10 Most Beautiful Landscapes of Finland

Finnish nature photographer Tea Karvinen shares her list of Finland’s ten most beautiful landscapes. Utö, Finland’s southernmost inhabited island is a very unusual place. Travelling there by car and boat from Helsinki takes just as long as flying to New York from Helsinki, even though the distance to Utö is a mere fraction of a trip to the United States.

Yet many Finns prefer to visit the island of Utö, especially during the winter or in the spring and autumn to watch the migration of the birds. The rocky island is just over one square kilometre in size and only about 50 people live there all year round – the number triples during the summer. After the Finnish Armed Forces vacated the island in 2005, their premises were taken over by locals that are now rented out as accommodation for tourists.

Jurmo, an island village close to Utö, is also worth visiting for those wishing to gain a glimpse into the nature and life on the Finnish archipelago, which is one of the world’s largest island clusters. Koli in northern Karelia is Finland’s most well-known national landscape. Imagine the blue (white in winter) of Lake Pielisjärvi, speckled with its many islands and the rocky summit of the Ukko-Koli Mountain soaring above you. This is surrounded by beautiful hills covered with tall candle-shaped spruce trees. This amazing landscape is only a short 10-minute walk from the Koli Hotel.

In Koli National Park, you can walk to a wide variety of natural wonders: traditional gardens, ancient forests, hilly scenery covered with trees, flowery meadows, sheep grazing areas, and lush groves. Over 100 years ago, Finnish artists and nature enthusiasts, such as classical composer Jean Sibelius, writer Juhani Aho and painter Eero Järnefelt, began elevating Koli’s status as an important national landscape.

10 fascinating photo from Finland

Finnish Lapland is known around the world primarily as the birthplace of Santa Claus.However, in this wonderful edge has another unique feature - a forest, which in the winter turns into totally unrealistic, mysterious figure.

National Geographic Photo Contest - 2013

The National Geographic Photo Contest for 2013 ends tomorrow, Nov. 30, but for procrastinators there’s still time to enter.The contest officially closes at 11:59:00 p.m. US Eastern Time Saturday. This post features a sampling of the entrants work. Winners in the three categories (people, nature, places) will be published in the National Geographic magazine. The caption information is provided and written by the individual photographer.

(Nature) An over/under water split level image of beautiful crimson red waratah anemones in a rock pool at low tide. What I really love about over/under photographs is that it gives the underwater element a sense of place. For the viewer it marries the underwater environment with our own familiar world. It links the unknown with the known. (Photo and caption by Matt Smith/National Geographic Photo Contest)

The Majestic Tufa Towers of Mono Lake, California (USA)

Mono Lake is a shallow salt water lake located in the high desert on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, in California in the United States. The lake has no outlet to the ocean causing high levels of salts to accumulate in the waters. As a consequence of its high salinity, no fish live in Mono Lake, but there are plenty of brine shrimp that thrive in its waters. Over two million annual migratory birds use Mono Lake as a stop over and resting place as they fly to South America or the tropical oceans. They feed on the shrimps, lay eggs and hatch their young ones here.

The most unusual feature of Mono Lake are its dramatic tufa towers emerging from the surface. These rock towers form when underwater springs rich in calcium mix with the waters of the lake, which are rich in carbonates. The resulting reaction forms limestone. Over time the buildup of limestone formed towers, and when the water level of the lake dropped the towers became exposed.

Waitomo Glowworm Caves - New Zealand

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves, located just outside the main Waitomo township on the North Island of New Zealand, is a famous attraction because of a sizeable population of glowworms that live in the caves. Glowworms or Arachnocampa luminosa are tiny, bioluminescent creatures that produce a blue-green light and are found exclusively in New Zealand.

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves were first explored in 1887 by local Maori Chief Tane Tinorau accompanied by an English surveyor Fred Mace. Local Maori people knew of the Caves existence, but the subterranean caverns had never been extensively explored until Fred and Tane went to investigate. They built a raft of flax stems and with candles in hand, floated into the cave where the stream goes underground.

