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10 Places to See the Best Sunsets in the World

Top 10 Sunset Locations in the World

Where to Find the Best Sunsets in the World?

An ethereal sunset scene can make any holiday a great one. In recent years it has become a trend for travelers to position themselves as ‘sunset seekers’, searching for the most picturesque dusk scene to commemorate an unforgettable vacation or experience. It is believed that each and every sunset is unique – from the warmth-infused hues to the brush-stroked clouds, each sunset scene delivers a unique viewing experience.

Sunsets are a highlight of any vacation. They display nature’s beauty that we often don’t have time to properly take in our daily lives.

Best Sunsets in the World
Best Sunsets in the World

Enjoyed with someone you love, sunsets are also a romantic sight marking the end of one day spent together, hopefully in paradise, with the prospect of many more to come.

Sunsets can be breathtaking in any given landscape, but some stand out more than others. There are places in the world that heighten all five senses during the day to night, and if you are one of the lucky ones to be in the right places at the right time, the memories are unforgettable and will remain with you forever.

Here is the list of the top 10 places to see the best sunsets in the world; the list will be amazing, so make sure to read till the end. Let’s start

Vancouver, Canada

Sunset in Vancouver Canada
Sunset in Vancouver Canada

Looking west over the Pacific, Vancouver has the perfect setting for sunsets. The view from the famous Grouse Mountain, which overlooks the city, is spectacular even before the sun sinks over downtown and the ocean.

The green spaces of Stanley Park wrap the city in a six-mile walking and bike path. It’s another enchanting place to take in the coastal view and wait for a beautiful sundown.

If you are more adventurous, head to Sunset Beach (there’s a clue in the name) where kayakers and paddle boarders gather. Rent one yourself to get on the water or just take in the view of the city across English Bay.

Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Cape Elizabeth Sunset by Keith Luke via Unsplash
Cape Elizabeth Sunset by Keith Luke via Unsplash

The coast of Maine faces east, but it still manages to have some spectacular sunsets. They may be even better because you must work harder to see them.

In the summertime, the sun sets here to the northwest; time your visit carefully to be guaranteed one of those classic Maine sights of a lighthouse or rocky shore standing against the red light of dusk.

Cape Elizabeth is best from fall through winter, but its southwest aspect gives good sunsets all year round. Add in the Portland Head Lighthouse, dating to 1791, and you have a remarkable setting.

It’s the oldest lighthouse in Maine and stands in beautiful Fort Williams Park with the open ocean behind it. The Atlantic weather beating against the cliffs below can add real drama, making for memorable photographs or great memories.

Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii

Haleakala National Park Sunset by Tuva Hoyer via Unpsplash
Haleakala National Park Sunset by Tuva Hoyer via Unpsplash

Perhaps better known for its sunrises, Haleakala is also well worth seeing for its beautiful sunsets. Standing at 10,000 ft, the view out over the volcanic peak, massive sky, and expansive ocean is spectacular indeed.

In the Hawaiian language, Haleakala? means “House of the Sun.” In mythology, Maui was a demigod who stood there and roped in the sun to give his family more daylight.

From this height, the sun seems to stand still for a while, sinking into the sea. Tumbled clouds add an extra dimension to the sights as shadows and colors play across their faces.

You will need to dress up warmly, with a good hat, heavy coat, and even gloves—yes, in Hawaii. Once the sun drops down, so do temperatures at this high altitude. The show doesn’t end at sunset either. Keep watching as the stars blink on in the night sky to fill the heavens with their glory.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro by Gabriel Rissi via Unsplash
Rio de Janeiro by Gabriel Rissi via Unsplash

The sunsets in Rio de Janeiro are so good that spectators stand and clap on parts of Ipanema beach. Applause brings an encore, of course, although you do have to wait another 24 hours to see it.

Sunsets at the beach level are one thing, but the view from on high, taking in the city’s lights as well, is something else. Popular spots in Rio are atop the Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain) with its outlook over Copacabana, and the Dois Irmãos, looking over Ipanema.

The best may be from Mirante Dona Marta, a belvedere standing about 1,000 ft above the city on the way to Corcovado with its Christ the Redeemer statue. The spectacle takes in Sugarloaf Mountain, Guanabara Bay, and beyond as the city’s lights blink into life and the sun sinks over the far horizon.

