amazing natural places in the world

In southern China is Yangshuo County, an area that offers a captivating mix of karst pinnacles, caves, lush vegetation, traditional Chinese architecture, rice fields and the inexorably picturesque Li River, which many believe is the most beautiful waterway in the world. The mountains in the region are an irresistible magnet for climbers from all over the globe, while other tourists enjoy biking through the villages or taking a bamboo raft ride down the famous river.

Located in the southern part of the Namib desert in the Republic of Namibia, Sossusvlei is a treasure trove of sand dunes of staggering size and cinematic splendor. The pristine mountains of sand were built by the air, having been pushed and shifted by the colliding easterly winds from the Atlantic Ocean and the westerly winds from the Naukluft Mountains. They are believed to be 60 to 80 million years old and represent the highest sand dunes in the world and easy contenders for the most beautiful. While they are visited by tourists who leave their footprints in the sand daily, all traces of humankind are erased each night as the winds sweep up the mess and return the dunes to a state of perfection for the next day.

Princess Aurora, are you in there? While this fairytale castle perched atop a hill in the Bavarian Alps never actually housed a royal family King Ludwig II of Bavaria who commissioned it died before its completion in 1886 it was the inspiration for Disneyland s Sleeping Beauty castle. We ve selected this photo because it shows a castle floating in the clouds, but the dreamy mist obscures the picturesque view of the rugged peaks and magnificent scenery of the Hohenschwangau Valley below. You ll have to go see it for yourself; just don t get tangled up with any bad fairies.

Nestled in California s incredible Sequoia National Park is the colossal Giant Forest, where you can find trees that would have felt right at home during the Jurassic period. Named in 1875 by John Muir, the forest is a stand of more than 8,000 towering sequoia trees many of them thousands of years old. The Giant Forest is where you can find five of the 10 largest living trees on the planet, including the General Sherman, which is recognized as not only the single largest living tree on the planet, but the largest organism, by volume, alive today. Props to the big guys, seriously.

While it s possible to witness the completely crazy phenomenon known as the aurora borealis from any number of locations positioned far enough north, we re picking Norway as the bucket list destination. Why? Because it s Norway. There are fjords, islands, glaciers, whales, moose and polar bears! But also because Norway just so happens to be a particularly wonderful spot to see the magical light show that occurs when highly charged electrons from the solar wind meet up with elements in the Earth s atmosphere along the lines of the magnetic force of the planet s core (in a nutshell). From the land of the Vikings, you can see some of the strangest and most splendid antics the sky has to offer.

The meaning of Meteora is variously defined as middle of the sky, suspended in the air or in the heavens above, and indeed, all three seem to apply. Built on barely accessible sandstone pinnacles that rise 1,300 feet from the Peneas valley in Greece, 24 of these Greek Orthodox monasteries originally perched atop the geological columns. Intrepid pilgrims were lifted up the cliffs by nets; supplies were hoisted by ladders and baskets. Talk about escaping the rat race ... but today visitors can get there by paths and stairs that were built in the 1920s. Now only six of the original 24 remain; it s of little surprise that these stellar structure and their environs can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

With an impressive age of 25 million years, Lake Baikal in southeastern Siberia is the oldest lake in the world; with depths reaching nearly 5,400 feet, it is also the deepest lake on the planet. In fact, it contains 20 percent of Earth s total unfrozen freshwater reserve. But beyond its impressive stats, it is a marvel of nature and beauty. Known as the Galapagos of Russia, Lake Baikal is one of the most biodiverse places anywhere, thanks to its age and isolation. It plays host to over 1,340 species of animal (745 endemic) and 570 species of plant (150 endemic). The area surrounding the lake is no less spectacular and includes mountains, boreal forests, tundra, lakes, islands and steppes; according to UNESCO, which includes the region in its World Heritage List, the area is exceptionally picturesque. Even just a sliver of the lake when frozen, as pictured here, hints at its secrets and allure.

It s possible that the only way you could improve upon the stunning spectacle of the fairy chimney pinnacles found in central Turkey s Cappadocia region is by enhancing the already surreal scene with some hot air balloons. But balloons or not, G?reme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia as the area is officially called is a marvel. Located on the Central Anatolia plateau, the volcanic landscape has teamed up with the forces of erosion to create the ridges, valleys and towers that have provided a rich backdrop to a fascinating human history since at least the 4th century. Within many of the towering pinnacles are caves which house domestic dwellings and churches, many with intact frescoes; while below the ground are expansive subterranean cities one which extends five levels down and once harbored 20,000 people. It is one of world s most striking and largest cave dwelling complexes and offers impeccable examples of post iconoclastic Byzantine art. Oh, and bonus points for being able to stay in a cool cave hotel if you visit.

The largest living structure on the globe, the Great Barrier Reef is comprised of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands; it stretches more than 1,400 miles long the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Within its 133,000 square miles, the array of life is almost hard to fathom. Amongst the tangle of colorful reefs, more than 600 types of coral reside along with more than 100 species of jellyfish, 1,625 types of fish, 133 varieties of sharks and rays, and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins. That s a lot of sea creatures! It is one of the most complex ecosystems around; it s diversity is only matched by its physical beauty. Plus: heart shaped reefs (swoon!).

Off the west coast of Scotland travelers can find the Isle of Skye, an island dominated by the dramatically dark and jagged Cullins mountain range, which provides for an abundance of geologic nooks and crannies. At the foot of the mountains between the Glen Brittle Forest and the Glen Brittle Beach are the magical Fairy Pools that lure visitors from across the globe. As the River Brittle dances and shimmies to the sea, it creates waterfalls, streamlets, stepping stones and pools of crystal blue water surrounded by ferns, heather and lichen. So lovely is the array that, apparently, the fairies have made the pools their swimming spots of choice. And speaking of swimming, you are allowed; but brace yourself for a wee bit of shock. Local swimmers have described the pools as within the usual Scottish temperature range: cold, bastard cold or freezing.