Bardenas Reales, Spain

Bardenas Reales
photo © mytouristmaps
 
Located in the Navarra region, about 100 km North-West from Zaragoza, the desert area of the Bardenas Reales is characterized by clay and chalk soils eroded by wind and water, creating stunning landscapes like canyons, plateaus and strange shaped hills (one of that, the Cabezos Castildetierra, is considered the symbol of this area).
 

The area (about 42.000 hectares) is divided into three well-defined zones: the Bardena Negra, the Plano and the Bardena Blanca.

Landscape, temperature and movie-location (in 1999 it was the set of a nuclear bunker in James Bond – The World is not Enough and recently it has become the Dothraki Sea in the popular tv series Game of Thrones) make this area similar to the Western U.S.A. famous national parks.

Swimming with Whale Sharks

Known to be the gentle giant of the sea, the Whale Shark is the biggest fish of our oceans, with up to 15 meters in length and 10 tons of weight. They may live up to 150 years.

Owing to their friendly behavior, unlike other tourist boat tours like whales watching or shark cage diving, it is allowed for tourists diving and snorkeling alongside this incredible fish.

Here are the best places in the world for diving & snorkeling with whale sharks:

Mexico
Isla Holbox and Cancun: from May to September
Cabo San Lucas: from September to April

Honduras
Utila: from March to May and from August to November

Belize

Gladden Spit: from April to June

Australia
Ningaloo Reef: from March to September

Philippines
Donsol Bay and Sogod Bay: from December to May
Oslob: all year
Puerto Princesa: from April to November


Mozambique
Tofo Beach and Bazaruto Archipelago: from October to April

Madagascar
Nosy Be Island: from September to December

Seychelles
South Mahé: September and November

Thailand
Koh Tao: from March to May & from October to December
Hin Daeng and Hin Muang: from February to April
Richelieu Rock, Surin Islands: from January to March

Maldives

South Ari Atoll: All Year

Djibouti
Bay of Ghoubbet: October and February

Tanzania
Mafia Island: from September to March

Indonesia

Cenderawasih Bay, Papua: from October to April
Triton Bay, Papua: September to June
Saleh Bay, Sumbawa: All Year
Talisayan Bay, Borneo: June to September

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Wolf Island and Darwin Island: June and December

Azores
Santa Maria Island: June and October

Saudi Arabia

Al-Lith: from February to June

Kenya
Diani Beach: from February to March

Mount Roraima, Venezuela

Mount Roraima
© Tadashi Okoshi
 

Located at the punto triple, the border between Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela, the Mount Roraima (Roroi-ma) is, along with the Auyantepui (where is the Salto del Angel,  the world’s highest waterfall), the most famous Tepui in South America.
The Tepui (in Pemòn language “house of the Gods”) are table-top mountains formed after the erosion of the sandstone plateau that once covered the granite base between the Amazon forest and the Orinoco River, and between the Atlantic coast and the Rio Negro.

According to the beliefs of the Pemòn (people who inhabited the Gran Sabana area for centuries), Mount Roraima was originally a huge tree which bore all the fruits and vegetables of the world. After the tree fall, his stump, turned to stone, later became the house of the Gods. Due to his sacred status, the Pemòn people never attempted to climb the Roraima, so the mountain remained unexplored for many years.

The first exploration was led by Walter Raleigh, in 1596; later, the legend of Mount Roraima was the inspiration for the Scottish writer Arthur Conan Doyle in his novel The Lost World (1912) and for the Werner Herzog‘s movie The Wild Blue Yonder (2005).

Today the Mount Roraima can be visited (joining a guided tour) by travelers and tourists: with its beautiful natural landscapes including the Valley of the Crystals, the sinkhole El Foso and the Labyrinth it is one of the most fascinating destinations of the American continent, although there are no lost world’s dinosaurs.

Great White Shark Cage Diving

white shark cage diving
photo © Voyages etc… 

The Carcharodon Carcharias, commonly known as the great white shark, lives in the coastal waters of all the major oceans.

Its size is average 3,5 to 4 meters in length for males and 4,6 to 5 meters for females (larger female individuals can reach up to 6,2 meters and almost 2 tons of weight;  the largest white shark ever captured was a female of 7,14 meters). They can swim up to 56 km/h and reach depths of 1.200 meters under the sea level.
 
Maybe the most powerful and cruel predator, it is one of the most fascinating animals on earth. 
 
Being face to face with a great white shark is one of the most exciting experiences you could ever have.
There are few places in the world where do that: here are the best places for the great white shark cage diving:

white shark cage diving

We suggest you to contact the local companies to check the sharks presence before planning the trip.

