There's something about a beautiful sunset that makes the travel experience complete, the perfect end to a perfect day in paradise. Psychologists say that a sunset can boost well-being, increase generosity and enhance life satisfaction.
According to data recently gathered by SpaSeekers, a whopping 286 million images of sunsets were uploaded to Instagram over the last year. The website also analyzed Instagram data from the last 12 months to rank the locations of the 10 most Instagrammed sunsets in the world. Coming in at the top of the list was California, with a staggering 5.7 million sunset photos, followed by the heavenly Italian island of Sicily. We've got the full list of the world's top sunset locations, below.
The 10 Most Instagrammed Sunset Locations in the World
- California
- Sicily, Italy
- Bali
- Paris
- Sydney
- London
- Moscow
- Mumbai, India
- Phuket, Thailand
- Ibiza, Spain
This list also got us thinking about other beautiful sunset locations around the globe. So we reached out to some of the world's top Instagrammers to get their favorite sunset shots. Some of the locations are from the top-10 list. Others are places that you might not know. But all of these sunset spots are guaranteed to make you want to get on a plane and do it for the 'gram.
Where: Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California
The Instagrammer: Meg Haywood Sullivan is a photographer and environmentalist whose career has taken her from shooting a feature with National Geographic Adventure about the last remaining glacier in Yosemite to documenting the California National Monuments that Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke proposed to shrink. In addition to shooting for environmentally-minded companies like KEEN, Patagonia, prAna and Clif Bar, she also participates in leading climate change panel discussions. With her degree in environmental studies and nearly a decade's worth of experience as an outdoor photographer, Meg is constantly working on projects that inspire the public to care about the planet, while activating a whole new generation of environmentalists, stewards and voters. Follow her on Instagram @meg_haywoodsullivan
The Story Behind This Sunset: Sometimes the best sunsets are in your own backyard. Here, environmental activist Caroline Gleich takes in last light over the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, the largest and closest open space to Los Angeles. In 2014 President Obama used the Antiquities Act to protect the nearly 350,000 acres for the 15 million people in the city.
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Where: Bali
The Instagrammer: Christina Vidal is the travel blogger and Instagrammer behind the award-winning travel blog Jetset Christina. She has been to 55 countries and counting and her swoon-worthy Instagram @jetsetchristina (ranked in the "Top 7 Travel Instagrams to Follow" by Travel + Leisure) is all about showcasing the world’s most exotic and luxurious destinations. She bases half the year in Bali and half in California. Follow her on Instagram: @jetsetchristina
The Story Behind This Sunset: I took this photo at Single Fin Beach Club in Uluwatu, Bali. The stunning Uluwatu coastline is my favorite area of the island — because of its sunsets. Bali sunsets are unlike anywhere else in the world. On a good (just-cloudy-enough) day, the colors explode like fireworks and stretch for miles across the sky. This sunset lit the sky on fire. It was also the very first sunset I ever saw in Bali — before deciding to move there and pursue my travel blog full-time. There's a bit of magic in Bali that is evident in every sunset. I knew the second I saw this sunset that I was meant to be here.
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Where: Paris
The Instagrammer: Based in Indonesia, Christina Tan is a luxury travel photographer and a Nikon Indonesia Photographer Partner with an extensive global passport, one of Travel + Leisure's Top 8 Luxury Travel Instagram accounts, as well as a Travel + Leisure Social Ambassador. She previously worked in the fashion industry, and with that career path, was able to travel the world. It was in this business that she discovered her true passion: travel photography. She turned her passion into a full-time career, working with tourism boards, hotels and hot-spot destinations all over the globe. She keeps her Instagram feed full of beautiful images, travel tips and must-sees all around the world. Follow her on Instagram: @Sassychris1
The Story Behind This Sunset: I never get tired of Paris. Its art and culture, high fashion, beautiful architecture and sophisticated dining scene all blends into one factor that keeps me coming back. It was raining most of the time I was in Paris during that trip, but amazingly, one evening when I was strolling around the Louvre, the sky suddenly opened up and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen in Paris.
