1. Cape Town
We will start off our list with a place also known as Mother City due to its booming metropolis as well as stunning nature. That place is Cape Town, a city in South Africa. Being at the southern tip of Africa, it is a bit of a journey to get there but the full day of travel proves worthy with the city's beautiful mountains and beaches and diverse culture. We all remember learning about the life-changing Nelson Mandela who was imprisoned on an island on the coast of Cape Town and tours of his prison cell are offered daily.
Table Mountain, one of Cape Town’s beautiful peaks, is 1,860 meters high and every month at least two couples get engaged on top of Table Mountain. So go on and take your significant other on a promising hike to the top of table mountain!
2. Sossusvlei
Although hard to pronounce, this beautiful reserve is easy on the eyes. Sossusvlei, sand dunes located in Namibia, literally translates to “dead-end marsh”. The dunes are located in the largest conservation area in Africa. Sossusvlei is Namibia’s best-known attraction and generates thousands of tourists most years. It is more simply a white, salt, and clay pan.
The dunes in Sossusvlei are the highest in the world and reach up to 400 meters, almost a quarter-mile high. Not only can you take incredible photos of the wonder but also the local baker by the name of Big-Moose makes delicious apple strudel- something we all would travel miles for.
3. Banff
Banff is Canada’s first National Park. The glacial lakes in the park have some of the world’s bluest waters. For the outdoorsy this is paradise but even if you prefer a couch over craters, there are luxurious lakeside lodges all throughout the park where you can admire the breathtaking views.
Lake Moraine is a glacial lake that grows and shrinks throughout the seasons. This is a must-see for anyone traveling to good Ole Canada where the people are nice but nature is even nicer!
4. Paris
We all remember the scene in Emily in Paris when she takes her first bite of the chocolate croissant and nothing else seems to matter in the world. Or how about when Blaire Waldorf’s problems seem to get a bit better every time Dorota gives her a green pistachio macaron from Laduree. Everyone should experience the feelings one gets from devouring these magical pastries at least once in their life.
Paris not only has delicious treats like croissants and macarons, but also outstanding architecture, parks, and cobbled streets that are sure to make you feel like you belong on a postcard. Oh, and did we mention, the iconic Eiffel Tower?
5. NYC
Ahh, New York. Wall Street, Broadway, Pizza, Times Square, Central Park, Friends, Statue of Liberty, Subway, Empire State Building, People, People, and more People. These are just some of the things that come to mind when people think of New York City.
Yes, it is noisy and overpopulated, but the sunset over the ever-growing Manhattan skyline is one of the most beautiful sights where it feels like the whole city just stops to take a breath. If you haven’t made your way over to the Big Apple that never sleeps - we highly recommend you do so and don’t forget to bring us bagels made with that famous New York water on your way back!
6. Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is the most famous spot in Peru, maybe even all of South America. The world heritage site is full of ancient terraced architecture in the midst of surrounding highly elevated mountains at 8,000 feet. The alpacas, not llamas, consider Machi Picchu their home and you are sure to get a selfie with a couple on your way up.
It is called the “Lost City of the Incas” and is not so easy to find. You can either take a cable car up to the wonder or you can spend 4 days and nights hiking the Incan trail with local guides and plenty of stairs to climb. Trust us, the destination is far worth the intense journey.
7. El Yunque
El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in North America. It is located in Puerto Rico and contains multiple waterfalls and even more wildlife. It is home to Puerto Rico’s most famous frog the Coqui frog and the world's most endangered bird - the Puerto Rican parrot.
The hikes are very slippery due to the climate and it is suggested not to go in flip flops but rather sturdy sneakers that hold well against watery trails. So before you get on your flight to this lush green haven, remember to leave your Havaianas at home.
8. Pamukkale
Ever wanted to bathe like a Roman emperor? Well, you can if you make your way to Pamukkale, Turkey. These natural hot springs were once home to the ancient Roman spa city of Hierapolis. Pamukkale itself means cotton castle in Turkish and the springs formed from layers of white travertine terraces.
Why settle for a hotel's infinity pool when you can make your way over to the royal King, or may I say, Queen, of pools.
9. Lofoten Islands
Actually located in the Arctic, these Norwegian Islands contain some of the warmest temperatures resulting from an elevation anomaly. The islands are known for their fishing and small villages. Visitors are even able to Kayak between the islands. Lofoten was a key location during the Viking Age and most of the evidence from this era is in this region.
Another reason to go to this Arctic anomaly is the green aura of Northern lights that are visible- taking star gazing to the next level. Lofoten has also been certified as a Sustainable Destination which is a seal of approval given to destinations that work systematically to reduce the negative impact of tourism so no guilty feelings when frolicking around this dreamland.
