Most picturesque place you have been to?

Quite simply, what is the most picturesque/beautiful place you have been to?

I’ve been lucky enough to have travelled to a few decent places around the world. Had a think about it and concluded that my favorites are probably

1. Peyto Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta Canada – Situated just off the Banff Jasper highway (I93) that runs through both National Parts (Banff National Park & Jasper National Park) and is probably the most picturesque drive I’ve ever done. Peyto Lake is about 25 miles north of the better known Lake Louise and is just about the highest part of the Rockies that can be reached by car (the last 15 minutes are on foot). When looking down on the lake it is an amazing milky aqua blue colour that is caused by the high copper content on the glacial river bed reflecting with the sunlight. The view over the lake is breath-taking and as you look north you see the mountain range going off into the distance. Been back numerous times and never fail to be amazed every time.

2. Moraine Lake Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada – Again more famous than Peyto Lake and can get a bit busy at times but when we first went it was pretty deserted. We walked around part of the lake and the silence and peace of the area were something I had never experienced before or since. Really did feel that I was about as far from civilization as I’ve ever been in my life. Also visually amazing.

3. Ankor Wot, Cambodia – Probably wouldn’t be on many peoples list who have seen it but for me the place was amazing. The sheer size of the temples and the area they are spread over is mind blowing, especially when you consider when they were constructed around the 8th to 13th century, makes Stonehenge look like an student art project! Over the subsequent centuries nature has tried to take back what was once it’s own and some of the temples are now completely entwined by tree.

Plenty of photo’s at home but I’m at work so can’t add any to back up my choices. I’m lucky enough to live in Alberta so get to see the first 2 choices at least once a year.

Thanks for that, mate. If you could add the photos that'd be terrific

Canada has always intrigued me, having heard so many stories of its natural beauty.

Fists of Fury wrote:Thanks for that, mate. If you could add the photos that'd be terrific

Canada has always intrigued me, having heard so many stories of its natural beauty.

At work again at the moment (12.30pm here) but will have a go at posting some pictures when I get home tonight. Never done the old spoiler thing before but will give it a go anyway, can't be that hard right?

Canada certainly has a lot of natural beauty, although it sometimes does it's best to spoil certain area's (do an internet search for the Alberta oil sands). As well as natural beauty it's just so vast that a lot of it is still untouched or developed by man.

The Florida Everglades were pretty spectacular. They may be pretty much a swamp but there is some amazing sights there. Getting to see some Gators there was pretty amazing too.



P.S. Alligator is pretty tasty!

Lake Wakatipu near Queenstown... and most of the Southern Alps in Canterbury and Otago.

Stunningly beautiful scenery which always seems to be changing with the weather.

Nice idea for a thread Fists. We need more on the travel section.

Most of the Mongolian countryside was fantastic. So vast and because it's pretty flat and featureless, it made the sky seem huge.

I must say that I'm actually living in one of the most picturesque places I've ever been to.

Spoiler:

And I must mention a place that may not be too famous outside of China. The Long Ji rice terraces. We went for a weekend and climbed the hills for the sunsets and sunrises. It was majestic.

Spoiler:

Sorry that my spoilers are only links to google images folks, but I thought that was the best way for you to see a variety of pictures.

Terrific photos, mate.

Yangshuo looks incredible, hence why I will certainly be visiting when I make it over in late 2012 or late 2013 (having some trouble persuading the other half )

I'd never heard of those rice fields before, so thanks for sharing that.

The Blue Mountains in Australia were very picturesque, as is Sydney Harbour in a different kind of way, the blend between water, sky, islands, and man made landmarks makes it a beautiful place.

Been to the coast of Kenya a few times, to me its nice there. Nice beaches.

The gardens in Hotels are very nice.

Went on safari to the Mara, flew from the coast.

Got close to Mt Kilamanjaro, seeing it from that high in the air, in one of those small planes was a good experience(although my girlfriend was petrified).

Been to Sharm El Sheikh, went snorkling.

Managed to get an underwater camera, got some good photos.

Seeing as I still haven't managed to upload the photo's from home I will copy Il Gialloblu's lead and enter links to the places mentioned in my first post.

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

When I was at the top of the cn tower.

No1yankee wrote:When I was at the top of the cn tower.

Cartoon Network Tower?

Cheers for the links B91212.

The colour of that water is amazing.

Reminds me of some (far smaller) lakes on the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand.

