Our Favorite Natural Wonders That We’ve Seen… (so far) …. Pep’s Picks

Nicole and I love a good adventure. Every time we set off on a new trip I feel like Bilbo Baggins - filled with wondrous joy, carelessly running out the door shouting “I’m going on an adventure!” For me it’s equally wonderful and devastating because in addition to loving hikes and parks we also love to enjoy a few cocktails and glasses of wine each night with dinner. I’ve rapidly realized over the last few years that I’m not 22 anymore so our trips require some meticulous planning to frontload our hikes and adventures and backfill our nightlife activities.

Aside from a mutual love for the outdoors and the taste of a dry red, the other thing that I love about our relationship is that we both have so many unique travel experiences agnostic of one another. Nicole and I were super close friends prior to dating but we had never traveled together prior to dating. This means that we both get to share our unique war stories with one another and get to inspire one another on a daily basis. If you asked Nicole, she would say that sometimes I have a tendency to get too competitive about traveling (she’d probably also say I get too competitive about everything) but in reality I love that our little duo has so many unique experiences.

So today I thought it would be fun to address half of our travel passions by sharing our top 10 favorite and unique natural wonders and experiences that we’ve both done. Since we have unique experiences separate from one another we are doing our lists separately and blindly to see if we have any crossover (which would mean you should doubly do it) and introduce you to more stuff!

Pep’s Top 11* (I can’t count)

1. White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA

White Sands National Park is a newer national park for the United States. Since 1933 the site was a national monument and in 2019 it was redesignated as a national park at the end of 2019. The park is located in southern New Mexico near the small town of Alamogordo, which is where you’ll want to stay when you visit the park. This is actually one that Nicole and I did together so I have a feeling it might be a crossover pick. In regard to where you’ll want to stay, options are limited - there are backcountry camping options in the park but if you choose to stay in town try the local Super 8 (not kidding). The owner was the coolest dude and he gave us free sleds to use at the park.

The park itself is so unique. It’s 227 square miles of white gypsum sand, which is apparently very rare. The dunes are so fine that you can literally sled down them! And not some bullshit like slow sledding where you go a few feet and have to butt-slide along. There are dunes at White Sands that’ll make your sled fly. We had so much fun.

Regarding trails, there are a few set trailheads, designated by some pole markers that stick out of the dunes. But overall, you’re going to get a similar experience in whatever direction you walk. The appeal of White Sands is the vast “nothingness” that you’ll be walking through. The hikes can be pretty exhausting as you go through the peaks and valleys of sand, at times feeling like you’re on a treadmill.

Oh, and sunsets at White Sands…. stunning. Absolutely stunning.

White Sands requires some effort to get to but the payoff is well worth it.

2. Tayrona National Park, Colombia

One of South America’s neatest parks and hikes. The entire experience of doing Tayrona was so memorable for me. The hike is about 7-9 miles from the park entrance to the main beach, which you may have seen on social media, called Cabo San Juan. It’s a gorgeous beach with a really neat gazebo located high on rocks on a small peninsula at the beach. Sleeping in the hammocks in the gazebo is difficult since its a busy beach but there are several large campsites in Cabo San Juan and in the adjacent beaches, none of which are too long of a walk away. There is at least one indigenous tribe that lives within the park so there are two types of campgrounds to reserve, the ones owned by the government and the ones owned by the tribe. Both take online reservations but the ones that are government-owned tend to book further in advance due to their location. I stayed in a tribe operated campsite because I’m pretty shitty at planning anything in advance and the stay was fine - it was still on a hammock on a beach, just not Cabo San Juan.

The park is located slightly northeast of the city of Santa Marta and getting there will take you about an hour from the city. The public bus will pick you up from the central market and picks up from the front of the park. There is pretty heavy security at the park entrance and they check all bags for drugs and alcohol. There are places to buy booze in the park but obviously it’s marked up since they’ve got you by the cajones.

Bring some cash. Bring your passport, Bring water and snacks. Pack lightly. The hike can be done in sandals (I did it) but I’d consider sneakers as well since there is quite a bit of uphill and up-stairs segments to the trails.

Also, there are a ton more trails aside from the beach trails so go for at least two days to relax and explore.

