Top 10 of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes

Ten totally stunning photos of a selection of the world's most awesome, and most dangerous volcanoes.

Awesome, powerful, beautiful and extremely dangerous: lava lovers, feast your eyes and your fears on this selection of the world’s most impressive volcanic attractions.

1. Soufriere Hills, Montserrat

The sublime tropical island of Montserrat has a monster in its midst, the glowing lava dome of Soufriere Hills. Since blowing its top in 1995, the Hills has continued to behave badly, destroying capital, Plymouth and rendering most of the island uninhabitable.

2. Krakatoa, Indonesia

After Vesuvius’s destruction of Pompeii, the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883 is one of the most infamous in history. Its explosion is judged to be the loudest sound ever heard, while its ash cloud blotted out the sun and caused of cancellation of many a barbecue many thousands of miles away in the UK.

3. Yellowstone Caldera, USA

Yellowstone Caldera is a ‘Supervolcano’, which sounds pretty scary, doesn’t it. Fortunately it has only had three superuptions in the last two million years. However, the possibility of ‘hydrothermal explosions’ led the U.S. Geological Survey to classify Yellowstone as a ‘high-threat’ system. Looks pretty cool though.

4. Piton de la Fournaise, Réunion

Piton de la Fournaise is one of the world’s top five most active volcanoes, having had a major eruption four times in the last eight years. Otherwise, French-speaking Réunion is an idyllic tropical island in the Indian Ocean. French football legend Zinedine Zidane has a holiday home there, We will resist making a cheap comparison of these two hot-headed characters.

5.Mount Fuji, Japan

One of the most famous peaks on the planet, Mount Fuji is a potent symbol of Japan. Scaling its heights is a national must-do. Although still classed as active, Fuji hasn’t erupted since 1708, so the threat of being consumed by hot magma is thankfully fairly low..

6. Mount Bromo, Indonesia

Indonesia does quite well for volcanoes, if it’s right to put it like that. Ijen, Ranjani, Semeru, Kelimutu and many more. Mount Bromo is but one in a series of peaks in East Java, sitting in the middle of the evocatively-named Sea of Sand. Bromo went bang big style in 2011.

7. Shishaldin, Alaska, USA

Sticking 10,000 feet up from Unimak Island in the Aleutians, the chain that stretches towarrds Asia from Alaska, the near-perfect snow cone of Shishaldin offers a truly awesome 6,000-foot ski descent. Not that anyone goes there. Its two-peaked wee brother in the foreground is Isanotski.

8. Popocatepetl, Mexico

Try saying that after a few mezcals. Looming over Mexico City (if the smog thins enough to see it), Popocatepetl provides an anxious presence. With increasing activity, including several eruptions of steam and ash just last month, it is looking odds-on for a big blow in the near future.

9. Mt. Kilauea, Hawaii

Kilauea on Hawaii’s Big Island claims the title of the world’s most active volcano. Take a boat trip to see one of its most spectacular sights – red hot lava oozing into the ocean which causes the sea to boil and vaporise into white plumes of steam.

10. Mount Etna, Italy 

This fiery Sicilian mountain boasts the title of being Europe’s most active volcano. Despiet being in a state of almost constant activity, it’s a mega tourist draw,. You can take a four-wheel drive excursion to explore Etna’s lava fields, volcanic caves and tunnels, and eruptive fissures, but don’t get too close!

9 Most clichéd travel things to do and places to go

From gondola rides to bungee jumping, the most clichéd travel things to do and places to go - with some amazing alternatives.

From safari to swimming with sharks, Venice to Niagara Falls, we present 9 of the world’s most famous, sights, attractions and activities that you should(n’t) do before you die, along with some amazing alternatives.

There are lots more places to visit and things to do on the shortlist but a top 9 is a cliché in itself, so we’ve just done 9. You must have your own personal favourites – let us know what’s the most totally clichéd travel thing you’ve done in the comments section at the bottom.

1. Bungee jumping, New Zealand

Queenstown, New Zealand is one of the world’s epicentres of extreme sporting activities. Every backpacker worth their salt has bungee jumped in NZ, but bungee is only one of many extreme options here – how about a high-speed boat ride down crazy rapids (as Wills ‘n’ Kate did recently on their Royal visit). Or fall backwards in a chair… over a cliff?

