Beauty takes many forms, and some countries keep taking your breath away no matter your definition—towering peaks, lush rainforests, dramatic coastlines, vast deserts, and historic towns. This updated roundup highlights 28 nations whose landscapes and cultural sites make them essential for travelers who chase scenery.
China: A land of dramatic contrasts, from the candy-striped Zhangye Danxia and sandstone pillars of Wulingyuan to jade lakes like Jiuzhaigou and dozens of UNESCO sites that blend natural wonder and human history.
Australia: Reef, outback and coast meet in spectacular fashion—snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, watch Uluru’s changing colors, or explore Tasmania’s remote mountains and largely unspoiled shorelines.
Brazil: Jungle, waterfalls and iconic coastline converge here—from the thundering Iguazú Falls and the Amazon rainforest to Rio’s dramatic Corcovado and the remote beaches of Fernando de Noronha.
India: A tapestry of environments, India stretches from Himalayan peaks to tropical shores, with Kerala’s tranquil backwaters, alpine meadows, terraced tea gardens and the floral spectacle of the Valley of Flowers.
United States: Immense and varied, the U.S. preserves landscapes like the Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyon, Puerto Rico’s El Yunque and Alaska’s Denali—each region offering a distinct kind of wilderness.
Canada: Vast and wild, Canada’s parks encompass turquoise alpine lakes in Banff, coastal fjords, Arctic tundra and the remote Torngat Mountains, making it a country of unforgettable wilderness.
Mexico: Desert, volcano and more than 5,000 miles of coastline create rich diversity—Oaxaca’s beaches, the mineral terraces of Hierve el Agua, Sumidero Canyon and monarch butterfly sanctuaries are just highlights.
Colombia: Amazonian jungles, Andean ranges and Caribbean beaches meet in Colombia, where Tayrona National Park, Cabo de la Vela and rich biodiversity invite longer, more immersive trips.
France: From lavender-soaked Provence and Normandy’s cliffs to the glamour of the Riviera, Corsica’s rugged shores and Alpine peaks like Mont Blanc, France feels timeless and storybook-perfect.
Indonesia: An immense archipelago with Bali’s rice terraces and temples, Raja Ampat’s world-class reefs, and quieter islands like Flores—Indonesia is a playground of marine and island scenery.
Japan: A mix of cultivated beauty and wild places—Mount Fuji’s silhouette, Kyoto’s cherry blossoms, subtropical Ogasawara islands and crystalline snorkeling waters give Japan a quietly powerful aesthetic.
South Africa: Beyond excellent safaris, South Africa offers Table Mountain, Blyde River Canyon, Namaqualand’s flower displays and Boulders Beach’s penguin colonies—diverse scenery within one country.
Tanzania: Home to the Serengeti’s Great Migration, Kilimanjaro’s snow-capped summit, Ngorongoro’s wildlife-rich crater and Zanzibar’s white-sand shores, Tanzania balances plains, mountains and ocean.
Peru: Famous for Machu Picchu, Peru also boasts the soaring Colca Canyon, vital coastal reserves like Paracas with Humboldt penguins, and biodiverse wetlands and highland lakes.
Argentina: From the jagged peaks and glaciers of Patagonia to Iguazú Falls and high Andean plateaus, Argentina delivers dramatic, wide-open landscapes and varied climates in one sweep.
Costa Rica: A conservation leader, Costa Rica protects rainforests, cloud forests and coastal parks; Cocos Island is a diver’s dream, while La Amistad and Cerro Chirripó highlight its biodiversity.
Vietnam: Limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay, terraced mountains in Hà Giang, tranquil bays like Ninh Van and jungle-clad Phú Quốc make Vietnam a haven for scenic travel and outdoor adventure.
New Zealand: Cinematic scenery at every turn—towering Southern Alps, turquoise lakes, fjords like Milford Sound, lupin fields by Lake Tekapo and the glowworm caves around Waitomo.
Bolivia: Otherworldly high-altitude landscapes define Bolivia—Salar de Uyuni’s reflective salt flats, the blood-red Laguna Colorada, Lake Titicaca and sweeping Andean vistas.
United Kingdom: A compact treasure trove of scenery—from Cornwall’s coast and the Lake District’s lakes to Scotland’s lochs and Isle of Skye and Northern Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway.
Croatia: The Adriatic’s crystalline waters, over a thousand islands and the terraced waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes give Croatia a luminous Mediterranean charm of coves, cliffs and clear seas.
Iceland: Close to the Arctic Circle, Iceland’s elemental landscapes—volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, black-sand beaches, blue-icebergs in Jökulsárlón and ice caves—feel raw and dramatic.
Namibia: Striking desert vistas and eerie scenes—shifting dunes of the Namib, the dead trees of Deadvlei, the Skeleton Coast and the vast Fish River Canyon make Namibia uniquely photogenic.
Greece: Beyond Santorini’s sunsets lies a nation of more than 6,000 islands, dramatic cliffs in Zakynthos, lively Mykonos beaches and mountainous Epirus inland, offering sun-soaked coasts and rugged highs.
Norway: Fjords like Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, soaring glaciers, Trolltunga’s cliff views and the Lofoten archipelago’s Arctic drama define Norway’s rugged coastal beauty.
Turkey: Landscapes range from the surreal fairy chimneys of Cappadocia and Pamukkale’s mineral terraces to the Turquoise Coast’s beaches and the high Kaçkar Mountains—diverse and sometimes surreal.
Nepal: A mountaineering and trekking powerhouse, Nepal hosts eight of the world’s ten highest peaks, with Gokyo Lakes, Sagarmatha and Chitwan national parks providing Himalayan grandeur and wildlife.
Switzerland: Synonymous with high mountains, Switzerland’s Alps deliver classic vistas—Matterhorn and Zermatt, lakeside scenery around Geneva and waterfall-filled valleys like Lauterbrunnen.
Together these countries span continents and climates, each offering combinations of natural marvels and cultural sites that reward travelers seeking beauty in many forms.