Here are some insanely gorgeous sunrises around the world. Some are best seen from specific spots; others are great no matter where you view them — but all are definitely worth waking up for.
Beautiful Sunrises Around The World
Masada, Israel
Masada, which means fortress in Hebrew, is a majestic fortress on both the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, and the edge of the Dead Sea. That makes it a great place to watch the epic sunrise (because EAST). Hike up the Snake Path, which takes about 45 minutes to an hour, to get the perfect sunrise view — and a very iconic Israeli experience.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA
The Grand Canyon is a tourist-y cliche. Seeing it at sunrise, as popular as it may be, is something every traveler should do at some point.
Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii, USA
Watching the sunrise above the clouds at the top of Haleakala, the East Maui Volcano, is one of those Hawaii bucket list things you have to do. The volcano itself forms more than 75% of Maui! Drive to the top, which takes about 45 minutes, and then spend the day hiking into the big crater that’s up there. You’ll feel like you’re on Mars.
Poonhill, Myagdi, Nepal
Poonhill is a very famous trekking destination in Nepal. Most people climb Poonhill very early in the morning so they can observe the wowonderful sunrise
Angkor Wat Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. Located in Angkor, an archeological UNESCO World Heritage Site in Siem Reap, it was originally founded as a Hindu temple for the Khmer Empire, but it’s now a Buddhist temple. Seeing it at sunrise is as heady as it gets — and plus, the cool architecture will give you great Insta-worthy silhouettes.
Koh Samui, Thailand
Koh Samui is the second largest island in Thailand, preceded only by Phuket. And on this second-largest island lies a huge Buddha statue, in front of a temple aptly named Big Buddha Temple. The sky around the Buddha gives ~very~ good sunrise, so do it up.
Kausani, Uttarakhand, India
This photo was taken in Kausani, a hill station in the Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Kausani is one of the most epic and picturesque places to watch the sunrise ever.
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Kruger National Park lies in the northeast of South Africa — which means that the sun rises are phenomenal (because the sun rises in the east). Bonus: Since it’s close to the equator, the sun appears much bigger because there isn’t a horizon, which generally acts as a point of reference.
Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA
The Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park is a famous destination for photographers around the world — and for good reason. Just LOOK at that sunrise! Professional photographers love it because the bottom of the arch glows from reflected sunlight.