Valparaiso, Chile

Valparaiso Sunset
Valparaiso Sunset

A stopover for many on the way to the California Gold Rush, Valparaiso may remind you of old San Francisco. Facing west, it spills down a hillside filled with bright-colored houses that light up and almost glow as the sun sinks into the Pacific.

Bypassed by the opening of the Panama Canal but now revitalized, Valparaiso has a unique charm: partly grand city, partly backwater. Amazing street art brings poor neighborhoods to life, while hotel terraces provide spectacular views and great Chilean food, not least pisco sour, Chile’s national drink.

Wherever you are at sundown, though, watching the colors change on the facades of the old buildings as the sun sinks over the western horizon is enough to stir the imagination of any traveler.

Cork, Ireland

Sunset in Ireland
Sunset in Ireland

Ask anyone from Cork, and they’ll tell you that Cork—the city and county—is the most beautiful place in Ireland. That’s before you add in the dazzling sunsets over the Atlantic Ocean.

The city has many spots to enjoy nature’s free light show. A favorite with photographers is the 16th-century Blackrock Castle, which looks amazingly silhouetted against the light on the River Lee.

Irish sunsets might not have the dependability of a tropical ones. They make up for it in the atmosphere when the clouds and light interplay between dark and sunny moods, creating an ever-changing vista.

Ibiza, Spain

Ibiza Sunset
Ibiza Sunset

The Mediterranean delivers beautiful sunsets in many places, from Capri to Sicily and Ibiza. The latter is particularly famous for its beach parties in the golden light.

Ibiza’s sunsets are a bit different in that, for many watchers, they mark the start of their day, not the end, thanks to the island’s legendary nightlife. But for a moment of communal serenity, the island stands still to watch the sunset and the water on fire.

There are countless places, including the whole Sunset Strip in San Antonio, lined with chillout bars and cocktail menus dedicated to celebrating sundown. Join the crowds, or find a quiet spot on your own, to take in the spectacle.

Santorini, Greece

Sunset in Santorini
Sunset in Santorini

There is no denying that Santorini has possibly the best sunset in the world, no matter how much of a cliché the image seems. It’s a photographer’s dream that has appeared on the cover of countless travel magazines for a reason.

The town of Oia’s west-facing aspect, and its whitewashed walls offset by blue windows and domes, makes for a very special combination. The blazing sun seems to take forever to sink, reflected by its image in a vast expanse of the Mediterranean Sea.

Add in the wide choice of good restaurants, all oriented to the view, serving delicious food and fine wine, some playing opera to add to the drama, and you have the perfect setting to enjoy the famous Santorini sunset.

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo Sunset
Tokyo Sunset

Better known as the land of the rising sun, it should be no surprise that Japan does beautiful sunsets and every other thing of beauty.

The cityscape of Tokyo remains a firm favorite, adding a glittering modern skyline to nature’s display. Many high rises offer a grand panorama, but Odaiba Seaside Park is one of the rare places in the city to take in the view with a stroll in the open air.

The sunset, the skyscrapers, the Rainbow Bridge, the Odaiba Statue of Liberty, and the lights of many boats reflect in the waters of Tokyo Bay to duplicate the imagery.

Koekohe Beach, New Zealand

Koekohe Beach Sunset by Chris Gin via Flickr
Koekohe Beach Sunset by Chris Gin via Flickr

New Zealand is blessed with many natural wonders, and its sunsets are among them. Koekohe Beach is doubly lucky to be a candidate for the best sunset in the world, thanks to the remarkable Moeraki Boulders.

These large spherical rocks are grouped on one of New Zealand’s best beaches, where they have fallen from nearby cliffs. Textured in a way that made people once think them to be dinosaur eggs, they are actually balls of sediments.

Seen against a sunrise or sunset, the boulders make for a mesmerizing, otherworldly image, much enjoyed by photographers. The image is an unmissable sight for anyone visiting New Zealand’s South Island.

Have you been to any of these places? Which of these beautiful places will you explore first? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Written by Melo Villareal

Melo Villareal is the Online Publisher of Outoftownblog.com. He is an Accountant by profession who left the corporate world at the age of 23 to explore his beautiful country and the rest of the world. Today, Melo works as a part-time Social Media Manager for local and international clients. His full-time work focuses on discovering interesting culture, explore different cuisines and take memorable photos from local and international destinations he's visiting.

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