10. Cherry Blossom Season
This one is more of a season than a place but you must travel to Japan in order to experience these fruitful flowers in Spring. Ashika Flower Park is a top destination in Japan during this time of year where you are really able to see the beauty of the blossoms.
Mount Fuji is also worth taking the bullet train to as the blossoms are visible around that area and one is even able to ski down the still active volcano. Also, don't forget to stop your flower frenzies and get some sushi with local raw fish as we all just love our sushi. Just remember not to ask for inauthentic cream cheese or spicy mayo on the side to make sure they won't spit on your sushi.
11. Barcelona
Barcelona, the largest Catalonian city in Spain, is filled with Tapas, Architecture, and beaches. Antoni Gaudi, the famous designer, has art installations all throughout the city, the notable being La Sagrada Familia, a church that will make you feel like you're in the artists dream world and took longer to build than the Egyptian Pyramids, and Park Guell which is far more for the creative minds than previously mentioned central park.
For all you soccer fans out there, Barcelona is home to the largest “Football” stadiums in the world and one is able to step foot on the same field as Messi.
12. Iguazú Falls
With more than 275 waterfalls, Iguazu Falls are the largest waterfall system in the world. The system is located on the border of Argentina and Brazil and comes with an old legend passed down from generation to generation. Supposedly a powerful god was rejected by his human lover and with a fit of rage sliced the river in half creating all the waterfalls.
The most famous waterfall is called the Devil's Throats and has 14 waterfalls that are 350 feet high. Not only is the scenic water impressive but the surrounding rainforest contains over 2,000 different plant species.
13. Bora Bora
What’s food so nice they named it twice? Mahi-Mahi. Now, what's a place so nice they named it twice? Yep, you guessed it: Bora, Bora. These turquoise lagoons are located in the French Polynesians and have quickly become every couple's favorite Instagram honeymoon destination.
The small island located in the South Pacific is abundant with coral reefs and luxurious bungalows with see-through floors to see the sea. Bora Bora is basically a synonym for paradise, heaven, and ultimate relaxation.
14. Key West
Not only is Key West the southernmost point in the United States, it was also once Ernest Hemingway's home. The Island is known for beaches, watersports, historic sites, nightlife, and conch-style architecture and eateries.
We all love a good Key Lime Pie. Legend has it that key lime pie originated in Key West in the 1800s. The story is that a man named William Curry who was a prominent Key West resident and Bahamian-born immigrant had a cook he called “Aunt Sally” who created the first pie with indigenous key limes. Later on, Curry became Florida's first millionaire, but we think Aunt Sally deserves all the dollars for her delicious delight.
15. Mù Cang Chải, Vietnam
No trip to Vietnam can be finished without going to the Mu Cang Chai rice paddy terraced mountains. The terraced mountains are also filled with streams and lush green hilltops. The locals created the cultural heritage fields throughout generations.
The area is very off the beaten path, but aren’t all great destinations truly destinations? Visitors can trek the terraced hills or dirt bike through the mountains all while having the best fresh rice known to man.
16. Sarakiniko
Sisterhood of the traveling pants got us all wanting to go to Greece and fall in love with our own Costas. But if you do go to Greece, make sure to go to Sarakiniko beach, referred to by the locals as lunar due to its moonscape land. The beach has volcanic rock that has been shaped by the erosion from waves and northern wind giving the beach its bone-white sand.
The Aegean has the famous party beach of Mykonos and the romantic island of Santorini but nothing will beat going to the beach and feeling like you're on the moon.
17. Deception Island
The name may be scary, but we promise you won’t feel deceived for long on this Antarctic Island. It is named Deception Island due to its appearance as a normal Island but it actually has a narrow entrance and is a ring around a flooded caldera formed by a huge volcanic eruption over 10,000 years ago. Which created the horseshoe formation.
Although it sounds dangerous, it is ironically a safe haven for those brave enough to make the scary journey into the deep freezing southern ocean. Visitors of the Island even get to view the hundreds of penguins that call this island their home.
18. Torres del Paine
We all know a boy that pretends he's cool enough to own a Patagonia shirt. Well Patagonia itself is much cooler than all of us. The region has the most beautiful mountains that visitors can skin in winter and hike in summer. The Torres del Paine is truly filled with no pain at all.
The national park not only has blue icebergs and golden grasslands, but it also shelters the llama-like guanacos-rare wildlife hard to find anywhere else. The name comes from the granite towers and horn-shaped peaks called the Cuernos del Paine. I think instead of asking for a Patagonia gift card for my birthday, I’ll ask to stay in this adorable little cottage.
19. Angkor Wat
Angkor who? You may ask. Angkor Wat is a Buddhist temple in Cambodia that is the largest religious monument in the world measuring a whopping 402 acres. The site was originally built in the first half of the 12th century to be a Hindu temple but was changed when a Buddhist emperor came to power. The structure was even featured on the center of the national Cambodian flag to show the people's pride for the temple.
