1. MALDIVES
Like one of Mother Nature’s
emoticons, this lovable heart-shaped
island can be found in the Republic
of the Maldives, a country that is
spread out over 35,000 square miles
in the Indian Ocean, 250 miles
southwest of India. The nation is
comprised of 1,190 coral islands
formed around 26 natural atolls,
each of which is made of a coral reef
circling a lagoon. While the Maldives
is one the world’s most
geographically dispersed countries,
it is the smallest Asian country in
both land area and population; only
200 of those islands are populated.
Hello, deserted island paradise.

2. RICE TERRACES OF VIETNAM
While the terraces pictured here are
located in Lao Cai province of
Vietnam, equally mesmerizing
scenes can be found throughout
Southeast Asia where people have
been doing the seemingly
impossible for millennia: growing
rice – which requires a flat surface
and a lot of water – in mountainous
areas. The trick? Terraced paddy
fields that not only yield substantial
crops of the widely consumed staple,
but are also a gorgeous sight to
behold. Agriculture at its best ... and
most beautiful!

3.SALAR DE UYUNI
At 4,086 square miles, Salar de
Uyuni in southwest Bolivia holds the
record for the largest salt flats in the
world. In fact, so flat are the flats
that the U.S. Geological Survey
found that elevation variations
across the entire area were less than
one meter. It is the flattest place on
the planet, and it is so stunningly
featureless that you can see the
curvature of the Earth there.
Needless to say, this provides an
opportunity to create what might be
considered the planet's largest
mirror, a place for the sky and earth
to collide in dizzying illusions. (We
wonder if the moon catches
glimpses of her own reflection
there.)

4. HAMPI
Located in the northern state of
Karnataka in India, the ruins of
Hampi represent the former capital
of the Vijayanagara Empire, which
was in power for several hundred
years starting in the 14th century.
The bewitching, crumbling remnants
of temples, palaces, aquatic
structures, ancient market streets,
royal pavilions, military forts and
municipal buildings are among the
more than 500 monuments
scattered amid a wild landscape of
giant boulders, palm groves, banana
plantations and paddy fields. The
hauntingly beautiful ruins spread
out over an area of nearly 10 square
miles, like an offbeat amusement
park paying homage to antiquities
and the ghosts of empires past.

I don click d topic finish b4 I see d moniker





Andyblaze aiye oti baje

Picture no 2 tho...soo beautiful.

1. Los Glaciares
Located in southwest Argentina
along the border of Chile, Los
Glaciares National Park offers 2,807
square miles of rugged mountains,
large lakes and a lot of — you
guessed it — ice; the Patagonia ice
field occupies nearly half of the park
and represents the largest ice
mantle outside of Antarctica. It
contains 47 glaciers, along with
another 200 smaller glaciers not
included in the main field. Mount
Fitz Roy (pictured here) is in the
northern part of the park. Its 11,168
feet of sheer granite makes it one of
the most challenging mountains to
climb in the world, but hikers can
enjoy the less arduous routes around
it, not to mention the incredible play
of colors that reflect off the face of
the mountain each morning with the
sunrise.

2. Blue Lagoon
Iceland is a place of stunning
wonders, like glaciers, volcanoes,
geysers, fjords and beautiful lagoons
filled with healing geothermal
seawater — not to mention the 13
different kinds of elves that inhabit
the country, according to Icelandic
folklore. (And given the enchanted
beauty of the country, is it any
wonder that people believe it's rife
with sprites?) The Blue Lagoon falls
under the "healing geothermal
seawater" category; its namesake,
blue-hued waters are not only
gorgeous to look at, but they are
praised by many for their deeply
salubrious nature.

3. Pamukkale
The 17 hot water springs that fill the
travertine terraces of Pamukkale in
southwestern Turkey have been
providing soothing mineral soaks to
bathers for thousands of years. But
beyond the health benefits, the area
is a geologic wonder that occurs
when calcite is deposited by the
water as it pours over the edges of
the pools. The result is an expansive
cliff covered in white sparkling
cascades of stone; petrified
waterfalls that look like the work of
fairy magic frozen in time. The
location was the home of the ancient
Greco-Roman city of Hierapolis,
which was built on top of the "cotton
castle" – and that is what Pamukkale
means in Turkish.

