31 must-see places around the world

CNN Staff
Updated 7:21 PM EDT, Sun March 26, 2017
Sossusvlei means "the gathering place of water" but you'll need to bring your own if you don't want to dehydrate at this, one of Namibia's most outstanding attractions.
Sossusvlei Dunes, Namibia —
Sossusvlei means "the gathering place of water" but you'll need to bring your own if you don't want to dehydrate at this, one of Namibia's most outstanding attractions.
courtesy Aardvark Safaris
Torres del Paine: created with screen savers and inspirational corporate posters in mind.
Torres del Paine, Chile —
Torres del Paine: created with screen savers and inspirational corporate posters in mind.
We love the wildebeest migration, which traverses the major nature parks in Kenya and Tanzania throughout the year, and so do the lions.
The great migration, East Africa —
We love the wildebeest migration, which traverses the major nature parks in Kenya and Tanzania throughout the year, and so do the lions.
Singita
Orion, Pegasus and about a million of their friends are visible in Mackenzie Basin in New Zealand.
Star-filled sky, New Zealand —
Orion, Pegasus and about a million of their friends are visible in Mackenzie Basin in New Zealand.
ISDA
With its mountain backdrop and shores lined with ancient houses, the Nanxi River inevitably became the cradle of classic Chinese water-and-ink painting. It's also where travelers can watch local fishermen team with cormorants to catch fish.
Cormorant fishing, China —
With its mountain backdrop and shores lined with ancient houses, the Nanxi River inevitably became the cradle of classic Chinese water-and-ink painting. It's also where travelers can watch local fishermen team with cormorants to catch fish.
wenzhou tourism bureau
Lucky us, the world didn't end in 2012, so we still have time to see the Mayan ruins in Palenque.
Jungle pyramids, Mexico —
Lucky us, the world didn't end in 2012, so we still have time to see the Mayan ruins in Palenque.
Tucan Travel
Your camera's memory card might blow up inside this Iceland volcano, but otherwise it's all cool.
Thrihnukagigur volcano, Iceland —
Your camera's memory card might blow up inside this Iceland volcano, but otherwise it's all cool.
Hans Strand
Monument Valley -- more beautiful in reality than in the movies. How many screen legends can say that?
Monument Valley, United States —
Monument Valley -- more beautiful in reality than in the movies. How many screen legends can say that?
Navajo Nation Parks
Yes, five million bats can look beautiful. They cluster together in one tiny corner of Zambia's Kasanka National Park every November.
Kasanka bat migration, Zambia —
Yes, five million bats can look beautiful. They cluster together in one tiny corner of Zambia's Kasanka National Park every November.
courtesy Chris Meyer
Snake-charmers, henna painters and more.
Djemaa el Fna, Morocco —
Snake-charmers, henna painters and more.
Morocco Tourism
Workers on Kawah Ijen, a volcanic lake in Java, Indonesia, collect sulfur to sell to a refinery. Conditions are treacherous, pungent smoke billows from gashes in the ground and at least one tourist is reported to have died while climbing down the crater. But local miners spend hours here each day mining sulfur, earning around $10 a day.
Kawah Ijen, Indonesia —
Workers on Kawah Ijen, a volcanic lake in Java, Indonesia, collect sulfur to sell to a refinery. Conditions are treacherous, pungent smoke billows from gashes in the ground and at least one tourist is reported to have died while climbing down the crater. But local miners spend hours here each day mining sulfur, earning around $10 a day.
Approximately 40% of Korea's tea is produced in the rolling fields of Boseong, which have also provided the backdrop of many Korean dramas and films.
Boseong tea fields, South Korea —
Approximately 40% of Korea's tea is produced in the rolling fields of Boseong, which have also provided the backdrop of many Korean dramas and films.
Korea Tourism Organization
Every year, armies of young backpackers flock to the ancient town of Fenghuang (which literally means "Phoenix") in Hunan province, for its rich Miao and Tujia ethnic culture as well as a glorious photo opportunity.
Fenghuang, China —
Every year, armies of young backpackers flock to the ancient town of Fenghuang (which literally means "Phoenix") in Hunan province, for its rich Miao and Tujia ethnic culture as well as a glorious photo opportunity.
huang yongming
Guests staying within the village compound are allowed to enter this 9th century monument, hidden beneath volcanic ash for centuries, before opening time.
Borobudur temple, Indonesia —
Guests staying within the village compound are allowed to enter this 9th century monument, hidden beneath volcanic ash for centuries, before opening time.
Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
They're not exotic and in the European case they're not even that pretty, but they are one of the most mesmerizing sights in nature.
Starling murmuration, England —
They're not exotic and in the European case they're not even that pretty, but they are one of the most mesmerizing sights in nature.
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
The Rialto, the Bridge of Sighs, the vast expanse of San Marco look much as they did 400 years ago, but nothing evokes the mystery of La Serenissima quite like Santa Maria Salute looming out of the mist at the entrance to the Grand Canal.
Santa Maria della Salute, Italy —
The Rialto, the Bridge of Sighs, the vast expanse of San Marco look much as they did 400 years ago, but nothing evokes the mystery of La Serenissima quite like Santa Maria Salute looming out of the mist at the entrance to the Grand Canal.
Archive of the Tourist Board of the Province of Venice
From thunder to lightning to tornadoes, you can see it all by joining a storm-chasing crew in Tornado Alley, the area between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains where 25 percent of America's "significant" tornadoes occur, according to the National Atlas by the US government.
Electrical storm, United States —
From thunder to lightning to tornadoes, you can see it all by joining a storm-chasing crew in Tornado Alley, the area between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains where 25 percent of America's "significant" tornadoes occur, according to the National Atlas by the US government.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
It may be one of the most hyped buildings in the world, but it lives up to its publicity. Visitors still gasp the moment they first set eyes on the world's most famous shrine to love.
Taj Mahal, India —
It may be one of the most hyped buildings in the world, but it lives up to its publicity. Visitors still gasp the moment they first set eyes on the world's most famous shrine to love.
Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images
Clean, secluded and easy to skip because it takes some effort to get here, the beaches of the Seychelles are the benchmarks against which others must be judged.
Pristine beaches, Seychelles —
Clean, secluded and easy to skip because it takes some effort to get here, the beaches of the Seychelles are the benchmarks against which others must be judged.
courtesy La Digue Island Lodge
Scandinavia gives you a chance to see the most dazzling light display on Earth. <br /><strong>Click the double arrow to continue the gallery</strong>
Northern Lights, Scandinavia —
Scandinavia gives you a chance to see the most dazzling light display on Earth.
Click the double arrow to continue the gallery
courtesy visitrovaniemi