DON’T miss it if you are traveling in these places… and don’t think about Steven Spielberg’s cult movie Jaws


** November 2020 update about the presence of white sharks in South Africa**

In the past three years, there has been a significant decline in the number of great white sharks in Gansbaai, one of the best places in the world to meet the majestic predators. Although a lot of news reported that the decline has been caused by Orcas attacks, the local research institutes expressed their concern about that: Orcas could have had an impact on the shark’s reduction, but several other reasons have to be considered, such as lack of protection of the environment, a decrease of food sources and fishing nets.

However, in the last months of 2020, some of the Shark Diving Companies reported sightings of a few great white sharks in the bay.

For further information, read the interesting report on White Shark Diving Company’s blog page at the following link:

https://www.sharkcagediving.co.za/white-shark-vs-orcas/

Borealis & Australis Auroras

Northern lights Alaska
© National Park Service, Alaska Region

The Polar Aurora, well known as Aurora Borealis/Australis or Northern/Southern Lights depending on which hemisphere it occurs, is an optical phenomenon of the atmosphere, characterized by green, blue and red luminous bands with a different range of shapes.

The phenomenon, visible in two stripes around the magnetic poles and more intense and frequent during high solar activity, is caused by the interaction of charged electrons of the solar wind with the earth’s ionosphere (a process similar to the neon lamp light).
The color depends on the atmosphere’s gases: atomic oxygen is responsible for the green, the molecular oxygen for the red and nitrogen for the blue color.

Aurora Borealis
© NASA
According to old myths, the Northern Lights appear for the Inuits like souls playing with walrus skulls, for Lappish they are created by the tail of a big fox that hits the snow and it is believed that children conceived beneath them are more intelligent and lucky.
In Central Europe, they were considered a bad omen due to the predominance of red in its colours.
 
Best places to see Northern Lights / Aurora Borealis (the best period is from September to April):

 


Iceland:
Kirkjufell, Reykjavik, Jökulsárlón Lake, Þingvellir National Park
Norway: Svalbard Islands, North Cape, Tromsø, Alta, Karasjok
Finland: Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, Inari Lake, Sodanklya, Luosto
Sweden: Abisko National Park, Kiruna region
Alaska, USA: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Juneau, Barrow, Coldfoot
Canada: Mucho Lake Provincial Park, Yukon, British Columbia, Yellowknife
Greenland: Kulusuk, Ammassalik, Kangerlussuaq
Fær Øer Islands
Russia: Kola Peninsula
Scotland: Caithness coast
Ireland: Donegal region, Malin Head, Antrim region

 
Best places to see Southern Lights / Aurora Australis (the best period is from March to September):

 


Antarctica 

New Zealand: Stewart Island, Lake Tekapo, Aoraki Mt Cook National Park, The Catlins
Australia: Mount Wellington (Tasmania), Victoria
Argentina: Ushuaia
South Georgia Island
Falkland Islands

Dongchuan Red Land, China

Dongchuan Red Land
© 2 il Org

The Dongchuan Red Land is located in Huashitou Country, Dongchuan District, Yunnan Province, China at 1.800 – 2.500 meters high.

It is a stunning natural landscape characterized by an unusual red-colored soil formed by oxidated iron elements deposited after centuries due to the humid and warm climate conditions.


During the year, the terraces used for cultivation (potatoes, rapeseed, wheat, barley, rape…) form artistic compositions similar to a painted picture.

The most suitable time for red soil photography is during spring and autumn, when most of the cultivations are in bloom.
The local people say that the perfect time for taking pictures is after the rain, when the wet sunlit land becomes more colorful.
 
There are many buses to get to Dongchuan from Kunming, which usually takes about 4-5 hours.
 
sightseeing and map:

World Top 15

mytouristmaps

HIGHEST MOUNTAINS

1. Everest  8 848 m  (China, Nepal)
2. K2  8 611 m  (China, Pakistan)
3. Kangchenjunga  8 586 m  (India, Nepal)
4. Lhotse  8 516 m  (China, Nepal)
5. Makalu  8 463 m  (China, Nepal)
6. Cho Oyu  8 201 m  (China, Nepal)
7. Dhaulagiri  8 167 m  (Nepal)
8. Manaslu  8 163 m  (Nepal)
9. Nanga Parbat  8 125 m  (Pakistan)
10. Annapurna  8 091 m  (Nepal)
11. Gasherbrum  8 068 m  (Pakistan)
12. Broad Peak  8 047 m  (Pakistan)
13. Shishapangma  8 012 m  (Pakistan)
14. Gyachung Kang  7 952 m  (China, Nepal)
15. Himalchuli  7 893 m  (Nepal)

