Our world is filled with indescribable beauty, both man-made and natural. It is difficult to say whether one life is enough to see all the wonders of earth. But we want to look at 40 most beautiful places around the world that are definitely worth visiting.
1. Bagan, Myanmar
Bagan is the capital of the first state in Myanmar. During its heyday, more than 10 thousand religious buildings were built on the local plains; today, in the abandoned temple complex there are more than 2 thousand ancient Buddhist temples. Ancient pagodas, temples, sacred caves and stupas, located in the bend of the Irrawaddy River, preserve the memory of the former capital of the Burmese Empire. Bagan is an amazing and eclectic sight: the temples are built from limestone, sandstone, marble, with tiles and underground galleries – and each is at least somewhat different from its neighbors.
2. Colored rocks of Zhangye Danxia in Gansu Province, China
Zhangye Danxia Colored Rocks are colorful rock formations in the Geological Park in Gansu Province, China. These formations represent a unique type of petrographic geomorphology and are composed of Cretaceous red sandstones and conglomerates. Today, the Zhangye Danxia Colored Cliffs Scenic Area is popular with travelers from all over the planet, who come here to enjoy scenic walks and boat rides through the area. which are also home to a number of temples.
3. Li River, China
The Li River is one of the most picturesque places in China. National Geographic magazine included the River Lee in its list of ten water wonders of the world. The Li River is often called the “pearl of China”, and residents of the city of Guilin, which is located on the banks of the river, consider it the soul and heart of their city. The river passes through the world’s largest and most beautiful karst landscape. The most picturesque part of the river is an 83-kilometer section located between the cities of Guilin and Yangshuo. The landscape is adorned with green hills and steep cliffs that are full of fantastic caves.
4. Monastic complex of Meteora, Greece
Meteora is a famous monastery complex that occupies a vast area near Kalambaka, which is located in northern Greece. What is unique is that the buildings are located on the giant rocks of Thessaly – they are called “meteoros”, which is translated from Greek as “hanging in the air”. The territory has been known as a place of hermitage since the eleventh century – the rich history of centuries attracts pilgrims and travelers from all over the world.
5. Salar de Uyuni – the world’s largest salt flat, Bolivia
The Salar de Uyuni, or Uyuni Salt Desert, is a dry body of water and the largest salt flat in the world. Once upon a time, the Salar de Uyuni was an integral part of a prehistoric salt lake that occupied much of southwestern Bolivia. After the reservoir dried up, it turned into several small seasonal lakes and salt marshes. The unparalleled beauty and atmosphere of this salt desert makes it one of the most impressive natural attractions in all of South America.
6. Tianji Mountains, China
Everyone has seen landscapes like this in movies like Avatar. Such mountains are typical for the fantasy style, where the action takes place on an unknown, distant planet. But the Tianji Mountains are absolutely real and are located in the Hunan province of China. Huge marble spiers soar hundreds of meters into the air from the base. Visitors can take the cable car to see all these wonders up close.
7. Santorini Island, Greece
Santorini is a magical island located in the Aegean Sea, in the very south of the Cyclades Islands. Santorini is more than 3,500 years old, and traces of ancient civilizations constantly remind us of the rich past of the archipelago. But here the last thing you want to think about is time: relaxation surrounded by volcanic landscapes, amazingly blue seas, well-groomed beaches with colorful sand and postcard houses with snow-white facades is truly serene. People come here to admire the sunsets, enjoy the moment, and regain inner harmony lost in the eternal rush and bustle.
8. Giant Angkor Temple Complex, Cambodia
Angkor Wat, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, is the largest religious building in the world. This is a complex three-level structure with many stairs and passages, topped with 5 towers. It is not for nothing that the temple is called the soul of the Khmer people, because Angkor exactly represents Khmer art, a great civilization, the heart of the nation. In total, the territory covers more than 400 sq. km there are about 200 monuments.
9. Yosemite Valley, USA
Yosemite National Park is located on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada range in California. This ridge stretches across all of California, its height increases from west to east. Yosemite Valley occupies only one percent of the park’s total area, but it is where most visitors flock. One of the most popular sites in the world among rock climbers with routes of varying difficulty levels is the granite rock El Capitan, 2307 m above sea level, clearly visible from any part of the valley.
