What are your Must See Places Before You Die? It’s a common questions asked by thousands of travellers, students, 9 to 5 workers and many more. I’ve been asked it many times since setting off to travel but to be honest, I’ve never had a good answer. It’s not for lack of wanting to see the world, I’ve just never been able to pick just a few destinations that I absolutely must see over all the rest.
I’d love to visit Iceland and Canada for their stunning landscapes. See more of America and further down to South America. New Zealand is close to my home of Australia which I really should see more of when I stop hopping across the globe. Then there is big old Europe with its years of history begging me to stay and I’ve not even started of Africa. So how can someone say oh you must see so and so before you die over everything else?
Thus bringing me to the quandary of today. What makes a place so divine/attractive/earth shatteringly awesome that it’s somewhere you must visit before kicking the bucket. I’ve tried to narrow down a list because I was tired of answering with the same old line “How can I pick just a few places when there is a whole world out there to see”.
The Treasury at Petra, Jordan
First I started with the really iconic destinations you feel have to be visited like Rome, Paris and New York because each spot is so well-known it would be wrong to not want to see them. Then I got thinking about some of the icons of the past like Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the Great Wall of China in China (obviously) and Petra in Jordan. These are all breath-taking havens of a life once lived on this earth, a testament to our history so I have to see those.
The list making went on and I found I was listing more places than I wasn’t. Coming to the conclusion that I’ll either have to die a broken man for not seeing everything, or accept the world is an amazing place and I’m lucky to see what I get to see.
Lake Tekapo in New Zealand
I do know however many people do have a list of must see places. So I ask you the traveller, the office worker, the student, the young, the old, the educated… how did you decide on the places you most want to see before you die. Leave me a comment below with your destinations and reasons for why one place above all else gets on the list. Maybe we can create one big list of top destinations to help inspire others to get out and see the world.
Photo Credit: The above photos from Jordan and New Zealand were provided by Isabelles Travel Guide
I would love to go to Macchu Picchu, travel the Silk Road of Central Asia, and go visit India.
Thanks Natassia. A decent list and Machu Picchu would certainly be a worth while trip thats for sure. Had a lot of friends go that way and enjoy it.
I’ve been lucky this year, and have been able to cross a lot of places off my “must see before I die” list (like Iceland, San Francisco, Istanbul and London), and have crossed some others you suggested off before (like Rome, the Great Wall, and NYC).
Some places still on my list include: Angkor Wat, Machu Picchu, Patagonia, Uluru/the Outback, Petra, Yellowstone, Madagascar, Antarctica, and somewhere where I can see the Northern Lights!
Amanda that is a pretty enviable list to be honest. I’d like to visit all those places you mentioned and am ashamed to say I’m yet to even visit Uluru in my own country.
My problem is that I want to see everything!
I would love if I can see all of India in my lifetime!! I live in India but its so big that its virtually impossible to completely tour every place in one lifetime!!
I think I am a little like you – I’m about seeing what I can, when I can.
That said, in the last two days I have seen the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, which I’ve wanted to see since my Dad came here about 20 years ago and told me all about it!
I think it’s about taking an opportunity when you came. Some of my favourite places have been places I never really thought much about before visiting!
Claire its hard top beat places dad recommends 🙂
The Northern Lights on a clear day and Antarctica are high on my list (although I don’t love the cold…want to see them anyway :P). Otherwise I want to finish exploring Asia properly – like the Philippines, Indonesia and India. Might do that first before Antarctica 😉
Tom I can’t argue with you about the Northern Lights or Antarctica, both stand out places to see.
France, Italy, and Greece are my dream destinations that I should see before I die. Because I love to visit old buildings with magnificent architecture, ruins with beautiful and bloody history, amazing scenery, and old waterways.
Shiela I love exploring old buildings and ruins that are full of history, its what draws me to Europe so much.
I have 2 places: Antarctica and Tanzania. Of course I would love to see more, but I will be content if I can make it to these 2 countries before I die (which I hope is not for a very, very long time!).
Want to see more of Africa, hoping for Uganda this year. Also India and more of South America. After that, yeah, Antarctica would be cool. Great to go from hot to cold.
While in Uganda, pay a visit to neighbouring Kenya. You may want to sample the Mara and go on Safari or simply enjoy a nice quiet rest down at the Kenyan Coast
You may want to try out Kenya…
Whilst I don’t have a list I fully intend to visit as many interesting countries as possible. I have still not been to place I know I will visit such as Germany, India, South America and Africa. I tend to just prioritise the next place I want to see and make it happen.
Lee that’s very much my idea of travelling, see what you can while you can.
Great lists. I’m taking not of every place mentioned.
I have a whole category dedicated to this on my site. But it’s very personal. No two lists are quite the same.
I love this post Chris. And I agree with you ‘the world is an amazing place and I’m lucky to see what I get to see’
As much as I would like to see everything in the world too, and trust me, there’s a lot on my list too, I guess we always have to remember how lucky we are, seeing as much as we do get to see.
Still on my to do list is Antarctica, Patagonia, Argentina, Russia, and Australia. I also want to go skiing in Canada and USA. I’d also like to go back to China at some point and explore more of the countryside.
Seriously. Must see those before i die. Totally wonderfull
I’m actually not sure how you choose what’s important to see in the amount of time we have on this planet. i think the important thing to do is just go for it and see all the beauty you can, there’s so much to see!
I have too many to list in this space, but I, too, have done the “common” vs. “uncommon”. I’ve wanted to see Paris, London, Rome. But the Library of Alexandria, Siem Reap, and such are also on the list. For me, it’s whatever is calling. But I think Macchu Picchu and Ayers Rock are attractions that are the “must have”s rather than the “just want to”s.
What makes a place worthwhile for is the history or the artwork behind it, like the Column of Trajan in Rome. But I have travelled to some blessedly beautiful places like Yellowstone, Glacier Park, Kootnai Falls. There is so much in the world to see and I just want to be able to experience the views with the ones that I love.