Travel

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset

The sun also sets in these spectacular surrounds  – and you’ll want to be there when it does.

By Jessica Keller

Travel

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Scala dei Turchi, Sicily: Brilliant white cliffs (formed by a type of sediment called marl) preside over an impossibly blue sea – the table is set, all you have to do is take a seat on these smooth steps for a feast of light and colour.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Seljalandsfoss, Iceland: Wait – is this real life, or the cover of a Nora Roberts novel? The 60-metre Seljalandsfoss waterfall is Iceland’s most famous cascade, not least because visitors can walk behind it for an even more enchanting view, especially at sunset. Maybe pass on the photo op (the spray from the falls can ruin equipment), and simply relish a moment that’s all your own. [Photo: Wikimedia Commons]

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Cable Beach, Western Australia: Horses on the beach are so passé. Indeed, camels are the chosen beast of burden for sundowner tours along the gleaming shoreline of Broome’s Cable Beach. The popular tours are, by most accounts, favoured for a reason: the sinking sun, the rolling waves and the rhythmic trod of the camels swirl into one epically peaceful experience.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Kerala, India: Cruising the backwaters of Kerala in houseboat is one of the world’s most iconic travel must-dos. As it happens, witnessing a sunset in those very backwaters – palm trees silhouetted against a hot red sky as local fisherman in longboats make their way home – is, too.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Atacama Desert: The name is the game in Chile’s Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley), a swathe of rocky, arid badlands that’s as otherworldly as it gets. Those who endure its unforgiving days are rewarded with unrivalled sunsets that send multicolour streaks across the skies and turn an already eerie scene into an alien landscape. Plus, once the sun is gone, you’ll have some of the best views of the cosmos one can get without leaving earth. [Photo: Carlos Varela/Flickr]

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Isle Of Skye, Scotland: A quick stock image search will tell you that photographers love Quiraing, and for good reason. This landslip off the Trotternish peninsula is prime hill walking area, and when the sun sets on clearer days, greens become greener and blues bluer as the dying light plays among the crevices and crags. [Photo: Magdalena Kiczuk/Flickr]

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Maasai Mara, Kenya: You might think observing lions, elephants and giraffes in their natural habitat would be the highlight of your safari. You might be wrong. Park the truck in a patch of grassland near a lone acacia tree, then watch the heavens burn red as the sun sinks below the savanna. If you’re lucky, a herd of elephants might amble into view.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Sussex, UK: The chalky cliffs of the Sussex coast transform from pristine white to enchanting shades of pink and gold at day’s end. For the best panoramas, pick a spot between Seaford and Beachy Head. [Photo: Tom Lee/Flickr]

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Jimbaran Beach, Bali: A beach, a lounger and a tropical drink the colour of the setting sun – this is the stuff of paradise. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a disappointing sunset on whole the island of Bali, but Jimbaran Beach is known for is particularly exquisite evening skies. A bevy of beach restaurants are perfectly positioned for you to enjoy fresh lobster while watching nature’s nightly show. [Photo: Dewi Anjani/Flickr]

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Uluru, Australia: If you think Australia’s most recognisable rock formation – and the world’s largest monolith – is impressive by day, stick around as daylight wanes and Uluru begins to glow burnt orange and fiery red. It’s disrespectful to climb this sacred rock, but you don’t need to anyway: the best views are from the bottom.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Lofoten, Norway: Between seasons of eternal night and endless day, the sun does a curious thing in the skies above this Norwegian archipelago – it sinks just low enough to disappear, but not enough for the skies to go dark, leaving its bright calling card in the clouds the entire night to create a perpetual sunset.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Santorini, Greece: It’s not so much the sight of the sun dropping below the Aegean that makes the town of Oia such a famous sunset destination, but rather how its soft glow turns the quaint houses from a dazzling white to varying shades of rose and lilac. Get there early (the crowds pour in hours before sunset), and get ready to take some panoramic shots.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Cape Town, South Africa: The Mother City is lousy with fantastic sunset viewpoints – from harbourfront restaurants to lofty vistas atop Table Mountain – but for the most wow-worthy spectacle, you’ll need to get out of town. Drive to the aptly named Sunset Beach to catch the last rays of light framing Cape Town’s unmistakable geological skyline. [Photo: Ian Barbour/Flickr]

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Manhattan, USA: Each year during the summer solstice – around 28 May and 12 July in 2016 – the sunset aligns with Manhattan’s street grid, sinking between the city’s iconic skyscrapers and below its busy streets in a phenomenon coined “Manhattanhenge” by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. This one calls for a bit of planning – and a clear day – but is well worth the effort.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Grand Canyon, USA: No surprises here – one of the world’s most breathtaking natural monuments can do no wrong at any time of day. For jaw-dropping views as the sun sets, find a spot at Yaki Point or Hopi Point, the latter of which is pictured here.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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The Taj Mahal, India: So stunning it actually borders on cliché, watching the day end at Taj Mahal is a non-negotiable must for any traveller in the region. We recommend claiming a position at the Mehtab Bagh garden complex for the most captivating scene. Tip: On Fridays the Taj is closed but the gardens are not, meaning you can get great photos without all those pesky tourists milling about. [Photo: bedim chaabene/Flickr]

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Fjord du Saguenay, Quebec: Canada is a treasure trove of natural beauty, so picture-perfect sunsets are pretty much guaranteed no matter where you roam. For something a little less Instagrammed than, say, Lake Louise or the Bay of Fundy, try Fjord du Saguenay National Park’s eponymous landmark. Take a kayak out onto the water for some gloriously lonely sunset vistas.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Blue Ridge Mountains: At day’s end, it’s easy to see how this region of the Appalachians earned its name. Just go for a leisurely drive at sundown (ideally after a gentle day hike) along the Blue Ridge Parkway that winds through these undulating mountains from Virginia to North Carolina; you really can’t lose.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Toronto, Canada: As dusk sets in, the Toronto skyline becomes a twinkling silhouette against a blazing sky. The best vantage point for this daily show is from Toronto Island, a ferry ride away from the city buzz. Better yet: make a day of it, lounging on the beach and riding bikes around the island, then stick around for the closing act.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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The Matterhorn, Switzerland: Switzerland’s most fabled peak is a favourite for sunset seekers of the athletic persuasion. Strap on your hiking boots, take a 4- to 5-hour hike up to the Monte Rosa hut (2,883 metres in altitude), and arrive in time to watch the fading sunlight paint the clouds that frame the Matterhorn.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Mont Saint-Michel, France: This UNESCO-anointed walled island city off the coast of Normandy is always ready for its closeup, but never more so than when the sun makes its exit for the day. The tide, whether high or low, will impact the visual experience, so plan your trip accordingly.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Angkor Wat, Cambodia: Stick around after you’ve toured this extraordinary temple complex for a sunset like no other on earth. For the best possible display, grab a seat on nearby Phnom Bakheng Hill – the temple spires have been known to sparkle as the sun begins its descent.

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Cathedral Cove, New Zealand: Beloved for its unusual rock formations rising from the sea, so-called Cathedral Cove offers a number of scenic vantage points for catching a monumental sunset. Arrive by boat, kayak or on foot, then pick your favourite view: is it the rocky outcrop that seems to teeter in the tide? Or perhaps the dramatic rock arch for which the beach is named?

Travel

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24 Epic Places To Watch The Sunset.

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Key West, USA: Nobody parties like Key West, and practically any excuse will do – like sunset, for example. For 50 years, locals and visitors have gathered on Mallory Square as the blue sky turns to gold, joined by jugglers, magicians, acrobats, clowns, musicians, artists and food vendors for a mini twilight festival to send off the day.