These underrated and underappreciated world wonders are worth adding to your bucket list! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the breathtaking places around the world, both natural and man-made, that deserve a little more recognition.
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00:00This is Venezuela's most famous landmark.
00:03It's locked away in one of its most inaccessible locations.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo,
00:09and today we're counting down our picks for the breathtaking places around the world,
00:13both natural and human-made,
00:15that deserve a little more recognition.
00:17There can be only one venue for this grand event.
00:20The Meenakshi Amman Temple.
00:23Number 20.
00:24Cappadocia, Turkey.
00:26The Valle de la Luna in Chile deserves a mention here for its extraordinary geologic formations.
00:31But we can't help but be enchanted by the characteristic fairy chimneys of this historical region.
00:36This intricately sculpted landscape has captivated travelers for millennia.
00:41Stacked with geological marvels and fascinating structures,
00:44Cappadocia contains ancient churches, monasteries, and dwellings carved into rocks.
00:49Hot air balloons dot the sky as tourists explore the stunning area from above.
00:54Every year, Voral takes almost 2,000 tourists up to the skies,
01:01each hoping to view this fantastical landscape from a unique aerial perspective.
01:06But there's even more to explore beneath the surface.
01:09That includes Derinkuyu, an underground city large enough to have housed 20,000 people.
01:15This place could warrant a spot on the list on its own,
01:17but the whole region is remarkable.
01:20Number 19.
01:21The Banaue Rice Terraces, the Philippines.
01:24While they've been placed on an unofficial long list for the eighth wonder of the world,
01:28the Banaue Rice Terraces are not as widely known as many other world marvels.
01:32For 2,000 years, the mountains of Ifugao province have been cultivated with terraced rice fields
01:39that stretch thousands of feet high.
01:41The remarkable terrain is 2,000 years in the making,
01:44with generations of Ifugao people tending to the intricately carved mountainside terraces.
01:49Although it's been disputed exactly when these irrigated rice terraces were created,
01:54it's generally thought that they were largely made by human hands and without much equipment.
01:58The site is popular among tourists,
02:00but we're hoping to cultivate some additional appreciation by adding it to our list.
02:05If you take a guided hiking tour, make sure to pack a picnic
02:09for an outstanding view of this remarkable landscape.
02:12Number 18.
02:13Borobudur Temple, Indonesia.
02:16This 8th- or 9th-century Buddhist temple is the largest in the world.
02:20The base is a 1,200-square-meter terrace topped with six tiers.
02:26The walls are adorned with numerous Buddha reliefs.
02:29Located in Indonesia, the magnificent structure was a monument of the Sailendra dynasty,
02:34which ruled the area for around five centuries.
02:37In the upper terraces of the temple,
02:39bell-shaped structures called stupas contain Buddhas and provide nice spaces for meditation.
02:44The exact purpose of its construction is not clear.
02:49One theory is that the complex represents Buddhist cosmology.
02:53It's a mandala.
02:54With a panoramic view of the trees down below, it is an atmosphere like no other.
02:59And while the temple is a Buddhist pilgrimage site and popular tourist attraction within Indonesia,
03:04not everyone in other parts of the world is aware of this marvel.
03:08Number 17.
03:09Kuangsi Falls, Laos.
03:11There's something inexplicably magical about a waterfall, both in its sound and sight.
03:16Very few waterfalls can measure up to the beauty of Kuangsi Falls in Laos.
03:20It features three tiers, with the main fall boasting a 200-foot drop.
03:25What lies below is arguably just as mesmerizing.
03:28Stunning shallow turquoise pools connected by cascades,
03:31allowing water to flow from one pool to the next.
03:34Also worthy of mention here are a couple of other underrated and enchanting falls,
03:39like the Fairy Pools in Scotland and Kravica Waterfall in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
03:44Number 16.
03:45Leshan Giant Buddha, China.
03:47Nestled within a cliff face at the junction of the Min and Dadu rivers in the Sichuan province
03:52is a massive, eye-catching Buddha.
03:54This is the Giant Buddha of Leshan.
03:57The feet are so large that 100 people could stand on top.
