Story highlights
At dusk, Maasai Mara's savannah appears to be stained red
Millions visit the the Grand Canyon each year to catch a sunset
Guanshan offers the best viewpoint to see the Hengchun Peninsula in southern Taiwan
One of the world’s best urban sunsets nearly happened in New York on May 29, 2014.
Unfortunately, cloud cover spoiled the first “Manhattanhenge” event of the year, the term coined by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to describe when the sun sets in perfect alignment with the city’s street grid.
He created the term based on Stone Henge in the UK, the ancient landmark that highlights the sun in similar fashion during the winter and summer solstices.
Luckily, Manhattanhenge is happening again on May 30 and July 11-12.
And if clouds spoil all all those chances to snap pics of a slowly setting sun beside the Empire State Building, console yourself with these other amazing sunset pics, taken around the world.
We’d love to hear about your own favorite sunset spots too. Tell us about them in the comments section below.
1. U Bein Bridge, Mandalay, Myanmar
When sun sets on the world’s longest teak bridge, one of the world’s most picturesque sunset views begins.
U Bein Bridge, named after former mayor U Bein, is a 1.2-kilometer wooden bridge across Taungthaman Lake.
The bridge, busy by day with Buddhist monks and locals, seems to relax when the sun goes down.
Daily flights connect Mandalay with other major cities in Myanmar.
MORE: An insider’s tour of Myanmar
2. Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
The word “magnificent” could have been invented in Maasai Mara.
At dusk, the expanse of savannah appears to be stained red; bewitching sunsets complement the land perfectly.
The best time to come is July to October, when the annual migration of zebra, Thomson’s gazelle and wildebeest come to the Mara from the Serengeti.
Lodges, camps and balloon safaris are available inside the reserve.
It takes 45 minutes to fly to Maasai Mara from Nairobi and two hours from Mombasa, Diani Beach or Malindi.
For more info, visit Massai Mara National Reserve’s website.
MORE: 10 things you probably didn’t know you can do in Kenya
3. Uluru and Kata Tjuta, Northern Territory, Australia
The domed Uluru (aka Ayers Rock) rises 348 meters above the desert plain, extends five kilometers beneath it and has a circumference of 9.4 kilometers.
Kata Tjuta (aka The Olgas) is a range of 36 variously sized rock domes 36 kilometers to the west of Uluru.
Dominated by these giant wonders, the national park is a UNESCO World Heritage area.
The Uluru rock appears to change colors as the sun beams over the desert landscape, hitting Kata Tjuta in the background.
Daily flights to the Northern Territory are available from major cities in Australia.
MORE: How to survive in the wilds of Australia
4. Aci Trezza, Catania, Italy
Aci Trezza is a fishing village on the east coast of Sicily.
It’s the town where Giovanni Verga set his 1881 novel “I Malavoglia” (“The House by the Medlar Tree”).
The Islands of the Cyclops – three column-shaped basalt rocks – are the main attraction for visitors. According to legend, these rocks were thrown by Polyphemus at Ulysses.
The Mediterranean here sparkles with golden sunlight at dusk.
Aci Trezza is about 10 kilometers from Catania. Daily shuttle buses and trains from Catania to Aci Trezza are available.
MORE: 10 things Italy does better than anywhere else
5. Grand Canyon, Arizona
“I believe in evolution. But I also believe, when I hike the Grand Canyon and see it at sunset, that the hand of God is there also,” said U.S. senator