Roger de la Harpe/UIG/Getty Images
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda: This lush forest is one of the last homes of the mountain gorilla, and several hundred call this national park home.
Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty Images
Samburu, Kenya: A haven for some of Africa's most amazing wildlife, this national reserve is home to perfect sunrises, the endangered reticulated giraffe and Grevy's zebra.
Geography Photos/Universal Images Group EditorialGetty Images
Mount Toubkal, Morocco: The path to the "roof" of North Africa, the summit of Mount Toubkai gives climbers unrivaled views across the Atlas Mountains.
VCG/Getty Images
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China: Known for its towering sandstone pillars, this forest is best explored on foot. Visitors can experience spectacular views on the 100-meter-long and 1.6-meter-wide glass skywalk clinging to the cliff of Tianmen Mountain.
Hoang Dinh Nam/AFP/Getty Images
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam: One of the most popular natural attractions in Southeast Asia, Ha Long Bay is home to 1,969 islets of hulking limestone and deep, green waters that are home to myriad floating villages.
Romina Amato/Red Bull/Getty Images
El Nido, Philippines: El Nido offers access to the limestone peaks of the Bacuit Archipelago, as well as some of the world's most beautiful beaches and captivating dive sites.
Graeme Murray//Red Bull/AP
Rotorua, New Zealand: Located on New Zealand's North Island, Rotorua is home to geothermal waters, Maori culture, forests to explore and the Tarawera Ultra Marathon (Ryan Sandes is seen here training for it in February).
Education Images/UIG/Getty Images
Kata Tjuta, Australia: The Anangu people, who have lived here for over 22,000 years, manage this land -- one of the most sacred in Aboriginal culture -- with Australian park authorities.
M. Borchi/De Agostini Editorial/Getty Images
The Maldives: There's plenty of beach to enjoy with over 100 private resorts and guesthouses around the Male and Ari atolls. The beach on Ihuru Island on North Male Atoll is shown here.
Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Petra, Jordan: Explore the perfectly preserved ancient Nabatean city of Petra on camel back or strap on your walking boots and hike around its walkways. This is a sunset view of Ad Deir (The Monastery).
Marc Habran/Art in All of Us/Corbis/Getty Images
Atacama Desert, Chile: With the clearest skies on Earth, a tent in Chile's Atacama Desert is the perfect way to stargaze.
Avalon/UIG/Getty Images
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica: This muggy, damp environment is home to lovely winding trails and an array of birds, big cats and insects.
Thierry Monasse/Corbis News/Getty Images
Ciudad Perdida, Colombia: Known as "The Lost City," these ancient ruins are believed to pre-date Peru's Machu Picchu by as much as 650 years.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Dominica: Known as the nature island, this tiny Caribbean state is home to lovely coastlines, hot springs and rainforest treks.
Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images
Svalbard, Norway: Between the North Pole and mainland Norway, the Svalbard Islands are the perfect destination for polar exploration and spotting glaciers.
Alexey Filippov/Sputnik/AP
Lake Bled, Slovenia: Amid the backdrop of the Julian Alps, Lake Bled has become an iconic European destination for hiking and swimming.
Chris McGrath/Getty Images
Cappadocia, Turkey: Deep within the Anatolian plains, Cappadocia dates back to 3000 B.C. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it's known for volcanic landscape, fairy chimneys and large network of underground dwellings.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Positano, Italy: One of the most beautiful villages in Europe, Positano is known for its killer boutiques and waterside restaurants and the Byzantine Church of Maria Assunta.
Owen Humphreys/PA Images/Getty Images
Lake District, United Kingdom: The UNESCO-protected Lake District is an inspiration for artists, wanderers and those seeking calm.
Prisma Bildagentur/UIG/Getty Images
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia: While Croatia is already known as the ultimate European outdoor escape, Plitvice Lakes National Park is home to one of its most arresting sites: 16 lakes connected via waterfalls.
Larry Clouse/Cal Sport Media/AP
Vancouver Island, Canada: Visitors can spot grizzlies, elk and orcas on this island, which is also home to 2,000 miles of coastline, almost 10,000 lakes and acres of soaring mountains.
Lance King/Getty Images
Denali National Park, Alaska: Home to North America's highest peak, Denali National Park protects six million acres of wild space, along with the moose and bears living there.
Rhona Wise/AFP/Getty Images
Horseshoe Bend, Arizona: Close to the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park, Horseshoe Bend is within easy walking distance of the nearest road.
Gianni Oliva/De Agostini Editorial/Getty Images
Badlands, South Dakota: Named by the native Lakota tribe for its dry terrain, Badlands is known for its fossil beds.
Eric Baradat/AFP/Getty Images
Monument Valley, Utah: The bright red mesas and buttes standing high above the desert, where director John Ford shot many movies, are the stuff of American movie legend.

Editor’s Note: Monthly Ticket is a CNN Travel series that spotlights some of the most fascinating topics in the travel world. In March, we’re heading to the great outdoors.

CNN  — 

The world’s a spectacular place, full of hidden and overt beauty in every corner.

