Do the usual cities and beaches leave you a bit… underwhelmed? Well, we’re here to bring you to a magical realm of bubbling volcanoes, cliff-top castles, and roaring waterfalls. After pouring through the tips and experiences from the Minube travel community, here’s a list of the 17 most amazingly EPIC places on Earth created by Huffington Post that we thought were too awesome to not share with you guys!
1. Playa de las Catedrales, Spain
Nothing says epic like the roaring surf and giant arches of the famous Playa de las Catedrales in Galicia, Spain. It’s breathtaking to view from above, but during low tide you can head down and explore the winding tunnels and caves of this stunning rock cathedral.
2. Scottish Highlands, Scotland
If Europe had a wild frontier, it’d definitely be the Scottish Highlands. This land of green mountains, foggy lochs, and crumbling castles still retains the rugged natural beauty and local mythology which has led it to inspire dozens of its own epics over the millennia.
3.) Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia
The Namib-Naukluft is a sprawling natural park which encompasses rugged mountains and the world’s oldest desert: the Namib. Where else can you walk between hypnotically-colored, 65-million-year-old sand dunes the size of the Empire State Building?
4. Erta Ale, Ethiopia
In the middle of Ethiopia’s harshest landscape, the earth opens up and there’s a glowing lava lake known as the Gateway of Hell. Though the Afar region is remote and inhospitable, laying eyes on this massive bubbling cauldron is something that no traveler ever forgets.
5. Antelope Island, USA
Antelope Island, the largest in Utah’s Great Salt Lake, is one of the most spectacular areas of the American West. If the basin’s surreal and swirling colors aren’t enough, the fact that this state park is full of wild bison, antelope, and coyotes should help get you into the frontier spirit.
6. Okavango Delta, Botswana
The vast wetlands of Botswana’s Okavango Delta are a veritable Garden of Eden. The sparsely populated area is teeming with buffalo, hippos, hyenas, and crocodiles, and is one the last remaining areas in Africa that can truly be described as wild.
7. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Otherworldly, psychedelic, lunar…there are endless ways to describe these mirror-like salt flats which many travelers consider to be the most beautiful place on Earth. Oh, and did we mention that there are also hot springs, colorful lagoons, and flocks of flamingos?
8. Yalta, Ukraine
This Game of Thrones-worthy scene is from the village of Gaspra on the Crimean coast. While the nearby area is more famous for resorts and spas than its castle-lined coast, the craggy coastline set against the glittering Black Sea make for a vista worthy of kings.
9. Sol de Mañana, Bolivia
Sol de Mañana is a geothermal area located over 15,000 ft. high where you can explore a field of geyser-like shafts, bubbling mud lakes, and steaming sulfur springs. If not for the clear blue sky above, you’d swear it was something torn from the pages of science fiction.
10. Namtso, China
Located on China’s Tibetan plateau, Namtso is a mirror-like alpine lake surrounded by cave temples, monasteries, and some truly stunning scenery. On clear days, the lake’s still water perfectly reflects the majestic Nyenchen Tanglha mountains and the clear blue Tibetan sky.
11. The Grand Canyon, USA
The Grand Canyon is easily the most epic place in North America and one of the most spectacular destinations on Earth. As those who’ve been can attest, nothing prepares you for the feeling of awe that comes over you when you stand at the rim of this wonder of nature.
12. Ijen, Indonesia
Imagine hiking to the top of a massive Indonesian volcano and seeing a crater with mile-deep turquoise lake and steaming yellow geysers. Well, that’s Ijen. If you get there while it’s still dark, you can actually see the volcano spew lava covered in otherworldly neon-blue flames. Yeah, it’s epic.
13. Iceland
Glaciers, waterfalls, volcanoes, Vikings…what isn’t epic about Iceland? Though its ice-fields and thermal pools are wildly popular, one of the country’s most Tolkien-worthy spots is perhaps the Goðafoss (Waterfall of the Gods), a massive cascade on the Skjálfandafljót river.
14. Breithorn, Switzerland
No, Breithorn isn’t the highest mountain in the Alps, but it’s certainly the most stunning. Its easy trails make it popular among hikers and climbers, but what truly makes Breithorn special are the multiple glaciers flowing like rivers down from the snowy peak.
15. Bransfield Strait, Antarctica
Antarctica is home to some of the most epic landscapes on Earth. The Bransfield Strait, for instance, is a narrow waterway full of truly hulking icebergs in all shapes and sizes and is one of the world’s best places to see vast colonies of penguins in the wild.
16. Geiranger Fjord, Norway
Norway is so packed full of awe-inspiring and epic places that it could merit a list of its own! One of the country’s most defining landmarks, though, is Geiranger Fjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site that’s famous for its waterfalls, cliffs, and spectacular panoramas.
17. Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
Patagonia’s Los Glaciares National Park is most famous for the Perito Moreno Glacier, an enormous ice sheet that covers over 250 square km. We don’t know what’s better, viewing the epic glacier from outside or slapping on the crampons for a hike on the ice!
If you thought these places were epicly awesome, be sure to click below and share!
