It’s never easy to whittle down the world’s wonder and beauty into a neat list. But with so many incredible places to visit, we wanted to highlight some of the most spectacularly beautiful.
From ancient (and not-so-ancient) cities to paradise islands, magnificent mountain ranges, and Martian landscapes, here are 23 of the most beautiful places on Earth.
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1. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Japan
On the west side of Kyoto, in a village called Sagano, you’ll find a glorious green grove of towering bamboo through which a winding pathway will guide you. There’s an incredibly ethereal and serene feel to this place; walking through the bright green bamboo corridors is otherworldly.
Bright, sunny days are best to visit, with dappled light shimmering through the bamboo as they gently sway in the breeze.
2. Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
Plitvice Lakes is a stunning national park in central Croatia. It’s an Eden of vibrant native forests and magnificent rivers, lakes, and waterfalls that are famous for their unbelievably beautiful bright hue, caused by a particular algae that flourishes here.
A top tip – as beautiful as it is here in summer, if you get the chance, go to see it in the snow. It’s breathtaking!
3. Sossusvlei, Namibia
The deep orange dunes, creamy salt pans, and skeletal acacia remains here in the Namib-Naukluft National Park are almost Martian-like in appearance. And the landscape is so vast and barren that it really does feel like stepping foot on another planet.
But sparse as the landscape is, it’s also incredibly beautiful, with the contrast between dunes, salts, and sky creating some truly wonderful scenes.
4. Torres del Paine, Argentina
Down in the southernmost part of Argentina, Patagonia is an awe-inspiring area of immense natural beauty covering some 260,000 square miles. Torres del Paine is one of its most stunning national parks.
Virgin forests, gargantuan bright blue glaciers, snow-capped granite peaks, gushing rivers, volcanoes, and more. This remote region is breathtaking for far more reasons than just its altitude!
5. Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
So beautiful that they’ve featured in no less than seven blockbuster films, the Cliffs of Moher on Ireland’s west coast are mystical, moody, and even a little ominous (they weren’t called the Cliffs of Insanity in The Princess Bride for nothing!).
A far cry from the white sands and turquoise seas that so often feature on lists like these, the cliffs are of a wild and windswept beauty that’s in its own class. Just bring a raincoat.
6. Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe
Part of the Zambezi River and majestically straddling the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Victoria Falls (or Mosi-oa-Tunya) are a vast sheet of powerful falling water spanning almost 2km. It creates a beautiful iridescent mist that can be seen from 20km away.
The falls themselves are spectacular, of course. But what takes them to the next level is the interaction between the sun and the water, with the spray and mist helping to create multiple beautiful rainbows everywhere you look.
7. Cappadocia, Turkey
Like a fantasy landscape, Cappadocia’s surreal “fairy chimneys” are now a truly iconic and internationally recognisable sight. This golden landscape is out of this world, and to make things even more beautiful, a hot air balloon is one of the best ways to witness its beauty.
Even from the ground, the scores of brightly-coloured hot air balloons floating dreamily over the towering rock formations are like a dream. From the air, it’s simply breathtaking.
8. Coron, Philippines
In northern Palawan, an already outrageously beautiful place, there exists the pinnacle of Philippine paradise. Coron is made up of Coron Island itself, as well as a part of Busunga Island and approximately 50 little off-bay islets surrounding the two.
This is a place of lush forests and blue lagoons, tropical fish, and white sands. The main islands have lots of high points from which you can enjoy magnificent views down over the crystal clear, bright blue waters and emerald green islets.
9. Lofoten Islands, Norway
Norway’s beautiful Lofoten archipelago, up in the Arctic Circle, is a bucket-list destination for those who love untamed nature, untouched beaches, and unbelievably dramatic peaks and cliffs. From orcas and eagles to Vikings and trolls, the islands have sights and stories in spades and are one of Europe’s most spectacular destinations.
In summer, the islands are bathed in the golden light of the midnight sun. And, in winter, they’re the perfect ice-clad place from which to witness the natural sorcery that is the Aurora Borealis.
10. Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Also known as the Four Kings, Raja Ampat is a tropical oasis set in the centre of what’s known as the Coral Triangle – an area of incredible underwater beauty, home to some 500 species of reef-building corals.
From the surface, the islands are stunning: four large islands and over 1,500 small ones, jutting high out of the azure waters at the intersection of the Indian and Pacific oceans. Underwater, they’re something else. Widely considered one of the greatest places on Earth to dive or snorkel, the marine life here is surreal and indescribably beautiful.
11. Machu Picchu, Peru
High in the Andes, a mind-blowing archaeological site is as fascinating and captivating as it is beautiful. Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel, built in the 1400s and surrounded by jagged mist-covered peaks as far as the eye can see.
The ruins include temples, terraces, and palaces, and are a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Inca people. Whether you want to hike in the footsteps of the Incas for four days to get there, or simply take a train and bus, this is an unmissable site (and one of the best sunrises you’ll ever witness).
12. Banff National Park, Canada
Turquoise glacial lakes, towering forests of Douglas fir and trembling aspen, imposing mountainscapes, and an abundance of wildlife; Banff is pure Canadian heaven for outdoors enthusiasts. It might be most famous as a ski and snowboarding resort, but Banff is heavenly all year round.