Stanserhorn Cabrio - Amezing Two Storey Cabin Cableway

 Ruslan Eunice wrote: "The cable car Stanserhorn Cabrio has its origins in the Swiss town of Stans (Stans), a few kilometers from Lucerne, Canton of Nidwalden (Nidwalden). And it leads to Mount Stanserhorn (Stanserhorn) altitude 1898 meters above sea level. Opened as recently as May 2012. Is unique in that passengers have the opportunity to ride on the world's first two-story-Convertible telekabine. The upper floor has a roof, and tourists can feel the wind blow, breathe fresh air and enjoy the gorgeous 360-degree view. "

10 Best Islands in the World

Ambergris Caye, Belize. Ambergris Caye - a great place for a holiday. There is enough amenities, but at the same time, the island is not so developed, that you had to wade through the crowds of tourists. This island with white as snow, beaches - the largest in Belize. To navigate through the sandy roads are typically used golf mobiles. Divers will enjoy the Belize Barrier Reef and the Great Blue Hole - 122 meters deep cavity formed by the limestone rocks. In the center of the island is also mangrove swamp.

Ronda - Town on The Rocks (Spain)

Ronda - a small but very picturesque Spanish town located in the northwest of the province of Malaga. On the official website of the city it is called the soul of Andalusia - and for good reason, because it's unique charm does not leave anyone indifferent tourists who visited the place. Colorful Spain has lost a lot would not if she had such an interesting angle, so visit Ronda - one of the essential tasks for any self-respecting traveler.

The main feature of the city is its location - it is a hill, divided into two deep gorge at the bottom of which flows the river Guadalevin (Guadalevín).

Beautiful Mountains And Rice Fields of Tam Coc Valley (Vietnam)

Tam Coc Valley - one of the most exciting attractions in Vietnam. In the valley of rice fields on the picturesque River flows Ngo Dong, the bed of which are painted in different colors depending on the season. This is a popular tourist destination near the city of Ninh Binh in northern Vietnam. The Tam Coc (“three caves”) portion is a three-hour excursion by small boat along the Ngo Dong river, beginning at the village of Van Lam and proceeding through a scenic landscape dominated by rice fields and karst towers. The route includes floating through three natural caves  the largest of which is 125m long with its ceiling about 2m high above the water. The boats are typically rowed by one or two local women who also sell embroidered goods.

Tam Coc is located about 90 km from the city of Ninh Binh, and is considered one of the most spectacular sights in Vietnam.

Mountain hut (mountain shelter) On Various Mountains

A mountain hut (also known as alpine hut, mountain shelter, and mountain hostel) is a building located in the mountains intended to provide food and shelter to mountaineers, climbers and hikers. Mountain huts are usually operated by an Alpine Club or some organization dedicated to hiking or mountain recreation. Mountain huts usually provide simple sleeping berths, and personnel may prepare meals and drinks for mountaineers. Mountain huts usually allow anybody to access their facilities. Some huts in more remote areas have no personnel, but mountaineers are still allowed to access them. Mountain huts have been built for many years, some as early as the 1880s.Huts used as Forest Service guard shacks and sheep herding shelters were built in Colorado in the 1940s. These huts cut through now what is the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. In the United States, New Hampshire, the Carter Notch Hut was built in 1904 and is still in use today.

Pleisenhütte (1,757 m) in the KarwendelMountains, Tyrol region, Austria

Land Where Human Fantasies Are Transcribed In To Stone Sculptures - Khajuraho (India)

Situated in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh, the town of Khajuraho has been recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO. The town is famous for its imperial temples. The temples were built by the rulers of Chandela dynasty between 10th and 11th century. The construction of the temple just took around 100 years to complete. There were around 85 temples in the area but now only 22 exist. Rest are nothing more than ruins. They sure have gained popularity due to the erotic sculptures carved on the walls. However such sculptures cover only a small portion. The major share of sculptures are depicting the daily life of people in the rural India.

The Unkai Terrace of Tomamu – A Magical Place Above the Clouds

Located in Japan’s Tomamu Resort,  on the island of Hokkaido, the Unkai Terrace is a unique scenic spot perched high atop a mountain peak that is often above the clouds, offering tourists breathtaking views of the white, fluffy sea beneath them.

