It’s a big world, but we fortunately have many famous natural landmarks by which to navigate it. From Japan’s Mount Fuji to Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, many are instantly recognizable.
Others take a bit more thought: we recognize them, but maybe can’t instantly put a name to them. These might include beautiful places such as Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica or Skogafoss Waterfall in Iceland.
Wherever they are, these natural landmarks remind us of the wonders around us. Whether mighty mountains, cascading waterfalls, or beautiful beaches, these are the sights that make travel so memorable.
Hubbard Glacier, Alaska, USA
Hubbard Glacier, Alaska, USA
Hubbard Glacier is North America’s largest tidewater glacier. At 76 miles long and almost seven miles wide, it regularly calves massive icebergs into Disenchantment Bay.
Seeing an iceberg being created with an explosive crash and powerful wave is an awesome sight. But just looking up at the blue-white 400-foot-high face of the glacier is impressive enough.
Ships have to stay a safe distance away from the glacier but sail through Yakutat Bay before entering Disenchantment Bay. Onboard, you have a good chance of spotting bald eagles, as well as orcas, sea lions, and humpback whales.
El Yunque Rainforest, Puerto Rico
El Yunque Rainforest, Puerto Rico
The only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System, El Yunque is a lush paradise. Covering almost 30,000 acres, its terrain rises from sea level to 3,500 feet.
Within that vast area, you’ll find spectacular waterfalls, swimming pools with crystal-clear water, and hundreds of unusual plant species. You’ll see many tropical birds and hear the tiny coquí frog, a symbol of Puerto Rico.
The park is best explored on its numerous hiking trails or by guided ATV tours. Zip-lining, cliff-jumping, and rock slides are other adrenaline-filled options.
Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
Legend has it the Giant’s Causeway was built by an Irish or a Scottish giant—or both. Scientists prefer to think of it as a natural phenomenon, the effect of volcanic lava crystalizing.
Either way, it’s a remarkable sight—and only one on what is called the Causeway Coast. This stretch of Northern Ireland shoreline takes in picturesque beaches, pretty fishing harbors, and ancient castles.
Much of this epic landscape is familiar from TV as it appears regularly in popular series. Fans will already know of major sights such as the Dark Hedges, Dunluce Castle, and the Causeway itself.
The Pitons, St. Lucia
The Pitons, St. Lucia
The Pitons are two dramatic volcanic peaks, Gros Piton and Petit Piton, that are a symbol of St. Lucia. They decorate its flag and the label of the island’s most popular beer.
Looming majestically over the south-west, their steep, forested slopes plunge to the Caribbean Sea. Underwater, you can go even further on one of the Caribbean’s best dives or hike to the top of both peaks.
The forest reserve around is also an adventurer’s paradise, filled with rare plants and colorful birds. Explore it with a naturalist guide by ATV or on foot along varied hiking trails.
Mount Fuji, Japan
Mount Fuji, Japan
Japan’s sacred mountain, Mount Fuji, has inspired artists for centuries. The almost perfect cone is a famous natural landmark recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It can be seen from many places in Japan, including the Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Kyoto. Lake Kawaguchiko, one of the Fuji Five Lakes, is popular for its reflection of the mountain.
The hot spring resorts of Hakone also have many good viewpoints. For photographers, the view taking in the red, five-story Chureito Pagoda is irresistible.
The Baths, Virgin Gorda, BVI
The Baths, Virgin Gorda, BVI
The Baths are a photogenic natural wonder on Virgin Gorda, third-largest of the British Virgin Islands. They are a set of pools and natural tunnels between giant granite boulders on an idyllic beach.
With some of the rocks reaching 40 feet in diameter, exploring them is an adventure. You can paddle in the tidal pools or follow a trail through weather-worn narrow passages.
The trail leads to the neighboring beach at Devil’s Bay National Park, a hidden Caribbean gem. You’ll find excellent snorkeling in the clear blue water here.
Mt. Vesuvius, Naples, Italy
Mt. Vesuvius, Naples, Italy
Mt. Vesuvius is an active volcano infamous for its catastrophic eruption in 79 CE. The cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were buried in volcanic ash, preserving them as a time capsule of ancient Roman life.
The mountain last erupted in 1944 but despite this, more than three million people live in its shadow. It’s closely monitored by an observatory and you can meanwhile hike its slopes and peer into the crater.
Pompeii and Herculaneum are popular day trips from Naples, as is the nearby Amalfi Coast. The Isle of Capri is another natural wonder just off the coast nearby.
Blue Grotto, Capri, Italy
Blue Grotto in Capri, Italy
The Blue Grotto is a mesmerizing sea cave in Capri, immortalized on film and in photography. It’s named for the otherworldly blue light that illuminates it.
That light is created by sunlight passing through an underwater opening to reflect up through the water. The only entrance for visitors is down a narrow passage where you lay low in small rowboats.
Once inside, the Grotta Azzurra opens up into a cavern whose acoustics are traditionally tested by boatmen singing Neapolitan arias. It’s a travel cliché – but it more than lives up to expectations.
Maspalomas Dunes, Canary Islands, Spain
Maspalomas Dunes in Canary Islands, Spain
Formed by sand once part of the Sahara Desert, the Maspalomas Dunes are a spectacular landscape. They stand on the south coast of Gran Canaria in Spain’s Canary Islands.
Reaching nearly two miles inland from the shore, the dunes make a striking contrast to the dark Atlantic Ocean. Desolate but hauntingly beautiful, they form a unique ecosystem rich with unusual plant and bird species.
You can explore the dunes on marked trails with panoramic views of sand, sea, and sky. One destination is Maspalomas Beach, where photographers love the 19th-century lighthouse.
