Our Top-10 List: Favourite Natural Attractions of the World
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This list is our own personal top-ten natural attractions based on what we have seen and experienced in our travels.
[updated 2018 with places from New Zealand]
1. Valley of 72 Waterfalls, Switzerland
A total of 72 waterfalls gush down into the Lauterbrunnen Valley from the vertical cliff faces. As we drove along the valley there were fantastic waterfalls one after another.
2. Semuc Champey, Guatemala
Those that know of this secluded place call it the eighth wonder of the world. The most beautiful steps of turquoise cascading rock pools, next to a raging river that flows underground through a sort of natural rock bridge. We also hiked for a half hour directly up the side of the hill to a lookout, for a birds eye view of this natural wonder. Not to be outdone, nearby are some great caves which we explored by candlelight while wading through water and climbing through narrow cracks.
3. Grand Canyon, USA
4. Milford Sound, New Zealand
5. Bryce Canyon, USA
6. The Great Australian Bight
7. Yosemite National Park, USA
8. Halong Bay, Vietnam
9. Glow Worms of Waitomo
In the Waitomo area of the north island of New Zealand there are caves with thousands of glow worms. We had an amazing experience cruising along underground in one of these caves, on a boat slowly drifting along while we gazed at the ceiling in awe, thousands of glow worms glowing like stars in the sky.
10. Lago de Atitlan, Guatemala
Located in Panajachel (Pana to the locals), an ex-hippie hang out from the seventies. There are lots of tourists in this town, but like us they were there for the beautiful lake (Lago de Atitlan). It is 10 km across and surrounded by mountains which run steeply down to the water´s edge.
* missing out on the top 10 are: the Red Sea reef Egypt, Death Valley USA, Copper Canyon Mexico, Amalfi Coast Italy, Goreme Fairy Chimneys in Turkey, The Chalanches in Corsica France, Caves at Vang Vieng in Laos