Big Island,Hawaii

Big Island,Hawaii

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. 

Whitehaven Beach – Australia

White haven Beach – Australia

White haven Beach is known for its white sands. The Beach is a 7 km stretch along Whitsunday Island. The island is accessible by boat from the mainland tourist ports of Airline Beach and Shut Harbor, as well as Hamilton Island. The Beach was named the top Eco Friendly Beach in the world by CNN.com. Dogs are not permitted on the beach and cigarette smoking is prohibited.

The Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye – Scotland

The Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye – Scotland

The Fairy Pools is located in Cuillins Hills, Isle of Skye, Scotland. The Fairy Pools are a series of clear, cold pools and waterfalls formed as Allt Coir’ a’ Mhadaidh tumbles down from the foothills of the Black Cuillins into Glen Brittle.

Arang Kel, Neelum Valley – Kashmir, Pakistan

Arang Kel, Neelum Valley – Kashmir, Pakistan

A Breathtaking, Lush Green Village In Neelum Valley, Kashmir. Situated at the hill top near Kel, about 1500 feet ascend from River Neelam. It is also a village full of beautiful sceneries. It is a piece of utmost beauty, one can find in Kashmir.

Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong is impressive from many angles—beneath the towering skyscrapers, or from a ferry crossing Victoria Harbour—but you can see its finest side from the air. As your flight approaches the city, it feels like the mist parts and reveals Shangri-La, where hilly, verdant islands surround a concrete jungle.

London, U.K.

London, U.K.

London is one of the most vibrant cities in the world, with history (Westminster Abbey) and models of modernity (London Eye, The Gherkin) mingling on the Thames. Art and literature seem to seep out of the city's walls—and in recent years, London has glammed up even more, with contemporary art galleries and boutique retailers adding some glimmer to formerly seedy areas.

Paris, France

Paris, France

It's a place where romance and history play side by side, cafes line cobblestone streets, beautiful people stroll the Seine at all hours, and every neighborhood seems to have its own iconic landmark, be it Notre Dame, Sacre-Coeur, or the Eiffel Tower. 

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

 Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Dutch capital's central Canal District was crowned a World Heritage Site in 2010, helping draw the gaze away from the red lights and the smoke houses and onto one of Europe’s most gorgeous cultural epicenters. Add windmills, cycling, cheese, storied facades, and Van Goghs to the city's storied charm.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, Spain

Taking cues from modern Gothic and oriental techniques, the early-19th-century Catalan architect Antonia Gaudy wanted to create organic, urban spaces in the city he loved. A walk around Barcelona leads you through the largest concentration of his signature ceramic and stained-glass mosaics, as well as his undulating stonework and ironwork, which include Park Geller (pictured) and culminate in his unfinished masterpiece La Granada Familial.

St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Peters-burg, Russia

Fyodor Dostoyevsky called his adopted metropolis “the most intentional and abstract city in the world.” Built in a short, fevered period of time based on one man’s—Peter the Great’s—vision, Russia’s second-largest city is a sort of work of art in and of itself, evoking comparisons to Florence, Italy.