04:01The statue was expertly crafted during the Tang Dynasty
04:04and is located within the Mount Emei scenic area.
04:08Crucial to the history of Buddhism,
04:10the Sichuan province is also home to the first Buddhist temple in China.
04:13The towering Leshan Giant Buddha is actually the tallest Buddha sculpture in the world at 233 feet.
04:20Whether you admire it from the stairs, from a boat, or just in pictures,
04:23the Leshan Giant Buddha is striking.
04:26Local people decided to make a large Buddha here
04:29to thank him for trading success and to grant safe passage.
04:33Number 15.
04:34Leptis Magna, Libya.
04:36Remnants from the ancient city of Leptis have survived for thousands of years.
04:40Leptis Magna is on the Mediterranean coast of Libya.
04:43It's one of the largest ancient Roman sites in Africa.
04:47Founded in the 7th century BCE,
04:49the city became an important part of the Roman Empire
04:52before being abandoned in the 7th century CE.
04:55However, many of its structures, buried under sand dunes for centuries,
04:59were unearthed in the 1920s.
05:01Among the recovered elements of the settlement
05:03are the ruins of an ancient amphitheater and marketplace.
05:06The ancient metropolis of Leptis Magna clearly existed,
05:10but only about 30% of the site has been excavated so far.
05:14The tetrapylon arch is truly extraordinary.
05:17Also visible is the Severan Basilica,
05:19with its elaborate carvings and columns.
05:22As far as taking a stroll through history goes,
05:24Leptis Magna is a sight to behold.
05:27Number 14.
05:28Tikal, Guatemala.
05:30Imagine roaming through a rainforest in Guatemala on a gorgeous sunny day.
05:34And then boom! There it is!
05:36A 154-foot-high structure with a steep staircase.
05:40Tikal was one of the largest ancient cities of the Mayan civilization.
05:46The city thrived for nearly 1,000 years,
05:50but was suddenly abandoned during the 10th century.
05:53The structure is known as Tikal Temple 1,
05:56and it's one of the major components of a pre-Columbian Maya civilization.
06:00The city of Tikal is home to a collection of astonishing structures in its main plaza,
06:05now part of Tikal National Park.
06:07Researchers believe that Tikal was inhabited as early as the 6th century BCE.
06:12It is believed that at one period, Tikal had up to 60,000 residents.
06:17In addition to the surviving architecture,
06:19the artistic remains at the site make for an astonishing trip back in time.
06:24Number 13.
06:25The Great Pyramid of Cholula, Mexico.
06:28You may have heard of Chichen Itza,
06:30which was part of the new Seven Wonders of the World campaign.
06:33However, it's not the only remarkable archaeological site in Mexico.
06:37The Great Pyramid of Cholula is actually the largest pyramid by volume known to exist in the entire world.
06:43Built over 2,000 years ago, the site boasts as the largest space pyramid in the world,
06:48and holds century-old secrets from the first inhabitants of this land to the conquering Spaniards.
06:53Believed to be constructed as a temple to the Aztec deity Quetzalcoatl,
06:57its history dates back to around 200 BCE.
07:01The pyramid has not been fully excavated,
07:03because a historically significant church sits atop the temple.
07:07As soon as Jose and I walked in through the church doors into this church,
07:11there's so much gold everywhere and so much detail, and it's just beyond beautiful.
07:17It's believed that the structure accounts for just a portion of the entire archaeological site in which it resides.
07:2312. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
07:26This is a wonder 40,000 years in the making.
07:30Prehistoric lakes evaporated,
07:32leaving polygonal formations of salt and other minerals in expansive flat areas.
07:36The world's largest example of the salt flat phenomenon is located in Bolivia.
07:41Salar de Uyuni covers approximately 4,086 square miles.
07:45And while you might typically try to avoid bad weather when going on a trip,
07:49the rainy season is actually the best time to visit the Uyuni salt flats.
07:53That's when you can observe an unparalleled wonder,
07:56the largest natural mirror on Earth, right beneath your feet.
08:0011. Singi de Bemaraja, Madagascar
08:04There's something unusual yet beautiful about the shape,
08:07size, and abundance of limestone located at the Singi de Bemaraja National Park in Madagascar.
