5 Record Holding Caves of the World

In the early days, primitive people used caves as place of dwellings; they used them for various other purposes like burial or sites for religious practices. These caves are formed due to various geological processes like water erosion, pressure, atmospheric influences, digging, etc. Here is a list of six of the record holding caves of the world; this includes greatest total length, deepest, largest passage and much more…

1.      Greatest Total Length Cave - Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, USA

Mammoth Cave, the greatest total length cave in the world

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

The total length of Mammoth Cave is 628 kilometers and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Mammoth Cave is inside the Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, USA; the total area of the park is 52,830 acres. This cave system is very stable as they are made of limestone strata that are capped by sandstone. The national park was established mainly to preserve this cave system, Mammoth Cave. One can witness the endangered Kentucky cave shrimp, an eyeless shrimp at Mammoth Cave.

2.      Longest Surveyed Underwater Cave – Sistema Ox Bel Ha, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Sistema Ox Bel Ha cave, longest surveyed underwater cave

Ox Bel Ha means “Three Paths of Water” in the Mayan language. In the last week of March 2011, Sistema Naranjal was connected to Sistema Ox Bel Ha to make it the longest surveyed underwater cave; before this connection, it was Sistema Sac Actun that was the longest surveyed underwater cave system. The total length of Ox Bel Ha is 233.43 km.

3.      Deepest Known Cave - Krubera Cave, Abkhazia, Georgia

Krubera Cave or Voronya Cave, meaning "Crows' Cave"

Image source: nationalgeographic

Krubera Cave, also known as Voronya Cave or Voronja Cave is believed to be the deepest known cave; it was measured from the highest entrance to the lowest point of the cave. This cave is close to 2,000 meters deep. In Russian, Voronya Cave means Crows’ Cave; it was called so as one can see a large number of crows nesting at the entrance pit.

4.      Deepest Vertical Shaft or Vertical Drop Cave – Vrtoglavica Cave, Slovenia, Italy

Vrtoglavica Cave, the deepest vertical shaft cave.

Image source

Vrtoglavica Cave is located inside a mountain called Kanin Mountain; this mountain lies in the Slovenian part of the Julian Alps. What is a vertical shaft? A vertical shaft is a place in the cave where the caver has to abseil, meaning, he/she has to descend using controls like a rope. The total depth of the cave is 603 m. Vrtoglavica means vertigo; there are no documented proofs to know why the cave was called the Vrtoglavica cave.

5.      Largest Passage – Son Doong Cave, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam

Hang Son Doong Cave, the largest passage cave famous for fast-flowing underground river

Image source

In Vietnamese language, Hang Son Doong mean “Mountain River Cave”; this is a cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the Quang Binh Province of Vietnam. This cave is famous for its largest fast-flowing underground river. It was in the year 1991 this cave was found by a local man named Ho-Khanh; earlier to its discovery, people were afraid to cross the cave due to the whistling sound or noise made by the underground river.

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10 Famous Defensive Walls around the World

Defensive Walls is a fortification and are constructed to protect a city or settlement from invaders. These defensive walls are also termed either as city walls or town walls. When said defensive walls or city walls the first wall that comes to our mind is “The Great Wall of China.” Are there other famous city walls? If yes, where are these defensive walls?

10. York City Walls, England, United Kingdom

The wall walk at York City Walls, England

York City walls are in the city of English city of York and this place is known for its city walls right from the times of Romans. York City Walls are also referred to as Bar Walls or Roman Walls. York city in England has more miles of intact walls than any other city in England. It was the Romans who first defensive city walls in York city; this was followed by Danes. It was the Danes who restored the walls built by Romans. York City walls are a scheduled ancient monument and a Grade 1 listed building.

9. Hadrian’s Wall, England-Scotland border

Hadrian's Wall, England-Scotland Border is a UNESCO World Heritage Site 

Hadrian’s Wall is yet another masterpiece of Roman Britain; it was called as Hadrian’s Wall as this city wall was constructed during the rule of Emperor Hadrian. It is believed that many of the gates through the wall have served as customs posts, but not much of evidence is found. Hadrian’s Walls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This wall is 120 m long, which is 80 Roman miles. It is believed that this wall was built to safeguard the empire and was imposed by divine instruction.