Where: Sydney
The Instagrammer: Currently on an around-the-world trip with her husband, David, Stacie Flinner has visited over 70 countries in the last 18 months. She is dedicated to discovering and sharing the most beautiful places and spaces around the world through the pages of her site, stacieflinner.com, to inspire her growing community of design and travel enthusiasts. Follow her on Instagram: @stacieflinner
The Story Behind This Sunset: The view of the Sydney Opera House from Mrs. Macquarie's Chair (an outlook across the harbor) is one of the most picturesque places to capture a sunset Down Under. Pack a picnic to enjoy while watching the sun dip behind one of the 20th century's most iconic buildings. I love snapping photos of smaller boats passing under the shadow of the opera house's theatrical sail-like silhouette.
Where: London
The Instagrammer: Mary Quincy is a full-time photographer based in Paris. She is fascinated by the authenticity of every place she visits and tries to capture instant moments. She is passionate about travel and aims to visit a new place every month. Self-taught, she grew a passion for photography, thanks to Instagram, on which she shares everyday moments and shots from her daily life in Paris or taken during her trips around the world. Follow her on Instagram: @Mary_Quincy
The Story Behind This Sunset: London has always been one of my favorite cities — in wintertime or summertime. But catching a sunset around Westminster is and always will be one of those moments when you have to stop, sit and watch it happen. Time stops, people keep walking, but the sight is just wonderful.
Where: Ibiza, Spain
The Instagrammer: Meagan Cignoli is the founder and creative director of Visual Country, a production company specializing in social video content. Wired Magazine called her “The Woman Behind Vine’s Most Incredible Animated Dreamscapes,” and she was named in the list of “Top 100 Creatives of 2017” by Ad Week. Meagan has led campaigns for over 250 major brands including Clinique, Google, YSL, Nike and HBO. She has traveled to over 50 countries, and her constant daily goal is to see the sun set or rise. Follow her on Instagram: @meagancignoli
The Story Behind This Sunset: This was taken my first night in Ibiza at Experimental, a white and blue experience along the beach at the end of the Salinas. They have music, food and a little pier. And the sunset over the mountains with the planes flying through it? It’s magical.
Where: Cappadocia, Turkey
The Instagrammer: Jennifer Tuffen is a British Instagrammer, travel blogger and content creator who works on campaigns with major brands, tourism boards and hotels around the world. Jennifer loves taking photos and showing the beauty of the world around her in her own unique, colorful way. She started photography as a hobby and is now one of the top travel Instagrammers, with more than 2.7 million followers. Follow her on Instagram: @izkiz
The Story Behind This Sunset: Cappadocia in Turkey is a magical land of hot-air balloons, underground cities and whimsical fairy chimneys. It's one of my favorite places in the world and definitely one of my favorite spots to watch a beautiful sunset. We hike above the fairy chimneys and sit and watch as the setting sun changes the color of the lunar-like landscape below.
Where: The Maldives
The Instagrammer: Nastasia Yakoub, originally a labor and delivery nurse turned travel blogger, leveraged her passion for travel and photography and founded Dame Traveler, a curated women’s travel blog where solo female travelers can inspire and connect with one another. Her eye for stunning travel visuals has helped build a large Instagram following, and her hard work has led her to be featured in publications such as Travel + Leisure, Fodor’s, Vogue and more. More than 55 countries into her journey, her passion for the world has led her to create a sizable community of female travelers where her mission is to empower them to travel more, do more and be more. Follow her on Instagram: @dametraveler and @nastasiaspassport
The Story Behind This Sunset: Upon landing in the Maldives, I was greeted with pretty much the opposite of what most travelers hope to see — rain, gloomy clouds and a dreary looking ocean. However, as the storm passed, the skies opened up into a kaleidoscope of vivid colors, bursting bright oranges and deep purples filled up every corner of my view. The clouds seemed closer to the surface of the water than ever, and I was left in total awe. It was a sight I truly hope to never forget.
