Marcy MinianoIt’s no secret that the pandemic has made many travellers yearn for the great outdoors even more. Whether it’s acres of lush greenery, majestic mountains, or underwater spectacles, there’s nothing like basking in the beauty of nature to rejuvenate the soul. Of course, with so many options out there, it might be tough to figure out where to start.
Good thing there’s a recent study from money.co.uk, titled the Natural Beauty Report. As the name suggests, it’s a ranking of the world’s most naturally beautiful countries. It follows a set of factors: volcanoes, mountains, coral reefs, protected areas, coastline, rainforests, and glaciers. To calculate the scores, each country was analysed based on the number and concentration (per 100,000 square kilometres) of these seven factors.
Note: This study is limited to countries listed on the World Bank, excluding dependent territories.
The most beautiful countries to visit for natural attractions
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Below are the most naturally beautiful countries in the world, along with their respective scores.
- Indonesia – 7.77
- New Zealand – 7.27
- Colombia – 7.16
- Tanzania – 6.98
- Mexico – 6.96
- Kenya – 6.7
- India – 6.54
- France – 6.51
- Papua New Guinea – 6.39
- Comoros – 6.22
- Ecuador – 6.09
- United States – 6.03
- Vanatu – 6.02
- Japan – 6.00
- Solomon Islands – 5.97
- Italy – 5.87
- Philippines – 5.80
- Peru – 5.66
- Australia – 5.65
- Costa Rica – 5.65
For many travellers from Southeast Asia, Indonesia landing the top spot comes as no surprise; with over 17,000 islands, approximately 51,000 square kilometres of coral reef area, 733 protected areas, 86 ultra-prominent mountains, and over a million square kilometres of tropical forest area. Some of the crowd favourite natural attractions here are Komodo National Park, as well as dazzling islands like Sumatra, Lombok, and Bali.
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Coming in second place is New Zealand, which is gradually reopening borders soon. There, you’ll find vast, untouched landscapes worthy of a thousand photographs. From snow-covered mountains and glowing caves, to brilliant blue lakes and fjords; you’ll never run out of sceneries to admire.
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Third among the most scenic countries is Colombia. After all, it’s famous for having a diverse selection of landscapes, from the Andes mountain range to parts of the Amazon rainforest.
Also read: These Are the World’s Safest Countries for Travel in 2022
Have you ever been to any of these most naturally beautiful countries? And if so, which one left you the most in awe? Go on and tell us all about it on our Facebook page!
On a slightly different note, you might also want to check out our list of the most colourful animals around the world.
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