2. Honeymoon, Maldives

The adorable Kate ‘n’ Wills (yes, them again) recently took a second honeymoon in five-star luxury on Noonu Atoll in the Maldives. Why only five-star? Indeed you may ask. The Maldives possibly pips Turks & Caicos as the world’s most popular, and cheesiest, honeymoon destination. You’re right, we’re only jealous.

3. Swimming with sharks

This actually looks like fun. These Caribbean reef sharks are pretty cute compared with the great whites that are such a popular attraction in South Africa. If cage-diving with killers frightens the heck out of you, try swimming with ‘endearing, funny mermaids’ – manatees in Florida .

4. Gondola ride, Venice

It is one of the most enduring images in tourism: a gondola on a canal in Venice, the Rialto bridge in the background, its passengers a couple in the fullest bloom of romance, and a proud gondolier punting along while belting out Giovanni Capurro’s timeless ‘O Sole Mio’.. Just take the Vaporetto!

5. Ice skating, New York

Along with proposing marriage in a horse-drawn cart, New York‘s Central Park offers the opportunity for another sweet-as-maple syrup hand-holding moment: ice skating. If you’re no good at it, you’ll need a hand to hold onto. The famous ice rink converts into a swimming pool in the summer.

6. Niagara Falls

Take a boat trip to see Ontario’s mega natural attraction Niagara Falls up close (be warned, you will definitely get wet), but you won’t have the place to yourself. If you like to view your waterfalls in peace, how about Big Goat Lake Falls in Alaska – you can only see it from a plane or helicopter.

7. Munro-bagging, Scotland

Munro-bagging, if you didn’t know, means trying to climb as many of Scotland’s mountains over 3000 feet high as you can. There are 282 of them, so you better get a move on. A challenge much less undertaken is Marilyn-bagging. A Marilyn (as in Monroe – geddit?) is a hill at least 150 metres (492 feet) high. There are 1217 of them in scotland so you better get a move on…

8. Safari, Africa

Telephoto lenses at the ready, lion coming your way. If doing the clichéd thing of riding around in a jeep with lots of other tourists clicking away at the Big Six on the Masai Mara isn’t your cup of tea, there are many other more peaceful, more ecologically-friendly ways of going on safari in Africa. Or you could go on safari a bit closer to home and see wildlife wonders as impressive as giraffes and elephants. Like Shethland. with its puffins, otters and killer whales.

9. Seven-star hotel, Dubai

So, you want to do out-do Kate n’ Wills, do you? Swap your five stars, not just for six, but for SEVEN at the iconic/totally over-the-top Burj Al Arab Hotel in dubai You may have to become rather rich first or a celebrity, or preferably both. Or forget the flashiness and seek out the ‘real’ Dubai… by going for a curry. Check out our guide for more ideas.

 

 The world’s 7 most amazing forests

These pockets of arboreal wonder are guaranteed to take your breath away – and put you back in touch with the natural world,

      

1. Daintree Forest, Queensland, Australia

Cape Tribulation beach (Shutterstock.com)

Cascading down onto deserted tropical beaches, the Daintree Forest on the north east coast of Australia is one of the most stunning rainforests in the world. It is also thought to be the oldest, having been in continual existence for the past 110 million years.

Make sure you take the chance to sleep in the heart of the forest to be serenaded by an incredibly diverse range of frogs and insects. And keep an eye out for the elusive cassowary, the tropical cousin of the Emu and so rare that locals buy a lottery ticket whenever they see one. 

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2. Crooked Forest, Poland

Crooked Forest, Poland (Shutterstock.com)

This grove of oddly-shaped pine trees just outside Nowe Czarnowo, West Pomerania, is a man-made wonder, but nobody is quite certain how or why. Some believe that some sort of tool or technique was used when they were planted in the 1930s so that they could be used in ship building.

Others speculate that the young saplings were crushed by tanks during the Second World War and that’s what made them grow this way. Whatever the reason, the result is one of the strangest forests you are ever likely to see.

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3. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica

Walkway through the Monteverde cloudforest (Shutterstock.com)

Named after the nearby town of Monteverde, this 26,000 acre forest reserve sits high in Costa Rica’s legendary cloud forests.

The Reserve consists of 6 ecological zones, 90% of which are virgin forest. With over 2,500 plant species (including the most orchid species in a single place), 100 species of mammals, 400 bird species, 120 reptilian and amphibian species, there’s bound to be something that catches your eye.