Where: Tasmania, Australia
The Instagrammer: Melissa Hie is the “girl” in Girl Eat World, her website where she goes beyond Instagram to record her travel and food stories. As the name suggests, she loves eating and traveling the world. While not a photographer by trade, she has been interested in photography since a young age and is fascinated by "bokeh." Her love for photography took off once she got her hands on an iPhone just six years ago. Follow her on Instagram: @girleatworld
The Story Behind This Sunset: I love this sunset because it came totally unexpected for me. The sunset in Australia is always quite dramatic, but I didn't expect this one since Bicheno is located in the east coast of Australia and normally not great for sunsets. As I was walking down the beach of Bicheno, the sky suddenly turned a dramatic orange before changing to a mellow pink and turning dark. Extremely beautiful.
Where: Lone Pine, California
The Instagrammer: L.A.-based photographer and writer Laura Austin makes the simple fantastical and the fantastical feasible, roaming to all ends of the earth and bringing it back to us every time in hopes of getting you out to experience the world for yourself...or at least make you feel you were along for the ride just by looking at her images. Follow her on Instagram: @laura_austin
The Story Behind This Sunset: Lone Pine has one of the most dramatic backdrops I have ever seen. This tiny town along the 395 is butted up against the Sierra Mountain Range. This sunset in particular was shot at the base of Mt. Whitney — the tallest peak in the contiguous 48 states — a sure-fire breathtaking view.
Where: The Seychelles
The Instagrammer: Turkey-based Hatice Korkmaz is a corporate branch manager at a bank who also takes stunning photos. Her slogan is: See the world in color. "I can easily say that Instagram changed my perspective of looking at the world, even my life," says Korkmaz, who has been on Instagram for four years. "I always love traveling and have been taking photos for fifteen years, but just for fun before Instagram. My followers say, 'When I wake up and see your photos, it is really a happy start to the day.'" Follow her on Instagram @kardinalmelon<
The Story Behind This Sunset: Beau Vallon is the best beach in Seychelles to watch and capture the sunset. It's one of the longest and popular beaches in Seychelles with its golden sand, clear water and plenty of activities like snorkeling, parasailing, scuba diving and more.
Where: Doolin, Ireland
The Instagrammer: Sophie Hellyer is a freelance writer, surfer, producer, environmentalist, feminist and public speaker, among other things, currently living between the Atlantic coast of Ireland and the smoke of London. Sophie is challenging the status quo of how women are represented in sports, and is determined to lead the much-needed change to the visual narrative of surfing to create a more healthy, diverse and inclusive sporting culture. Follow her on Instagram: @SophieHellyer
The Story Behind This Sunset: I love the top of this hill in Doolin, between my house and the coast. Every time I’m coming home in the evening and I think the sunset will be good I race up the hill to glimpse it before it drops away. This particular evening two of my best friends were visiting and we caught the sunset on the way to the Doolin Folk Fest. The view out over the castle, crab island and onto the aran islands and Galway bay is magic. You can’t not feel calm standing here looking out over the ocean at sunset.
Where: Santorini
The Instagrammer: Erica Choi is a New York City-based design director, photographer and blogger. She is the founder of Egg Canvas, a visual journal conveying an array of lifestyle stories spanning fashion, beauty, hospitality and travel. Her experience as a graphic designer in the luxury industry has led Choi to continuously develop a keen sense of refined aesthetic, and she hopes to communicate this sensibility through her style, content and work. Follow her on Instagram: @eggcanvas
The Story Behind This Sunset: Whether you watch it on a boat or cruise from the Aegean Sea, or high above on the carved out cities and villages of Santorini, the sunsets here are famous for good reason. They definitely do not disappoint! From Oia, you can view the stunning colors against the caldera as well as from the Fira-Oia Hiking Trail. You can also reserve a table on the roof at Melitini near sunset time to enjoy the freshest seafood and a glass of wine while getting the amazing views.
