The Most Beautiful Places in the World
The most beautiful places in the world continue to surprise us—it feels like every day we come across a new tropical island or mountainous national park that filters into our daydreams. This list proves just how staggering that variety is: We’re talking shimmering glaciers and otherworldly deserts, dense rainforests and colorful lakes, sky-high mountains and plains carpeted with wildflowers. These incredible landscapes stretch across every continent, so you may feel a bit overwhelmed when deciding to go first. Should you unwind on a quiet Southeast Asian beach, or ride over the red dunes of Namibia? Are you craving a leisurely vacation in Lake Como, or something more adventurous in Brazil? Do you want to go somewhere far-flung, or hop on a quick flight to the Caribbean? Because one lifetime isn’t nearly enough to see every natural wonder, we’ve done the hard work and narrowed down our list to the 50 most beautiful places in the world. From Greenland’s icy expanse to the Grand Canyon’s vast red walls, your next favorite view is waiting below.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Mariusz Prusaczyk/GettyThe Amazon
Covering roughly 40 percent of South America, including parts of Brazil, Peru, and Colombia, the Amazon is the largest rainforest on the planet, and home to more than 40,000 plant species and 1,300 bird species alone. But be sure to visit the winding rivers and diverse wildlife while you can—climate change (along with man-made fires) is increasingly whittling away the habitat every day.
Vinícius Henrique Photography/UnsplashAtacama Desert, Chile
Have you ever dreamed of exploring the moon? A trip to Valle de la Luna in Chile’s Atacama Desert is a much shorter flight. Years of erosion have left behind jagged peaks, dry riverbeds, and a landscape startlingly similar to that of our favorite celestial body.
Kieran Stone/GettyAvenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
Separated from continental Africa by 250 miles of water, Madagascar is adventure personified. The island nation’s secrets include giant moths, bug-eyed lemurs, and places like the surreal Avenue of the Baobabs, where the centuries-old trees reach heights of nearly 100 feet.
GettyBanff National Park, Canada
Easily one of the most beautiful spots in Canada, Banff National Park overwhelms with views of the Canadian Rockies and a regular cast of animals. The park is also known for its abundance of beautiful lakes, including Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and glacial Lake Minnewanka—each more pristine than the last.
TommL/GettyBathsheba Beach, Barbados
Rugged, wild, and untouched, Bathsheba Beach may be the star attraction of Barbados—and unlike many of the island’s pool clubs, this stretch of sand doesn't require a membership fee. Photographers and surfers flock here to catch the best waves and snap some shots of the beach's huge boulders. It's not an ideal place for swimming, but that shouldn’t stop you from lounging on the shoreline for a few hours.
Twenty47studio/GettyCameron Highlands, Malaysia
It’s hard to pick just one beautiful spot in geographically diverse Malaysia, but the Cameron Highlands might be the winner. Located in the state of Pahang, the 275-square-mile region is home to the largest tea plantations in the country—a place of fuzzy green hills rolling into the distance, where you can also explore butterfly gardens and strawberry farms.
TPopova/GettyCappadocia, Turkey
Cappadocia, an area in Turkey where entire cities have been carved into rock, is pretty incredible on its own. But whenever hot air balloons pepper the sky—with many floating up right at sunrise—its beauty level literally skyrockets.
Patrick Schneider/UnsplashCaucasus Mountains, Georgia
For adventurous travelers who have grown tired of the crowded mountain trails in the Alps or or reservation-only vineyards in France, Georgia has everything you need and then some (yes, including wine). The best way to witness the diversity of the country’s terrain is on its hiking trails, which wind through the Greater Caucasus mountain range dividing Europe from Asia.
mbbirdy/GettyCliffs of Moher, Ireland
Few places exemplify the raw, untamed beauty of Ireland’s west coast like this natural wonder, which tops 702 feet at the highest point. And while you might know them better as the Cliffs of Insanity from The Princess Bride, in reality, the cliffs are located just south of Galway.
Apostolos Kaloudis/GettyDanxia Landform Geological Park, China
These striped, multicolored mountains are Mother Nature's answer to Photoshop. Red sandstone and mineral deposits have been stacking in China's Danxia Landform Geological Park for more than 20 million years, causing the surreal layered effect.
