One of the most common regrets to experience later on in life is the regret associated with not traveling enough. Everyone always assumes that traveling the world will be possible later on in life – “it will always be there” has been said by many in an attempt to justify a lack of travel in life.
Sure, the world may always be here (or at least it will be for the foreseeable future) but travel can become more and more difficult due to factors like health, finances, and family commitments. Who knows what will happen next year, next month, or even within the next few minutes. This is why it is time to stop putting off your travel hopes and dreams for later and start exploring the world. Visiting these natural wonders in Southeast Asia is a good place to start.
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Vietnam’s Halong Bay has always been a top pick for travelers within Asia. The entire country of Vietnam is an amazing place to experience, but nothing quite compares to Halong Bay. The Bay is located in northern Vietnam and is known for its massive limestone structures found all throughout the bluer than blue waters. Travelers get to experience true adventure here with activities like diving, rock climbing, and hiking.
Try not to spend all of your time in Vietnam in Halong Bay, no matter how tempting it may be. There are plenty of places to see throughout the country, and getting around is easy. For example, travelers can take a direct bus from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha. And get this, the 9 hour trip costs less than $20 USD. Travelers have no excuse not to see all that Vietnam has to offer with such an easy-to-use transportation system, one that is also cheap.
The Chocolate Hills, Philippines
Until you’ve experienced the Chocolate Hills of the Philippines, you have not seen true natural beauty. The Chocolate Hills is as unique as nature can get; it consists of over 1,200 individual hills, all found within the same 50 square kilometer piece of land in Bohol province. But why are they called chocolate, you might be wondering.
During a good portion of the years, these hills remain green from the average amount of rainfall and sunshine. But then dry season hits the area and rainfall is diminished down to nearly nothing, transforming the hills from vibrant green to luscious brown. The Filipino people have learned to appreciate the changing of colors, rather than see it as yet another dry spell.
Marble Rocks, India
There are tons of travelers around the globe who haven’t even the faintest desire to visit India. To be honest, this is completely understandable since a trip to India is not for everyone. India can be hectic, dirty, and just a bit too much for some people to handle. That is, unless you consider a trip to the Marble Rocks.
The Marble Rocks can be found in central India in the Jabalpur District. These rocks have been carved out over time by the Narmada River passing through them. The river has ultimately created a gorge over thousands, maybe even millions of years. Tourists and locals can travel through the 8-meter wide gorge to get an up close look of the precious Marble Rocks.
Natural Forest Park of Zhangjiajie, China
The Natural Forest Park of Zhangjiajie is also referred to as the Avatar Mountains – you’ll understand why as soon as you Google a picture of it. You’ll understand even better if you book a trip to China to view the park in person. To give you an idea in words, picture the movie Avatar. Throughout the hit blockbuster film, you probably took notice of the mountainous pinnacles reaching towards the sky.
These pinnacles are what can be found throughout the Natural Forest Park. Nomadsaurus says that “giant sandstone pinnacles rise skyward from the valley floor, some up to 200m tall with tufts of evergreen shrubs clinching to their narrow summits…This is a place of awe and humility. Somewhere that one would think had never had human eyes laid upon them. ”
Mt. Kelimutu, Indonesia
The island chain known as Indonesia has no shortage of breathtaking sites, many of them being volcanoes. Mt. Kelimutu is one of the most unique volcanoes you will ever lay eyes on; at the summit, you’ll come to three separate crater lakes. But that’s not even the best part – these lakes all feature different colors, ranging from bright blues to deep purple hues.