But beauty’s also subjective. It’d be impossible to get a unanimous decision on the most beautiful places around the world, but we believe this list is a good start to plan your travels.

CNN Travel has rounded up the best of the best.

From lush African forests to vast Latin American deserts, watery Balkan paradises to ancient Middle Eastern cities, here are our picks for the world’s top breathtaking, beautiful destinations:

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

Dense, lush and otherworldly, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the last redoubts of the mountain gorilla. Several hundred call this UNESCO-protected national park home, with the chance for visitors to trek to and meet habituated groups.

Its biodiversity extends far beyond its most famous inhabitants, however; almost 350 bird species and around 220 butterfly species can be found within its 331-square-kilometer expanse.

Samburu, Kenya

Thanks to its relative inaccessibility in the heart of Kenya, Samburu is a haven for some of Africa’s most beguiling wildlife.

The grassland and acacia-dotted landscapes of its national reserve are home to the endangered reticulated giraffe and Grevy’s zebra, as well as the pioneering Elephant Watch Camp.

Mount Toubkal, Morocco

At 4,167 meters (13,671 feet), Mount Toubkal lays claim to the title of “the roof of North Africa.”

The path to its summit zigzags across empty valleys, past holy shrines and up steep snowfields before emerging onto a ridge that falls away to give climbers unrivaled views across the Atlas Mountains. It’s a peaceful world away from the buzz of nearby Marrakech.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China

VCG/Getty Images
Tourists take on the Coiling Dragon Cliff skywalk in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.

China’s first UNESCO World Heritage site, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province is known for its towering sandstone pillars.

Best explored on foot, its back trails make for an easy way to escape the crowds and find the best views. As the mists descend, it’s easy to see why this area has long been an inspiration for traditional Chinese paintings.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay is one of the most popular natural attractions in Southeast Asia and one of the most beautiful places in Vietnam.

With 1,969 islets of hulking limestone and deep, green waters that are home to myriad floating villages, this is a place where time slows to a standstill.

Sail on a junk boat or pick up a kayak, and get lost in the quieter reaches of this vast and fascinating corner of the South China Sea.

El Nido, Philippines

At the northerly tip of the Philippine island of Palawan, El Nido is the ideal base for a diving adventure. Bacuit Bay, to the west, is the best place to start, with lagoons and shallow bays playing home to an unbelievable array of marine life.

Its beaches aren’t too shabby either: Nacpan Beach is a true slice of paradise; azure waters and pristine white sand satisfy even the most discerning of beach bums, while the peaceful town of Sibaltan in the east offers tropical relaxation in a setting that feels impossible to beat.

Rotorua, New Zealand

With its otherworldly landscapes and close connections to native Maori culture, Rotorua is New Zealand’s crowning glory.

Hot Water Beach, on the shores of Lake Tarawara, is the ideal place for a dip in the geothermal-heated waters. Hike through 60-meter (197-foot) high California Redwoods in Whakarewarewa Forest and catch sight of the region’s lakes, the kind of view that feels as if it can never be matched when you’re taking it all in.

Kata Tjuta, Australia

Formerly known as the Olgas, Kata Tjuta, in the heart of Australia’s Red Centre, is one of the most sacred sites in Aboriginal culture.

The Anangu people, who have lived here for over 22,000 years, manage the land with Australian park authorities. The site’s stone domes are best explored as the light changes at sunrise and sunset – dedicated tours led by Anangu people explain the significance of the “Many Heads” and their place in their traditional myths, known as Dreamtime tales.

The Maldives

The sand of its 1,200 islands is as white as it gets, the water a deep blue that puts all other seas in the shade. The Indian Ocean nation of the Maldives has developed into the world’s premier tropical hotspot for a reason.

Best of all, there’s plenty of beach to go around, with over 100 private resorts and welcoming, affordable guesthouses around the Male and Ari atolls. Sip on a cocktail, take a swim or dive to some of the finest coral reefs on the planet, where schools of fish sweep and sharks hide in the depths.

Petra, Jordan

02:52 - Source: CNN
Growing up with Petra, Jordan, as a playground

The perfectly preserved ancient Nabatean city of Petra is renowned for the narrow passage of the Siq, which leads to the famous Treasury, or Al Khazna.

Explore its temples, tombs and alleyways on a camel or strap on your walking boots and hike around its walkways for a truly mesmerizing experience.

Atacama Desert, Chile

With the clearest skies on the planet, Chile’s Atacama Desert is the ultimate destination for stargazing. It’s Earth’s driest desert, meaning cloud cover is nonexistent, so even without a telescope, you’ll get views of the night sky that’ll take your breath away.

The landscape is stunning, too, with deep craters and smoldering volcanoes visible on the horizon as the sun goes down.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica

Shrouded in near permanent cloud, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica is the most magical corner of this small, biodiverse country.

Its muggy, damp environment is a haven for an astonishing array of birds, big cats and insects. Keep a keen eye out for the resplendent quetzal, one of Earth’s most beautiful birds. The winding trails through lush undergrowth make it easy to explore, too.