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4. Redwood National Park, California, USA

Lady Bird Johnson Grove trail, Redwoods National Park (Shutterstock.com)

California redwoods are the tallest trees on the planet and the Redwood National and State Parks are where you’ll find 45% of them. The last of their kind, these old growth giants are spread across four parks and cover 158 square kilometres.

Growing up to 116 metres tall, just looking up at these natural skyscrapers will make you feel tiny. You’ll probably get a little damp too. Fog accounts for up to one-fourth of the precipitation needed so the mighty coast redwoods can survive. Remember, fog drip is a good thing!

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5. Sagano Bamboo Forest, Japan

Sagano bamboo forest (Shutterstock.com)

A short train ride from Kyoto, this magnificent bamboo towering forest in the district of Arashiyama has become a must-visit destination for locals and tourists alike.

Visually, the forest is stunning. But stop for a moment and listen to the wind rustling through the creaking bamboo. That sound has been declared one of the  "100 Soundscapes of Japan" by the Japanese government, a selection of everyday noises intended to encourage locals to stop and enjoy nature's music.

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6. Jiuzhaigou Valley, Sichuan, China

Lake in Jiuzhaigou Valley (Shutterstock.com)

Tucked against the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, the Jiuzhaigou Valley in Sichuan has been declared both an UNESCO world heritage site and a world biosphere reserve.

It is undeniably beautiful, boasting clear lakes, snow-capped peaks, and primeval forests. It is the last preserve of a number of endangered plant and animal species, including the giant panda, Sichuan golden monkey, the Sichuan takin and numerous orchids and rhododendrons. 

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7: Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada

A forest stream in the Great Bear Rainforest (Dreamstime)

The last large expanse of coastal temperate rain forest on the planet, the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia is a vast land of ancient cedars, mossy waterfalls and ‘Spirit Bears’, the rare, cream-colored Kermode bear considered sacred by the local T'simshian people.

Roughly the size of Ireland, the forest is also home to coastal gray wolves, grizzly bears, Sitka deer, cougars, mountain goats, orca, salmon, sea lions, sea otters, humpback whales. It is ethereal and magical and teeming with wildlife.

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The 30 Most Beautiful Nature Photography

You can ask any architect about nature, and they will tell you that there is no greater inspiration for a young, or even a more experienced architect than nature. And that makes a lot of sense, of course, because nature was here first, nature knows how stuff works and nature is actually the base of architecture.
In today’s collection of The 30 Most Beautiful Nature Photography projects, we have decided to give you some of that inspiration that nature is supposed to give you.

By observing the following photos closely, you are going to notice a lot of amazing and almost unbelievable landscapes that you simply can’t see everyday. You need to go somewhere far from civilization where there will not be any kind of pollution present. For example if you want to go to the forest and listen to the sounds of nature, you have to go somewhere far away from the city so that there will be no sound pollution. Same goes for light pollution and the worst kind of pollution created by humans, trash and gases.
All you need to do is go to a far away forest at least once in your life to know to appreciate the purity of the air that you will find there. Enjoy!

lori-rocks:

(Source: 1000scientists, via h3rmit)

ominousplaces:

Magic in the forest, by deiiff88.

(via whimsical-nostalgia)

ominousplaces:

The dark forest path, by DjLuke9.

(via kennyrnw)

travelingcolors:

Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro | Brazil (by Alan Seabra)

travelingcolors:

Yellowstone Geyser Pool | Wyoming (by Digital_hh)

(Source: spiritwitchdream, via whimsical-nostalgia)

eocene:

Mini Island by Aaron Toulmin

isawatree:

The Stone II by ~Buszujacy-w-zbozu

(via red-tambourine)

seasonsschange:

Wintertime – By marres11

(via morelovexoxo)

0mnis-e:

Winter Sunrise (por arnie2105)

0rient-express:

Lake Louise | by Marko Stavric.

(Source: cocoaaaaa, via crescentmoon06)

Glacier Peak Moon

(Source: viage, via stellaresque42)

disminucion:

(by Craig Brown)

(Source: manolescent)

(via she-loves-rainbows)

oecologia:

Cook Inlet mudflats by akcharly on Flickr.

55mint:

” Salto Carpin “

Juan Pavon

5perm:

Early Spring Sunrise at Snowbasin by parkflavor on Flickr.

touchdisky:

Athabasca Falls, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada by Photos4thePeople

(via ofnaturesbeauty)

ayustar:

Aguas abajo by lmdm43 on Flickr.

lori-rocks:

55mint:

Estribaciones del Gorbea

lori-rocks:

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