It's hardly surprising that this surreal rock formation on the coast of Antrim in Northern Ireland is steeped in magical legends. The curious, near-perfect hexagonal columns are a marvel of nature. According to folklore, the causeway was built by Irish giant Finn McCool so he could cross over to Scotland to confront his rival Benandonner. However, scientists would have it that the basalt 'steps' were caused by intense volcanic activity some 50 to 60 million years ago.
A mesmerising swirl of bright white silica sand and striking azure waters located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsundays certainly look like paradise on Earth. It’s not hard to see why the 4.3-mile long (7km) Whitehaven Beach, captured from above in this stunning shot, has been showered with awards and typically attracts visitors from all over the world.
When one waterfall just isn’t enough, there’s Iguazú Falls – the world’s largest waterfall system that certainly makes for one of the most awe-inspiring sights. The chain of cascades, which encompasses more than 270 waterfalls and covers 1.7 miles (2.7km), straddles the border of Brazil and Argentina, and flows in a staircase formation. Its setting, in the heart of a national park thick with rainforest, is equally beguiling.
Stretching 249 miles (400km) from Torquay to Nelson along Australia's southern coast, the Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most spectacular drives. Hugging the dramatic Victoria coastline, the road passes by forests, rocky seashore platforms, wild surf beaches and towering cliffs with soaring views of the Southern Ocean-lashed coast and famous rock formations Twelve Apostles and London Arch.
South Africa's flat-topped mountain is one of the most famous and admired peaks in the world. It's also one of the most ancient at over 260 million years old. Now part of a national park, it's also home to an incredible array of flora and fauna, including endemic species such as the Table Mountain ghost frog and a whopping 1,470 flower species.
Niagara Falls isn’t the biggest or the tallest waterfall in the world, or even the US, but it's among the most famous – largely thanks to the dramatic confluence of its three broad, thunderous cascades. Located near Buffalo in New York state and splashing across the border into Canada, it’s made up of Horseshoe Falls (the biggest), American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Its distinctive green-blue hue, caused by a mix of rock flour and mineral salts, also contributes to its global fame.
Most people who ascend to the ancient Inca city on a remote mountain ridge in the Sacred Valley are in awe of the spectacular sight. The most significant archaeological site in South America, it's thought the emperor Pachacutec built the soaring citadel in the clouds in the 15th century, although its mysteries abound. Despite the crowds of tourists that normally visit this ancient site, Machu Picchu is one of the world's most mesmerising sights.
We've all heard of Everest and Fuji, and while these peaks are mesmerising in their own ways, Kirkjufell in Iceland is altogether more ethereal. The 1,519-foot (463m) mountain can be found on the island's western coastline, an area defined by crystalline fjords, geothermal pools and dynamic waterfalls. It's the most photographed peak in all of Iceland.
The Mars-like landscape of Monument Valley is one of the most famous views in the USA. Sitting astride the Utah-Arizona border, the desert area, part of the Navajo Nation, is studded with towering buttes and shard-like pinnacles. The most famous formations are the East and West Mitten Buttes, which both rise to more than 6,000 feet (1,829m).
The town of Pamukkale in Turkey is celebrated for its natural travertine terraces which cascade down its hillside like clouds. These 17 mineral-rich thermal pools are part of an ancient Roman spa city. The pools are formed by calcium carbonate deposits on the surface of the water and are said to have healing properties.
The most striking feature of this Catholic church is its setting: the grey stone structure spans a forested gorge 150 feet (46m) above a river. Its story is one of miracles and determination, beginning in 1754 when a mother and daughter, sheltering from a storm, saw an image of the Virgin Mary in the rocks. According to the story, the daughter was cured of her muteness and deafness. After hearing of the miracle, a blind man spent 10 years collecting funds to build a chapel in the spot – and his sight returned. Inspired by these marvels, the vertiginous church was finally built between 1916 and 1949.
Tucked away on the western shores of South Harris in the Outer Hebrides, Luskentyre Sands is easily one of the most untouched places in the country. With miles of pristine white sand and eye-popping blue waters, it's often voted the most beautiful beach in the UK. Framed by the soaring peaks of the North Harris mountain range, the beach is Scotland’s version of a tropical paradise.
Mystical and magical, the expansive desert of White Sands National Park is one of nature’s most unusual marvels. Covering 275 square miles (712sq km) inside New Mexico's Tularosa Basin, the dunes are formed from gypsum sand – a rare mineral found in only a few locations on Earth. The sand dissolves in water but luckily the state's dry climate is the perfect breeding ground for this unique and wonderful material.
With its cliff-edge houses, deep fjords and rugged granite mountains surging out of the sea, Norway’s Lofoten archipelago is unapologetically untamed. The landscape is just as breathtaking on stormy days, when waves swirl ominously around the coastline, as it is on clear, serene days, when the sea acts as a mirror for Lofoten’s towering peaks. Pictured here is the ultra-photogenic island village of Hamnøy.
