Sights that really take your breath away
A statue is just another statue unless there is something truly remarkable about it or its context and location. Touring temples is great but seeing them at dawn as the morning dew rises from the jungle is even better. Travelling through Scandinavia is incredible but seeing the Northern Lights tickle the night sky will make the experience that much more memorable.
Travel isn't about crossing sights and cities off your list, it's about the experiences we have on the way. Here are five travel experiences and sights that will stop you in your track. Have your camera at the ready, some are only present for a fleeting moment.
Bird murmuration at Brighton Pier
One starling on its own isn't that remarkable but consider seeing thousands of them all flying in one rhythm, one pattern across the evening sky... that is incredible. Brighton Pier is a great place to catch them right before the birds settle down for the night. The best month to catch the starling murmurations is in November.
Northern Lights in Scandinavia
Now this is one light show you don't want to miss but you will have to crawl out of your cosy warm bed and head outside in winter to see it. What makes the Norther Lights so incredible is that they are entirely unpredictable, you never know when they will appear in the night sky you just have to be ready when they do.
Glaciers on the beach in Chile
Patagonia is the end of the world and its landscapes really prove it. Where else can you hike up and touch glaciers that rise right out of the mountains and beautiful meadows that look straight like they're from Switzerland. Torres del Paine is one of the most incredible national parks in the world, after all there's nothing like seeing ice on the beach.
Jungle pyramids in Mexico
You can find Mayan pyramids and ruins all over Mexico but none have the same sort of atmosphere as these ones do in Palenque. It was these pyramids that inspired the Indiana Jones film Raiders of the Lost Ark. You can find them deep in the jungles of southern Mexico.
Lunar rainbow in Zambia
It's not often you can see rainbows at night because they're created by the sun, right? Well, not if you visit the famous Victoria Falls in Zambia at the right time of the year. This rare natural occurance only happens for a few days once a year during the full moon at the peak of high-water season. "Moonbows" are visible between April and August and are best viewed from the banks of the Zambezi River at Tongabezi.
What is the most incredible thing you've seen on holidays?