08:12Singi de Bemaraja is on the western side of the island.
08:16The pinnacle formations cover 1,520 square kilometers.
08:21The word Singi can mean where one cannot walk barefoot,
08:24a fitting name given the park's sharp, needle-like limestone pinnacles that form a maze-like landscape.
08:30While you wouldn't want to forget your shoes,
08:32the region is an ideal place to take in one of nature's many marvels.
08:36The steep slopes are home to a variety of rare species.
08:39The Sivakas survive within an intricate balance between man and nature.
08:44Singi de Bemaraja offers spectacular views and a true sense of awe.
08:5010. Chartres Cathedral, France
08:53A definite high point of French Gothic art and architecture,
08:56Chartres Cathedral is often overlooked,
08:59usually in favor of Paris' more immediately famous Notre-Dame.
09:03However, Chartres is an almost perfectly preserved example of its era.
09:07The front facade is located on the west wing.
09:11The west is where the sun sets and represents the apocalypse,
09:16the Last Judgment.
09:17It boasts pristine stained glass, two complementary spires on its west end,
09:22and general architectural features that are largely unchanged since the early 13th century.
09:27It is hoped that this extraordinary heritage will be protected long into the future.
09:33It genuinely is the genuine article.
09:35Speaking of genuine articles,
09:37Chartres also houses the Sancta Camisa relic,
09:40which legend has it was clothing worn by the Virgin Mary when Christ was born.
09:449. Angkor Wat, Cambodia
09:47Often cited as the most significant place never to have received Wonder of the World classification,
09:53Angkor Wat is one of our planet's largest religious monuments.
09:56The maps show the area of Angkor was the size of modern-day Los Angeles.
10:02It's also enormously popular,
10:04attracting more than two million tourists every year.
10:07A temple complex rather than one lone structure,
10:10it was built in the 12th century as a place for Hindu worship.
10:13By the end of the century, it was converted to Buddhist uses.
10:17Angkor and Angkor Wat, it's part of the soul of Cambodia.
10:22It's buried in our heart as a symbol of our people.
10:27One of the first Western visitors to Angkor Wat,
10:30Antonio da Madalena wrote,
10:34And he was right.
10:368. The Ajanta Caves, India
10:39Considered one of the earliest examples of Buddhist art and architecture anywhere in the world,
10:43the Ajanta Caves deserve to be a big deal.
10:46This temple-cave complex describes the rise and fall of Buddhist art in India.
10:51By most estimates, many of the carvings date back as early as the 2nd century BC.
10:56The caves are situated within dense jungle,
10:58and were rediscovered in 1819 largely by accident by a British officer while on a hunt.
11:04Described by the Archaeological Survey of India as,
11:07quote, the finest surviving examples of Indian art,
11:10the caves' insides offer ancient depictions of Buddhist teachings and figures of the Buddha himself.
11:16Among all the paintings at Ajanta,
11:18this Bodhisattva figure holding a lotus flower is considered to be the finest.
11:247. The Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Sri Lanka
11:27Also known as the Lion Rock of Sri Lanka,
11:30Sigiriya is the country's most visited historic site,
11:33and a truly unique attraction.
11:35When King Kashyapa seized the throne,
11:37he made Sigiriya his new capital and fortress.
11:40The giant rock formation was decorated with distinctive artwork as well as a gateway adorned with a lion,
11:46thus the name Lion Rock.
11:47After Kashyapa's death in 495 CE,
11:50the site became a Buddhist monastery,
11:52and fulfilled this function until the 14th century.
11:55And now, it is an archaeological melting pot,
11:58a geological peculiarity that offers a once-in-a-lifetime panoramic view.
12:036. Wave Rock, Australia
12:06Name a world-famous rock located in Australia.
12:09The 15-meter-high, uniquely-shaped monolith attracts visitors from across the globe.
12:13Most would only ever have one answer,
12:16Ayers Rock, otherwise known as Uluru.
12:18However, if you ever are down under,
12:20you could head to Perth, take a three- or four-hour tour to Heiden,
12:24and have yourself a geological experience that's a little less mainstream.
12:28The rainwater brings out the orange in the rock,
12:30but sections where the water is diverted turn dark.
