Top 5 amazing destinations for 2024

Number 5: Underwater Waterfall, Mauritius

Mauritius is known for its idyllic beaches and crystal-clear sea. However, at the southwest corner of the island, there is an unbelievable phenomenon that appears to be an underwater waterfall. Despite how it looks, this isn't a flowing region of water, but instead an optical illusion that happens because of the sea floor structure. The island sits on an ocean shelf that is no more than 500 feet deep. At the edge of the shelf, however, it plunges to depths of almost two and a half miles. What you're seeing in the underwater waterfall is not water falling into the abyss, but particles of sand that are being pushed over by the current.

Number 4: Glowworm Cave, New Zealand

New Zealand is one of the most scenic countries in the world. Beyond the peaks of the mountain ranges, the deep valleys, and the glaciers, there are a series of caves that seem to have come straight from a fairy tale. The reason for this is that they're home to glow worms, which are the larval forms of a species of fungus gnat that are endemic to the country. Known locally as "tty," which means "projected over water," the bioluminescence that's produced in the insects' abdomens is designed to attract prey and happens as a result of a chemical reaction between a luciferase enzyme and a molecule of luciferin. It creates one of the most stunning sights that you can see in the natural world and makes for a magical boat ride through the cavern when thousands of glow worms are active.

Number 3: Tianzi Mountains, China

Tianzi's Mountains in the Hunan province are some of the most unusual mountain formations in the world. Covering an area of around 17,000 acres, they're made from quartz sandstone and first began to emerge from the earth about 400 million years ago. The subsequent erosion of the rock has created these skinny mountains which reach a peak of 3976 feet and are named after the legend of a farmer who led a revolt against an oppressive regime who called himself the "Son of Heaven." When the mountains are covered in mist, there's something mystical about them, and it's no surprise they were the inspiration for mountainscapes in movies like "Avatar" and are one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region.

Number 2: Grand Prismatic Spring, Wyoming, USA

The stunningly colorful Grand Prismatic Spring is in Yellowstone National Park and is the largest hot spring in the US. It's bigger than a football field at about 370 feet wide and with a depth of at least 160 feet, you could fit a 10-story building inside it. The spring is fed through a crack in its floor through which as much as 560 gallons of water is released into it every minute. Its normal temperature is 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and it's because of this that it's surrounded by such vibrant rings. The color is created by the presence of microbes that live in hot environments, and depending on the time of year, you'll see reds, oranges, yellows, greens, and blues.

Number 1: Monte Roraima, Venezuela

We're so used to seeing natural formations that have irregular shapes that it seems almost impossible for something to have a rigid design to it. Monte Roraima in Venezuela isn't your ordinary mountain, though, and its 12 square mile summit is surrounded by 1300-foot-tall cliffs almost in a square shape. It's actually on a tri-point border between Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil and has long been part of local beliefs. The Paymon and Capone people believe it to be the stump of a giant tree that once bore all the fruits and vegetables in the world, and the seemingly unscalable cliffs have inspired several stories, including "The Lost World" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Paradise Falls from the movie "Up."