The Sky Alive With Color! Where to See the World’s Best Sunsets Chris Caggiano July 26, 2023 general Who doesn’t love a sunset? With hues of orange and red, pink and gold, sunsets are works of art drawn on the biggest canvas in the world. No matter what is going on in your life, the natural beauty of a setting sun will always captivate us. But not all sunsets are the same. There are some places in the world worth traveling to just to be treated to the brightest profusions in the most spectacular settings. Sunsets turn the inherent beauty of these spots into inspiring, transformative plains of ethereal light. The following locations top our list of the best spots in the world to enjoy a perfect sunset, already magnificent destinations whose beauty is augmented by the tranquil rays of twilight time. Atacama Desert, Chile The Atacama Desert in Chile is truly one of the most remarkable places on Earth. The Atacama is the most arid desert in the world, and visitors experience otherworldly vibes as they step foot on the Atacama’s salt flats, one of the backdrops in the science fiction classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. Sunsets in the Atacama offer a kaleidoscope of colors for visitors. Desert oases turn into sheets of gold as the mountains become a curtain of indigo and pink. The Atacama is ever popular with extreme sports enthusiasts, who pair sunset excursions with afternoons of blissful sandboarding in the region’s Sea of Dunes. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia Rightfully known as the City of Temples, Angkor Wat offers both breathtaking sunrises and glorious sunsets in the largest religious complex in the world. Built over of the course of decades in the 12th century by the Khmer Empire, Angkor Wat is now a Hindu-Buddhist temple that covers 400 acres and includes over a thousand buildings. One of the most popular locations for sunsets at Angkor Wat is Phnom Bakheng, a mountain temple that offers great views of the main temple complex as well as the surrounding forests. Pre Rup, a temple dedicated to Shiva, also presents powerful vistas of the setting sun. Pre Rup is one of the tallest structures in Angkor Wat, and views from inside paint the nearby jungle in hues of yellow and gold, while visitors standing outside the temple can watch the sun descend between its two towers. Jimbaran Bay, Bali, Indonesia Giving off the vibes of a humble fishing village, Bali’s Jimbaran Bay offers a shimmering sunset experience for those who have a love of both nature and the finer things in life. Restaurateurs have turned sunsets in Jimbaran Bay into the Far East’s most distinctive dining experience. Local restaurant owners have combined the beauty of the city’s sunsets with luxury seafood dining, turning Jimbaran Bay’s famous beach into an outdoor dining area for 17 of the hottest restaurants in the city. The bay is especially popular as a romantic dinner spot for couples. Visitors to Jimbaran Bay can sample the city’s famous grilled lobster while watching the lapping waves turn from a peaceful azure to regal purple and gold tints. Main Island, Hawaii, USA Hawaii might be known for its turquoise waters and beautiful beaches, but it is also one of the best places in the world to sit back and enjoy a calming sunset. Just as Hawaii’s position as America’s most westward state gives unobstructed views of the horizon, so too does everything from volcanic dust to water vapor turn Hawaiian sunsets into a canvas of colors. Visitors to the main Island of Hawaii have several options for closing out their day with the perfect sunset. While many might opt for a beach sunset of pink and orange hues at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area, visitors hoping for a more dramatic experience can head to Kailua Kona Bay for sunsets framed by volcanic rocks and purple hues. Zanzibar, Tanzania Along with thrilling safari vacations, Tanzania is known for its wide variety of picture-perfect sunset experiences. Local cruise companies offer sunset tours of the surrounding waters, allowing visitors to watch the Indian Ocean turn a shade of crimson red as the sun begins to dip below the horizon. Alternatively, vacationers who want to stay within the Zanzibar city limits have a multitude of beautiful beaches that offer great sunset panoramas. City lovers will particularly appreciate sunset views from rooftop restaurants and bars in Zanzibar’s Stone Town district, a UNESCO World Heritage site replete with 19th century architecture. The Grand Canyon Sunsets at the Grand Canyon turn an already amazing natural wonder into an ethereal valley of resplendent colors and vivid shadows. By far the most popular spot to take in sunsets at the Grand Canyon is the South Rim, which is easily accessible by most roads. Home to the famous Mather Point, the South Rim lets visitors enjoy some of the Grand Canyon’s most well-known landmarks, including Isis Temple and Pipe Creek. Meanwhile, travelers with a penchant for hiking should head for Mohave Point. Less crowded than other places in the Grand Canyon, Mohave Point features great sunset views of the Colorado River and the Abyss, a large grouping of 3,000-foot-tall cliffs. You Might Also Enjoy: Cool Destinations With 24 Hours of Daylight — or Darkness! Key West, Florida Key West has turned the twilight hours into a daily carnival of fun, food, and entertainment. Much of the action takes place in Mallory Square, where parties toasting the sun’s final rays of the day have been a fixture of the community for the past several decades. As dusk descends on the city, entertainers from musicians to sword swallowers head to Mallory Square to delight onlookers. Food carts serving local favorites like conch fritters and mojitos are the icing on the cake of magical vistas of the Gulf of Mexico bathed in the pink and orange hues of the setting sun. Uluru, Australia One of Australia’s most famous natural treasures, Uluru is a large sandstone rock formation in the savannas of North Territory. Formerly known as Ayers Rock, Uluru is a sacred site to the Aborigines, who revere it as part of their creation myth. Sunsets at Uluru take on a life on their own as the land and sky dance into a whirlwind of cascading colors. First draped in shades of burnt orange, as the sun descends, Uluru turns to a crimson shade of red before being masked in the deepest purple hues. While climbing Uluru is forbidden, guests looking for a more distinctive experience can watch the sun fall on Uluru from the domed hills of Kata Tjuta, a neighboring rock formation that is also of immense importance to the indigenous people of Australia. Think you got us beat? Do you know think you know the perfect place to see a sunset? Tell us about it in the comments below!
