Some of the Most Beautiful and Exotic Places on...

Bora Bora

Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. The original name of the island in the Tahitian language might be better rendered as Pora Pora, meaning “First Born”. Photograph by Simon Greeman.

Sand Dunes, Australia

The east of Lancelin town is bordered by endless snow-white sand dunes, which are heaven for sand boarders. The peaks of these sand dunes give a spectacular panoramic lookout over the township, surrounding sand hills, farmlands, coastline, islands and ocean. Photograph by Nicki Chen.

Serengeti, Tanzania

This was shot in the Serengeti, Tanzania, April 2010. Photograph by Amnon Eichelberg.

Cuba Coast

Early morning in Cuba. Photograph by Dan Desroches.

Machu Picchu

Perched high in the Peruvian Andes, the royal retreat of Machu Picchu testifies to the Inca’s masterful building skills with its precision-cut stones and perfectly placed cascades of terraces. Photograph by Robert Clark.

Mount Merapi, Indonesia

On this day the sun rose directly behind the active Merapi, ”Fire Mountain,” highlighting the volcanic smoke which steadily streamed across the horizon from its uppermost region. Facing the mountain in the image is a sacred and latticed stupa of Borobudur Monument’s first upper terrace and an endearing statue of Buddha. Thick fog filled the forest and villages below, adding interesting artistic elements to the image. Photograph by Greg Shaw.

Cenote, Chichén-Itzá, Mexico

The Maya name “Chich’en Itza” means “At the mouth of the well of the Itza.” This derives from chi’, meaning “mouth” or “edge”, and ch’en or ch’e’en, meaning “well.” Itzá is the name of an ethnic-lineage group that gained political and economic dominance of the northern peninsula. One possible translation for Itza is “wizard (or enchantment) of the water.”. Photograph by Jack Paulus.

Church of Rodel, Outer Hebrides

The 15th-century church of Rodel on the Isle of Lewis, built for the warlike chiefs of the MacLeods, towers over the sea lochs of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. Nothing in early modern Britain, from its cities to its remotest corners, was more political than religion. The church in every parish—nearly always the most imposing building—was as much a symbol of worldly control as a shrine to God. Photograph by Jim Richardson.

Submerged Plane, Bahamas

While island hopping around the Bahamas in a Cessna C172 aircraft, I made this aerial of a Curtiss C-46 that ditched on November 15, 1980. It crashed while it was on a drug smuggling mission for the Colombian Medellín drug cartel and lies in shallow water east of the Norman’s Cay airport in the Exumas, Bahamas. Photograph by Bjorn Moerman.

Iguazu Falls

Aerial view of Iguazu Falls, Brazil-Argentina border. Photograph by Chris Schmid.

Kiribati, Micronesia

The world’s most eastern point, Kiribati (formerly known as the Gilbert Islands) is an island nation found about 2,485 miles southwest of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Straddling the equator, it comprises 33 islands (only 21 of which are inhabited) and is home to the world’s largest protected marine reserve. Photograph by Seb.

Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

As soon as you restrict access to a place, its allure increases. Such is the case with Fernando de Noronha, which sits pretty 200 miles off Brazil’s northeastern coast. Only 240 people are allowed on the archipelago at any one time, all of whom are required to pay environmental taxes to preserve the beauty of the 21 islands. Photograph by Martin Stuchi Montingelli.

Madeira

Madeira is a Portugal archipelago that lies just under 400km north of Tenerife, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union. Photograph by Robert B.

Victoria Falls, Zambia

The Zambezi River is the river that flows over the Victoria Falls and with the highest point being over 360 feet tall, they are some of the most dominant and prominent waterfalls anywhere in the world. Since the turn of the 20th century, Victoria Falls have been a major tourist attraction in South Africa and are regularly seen as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of The World, more so than any other waterfall in the world. Photograph by Suresh Kumawat.

Sucevita Monastery, Romania

Sucevița Monastery (built in 1585) is an Eastern Orthodox convent situated in the Northeastern part of Romania. It is situated near the Sucevita River, in the village Sucevita, 18 km away from the city of Radauti, Suceava County. It is located in the southern part of the historical region of Bucovina. Photograph by Romeo Cretu.

Amber Palace, Jaipur India

This wonderful palace in Jaipur, India is marvelous to behold. Up until recently visitors were taken from street level on Elephants to enable them to explore the beauties within. However i am told that now other means of transport are used to take guests to visit the Palace. Traveling on the elephants was a great experience and enabled us to see the full beauty of the surrounding countryside as you will see from another picture. Photography by Doreen Denton.

Serengeti

Elephants roam the Serengeti under a stormy sky in this photo by Michael “Nick” Nichols, who sent dispatches from the field as he shot a story for National Geographic magazine. Photograph by Michael Nichols.

Toad River Valley, Canada

Like curtains drawn across the landscape, the walls of the Toad River Valley yield to untracked forests and pure lakes in northeastern British Columbia. Years of compromise and careful planning defined the enormous Muskwa-Kechika Management Area here, where competing interests—from miners, outfitters, preservationists, and native peoples—coexist in delicate balance. Photograph by Michael Christopher Brown.

Merced River, Yosemite

The Merced River is most well known for its swift and steep course through the southern part of Yosemite National Park, and the world-famous Yosemite Valley. The river’s character changes dramatically once it reaches the foothills and the lowlands, becoming a slow-moving waterway meandering through irrigated fields. Photograph by Michael Melford.

Castle Near Kilgarvan, Ireland

The green countryside of County Kerry, Ireland, slowly reclaims a castle near the village of Kilgarvan. Taking its present name from the Irish Cill Garbháin, or Church of St. Garbhan, Kilgarvan rests on the banks of the Roughty River, which flows into Kenmare Bay. Photograph by Sam Abell.

Tahiti

A dock juts out to a small palm island, surrounded by the jewel-blue waters of Tahiti. Tahiti is just one of 118 islands and atolls that make up French Polynesia, a semi-autonomous territory of France. With its claim here and on other Pacific territories, France is the second largest presence (after the United States) in the Pacific. Photograph by Jodi Cobb.

Fishing, Celebes Sea

In Semporna, many Filipinos and Malayu who traditionally fish for a living have erected hundreds of these homes in the Celebes Sea. Photograph by Liang Huan Chuan.

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

The craggy Cliffs of Moher wrap around the western coast of County Clare, providing a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean. The rocky cliffs reach 702 feet (214) meters at their highest point and stretch nearly five miles (eight kilometers) across. Photograph by Jim Richardson.

Ice Canyon, Greenland

Meltwater has carved a canyon 150 feet (45 meters) deep. Photograph by James Balog.

Bali

The beautiful tropical forest from Bali. Photograph by Andrew.

Giant’s Causeway, Ireland

People visiting Northern Ireland necessarily go to the Giant’s Causeway. But it is more than interesting to push your curiosity by taking the cliff path at the west of the car park. Photograph by Yourane Ung.

Bandarban, Bangladesh

Golden fields in Bandarban, one of the hill districts in southeastern Bangladesh. Photograph by M Yousuf Tushar