The Most Beautiful Place on Earth That You've Been To

Traveling in New Zealand.

The Canadian Rockies. Banff, Lake Louise...Alberta is the most beautiful area I've ever seen.

Monaco. Hands down.

TORONTO!!!!

The Five Sisters of Kintail

Ashland, Oregon.

Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Braulio Carillo National Park, Costa Rica

Tie:

Venice

South Island, New Zealand

Cordillera Banca, Peru

Lavaux Switzerland

Bora Bora

bump

Tie: the Na Pali Coast of Kauai and the Soca River Valley, Slovenia.

From the kinda slow OP

Murren, Switzerland

Machu Pichu

The Dolomites

Probably not the most beautiful place, but have spent many tranquil moments in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area of Minnesota (where they really want to introduce new mining nearby). It might not be as grandiose as some of the other wilderness spots, but there is a quiet beauty as you sit by the campfire or canoe across a calm lake listening to the loons.

Banff and Glacier would have to be up there. Alaska. Scotland/Wales/Ireland. Really so many places have their own unique beauty that it is really hard to pick one.

Muncho Lake, British Columbia, Canada

The Columbia River Gorge.

The Grand Tetons

Amalfi Coast.

The redwoods of Northern California.

My biggest regret is I have never been to me.

Badlands, S.D.

Also the most quiet.

Alaska, New Zealand, French Riviera, British Columbia. I also love the English countryside.

Sedona

Banff in Alberta Canada is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on earth. Look it up

[quote]I also love the English countryside.

I had always heard Scotland was beautiful (and it was), but really the countryside throughout the entire British Isles was quite scenic.

Rome at sunset

Cape Town and garden route, South Africa

Norwegian countryside

Redwoods area

Boundary waters/northern Minnesota

Impossible to compare these! -Redwood NP, N. California -Islands and coral reefs of Fiji and Tahiti -Manuel Antonio Rainforest NP, Costa Rica -Santorini, Greece -Peak foliage season in the mountains in Vermont and New Hampshire

White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Villa d’Este (Tivoli)

La Paz Waterfall Gardens (Costa Rica)

The Cotswolds of England are beautiful.

I don't know what it's called, but the overlook park in the mountains on Oahu. In particular, the drive to it through lush jungle going all the away overhead like a tunnel.

Norwegian fjords

Another vote for Banff. I would also include the south island of New Zealand, the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, and the entire island of Kauai.

Big Sur in CA

The island of Mauritius. The most beautiful beaches I've ever seen and the color of the water was just breathtaking.

Tirol (Tyrol) the entire state in Austria. I went looking for that poor lonely goatherd.

The Sea to Sky Highway in December, having just flown in from an Australia on fire. Heading from Vancouver airport to Whistler.

Big Island of Hawaii, specifically North Kohala where I live.

Stewart Island, New Zealand

Maui, on the Road to Hana. Waterfalls practically every five feet. And the greenest greens, the bluest blues I'd ever seen.

Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria, Germany pretty near blew my goddamn mind.

Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, Alaska

I would say "me," but I've never been there.

Re:R7, that is Luskentyre on the Isle Of Harris. I’ve gone there every summer for 17 years. When COVID meant we had to cancel this year, we were very sad. It’s the most stunning and relaxing setting.

Santorini

Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend NP For cities, Paris along the smaller, medieval streets, and London/Westminster for the history and grandeur. (You’re singing “Rule Britannia” as you think of that famous view across the Thames right now...)

I've been to me and it's the most beautiful place in the universe, to be honest.

But R52, Have You Ever Been Mellow?

The Palace of Versailles. It truly is breathtaking, and not too crowded the day we were there. I will even go so far as to call it "magical".

I wish my trip to England and France would've included more of the natural wonders, but we were Paris/London based. I can't wait to go back, and bike through the Loire River Valley. I need to travel more. Much, much more.

The Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of Ireland.

Scottish highlands, Grand Tetons, Yosemite

R36, you're referring to the Pali Lookout, I believe. And the drive up into the Ko'olau Mountains is fantastic.

