Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

If you are like me, you always oogle over the islands that are sheer cliffs with patches of green on top that seem to come out of nowhere in the bright blue ocean and backing up to the white sand of the beach. Look no further because I have found the perfect place to enjoy this very same thing. Fernando de Noronha are a group of  21 islands off the coast of Brazil. Fernando de Noronha, the main island, and for whom all the islands are names, is only 6 miles long and 2 miles long. 

Breathtaking, I know. Like many other small islands, the island is known for being a great tourist spot. The main attraction here is the spectacular dive sites. As you can tell from the pictures, the water is crystal clear, which alone makes diving incredible. But what truly sets Fernando de Noronha apart from other diving destinations are the animals that you can dive alongside: sea tortoises and dolphins are frequent visitors to the waters around the islands. 

But if diving isn't your forte, don't fret, you are on a beautiful island. That means that at any point on the island, you are no farther than one mile away from the beach (and that is only if you are standing directly in the middle of the main island). I can't think of anyone who would ever go to a vacation destination like this and not want to spend some time soaking up the rays while looking out onto the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. But if you would rather look at something else other than the breathtaking scenery around you, there are bound to be some beautiful beach bodies around. 

But of course a vacation is what you make it. But while being surrounded by beautiful foliage and breathtaking scenery, Fernando de Noronha is a must visit place for the person who loves nature and needs an escape from the big city bustle. The last thing that I want to leave you with is something that I love: a sunset. 

Angel Falls, Venezuela

I'm sure that many of you are familiar with Angel Falls. It is the tallest waterfall in the world, with a height of 3,212 feet and the water drops 2,648 feet. The difference in these numbers is because while the entire rock structure is 3,212 feet tall, after 2,648 feet, the rock slopes out and creates rapids for the water to hit. So the water doesn't travel the entire vertical distance.

Angel Falls is located in Canaima National Park in Venezuela, which spans an impressive 30,000 square kilometers. To get a better idea of how big this PARK is, it is the same size as Rhode Island and Massachusetts put together! (Plus or minus a few hundred square kilometers.)

Angel Falls was first discovered by Jimmie Angel, a US pilot who was looking for the Golden City. Instead he found what the native Penom people call Kerepakupai Merú. 

Angel Falls is easily one of the most awe inspiring places in the world. It also reminds us that all we have to do is look around us to find something beautiful.