The Financial Express (Delhi Edition)
10 PLACES TO SEE THE WORLD’S BEST SUNSETS
Sunsets may be easy to explain scientifically, but their beauty is harder to put into words. For their array of colours, silhouettes and overall vistas, here are some of the best sunset experiences from around the world, as per travel magazine Conde Nast
Micato Safaris, Kenya and Tanzania
Sure, we all dream of a safari filled with lion, rhino and elephant encounters, but often East Africa’s most poignant take-home memories are the sunsets. On Micato Safaris, the crew ensures a premiere frontrow seat to the day’s most epic event—the African sun painting the land in reds and oranges you never knew existed, while casting silhouettes over the savannah wildlife. The scenes are so surreal, they brink on
Lion King animation.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
There are few places in the world as photogenic as Angkor Wat, the iconic, spired temple complex that links the Khmer empire of 9th-15th century with present day. At sunset, head to the temple’s west entrance and bask in the grandeur of the world’s largest religious monument as it reaches its peak Instagram state. No filters necessary.
Quebec City, Canada
While we do love big-city skyline sunsets, there’s one particular small city that blows us away: Quebec City. The best view is from the opposite end of the St Lawrence River, where you can watch the sun brushstroke the Unesco World Heritage-designated Old Town in pinks and purples, transforming the town into a live watercolour painting.
Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort, Maldives
Just when you thought life couldn’t get better than the Maldives’ overwater bungalows comes Anantara Dhigu’s heavenly overwater hammock, where you can sway across the horizon, marooned in the remote shallows of the archipelago. Cradled at the day’s end, expect an out-of-body experience, as you swing in—and out of—the dramatic Indian Ocean sunset.
Salar de Atacama, Atacama Desert, Chile
Every evening, earth’s driest non-polar desert erupts into one of its most vibrant expanses. As the sun falls over Atacama’s largest salt flat, Salar de Atacama, the resident Andean flamingos take flight; skies alternate between blue and purple, reflecting off the shallow water; and the surrounding Volcano Licancabur glows in hues of pink.
Tradewind Aviation, US and Caribbean
You’ll never have to fight over the best seat on Tradewind Aviation’s snazzy fleet of Pilatus PC-12s; each plush chair has its own window for enjoying the sublime views on the airline’s scheduled routes through the north-east and the Caribbean. Opt for the early evening flights when the pilots of these low-flying planes treat passengers to dreamy sunsets over Boston, New York, Stowe, Nantucket, Anguilla, St Barths and more.
Aqua Expeditions, Peru
Thanks to the luxury vessels of Aqua Expeditions, Peruvian Amazonia is getting plenty of buzz as one of the world’s most unexpected five-star destinations. Besides the daily enthralling wildlife adventures (which often include cameos by pink river dolphins, sloths and piranhas), expect mindblowing sunsets that create an ever-changing kaleidoscope of colours.
Qasr al Sarab Resort by Anantara, Abu Dhabi
Smack in the middle of the Liwa Desert, on the southern fringe of the United Arab Emirates, the fortress-style Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara surfaces as a veritable oasis of Arabic elegance. Here, sky-high, rust-hued sand dunes put on a constant spectacle, changing colours and shape with the wind and movement of the sun.
The Point, New York
Enveloped by pine-laced mountains, lush forest and emerald lakes, The Point in the Adirondacks of northern New York is the perfect mash-up between nature and the finer things in life. Adding to this mountain high: the daily golden sunset, best appreciated from a balcony, cocktail in hand.
St Barts, French West Indies
St Barts is all about flashing your cash and savouring the good life, so why not add a bit of extravagance to the island’s famed jaw-dropping sunsets? Conde Naste Traveller’s recommendation: hire a yacht in Gustavia for a sunset cruise or grab the best sunset seat in town at the fabulous Bonito St Barth restaurant, where the sublime views come with heavy helpings of eclectic, Latininspired beach cuisine and fruity libations.