8. Roman Walls of Lugo, Galicia, Spain

An original Roman Gate among the five, Roman Walls of Lugo, Spain

Roman Walls of Lugo was constructed in the 3^rd century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Majority of the wall is still intact and this wall is at the historic center of Lugo in Spain. Roman walls of Lugo is stated as “the finest example of late Roman fortifications in western Europe.” The length of the walls is 2,120 meters and is 4.2 m wide. There were initially 5 gates, which then became ten as the population of the city increased.

7. Chester city walls, England, United Kingdom

Chester City Walls made of sandstone in England

Image via Wikipedia

Romans started the construction of Chester city walls to protect Chester city in Cheshire, England between 70 and 80 AD. In 100 AD, the wall was reconstructed using sandstone, but the sad part is that the construction didn’t get over for nearly 100 years. It was very difficult to maintain the city walls and therefore, was converted into a major tourist attraction. Many of the medieval structures like Bonewaldesthorne’s Tower, Pemberton’s Parlour, Morgan’s Mount, Phoenix Tower, Barnaby’s Tower, etc., have been incorporated in this major tourist attraction.

6. Moscow Kremlin Wall, Moscow, Russia

Moscow Kremlin Wall by the side of Moskva River, Moscow

Image via wikipedia

Kremlin wall is considered as one of the symbolic constructions in the history of Russia; this wall was constructed to protect the city of Moscow Kremlin. During the course of time, Russian borders expanded and the canons placed in the wall were removed. The outer perimeter of the Kremlin wall is close to 2200 meters and therefore would look like a loose triangle.

5. Kano City Wall, Kano, Nigeria

Kano City Walls, the most impressive monument in West Africa

Kano City walls is believed to be “the most impressive monument in West Africa.” Majority of the portions of the wall is damaged; this site is submitted to UNESCO World Heritage Site to be a part of it. It is said that the best part of the Kano city wall is the western section. People in Nigeria believe this wall has to be restored.

4. Walls of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Walls of Dubrovnik along with Mincenta Tower

Image via wikipedia

Walls of Dubrovnik are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These defensive walls are considered as great fortification during the Middle Ages as any hostile army was unable to breach the wall and get inside; this stone wall was constructed to protect the people of Dubrovnik city.

3. Fortifications of Xi’an, Shaanxi province, China

Fortifications of Xi'an, oldest and best preserved city walls in China

Image via Wikipedia

These are definitely one among the best preserved and oldest Chinese city walls. These walls were constructed in the year 194 BCE; however, the existing walls were constructed during the rule of Ming Dynasty in 1370. The base layer of the fortifications of Xi’an was done by earth, quick lime and glutinous rice extract.

2. Visby Rigmur, Gotland, Sweden

Visby Rigmur or City Walls of Visby, part of World Heritage City 731.

Image via Wikipedia

This wall is 11 feet high and was constructed in two phases; Rigmur means ringwall in Sweden. Visby Rigmur or the City walls of Visby was constructed during the Medieval period; the oldest defensive tower is called the “Powder Tower.” This wall is part of World Heritage City 731. During the time of construction, there were 29 towers; however, currently there are only 27 towers.

1. Intramuros Walls, Manila, Philippines

Intramuros Walls mean "within the walls" in Latin

Image via manila.gov

Intramuros in Latin means “within the walls” and the seat of the government during the Spanish Colonial Period were the Intramuros Walls. This wall was identified as “On the Verge” of irreparable loss and destruction by the Global Heritage Fund.

Make sure to see these famous walls when you visit these spectacular places.

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Renowned Rock-Cut Temples of South India

India is known for its cultural heritage and most importantly famous for temples. There are lots of cave temples in India. Rock-cut architecture is a practice where either buildings or structures are carved in caves. Here is a sneak preview of some of the famous rock-cut temples of South India.

1. Undavalli Caves, Andhra Pradesh

This is the entrace to the 3rd floor of Anananthapadmaswamy temple

Undavalli Caves boasts of ancient viswakarmastapathis and is an excellent example for rock-cut temples in India. This cave is a finest example of Gupta architecture. This cave is carved out of sandstone.There is a large statue of Lord Vishnu in a reclining posture; this statue is made from single block of granite. Apart from a big statue of Lord Vishnu, there are lots of statues for the Lords Brahma and Shiva. It is a treat to watch the beautifully carved sculptures in these caves. 