Geirangerfjord, Norway
Geirangerfjord, Norway
Geiranger Fjord is a ten-mile-long branch off the even longer Storfjorden. It’s one of Norway’s most scenic places with steep cliffs from which stream multiple waterfalls.
Deep in the fjord sits the pretty village of Geiranger, a base for exploring the area. You can kayak in the calm waters or hike to secluded old mountain farms.
The Skywalk viewing point at Dalsnibba is 4,900 feet above sea level. Learn more about the local geology, culture, and history at the Fjord Center in Geiranger.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef is among the most beautiful, most filmed wonders of the world. Even so, nothing prepares you for seeing it in all its massive reality.
Stretching 1,500 miles along the coast of Queensland, it is more than just a vast expanse of more than 400 types of corals. It’s also home to some 1,500 fish species and other marine animals such as turtles and dugongs.
It’s a sad truth that parts of the reef suffer from coral bleaching but visitors can still see areas of great beauty. The Whitsunday Islands, a jumping off point for many, are a natural paradise in themselves.
Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil
Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil
There are some special places on earth where you feel you are standing in the world that existed before humankind. One such is Iguazu National Park, a last remnant of the Atlantic Forest that covered vast areas of what’s now Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
At the heart of the park is the magnificent Iguazu Falls, some 270 feet high and a half-mile wide. They are taller and wider than Niagara and higher than even Africa’s mighty Victoria Falls.
The spray from the falls water supports a rainforest with thousands of sub-tropical plant species. The park is also home to some 400 bird species and animals such as howler monkeys, jaguars, tapirs, and caymans.
Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
Fiordland National Park, the largest national park in New Zealand, protects a southwestern corner of South Island. It’s a dramatic landscape of towering mountains, ancient rainforests, and deep fjords—called fiords by New Zealanders.
Must-sees include Milford Sound and the larger, more serene Doubtful Sound. Both are visited on cruises or by kayak tours from which you’ll see cascading waterfalls and wildlife such as dolphins.
Hiking is also a good way to see more of the park’s natural wonders. Landscapes range from lakeshores to alpine meadows, with weather that is every bit as variable.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay is a victim of its own success, bringing crowds of visitors to docks busy with tour boats. But, once onboard, out in the bay, you can’t fail to be awed by its beauty.
This Unesco site is a jade-colored sea dotted with thousands of picturesque limestone karsts. There are many bigger islets, with secluded beaches and fascinating floating villages.
The usual way to visit the bay is by junk boat but you might also join a sea kayaking expedition. You’ll enjoy very different but even more spectacular vistas in a seaplane tour.
Skogafoss Waterfall, Iceland
Skogafoss Waterfall, Iceland
One of the largest and most powerful waterfalls in Iceland, Skogafoss plunges 200 feet over sea cliffs. This powerful drop creates a perpetual mist, often with a vivid rainbow.
The 80-feet-wide falls are a must-see on Iceland’s south coast driving tours. Visitors can walk right up to the cascading water, cooling themselves in the spray on hot summer days.
Climb the 500-plus steps to a viewing platform for the best photographs of the falls and the surrounding landscape. There is also the picturesque Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail to take in.
Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
The Phi Phi islands sit in the Andaman Sea, about 25 miles off Phuket. There are two main islands, Phi Phi Leh and Phi Phi Don, and several much smaller ones.
Ko Phi Phi Leh is home to the idyllic beach at Maya Bay made famous onscreen by Leonardo diCaprio. Ko—often spelled as koh—is the Thai word for “island”.
The islands are where azure sea, tropical greenery, and white sand combine in a vision of high definition beauty. Reached by ferry or traditional “long-tail” boat, they more than live up to their reputation.
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
The Galapagos Islands, 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, are an otherworldly paradise that can only be explored by boat. The wildlife, unaccustomed to humans, reacts without fear in a magical way.
Charles Darwin was inspired here to develop his theory of evolution. Ordinary visitors come away appreciating how different our relationship with nature could be.
You might swim with playful sea lions or watch blue-footed boobies perform mating dances. Giant tortoises roam freely, while sea turtles and marine iguanas feed in the nutrient-rich seas.
Jeju Island, South Korea
Jeju Island, South Korea
Jeju, South Korea’s “holiday island” is home to several natural wonders. These include Hallasan, the country’s tallest mountain, and the spectacular Jusangjeolli Cliffs.
Formed by ancient volcanic activity, the cliffs are a series of hexagonal basalt columns. They stretch for more than a mile along a coastline dotted with observation decks.
Hallasan is a dormant volcano, rising to nearly 6,000 feet above sea level. It sits in a park crossed by hiking paths that is rich in countless species of plants and almost 200 bird species.
Cenotes, Tulum
Tulum Cenotes, Cozumel
Cenotes are collapsed caves in an underground river system cut over aeons into Yucatan’s porous limestone rock. These majestic caverns were sacred to the ancient Maya who saw them as portals to the underworld.
Visitors can feel that sense of wonder at several cenotes near Tulum. Gran Cenote has striking stalactites, while Dos Ojos has two linked pools that are perfect for snorkeling.
Swimming in the cool, crystal clear water is an awesome experience, even more so on hot, summer days. Water temperatures average around 75°F year-round, so you can take your time enjoying it.
Dunn’s River Falls, Jamaica
Dunn’s River Falls, Jamaica
Dunn’s River Falls is a terraced cascade near Ocho Rios that falls directly into the Caribbean Sea. Some 500 feet high, it’s among the most beautiful wonders of the world.
You can climb the falls with a guide, who will explain the safest way to tackle the slippery rock shelves. There is also a stairway to an observation deck with excellent views.
Swimming in the falls’ natural pools or the beach at its foot are also options. There are craft shops, restaurants, and gardens nearby if you want to escape the tropical heat.
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
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