Top Locations Worldwide for Stunning Sunsets: Insights from Recent Research

If you’re the type of person who stops everything they’re doing come dusk to watch the sun dip below the horizon, the latest research reveals some stunning locations for sunset enthusiasts.

Bounce, a company specializing in luggage storage, conducted in-depth research to determine the world’s most beautiful destinations for sunset viewing. According to their findings, the U.S. dominated the list, with several appearances in the top 10, while a remote destination in Australia secured the top position.

To arrive at this conclusion, the company compiled a list of destinations noted for their spectacular sunset views in media outlets. They further examined Instagram, utilizing search terms such as “name of destination” along with “sunrise” and “sunset” (for example, #SantoriniSunset) to determine the total number of relevant posts. Additionally, they leveraged the Light Pollution Map to assess artificial light pollution at each destination. Locations with high levels of light pollution were excluded from the ranking, and the scores were normalized across different factors, resulting in a score out of 10 for each destination.

After all this diligent research, Uluru, the magnificent sandstone formation located in central Australia, emerged as the number one destination.

“Uluru scored top marks for its sunset scenes with a score of 9.13 out of 10,” the findings indicated. “Uluru lies in the heart of the Northern Territory’s arid ‘Red Center,’ and its closest town is Alice Springs. This rock holds sacred significance to Indigenous Australians and is believed to have started forming around 550 million years ago.”

The Maldives ranked second, cherished for its white-sand beaches and azure waters that frame a stunning golden sunset. Following closely was Haleakalā, Hawaii, known as the East Maui Volcano, which achieved an impressive score of 8.86 out of 10 for its breathtaking sunsets over lush landscapes. However, it’s worth noting that Haleakalā would likely rank even higher for sunrises, as social media posts mentioning “sunrise” outnumbered those for sunsets (36,495 mentions vs. 13,646 mentions).

In terms of other highlights, the data indicates that Santorini, Greece, is the most recommended sunset destination, celebrated in 16 blogs and articles dedicated to its beauty. Bali, Indonesia, stands out as the most Instagrammed location when combining sunrises and sunsets, boasting a striking 184,848 posts mentioning both morning and evening spectacles.

To see the complete list of destinations recognized as the best places for sunset viewing, visit usebounce.com.