Stuck in our highly technological, urban world often makes us forget nature is much more powerful and creative than us humans. We have been on Earth for a very short while and our history is nothing compared to the greatness of the world we live in.
There are some places however that very easily remind us of all this, with their grandeur, beauty and perfection. From waterfalls to stunning caves, mountains and ocean bays – these are the ten natural wonders of the world you must see!
The Crystal Cave
Where? Bermuda, close to the Castle Harbour.
How to get there? You can either fly to the Bermudas or take a cruise ship to the island.
Quick info: The cave was found by incident by two local boys in 1907 and almost immediately became a tourist attraction. It is one of the most famous caves in the world and considered to be among the most beautiful subterranean wonders of nature.
Why should you visit? A visit to the Bermudas is a reason good enough but once you see the stunning stalactites and stalagmites, lit by the ghostly neon lightс, you can hardly forget it. It looks like a set of a science fiction movie, so brace yourselves, adrenaline hunters!
Ha Long Bay
Where? North Vietnam.
How to get there? Ha Long is located approximately 170 km (105 ml) away from the capital Hanoi so you should book your flight to there first. Then the safest way to travel to Ha Long is by train (about six and a half, seven hours).
Quick info: Ha Long is famous for its carst and limestone islets, scattered in the bay. The area is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Why should you visit? Ha Long offers surreal vistas and unrivaled exotic beauty to the eyes of the dazzled visitor. The bay looks like a battlefield between the ocean and the rocks, each claiming as much space as they could steal through the millions of years.
Lysefjord
Where? South-western Norway.
How to get there? This beautiful mountainous region is located 400 km away from the capital Oslo, but you can catch a domestic flight to Stavenger fairly easy. Lysefjord lies 35 km away from Stavenger – the best way to really enjoy the breathtaking views would be to catch one of the cruise boats that would take you to the fjord.
Quick info: The deep waters of the fjord are flanked by imposing vertical rocks, some offering dazzling vertical drops of over 500 meters. The depth of the fjord should not be underestimated as well – the icy waters are more than 400 meters deep!
Why should you visit? This is the quintessential fjord, as if it came out of a Nordic saga. It is a perfect, virgin place of calm and peace – for people who love mountain hikes this is among the best Europe has to offer. As for adrenaline seekers – base jumping is officially allowed from the vertical rocks.
The Great Blue Hole
Where? Off the coast of Belize.
How to get there? You have to catch a flight to Belize City and then take the bus to Ambergris Caye. You should definitely use a local experienced guide to take you with a speedboat to the Blue Hole in order to avoid any accidents.
Quick info: The stunning Great Blue Hole is in the centre of the Lighthouse Reef. It is located appr. 70 km away from the mainland and Belize City. The almost perfect circle was once a cave but when the sea level rose dramatically millions of years ago it was flooded by the ocean.
Why should you visit it? The Great Blue Hole is considered to be among the top scubba diving destinations in the world. Visit between December and May and take advantage of perfect calm sunny weather, turquoise waters, ocean breeze… Still not booking your plane tickets?!
Mount Fuji
Where? Honshu island, Japan.
How to get there? The symbol of Japan is located just a hundred killometers away from the capital Tokyo. You can either use a car or one of the numerous tourist busses to reach the mountain.
Quick info: Mount Fuji, standing at 3776 metres is the highest mountain peak in Japan. It is also a sacred mountain for the Japanese and one of the most beloved symbols of the country. It is a dead volcano that last erupted in 1707-8.
Why should you visit? Mount Fuji combines the two most important features for mountainous toursim – breathtaking scenery and ease of access. Yes, its slopes are not as formidable and imposing as those of Everest, K2, Elbrus or Aconcagua. But the fact that it is so close to a megapolis and is relatively low means you should not be a professional aplinist to conquer it.
Phang Nga Bay
Where? Krabi, southern Thailand.
How to get there? You can catch a direct flight to Krabi from Singapore. Another option is to travel to Bangkok and then catch a domestic flight (1hr 20 minutes) to the southern city.
Quick info: Another dream destination for scubba divers and people who love summer tourism. The sand strips of Ao Nang and Railay are famous worldwide and you will find them in any top list for the best beaches on the planet!
Why should you visit? This place looks like out of this world and its most famous feature are the coral-fringed island that create the visual illusion they float in the sea. You can indulge in a heavenly calmness and just enjoy one of the most beautiful spots on Earth!
Victoria Falls
Where? On the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, on the Zambezi River.
How to get there? The fabled Victoria Falls is just 11 km away from Livingston, the most important tourist centre in Zambia. You can catch a flight to Livingston from Cape Town in South Africa.
Quick info: Officially recognized as the largest waterfall in the world because of its combined height and width, the fall was named after Queen Victoria of Great Britain by the great traveller David Livingstone. He was the first European to set his eyes on the magnificent fall on November 16, 1855. Victoria 108 meters high and 1708 wide.
Why should you visit it? Clearly a rhetorical question. There is something spellbounding about this place – in the thunderous roar of the falling mass of water, in the veil of mist that covers the abyss. There is no way to describe it – you have to see it for yourself!
Niagara Falls
Where? On the border of Ontario, Canada and New York, USA.
How to get there? You can take the plane or bus to Buffalo, New York and then take the tour to the Falls, some 17 miles away from the city.
Quick info: The Niagara falls is the combined name for the three large waterfalls on the Niagara River which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario. It is the most powerful waterfall in the world regarding its waterflow per second. It is also one of the top tourist destinations in North America.
Why should you visit? As with the Victoria Falls, there is something epicly enthralling about Niagara, about the sheer power of Nature. Be careful, you might get spell-bound by the place as almost no other on Earth.
The Grand Canyon
Where? Arizona, USA.
How to get there? You can fly to either Las Vegas or San Diego and join one of the numerous tourist groups that visit the Grand Canyon. If you want to plan the adventure for yourself or a small group of friends visit: http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/directions.htm
Quick Info: The massive canyon carved by the river Colorado through the red rocks of Arizona is one of the largest and certainly the most famous geological formation of its kind in the world. It is 277 miles long and reaches the staggering depth of over 6000 feet.
Why should you visit? Unlike Mount Fuji or the Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon is about wilderness, about the untamed beauty of nature on a scale that no city or anything built by man can offer. If you just want to run away from civilization for a while this is arguably the best place to do it.
The Iguazu
Where? On the border between Argentina and Brazil.
How to get there? You have to catch a flight to either Rio de Janeiro or Buenos Aires – it depends on which side of the waterfall you want to see. Then you can take a domestic flight to either of the airports on the two sides of the border - Foz do Iguaçu (BR) or Cataratas de Iguazu (ARG).
Quick Info: The local tribe – Guarani, named the thunderous waterfall quite literally “Big Water”. Once you see it and feel its power you can easily understand why. Iguazu is not a single vertical drop but a large system of cascading abysses, the next more impressive than the first, with dazzling drops reaching as high as 82 metres.
Why should you visit? Iguazu combines the mind-blowing beauty of nature and its imposing, sheer, humbling power all at one place. When you see the cascading water roaring down the rocks in deafening crescendo, you can feel your heart pumping faster – that same feeling that tells you you are alive! Mother Nature at its very best!