Where: Reynisfjara, Iceland
The Instagrammer: Los Angeles-based style and travel blogger (and former Miss USA 2011) Alyssa Campanella is the founder of The A List, which is a lifestyle site that encourages and inspires the everyday woman, with a feminine and romantic point of view in fashion, travel and beauty. Alongside her husband and photographer, actor Torrance Coombs, Campanella is extremely passionate about fashion and travel as she documents each moment and destination in her digital diary for her readers to gather inspiration from. Follow her on Instagram @alysscampanella
The Story Behind This Sunset: This was one of the most amazing sunsets I’ve ever been able to witness, occurring in southern Iceland at Reynisfjara just outside of Vik. There’s a peaceful serenity found on Iceland’s black sand beaches, and at sunset the beaches are decorated in an orange, pink, and purple glow as the sun sets in the distance on the horizon, signaling the end of another adventurous day in one of the most naturally beautiful locations in the world.
Where: 12 Apostles, Australia
The Instagrammer: Tiffany Nguyen is a dentist and adventure travel photographer from Southern California. Tiffany focuses her photography on travel, adventure, landscapes, and lifestyle and is fueled by discovering new places and immersing herself in unfamiliar cultures. Traveling has become such a huge part of Tiffany's life over the last few years and by capturing her adventures she hopes to inspire others to get outside and create their own adventures. Follow her on Instagram: @TiffPenguin
The Story Behind This Sunset: Visiting Australia’s 12 Apostles is a must for anyone’s bucket list. Just when you think you’ve seen the best this place has to offer, it continues to impress. No matter how many photos you see, laying your eyes on it for the first time is an experience that has to be seen to be believed.
Where: Long Beach, California
The Instagrammer: Vicky Navarro is an architect, photographer and content creator from Mexico City with a growing global home. An entrepreneur by nature, her curiosity has led her on a world-wide journey seeking transformative experiences through cultural exploration, integrative story-telling and environmentally conscious collaborations. The result is a dynamic body of work that showcases a desire to breakdown cultural barriers and bring into focus the beauty, and fragility, of our planet. Instagram, among other platforms, have allowed her to share her work with a global audience. She has previously collaborated with governments and tourism boards in Dubai, Panama, Guatemala and Argentina, among others. Inspired by the many transient yet lasting connections common in travel, Vicky's content captures the essence of her environments, with a keen eye for integrative design, ethereal landscapes and singular moments. Follow her on Instagram: @Lavicvic
The Story Behind This Sunset: First sunset of many, beautifully framed on a road trip along the Pacific Coast.
Where: Kenya
The Instagrammer: Susan Portnoy is an award-winning photographer, freelance travel writer, and creator of The Insatiable Traveler, a popular blog celebrating the magic of world travel. By pairing lush photography, great storytelling and travel and photography tips, Susan seeks to transport, immerse and excite readers with her stories, inspire them to embrace adventure and connect with the people and places they visit. You can find Susan’s work on Adventure.com, Forbes.com, HuffPost, U.S. News & World Report, Wendy Perrin, USA Today, The Globe & Mail, among others. Follow her on Instagram: @insatiabletraveler strong> The Story Behind This Sunset: It was a cool fall night in the Mara Triangle in Kenya, and we were headed back to camp for the night. We’d had an amazing afternoon of wildlife sightings when a friend said, “All we need now is an elephant silhouetted against this amazing sunset.” Everyone in the jeep nodded and mused how lovely that would be but none of us thought it would happen. Three minutes later, there she was, one of a few elephants grazing on a hill against a fiery pink sky. At first, we were dumbstruck, then we couldn’t stop laughing (quietly) about the coincidence. It was a wonderful way to end the day.
Where: Rome
The Instagrammer: Mary Quincy is a full-time photographer based in Paris. She is fascinated by the authenticity of every place she visits and tries to capture instant moments. She is passionate about travel and aims to visit a new place every month. Self-taught, she grew a passion for photography, thanks to Instagram, on which she shares everyday moments and shots from her daily life in Paris or taken during her trips around the world. Follow her on Instagram: @Mary_Quincy
The Story Behind This Sunset: There’s something about the colors of sunsets in Rome. You never know what to expect but every time it happens, you are in awe by the reflections of bridges, the colors in the sky & the atmosphere is truly one of a kind.
