No.5: Waitomo Glowworm Caves (New Zealand)
Beneath the lush green hills of New Zealand’s North Island lies a world straight out of a dream—the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Here, countless glowworms illuminate the dark cavern ceiling with an otherworldly blue-white glow, creating a shimmering galaxy that reflects on the underground river below. As you glide silently through the cave on a guided boat, the sparkling canopy above will leave you breathless.
These bioluminescent lights, produced by glowworm larvae to lure prey, become a magical illumination for human eyes. In places where the glowworms cluster densely, it feels as though you’re floating through the Milky Way itself. Considered one of New Zealand’s most enchanting sights, the cave is often described as “the most moving view of a lifetime.”
No.4: Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (Brazil)
Stretching across northeastern Brazil, Lençóis Maranhenses offers a surreal landscape where vast white sand dunes meet turquoise rainwater lagoons. The name “Lençóis” means “bedsheets” in Portuguese—a perfect description for the sweeping expanse of dazzling white dunes that resemble giant sheets draped across the earth.
During the rainy season (June–August), these dunes cradle countless lagoons in shades of emerald and sapphire, transforming the desert into a breathtaking mosaic of color. Formed from pure quartz sand, the dunes reflect the sunlight in a blinding brilliance, creating one of the world’s most unique spectacles. While the lagoons dry up during the dry season, aerial tours and 4WD excursions in the wet season reveal an otherworldly panorama that feels like stepping into a fantasy realm.