Aloha R43. I live in Kona, about 5 miles south of Kailua town. We're at 1100' and the view is terrific here. Nice to know that there's another DLer from the Big Island.

Me.

Finally.

Magnificent.

I don't know why I waited!

Joshua Tree.

I think in terms of stunning scenery then both mountains, coasts and some of the hill villages in Umbria in Italy have been my favourite. Those mentioning English and Irish countryside, there is nothing which necessarily jumps out at you but the whole effect is one of tranquility and comfort.

Gary, Indiana.

Na’pali Coast of Kauai and the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. I like mountains meeting the sea.

Natural: Cordellera Blanca, Peru.

Man-Made: Abo Simbel and El Karnak Temples, Egypt.

The high plains of Wyoming spoke to my soul.

Great suggestions. Agree with Switzerland, Hawaii and Redwoods. Wondering if there is anything in Asia or South America that is an absolute must-see natural beauty. I can’t get motivated to go to either - except maybe for the men of Brazil but that would be stupid

Jonestown, Guyana

There are so many beautiful places, it's hard to choose. I loved Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island. Something very special about that place. In part, the music. It has the rich tradition of Acadian fiddle music and back porch song fests. If you haven't been there it's well worth a visit. The natural beauty i

In the link, Cape Breton Island pics accompanied by fiddle music.

This is an interesting thread! Still, I can't help but wonder if people have actually been to the places their listing.

For me, it's a no-brainer. Bora Bora, hands down. Parts of Vancouver and Whistler Blackcomb are beautiful, as are the Florida Keys, and Positano on the Amalfi Coast. But nothing comes close to Bora Bora. It's breathtaking.

Berchtesgaden is nice.

*they're listing*

R70, yes, it is. STOP THE STEAL!

[quote] Wondering if there is anything in Asia or South America that is an absolute must-see natural beauty.

Nothing in South America.

Nothing in Asia, either. Guess you'll have to look elsewhere.

if only there were beautiful natural wonders in Asia!

I am not a believer but the Vatican....holy shit. I have visited three times and I might go back. Like a poster above wrote, Rome at dusk is really an experience. San Juan de la Peña in Spain, also Barcelona's Guell Park. Paris. And Florence, always. Villa San Michele.

The back alley of Olympus disco, Athens.

Puu Pehe on Lana'i at sunrise. Really magical and one of the few places that can make me feel at peace.

Those pictures of Asia and South America don’t look that unique tbh. Nice but I’ve seen similar in North America and Europe. No reason to travel halfway around globe.

I'll buck against trend and maybe because it's so fresh in my mind but last summer I went to Tahoe County (not Lake Tahoe) and stayed in a park that had wonderful alpine lakes filled with wildflowers, blue waters, and snow still in September! To me, it looked like what i thought Heaven might look like (if it exists) as we hiked up into fields of wildflowers with a small river running alongside us down to the redwood forests in the campground. i'll admit, i cried at its beauty. Extremely memorable trip.

However, very close 2nd was the Chianti region of Italy where i stayed over 13 years ago. Beautiful old homes, castle ruins, vineyards, Siena.

But as others have said as well Kauai (the entire island) is lush and beautiful and Vermont (and even parts of upstate NY) are astounding during Autumn fall foliage time.

Many others on the list, but those are my top faves.

Amalfi coast (Italy), Biarritz and Brittany (France) and Bruges (Belgium).

Nā Pali Coast in Hawaii

[r69] (MikeInAustin) I've actually been to all of the places I've listed, and many more that were equally stunning. And some that were just meh, or I was there in the wrong season or the weather was bad.

