Almost everyone I know has "to travel" on their bucket list. Who doesn't want to see the world? There are so many things to do and places to see outside of the United States. While we all know of Wonders like the Great Wall, Taj Mahal, and Pyramids of Giza, there are so many strikingly beautiful, almost surreal, places on our planet. I’ve found just seven among hundreds of locations that hopefully will land a spot of your travel bucket list.
1. Ayutthaya Historical Park
There's no doubt that Thailand is a gorgeous country with millions of tourists each year. Destinations like Koh Phi Phi and Railay resonate with splendor that can’t be
found in other parts of the world. Although Ayutthaya isn’t known for it’s blue
waters and lush vegetation, it overcompensates with its rich and beautiful history.
Founded in 1350 under King U Thong, the city was one of the largest cities of
the time, known as the “Venice of the East.” Many centuries later, the city was
overrun and destroyed by the Burmese, with the last of the remains located at
the Ayutthaya Historical Park. This city is definitely a rare gem of culture, history, and beauty.
2. Kakslautten - Finland
I hadn’t even thought about visiting Finland before I saw
this beautiful resort. Located literally on the road to the Artic Sea and
Finland’s largest national park, Kakslautten is a family-run hotel located in
one of the safest and cleanest areas of the entire world. From glass igloos to
cabin-igloo combinations, the hotel’s accommodations provide a once in a
lifetime experience as you cuddle up with your loved ones and admire the
twinkling northern lights. For more information, check out the website.
3. Marietas Islands - Mexico
A location made famous by its unique shape (and Pinterest), these islands attract thousands of tourists because of its copious marine life and distinctive beach cave. The islands were formed thousands of years ago through volcanic activity, but the renowned beach cave was actually made by man. Prior to naming the islands a national park, the Mexican government performed military bombing tests on the islands. One of the tests accidentally created this crater, which is now called “Playa Del Amor” or “beach of love.”
4. Malta & Gozo
These two islands are part of a chain of islands in the Mediterranean Sea just off of Sicily. Gozo is technically part of the Maltese country, so much of their culture is based off of that of Malta. Full of “karnivals,” feasts, fireworks, and color, the people of these beachy islands live happily in their natural scenery. The landscape and coastline makes Gozo one of the best dive and aqua sport locations in the Mediterranean.
5. Seagaia Ocean Dome
As if the city of Miyazaki wasn’t renown enough for its creativity and excitement! In 1993, the Sheraton opened one of the world’s largest indoor waterparks (right next to the beach, might I add). Besides the fact that it is literally a 300-meter long indoor beach, it also sports the world’s largest retractable roof. This roof can create the illusion of a clear sunny blue sky, when it’s raining outside. They also have artificial sand and an actual flame-spitting volcano. How crazy is that?!
6. Jejudo Island
Isolated from the other nine provinces, Jejudo is quite different from mainland South Korea. Home to thousands of myths and legends, some of the most prominent practices you’ll see here is the additions of bangsatap, which are small towers of stones made to prevent bad luck from entering the village, and hareubangs, which are statues offered to the gods to protect villages from demons. Being an island, Jeju’s beaches, caves, and waterfalls also attract a lot of tourism.
7. Iguazu Falls
Located on the border of Argentina and Brazil, the Iguazu Falls could perhaps be seen as the equivalent of our Niagara Falls. Fun fact, when Eleanor Roosevelt saw Iguazu for the first time, she apparently said, “Poor Niagara.” Because of the Iguazu’s humid subtropic climate, the terrain around the falls is very green, thick and rich.
There are simply too many wonders of the world to narrow it down to just seven, but after spending hours watching travel vlogs and perusing Pinterest boards, I would say these are among my top go-to destinations. I hope you enjoyed reading about these amazing places and get to visit them someday!