Where: Cabo San Lucas
The Instagrammer: Based in Indonesia, Christina Tan is a luxury travel photographer and a Nikon Indonesia Photographer Partner with an extensive global passport, one of Travel + Leisure's Top 8 Luxury Travel Instagram accounts, as well as a Travel + Leisure Social Ambassador. She previously worked in the fashion industry, and with that career path, was able to travel the world. It was in this business that she discovered her true passion: travel photography. She turned her passion into a full-time career, working with tourism boards, hotels and hot-spot destinations all over the globe. She keeps her Instagram feed full of beautiful images, travel tips and must-sees all around the world. Follow her on Instagram: @Sassychris1
The Story Behind This Sunset: It was my first time in Los Cabos, Mexico, where I enjoyed the weather, food, resort, art and people. However the trip to this arch, a magnificent natural rock formation at the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula that marks the start of Land’s End, where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean, is unforgettable for me. Cabo Sailing Charter took me around with its private boat and what a nice feeling to have sea-breeze kissing my cheeks and the warm sun glaring through my sunnies...it was truly a special place with beautiful nature, amazing food and the friendliest people ever.
Where: Istanbul Turkey
The Instagrammer: Turkey-based Hatice Korkmaz is a corporate branch manager at a bank who also takes stunning photos. Her slogan is: See the world in color. "I can easily say that Instagram changed my perspective of looking at the world, even my life," says Korkmaz, who has been on Instagram for four years. "I always love traveling and have been taking photos for fifteen years, but just for fun before Instagram. My followers say, 'When I wake up and see your photos, it is really a happy start to the day.'" Follow her on Instagram @kardinalmelon
The Story Behind This Sunset: This is my wonderful city, Istanbul. Enjoying the sunset behind these colorful balloons is always cheerful and make me really happy. I never get bored of capturing them. You can witness beautiful sunsets in Istanbul at many different places.
Where: Santorini, Greece
The Instagrammer: Jennifer Tuffen is a British Instagrammer, travel blogger and content creator who works on campaigns with major brands, tourism boards and hotels around the world. Jennifer loves taking photos and showing the beauty of the world around her in her own unique, colorful way. She started photography as a hobby and is now one of the top travel Instagrammers, with more than 2.7 million followers. Follow her on Instagram: @izkiz
The Story Behind This Sunset: Santorini has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember so I was thrilled when we finally made it there this Summer. I had been warned that sunset is the most popular time and that it would be packed, and packed it was! You have to get there at least an hour before the sun sets in order to secure a good spot if you want to capture that iconic Santorini sunset shot. It was so worth it though to watch the sky and the white buildings painted a gorgeous pink color. Everybody cheered and clapped as the sun dipped below the horizon and it was a really memorable moment.
Where: Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
The Instagrammer: Meagan Cignoli is the founder and creative director of Visual Country, a production company specializing in social video content. Wired Magazine called her “The Woman Behind Vine’s Most Incredible Animated Dreamscapes,” and she was named in the list of “Top 100 Creatives of 2017” by Ad Week. Meagan has led campaigns for over 250 major brands including Clinique, Google, YSL, Nike and HBO. She has traveled to over 50 countries, and her constant daily goal is to see the sun set or rise. Follow her on Instagram: @meagancignoli
The Story Behind This Sunset: Hawaii was a magical place, I still hope one day I can move there and live in that magic. Every sunset rivaled the next, the colors of every hike and mountain top seemed surreal. This sunset was in Waikiki outside of my room at the Grand Wailea and each time the sun came up or down this view changed and rivaled the last.