You are off to a great start! Haven't been to Bora Bora, but went to Moorea twice. It's very similar (Bora Bora is expensive!). If someone put a gun to my head, I'd choose French Polynesia as most beautiful place I've been for the green tropical rainforest and coral reefs. Am into snorkeling and scuba diving. Since you loved Bora Bora, I recommend for you some of the smaller islands off of the main island in Fiji because it's much cheaper and everyone speaks English. And New Zealand is just a few hours away! In contrast, a trip to Kauai in Winter seemed dull. It was dark and rainy (but beautiful rainbows everywhere!) and the waves were too rough for beach time. Went to the Na Pali coast, but it was too cloudy to see. Similarly, I went to the Grand Canyon, but it was snowing and couldn't see it. The spectacular red rocks of Sedona rescued that trip! Yosemite was my paradise as a kid, but now it's crowded and smoggy. Mt. Lassen is better is a well-kept secret. You mentioned the Almafi Coast. Looked up pictures. Wow! It reminds me of the Cinque Terra in Liguria, which I stumbled upon as a stupid 26-year old with a Eurailpass in 1988 before the area was "discovered". Chaotic, filthy, macho Italy pissed me off until I got to a crumbling village somewhere near Portofino, and then its beauty made me cry. And the people were so kind.

Agree with you on Whistler. Found myself there one year for "Gay Ski Week". I'd never skied before. It was mostly gray and snowy, but one day at the top of Whistler (or was it Blackcomb? Was stoned and/or boozed the entire trip) the sky was clear blue and the snow covered mountains went on and on forever to the North. Breathtaking! Better than Tahoe. Would love to visit Alaska and the fjords of Norway someday...

Two words: Joshua Tree. Otherworldly.

Except for Bakersfield, I've found beauty, some sort of beauty, everywhere I've been. Sometimes it's about who you're with and what you do and with whom you interact once you get there; but it's always about attitude, openness, and expectations.

I'm an Eldergay who grew up on the Northern California Coast where it is always foggy and monotonous and the water will freeze your balls off and the waves will kill you. Most of the California that I know has burned down over the last 4-5 years. But it's still beautiful. Have spent most of my disposable income and free time on mostly foreign travel. No regrets. Now I'm 60 and already have health issues. And then there's COVID-19. I feel privileged to have seen a chunk of this planet.

There are two dozen or more countries/places I've visited but these are the best. France and Thailand are my favorite countries for many reasons, but neither has the most beautiful place I've seen.

My bucket list used to be long, but Belize (Mayan ruins, rainforest, coral reefs) with my fiance (someone from Boston I randomly met on a beach in Mexico two years ago) will likely be our last trip, if ever.

Time flies. The Earth is decaying. Get out of your comfort zone and roam while you can.

Boracay, the Philippines.

R69, pointless bitchery.

Are YOU lying about your favorite place? Who would bother?

The coastline of Norway.

R84, I've been to Fiji twice, the last time about 12 years ago, to the Yasawas, and both times the coral was all bleached.

My first views of Venice (took my breath away).

Olympic National Park in Washington, particularly the Hoh rainforest.

Northern Arizona. As far as cities go, San Francisco, Prague, Edinburgh, Santa Barbara are all lovely.

[r88] that is depressing to hear. Was in the Mamanuca Islands (near the Yasawas) in 2000. The reefs were perfect, in psychedelic colors and teeming with wildlife, just like I remember Moorea was in 1973, at age 11. On the same trip, went to Queensland, Australia and did snorkeling/diving on The Great Barrier Reef. It was obvious that there was bleaching, but still worthwhile.

[r88] that is depressing to hear. Was in the Mamanuca Islands (near the Yasawas) in 2000. The reefs were perfect, in psychedelic colors and teeming with wildlife, just like I remember Moorea was in 1973, at age 11. On the same trip, went to Queensland, Australia and did snorkeling/diving on The Great Barrier Reef. It was obvious that there was bleaching, but still worthwhile.

[quote]I'll buck against trend and maybe because it's so fresh in my mind but last summer I went to Tahoe County (not Lake Tahoe) and stayed in a park that had wonderful alpine lakes filled with wildflowers, blue waters, and snow still in September!

Where the hell is "Tahoe County?" There's no such county in either California or Nevada, so please explain.

The Grand Canyon. I was taken aback by how beautiful it is.

I miss being able to drive to Santa Barbara when feeling down in L.A. Always nice to see the lovely red roofs and gorgeous shoreline.

Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. Magical.

St Barth had it not been overrun with cars!