4.Antelope Canyon
Located just outside of Page,
Arizona, the dreamlike landscape of
Antelope Canyon is one of the most
bizarre – and beautiful – in the
country. The Navajo name for Upper
Antelope Canyon is "Tse'
bighanilini," which means "the place
where water runs through rocks."
And indeed, Antelope Creek, which
flows into nearby Lake Powell, forms
two sections of slot canyons, the
diligent work of water and time
carving otherworldly formations into
stone that never fail to inspire
involuntary gasps of “ooh” and
“aah.” Add to that the play of desert
light and the result is downright
breathtaking.

1. Cave of the Crystals
Hidden nearly 1,000 feet beneath
the ground in Naica, Mexico, is an
implausible scene, one that could
serve as the natural world's
testament to the adage that truth is
stranger than fiction. Most of us
have held crystals in our hands, but
here in the subterranean "Sistine
Chapel of crystals," the translucent
selenite specimens measure up to
36 feet in length and weigh up to 55
tons, making them some of the
largest crystals known to man. The
magical Cave of the Crystals is about
30 feet wide and 90 feet long, with a
floor tiled in perfectly faceted
crystalline blocks from which the
giant mineral beams emerge.
Clearly, this is where they've been
hiding all the unicorns.

2. Sossusvlei
Located in the southern part of the
Namib desert in the Republic of
Namibia, Sossusvlei is a treasure
trove of sand dunes of staggering
size and cinematic splendor. The
pristine mountains of sand were
built by the air, having been pushed
and shifted by the colliding easterly
winds from the Atlantic Ocean and
the westerly winds from the Naukluft
Mountains. They are believed to be
60 to 80 million years old and
represent the highest sand dunes in
the world — and easy contenders for
the most beautiful. While they are
visited by tourists who leave their
footprints in the sand daily, all traces
of humankind are erased each night
as the winds sweep up the mess and
return the dunes to a state of
perfection for the next day.

3. Neuschwanstein Castle
Princess Aurora, are you in there?
While this fairytale castle perched
atop a hill in the Bavarian Alps never
actually housed a royal family – King
Ludwig II of Bavaria who
commissioned it died before its
completion in 1886 – it was the
inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping
Beauty castle. We've selected this
photo because it shows a castle
floating in the clouds, but the
dreamy mist obscures the
picturesque view of the rugged
peaks and magnificent scenery of
the Hohenschwangau Valley below.
You'll have to go see it for yourself;
just don't get tangled up with any
bad fairies.

4. Yangshuo, China
In southern China is Yangshuo
County, an area that offers a
captivating mix of karst pinnacles,
caves, lush vegetation, traditional
Chinese architecture, rice fields and
the inexorably picturesque Li River,
which many believe is the most
beautiful waterway in the world. The
mountains in the region are an
irresistible magnet for climbers from
all over the globe, while other
tourists enjoy biking through the
villages or taking a bamboo raft ride
down the famous river.

1. Big Island
While most people associate Hawaii
with the "perfect beaches and palm
trees" brand of beauty, we're taking
another tack here; we're adding Big
Island to the list for its "otherworldly
planet turning itself inside out"
appeal. Pristine Pacific paradises are
one thing, but the opportunity to see
active volcanoes oozing and spewing
lava is a humbling sight. Between
1983 and 2002, lava flows added
543 acres of land mass to the island;
how incredible to be able to witness
geology in action. (And if you get
tired of watching volcanoes, you can
always head back to the perfect
beaches and palm trees.)

2. Antarctica, Southern Ocean
The stark frigid atmosphere of the
southern tip of the globe may not be
all that hospitable, but its beauty is
sublime. Antarctica holds the title as
the coldest, windiest and driest
continent, with nearly 98 percent of
it covered in very deep ice. This all
conspires to create stunning
landscapes of pure white snow
mingling with blue ice in structures
of architectural magnificence.
Striking as it is though, the land is so
forbidding that the sea supports
most of the continent’s wildlife,
which is relatively meager in
diversity. There are a number of
flying bird species, as well as eight
species of penguins, seven species
of pennipeds and around 10 species
of cetaceans. However, you may be
surprised to learn that there are over
100 species of moss, 400 species of
lichen-forming fungi and over 1,000
species of free-living fungi. Heroic
life forms, to be sure

3. Lavender fields of France
For this one we're also considering
the olfactory component, because
fields of vibrant flowers in Provence,
France are one thing; but add waves
of heady lavender fragrance to the
setting and it's a slam-dunk in the
beautiful places department. We can
thank the Romans for bringing
lavender to France, which they did
more than 2,000 years ago. The
hillsides and plateaus provided the
perfect place for wild lavender to
flourish and throughout the Middle
Ages the local Provencal inhabitants
collected the flowers for natural
remedies and cleaning. By the end of
the 19th century, increased
attention was paid to maintaining
and cultivating the lavender,
resulting in its thriving position in
the economy, culture and fields of
the region today. Take a deep
breath.