The walls of the monument are decorated with stories and it is home to hundreds of monkeys that climb the temple every day.
20. Amalfi Coast
Italy is a place of many beauties, especially pasta. The most beautiful and necessary to see, although a tough call, is the Amalfi Coast. The coast is home to towns such as Positano that have hillside ocean views like nowhere else in the world. Amalfi road is a narrow 55-kilometer long road that drives through these majestic villages and gorgeous beaches. We know what songs would be on our playlist for that joy ride.
A brunch like that over a beach like that is the true definition of Sunday Brunch Goals.
21. Krabi
We all love Krabby Patties from Spongebob, but that's not what makes Krabi Beach in Thailand the world's most popular beach vacation destinations. The coastline is full of limestone cliffs and hundreds of islands off the shore of the Andaman Sea. Krabi beach is also home to Phi Phi Islands where you can go snorkeling, trekking, and partying.
This Island also has an abundance of off course, Pad Thai, the only reason we need to make it to Thailand in the first place.
22. Hwange
This Zimbabwe national park has more diversity of mammals than any other national park in the world. Hwange is the size of Belgium and is home to over 50,000 elephants and 500 species of birds.
The national park is also home to lots of lions and African wild dogs but be careful when you visit as no fence separates Hwange from the rest of the outside world.
23. Bagan
Bagan is an ancient city in Myanmar that is mostly known for its thousands of Buddhist temples and pagodas. The only way to truly view all of the religious monuments is the take a hot air balloon ride during sunset. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and over 50 Buddhist kings rule over the area during the Pagan Dynasty.
Be sure to try traditional Burmese food on your journeys such as tea leaf salad and fish rice because did you really visit a place if you didn't try the local cuisine?
24. Hawa Mahal Palace
Jaipur is known as India’s pink city but nothing shows that more than the Hawa Mahal Palace which means Palace of the Winds. Forget Budapest, this Indian Palace, and its rosy walls should be in the Wes Anderson film The Grand Budapest Hotel.
The sandstone building has specifically 953 windows that are each intricately decorated and resembles a honeycomb for one Queen Bee.
25. Havasu Falls, Arizona
If someone told us we had to hike ten miles to get somewhere, our first instinct would be heck no! Although, when it comes the these beautiful blue Grand Canyon waters, one must say yes and trek.
The falls get their name because they are located in the Havasupai Indian Reservation where Pai means people, and Havasu Pai means “people of the blue-green water”. The reason the water remains this color against an orange canyon is due to minerals like calcium carbonate and magnesium in the water and the Havasu Creek that washes away the silt. Once you get refreshed with a swim, you must hike an additional ten miles back out of the Canyon. Yes, it is still worth it.
26. The Alps
The Alps, the youngest and most expansive mountain range in Europe, formed 65 million years ago and stretch over eight countries: Switzerland, Italy, France, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia. The Alps are home to clear Alpine lakes - Geneva, Constance, and Como as well as the Switzerland Matterhorn, the highest mountain in the area that is suitable for any level hiker.
The Alps is also a top ski destination in the world with infamous ski resort towns like the Mont Blanc and Courchevel - names so fancy and glamorous they fit the scene.
27. Lisbon
There are not many cities on this list but Lisbon, Portugal is most definitely a place you should visit at least once in your life. The capital is located on top of eight hills over the Tagus RIver and boosts with yellow streetcars, pastel buildings, and Pasteis de Nata- their famous tart.
The tarts are made of a flaky crust filled with creamy, sweet egg. Although they are easy to find, only three people in the world know the original recipe. We challenge you to go to Lisbon and be the fourth.
28. Antelope Canyon
Arizona makes the list again with this special gem. Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon that originally translates to ‘the place where water runs through rocks’ in the Navajo language. The Canyon is made of eroded stone formations and the sunlight that pours through the cracks creates stunning rays.
This place is a must-see because it is one of the top photographed places in the world and is a true Southwest jewel.
29. Wulingyuan
We all love the movie Avatar. James Cameron, the creator of the memorable flick, was inspired by the landscape of the Wulingyuan reserve in China. There are over 3,000 high rock cliffs and pillars consisting of quartz-sandstone. The natural beauties are divided by caves and waterfalls and many of them after over 650 feet high.
Watching the movie, it’s hard not to wish a real live Pandora exists. Well folks it does, we just have to go to China to explore it.
30. Redwood National Park
California isn’t just home to movie stars, it’s also home to trees that stretch quite literally to the stars. Redwood National Park is part of an International Biosphere Reserve with a goal is to protect the Redwoods. Redwoods are the world’s tallest trees - some over 370 feet high.
The site isn’t just for the trees, there are 200 miles of trail routes and visitors can hike, ride, and camp in the reserve.