LONGEST RIVERS

1. Amazon, Ucayali, Apurímac  6 992 km  (Brazil, Perù, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Venezuela)
2. Nile, Kagera  6 853 km  (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Egypt, Congo, South Sudan)
3. Yangtze  6 300 km  (China)
4. Mississippi, Missouri, Jefferson  6 275 km  (U.S.A., Canada)
5. Yenisei, Angara, Selenge  5 539  km (Russia, Mongolia)
6. Huang He  5 464 km  (China)
7. Ob, Irtysh  5 410 km  (Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia)
8. Paraná, Río de la Plata  4 880 km  (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay)
9. Congo, Chambeshi  4 700 km  (Central African Republic, Congo, Angola, Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Cameroon, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda)
10. Amur, Argun  4 444  km (Russia, Mongolia, China)
11. Lena  4 400 km  (Russia)
12. Mekong  4 350 km  (China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam)
13. Mackenzie, Slave, Peace, Finlay  4 241 km  (Canada)
14. Niger  4 200 km  (Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Algeria, Cameroon, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Benin)
15. Murray, Darling  3 672 km  (Australia)

LARGEST LAKES

1. Caspian Sea  436 000 sq km  (Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Iran)
2. Superior  82 100 sq km  (Canada, U.S.A.)
3. Victoria  68 870 sq km  (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania)
4. Huron  59 600 sq km  (Canada, U.S.A.)
5. Michigan  58 000 sq km  (U.S.A.)
6. Tanganyika  32 600 sq km  (Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Congo)
7. Baikal  31 500 sq km  (Russia)
8. Great Bear Lake  31 000 sq km  (Canada)
9. Malawi  29 500 sq km  (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania)
10. Great Slave Lake  27 000 sq km (Canada)
11. Erie  25 700 sq km  (Canada, U.S.A.)
12. Winnipeg  24 514 sq km  (Canada)
13. Ontario  18 960 sq km  (Canada, U.S.A.)
14. Ladoga  18 130 sq km  (Russia)
15. Balkhash  16 400 sq km  (Kazakhstan)

TALLEST WATERFALLS

1. Angel Falls  979 m  (Venezuela)
2. Tugela Falls  948 m  (South Africa)
3. Tres Hermanas Falls  914 m  (Perù)
4. Olo’upena Falls  900 m  (Hawaii, U.S.A.)
5. Yumbilla Falls  896 m  (Perù)
6. Vinnufossen  860 m  (Norway)
7. Balaifossen  850 m  (Norway)
8. Pu’uka’oku Falls  840 m  (Hawaii, U.S.A.)
9. James Bruce Falls  840 m  (Canada)
10. Brownie Falls  836 m  (New Zealand)
11. Strupenfossen  820 m  (Norway)
12. Ramnefjellsfossen  818 m  (Pakistan)
13. Waihilau Falls  792 m  (Hawaii, U.S.A.)
14. Colonial Creek Falls  788 m  (U.S.A.)
15. Mongefossen  773 m  (Norway)

COLDEST PLACES

1. Vostok Station, Antarctica  -89,2 °C  -128.6 °F
2. Amundsen – Scott south pole station, Antarctica  -82,8 °C  -117 °F
3. Dome Argus, Antarctica  -82,5 °C  -116.5 °F
4. Verkhoyansk, Russia  -69,8 °C  -93.6 °F
5. Oymyakon, Russia  -67,8 °C  -90 °F
6. North Ice, Greenland  -66,1 °C  -87 °F
7. Snag, Canada  -63 °C  -81.4 °F
8. Prospect Creek, Alaska, U.S.A.  -62 °C  -80 °F
9. Ust Shchugor, Russia  -58,1 °C  -72.6 °F
10. Medicine Lake, U.S.A.  -57 °C  -70 °F
11. Malgovik, Sweden  -53 °C  -63.4 °F
12. Grunloch Doline, Austria  -52,6 °C  -62.9 °F
13. Mohe County, China  -52,3 °C  -62.1 °F
14. Kittila, Finland  -51,5 °C  -60.7 °F
15. Karasjok, Norway  -51,4 °C  -60.5 °F

HOTTEST PLACES

1. Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley, U.S.A.  56,7 °C 134.1 °F
2. Kebili, Tunisia  55,0 °C 131 °F
3. Ahwaz, Iran  54,0 °C 129 °F
4. Mitribah, Kuwait  54,0 °C 129.2 °F
5. Tirat Zvi, Israel  54,0 °C 129.2 °F
6. Basra, Iraq  53,9 °C 129.0 °F
7. Mohenjo, Pakistan  53,5 °C 128.3 °F
8. Al Jazeera Border Gate, United Arab Emirates  52,1 °C 125.8 °F
9. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia  52,0 °C 125.6 °F
10. El Bayadh, Algeria  51,3 °C 124.3 °F
11. Phalodi, India  51,0 °C 123.8 °F
12. Buraimi, Oman  50,8 °C 123.4 °F
13. Semara, Western Sahara  50,7 °C 123.3 °F
14. Oodnadatta, Australia  50,7 °C 123.3 °F
15. Turpan, Xinjiang, China  50,5 °C 122.9 °F