3. Zion National Park (Angels Landing and The Narrows), Utah, USA

Zion National Park is so big. Not just in terms of the vastness of the park. Zion is literally big. Walking through Zion makes you feel like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids or like how an ant must feel every day. It’s crazy!

My two Zion picks for this post are the hikes of Angels Landing and The Narrows.

Angels Landing is known around the world, it’s probably on several lists for best hikes in the world. It’s surprisingly accessible for such a scenic and iconic trail. There is parking at the base of the trail in the valley and there are even public buses that will drop you off at the trailhead from various parking areas in the park. However, despite the trails easy accessibility, hiking the trail is strenuous but it’s mainly due to the amount of steep switchbacks you’ll need to traverse before getting to the first landing area. Angels Landing is kind of like eating your vegetables first - you’ll spend an hour or two going up switchbacks, that are scenic in their own right but nothing compared to what awaits at the top.

Once you finish the first segment there is a large landing and you’ve almost got the feel that the hike is over, you’ve reached the summit. There are some bathrooms, several people having picnics, great views, you’ve done it.

Psych!

Now the real fun part begins. Catch your breath because the second part of the trail is awesome! There is a narrow stretch of rock that juts out to the middle of the valley. The hike to reach the true landing is not for the faint of heart. You’ll be hanging on to chains as you walk along cliff faces with no protection. It’s a bit unnerving at first, then you’ll see an 8 year old walk past you and realize that you’re fine as long as you don’t look down. The sights that await are truly breathtaking.

My second submission for Zion is the exact opposite of Angels Landing in terms of elevation. In Angels Landing you’ll be kissing the sky. The Narrows is a series of trails through a slot canyon river and feels as though you’re walking through a rocky metropolis. It’s really quite cool and a great yin to the Angels Landing yang. The two trails complement each other nicely.

The Narrows do open and close seasonally and depending on availability you might need to book in advance. You’ll definitely want waterproof shoes and pants because there is a large part of the trek that is through a river. There are also overnight options within The Narrows but you need to book them in advance.

4. Laguna Grande, Fajardo, Puerto Rico

I wish I had photos for this one! Unfortunately this trip was back in 2009 or so and camera phones weren’t exactly able to capture a bioluminescent bay at night. But this adventure is one I would recommend to anyone and everyone. The bioluminescent bay that I was able to experience was near Fajardo, Puerto Rico. The experience itself was super cool - we gathered outside of a mangrove forest after sundown and started connecting fluorescent wristbands to the back of our kayaks and launched into the narrow passageways of the mangroves. Paddling through the mangroves at night was surreal, it was pitch black with only the stars and the fluorescent lights of the kayak in front of me to guide me through the labyrinth. The outlines of the mangrove trees went on for a thirty minute paddle until suddenly it opened up to this massive bay full of turquoise blue and green - it was amazing! What makes a bioluminescent bay bioluminescent are tiny little algae that light up when disturbed. So as we paddled along our boats would glow underneath and our paddles would cause underwater sparks. And it wasn’t just us disturbing the water, fish and dolphins made for an incredible show of neons and lights. I wish I had the equipment to share a photo for this post but either way, it’s worth going to.

If you’re curious, there are only a handful of bioluminescent bays in the world so if you get the chance to see one, I’d take it.

5. Synchronized Fireflies, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, USA

Another one that I have no photos for so you’re going to have to take my word for it. This one is probably the most unique on my list and it receives 0 press so I had to share. The Synchronized Fireflies of the Great Smokey Mountains is an event that happens once a year and only happens in two places in the world - right outside Knoxville, TN and in parts of southeast Asia, although, according to the BBC, the show in the Great Smokey Mountains is the largest and most impressive.

What is this event? Well, for about two weeks each year literally millions of fireflies gather in a remote section of the Smokey Mountains, near the Tennessee and North Carolina border for, you might have guessed it, a mating routine. What happens is the males will fly around and begin a light routine/show to impress the females who wait patiently on the forest floor. The light show is incredible. Millions of fireflies flashing together in unison, they’ll go rapid fire then they’ll slow down, then there are these random ones that just sort of fly around with a blue light that never goes out. I saw it while I attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville during summer school. So as a young college kid, obviously there were some extracurriculars involved prior to attending the show - and it was mindblowing.