2. Aihole, North Karnataka

Ravana Phadi Cave at Aihole, Karnataka

Aihole is a temple complex and a popular tourist attraction in North Karnataka; it is believed that this may be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is definitely hard to believe that this temple was built 1400 years ago. Aihole is the best example for Badami Chalukya architecture; this type of architecture have three basic features in them, namely, pillared verandah, columned hall, a sanctum cut out deep into rock. There are lots of temples in Aihole and these are subdivided into two categories; Kontigudi group and Galaganatha group. Some of the temples in these groups include Lad Khan temple, Durga temple, Suryanarayana temple, Triyambakeshvara temple, Huchimali temple, Ravana Phadi cave, etc.

3. Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, Karnataka

The Disc and its shadow at Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple

Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple is yet another excellent of Indian rock-cut architecture. The main deity of this temple is Shiva; this temple is a protected monument under the Karnataka Ancient and Historical Monuments, and Archeological Sites and Remains Act 1961. What is so special about this temple? Every year on Makar Sankaranthi (a festival of harvest in India) day, sun rays will fall directly on the deity of Shiva inside the cave for one hour. Isn’t it amazing to know the knowledge of our ancestors when there was no Internet or very less developments in Science? 

4. Kottukal Cave Temple, Kerala

Kottukal Cave temple

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

It is believed that this rock-cut temple in Kerala was built between 6th and 7th century AD when Nedila Paranthaka Nedumchadayan was ruling Chadayamangalam. Lord Shiva and Ganesha are the primary deities of this rock-cut temple. It is said that incarnations of Lord Shiva brought this huge rock to this place and the smaller rock called the “chummaadu paara” supports the bigger rock. The daily rituals are taken care by the Travancore Devaswom Board. This is one of the major tourist attractions in Kerala especially due to the calmness and serenity of the place. 

5. Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

Pancha Rathas of Mahabalipuram

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

When visiting Tamil Nadu, one of the must visit rock-cut architectures or cave temples would be Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This cave temple was built between the 7th and 9th centuries AD by Pallavas. The monuments in Mahabalipuram boast of the Dravidian architecture. Some of the notable structures include Thirukadalmallai, a temple of Lord Vishnu; Varaha Cave temple, Pancha Rathas, and the Descent of the Ganges.

6. Thirunandhikkara Cave Temple, Tamil Nadu

Thirunandhikkara cave temple, Kanyakumari

Image courtesy: krishnasepages

This is another great example of rock-cut architecture; this was built between the 7th and 8th centuries AD by the Pallavas. This cave temple is part of the Thirunandhikkara temple of Kanyakumari District. It is believed that it was first the Jains who made this cave temple in the 7th century CE, which was later taken by Hindus.

It is not necessary that one has to go on a religious pilgrimage tour to visit these cave temples; these rock-cut temples are indeed a tourist attraction in itself. 

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Unique and Unusual Hotels around the World

Hotels, are all of them just buildings? Nah…there are some unique hotels around the world; they range from hotels on trees, prison converted into a hotel, hotels in cave, hotels made of salt, etc. Let us have a look at some of these unique hotels around the world.

1. Library Hotel, New York City 

The Poetry and Garden themed bookmarks lounge, Library Hotel

Courtesy: Library Hotel

Library Hotel in New York City is one of its kinds when it comes to luxury boutique hotels. There are ten floors in the hotel and the unique feature of this hotel is that each floor is assigned a category based on Dewey Decimal System; Dewey Decimal System is a proprietary system used for library classification. Each of these categories has a subcategory too.

Third floor is categorized as Social Sciences with subcategories called Law, Money, World Culture, Economics, Political Science, and Communication, Fourth floor is categorized as Language with subcategories called Ancient Language, Middle Eastern Language, Asian Language, Germanic Language, Romance Language, and Slavic Language. Similarly each and every floor has a unique classification; Fifth floor is Math and Sciences, Sixth floor is Technology, Seventh floor is Arts, Eight floor is Literature, Ninth floor is History, Tenth floor is General Knowledge, Eleventh floor is Philosophy and Twelfth floor is Religion. You get a set of books as complement when you stay in this hotel apart from other complimentary amenities. How nice it would be to read a book in a cozy and comfy bed with a cup of hot coffee?

2. Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas

The pyramid shaped Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas Strip

Image courtesy: wikipedia

Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada is a unique and unusual hotel because it is shaped in the form of a pyramid. This hotel contains 4,400 rooms and this includes 442 suites. Luxor Hotel is the third largest hotel in the world and second largest hotel in Las Vegas. The main portion of the hotel is a 30-story pyramid, 820,000 cu. meters atrium, and a 34 meter tall obelisk. The guest rooms are situated on the outer walls; they can be reached using inclinators which are available in the inner surface.

Indulge yourself in the spas or have a great splash in the swimming pool or shop in the 29 retail stores. Now you too can say that you have stayed in the pyramid and played in it even though you have not visited the pyramids in the Egypt; how nice…

3. Treetops Hotel, Kenya

Treetops Hotel (No see, No Pay policy hotel in Kenya)

Image courtesy: wikipedia

 Treetops Hotel is in Kenya at 1,965 meters above sea level on the Aberdare Range. This hotel was first opened as a treehouse on the tree tops of Aberdare National Park to help visitors get better view of the wildlife of the park. Treetops Hotel currently has 50 rooms. This hotel gained popularity when Queen Elizabeth II accede the throne after her father’s death. Another reason for the popularity is the “No See, No Pay” policy; this means the guests are not charged if they are not able to see any big game.

It is the best hotel to watch wildlife if you can adhere to certain strict rules of them; these stringent rules are:

1. It is just an overnight destination; therefore only an overnight luggage will be allowed.
2. There is a low level decibel restriction as the animals are very sensitive to sounds; guests are banned from wearing hard-soled footwear.

Watch the wildlife from these treetops and am sure this safari will be a memorable one.

4. Langholmen Hotel, Stockholm

Langholmen Hotel (A prison with 500 cells converted to a hotel in Stockholm)

Image courtesy: Langholmen Hotel

Langholmen Hotel was once a prison with 500 cells, but now converted to a hotel. This hotel was once the biggest prison in Sweden before being converted as a hotel. There is a museum too in this hotel. This hotel boasts of a beach, jogging circuits and promenade trails. The hotel rooms are termed as cells and they say that you get your own key to your cell.

5. Palacio de Sal, Salar de Uyuni

Palacio de Sal (Hotel made completely of salt in Salar de Uyuni)

Image courtesy: wickedreport

How about visiting and staying in a hotel that is completely made of salt? It is just not the walls or ceilings that are made of salt, but even chairs, tables, cots, decorations are made of salt. Palacio de Sal is termed the largest salt flat in the world. There are totally 16 rooms in this salt hotel resembling an igloo. Relax and rejuvenate yourself in the dry sauna or steam room. Do not forget to take a dip in the saltwater pool or the whirlpool bath. Staying in a hotel completely made of salt will definitely be a very unique experience.

Enjoy your stay in these unique as well as unusual hotels! Hope the cost doesn’t put a hole in your pocket!

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Lovely Lowland Castles around the World

Castles, when we say this we all knew about castles that are built on hilltops; how about knowing castles that are built on lowlands or valleys? Are you thinking whether such castles really exist? Yes…here is some of the lovely lowland or plain castles around the world.

Lowland castles are castles that are built or situated on lowlands, valleys or plain. These lowland castles are also called as “Plain Castles.” There are so many lowland castles around the world; Germany holds a record of having 34% of lowland castles or plain castles.

1. Caerlaverock Castle, Scotland 

Caerlaverock Castle, Scotland (Category A listed building and a triangular shaped castle)

Image courtesy: wikipedia

Caerlaverock Castle belongs to the category called water castle as it uses water as a defensive obstacle. This is a Category A listed building in Scotland. One of the unique features of this plain castle is that it is a triangular shaped castle; this itself a very unique feature among British castles. There are three lengths of defensive curtain wall and their three angles are linked by higher corner towers. The north tower has an impressive twin-towered gatehouse.