Jutting out of the plains and forests of northeast Sri Lanka, Sigiriya is one of the country’s most spellbinding sights. Built by king Kashyapa I in the 5th century, the name of the imposing rock fortress means Lion’s Rock. The only way to access the UNESCO World Heritage Site is through a passageway hewn in between a giant pair of lion paws.
The state of Utah has a bounty of scenic vistas, from the jagged rocks of Bryce Canyon to the green peaks of Wasatch Mountain State Park up north. But one of the most impressive bird's-eye views is of Reflection Canyon, a dramatic rock formation in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Here the remote canyon can be seen in all its glory.
As harsh, desolate and eerie as its name suggests, Namibia’s Skeleton Coast is the epitome of untamed natural beauty. Located between the former German colonial town of Swakopmund and the Angolan border, the 311-mile (500km) coastline encompasses towering sand dunes, crashing waves fuelled by the icy Benguela Current, and the scattered remains of animal bones and shipwrecks which give the region its moniker.
With soaring snow-capped mountains, dazzling waters and lush rainforest, the majesty of New Zealand's Fiordland National Park gives Norway a run for its money. The jewel in the crown of this magical region in the island's southwest corner is Milford Sound, one of 14 fiords. Writer Rudyard Kipling was definitely onto something when he called it the "eighth wonder of the world”.
Prehistoric in appearance, Stuðlagil Canyon is one of the world's most underrated treasures. Often overlooked in favour of Iceland's better-known attractions, this spectacular gorge is the country's best-kept secret. The canyon was formed when a powerful glacial river pushed its way from the highlands to the north of the island, cutting through ancient volcanic rock as it went. The result, we're sure you'll agree, is out of this world.
Featuring a constellation of roughly 1,600 limestone karst islands, Hạ Long Bay takes its name from an ancient legend about the dragon Hạ Long, who is thought to act as protector of the Vietnamese people. It’s not hard to see why local people turned to myths and legends to make sense of the landscape here: mist-draped and suffused with emerald light in this atmospheric shot, the sprawling archipelago looks every bit as otherworldly as the ancient tales suggest.
There's no denying the beauty of the Alpine landscapes of Switzerland, France and Italy, but many overlook the unmatched majesty of Prokletije, also known as the Albanian Alps. Positioned in the western Balkan peninsula, this incredible mountain range extends through Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. Dotted with quaint villages, lush woodlands and rambling mountain passes, this region is an extraordinary spot for a hike.
Witness nature at its most awe-inspiring from these towering cliffs on the west coast of Ireland. Reaching heights of up to 702 feet (214m), these are some of the tallest cliffs in Europe and definitely the most majestic. The panoramas from the cliff edge are jaw-dropping: the crashing Atlantic Ocean, surreal sea stacks and dramatic Irish skies.
This fabled natural wonder needs little introduction. The canyon, carved out by the Colorado River over millions of years, plunges a mile (1.6km) deep and stretches on for some 277 miles (446km). It's a picture of burnt red bluffs, broken up with bands of green, pink and orange. Lucky are the bighorn sheep, mountain lions and elk that call this rocky expanse home.
A striking string of chalk cliffs topped with a crown of green, the Seven Sisters have fascinated visitors since Victorian times when Eastbourne and Seaford, the towns between which they are sandwiched, became popular seaside resorts. The landscape is incredibly dynamic today, especially at Birling Gap, a coombe rock bay that erodes at a faster rate than the surrounding chalk cliffs.
The rainbow-hued mountains in Zhangye National Geopark look just like an artist's paint palette. Part of an UNESCO World Heritage Site, this stunning formation was created by natural erosion, when layers of sand, silt, iron and minerals blended together to create a kaleidoscope of colours. The incredible park appears to have been decorated by Mother Nature herself.
Mont-Saint-Michel is a tiny tidal island crowned by a medieval abbey and set in an incredible bay straddling Normandy and Brittany. One of Europe's most unforgettable sights, it's only accessible during low tide. The fairy-tale abbey is mesmerising any time of day, but when the sunset paints it a pastel pink, it's at its most charming.
Cambodia's famous lost jungle city is among the most incredible and largest archaeological sites on Earth. The majestic temples and monuments of Angkor were built between the 9th and 14th centuries, when the Khmer civilisation was at the height of its power. The largest and most famous temple in the sprawling complex is majestic Angkor Wat.
The surface of Moraine Lake, a highlight of Banff National Park, dances its way through the day with altering shades of soft teal, milky turquoise and icy sapphire. Its pristine appearance looks even more dramatic against a backdrop of snow-dusted mountains and shores edged with pine trees. Ice forms on the glacial-fed lake in winter and in early spring, floes often break off and shimmer under the water’s surface for an extra layer of beguiling beauty.
The Holy City, the Place of the Gods, the centre of Tibetan Buddhism – Lhasa has a lot to live up to. But it would be hard not to be moved by the first sight of Potala Palace or the fervour of pilgrims walking the Barkhor circuit around the Jokhang temple in winding, incense-scented alleys. Perhaps it’s the altitude, but Lhasa seems to have something magical about it.
