Article content
11 October 2013 by Alex Stewart
Top trips that celebrate the most beautiful places on the planet.
As Lonely Planet turns 40 this year, the world's number one travel publisher has handpicked the most magnificent sights across the globe for a pictorial collection, Lonely Planet's Beautiful World. The resulting book celebrates the most spectacular places on the planet, from Botswana's Okavango River to Patagonia's Torres del Paine National Park. Below are a selection of images from the book and our suggestions as to how you could see Lonely Planet's Beautiful World with Wexas.
The aurora borealis, Kiruna, Sweden
When charged particles, which flow from the sun at 1.4 million km/h, hit the Earth's magnetic field at the planet's poles, they create curtains of light. Solar storms heighten the effect.
Credit: Antony Spencer/Getty Images
How to see the aurora borealis with Wexas:
Travel to Kiruna in Sweden and discover the beautiful landscapes and fascinating Sami culture of Swedish Lapland.
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
This UNESCO World Heritage-listed park is made up of interlinked and cascading lakes, caves and forest. The colours of the lakes range from azure to green, blue and even grey.
Credit: Kelly Cheng Travel Photography/Getty Images
How to see Plitvice Lakes National Park with Wexas:
Explore Plitvice Lakes National Park and see some of Croatia's most dramatic landscapes and enchanting cities.
Lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Yi Peng, Chiang Mai's version of the Thai festival of Loi Krathong, takes place during a full moon in November and sees lanterns launched into the night sky.
Credit: Athit Perawongmetha/Getty Images
How to visit Chiang Mai with Wexas:
Combine the northern town of Chiang Mai with the exhilerating capital city Bangkok and the stunning coastal retreat of krabi on an authentic tailor-made trip to Thailand.
Monument Valley Tribal Park, Arizona-Utah, USA
The Sandstone spires of Monument Valley, part of the Colorado Plateau, are the result of millions of years of erosion. Iron oxide gives the rock its reddish tone.
Credit: Ron and Patty Thomas Photography/Getty Images
How to see Monument Valley with Wexas:
Marvel at the famous buttes and mesas of Monument Valley, symbols of the American West, which rise up along Highway 163.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
The Wall Street Trail of Bryce Canyon has its own skyscrapers: ponderosa pines. Chasms in the rock are formed when water freezes and expands, creating alleys up to 60m deep.
Credit: Sarun Laowong/Getty Images
How to see Bryce Canyon with Wexas:
Explore Bryce Canyon to see the deep amphitheatres and blazing-red rock formations here.
The Sardine Run, Eastern Cape, South Africa
During the annual migration of sardines, millions of the fish head north along the coast of South Africa, creating a feeding frenzy along the way. The migration occurs from May to June.
Credit: Dmitry Miroshnikov/Getty Images
How to see Eastern Cape with Wexas:
Explore the Eastern Cape and take in the Winelands, Garden Route and game reserves of this stunning section of South Africa.
Images for this article were contributed by leading travel publisher Lonely Planet, from their brand new stunning, high-quality hardback collection Lonely Planet's Beautiful World.
The book contains over 200 images that will inspire readers to see the world as they've never seen it before.
Discover the landscapes, natural phenomena and extraordinary wildlife moments, incredible action shots and striking aerial photography then give us a call to see how we can help you to discover the most beautiful places on earth.