2. Castle Stalker, Scotland 

Castle Stalker, Scotland (The best-preserved surviving medieval tower house)

Image courtesy: wikipedia

Castle Stalker belongs to the category called island castles; a variation of water castle. These island castles in general will not have moats or shield wells as they are normally separated from the shore by a minimum of two water bodies. Castle stalker is a four-storey tower house and is considered one of the iconic romantic images of Scotland. This is one of the best-preserved surviving medieval tower houses in Western Scotland.

3. Château de Sully-sur-Loire, France

Chateau de Sully-sur-Loire, France (Classic example of medieval fortress, Monument Historique in France)

 Château de Sully-sur-Loire belongs to water castle category; this wonderful castle has been converted to a palatial seigniorial (seigneur means a feudal lord in French) residence. This castle is a classic example of medieval fortress with its high towers and deep moats. French Ministry of Culture has declared this Château de Sully-sur-Loire Castle as monument historique, which is a National Heritage Site of France.

4. Warwick Castle, England 

Warwick Castle, England (A best example of river castle)

Warwick Castle belongs to river castle category; a river castle is one that is erected on a river bank. These river castles are surrounded by moats that are filled by water from the river in which the castle is erected. This castle is erected on the River Avon in the county town of Warwickshire; it has a sandstone bluff also known as the sandstone cliff. Some of the attractions include a bird show called the “Flight of the Eagles,” archery displays, a live actor performance similar to London Dungeon called the “The Castle Dungeon;” this list of attractions doesn’t end here.

5. Malbork Castle, Poland 

Castle of Malbork, Poland (World's largest castle by area)

Malbork Castle is the largest castle in the world in terms of area and is one of the finest examples of medieval fortress; this was also the largest brick castle in the world when completed in the year 1406. There are various subdivisions as well as multiple layers of defensive walls in Malbork Castle. There are three castles, namely, the High, Middle and Lower Castles and these are separated by several moats and dry towers.

Visit these plain castles or lowland castles if you are planning to visit any of these countries; these castles boasts of the excellent architecture of the past and a must visit tourist attraction.

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Best Places to Celebrate New Year Eve

New Year is fast approaching and all of us are eager to welcome the New Year with open hands. When a New Year arrives things that come to our mind would include New Year resolutions, celebrations, and finally the fireworks. What are the best places to celebrate this New Year Eve?

1.      Times Square, New York City:

Times Square is a place that is always buzzing up with energy and if it is going to be New Year, more power and energy comes into foray. Have you watched the ball drop on the television last New Year? Ball dropping is a New Year tradition being followed since 1904; a must watch celebration. This ball is made of Waterford Crystal; this ball is descends 23 meters a minute and will rest at the bottom of the pole at midnight.

The Waterford Crystal at Times Square

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

Are you a party animal and wish to party the whole night? Clubs in and around Times Square would be opened for night parties and you can really have a blast. Make yourself available on the New Year Day to watch the ball dropping and party all night.

2.      Tokyo, Japan:

Do you wish to celebrate New Year a few days earlier and extending the celebrations even after New Year? If yes, Tokyo would be the perfect or best place to celebrate New Year for you. The actual New Year celebrations start on the 29^th of December and ends on the 4^th of January. Majority of the tourist spots may have been closed down during this period, but places like restaurants and pubs would be crowded with people. How about watching fireworks? It will be a spectacular event.

Kadomatsu, the traditional decoration for the New Year holiday in Japan

Japanese have a New Year tradition where the gongs in the Buddhist temples would strike 108 times at the stroke of midnight; watch it. You can eat their traditional noodles called the Toshikoshi Soba or even visit “The Imperial Palace.” This palace is opened for public just for 2 days in a year, which is 1^st and 2^nd of January.

3.      London, United Kingdom:

Are you keen on watching fabulous fireworks? If yes, London is the best place to celebrate this New Year. A recent statistics says that nearly a million of people gathered near London Eye last year to watch the spectacular fireworks. How about you being one among millions this year to watch the brilliant fireworks? This year (2012) you can watch the fireworks in London from viewing areas on both the North and South banks of the river between Waterloo and Lambeth bridges.