10. Hitachi National Seaside Park, Japan
Hitachi National Park is an amazing example of landscape design. Flower fields stretching beyond the horizon are located on the territory of a former American military base. In the place where armed troops were once based, tulips, poppies, daffodils, forget-me-nots, lilies and sakura are now blooming in lush colors. A feature of the huge park, spread over an area of 120 hectares, is its adherence to the natural seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter have their own floral covers.
11. Sagano Bamboo Forest in Kyoto, Japan
The Sagano Bamboo Forest is an amazing bamboo grove containing thousands of thin and tall bamboo trees. The forest is one of Japan’s most scenic natural attractions, and it is located in the western part of the city of Kyoto in a park called Arashiyama. The forest has become famous not only for its unsurpassed beauty, but also for the unique sounds that arise when wind currents come into contact with thin bamboo stems. Many park visitors come to this place to enjoy the special natural melodies.
12. Ancient city of Petra, Jordan
The ancient city of Petra is rightfully considered the main attraction of Jordan, which glorified this eastern country throughout the globe, and one of the 7 new wonders of the world! They say that in the whole world there is nothing like Petra. Carved into the stone walls of the mountains, the pink-red city is full of mysterious charm, as if created to instill a piece of wonder in everyone who dares to visit it.
13. Inca city Machu Picchu, Peru
The walled city of Machu Picchu is one of the most beautiful places on the planet, awarded the title of New Wonder of the World in 2007. Machu Picchu has many honorary titles – it is often called the “city in the sky” or “the city among the clouds”, sometimes – the “lost city of the Incas”. The mysterious city, invisible from below and completely autonomous in the past, is today considered the most important tourist attraction in Peru.
14. Benagil Cave in Algarve, Portugal
The Algarve de Benagil cave is located in Portugal and is one of the most beautiful places not only in this country, but on the entire planet. This natural landmark was formed under the influence of water and wind, forming a natural cavity of incredible beauty. The cave is located next to the popular Benagil beach and can only be accessed from the sea.
15. Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Majestic and mysterious, inspiring and amazing: all words are not enough to describe the beauty of this natural wonder – Ha Long Bay. Try to imagine more than three thousand islets rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin – and your imagination will not be half as beautiful as the views of the bay, which will take your breath away. Halong is a perfect work of art, a priceless collection of unfinished sculptures created by the hands of nature itself.
16. Pamukkale, Türkiye
The thermal springs of Pamukkale are an incredible place created by nature itself and attracting millions of people every year. The name translates from Turkish as “cotton castle”. Indeed, when you look at the Pamukkale resort from a distance or in a photo, it seems that you see in front of you a large castle built from many fluffy cotton bolls. This place is also called “Cleopatra’s pool” – according to legend, it was here that the Egyptian queen drew beauty and youth.
17. Rice terraces in Mu Can Chai, Vietnam
The rice terraces in Vietnam are considered one of the wonders of the world, created jointly by nature and man. It seems that the best landscape designers in the world worked on them.
18. Monument Valley, USA
On the border with the state of Arizona and in the southeast of the state of Utah there is one of the national symbols and simply the pride of the United States, a legendary place where hundreds of cowboy advertisements, videos, westerns and other films were filmed – Monument Valley. Since ancient times, the indigenous people of the United States, the Navajo Indian tribes, have lived in the valley in their huts without access to basic running water or electricity. A visit to their settlements is part of the excursion, which will be kindly, but not free, provided to you by the monopolists in this matter – the Indians. They have established themselves as masters of the area and conduct daily tours for the huge number of tourists visiting the park.
19. Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia, Argentina
Perito Moreno is the jewel of the Los Glaciares National Park. This pile of huge blue ice floes is located on the border of the Argentine province of Santa Cruz and Chile. This fantastic natural monument in the Argentine part of Patagonia is just one of 48 glaciers fed by the southern part of the glacier located in the Andes. If you’re lucky, in Perito Moreno you can see how the huge ice dam of Lake Argentino breaks through, and ice floes accumulate on the opposite shore. This happens from once a year to once every ten years.
