One of the seven wonders of the natural world, the iconic and breathtaking Great Barrier Reef spans over 2000 kilometers along the coast of eastern Australia. One of the most biologically diverse and important areas in the world, the reef isn't simply home to hundreds of species of coral: over 1500 species of tropical fish populate it, along with 200 species of seabirds, and various other species, many unique, such as sea turtles and giant clams a menagerie unmatched in the world. The vivid expanses of coral forming stalks and boulders, sparkling aquamarine waters and thousands of sea creatures going about their business make this the underwater experience of a lifetime, opening our eyes to a whole, vast world unto itself, separate from yet intrinsically part of our own.
2. Grand Canyon, USA
Perhaps the biggest bucket-list cliché of all, the Grand Canyon is nonetheless the pinnacle of geological beauty in a country rife with ruggedly magnificent landscapes, the grandest of all in the land always striving for bigger. Sacred to ancient Native Americans, the meandering gorge is nearly 300 miles long and over a mile deep; forged through centuries of erosion and activity, it traces 2 billion years of priceless geological history, spanning all four major eras. The whitewater Colorado River courses through the vast labyrinthine canyon, an area that boasts scenic wonders as far as the eye can see: from its majestic depths to the mesas, spires and buttes that disrupt the wide, blue Arizona horizon, as well as American wildlife, waterfalls, cinder cones, and plateaus, the Grand Canyon is a staggering sight, inspiring wide-eyed awe at the force and enormity of nature. Theres a reason thousands of people flock to the American West every year to see it; this is truly one of the most strikingly powerful landscapes on Earth.
1. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
The name for this iconic African landscape stems from a Maasai word meaning the land that runs on forever. Indeed, to look upon the vast, grassy plain melding with wide, cloudless skies, interrupted only by wind-weathered acacias, one could really believe it never ends. But the seeming serenity of the plains are interrupted, engulfed by the hordes of wildlife, from lions to leopards to elephants and more, wherein the true heart of the Serengeti lies an earth-moving sight that has caught the breath of safari-goers for years. The great migration is the sight to see here, with over a million wildebeests, zebras and others thundering northward across the savannah after the storms of the rainy season have been spent and the streambeds begin to dry; despite the scorching African sun, the sight of these and the other wildlife that live off the Serengeti will send a chill down your spine. Watching the primal game of survival play out in natures rawest and most breathtaking beauty is a moving spectacle, punctuated with spectacular African sunsets, as it displays the vastness of nature and its endless beginnings.
Canadian student. Spends probably an unhealthy amount of time enthusing over musicals, unpopular TV shows, and Harry Potter. Main life goal: to become fluent in Elvish.