31. Bondi Icebergs
We all want to say we have swum in the most famous pool in the world. If you go to Bondi Icebergs, you are granted that bragging right. The pool is on the southern end of Bondi Beach against the Tasman sea and has been for over 100 years. It is not a typical cool as there is no chlorine but it is filled with seawater instead.
Everyone can pay a fee to swim in the pool but in this case, you have to be a member of the Bondi Icebergs Swimming Club. Seems intense but what pool doesn’t have rules?
32. Milford Sound
China isn’t the only country that has nature so beautiful it inspires movies. Milford Sound in New Zealand is the location of the “Lord of the Rings” franchise film. The infamous waterfall is a key landmark in the area and is sought out by tourists year after year. It is considered a fjord - a long narrow inlet with cliffs, and visitors are able to sail around the area.
Maori tribes, the aboriginal people of New Zealand, began exploring the area thousands of years ago… way before we all say it on the big screen. The name Piopiotahi means ‘one single piopio’ and refers to a native bird that is now extinct.
33. Gate of Hell
Whoever pushes someone through that gate is sure going to hell. The Gate of Hell is a pit in Turkmenistan located in the middle of the desert that has been burning since 1971. The crater was created when a Soviet drilling rig fell into a natural cavern which caused the ground to collapse. The rig punctured a gas pocket and poisonous fumes started to leak.
The Soviets assumed the hole would stop burning in a few weeks but decades later the pit is still alive and well. The rig is still on the bottom of the Gates of Hell but we don’t think it will be recovered anytime soon.
34. The Glamorous Beach
This list consists of many beaches that should be visited in people’s lives but the most glamorous yet is of course The Glamorous Beach in The Maldives. The beach lights up blue every night due to organisms that live in the shallow water that produce light once they encounter gas.
The scientific explanation for this is called 'Bioluminescence' which is when the light is emitted by a living organism creating a glow-in-dark natural phenomenon.
35. White Haven
Imagine a place that could only be reached by air or boat. That place is White Haven Beach, also known as White Paradise Beach, and it is located in the land down under. It is over 7km long and lies across an island.
It is called white haven beach because it is the whitest sand you will find anywhere on earth and is made up of 98% pure silica. It is also the most photographed beach in Australia so book your flight and pack your best camera, which for most of us is of course our phones.
36. Devil's Bridge
Yet another must-see with a scary name, Devil’s Bridge is a bridge in Germany that was built in 1860 with the intention to reflect against the water to appear as a date into a different dimension. The rock formation is technically an arch and was created by wind and weather erosion rather than flowing water. It is the largest natural sandstone in the area and the “bridge: was built with basalt stone.
Be careful on the hike there as two deaths have been recorded from the hike, with one person falling from the bridge.
37. Lake Kaindy
Most of us know of Kazakhstan because that is where Borat is from, duh. Here is another reason to know and even go to Kazakhstan. Kaindy lake is a clear lake in the country where a forest grows. The lake and the forest became one after an earthquake that resulted in the trees buried upside down in the water.
The bizarre scenery is one of its kind and nowhere else in the world can you see a sunken forest in a crystal clear lake. Turns out Kazakhstan can give us way more than just Borat.
38. The Dead Sea
We are told Jesus walked on water. The closest we can get is to go swim in the dead sea. The Dead Sea, located in Israel, is the saltiest body of water on earth. It contains ten times more salt than average seawater. Because of this, it is naturally buoyant so anyone can float in the dead sea.
The sea is also the lowest place in the world and the mud can be used as a mask for beautifully soft skin. The water is known to be healing and has been revered since Biblical times because of its high salt and mineral content. We love ourselves a good sea day that turns into a spa day!
39. Marrakesh
In the Northern African Country of Morocco, Marrakesh is a city filled with spice-filled markets, exquisite palaces, and lush gardens. The city is at the base of the Atlas mountains and not far from the Sahara desert where camels and stars await. The street food is as delicious as it gets with a blend of Arab, African, French, and Spanish influence.
Marrakesh also offers beautiful riads, a Moroccan interior garden hotel, to stay in with traditional hammams, a steam room where one is scrubbed to perfection. For those who love fashion, Yves Saint Laurent has a beautiful museum garden that visitors can stroll through. Basically, Marrakech has it all.
40. Fernando de Noronha
We had to end the list of must-visit places with the home to the largest population of dolphins in the world: Fernando de Noronha. These volcanic rocks are located 200 miles off Brazil's coast. The waters are flowing with sea turtles and dolphins. The area also has a huge population of seabirds and important native plant species.
It is a safe haven for wildlife and must be respected by human visitors as the number of tourists each year is limited to maintain the fragile ecosystem. That being said, plan ahead to make sure you check this special spot off the bucket list.