Stop it, Mother Nature, you show off. (Please don’t stop.) For as long as the planet provides and our pay checks come in, we, with an insatiable travel thirst, thrive off crossing off epic adventures on our bucket list. Behold: a round up of our new favourite sights for the intrepid.
#1 Natural Hot Tubbing In Mammoth Lakes, California
Fancy hotel jacuzzis ain’t got nothing on Mother Nature’s hot tub game. Just you and your mates in your own toasty rock pool surrounded by 360 degrees of valleys? Now we’re talking. Thank a volcano that erupted some 760,000 years ago that left behind the natural hot springs of Mammoth Lakes in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain region. There are camping grounds and nearby wilderness trails for a full back country adventure.
#2 The Rainbow Zhangye Danxia Mountains Of China
Feast your eyes on the otherworldly: rolling mountains in technicolor. Dense layers of sandstone and minerals compacted over millions of years created China’s own version of the Grand Canyon: the bucket list worthy Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park, with the stripy earth-toned hills spreading across 50 square kilometres. The unusual rock formations are at their most vibrant from June to September during sunset.
#3 The Breathtaking Underwater Waterfalls Of Le Morne Brabant, Mauritius
How about an underwater waterfall for your Mediterranean escape fix? Well, you can’t actually view it unless you fly over Le Morne Brabant (go ahead, splurgers) but hiking over 500m up Mauritius’ monolith will give you a good view of what causes the optical illusion. As well as panoramic views of the peninsular’s lagoon and the surrounding countryside, Le Morne holds fascinating 18th and 19th century history on British takeover.
#4 The Soaring Pinnacles Of Italy’s Dolomites Mountain Ranges
Soaring snow-flecked cliffs atop green meadows calls for an adventure good looking enough for fairy tales. The northern Italian Alps has 18 impressive peaks rising to above 3,000 metres, with quaint villages beneath. The traditional landscape of Dolomites has been protected from development too, with current farming lifestyles and pastures management systems dating back to medical times. Put on your most comfortable shoes and just walk.
#5 Hiking Active Volcano Mount Bromo In East Java, Indonesia
Even if you’re not a sunrise person, one place in Indonesia is home to a beastly view of land before time that makes a painful wake up call all worth it. At over 2,300 metres high, the smoky active volcano of Mount Bromo in East Java has spurned countless legends and myths for the local Tengger people waiting to be told. It’s not the country’s highest mountain, but a trek taking in ethereal views of the family of mountains in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is to be on anyone’s bucket list.
Image source: Forbes, Jus Medic, Pinterest, Mammoth Lakes California.