20. Hang Son Doong Cave, Vietnam
Son Doong is the largest cave on the planet and the main symbol of the Phong Nha-Kebang National Park, located 500 km south of Hanoi. Despite the honorable status, residents of the surrounding villages learned about the giant cave only in 1991, and the rest of the world in general in 2009, after an expedition of speleologists from the UK. So it is not surprising that its underground passages are still only in the initial stages of exploration.
21. Venice, Italy
You can describe and admire Venice almost endlessly. This is a fabulous city on the water, conveniently spread over more than a hundred islands connected by numerous bridges – a real paradise for romantics. Here you can walk through the narrow streets where the charming Casanova once walked, ride an elegant gondola, and enjoy the bright sunset on the shores of the Venetian Lagoon.
22. Plitvice Lakes – the largest national park in Croatia
The park contains picturesque waterfalls, caves, ponds, lakes and beech and spruce forests, where you can meet roe deer, wildcats and watch rare species of birds. The lakes and waterfalls of the reserve attract tourists from all over the world. Water flows form 16 large karst lakes with water of rich turquoise color, communicating with each other thanks to a cascade arrangement. Foamy waterfalls, lost in forests and thickets, create unique landscapes of the natural park.RESULTS а
23. Lencois Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Right on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean is located the most beautiful national park in Brazil. Without a doubt, it should be considered one of the most mysterious places on our planet. An area of more than a thousand square meters is occupied by snow-white sand dunes up to 40 meters high, between which small lakes with turquoise water can be seen here and there.
24. Navagio Bay, Greece
Navagio Bay is, without exaggeration, one of the most beautiful and world famous beaches in Greece. This piece of paradise is located on the island of Zakynthos. Navagio is a small bay with white sand, surrounded by steep white cliffs. The beach of the same name is decorated with the rusty wreck of a smuggler’s ship. The stranded ship “Panagiotis”, which appeared here in 1980, can be explored. You can only get to the bay by excursion boat: the passage from land has an incredibly steep descent.
25. Provence, France
Among the postcard landscapes of the French countryside, there are hardly any more replicated than lavender fields. The main “lavender” department of France, picturesque Provence, boasts hundreds of square kilometers of these fantastic alien landscapes, and in July-August there is a real pilgrimage of admiring tourists.
26. Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River, border of Zambia and Zimbabwe
Majestic beauty and power, a roar that never stops for a second, a million splashes forming a cloud of steam and fog, a feeling of danger when you stand on the edge, and above all this grandeur a dazzling rainbow – this is exactly the picture you can see at Victoria Falls, one of the largest waterfalls of the world. It is possible to view the waterfall from several points. One of the best vantage points is at the Knife’s Edge Bridge, where you can see the East Stream, the Main Falls and the Boiling Pot, a turbulent place where the river turns and drops down into the Batoka Gorge.
27. Bora Bora Island, French Polynesia
Bora Bora impresses with blue water, tropical greenery and scenery. In Bora Bora they go surfing, ride motor boats at high speed, watch dolphins and whales, and swim with stingrays. At local restaurants you can try special fish such as pink tuna, wahoo or nahi mahi. The visiting card of the island is Mount Otemanu – an extinct volcano that everyone who comes to Bora Bora will see.
28. Moraine Lake, Canada
Moraine Lake is a glacial lake in the Canadian Rockies that attracts thousands of tourists with its azure waters and stunning wild beauty. When the lake is completely full, its waters begin to sparkle in different shades of blue due to the refraction of light – this hypnotizing effect is associated with sediments on the bottom of the lake, the so-called rock flour, an extremely finely ground rock powder into which rocks are transformed using external pressure glaciers
29. Tulip fields in the Netherlands
Tulip fields are a fantastic sight: multi-colored stripes formed by flowers of different varieties cover the entire visible space. In total, the country grows more than three billion bulbs per year, most of which are exported. The best way to look at this magical kaleidoscope is from a bird’s eye view: the event is expensive, but it’s worth it. In any case, this spectacle is absolutely unique; there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world.
30. Geirangerfjord, Norway
It is not for nothing that Geirangerfjord has the status of one of the most popular tourist destinations in Norway, because it embodies all the best that a fjord can have – an ornate ribbon of bright blue-green water is framed by a ridge of high snow-capped mountains, hung with cascading waterfalls. The latter are the most beautiful local attractions, the most famous of which are the Bridal Veil, the Seven Sisters and the Groom. You can admire the picturesque panoramas of the Geirangerfjord and enjoy the clean mountain air at the observation platforms located in the mountains, the most famous of which are on the Fludalsjuve ridge and on Mount Dalsnibba.