Marine boot camp.

Myrtle Beach

I agree R98. But then again, everything in Banff NP is magical. For example, Peyto Lake.

Sorry, El Dorado County, bitch. Fuck off and die for my mistake. it was in Lake Tahoe area.

Scotland. It was magical and I felt like I was home.

Cabot Trail

Grand canyon.

I want to go to Banff. Reliably moving and beautiful to me is Santa Fe, New Mexico at sunset.

I want to go to Banff. Reliably moving and beautiful to me is Santa Fe, New Mexico at sunset.

I honestly can't come up with a single place. The Earth is full of amazing sights.

Still the most beautiful place in the world is my friend's roof terrace in Lausanne where the view is like a kiss from the sky faeries. Its a bit like this but imagine yourself close to the lake so one can see only the lake and mountains

The English Lake District. Beautiful, rugged, wonderful hiking, great pubs.

I went to a somewhat under the radar high society party in the late 80s where the flowers alone cost half a million dollars. It was filled with global glamazons all tarted up beautifully in 80s eleganza. The venue was a white marble institution embarrassed to be hosting such excess. Princess TNT, Jackie O, Brooke Astor trailing a mink on the floor, the usual suspects, including a man 20 years old than I who was dying to fuck, and several dozen gorgeous Glorious Foods waiters. For "human" beauty, it was up there. Perhaps rivaled by a Ivy League crew race I was involved in about 6 years previously, on a glorious day, where everyone was simply stunning as was the natural and built environment. Venice is stunning. Belle époque steam ships on Lac Leman. Skiing a zillion miles above the tree line in the Alps. Ibiza outdoor club parties in the 80s. Acid tripping in Cairo (ancient anchoring). Grand Prix Monte Carlo with the .0001%. The relatively gentle Catskills and Adirondacks in Autumn.

NY in fall is amazing. seriously. without drugs even.

A few islands in Thailand. The humidity was a bitch but the beaches were as nice as everyone said.

I prefer cities so Sydney harbor on a nice sunny day was gorgeous. Take a boat to their zoo and get a free view of the bay.

Mont-Saint Michel.

It was a high school trip, we were all being immature and running around like fools, but this place stopped me in my tracks. I'm 44 and I still remember it so well.

Glacier National Park in Montana

Going to the Sun Road is one of the most scenic drives I've ever taken.

The Grand Canyon. I had no idea of the scope and majesty of it all. Do beautiful that I started to cry. I’d never done that before. Nothing so beautiful ever drove me to tears.

I took the Empire Builder from Portland to Chicago. The Columbia River Gorge was superb; Great Glacier even more so - but I was not prepared for the solemn, rippling prairies of Montana east of the mountains. The most mythic, lonely, gorgeously desolate landscape I have ever seen.

Closer to home, the Hudson River Valley has more beautiful places than you know what to do with. Mohonk, Strom King Art Center, Olana, Millbrook, etc.

Oxford, Paris, Rome, Sienna, Venice, all wonderful. New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Florence, Milan have great set pieces. Boston is a very attractive city.

The Saguaro National Forest near Tucson is unique. And the Japanese Garden in Portland, Oregon, is an absolute masterpiece (I have never been to Japan, but it is evidently considered the best representative of Japanese landscape design outside of the country by no less than the gardener to the Imperial Family).

Yosemite Valley, California

Not me.

Charlene, you're so predictable.

Patagonia.

Argentina is so spectacular.

I have a beautiful house in the Peruvian Andes that is an escape from everything that's wrong in the world.

I hiked up to a deserted monastery in the Gobi desert. Just me on top of the world with yurts dotted below. Magical.

Luang Prabang in Laos was amazing.

Parts of northern Thailand, and Rawai on Phuket.

The Borneo Rainforest.

The East Coast of New Zealand.

The Winter Palace in Russia.

The Hidden Palace in Beijing.

Kyoto during cherry blossom season.

Many hidden giant buddhas, paths, and monasteries throughout Asia. I wish I could go back.

