25 Best Sunset Spots in the World

The best sunset spots in the world span every kind of landscape — Oia in Santorini for the sea, Uluru in Australia for the desert, Bagan in Myanmar for temples, and Big Sur in California for wild coastline. Below is our running list of 25, grouped by continent, with when to go and when to arrive so you don’t miss the light.

Europe

• Oia, Santorini (Greece) — the benchmark caldera sunset. Arrive very early; it’s popular.
• Cap de Formentor, Mallorca (Spain) — a lighthouse on a dramatic headland.
• Ponta da Piedade, Lagos (Portugal) — golden cliffs and sea caves on the Algarve.
• Sintra & Cabo da Roca (Portugal) — mainland Europe’s westernmost sunset.
• Santa Maria del Fiore rooftops, Florence (Italy) — the city turns terracotta.

Africa & Middle East

• Serengeti / Maasai Mara — acacia silhouettes and huge skies; peak safari magic.
• Zanzibar west coast (Tanzania) — dhow boats against a burning horizon.
• Sahara dunes, Merzouga (Morocco) — the desert shifts through gold and violet.
• Cape Town, Signal Hill (South Africa) — the city, the sea, and Table Mountain.
• Wadi Rum (Jordan) — Mars-red desert at dusk.

Asia

• Bagan (Myanmar) — thousands of temple silhouettes under a hazy amber sky.
• Uluwatu, Bali (Indonesia) — clifftop temple over the Indian Ocean.
• Mount Batur, Bali (Indonesia) — a sunrise-and-sunset volcano hike.
• Angkor Wat (Cambodia) — ancient towers reflected in the moat.
• Li River, Guilin (China) — karst peaks fading into mist.

The Americas

• Grand Canyon, Hopi Point (USA) — the canyon walls blaze red-orange.
• Big Sur, Highway 1 (USA) — Pacific fog and golden cliffs.
• Key West (USA) — the nightly Mallory Square sunset celebration.
• Uyuni Salt Flats (Bolivia) — a mirror sky at the edge of the wet season.
• Rio de Janeiro, Arpoador (Brazil) — locals applaud as the sun drops behind the mountains.

Oceania

• Uluru (Australia) — the rock glows through ochre, rust and violet.
• Cape Naturaliste (Australia) — wildflowers and the Indian Ocean.
• Piha Beach (New Zealand) — black sand and wild surf.
• Bora Bora (French Polynesia) — Mount Otemanu over a turquoise lagoon.
• Cable Beach, Broome (Australia) — camel trains silhouetted on the sand.

How to catch a great one anywhere

• Check the sunset time and direction the night before — a free golden-hour app does both.
• Arrive 30 minutes early to claim your spot and read the scene.
• Stay for blue hour — the 20–30 minutes after sunset often beat the sunset itself.
• Have a foreground — a person, a tree, a temple — to give the shot depth.

Plan your chase

Point the camera the right way with our guide to photographing the perfect sunset, browse more in Golden Hour, or pick a region in destinations. Heading abroad to shoot? Sort your travel eSIM first.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best sunset in the world?

Oia in Santorini is the most famous, but many travellers rate Uluru (Australia), Bagan (Myanmar) and the Grand Canyon (USA) just as highly. The 'best' depends on whether you want sea, desert, temples or mountains.

What time should I arrive to catch the best sunset?

Arrive at least 30 minutes before sunset to get a good spot and settle in, and stay 20–30 minutes after for the blue hour, when the colours are often richest.

How do I find sunset times for a destination?

Use a free app like a sunset/golden-hour tracker, or search 'sunset time [place] [date]'. Also check the direction the sun sets so you know which viewpoint faces it.