The Best Destinations to See Sunrises and Sunsets Around the World

Rachel Chang
·2 min read
Angkor Wat built by Suryavarman II this place is the largest temple religious monument in the world.
Angkor Wat built by Suryavarman II this place is the largest temple religious monument in the world.

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Mother Nature's light show at twilight — both at dawn and dusk — is no doubt one of the most striking sights to behold every day. But some locations highlight the experience more than others. So the sleep company Mornings.co.uk took a look at the best places in the world to watch the sunrise and sunset in its new study.

To determine the list, the company analyzed data from Tripadvisor in November 2021 by searching "Things to Do" using the keywords "sunrise" and "sunset" in every country and state.

"Places with the highest number of mentions of, respectively, 'sunset' and 'sunrise' in their reviews were deemed the best places to watch sunset or sunrise," the survey methodology explains, adding that any place with either word in its name was removed, as were attractions offering sunset and sunrise tours.

Crater of Haleakala volcano at sunrise, Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
Crater of Haleakala volcano at sunrise, Haleakala National Park, Hawaii

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Using that data, Mornings.co.uk determined that the best place in the world to watch the sunrise is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, which had 10,404 mentions on Tripadvisor. Next was Hawaii's Haleakalā Crater on Maui, quite a distant second with 3,933 mentions, followed by the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, with 2,819 mentions. Indonesia also had a good showing at the top of the list with Borobudur Temple in fourth, Mount Batur in eighth, and Cadillac Mountain in 10th place. The Grand Canyon also made the list of best places to watch the sunrise — coming in at no. 5.

Dusk brings out a different list, with Key West's Mallory Square on top with 9,811 mentions, followed by the United Arab Emirates' Burj Khalifa at no. 3, and New York City's Top of the Rock at 30 Rockefeller Center ranking with 4,968 mentions. New York also is home to the ninth-place winner: the Empire State Building. Angkor Wat was named a top sunset spot as well, coming in eighth place. Others on the list include Florence's Piazzale Michelangelo; Indonesia's Tanah Lot and Uluwatu Temples; Australia's Mindil Beach; and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

People gather at Mallory Square in Key West to see the sunset as boats go by on the water
People gather at Mallory Square in Key West to see the sunset as boats go by on the water

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The view from Piazzale Michelangelo over to Florence at sunset
The view from Piazzale Michelangelo over to Florence at sunset

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For the full list, visit mornings.co.uk's best places to see the sunrise and sunset list.