Where: Prague
The Instagrammer: Based in Indonesia, Christina Tan is a luxury travel photographer and a Nikon Indonesia Photographer Partner with an extensive global passport, one of Travel + Leisure's Top 8 Luxury Travel Instagram accounts, as well as a Travel + Leisure Social Ambassador. She previously worked in the fashion industry, and with that career path, was able to travel the world. It was in this business that she discovered her true passion: travel photography. She turned her passion into a full-time career, working with tourism boards, hotels and hot-spot destinations all over the globe. She keeps her Instagram feed full of beautiful images, travel tips and must-sees all around the world. Follow her on Instagram: @Sassychris1
The Story Behind This Sunset: I fell in love with Prague the first time I visited it back in 2014. I’ve returned to Prague eight times ever since, almost every season. With its historical baroque buildings, Gothic churches, and medieval Astronomical Clock, Prague took me back in the old times, a fairy-tale-like scene. Charles Bridge is a special place for me where I take sunrise and sunset dreamy photos. I was freezing cold in winter, and melting like an M&M in summer for hours around this bridge taking photos. However the final image I produced always made me happy. This is a special place to take a breathtaking photo during sunset, or just to enjoy the romantic ambiance as many others do.
Where: Paris
The Instagrammer: Mary Quincy is a full-time photographer based in Paris. She is fascinated by the authenticity of every place she visits and tries to capture instant moments. She is passionate about travel and aims to visit a new place every month. Self-taught, she grew a passion for photography, thanks to Instagram, on which she shares everyday moments and shots from her daily life in Paris or taken during her trips around the world. Follow her on Instagram: @Mary_Quincy
The Story Behind This Sunset: Walking around Paris is definitely the best thing to do while exploring the city. But when the sun sets, people stop walking, sit on the banks of the Seine, enjoy themselves and look at the magic happening.
Where: The Maldives
The Instagrammer: Turkey-based Hatice Korkmaz is a corporate branch manager at a bank who also takes stunning photos. Her slogan is: See the world in color. "I can easily say that Instagram changed my perspective of looking at the world, even my life," says Korkmaz, who has been on Instagram for four years. "I always love traveling and have been taking photos for fifteen years, but just for fun before Instagram. My followers say, 'When I wake up and see your photos, it is really a happy start to the day.'" Follow her on Instagram @kardinalmelon
The Story Behind This Sunset: I took this photo on my second vacation in Maldives. Watching another wonderful sunset everyday from my water villa at the Shangri La Maldives in the Maldives made me feel like in heaven.
AND SOME SUNRISES
Where: Cappadocia, Turkey
The Instagrammer: L.A.-based photographer and writer Laura Austin makes the simple fantastical and the fantastical feasible, roaming to all ends of the earth and bringing it back to us every time in hopes of getting you out to experience the world for yourself...or at least make you feel you were along for the ride just by looking at her images. Follow her on Instagram: @laura_austin
The Story Behind This Sunrise: Pretty much every morning in Cappadocia, tons of hot air balloons are launched into the air at sunrise. That alone makes for a photo-worthy sunrise, but add in the area’s unique landscape and you have a jaw-dropping scene. Better yet, catch a ride on one of the balloons for an even more spectacular view.
Where: Phuket, Thailand
The Instagrammer: Katie Frederick Jacobson is the owner of Ever After Honeymoons, a luxury travel agency specializing in honeymoons. She is based in Newport Beach, California and is constantly traveling the world, seeking out new destinations and special experiences for clients. Follow her on Instagram: @eahoneymoons
The Story Behind This Sunrise: I'm not a morning person (at all!) but I was told over and over that the sunrise at Six Senses Yao Noi couldn't be missed. And it was absolutely worth the early wake-up call! The resort is located on an island in the Phang Nga Bay, surrounded by other islands. They have a Hilltop Reserve that one couple can reserve each morning to watch the sunrise and have breakfast. The sunrise was so incredible! Absolutely can't be missed when staying at this special resort.
Where: Canyonlands National Park, Utah
The Instagrammer: L.A.-based photographer and writer Laura Austin makes the simple fantastical and the fantastical feasible, roaming to all ends of the earth and bringing it back to us every time in hopes of getting you out to experience the world for yourself... or at least make you feel you were along for the ride just by looking at her images. Follow her on Instagram: @laura_austin
The Story Behind This Sunrise: Canyonlands National Park in Utah is a magical place filled with never-ending vistas of the canyons below. This photo was shot at the Mesa Arch, a short hike from the road that runs through the park.
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