AndySG/GettyThe Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland
This tree-lined road in Northern Ireland (which famously appeared in Season 1 of Game of Thrones) looks like the perfect place for a storybook villain to set up their lair—and we mean that as a compliment. Local legend has it that a ghost called the Grey Lady haunts the road at dusk.
Artur Debat/GettyThe Dead Sea
Straddling Israel and Jordan, this aptly-named body of water’s salinity levels are ten times that of most seawater—note the hunks of bright white salt clinging to its banks that you’d figure for ice, if it weren’t 90 degrees outside. After floating on the electric blue waters, head up to the fortification of Masada, which sits on a plateau above the sea, for the most sweeping views.
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Olena Didevska/GettyÉtretat, France
Located along France’s Alabaster Coast, the pebble beach of Étretat is popular among sailors and surfers. But most visitors come to this stretch in Upper Normandy for one reason: The famous chalk cliffs and arched rock formations. At various points along Étretat’s 80-mile stretch, you’ll find natural sculptures that have inspired travelers and artists (most notably Claude Monet) for ages.
Andrew Bret Wallis/GettyFinnish Lapland
If your travel fantasies aren’t complete without a snowy setting, be sure to add Finnish Lapland to your list. While this northern region of Finland is lovely during the warmer months, try to plan your visit between November and March, when the trees are covered in thick layers of snow, huskies are eager to pull you around on a sled, and the Northern Lights are most likely to make an appearance.
DC_Colombia/GettyGalápagos Islands, Ecuador
Do we really have to explain the allure of the Galápagos? If you can, make it a priority to visit this of-another-time stretch of Ecuador, with dinosaur-like giant tortoises lumbering through the tall grass and real-life blue-footed boobies.
franckreporter/GettyThe Grand Canyon, Arizona
Grand Canyon National Park, often called one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, is on most travelers’ lists for a reason. Plan to hike some of the park’s most scenic loops—like Horseshoe Bend and the South Rim Trail—to get views of the rocky badlands of the Painted Desert, Navajo Nation, and even a waterfall or two.
mevans/GettyThe Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Although the Great Barrier Reef (aka the largest living thing on Earth) can be seen from space, the best vantage point belongs to the avid snorkelers and scuba divers who visit each year. If you must resurface, do it at the Whitsundays—namely Whitehaven Beach, often considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.
Hubert Neufeld/UnsplashGreenland
Greenland is icy, mysterious, and one of the most naturally beautiful places on the planet. And the world's biggest non-continental island is so much more than glaciers (although they are spectacular)—think magnificent fjords, colorful villages, fields of sheep, and that ever-alluring midnight sun.
GettyHa Long Bay, Vietnam
Ha Long Bay, located in northeast Vietnam, is beloved for its blue waters and spread of limestone islands, all occupied by tropical trees and wildlife. Board a Chinese junk boat to experience the beauty (and associated myths and stories) of the mist-shrouded emerald basin for yourself.
Kriangkrai Thitimakorn/GettyThe Himalayas, Nepal
It’s hard to find a region more remote than the Nepalese Himalayas. This sky-high expanse is defined not only by its dramatic rock formations and seemingly endless chains of jagged peaks, but also by its colorful stupas draped with prayer flags. It’s little wonder that making the journey to this corner of the world comes with such bragging rights.
Elena McGuinness/UnsplashLake Como, Italy
This 56-square-mile Lombardy jewel has been attracting summer vacationers since ancient Roman times. Today, it’s as popular for its natural beauty as it is for its luxury hotels—and George Clooney sightings, of course.
Nicholas Prins/GettyLaguna Colorada, Bolivia
Roughly three hours north of San Pedro de Atacama, this otherworldly salt lake sits beneath the towering Andes and is famous for its deep, red-hued waters—the result of heat-loving algae that flourish in the region’s extreme heat. Plan your visit during flamingo breeding season between December and April, when the birds add an even brighter splash of pink to photographs.
Merche Portu/GettyLas Salinas de Torrevieja, Spain
Pink sand beaches are reason enough to hop on a plane to the Caribbean, but in Spain, you can swim in pink water. This rose-tinted lake is part of the gorgeous Las Salinas de Torrevieja National Park in Valencia. It’s home to thousands of flamingos during breeding season, but most locals prefer to think of it as their natural spa—thanks to its high salt content, a quick float is both detoxing and exfoliating.