12:33Over millennia, water has played a part in forming and coloring the rock.
12:37This rock, so named for obvious appearance-related reasons,
12:40is some 2.7 billion years in the making.
12:44Contrary to logical belief,
12:46the best waves in Australia aren't always found on the coast.
12:495. The Ancient City of Pagan, Myanmar
12:53The capital of the Kingdom of Pagan from the 9th to the 13th centuries,
12:57at its height, Pagan was home to over 10,000 religious temples.
13:01Now, those numbers have dwindled,
13:02but still there remain an unprecedented 2,200-plus monuments,
13:07pagodas, temples, and buildings within the city,
13:10scattered across 40 square miles.
13:12It was once an international center for alchemy, astrology, philosophy, and medicine.
13:17And though it no longer thrives as in yesteryear,
13:20it remains one of the most magical places on Earth.
13:234. The Meteora Suspended Rock Monasteries
13:27Greece, with a name meaning suspended in air,
13:30our next underappreciated place is incredible now,
13:33but was even more so when first created.
13:35The Meteora Complex is a series of monasteries carved into
13:39and built atop of unique sandstone pillars, rising out of the trees.
13:43Originally inhabited in the 9th century by religious recluses and monks,
13:47the buildings were deliberately difficult to access,
13:50via a frighteningly fragile rope-and-net pulley system.
13:53There are carved staircases now,
13:55but the original inhabitants were real hardcore hermits.
13:593. The White Temple, aka Wat Rang Khun, Thailand
14:04Today's most modern wonder, the White Temple is a work in progress,
14:07not expected to be fully completed until 2070.
14:11Privately owned and constructed by Thai artist Chalamchai Kosipipat,
14:14it's situated in Thailand's Chiang Rai province,
14:17and after falling into disrepair and being rebuilt by the artist,
14:21opened in 1997.
14:23The temple is both a conventional place of Buddhist worship,
14:25and an unconventional house for modern art and ideas.
14:29The Ubo Sat is the central building,
14:31inside of which are murals dedicated not to tradition,
14:34but to contemporary events and idols.
14:36Michael Jackson features here, as does Freddy Krueger.
14:39There are images of the oil industry and of terrorism,
14:43because one day, this will all be ancient history too.
14:462. The Meenakshi Amman Temple, India
14:50Considered as architecturally important to southern India
14:53as the Taj Mahal is to the north,
14:54the Meenakshi Temple is six hectares of unrivaled art,
14:58culture, legend, and history.
15:00This wonder of art and architecture is in the middle of the old city,
15:04with streets arranged around it in concentric squares.
15:07Said to be the home of triple-breasted goddess Meenakshi,
15:10whose superfluous breast melted away upon marriage to Shiva,
15:13it houses an estimated 33,000 sculptures,
15:16and welcomes 15,000 visitors a day.
15:19Over the centuries, there was reconstruction and expansion
15:23by kings and rich patrons.
15:25Many of those visitors stick around until closing as well,
15:28for an important daily ritual in which an image of Shiva
15:31is carried to Meenakshi's bedroom to consummate their union.
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15:50Number 1. Angel Falls, Venezuela
15:53At 3,212 feet tall,
15:56our winner is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall.
15:59And if that's not wonder-worthy, then what is?
16:01Getting here isn't easy or cheap,
16:03but for those who can come, it's an unforgettable experience.
16:07Angel Falls, named after the US aviator who first flew over them,
16:11have a legendary spot within the history of exploration.
16:14Notoriously difficult to locate,
16:16and even harder to navigate once you're actually there,
16:18they've become a sort of unofficial aim for any aspiring adventurer.
16:22For Venezuelans, this is an emotional moment,
16:25viewing a national treasure.
16:27Plus, they're the inspiration for Paradise Falls in the Pixar film Up.
16:31Quite simply, they're beautiful, they're breathtaking,
16:34and they beat everything else out there.
16:37Which of these majestic sights is first on your bucket list?
16:40Let us know in the comments below.
16:42Over thousands of years,
16:44civilizations carved their homes into the soft rock here.
16:48To create the world's most unusual high-rise neighborhood.