For me, the word 'picturesque' brings up the thought of beautiful places so I'm not sure the Tongariro Crossing would count, as the scenery is more 'dramatic' than 'beautiful', what with it being pretty much a volcanic wasteland.

Probably still worth a look though.

Spoiler:

Another one was the Maldives.

I had just returned from 8 months of travelling and a new girlfriend asked if I wanted a holiday. The conversation went a little like this:

"Do you want a holiday?"

"Not really. I've just got back from travelling. I want to earn some money, not spend it. Why? Where do you want to go?"

"Well, you know I work at First Choice? We have a staff offer. A week in the Maldives, all inclusive, 230 quid each."

"Book it. Book it now!"

We stayed on this island.

Spoiler:

Gorgeous place, free drinks, fantastic free curry twice a day and of course the fun that you have with a new missus. 230 quid? Best holiday deal ever.

Is she still your girlfriend? With contacts like that she sounds a keeper

Ha, too right! Looks superb, Il_G.

Sequoia Park.

An Island just off of the Dominican Republic where they filmed the bounty advert.
Also an area there where they filmed Armageddon I think, but a great looking river surrounded by trees.

Some of the mountains around Switzerland too.

She left First Choice soon after. It was a few years ago now, too long for anyone to want to stay with me until now. The Maldives were really good though.

The Swiss Alps do look great also Scott, from the clips I've seen of The Sound Of Music anyway.

Il Gialloblu wrote:She left First Choice soon after. It was a few years ago now, too long for anyone to want to stay with me until now. The Maldives were really good though.

And more importantly than that, if she no longer worked for First Choice then why would you want to put up with her?

South Georgia

Waikiki beach at sunset

Numerous sunsets in the South Pacific.

ONly just found this thread, but have to nominate a couple more places in the western US -
Grand Canyon (although it doesn't look real when you see it - it's like one of those painted backdrops in Star Trek)
Yosemite National Park - the valley itself is spectacular, but there are some exquisite lakes towards Tuolumne Meadows.

I'll look to dig out a couple of pics over the weekend (plus of Sequoia National Park as others have mentioned - a real hidden gem) and see if I can figure out the 'spoiler' tag thing

Better late than never dummy_half.

Show us your photos mate. I'd love to see them.

Grand Canyon
https://i.servimg.com/u/f47/17/17/51/71/dsc00610.jpg

Yosemite Valley
https://i.servimg.com/u/f47/17/17/51/71/dsc01510.jpg

More Yosemite
https://i.servimg.com/u/f47/17/17/51/71/dsc01710.jpg

Sequoia NP
https://i.servimg.com/u/f47/17/17/51/71/dsc01810.jpg

Cracking photos, DH.

Good photos are easy when you can point the camera in almost any direction and get someting interesting

Have recently returned from a holiday in Sardinia and would have to say that it is probably the most beautiful place I have ever been to. Just to drive along the coast and pull in at any beach which are all picture perfect and not a trace of litter. Food is fantastic also.

A close second would be New Zealand which I absolutely adored, especially in the rain driving through countless secluded winding roads next to forest and cliffs with waterfalls at every turn.

I haven't got anywhere as exotic as those listed above. I didn't get on a plane for the first time until last year. However, there are some beautiful places right here at home.

Pembrokeshire, Wales. The coastal path is second to none. I was very lucky to be brought up down there, even though I didn't realise that at the time. In my opinion, the best bits are around the north - Dinas, Strumble Head, Porthgain. The views are just spectacular. If you want to see it all in one go, head up to the highest point on the Preseli mountains. On a clear day you can see as far east as the Severn, and as far west as the coast of Ireland. Also in north Pembrokeshire, there's a tiny gorgeous little village called Nevern. Worth going to just to look at the church and have a drink in the pub.

Another stunning view I loved was flying over Dublin at night in a plane. I don't know why, it just took my breath away.

Cari

Pembrokeshire definitely has some nice areas - just as long as you avoid Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock.

I lived on the north Wales coast for a year, between Conwy and Bangor (in a village whose name looks like someone having an epileptic fit over a keyboard - Dwygyfylchi ). Some absolutely spectacular scenery within 10 -15 miles of there (heck, within half a mile of the house there was a great beach and the back side of the Sychnant pass). Only problem was that it rains something like 300 days of the year there.

OK, I'll still take Yosemite or the Grand Canyon (I alternate two of the photos in my above post as screensavers on the work computer), but there are some great parts of the UK, and having done geology at University I got to go to most of them...