There is very limited space in the section of the park where this happens. You’ll need to arrive early to get a spot on the trails and in the parking lots. Bring a chair because you’ll be sitting for a while until the sun goes down. Actually fun story, the buddy that I went to this with was a journalism student at Tennessee. After we showed up late and were turned away on our first attempt he went to library and forged a phony press pass with the Knoxville News Sentinel and we showed up the next day at the same time, he showed his “press pass” to the park ranger who in turn walked us to the front of the parking lot and let us park in the grass. Silly college shenanigans. The other good thing to do when you show up is go off trail. There were so many people on the trails that we walked into the forest until they were out of sight, found an old log over a dried creek bed, and sat there as the show happened all around us.

6. Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

There isn’t much to say about Halong Bay that hasn’t already been said. There is a reason why it’s one of UNESCOs World Heritage sites. In a word, it’s stunning. The waters are emerald green and scattered throughout the bay are limestone rock islands with lush green jungle forests on top of them. It’s gorgeous. The rocks tower straight out like the water has fangs. One of my favorite things we did was drive our boat up to a random rock face getting close enough for someone to grab on, then then boat would drive off a little ways and we’d free climb as high as we could go until we just pushed off - right into the deeps waters below. It was the coolest cliff jumping I’ve ever done - some people on our boat got 50+ feet before letting go… me, I’d like to think I was able to climb 30+ but everything seems so much higher when you’re doing it. In reality I probably made it like 10 feet (insert facepalm emoji).

From a natural beauty perspective, it’s second to none. However, the one thing I found to be off-putting was the commercialization of it. That being said, I also understand that Vietnam isn’t exactly the wealthiest country so I can’t knock the people for being entrepreneurial. And when I say commercial, I just mean that when you get off the bus into the marina where most of the boats disembark there are a ton of street vendors and people hounding you to sell useless trinkets and tchotchkes and there was a cave or two that was heavily vandalized. But ignoring that minor caveat, and please please please do ignore that caveat, it’s one of the most magical places on the planet.

Located on the northeast coast of Vietnam and about a 3-hour drive from Hanoi are the warm waters of Ha Long. You’d think somewhere this amazing would be reserved for the rich and famous but you’d be wrong. It was actually my trip to Ha Long that made me realize that I don’t have to be a billionaire to see some of the most amazing places in the world. You’ll be able to split time between a cruise aboard an old Chinese junker and staying in private bungalows for under $300 USD for 3-7 days. You can also stay in hostels on Cat Ba Island for literally under $30 per night - god, I love Southeast Asia.

During my stay, I picked a 3/day, 2/night, trip aboard one of the junkers and on the craziest private beach I had ever seen.

7. El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

Palawan is like Ha Long bay on steroids and with fewer tourists. That being said with social media influencers flocking to Southeast Asia like they own the place, the Philippines have been blowing up for the past few years digitally and in the real world, I’m hopeful that El Nido and Coron keep their charm but who knows. Where Ha Long is emerald green, Palawan is Tar Heel blue. Both beautiful in their own way.

In Palawan, you’ll find many of the same limestone rock formations as Ha Long Bay so the scenery is very similar. The big tourist attraction is the Big Lagoon, which I shamelessly stole a photo of from Nicole (above). Everything about Palawan is perfect. I’d move here in a heartbeat if it were easy to smuggle my dog here. Nicole and I both took part in the Tao Adventures tours a year apart from one another and it was one of the best experiences of my life. One of the most responsible, sustainable, locally owned and operated, cultural, and flat out fun adventures. It’s basically an island hopping boat trip where you stay on tiny bungalow camps that Tao has built on deserted islands as you make your way from El Nido in the central/north of Palawan to Coron in the very north. It was a weeklong journey with 25 strangers filled with jungle juice, card games, snorkeling, volleyball, and probably the best seafood I’ll ever eat in my entire life.

8. Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve, Sicily, Italy

Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve is a great rustic adventure that isn’t too strenuous and pays off in the form of multiple crystal clear beaches with cool waters to provide relief from the sweltering Sicilian sun. Lo Zingaro can be found between the small towns of Castellammare Del Golfo and San Vito Lo Capo in the northwestern part of Sicily. The reserve stretches across the coastline with paths that curve along the dry slopes. While hiking the trails to the beaches you’ll look down on gorgeous coves that are only accessible by boat and pass by small stone homes, some look like people still live there and others have turned to ruins. Overall, the inclines aren’t dramatic and the distance isn’t something that only an iron-man could accomplish - it’s a perfectly reasonable day trip for anyone who wants to relax and get some mild exercise.

But once you arrive at the beaches, any of the beaches, prepare to have your socks knocked off. You’ll never ever want to leave this wonderful place. You’ll walk from one to the next as they get smaller and more secluded. Bring tons of water, sunscreen, snacks, and your camera. And don’t forget water shoes of some sort - the beaches here are more rock than sand.

9. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA

Have you ever seen a hoodoo? If you haven’t then it might be time to check out Bryce Canyon National Park because the entire park basically is thousands of hoodoos scattered across the southern Utah landscape. If you don’t know what a hoodoo is then take a good hard look at the photo above and focus on the towering spiral rocks coming up from the ground.

Bryce is deceivingly large and it’s not just filled with vista points to take inspirational photos. The trails in the valley are like stepping onto another planet. There are pine trees growing through the red clay - it looks as if someone started to paint a forest over a desert. It makes for quite the juxtaposition.

So go forth and venture into Bryce Canyon National Park and go do that hoodoo that you do so well.

10. Golden Circle, Iceland

Iceland’s famed Golden Circle consists of three main attractions: Gullfoss, Thingvellir National Park, and Haukadalur. It’s a bit touristy but it’s a must-see if you’re visiting Iceland. To be honest, all of Iceland could make this list - it’s literally the land of natural wonders but since the Golden Circle has three really cool ones I figured it was the one to highlight here.

Gullfoss is a massive waterfall or series of waterfalls that form like a staircase, cutting through the earth. I doubt I’ve seen anything quite as powerful as the rushing water pouring through Gullfoss - it’s an impressive sight to behold. Standing at 32 meters, it’s not exactly the tallest waterfall you’ll ever see but there is something about the consistency of it - it’s tall, it’s wide, there are multiple levels of it, it banks hard at almost 90 degrees where the falls begin. It’s a very cool place to check off your bucket list.

Thingvellir National Park is where the North American and the Eurasian tectonic plates meet. One thing you’ll learn very quickly about Iceland is that they love their mythology and Thingvellir seems to fit right in. The Silfra Fissure is a crack in the earth right in the heart of Thingvellir where the deceivingly clear glacier water that descend over 100 meters deep at some points. This narrow fissure is actually a popular scuba diving site - when I was there I recall looking down at divers that seemed no more than 10-20 feet away due to how clear the water was. My guide informed me that they were more than likely over 20 meters down. I’m shocked there hasn’t been some sort of horror movie created of a monster grabbing a diver and pulling them deeper.

Haukadalur is a geothermal area where you’ll find the original geyser, which is aptly named: Geysir. That’s right, the geyser that created them all - like Lord of the Rings, one geyser to bind them, one geyser to rule them all. That’s my second Lord of the Rings reference in this post - I should go home now.

11. The Pitons, St. Lucia

The photos might as well have been taking with a potato but I wanted to try to get a good mix of places around the world for this post. The Pitons of St. Lucia are a sight to behold but this one is probably the least adventuresome selection of the group. It’s more of a “see it and lay in the beach” kind of natural wonder. The two Pitons, Gros Piton and Petit Piton, stand 798 and 748 meters high, respectively. They’re essentially two volcanic spires that have emerged from the earth over thousands of years. At their base, you’ll find hot springs and hot mud pits where you can soak and cover yourself in the mineral-infused mud before you head back to the beach. I’m not typically a huge proponent of doing tours but we did do a speed boat tour for this one and it was a blast. Joe Knows tours is worth the promotion simply because, aside from having a quality excursion, these guys were friggin’ fun to hang out with! They knew how to be the life of the party and keep all guests entertained and engaged throughout the day.