Marcreation/UnsplashLençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
The geography of Brazil's Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is like nothing else on the planet. The rainy season (which hits around early June) fills every trough with water. The effect is not unlike an M.C. Escher print: the scene resembles either a drowned desert or a sandy lake, depending on how your mind's eye frames what it's seeing.
GettyMachu Picchu, Peru
While the intricate stone ruins of Machu Picchu are the work of 15th-century Incas, the site’s natural setting makes it even more alluring. Perched atop the flattened peak of a mountain, the ancient Wonder of the World benefits from the famous backdrop of Huayna Picchu, lush green surfaces, and a barrier of Andean peaks that, despite the landmark’s fame, makes you feel like you've stumbled upon a secret.
Marco Bottigelli/GettyMadeira, Portugal
This island, 300 miles west of Morocco, is synonymous with black-sand beaches and incredible hiking trails—and lots of wine drinking. Try to align your visit with the Madeira Wine Festival (typically held in September), and definitely make it a point to visit the vertigo-inducing skywalk in Cabo Girão, the highest such installation in all of Europe.
GettyMilford Sound, New Zealand
New Zealand is no stranger to breathtaking landscapes, particularly on the west coast of the South Island. Case in point: Milford Sound, a mountainous fjord where you can live out all of your Lord of the Rings fantasies.
SimonDannhauer/GettyMonteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s remarkable biodiversity is on full display in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Spanning nearly 26,000 acres northwest of San José, this mist-covered ecosystem is home to an astonishing array of wildlife, from reptiles and migratory birds to countless species of bats. It’s also famous for having the greatest variety of orchids in the world, with more than 500 documented species.
DoctorEgg/GettyMount Fuji, Japan
It’s hard to pick the single most beautiful place in Japan, but 12,388-foot Mount Fuji just might take the prize. Visit Lake Kawaguchiko in the spring for some of the best views of the mountain and cherry blossom trees—a postcard-worthy sight if we ever saw one. Or if you’re an avid hiker, plan a trip for mid-July until the end of August, when the snow melts enough to allow access to Fuji’s summit.
Catherine Withers-Clarke/GettyNamaqualand, South Africa
Namaqualand, a region spanning South Africa’s Northern Cape Province and the Namibian border, is known for its wildflowers, which usually bloom in the desert around August and September. Even if you miss that colorful window, the evergreen plants and mountains looming in the distance—not to mention the occasional antelope sighting—make Namaqualand a year-round destination.
Martin Harvey/GettyNamib Desert, Namibia
With its otherworldly landscapes and populations of rhinos, giraffes, and elephants, the Namib Desert is like nowhere else on Earth. In fact, its red sand dunes and skeletal trees might make you think you’ve been transported to Mars instead of Southwest Africa.
YinYang/GettyNa Pali Coast, Hawaii
Kauai has one of the world’s most gorgeous coastlines, with towering waterfalls and isolated crescent beaches. Just be prepared to put in a little effort to soak up its wonders: Na Pali can only be seen from a helicopter, catamaran, or a rather grueling hike.
Peter Adams/GettyOkavango Delta, Botswana
The lush Okavango Delta—a 49-million-acre river delta in northern Botswana—is like a real-world Eden, where cheetahs, zebras, buffalo, and rhinos roam freely. Visit during Africa’s winter (summertime in the Northern Hemisphere) after the rains, when the savanna’s grasses are low, while growth along the waterways attracts tons of wildlife.
Mlenny/GettyPalawan, Philippines
With its blue lagoons and limestone cliffs, it’s easy to see why Palawan is consistently voted one of the best islands in the world by our readers. It is also home to the otherworldly Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that travels five miles through an underground cave system.
Karipu/GettyPlitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
If you can make it through the crowds of selfie-taking tourists, you’ll discover that Plitvice Lakes National Park more than lives up to the hype. The 16 terraced lakes of Croatia’s most popular site are connected by waterfalls and vary in shades of blue, creating an infinitely dazzling result.
Simon Spring/UnsplashRaja Ampat, Indonesia
Raja Ampat is a chain of some 1,500 islands off the western coast of West Papua. The views here are downright prehistoric: Think jagged lava peaks clad in green jungle, palms sprouting out of sheer cliff walls, and mist drifting in and out of deep canyons.
Alongkot Sumritjearapol/GettyReynisfjara, Iceland
If the moon had a shoreline, it would probably look something like Reynisfjara. Just a 20-minute drive from Vik in southern Iceland, jet-black sand and spectacularly shaped basalt columns make this beach one of the most impressive sites in an already impressive country.
