With so many wondrous sights around the world, the likelihood of any one person seeing them all is pretty much zero. So I have tried to narrow the choice somewhat. This is my list of top five places I would love to visit before I die:
5th: Guilin
First up and fith on my list is the Chinese city of Guilin.
Travel Guide - Guilin by the banks of the Li River in southern China is justifiably considered to be one of the most beautiful in China. Guilin has the most spectacular array of karsts (Oddly shaped hills) in the world. A boat trip on the peaceful Li River is the absolute high point of any visit to Guilin. From Guilin to Yangshuo, visitors will experience the winding and twisting Li River, passing the many bizarre mountains whose shapes have inspired and fired the Chinese imagination for centuries. Other sites along your trip include Cormorant fishermen in narrow bamboo boats, bathing children, water buffaloes and women doing their washing on the banks of the river.
Personal View - Guilin was featured on a travel show, and captured my interest straight away. What makes this city special is it’s surround hills, the rounded peaks almost looking manmade. If I was to visit here I would most certainly take a boat down the Li River, but I would also make sure I travelled some of the countryside by bike or foot. Get away from the bustle of tourists, and explore this wonderful landscape.
4th: Iguassu Falls
Forth on my list is the awe inspiring Iguassu Falls.
Travel Guide - Arguably the most magnificent series of waterfalls in the world, the Iguassu Falls are located at the border of Brazil and Argentina. In a horseshoe form, 2,700 meters wide between the two countries, the Iguassu Falls fill the visitor’s view with the spray of 72 metre-high falls, the number of which varies between 150 and 300, depending on the flow of the Iguassu River. The panorama overwhelms the onlooker with a sensation of fright, fascination and respect for the perfection of nature. A visit to the Falls and the contact with wildlife and the spectacle of the waters awake an emotion that many hope to experience once in a lifetime.
Personal View - I came across the picture on the right last year, and as soon as I saw it I was intrigued whether such a place could actually exist. Sure enough, this place is real, and what’s more, my girlfriend had visited a couple of years prior to our meeting. Luckily she would love to return, so it is still on the cards for the future. Although there are some great viewing platforms dotted around the site, I would say a helicopter ride would be a must in order to capture the falls in all its glory.
3rd: Egypt
Coming in at number three is Africa’s Jewel, Egypt.
Travel Guide - With such an immense list of ancient sites, and the only surviving original wonder of the world, Egypt is a must see. The pyramids at Giza are such iconic structures you will be hard pushed to find anyone who does not instantly recognise them. Few monuments have invoked such speculation as the mighty Sphinx. Nowhere in the world can boast such an impressive collection of archaeological finds as ‘The Valley Of The Kings’. And the temples at Karnak and Abu Simbel are among the most impressive man has constructed.
Personal View - Since covering ancient Egypt in my history classes at school, I’ve been fascinated with the culture. After reading and seeing documentaries about the complexities of the Pyramids, their link to the constellations, and even fascinating theories on an advanced civilisation linking the Pyramids to similar constructions all over the globe, Egypt has become a must see as far as I’m concerned. My ideal way to see the sites of the country would have to be a Nile cruise. This gives you the comforts of a luxury hotel, with the advantage of moving down the Nile allowing day trips to key sites.
2nd: Machu Picchu
At number two is the mysterious Machu Picchu.
Travel Guide - Located above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, this pre-Columbian city created by the Inca Empire was forgotten for centuries by the outside world. Often referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas”, Machu Picchu is the only Inca city to have survived the Spanish Conquistadores. It lies halfway up the Andes Plateau some 2,350 metres above sea level deep in the Amazon jungle. Apart from its stunning location, the city has some amazing features. The buildings were built from granite blocks that fit together perfectly without mortar, so much so that not even the thinnest knife can be forced between the stones. The structures were integrated into the surrounding landscape, utilizing existing stone formations. For these reasons Machu Picchu has been included as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
Personal View - I’ve always been interested in ancient ruins of long lost cultures, and they don’t come more mysterious than this. Lost for centuries, and built in one of the most inaccessible regions. I would love to have been there to see just how they went about constructing such a place. But apart from this the surroundings are spectacular. Half the experience of this place I’d imagine is the journey there, and to trek though the jungle-covered mountains, finally gazing upon the site of Machu Picchu would be priceless.
1st: Bora Bora
Number one on my top five list of places I want to see before I die is the beautiful island of Bora Bora.
Travel Guide - Part of the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia located in the South Pacific, Bora Bora is popularly considered the most beautiful island in the world. It is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef, with the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks in the centre of the island. Over-water bungalows are a standard feature of most Bora Bora resorts, offering stunning views of the lagoon and mountain, easy access into the lagoon and are very luxurious. Bora Bora’s main attraction is its calm and crystal-clear lagoon offering full array of nautical activities, the most famous being the Shark and Ray Feeding Excursion. There are also land excursion, such as by 4×4 up the hills to see the old second world war cannons and get a bird’s-eye-view of the multicoloured lagoon.
Personal View - From the first time I saw pictures of this island I fell in love with it. It is the typical tropical paradise that you would expect to only find in movies. The waters look so blue they hardly seem real, and as for the jungle covered volcano, I would almost expect King Kong or Jurassic Park dinosaurs to be hiding in the undergrowth. It defiantly has to be the ultimate beach holiday, combined with an air of adventure.