Trafalgar Square at London

Image source: Wikipedia

If you feel the place would be too crowded, you can watch the fireworks display at London Eye or at the big screens kept in Trafalgar Square. Pubs and clubs are opened almost all through the night on New Year just for party lovers.

4.      Sydney, Australia:

New Year at Sydney, Australia

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

To be one of the first in the world to ring in the New Year, go to Sydney. Here, one can get a spectacular view of the fireworks accompanied by wonderful music banging all over the Sidney Harbour Bridge; this is the magnificent center piece of beautiful Sydney Harbour. More than a million people gather around Sydney Harbour for Midnight Fireworks, countdown and party. There are plenty of vantage points around the harbour, but probably best views of fireworks and all the New Year’s action are from one of the boats in the harbour. What can be better than to party on a boat at New Year’s Eve wearing shorts and flip flops? Don't forget to book your place on board in advance! Don’t miss to watch the “Harbour of Light parade” that will be held before the midnight fireworks.

5.      Scotland, United Kingdom

Do you wish to celebrate the New Year in a place that has several customs and a world famous street party? If yes, head to Scotland. They celebrate the New Year as Hogmanay. One of the most widespread traditions followed in Scotland is “First-footing;” a person who crosses the threshold of being a friend or neighbor comes to your house with lots of gifts such as coal, whiskey, salt, shortbread, and a black bun. This symbolizes good luck and prosperity for the entire year.

Celebrations at Edinburg for Hogomanay, the New Year in Scotland

Image courtesy: Wikipedia

 Edinburg is the Scottish capital and this holds the world’s most famous New Year celebrations called the street party held at Princes Street. At the stroke of midnight, cannon is fired and this is followed by fireworks. The celebrations in general start on December 28^th and goes on till January 2^nd.  

6.      Gisborne, New Zealand

Fireworks at Sky Tower, Auckland, New Zealand

Image courtesy: sacbee

Gisborne is 496.3 km west of International Date Line and therefore, this is the first city to see the beginning of the New Year. Visit Gisborne and be the first person to celebrate the dawn of the New Year. It is really a treat to the eye to watch those beautiful street carnivals and fireworks. Visit the Sky Tower, one of the tallest freestanding structures in the Southern Hemisphere for the spectacular fireworks.

7.      Marina Bay Area, Singapore

Be one among the nearly 250,000 people who watch the impressive New Year celebrations at the Marina Bay Area in Singapore; this starts at the Marina Bay Area and extends to Esplanade Promenade, Esplanade Bridge, Benjamin Sheares Bridge, Merlion Park, and the Padang. You can also hop on to “The Singapore Flyer” which is the world’s tallest ferry wheel to watch the spectacular New Year celebrations.

Skyline of Singapore on New Year

Image courtesy: Telegraph

Visit any of these places and enjoy the New Year celebrations. If you are like me who wishes to stay home with family and friends for the New Year, cook a delicious meal and enjoy sharing it with your near and dear. Isn’t this the best New Year celebration?

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Tourist Attractions: 10 Notable Natural Arches around the World

Nature never ceases to amaze me. If we have a close look at the nature, we surely can learn a lot from it. All of us must have seen huge flyovers and bridges all over our country, but how about knowing some of the natural arches around the world. Natural arches, what are they? A natural geological rock formation that has an opening below is termed as a natural arch; many of these natural arches serve as a narrow bridge. Take a look at these 10 notable natural arches around the world.

1. Azure Window, Gozo, Malta

Azure Window, Gozo Island

Azure Window is a famous natural arch in a Gozo island. This natural arch looks like a table. This famous landmark of Malta is situated near two other famous landmarks of Malta; the Inland Sea and Dwejra Bay. This is a very popular site for scuba diving. The height of this natural arch is 22.54 m. It is believed that this arch will very soon disappear as the disintegrated rocks are falling one after the other. If you are planning to visit Malta, do not forget to visit this soon-to-disappear natural wonder of the world. This natural arch will be renamed as Arch Pinnacle once the entire form disintegrates.

2. El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (A natural arch made of granite rock)

Image via wikimedia

The arch is actually called as El Arco by the local people of Cabo San Lucas; this arch lies in a place where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez. This is a 200 foot high granite rock; it is believed that this natural arch was formed due to strong ocean currents. This place is famous for sea lions. El Arco is a perfect tourist or travel destination if you are an adventure traveller who is always ready with a backpack.