Connor Mollison/UnsplashScottish Highlands
A mountainous region in northwest Scotland, the Highlands are known for their windswept beauty. Add in Outlander fandom and whisky distilleries, and it’s easy to see why the region is such a beloved travel destination. For a crash course in Highland beauty, drive the North Coast 500 road trip, which passes fairy-tale castles, beaches, and ruins.
David Lazar/GettySerengeti National Park, Tanzania
Tanzania’s portion of the Serengeti is the ideal location for an African adventure. Visit between January and March to witness the wonder that is the Great Migration, an iconic phenomenon that sees 1.5 million wildebeest sweep through East Africa on an annual, 1,200-mile cycle.
Sylvain Bouzat/GettySigiriya, Sri Lanka
With countless sacred sites, boundless crystal blue waters, and picturesque jade-green tea estates, Sri Lanka offers myriad charms to those willing to explore. The island nation boasts a whopping eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, perhaps the most famous being Sigiriya, an imposing rock fortress with lush surroundings.
John M Lund Photography Inc/GettySocotra, Yemen
Floating nearly 350 miles off Yemen’s southern coast, Socotra feels so remote and otherworldly that it feels like stepping onto an entirely different planet. Its most iconic features—the UFO-shaped dragon’s blood trees—rise from the rocky landscape like something out of a sci-fi film. With the trees’ red sap and equally unusual plant life in every direction, this certainly isn’t like any neighborhood park you’ve ever seen.
sodar99/GettySvalbard, Norway
Svalbard, the northern archipelago off the coast of Norway, is known for spectacular northern lights viewing opportunities—the sky is pitch black all day and night from October through February, due to its position within the Arctic Circle. Svalbard is also celebrated for its wildlife, including polar bears and arctic foxes who live out their days among the deep fjords and sheets of ice.
MBPROJEKT_Maciej_Bledowski/GettyTorres del Paine National Park, Chile
With its granite pillars, azure lakes, and steppes spotted with grazing guanacos, Torres del Paine is one of the most impressive sites in the entire Southern Hemisphere. It also happens to be an extremely popular destination for hikers: The ultra-ambitious can travel the Full Circuit—crossing the entire park—in nine days.
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GettyUbud, Bali
As crowded as Ubud can get, the town is only minutes from dozens of quaint villages and peaceful countryside vistas. Rent a motorbike or bicycle at your hotel and get lost in the villages, tangerine groves, and rice paddies—all of which are kept alive by farmers who tend the terraces just as previous generations have done for millennia.
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Antoine Fabre/UnsplashUluru, Australia
No matter how you choose to view the 700-million-year-old Uluru (or Ayers Rock)—from above by hot air balloon, across the desert on a motorcycle—witnessing its majesty should be on every traveler's list.
GettyVaadhoo Island, Maldives
The beaches at Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives have received their fair share of online swooning, and for good reason. The bioluminescent phytoplankton in the water’s reefs emanate a dazzling blue glow, making it look as though the stars have somehow found their way down to earth for the night—a phenomenon that has aptly become known as the “Sea of Stars.”
alejocock/GettyValle de Cocora, Colombia
Valle de Cocora is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Colombia—and that’s saying something. The park (about a 7-hour drive west of Bogotá) is filled with the tallest palm trees in the world at nearly 200 feet, which look even more incredible set against the backdrop of misty green hills and craggy mountains.
Tamer_Desouky/GettyVictoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Nothing compares to standing in front of the world’s largest waterfall, which stretches in length for a full mile. Visit between February and May (after the region’s rainy season) for the clearest views of the 500 million liters of water that pour over the falls every 60 seconds.
GettyViñales Valley, Cuba
Cuba is a treasure trove of natural beauty, with miles of mountain ranges and tobacco fields, plus some awesome beaches. The region also encompasses Viñales Valley, arguably one of the most beautiful spots in the entire country. With its dome-like limestone formations and lush landscapes, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is the perfect place to watch the sun set.
Tuul & Bruno Morandi/GettyWulingyuan Scenic Area, China
“Scenic” might be an understatement here: This 100-square-mile attraction in China’s Hunan Province contains thousands of sandstone pillars that are nature’s version of skyscrapers—some even stretch taller than the Empire State Building’s midpoint.
