The pandemic has everyone wishing they could get out and explore the world again. On average, in 2021 U.S. travelers are spending $400 more per trip than they did in 2020.
With everyone getting bit by the travel bug, there are plenty of places to visit with beautiful nature scenes and interesting cities to explore.
Also due to the pandemic, one study found there were significant environmental impacts while human activity quieted while in quarantine. Air and water pollution, green house gas emissions and noise pollution lessened during that time.
Given we are able to travel again, we wanted to know which of the most beautiful countries we should travel to first.
A Redditor asked:
"What is the most beautiful country you've ever been to?"
There are so many places to choose from!
Iceland
"Iceland. Volcanic rock, enormous glaciers and azure lagoons. All within an hour of each other."
- Fun-Mathematician591
"Iceland is definitely next on my bucket list for these very reasons."
- GreenEyes9678
"We went in late April, things were just melting but the travel season hadn't started yet so things were still off-season prices, it was awesome!"
- Archer39J
GiphySwitzerland
"Switzerland."
- MiquitaBanana
"That’s been my dream since I was a kid. 😭 I’m 45 and still never been."
- BootyMcSqueak
"This is my answer as well. I'm still in awe of how beautiful the sunrise was over the alps. If I didn't have pictures, I don't think I'd believe it was actually as beautiful as I remembered it to be. How could anything be?"
- ryemmsf
GiphyCosta Rica
"Costa Rica. Verdant forests, mountains and volcanoes, incredible wildlife."
- Canucklehead_Esq
"Such pride in ecology makes a big difference."
- Imaginary-Bluejay-86
GiphyThe hills are alive...
"I've been to that exact place, to that exact field, in that exact spot where Julie Andrews sang the Sound of Music in Austria. It's a sight to behold."
- WhitePolarBear98
"Austria was my vote! I was in Salzburg during the holidays one year and it was absolutely stunning!"
- hipsterholt
Sorry folks, but It was actually filmed in the German Alps which is only 30 minutes from the Austrian border.
GiphyRepublic of Georgia
"The Republic of Georgia. It looked more like Hyrule than did any country I've ever visited. It's also an incredibly affordable place to visit."
- EconomicsOne4288
"Did they give you the little half bottle of wine when you went through customs? That's a pretty cool touch."
- DrDonkeyPepper
"The food is absolutely magnificent as well."
- PrincessSporus
The USA
"I’ve been to a bunch, but honestly USA. I think that places like Bahamas and Norway have more beautiful locations than a lot of places in the USA, but the fact that the USA has so many different ecosystems and environments that are all pretty close (or better in some cases) puts it over the top."
"For example I can go from mountains to deserts to beaches to canyons all on the west coast alone, and those are all pretty gorgeous."
- Syrinx16
"I've been to 100+ countries and I agree that the US is spectacular and so is Russia. The countries that span time zones and climate zones offer great diversity."
"In the US you can see the Dry Tortugas or the Grand Canyon and every thing in between."
"For a more fair comparison it's best to compare individual states with a lot of individual countries."
- xynix_ie
GiphyRwanda
"Rwanda blew me away. The lush, rolling hills, winding roads through the mountains, the immaculate capital city Kigali, and of course, the people."
- LaserTurboShark69
"64% of government seats in Rwanda held by females!! Highest in the world!"
- throwaway1070now
"They're obviously doing something right over there (in this tourist's opinion)."
- LaserTurboShark69
GiphyScotland
"Scotland."
- grantnel2002
"Yup. Edinburgh I think wins 'most beautiful city in the world' and the rest of the country is pretty much up there as well."
- elvislaidlaw
"Yeah and driving through the Highlands, Skye, Glencoe…those views will be with me forever."
- grantnel2002
GiphyNorway
"I never been to but I think Norway is very beautiful. Hope I can go there one day."
- Fair_Airport773
"I'm from Norway and it is very beautiful here. I hope you get the chance to visit some day."
- Julenizzen
Namibia
"Namibia. The desert is gorgeous."
"The country still feels wild in a way that few places in the world still can. The Caprivi area is stunning."
"Namibia is spectacular. Not the usual sort of lush scenery but the scale and open terrain that keeps changing is amazing."
- NatsuDragnee1
New Zealand
"New Zealand. I volunteered at Motuihe island for a month, then toured the whole country (north and south island) for another month."
"It's insanely beautiful. I really miss it."
- iBelieveInSpace
"New Zealand. One scene that I'll never forget; standing below Aoraki (Mt Cook) watching the Aurora Australis flickering over the glaciers, as I stood in a grove of tree ferns sparkling with glow worms."
"It was magical. We took a plane up to the Tasman glacier the next day, wearing summer clothes and standing on 600 meters of ancient ice in the brilliant sun of a perfect blue sky."
"In Rotorua, there was a very charming white Victorian style house, surrounded by a palisade of tree fern trunks packed together tightly, but still sprouting dark green fronds along the tops of the almost black trunks. Surrounding it all, there was a ditch of steaming water from hydrothermal activity. Amazing."
"And the ferns! Tree ferns with dozens of other tiny ferns growing on their trunks, Tree ferns hardy enough to grow alongside the rushing, tumbling glacier melt cascading down to the Tasman Sea."
"On the North Island Mamaku, or Black Tree Ferns, grow to 20 meters high, their massive fronds reaching far from their slender, often sinuous trunks. This trip was taken in 1977."
"We toured New Zealand for 3 weeks, Australia for 2 weeks, and spent a week in Tahiti. I haven't forgotten a single moment all these decades later..."
- leefi50
Fiji
"Fiji. From Grass highlands to unbelievable tiny islands dotting a spectacular reef system."
"Also the kindest and most gracious people I have ever and will probably ever meet - All of them."
- rayrayrayray
GiphyJapan
"Japan during cherry blossom season."
- TGR331
"Gotta go with Japan. Sure, the urban jungle of Tokyo was cool, but the nuggets of nature you get by visiting shrines and temples is amazing. And then, going to Kyoto, Nara, and Ise really just had me enthralled."
- nitasu987
"Japan, I love it so much the food, culture, the train experience is amazing."
- Conscious-Funny1044
This world is full of wonder, beauty, and adventure.
Since we aren't sure what the pandemic holds for us next, take precautions as you go forth and explore the world.
Get your plane tickets before the prices skyrocket back up.
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