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MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES ON EARTH » Top 10
most beautiful places on earth rated by the LoveToKnow editors. | | |
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Amazon Rain Forest
The Amazon jungle covers much of the
South American basin. The jungle is filled with beautiful fauna,
striking waterfalls and colorful birds like the scarlet macaw. The rain
forest is made up of around 1.4 billion acres.
Deforestation is a big concern among those who wish to preserve the
beauty and unique ecology of the rain forest for future generations. The
Amazon River runs through the rainforest as well. | |
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Angel Falls, Venezuela
Angel Falls is the world's tallest
waterfall at 3,212 feet. It is located in the Canaima National Park. It
is not easy to get to the falls to see them. One must either fly into
the national park, camp and make a long and arduous trek to the falls or
fly past in an airplane. Since the falls are so high, clouds often
obscure the view from an airplane. Still, Angel Falls is a
popular tourist destination and those who've made the trek say it is
worth the effort. | |
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Ayers Rock, Australia
The amazingly beautiful Ayers Rock
is located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, whose nearest neighbor is
Alice Springs. Alice Springs is still over 200 miles away from the park.
The park suggests that visitors view the rock at sunrise or sunset as
the rock seems to glow in the setting or rising sun. The rock is 1,148
feet high and 5.8 miles around. The area is fairly dry, with very little
rainfall. While you're at Uluru-Kata Tjuta, take a
walking tour to see more of the park. | |
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Blue Grotto Cave, Italy
The
island of Capri in Italy boasts this sea cave known by locals as
Grotta Azzurra. Sunlight comes through underwater holes in the cave
wall and almost seems to make the water and the cave glow with a blue
light. It is one of less than a handful of sea caves that feature this
blue or green light. The cave can only be visited in good weather as it
must be accessed by a small rowboat. | |
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Crater Lake, Oregon, United States
This is a caldera lake,
which simply means it was formed by volcanic activity. The lake is five
miles by six miles across and has a depth as big as 1,949 feet. This
particular lake is known for being brilliantly clear. There are little
pollutants to enter the lake at the altitude that it sites and no
streams or rivers feed into the lake. The parks department offers
ranger guided boat tours of the lake. | |
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Great Barrier Reef
Whether you view the barrier reef from
the air or by diving down into it, there is no arguing that it is the
world's largest coral reef. The clear waters and abundance of sea life
have caused many to argue that it is also the most beautiful. The reef
is made up of a series of reef systems, about 2,900. There are also many
islands within the system, including
Haggerstone Island and
Great Keppel Island. | |
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The Himalayas
The Himalayas are the largest mountain range
in the world. They sit up against the countries of India, Pakistan,
Burma, Nepal and Bhutan. Many are familiar with
Mount Everest, which is part of the Himalayas. It is a mountain that
countless people have tried to climb. Many have failed, a few have
succeeded and some have even lost their lives to this mountain. | |
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Machu Picchu, Peru
Visit these Incan ruins for a bit of
history and some of the most gorgeous views in the world. The Incan
village was built on top of a ridge and looks down into the Urubamba
Valley of Peru. There is quite a bit of controversy over tourists
visiting the site. Some people in Peru welcome the tourists and would
build hotels, boutiques, helicopter landing strips and bridges. Others
are worried that the historical site is
in danger from all the visitors and seek to protect it. No matter
which side you choose, this is one of those sites that you hope to see
in your lifetime. | |
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Taj Mahal, India
Although not a natural wonder, the Taj
Mahal is a gorgeous location well worth visiting. It is located in Agra,
India and was
built by emperor Shah Jahan. The mausoleum is the white domed
structure that most people associate with the Taj Mahal, but it is
actually made up of many different buildings. Some of the features
within the structure include inlay work with semi-precious gemstones. | |
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Yosemite Valley, California, United States
This valley was
carved out by the Merced River. The valley is around eight miles long
and is surrounded by Half Dome, El Capitan and Cloud's Rest. There are
many hiking trails through the pines for nature lovers and
other things to do. Within the valley are many different trees,
plants, wildflowers, animals and birds. Yosemite is often called the
first national park because it was the first time a president (in this
case Lincoln) set aside lands to be protected for future generations. | |
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