In spring, you can witness everything come back to life in a burst after a long, cold winter. In the height of summer, you can swim, paddle and hike in warm weather and vibrant natural beauty. And, in autumn, the whole world here turns into a stunning montage of warm rusts and orange. Whatever time of year you visit, you’ll see Banff’s beauty.
13. Antelope Canyon, Arizona USA
Antelope Canyon is an incredible natural phenomenon and one of the world’s most famous and beautiful hiking (and photography) destinations. Located on Navajo land, the canyon was formed over millennia by the erosion of the area’s golden sandstone due to powerful flash floods in the monsoon season.
The erosion deepened and smoothed the stone into incredible curved and fluid corridors of stone. These interplay with the bright shafts of the Arizona sun to create surreal, resplendent colourscapes of pinks, oranges, and reds.
14. Iceland
It’s difficult to choose any one particular beauty spot in Iceland, such is the country’s incredible beauty – and since the island is so navigable that you can easily see all of its most outstanding sights in a week or two, we’re including the whole country.
From the steamy, dreamy beauty of the blue lagoon and the ice caves of Vatnajökull National Park to the basalt columns of Reynisfjara or the thundering waterfalls in Seljalandsfoss or Dynjandi, Iceland is non-stop natural beauty.
15. Venice, Italy
As far as cities go, Venice is about as beautiful as one can be. It’s a city of opulence and drama, art and theatre, where every detail seems to have been planned to be as intricate and beautiful as possible. From the gondolas gliding through its canals to the grand palazzos and the magnificent arch bridges, Venice, for its visitors, is like a dream.
16. Jungfraujoch, Swiss Alps
Often referred to as the “Top of Europe”, Jungfraujoch is pure and unadulterated Alpine bliss. High up in the beautiful Grindlewald region of Switzerland, Jungfraujoch is home to Europe’s highest railway station and is the epitome of the glorious Swiss landscape.
Whether you’re here for winter sports and white peaks or glorious summer days and glacial waters, you’ll be bowled over by the breathtaking beauty here.
17. The Amazon Rainforest, Brazil
One of the most important and beautiful ecosystems on Earth, the Amazon Rainforest is often referred to as ‘the Lungs of the Earth’ because of its sheer size – it’s home to some 400 billion trees.
Among those trees and within its arterial river, you’ll find an incredible range of exotic and endangered animals, including jaguars, sloths, pink dolphins, macaws, spider monkeys, and beautiful – but highly venomous – poison dart frogs.
18. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Formed by a now-extinct volcano and surrounded by an aquamarine, coral-fringed lagoon, Bora Bora (also called ‘The Pearl of the Pacific’) is a honeymoon heaven for good reason.
It’s about as remote and as ‘paradise’ as a remote paradise island can be, and with little major development getting in the way of the blissful island vistas. To see it at its best, stay in one of the island’s iconic thatched overwater bungalows.
19. Outer Hebrides, Scotland
In parts rugged and about as ‘Scottish’ a landscape as you can imagine, in other parts akin to Bahaman beaches, the Outer Hebrides are outstandingly beautiful and full of fascinating history, archaeology, and culture.
Spend a morning in the mountains, an afternoon on a white sand beach, and an evening in a local pub listening to traditional music.
20. The Serengeti, Tanzania
The wild beauty of this vast (and sometimes scary) African region, national park and ecosystem is a moving thing to experience. You’ve probably seen images of elephants and giraffes under umbrella thorn trees, silhouetted by a flame-red sky at sunset.
You’ve likely watched hours of footage of the place, gently narrated by Sir David Attenborough. But to truly appreciate the sheer vastness and majesty of the Serengeti, it simply must be seen in person, from the back of a safari vehicle.
21. Petra, Jordan
The ancient city of Petra is an incredible and humbling sight to see, with its temples and tombs painstakingly carved into rose-coloured rock. It’s not only the scale and beauty of the place but the thoughts of what it took to create it that will blow you away here.
At one time, the capital of the Nabataean people, Petra is now a wonderful testament to their incredible feats of engineering.
22. Amalfi Coast, Italy
A 34-mile stretch of stunning Italian coastline in Campania, in the southwest of Italy, the Amalfi Coast is a glamorous, lemon-scented Mediterranean paradise.
From the multicoloured higgledy-piggledy cliffside villages to sun-soaked beaches and incredible views, it’s no wonder the coast has featured heavily in Hollywood movies and regularly appears on road trip bucket lists. The Amalfi Coast has quintessential Italian beauty, with a laid-back Italian lifestyle to match.
23. The Maldives
The Maldives are a series of low-lying coral atoll islands that sit atop an ancient underwater volcanic mountain range, creating pristine beaches and beautiful bright blue lagoons that are beautiful for swimming, snorkelling, and diving.
The marine life here is incredible with lots of whale sharks, turtles, dolphins, manta rays, and even hammerhead sharks passing through. But if all you want to do is bask in the sunshine on some white sands, you couldn’t choose a better place to do just that.
Final thoughts…
Whether your dream destination is sun-drenched and tropical, ice-capped and hikeable, or even rock-carved and archaeological, our beautiful planet has every brand of beauty imaginable, and in spades.
We hope our list of the most beautiful places on Earth has given you some inspiration for where you might like to travel next…and, by all means, feel free to take us with you.
Have you been to any – or many – of these stunning locations? Or somewhere that’s just as beautiful as these? Let us know in the comments below – as always, we love to hear your thoughts.