31. Mount Roraima – located on the border of three countries: Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana
According to the legends of South American aborigines, Mount Roraima is not a mountain at all, but the stump of a mighty tree that gave people all imaginable vegetables and fruits. The mountain reaches a height of almost 3 thousand meters. But the most amazing thing about it is its shape. When looking at Roraima, you get the feeling that it was carved from a solid sandstone monolith – its angles and slopes are so smooth and regular. German researcher Peter Pohl admits that Roraima is nothing more than an ancient pyramid created by a highly developed civilization.
32. Vatnajokull Glacier Caves, Iceland
Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Europe, which is located in the national park of the same name in Iceland. This place boasts unique glacial landscapes with snow-covered valleys and gorges.
From a close distance, the glacier looks like an endless snow-covered field, and if you climb to its highest point, you can see the ocean expanses and mountain peaks in the depths of the island.
33. Batu Caves, Malaysia
Batu Caves is one of the most popular attractions in Malaysia. These limestone caves are located in the forest in the Gombak district, near the capital of the country – Kuala Lumpur. This is not only a favorite place for travelers, but also an active temple, where a huge number of pilgrims come every year. Batu is one of the most famous Hindu shrines outside of India.
34. Gasadalur village, Faroe Islands
The village of Gasadalur is located in an incredibly beautiful valley between the highest cliffs of the island. The cliffs tightly surround the village, and in order to get to another part of the island, its residents have always had to use a path that rises as much as 400 meters into the mountains. Due to this isolation and inaccessibility, the village’s population gradually declined, and in 2002 there were only 16 residents left.
35. Antelope Canyon, USA
A magical and mysterious place that could only be created by the whimsical imagination of nature is Antelope Canyon, in the southwestern United States in the state of Arizona. These amazing crevices in the rocks got their name thanks to the red-red walls, so similar to the skin of an elegant and noble antelope. Located on the lands of the Navajo Indian tribe, it belongs to the Indians, so to enter its territory you need to pay a fee and hire a guide.
36. Iguazu Falls, Argentina, Brazil
The Iguazu Falls cascade is officially recognized as one of the 7 natural wonders of the world; the much-hyped Niagara and Victoria certainly pale in comparison. The most spectacular views are from the Brazilian side, although most of the cascade is on the Argentine side. Many waterfalls are given poetic names – “Adam and Eve”, “Flower Leap” (“Salto Floriano”), “Two Sisters”, “Ramirez”, “The Three Musketeers”. Crossing the border does not create any problems for tourists; they can stay in both countries without a visa for up to 90 days.
37. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
The “calling card” of Egypt is the local pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin. Today these names do not surprise anyone, but even in ancient times they were considered one of the seven wonders of the world. The largest is the pyramid of Cheops, the second pharaoh of the IV dynasty. Every evening at the pyramids there is a light and music show, during which a bright spotlight alternately illuminates one or another landmark of Giza, during which there is a fascinating story about Ancient Egypt and the history of the construction of the pyramids (including in Russian).
38. Amalfi Coast, Italy
The Mediterranean Amalfi Coast is surrounded by steep mountain cliffs some 700 meters high. From any point there are stunning views from which it is impossible to take your eyes off. The variety of colors and relief of nature leaves no one indifferent. Shops, churches, villas, as if carved from the rock, flowing on top of each other, rise up from the edge of the sea. All buildings are surrounded by terraces and gardens, the narrow streets are covered with pebbles and endless steps. Lemons, olives, grapes fill the air with divine aromas.
39. Cappadocia, Türkiye
The heart of modern Turkey is called Cappadocia, a historical region located in the central part of the country. This region is interesting not only for its extraordinary nature, but also for the opportunity to touch the history of the first centuries of the Christian Church. When meeting Cappadocia, the thought involuntarily arises that you are on another planet – the landscapes that unfold before your eyes are so unique and unlike anything else. There are volcanoes with snow-capped peaks, low, isolated mountains, rock formations and fertile valleys.
40. At your discretion!