4. Taktsang Palphug Monastery
Also known as the Tiger’s Nest, the
Taktsang Palphug Monastery can be
found near the city of Paro in
Bhutan, the small eastern Himalayan
country nestled between India and
China. The monastery, which is
perched on a cliff at an elevation of
over 10,000 feet, was built in 1692
at the site of the cave where a guru
by the name of Padmasambhava
meditated (as the story goes) for
three years, three months, three
weeks and three hours back in the
8th century. This dream home for
hermits remains a great example of
Bhutanese architecture, an exquisite
jewel tucked into the rugged beauty
of its surroundings.

1. Mount Fuji
While many of the world's most
notable mountains are famed for
their imposing drama, Japan's Mount
Fuji is a departure from the norm. It
doesn't brood; it's serene and
contemplative — which isn't to say
that it doesn't have some
personality. At 12,388 feet it is
Japan's highest mountain; and
although it hasn't erupted since
1707, it is still considered an active
volcano. Yet it somehow manages to
exude a sense of calm. And if ever a
mountain were to be a muse, Mount
Fuji would be it. For centuries its
form has been a recurring theme in
paintings, literature, gardens and
other crafts. As UNESCO describes it,
the mountain's perfect, snow-capped
conical form has "inspired artists ...
to produce images that transcended
cultures, allowed the mountain to be
known around the world, and had a
profound influence on the
development of Western art." It
remains a potent and sacred symbol
of Japan.

2.Tunnel of Love
Ukraine's Tunnel of Love located
near the town of Klevin may not be
the most dramatic spot on our list,
but for the tree-loving romantic, it
may steal the show. Fortunately,
someone decided that train tracks
and forests need not be mutually
exclusive, and thus, a towering
tunnel through the trees has been
maintained to allow travel of a train
that makes its way through the
fairytale passage three times a day.
The rest of the time, this arboreal
archway – which is nearly 2 miles
long – hosts strolling lovers and is
said to seal promises made there if
their love is true.

3.Cappadocia
It's possible that the only way you
could improve upon the stunning
spectacle of the “fairy chimney”
pinnacles found in central Turkey's
Cappadocia region is by enhancing
the already surreal scene with some
hot air balloons. But balloons or
not, Göreme National Park and the
Rock Sites of Cappadocia — as the
area is officially called — is a marvel.
Located on the Central Anatolia
plateau, the volcanic landscape has
teamed up with the forces of erosion
to create the ridges, valleys and
towers that have provided a rich
backdrop to a fascinating human
history since at least the 4th
century. Within many of the
towering pinnacles are caves which
house domestic dwellings and
churches, many with intact frescoes;
while below the ground are
expansive subterranean cities — one
which extends five levels down and
once harbored 20,000 people. It is
one of world's most striking and
largest cave-dwelling complexes and
offers impeccable examples of post-
iconoclastic Byzantine art. Oh, and
bonus points for being able to stay in
a cool cave hotel if you visit.

4.Lake Baikal
With an impressive age of 25 million
years, Lake Baikal in southeastern
Siberia is the oldest lake in the
world; with depths reaching nearly
5,400 feet, it is also the deepest lake
on the planet. In fact, it contains 20
percent of Earth’s total unfrozen
freshwater reserve. But beyond its
impressive stats, it is a marvel of
nature and beauty. Known as the
"Galapagos of Russia," Lake Baikal is
one of the most biodiverse places
anywhere, thanks to its age and
isolation. It plays host to over 1,340
species of animal (745 endemic) and
570 species of plant (150 endemic).
The area surrounding the lake is no
less spectacular and includes
mountains, boreal forests, tundra,
lakes, islands and steppes;
according to UNESCO, which
includes the region in its World
Heritage List, the area is
“exceptionally picturesque.” Even
just a sliver of the lake when frozen,
as pictured here, hints at its secrets
and allure.

SOUrCE - www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/30-of-the-most-beautiful-places-in-the-world/lake-baikal


Cc: Seun , Mukina2 , obinoscopy

wow, andyblaze. you r beginning to make sense these days. i hope this lasts long..