The World's 8 Best Places to Visit

It can be challenging to construct a list of the top travel destinations and scenic locales because the globe is so full of them. What would be the first places a traveler might go if they had never left their hometown before, for whatever reason?

Great cities like New York, Paris, London, and others must be included in the list of the world's top tourist destinations since they each have a wealth of must-see attractions. The list also includes particular buildings, monuments, and locales, many of which are well worth visiting on their own.

1. Machu Picchu, Peru

High in the Andes of Peru, Machu Picchu is now thought to have served as an important royal retreat for the Incan emperors. The distant site's beautiful stonework and precisely linked, mortarless stonework continue to astound visitors even after it was built in the 15th century AD and abandoned less than 100 years later. Without the use of cement or mortar, enormous stone blocks weighing several tons are properly linked to one another.

The route to Machu Picchu usually begins at the highland city of Cusco, which served as the Inca Empire's capital. Spend a few days seeing the interesting city of Cusco before or after your trip to Machu Picchu.

The Inca Trail can be hiked from Cusco to Machu Picchu. The entire journey lasts five days, but you can start out closer and hike the trail for one, two, or three days. Most travelers travel by train, which takes about three and a half hours, from Cusco.

Machu Picchu has taken measures to prevent excessive tourism and has set a daily visitor cap. All visitors must first get a permit. Up to four months in advance, they are freely accessible through the reservation page of the Peruvian Ministry of Culture. Many websites that advertise tours choose not to provide this information.

2. The Grand Canyon, Arizona

This amazing site is located in the U.S. state of Arizona and is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It's one of those breathtaking locations whose vastness and grandeur are difficult to grasp in pictures or videos.

The 277-mile-long canyon is thought to have begun around five to six million years ago, despite the geology having built over the previous two billion years. Yes, a billion. It was created by the Colorado River's flow, which continues to pass through it and erodes the surrounding rock. In certain sections, the Grand Canyon can be up to 18 miles wide and up to a mile deep. Imagine yourself perched on a ledge, gazing down a mile-long sheer rock face to a river below.

The South Rim is where the majority of visitors stay. Many magnificent hiking routes leading into the Grand Canyon start here, and the Desert View Drive rim road is dotted with wonderful viewpoints. Here and nearby, a variety of lodging options are available, ranging from tents to a luxurious log-built rustic resort on the rim of a canyon. The distant North Rim also has a few lodging options.

The historic Grand Canyon Railway, which departs from Williams, Arizona, is a popular means for tourists to reach the canyon.

3. Rome, Italy

The Eternal City resembles a massive, dynamic museum. Thousands of years of history are ingrained in visitors. Due to the city's relative compactness, a three-day schedule covers most of the must-see locations.

The Colosseum and the nearby Roman Forum, the Pantheon, and Vatican City, a separate nation in the center of central Rome, are among these must-see locations for any visitor.

Spend some time looking around Rome's outskirts as well. A visit to one of the aqueduct remnants outside the city and a stroll along a portion of the Appian Way, the ancient Roman expressway, are both worthwhile options.

After all your exploration, if you feel like hitting the beach, Rome has a great selection of beach villages just a short drive away on the Lazio Coast. Bathe in the cold waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea to escape the heat and commotion of the city.

4. Maui, Hawaii

Visitors can choose from a variety of experiences on this Hawaiian island. Surfing, dining on the sand at a five-star resort in Wailea, riding a horse across a dormant volcano in Haleakala National Park, and hiking through a rainforest in the West Maui Mountains are all options. One of the most stunning islands in the world, the natural environment is incredible.

From primitive hippie hut bed & breakfasts to five-star luxury resort hotels, there is accommodation for everyone here. Wailea is like the beachside Beverly Hills of Maui because it has all the upscale resorts. Be sure to venture outside if you're staying here and spend some time in Kihei, where the people congregate.

5. Masai Mara, Kenya

The Masai Mara in Kenya is a fantastically biodiverse region and a well-liked safari destination. The "big five" animals—the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo—can all be seen in one trip or, with luck, in a single afternoon.

Over 1,500 square kilometers of mostly grassland make up the vast, protected Masai Mara National Reserve park region, which stretches all the way to Tanzania's Serengeti plain. The peak migrations, which occur twice a year in July and August, are when tourists like to travel. To move from one feeding place to another, over a million wildebeest and other animals travel across the area in massive herds. Most tourists arrive in Nairobi by flight, then travel to the Mara by small bush plane.

6. New Zealand

This island nation is one of the best places in the world to go because of its stunning natural beauty, welcoming residents, and recent prominence as a result of being used as a filming location for the Lord of the Rings movie (as well as many others). Amazing biodiversity may be found here; New Zealand is said to be one of the last places on Earth where people lived.

Auckland, with its culture, history, and museums, is a great place to start your trip. Spend some time at the beach and on the water; Waitemata Harbour offers both beaches and a variety of boating and sailing activities.

Visit the Rotorua region to learn about and engage with Maori culture, and go to Queenstown to engage with the vast array of outdoor extreme adventure sports available in the nation.

7. Istanbul, Turkey

Another location that provides a fantastic blend of culture, food, and history is the capital city of Turkey. This region has a long history dating back to the time of the Ancient Greeks and Romans and continuing through the Ottoman Empire.

Here, more than anywhere else, the old and the new coexist together. You can go shopping during the day, spend the evening dining and dancing to Turkish music in a fantastic restaurant, and then wake up (very early) to the sound of the Islamic call to prayer in the morning. It is transmitted from loudspeakers mounted atop the minarets of the city's mosques, echoing across the roofs.

Istanbul boasts first-rate public transportation, making it simple to move around and discover all the important landmarks. The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, and Topkapi Palace are among the must-see locations.

8. Angkor Wat, Cambodia

The largest religious site in the world, Angkor Wat, is situated not far from Siem Reap in Cambodia. It was initially built as a Hindu temple and mausoleum for the Khmer king in the early 12th century, and at the end of the century, it was changed into a Buddhist temple. but a little portion of a very ancient city. The temple portion of Angkor Wat is where Angor Thom's city and palace once stood. Numerous additional ruin sites that were formerly part of the ancient metropolis of Angkor can be found nearby.

With daily flights from Hong Kong and other major Asian cities, Siem Reap with its temples and ruins is now relatively accessible. There are all kinds of lodging options, from modest guesthouses to opulent luxury resorts.