Ciudad Perdida, Colombia

Accessible only by foot, Colombia’s Ciudad Perdida (Lost City) is one of the most fascinating ancient ruins on Earth. Believed to pre-date Peru’s Machu Picchu by as much as 650 years, the city’s terraces and statues attract far fewer visitors, making it much less hectic to explore.

The hike to Ciudad Perdida itself is one of the greatest hikes in the world, a multiday adventure through lush rainforest that is unforgettable as it is challenging.

Dominica

Dominica is known as “nature island” for a reason. This tiny Caribbean state, focused on hot springs and rainforest treks rather than flopping on the beach, is nothing like its neighboring islands.

Boiling Lake, in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, is accessible via steep, mountainous paths, an ethereal body of water that is well worth the hike. For divers, Champagne Reef, with its explosions of colorful plants and fish, is a true paradise.

Svalbard, Norway

Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images
Kongsbreen Glacier on Spitsbergen island in the Svalbard archipelago.

In the middle of the Arctic Ocean, between the North Pole and mainland Norway, the Svalbard Islands are the perfect destination for polar exploration.

The thousands of polar bears make Svalbard one of the best places in the world to see these increasingly elusive creatures up close, while its dark wintry skies are regularly cloaked in the Northern Lights. Ride a snowmobile or take a husky ride across the monochrome snowscape.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

The glistening blue water. The soaring backdrop of the Julian Alps. The famous church perched on an island at its center. It’s no surprise that Lake Bled has developed into one of the hottest destinations in Europe in recent years.

That means big crowds in summer, but don’t be put off. Ripe for hiking and swimming adventures, this is a corner of Slovenia that demands to be explored.

Cappadocia, Turkey

Turkey’s Mediterranean coast gets all the attention when it comes to getting some much-needed rest. But Cappadocia, deep within the Anatolian plains at the country’s center, is the country’s greatest gem.

The Fairy Chimneys near Gerome are the area’s most enduring sight, with ancient churches and monasteries carved into the bizarre geological formations. Its underground cities are also essential stop-offs.

Positano, Italy

Perched on Italy’s gorgeous Amalfi Coast, Positano is one of the most beautiful villages in Europe. Known for its gorgeous boutique hotels and waterside restaurants, not to mention the Byzantine Church of Maria Assunta, it makes for the perfect summer getaway.

Make sure to appreciate its full form by taking a boat out from the pebble beach for excellent sunset views.

Lake District, UK

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Early morning at Buttermere in England's Lake District.

Dramatics mountains, moody weather and ancient lakes have all helped make the UNESCO-protected Lake District an inspiration for artists, dreamers and wanderers.

Wordsworth and Coleridge’s poetry helped turn this stunning corner of England into a tourist’s haven, while the hand-drawn guide books and maps of rambler Alfred Wainwright have made it a must-do for walkers and those looking to escape the bustle of the city.

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Croatia’s status as the ultimate European outdoor escape has long been assured. And in Plitvice Lakes National Park, which has enjoyed protected status since 1949, lies one of the most arresting sights in the world: 16 lakes connected via waterfalls that are constantly changing the formation of the tufa rocks over which they flow.

A vast network of paths and boardwalks around the lakes make it easy to explore, with lush woodland and beguiling wildlife at every turn.

Vancouver Island, Canada

With over 2,000 miles (3,220 kilometers) of coastline, almost 10,000 lakes and acres of soaring mountains, Vancouver Island is like Canada in miniature.

Its surfing is world-class, while visitors can join a summer boat tour for possible orca sightings. Land lovers have plenty to appreciate about the backtrails criss-crossing the island, encouraging exploration by bike or on foot. Head toward the forest on the trail of Roosevelt elk and grizzly bears for more thrills.

Denali National Park, Alaska

Home to North America’s highest peak, Denali National Park is one of the most tranquil places on Earth. Its six million acres of wild space make for the perfect escape, whether on a mountaineering adventure or a bus ride along the Denali Park Road.

In September and October, look out for moose engaged in the annual “rut” – males battling for dominance, often in fights to the death. Grizzly bears can be seen throughout the year, too. Come in winter for a chance to catch sight of the Northern Lights.

Horseshoe Bend, Arizona

Rhona Wise/AFP/Getty Images
The Colorado River wraps around Horseshoe Bend.

No river meander captures the imagination as much as Horseshoe Bend. Here, the Colorado River turns back on itself having spent thousands of years carving a route through the desert.

Close to the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park, it’s within easy walking distance of the nearest road, making it a breeze to grab a quick snap from the lookout above the outer edge of the bend.

Badlands, South Dakota

Renowned for its rich fossil beds, Badlands, named by the native Lakota tribe for its arid and extreme terrain, is unlike anywhere else in the United States.

The short Door Trail affords superb views of the surreal rocky peaks that cover the landscape. It’s possible to camp here, watching the sun rise and color the rocks in brilliant hues.

Monument Valley, Utah

Monument Valley is the Wild West of the imagination. Its bright red mesas and buttes, standing high above the desert, are the stuff of legend.

Ideal for a road trip, iconic Route 163 offers some of the best views of this protected land. It’s possible to get up close on horseback tours and live out those Western movie dreams.

This article was first published in April 2019 and updated in March 2023.