert, Namibia
With its otherworldly landscapes and isolated luxury lodges—not to indicate populations of rhinos, giraffes, and elephants—Namibia is such as nowhere else on Earth. In fact, its red sand dunes and skeletal trees might feel you think you’ve been transported to Mars instead of Southwest Africa.
Reynisfjara, Iceland
If the moon had a shoreline, it would potential look something like Reynisfjara. Just a 20-minute drive from Vik in southern Iceland, jet-black sand and spectacularly shaped basalt columns create this beach one of the most impressive sites in an already impressive nation.
Capri, Italy
Some parts of the world can claim such a range of natural beauty as Italy, with craggy peaks and verdant hills to turquoise waters lined by white-sand beaches. But the island of Capri simply numbers among the most gorgeous (and most glamorous) spots in the nation.
Cappadocia, Turkey
Cappadocia, an territory in Turkey where entire cities have been carved into rock, is pretty unbelievable on its own. But whenever hot air balloons pepper the sky—with several floating up right at sunrise—its beauty level literally skyrockets.
Angel Falls, Venezuela
Venezuela overflows with natural wonders, containing the world’s highest waterfall: the 3,212-foot cascades of Angel Falls, situated in the UNESCO-protected Canaima National Park. Canaima is by far the country’s most famous attraction, and the falls stretch an astounding 19 times higher than Niagara Falls. Bonus: Pixar animators used the place as inspiration for Paradise Falls in Up—so you know it’s nice.
