Big, bold ideas. Future changemakers. Thrilling recommendations. This is the Sunday read you’ll find nowhere else.
Apr 24, 2022
Today
In today’s Sunday Magazine, we’re excited to bring you a peek at a handful of the most breathtaking places around the globe to view heaven, earth and water. For our crew here at OZY, this was a welcome respite from the news cycle – and we hope it will be for you, too.
BEYOND THE NORTHERN LIGHTS: GREAT PLACES FOR SKYGAZING
If you like to stare at the sky and dream of the limitless expanse out there, you have great options beyond the stunning Northern Lights.
Salar de Atacama
It might be the best place on the planet to watch the stars. Situated between the Andean mountains and the Pacific Ocean, the Salar de Atacama salt flat in northern Chile is a world-leading destination for both amateur and professional astronomers, with telescopes sitting atop mountain summits.
Namib Desert
It’s miles from anything even closely resembling light pollution, making this desert in southwestern Africa perfect for stargazing. One resort is even set up to let you view the celestial magic unfold as you lie on your bed.
International Dark-Sky Park
Can’t make it to South America or Africa? No worries. The International Dark-Sky Association has designated dozens of sanctuaries, parks, reserves and communities around the globe as excellent spots to gaze at the heavens. Check out their official map here for the area closest to you.
DISTANT DIVING DESTINATIONS
You won’t find more socially remote spots to don your scuba suit.
Silfra, Iceland
Ever wanted to see what the joining of two tectonic plates looks like, but underwater? The Silfra fissure, where the North American and Eurasian plates meet, is the world’s only diving spot that lets you swim between the building blocks of the Earth’s crust.
Yonaguni, Japan
The westernmost island of Japan is home to one of its most fascinating mysteries. Dive off the southern side of the island of Yonaguni and you’ll come across a submerged world of pillars and platforms that some say is a sunken 5,000-year-old city.
McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
You might need to drill through the ice first, but if you go diving in McMurdo Sound you’re sure to be rewarded with an underground maze of icy cliffs and passageways. You might even spot a penguin while you’re underwater, alongside a whole host of weird, water-dwelling creatures.
You could call it “the gateway” to the Pacific. Just off the northern Chilean coast in the country’s mining hub of Antofagasta, this arch is a gem of a natural wonder.
Tianmen Mountain
In southern China’s mountainous Hunan province, there really is a stairway to heaven. Exactly 999 stone steps lead you to Heaven’s Gate, a giant gap in the Tianmen Mountain, where mist and clouds greet you at the top.
Hvítserkur
From a distance, it looks like a giant rhino or dinosaur. But the legend behind this ocean monolith in Iceland involves an entirely different creature: a scared troll that the sun turned into stone.
Community Corner
Where in the world do you dream of visiting? Let us know – and maybe we’ll have a travel writer craft a guide for OZY readers!
OZY is a diverse, global and forward-looking media and entertainment company focused on “the New and the Next.” OZY creates space for fresh perspectives, and offers new takes on everything from news and culture to technology, business, learning and entertainment.
