The sun rises early

Ross Sea, Antarctica
Hanging out on the edge of sea ice waiting for a massive marine mammals like orcas to emerge or little Adélie penguins to slide past was singlehandedly the most surreal experience of my travels. Getting there is tricky for civilians outside of the Antarctic Science Programs, but if you can get creative and find a way there you’ll have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Antarctic Peninsula
I took a voyage to the bottom tip of the Earth, and have yet to witness a destination more pristine, brutal, majestic and arresting than the Antarctic Peninsula. The Lemaire Channel in particular—with its corridor of snow-capped mountains plunging into the sea before giving way to an endless field of white ice patches on which seals sunbathe—is an incredible reward for intrepid travelers willing to explore the White Continent.

Karijini National Park, Western Australia
karijini national park
Karijini National Park is located in the Hamersley range of Western Australia. This place is perfect for traveler and adventure geeks. Here you can explore places including Fortescue Falls, Hancock Gorge, Oxer Lookout, Weano Gorge, Hamersley Gorge, and Mt. Bruce.

Eze, France
Climbing the cobblestone stairs in this medieval hilltop village in southwest France is worth every step once you get to the top. Chateau Eze's bar offers jaw dropping, panoramic views of the French Riviera's sunkissed ocean. It's a great day trip to take if Nice or Monaco is your base, or check into the Chateau to get a dose of those views more than once.

Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
On the banks of the Zambezi River hippos, cape buffalo, zebra and elephants graze in such great numbers it appears surreal. Termite mounds dot the landscape like lone sentinels and lions sleep among the tall grasses waiting for the quintessential African sunsets.

The Great Barrier Reef
One of the best vacation ideas is to visit the world's largest coral reef in the Pacific Ocean, off the northeastern coast of Australia. It's always warm, so you can admire the stunning underwater world at any time of year. In spring and summer, large sea turtles come to the coast, and from November to May, the poisonous jellyfish spawn, when you can dive but only in a wetsuit. Delightful impressions of such an underwater walk will last long. You can not see such beauty on any, even the most popular, diving resorts. You don't even need to dive to see it. You can admire the motley inhabitants and stunningly bright colors of the Great Barrier Reef from special floating platforms with a transparent bottom.