Maldives named as second World’s best sunset destination

24 July, 2023

Sunset anywhere is a gorgeous time of day with vibrant colours, including shades of orange, pink, purple, and gold. And, while on vacation, the mix of the natural beauty of your surroundings and the changing colours of the sky can be truly mesmerising. But where in the world offers the most beautiful sunset locations?

By compiling a list of the most famous sunset hotspots, the travel and luggage experts at Bounce have analysed them based on their social media popularity, pollution levels, and total number of recommendations.

From the stunning Greek island of Santorini to the historical city of Venice, the research has shone a light on the best sunset destinations in the world.

The stunning islands of the Maldives took the second spot for the best sunset skies in the world, scoring 9.07 out of 10 in the ranking. There’s nowhere that describes “paradise” quite like the Maldives. From its white sand beaches, dreamy on-the-water bungalows, and turquoise waters, it’s fitting that holidaymakers can also enjoy some of the most heavenly sunsets in the world.

The Maldives is an archipelago of 192 islands, floating over 90,000 km2, and there is just one resort on each island, meaning there is little light pollution (0.219 μcd/m2). Travellers can enjoy stargazing all year round, but it is best in the dry season between November and April when the sky is at its clearest.

Uluru scored top marks for its sunset scenes with a score of 9.13 out of 10. Also known as Ayers Rock it scored high for its seven recommendations across the web, as well as its high number of “sunset” Instagram mentions (19,284 posts) and “sunrise” mentions (10,276 hashtags), totalling almost 30,000 posts highlighting its natural beauty. Light pollution in Uluru is also low, at 0.973 μcd/m2, making it a beautiful stargazing spot.

Haleakalā, also known as the East Maui Volcano, joined in third place, scoring 8.86 out of 10. Sunset at the summit of Haleakalā has become increasingly popular in recent years. Yet, there were more “sunrise” posts on Instagram (36,495 mentions) than at sunset (13,646 posts). Light pollution around the Haleakalā is low (4.38 μcd/m2) due to its high elevation, and the atmosphere is often clearer, allowing for ideal viewing conditions.

Further study insights:

• The most recommended sunset destination is Santorini, Greece with 16 blogs and articles recommending the destination
• The most Instagrammed destination is Bali, Indonesia with 184,848 sunrise and sunset posts
• The least light-polluted destination is Galápagos, Ecuador with 0.0004 μcd/m2

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