3. Durdle Door, Dorset, England

Durdle Door, A natural limestone arch

It is a privately owned natural limestone arch; it is open for public even though a privately owned property of the Welds. Why is it called Durdle? There was an old word in English called “thirl” meaning bore or drill and this is how Durdle Door got its name. This natural arch is found on the Jurassic coast near Lulworth. This natural limestone arch has been cut by the sea through the almost vertical Purbeck Caps and the top of the Portland Freestone. It is definitely one of the most impressive natural arches.

4. Percé Rock, Quebec, Canada

Perce Rock or the Pierced Rock, Major attraction of Gaspesie region

Image courtesey: Wikimedia

Percé Rock is a French word meaning pierced rock. This natural arch is called by other names such as le rocher percé, Pierced Rock, and Split Rock. When you see this rock from a distance it will look like a ship under sail, wow. Percé Rock is one among the longest natural arches in the world and a major attraction of the Gaspesie region. The park where Percé Rock is situated is the second largest migratory bird sanctuary and one can witness lots of northern gannets here. This is one of the best places to watch blue whale, humpback whale, razorbills, and kittiwakes.

5. Pont d’Arc, France

Pont d'Arc, France.

Pont means bridge in French; Pont d’Arc is a natural arch carved out by Ardéche River. This is situated near a small town called Vallon-Pont-d’Arc. If you are thinking of canoeing or kayaking in France, Pont d’Arc is the best place. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in France. You can also find lots of caves near Pont d’Arc, of which one of the famous caves with cave paintings is Chauvet Cave.

6. Pravčická brána, Czech Republic

Pravacicka brana, natural sandstone arch in Europe

Image courtesy: wikimedia

Pravčická brána is the largest natural sandstone arch in the Europe and one of the most beautiful rock formations in Bohemian Switzerland; it is a natural monument of Czech Republic. This is a very narrow natural arch. There are several divergent paths and stairs that lead to the observation platforms; from here one can enjoy the panoramic view of the surrounding area.

7. Shipton’s Arch, Xinjiang, China

Shipton's arch, tallest natural arch in the world.

Image source: wikimedia

Shipton’s arch is probably the tallest natural arch in the world. Shipton’s arch is also called as Tushuk Tash in the local language, which mean “Heavenly Gate” and is a conglomerate natural arch. Eric Shipton, a British mountaineer was the first person to report about this arch and hence called the Shipton’s arch. According to the National Geographic team, the height of this natural arch is 1200 feet, which is as high as the Empire State Building in the USA. This arch was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for some time, but later dropped it as they were not able to locate the exact location of the arch. It was in the year 2000, a team from National Geographic re-found this arch and made an excellent documentary about it.

8. The Green Bridge of Wales, Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom

The Green Bridge of Wales, Limestone arch, Pembrokshire.

Image courtesy: Wikimedia

The Green Bridge of Wales is a spectacular natural arch in the coast of Pembrokeshire. This natural arch was formed by the erosion of the sea or in other words, marine erosion. This is a limestone arch and is considered one of the biggest natural arches in the world. It is believed that due to coastal erosion, this natural arch may collapse in the long run. It has a rugged picturesque and the views are amazing. It is a place for many caves and natural formations.

9. The Eye of Burroo Rock, United Kingdom

The Eye of Burroo Rock, largest natural arch, island of Burroo

Image courtesy: wikimedia

The Eye of Burroo Rock is the largest natural arch in the small island of Burroo. It is called the Eye of Burroo as one can notice a large hole in the Burroo when they are miles away; this large hole is what is termed as “The Eye.”

10. Aloba Arch, Chad

Aloba Arch, longest natural arch outside the US, Ennedi Range

Image courtesy: Naturalarches

Aloba Arch is considered the longest natural arch outside the United States spanning an area of 250 feet. This natural arch is made of sandstone and is located in the Ennedi Range; this range is located within the Sahara Desert. This arch is 394 feet tall and is one among the tallest natural arches of the world.

These natural arches are definitely a must visit tourist attraction. Take a break from the regular routine and visit these breathtaking natural arches around the world.

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