LARGEST COUNTRIES by area

1. Russia  17 098 246 sq km
2. Canada  9 984 670 sq km 
3. China  9 596 961 sq km 
4. U.S.A.  9 525 067 sq km
5. Brazil  8 515 767 sq km
6. Australia  7 692 024 sq km
7. India  3 287 263 sq km
8. Argentina  2 780 400 sq km
9. Kazakhstan  2 724 900 sq km
10. Algeria  2 381 741 sq km
11. Congo  2 344 858 sq km 
12. Saudi Arabia  2 149 690 sq km
13. Mexico  1 964 375 sq km
14. Indonesia  1 910 931 sq km
15. Sudan  1 861 484 sq km 

LARGEST COUNTRIES by population (2019)

1. China  1 435 000 000  
2. India  1 369 500 000
3. U.S.A.  330 054 000 
4. Indonesia  272 877 000
5. Brazil  210 573 000
6. Pakistan  216 316 000
7. Nigeria  200 963 600
8. Bangladesh  167 400 000
9. Russia  146 793 744
10. Mexico  126 577 691
11. Japan  126 150 000
12. Philippines  108 365 000
13. Egypt  99 416 400
14. Ethiopia  98 665 000
15. Vietnam  96 208 985

LARGEST CITIES by population (Administrative Areas)

1. Chongqing  30 165 500  (China)
2. Shanghai  24 183 300  (China)
3. Beijing  21 707 000  (China)
4. Istanbul  15 029 200  (Turkey)
5. Karachi  14 910 300  (India)
6. Dhaka  14 399 000  (Bangladesh)
7. Tokyo  13 515 300  (Japan)
8. Moscow  13 200 000  (Russia)
9. Guangzhou 13 081 000  (China)
10. Shenzhen  12 528 300  (China)
11. Mumbai  12 442 300  (India)
12. Sao Paulo  12 038 000  (Brazil)
13. Kinshasa  11 462 000  (Congo)
14. Tianjin  11 249 000  (China)
15. Lahore  11 126 000  (Pakistan)

LARGEST CITIES by population (Urban Areas)

1. Delhi  46 960 000  (India)
2. Tokyo  37 832 900  (Japan)
3. Shanghai  34 854 300  (China)
4. Jakarta  31 689 600  (Indonesia)
5. Chongqing  30 165 500  (China)
6. Seoul  25 514 000  (South Korea)
7. Guangzhou  25 000 000  (China)
8. Beijing  21 707 000  (China)
9. Manila  24 650 000  (Philippines)
10. New York  23 522 900  (U.S.A.)
11. Shenzhen  23 300 000  (China)
12. Mexico City  21 650 700  (Mexico)
13. Sao Paulo  21 243 000  (Brazil)
14. Lagos  21 000 000  (Nigeria)
15. Mumbai  20 748 400  (India)

TALLEST BUILDINGS

1. Burj Khalifa  828 m  (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
2. Shanghai Tower  632 m  (Shanghai, China)
3. Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower  601 m  (Mecca, Saudi Arabia)
4. Ping An Finance Center  599 m  (Shenzen, China)
5. Goldin Finance 117  597 m  (Tianjin, China)
6. Lotte World Tower  555 m  (Seoul, South Korea)
7. One World Trade Center  541 m  (New York City, U.S.A.)
8. CTF Finance Center  530 m  (Guangzhou, China)
9. CTF Finance Center   530 m  (Tianjin, China)
10. China Zun  528 m  (Beijing, China)
11. Taipei 101  508 m  (Taipei, Taiwan)
12. World Financial Center  492 m  (Shanghai, China)
13. International Commerce Centre   484 m  (Hong Kong, China)
14. Wuhan Greenland Center  476 m  (Wuhan, China)
15. Central Park Tower  472 m  (New York City, U.S.A.)

LARGEST ANIMALS (average weight – length)

1. Blue whale  110 ton – 25 m
2. North Pacific whale  60 ton – 15,5 m
3. Sperm whale  31,25 ton – 13,2 m
4. Whale shark  11,8 ton – 9,7 m
5. Killer whale  6,3 ton – 7 m
6. Basking shark  5,2 ton – 7 m
7. African elephant  4,9 ton – 6,8 m
8. Asian elephant  4,15 ton – 6,3 m
9. Great white shark  2,1 ton – 4,8 m
10. White rhinoceros  2 ton – 4,5 m
11. Saltwater crocodile  2 ton – 4,5 m
12. Hippopotamus  1,8 ton – 4,5 m
13. Black rhinoceros  1,1 ton – 2,9 m
14. Giraffe  1 ton – 5,15 m
15. Ocean sunfish  1 ton – 1,8 m