The “unkai” (sea of clouds) phenomenon has been attracting tourists to the resort town on Tomamu for years. The natural hot springs in the area and the differences in temperature during the few hours when night turns into day determine the formation of an immaculate white blanket of clouds over the mountainous region, but only a few people had the chance to see the unique effect from above, until a gondola system was put in place. It takes early-bird tourists up the mountain to the Unkai Terrace, right above the sea of clouds, where they can watch the sunrise, take photos of the Hidaka and Tokachi mountain peaks as they pierce the fluffy fog and enjoy a refreshing cup of coffee or a bowl of soup. Although the gondola fare is pretty expensive (around $20), the view from Unkai Terrace is definitely worth every yen.

 

Beautiful Maldives for Honeymoon

The Maldive Islands are located in the Indian Ocean, south-west of India and Sri Lanka. Altogether there are 1,190 islands that form 26 atolls stretching in a form of a double chain perpendicularly to equator. Among all the islands only 202 are inhabited, including 88 islands with tourist resorts. The length of the Maldivian archipelago from north to south is of 820 km, from east to west - 120 km. The total area of ​​the Maldives, with the land and the sea areas, is about 90 thousand square kilometers.

Yosemite National Park - USA

Yosemite National Park  is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne,Mariposa and Madera counties in the central eastern portion of California, United States. The park covers an area of 761,268 acres (3,080.74 km²) and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain. Over 3.7 million people visit Yosemite each year most spend their time in the seven square miles (18 km²) of Yosemite Valley. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant Sequoia groves, and biological diversity. Almost 95% of the park is designated wilderness. Yosemite was central to the development of the national park idea, largely owing to the work of people like Galen Clark and John Muir in getting the Yosemite Grant passed by congress and signed by President Lincoln, paving the way for the United States national park system.

Beautiful Sun Temple - Modhera (India)

The Sun Temple, at Modhera in Gujarat, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu Sun-God, Surya. It was built in 1026 AD by King Bhimdev of the Solanki dynasty. This temple depicts the essence of ancient times. The sculptures and architecture present in this temple are still magnificent after all these years. In the present times, prayers are not offered in this temple. This temple is now under the supervision of Archaeological Survey of India.

Beautiful Photography of Clods

Snowbird - Top of Tram - Gad Valley

Nestled in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort lies on 2,500 acres in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, about 30 minutes away from downtown Salt Lake City. Snowbird receives 500 inches of annual snowfall and is known for its hospitality, terrain, and proximity to the Salt Lake City International Airport. Snowbird is a year-round resort and offers an array of activities including an Alpine Slide and Mountain Flyer, as well as a luxury spa and 15 restaurants serving everything from burgers to fine dining. 

Sigiriya - The Beautiful Place To Visit In Sri Lanka

Sigiriya or Lion Rock, Sinhalese is situated in the central Matale District of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. The place receives its name from the huge column of rock almost two hundred meters high that was once the heart of the royal capital constructed by King Kasyapa. Sigiriya nowadays is the most favorite historical site in Sri Lanka. The environments all-around Sigiriya appeared to be inhabited since prehistoric times. There’s obvious signs that the numerous rock shelters and caves in the area were occupied by Buddhist monks and ascetics from as early as the 3rd century BC. In accordance the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa the site was chosen by Kasyapa for his new capital. It documents that he constructed a spectacular capital there and a stunning structure on top of this two hundred meter tall rock. The main city and also the royal palace were abandoned after the king’s death, it was used as a Buddhist monastery until 14th century.

Beautiful Place Chamba To Get Peace Of Mind, Himachal Pradesh (India)

Chamba is an ancient town in the Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, in northern India. Located at an altitude of 996 metres (3,268 ft) above mean sea level, the town is situated on the banks of the Ravi River at its confluence with the Sal River. Though historical records date the history of the Chamba region to the Kolian tribes in the 2nd century BC, the area was formally ruled by the Maru dynasty, starting with the Raju Maru from around 500 AD, ruling from the ancient capital of Bharmour, which is located 75 kilometres (47 mi) from the town of Chamba. In 920, Raja Sahil Varman shifted the capital of the kingdom to Chamba, following the specific request of his daughter Champavati  (Chamba was named after her). From the time of Raju Maru, 67 Rajas of this dynasty have ruled over Chamba until it finally merged with the Indian Union in April 1948, although Chamba was under British suzerainty from 1846 to this time.

Hawaii - Beautiful Honeymoon Destination