We live in a beautiful world filled with wonders both natural and cultural. Our planet also a colorful place to live with a great variety of hues and shades.
From the dusty rouge of Australia’s Red Center to the calming blues of the Aegean, the earth’s color spectrum is vast and varied. We took a look at a tiny piece of the picture with these 66 photos of our rainbow planet.
Red
Australia‘s Red Center at the southern edge of the Northern Territory really is the heart of the country.
Home to the iconic Uluru, this is the classic Australian Outback. Explore Alice Springs, Kings Canyon and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. Ride a camel through the desert, fall asleep under the masses of stars or learn about the indigenous Aboriginal culture.
Orange
From one desert to another, Dune 45 is much more exciting than its numerical name would suggest. Found in Namibia‘s Namib Desert, Dune 45 gets its distinctive orange hue from sands blown in from the Orange River.
Standing at over 170m tall, it is the most famous of the dunes in the Sossusvlei area thanks in part to its convenient road-side location.
If orange is your color you can’t go past Koningsdag in the Netherlands. This most orange of days marks the King’s birthday on April 27 and nowhere celebrates this day quite so well as the city of Amsterdam where hundreds of thousands of revelers head out into the city’s streets, squares and even the canals in their finest Dutch orange.
Yellow
Shwedagon Pagoda, Shwedagon Zedi Daw, Great Dagon Pagoda, Golden Pagoda – whatever you call it this 99m tall gilded pagoda and stupa in Yangon, Myanmar is an incredible sight.
The most important pagoda for Burmese Buddhists, according to local legend the Shwedagon Pagoda has been around for more more than 2,600 years and is said to hold eight of Lord Gautama Buddha’s hairs.
In the long hot days of summer, fields upon fields of sunflowers open up along the backroads of Tuscany, Italy. Introduced to Italy in the 18th century, girasole (Italian for sunflower) are harvested for their oil.
Green
When it comes to the color green there are in fact two emerald isles – Ireland and New Zealand – with both countries home to rolling green hills, farmland and forest.
Green also holds a special cultural significance in both nations: in Ireland with the shamrock and in New Zealand with carved pounamu (Maori for jade).
Blue
The blue of the sky, the blue of the sea, the blue of the rooftops on whitewashed stone houses – the islands that make up Greece‘s Cyclades really know how to put together a color scheme. The most famous of the group is Santorini – a must if you fancy a little sunshine with your azure.
Founded in 1471, the village of Chefchaouen in northwest Morocco is an oasis of blue-rinsed buildings, famous for its handcrafted wares including goat cheese and woolen goods. From its home in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen attracts an increasing number of travelers every summer who are drawn to its colorful narrow streets and otherworldly vibe.
Purple
Every year from June to August the lavender fields of Provence, France bloom in a fragrant burst of vibrant purple.
Used for centuries in cosmetics and cuisine, lavender honey and desserts are a must-try.
For the true lavender-lover, the Provence Tourist Board has put together a map of all the key lavender-related attractions including distilleries, a museum and plenty of breathtaking scenery on route.
Pink
In Kenya‘s rift valley hundreds of thousands of pink flamingos line the shore of Lake Nakuru. The flamingos are drawn to the lake’s abundant algae supply and at times their numbers can be in excess of one million birds.
The color of springtime in Japan is undoubtedly pink. From late March to early May, the county’s sakura blossoms come to life and blanket the nation in a delicate pastel pink hue.
White
The massive Wapusk National Park in Manitoba, Canada is a safe haven for polar bears during their summer rest and breeding season. The name Wapusk means “White Bear” in the indigenous Cree language.
Autumn is the best time to for polar bear watching, when they gather on the coast and wait for Hudson Bay to freeze over allowing them to go in search of food.
Also keep an eye out for the ridiculously cute arctic fox and arctic hare.
Black
Move over white sand, there’s a new shade in town. Punaluʻu is one of the most famous black sand beaches in Hawaii. Located on Big Island, Panalu’u gets its distinctive coloring from volcanic basalt.
Keep an eye out for endangered hawksbill and green turtles and don’t forget to watch those bare feet in the summer – ouch!
Rainbow
Want all your colors in one place – we’ve got you covered!
- Cape Town‘s Bo-Kaap is a multicolored, multicultural neighborhood with a rich history, famed for its bright houses and cobbled streets.
- Hızır Çavuş Caddesi street in Istanbul‘s traditional Jewish Quarter, Balat, is an increasingly popular tourist destination.
- Italy has its fair share of colorful spots such as the Venetian island of Burano, Procida island in the Bay of Naples and the villages of Cinque Terre.
- Willemstad harbour in Curaçao is full of charm and color.
Featured image by Charles Hoffman