In 1996/7 we saw an advert about the 1999 world cup to be hosted in Wales, it showed a camera angle from a low flying aircraft over weslh country side, it looked beautiful, green lush and serene.

Might have to got here one day.

Biltong, I have just got back from a camping trip in Wales, and yes it is fantastic scenery almost everywhere you go. Excellent unspoilt countryside, forests and mountains. Expect rain though, and plenty of it, it is lush for a reason!

dummy_half wrote:Cari

Pembrokeshire definitely has some nice areas - just as long as you avoid Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock.

I lived on the north Wales coast for a year, between Conwy and Bangor (in a village whose name looks like someone having an epileptic fit over a keyboard - Dwygyfylchi ). Some absolutely spectacular scenery within 10 -15 miles of there (heck, within half a mile of the house there was a great beach and the back side of the Sychnant pass). Only problem was that it rains something like 300 days of the year there.

I was brought up in Harford. There, it's not so much the place itself or the people generally, the main problem is very pissspoor council planning. Someone somewhere is taking backhanders or they've got a very skewed view of town improvements. They're ruining the town and turning it into a ghost one at the same time. It's a shame really, because it's not a bad place at all and had potential.

I've heard North Wales is beautiful, but I haven't been yet.

Fists of Fury wrote:Biltong, I have just got back from a camping trip in Wales, and yes it is fantastic scenery almost everywhere you go. Excellent unspoilt countryside, forests and mountains. Expect rain though, and plenty of it, it is lush for a reason!

I'll have to remember to bring an umbrella then

Unspoilt beaches of Mozambique
Grand Canyon at sunset/sunrise
Snowdonia
Great Barrier Reef (can't remember the dive site but it was a very rare one that's almost never visited as the conditions have to be perfect)
Lake Louis & surrounds, nr Banff/Jasper.

Not quite the same but special mentions to:
Old quarter Istanbul
Old quarter Marrakech

Marrakech is some place isn't it TopHat. I remember almost getting run over by a horse and cart in one of the narrower streets in the medina.

Bryce Canyon (Utah) at sunset is a must see.
Echo each and every comment regarding Glacier National Parkway, etc. etc.
If you have time, start in Glacier National Park in northern Montana (a couple of days hiking should suffice for meeting a bear or two) and then head north.

Much underrated are revolving restaurants in City Centres, sound tacky but great for perspective. And amusing children.
CN Tower, Niagara, San Francisco, showing my age when I lament the passing of the restaurant at the Post Office Tower in London.

When I was on top of The Reichstag at night, looking over a lovely city in Berlin with all my mates, that was pretty cool.

In no particular order...

Legzira Beach, Sidi Ifni, Morocco. Huge natural rock arches frame the setting sun on this gorgeous beach. Signs of holiday homes springing up the last time we went - just hope they don't ruin it by "developing" the area.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g793713-d2164308-Reviews-Legzira_Beach-Sidi_Ifni_Souss_Massa_Draa_Region.html

Pink Sands, Harbour Island, Bahamas. The beach is pink (from crushed coral) and the waters are clear, simply a beautiful place!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g148423-d147530-Reviews-Pink_Sands_Beach-Harbour_Island_Out_Islands_Bahamas.html

Kanyakumari, India. The southernmost tip of India, where the Indian Ocean meets the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Sunrise over these waters is magical.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Tourism-g608476-Kanyakumari_Tamil_Nadu-Vacations.html

Victoria Falls, Zambia. Called "the smoke that thunders" this is a spectacular waterfall on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g298090-d477379-Reviews-Victoria_Falls_Mosi_Oa_Tunya-Victoria_Falls.html

Lake Bohinj, near Triglev national park, Slovenia. Lake Bled next door gets all the tourists (it has a castle in the middle), Bohinj is unspoilt, quiet and beautiful.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g274862-d296736-Reviews-Lake_Bohinj-Slovenia.html

My little bedroom.

Btw, has anyone here been to Reunion Island?
What’s it like?

Looking to go to a safari next year.
Not sure whether to go to South Africa or Namibia.

Anyone been there?

TheRealDeal wrote:Btw, has anyone here been to Reunion Island?
What’s it like?

No.
No idea.

TheRealDeal wrote:Looking to go to a safari next year.
Not sure whether to go to South Africa or Namibia.

Anyone been there?

No.

Would be nice to resurrect some of the travel threads!

The most picturesque place I've been to has to be Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsunday Islands, Australia.

It was nice and quiet when I went, hardly any people there. Stingrays swimming around my feet while I was paddling.