Where to See The World's Best Sunsets
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- Photo by Paul Rubio
Micato Safaris, Kenya and Tanzania
Sure, we all dream of a safari filled with lion, rhino, and elephant encounters, but often East Africa’s most poignant take-home memories are the sunsets. On Micato Safaris, the crew ensures a premiere front-row seat to the day’s most epic event—the African sun painting the land in reds and oranges you never knew existed, while casting silhouettes over the savannah wildlife. The scenes are so surreal, they brink on Lion King animation.
- Getty
Angkor Watt, Cambodia
There are few places in the world as photogenic as Angkor Watt, the iconic, spired temple complex that links the Khmer empire of 9th-15th century with present day. At sunset, head to the temple’s west entrance and bask in the grandeur of the world’s largest religious monument as it reaches its peak Instagram state. No filters necessary.
- Courtesy Quebec City Tourism
Quebec City, Canada
While we do love big-city skyline sunsets, there's one particular small city that blows us away: Quebec City. The best view is from the opposite end of the St. Lawrence River, where you can watch the sun brushstroke the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Old Town in pinks and purples, transforming the town into a live watercolor painting.
- Courtesy Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort
Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort, Maldives
Just when you thought life couldn’t get better than the Maldives’ overwater bungalows comes Anantara Dhigu’s heavenly overwater hammock, where you can sway across the horizon, marooned in the remote shallows of the archipelago. Cradled at the day’s end, expect an out-of-body experience, as you swing in—and out of—the dramatic Indian Ocean sunset.
- ShoppingA New Season of The White Lotus Just Dropped, Along With a Ton of CollaborationsParis Wilson
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Salar de Atacama, Atacama Desert, Chile
Every evening, Earth’s driest non-polar desert erupts into one of its most vibrant expanses. As the sun falls over Atacama’s largest salt flat, Salar de Atacama, the resident Andean flamingos take flight; skies alternate between blue and purple, reflecting off the shallow water; and the surrounding Volcano Licancabur glows in hues of pink.
- Courtesy Pilatus Aircraft
Tradewind Aviation, U.S. and Caribbean
You’ll never have to fight over the best seat on Tradewind Aviation’s snazzy fleet of Pilatus PC-12s; each plush chair has its own window for enjoying the sublime views on the airline’s scheduled routes through the Northeast and the Caribbean. Opt for the early evening flights when the pilots of these low-flying planes treat passengers to dreamy sunsets over Boston, New York, Stowe, Nantucket, Anguilla, St. Barths, and more.
- ShoppingA New Season of The White Lotus Just Dropped, Along With a Ton of CollaborationsParis Wilson
- Photo by Paul Rubio
Aqua Expeditions, Peru
Thanks to the luxury vessels of Aqua Expeditions, Peruvian Amazonia is getting plenty of buzz as one of world’s most unexpected five-star destinations. Besides the daily enthralling wildlife adventures (which often include cameos by pink river dolphins, sloths, and piranhas), expect mind-blowing sunsets that create an ever-changing kaleidoscope of colors.
- Courtesy Anantara Qasral Sarab
Qasr al Sarab Resort by Anantara, Abu Dhabi
Smack in the middle of the Liwa Desert, on the southern fringe of the United Arab Emirates, the fortress-style Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara surfaces as a veritable oasis of Arabic elegance. Here, sky-high, rust-hued sand dunes put on a constant spectacle, changing colors and shape with the wind and movement of the sun.
- ShoppingA New Season of The White Lotus Just Dropped, Along With a Ton of CollaborationsParis Wilson
- Courtesy The Point Resort
The Point, New York
Enveloped by pine-laced mountains, lush forest, and emerald lakes, The Point in the Adirondacks of northern New York is the perfect mash-up between nature and the finer things in life. Adding to this mountain high: the daily golden sunset, best appreciated from the balcony of our favorite guest room, The Boathouse, cocktail in hand.
- Photo by Paul Rubio
St. Barths, French West Indies
St. Barths is all about flashing your cash and savoring the good life, so why not add a bit of extravagance to the island’s famed jaw-dropping sunsets? Our recommendation: hire a yacht in Gustavia for a sunset cruise (pictured here) or grab the best sunset seat in town at the fabulous Bonito St. Barth restaurant, where the sublime views come with heavy helpings of eclectic, Latin-inspired beach cuisine and fruity libations.