Raytown Missouri

USC vs Pepperdine Mens Swim match

Speaking of beautiful Japanese gardens, check this one out.

Rutland. England's smallest county.

As much as I disliked living in Angola, the view of Calendula Falls from the hotel on the other side was breathtaking.

The Amalfi Coast but you have to see it in high summer - it's nothing off season. The turquoise sea turns gray.

[quote]The Grand Canyon. I had no idea of the scope and majesty of it all. Do beautiful that I started to cry. I’d never done that before. Nothing so beautiful ever drove me to tears.

you've obviously never seen Armie Hammer.

[quote]As much as I disliked living in Angola

gee, why am I not surprised?

R132 they called Luanda o cu do mundo at the time and I do love rimming. Well, I was clearly misinformed.

OTOH, my mortgage got paid off 17 years early thanks to that job.

Also, the chance to see a solid runner up in gloriousness - sunrise and sunset on the savanna across southern Africa.

Queenstown, New Zealand

and the villages of Cinque Terre in Italy

I’ve been to over 50 countries and strongly feel the US is underrated when you take into account the environmental diversity that exists here. Alaska, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Vermont...they hold their own compared to a lot of the standard countries named above.

That said, Ireland was just gorgeous and I still remember it 13 years after my first and only visit.

Driving through the little towns in the Pyrenees National Park from Pau in France to Jaca on the Spanish side.

Island of Skye in Scotland.

Sossusvlei in Namibia.

Urban: San Francisco, Budapest, Barcelona

Village /Countryside: Interlaken area, Amalfi Coast, Norwegian Coast

Mountains: Logan Pass, Grand Tetons, Dolomites

Beaches: Krabi, Kauai, North of Manzanillo

The Tuscany countryside and small towns are gorgeous.

St. Thomas has some magical views in the halls onto the azure sea

The Dordogne in France is magical

New Jersey- Believe it or not.

Th fjords of Norway.

Woodstock?

Any place that gives out snacks.

Bali Hai

[quote]where the view is like a kiss from the sky faeries.

MARY!

Did you twirl? It only works if you twirl.

Evening kayaking off one of the Gulf Islands in British Columbia, mid-August. Water like glass, snow-capped mountains in the distance, phosphoresence twinkling like stars when you dipped your hand into the (weirdly warm) water. Easily the most beautiful, peaceful feeling I've ever had. Perfection. Would move there in a hot second if I could.

Vot about the mosquitos, darlink?

Glencoe, top of Mt. Rigi, Ke`e Beach on Kauai, and the view from my own backyard (on the ocean in Hawaii)

Toledo, Ohio

Istanbul, and Budapest tie for the win

Kotor, Montenegro is beautiful.

The Montserrat Monastery south of Barcelona is beautiful. It's where you'll find a statue called The Black Madonna.

[quote]Badlands, S.D. Also the most quiet.

I once camped in the Badlands during moose mating season, R26. Beautiful, yes,. Quiet? Not so much. Being unexpectedly woken in the middle of the night by mating calls was the aural equivalent of surprise anal.

Glacial Patagonia. The glacial fields and surrounding mountains were stunning, but the ice caves beneath the glaciers had an unworldly beauty

K. D. ended up picking California?. For me , still anywhere but here.

Home.

I have been to Banff and consider the Canadian Rockies spectacular.

But I have to vote for Venice, Italy. I was there twice in 2019 and it is now my favorite city in the world.

Hate to burst your bubble, but Banff is a bit dull and monotonous. Only one species of pine tree everywhere. If you haven't been to Yosemite, Mt. Lassen National (volcanic) Park is breathtaking -- do the Bumpas Hell hike. And Crater Lake in Southern Oregon is prettier than Lake Louise. In the same area, Mt. Shasta is gorgeous from a distance, but there's nothing to see on the mountain. It is barren.

I'm sure all of those places you mention R159 are stunningly beautiful. But I've never been to any of them. I have been to Banff though. That's why it's my answer to the OPs subject. We weren't asked to post the most beautiful place on earth. We were asked to post the one that we had been to.

Trunk Bay, St John’s Island.