As Valentine’s Day approaches, here at Mundana our thoughts have turned to romance. While Paris retains its crown as the city of love, we think there’s nothing more romantic than sitting in front of a spectacular view with one’s significant other. Here are our picks for the world’s most romantic views.
Sunrise behind the moai, Easter Island
It’s tough dragging yourself out of bed when it’s still dark outside. Nevertheless, if you’re on Easter Island there’s a good reason to do so. Ahu Tongariki is the largest collection of moai, known as an ahu. Once swept inland by a tsunami, they’ve been restored to the platform where they belong. So far from the lights of Hanga Roa town, the site’s pitch black before dawn. As the sun rises, the moai slowly reveal themselves in one of the most magical locations on the planet.
Overlooking Santorini’s caldera
There’s something about the drama of Santorini’s setting, on the edge of an extinct volcanic caldera, that gives it an allure beyond that of other Greek Islands. A photogenic palette of white, azure and the pink pop of bougainvillea blooms adds to the appeal. Head for the town of Oia and find a spot on a terrace overlooking the lake. Pour two glasses of white and toast the good fortune at counting Santorini as one of your chosen vacation spots.
Hot air balloon over Africa’s vast plain
From your lofty vantage point in a still sky above Africa’s mighty plain, the view below you unfolds as you slip, unseen, above. Elephant, giraffe, zebra and wildebeest graze undisturbed. You might even see one of the great predators stalking their prey. A hot air balloon flight over Kenya’s Masai Mara or Tanzania’s Serengeti is a special experience, worthy of honeymoons and milestone anniversaries.
The karst landscape of Halong Bay
Vietnam has one of the prettiest coastlines in Asia. Halong Bay is a stand out, its karst landscape best seen from the water. Book a passage on a traditional junk and slip through the emerald green waters past rocky outcrops of tree-covered limestone. Pause at traditional fishing villages or to snorkel or dive in the warm waters.
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Hike to Horseshoe Bend
The view over Arizona’s Horseshoe Bend is as jaw-dropping as the panoramas you’ll enjoy a few miles away in Grand Canyon National Park. The Colorado River is responsible for both, sculpting the landscape into impossibly steep ravines which line looping meanders. It’s worth the effort to hike up to the rim of the canyon as the view that unfolds before you is as spellbinding as they come.
Remind yourselves that love lasts forever at the Taj Mahal
This wondrous mausoleum was built by Shah Jahan as a testament to his love for his late wife Mumtaz Mahal. Using the finest white marble inlaid by precious stones, this labour of love was a way to heal a broken heart. Today, you’ll have to work hard to escape the crowds that flock to this UNESCO listed site, but gaze across the River Jamuna and you might just have it to yourselves.
Relax beside the water on the world’s most beautiful beach
Anse Source d’Argent has graced so many glossy magazine covers that you could be forgiven for wondering why we’ve included it here. But when they describe paradise, this is where they mean. Cycle to this captivating beach while everyone else is grabbing breakfast and pretend that it’s all yours. Giant granite boulders and a palm-fringed crescent of sand makes this one of the prettiest sights in the Seychelles, worth dragging the love of your life halfway round the world to share it with you. It just wouldn’t be the same on your own.
If these, or Paris, or any other such boltholes have piqued your interest, why not contact Mundana and let us arrange a once in a lifetime holiday or perhaps even your honeymoon? We can help you find the perfect hotel and take the hard work out of your travel arrangements, leaving you free to focus on the romance.