Lonely Planet Selects 15 NZ Wonders for 1000 Ultimate Sights

Asia-Pacific

Global travel authority Lonely Planet says New Zealand has 15 of the world’s 1000 Ultimate Sights.

To celebrate this – and Lonely Planet’s 40th Anniversary – the world’s most successful travel publisher is re-releasing its 352-page inspirational book 1000 Ultimate Sights in New Zealand this month.

Lonely Planet’s 1000 Ultimate Sights features 100 “Top 10” lists exploring the world’s most breathtaking man-made marvels and natural wonders.

New Zealand sights feature on 15 of the book’s lists:

Most Impressive Waterfalls: (1) Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe; (2) Niagara Falls, USA/Canada; (3) Reichenbach Falls, Switzerland; (4) Kaieteur Falls, Guyana; (5) Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil; (6) Detian Falls, China; (7) Gullfoss, Iceland; (8) Sutherland Falls, NZ; (9) Jim Jim Falls, Australia; (10) Angel Falls, Venezuela.

Flashiest Lighthouses: (1) Eddystone, England; (2) Cape Hatteras, USA; (3) Marjaniemi, Finland; (4) Green Cape, Australia; (5) Hook Head, Ireland; (6) Creac’h, France; (7) Slangkop, South Africa; (8) Pondicherry, India; (9) Cape Palliser, NZ; 10) Gibbs Hill, Bermuda.

Most Oversized Animals: (1) Komodo Dragon, Komodo National Park, Indonesia; (2) Green Anaconda, Pantanal, Brazil; (3) Giant Weta, NZ; (4) African Elephant, Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa; (5) Polar Bear, Churchill, Canada; (6) Giant Salamander, Japan; (7) Blue Whale, Dondra Head, Sri Lanka; (8) Saltwater Crocodile, Kakadu National Park, Australia; (9) Ostrich, Nairobi National Park, Kenya; (10) Giant Tortoise, Galapagos Islands.

Volcano!: (1) Soufriere Hills, Montserrat, Lesser Antilles; (2) Rabaul, Papua New Guinea; (3) Stromboli, Italy; (4) Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, USA; (5) White Island, NZ; (6) Paricutin, Mexico; (7) Mt Pinatubo, Philippines; (8) Mt St Helens, Washington, USA; (9) Hekla, Iceland; (10) Gunung Bromo, Indonesia.

Best Baths: (1) Champagne-Glass Whirlpool Bath, New York, USA; (2) Les Bains de Marrakech, Morocco; (3) Hot Water Beach, NZ; (4) Beppu, Japan; (5) Chodovar Brewery Beer Baths, Czech Republic; (6) Szechenyi Baths, Hungary; (7) Dogo Onsen, Japan; (8) Blue Lagoon, Iceland; (9) Vinotherapy, France; (10) Dead Sea, Israel/Jordan.

Top Ornithological Sights: (1) Parrots & Friends, Queensland, Australia; (2) Penguins, Antarctica; (3) Albatross, Otago Peninsula, NZ; (4) Hummingbirds, the Pantanal, Brazil; (5) Toucans, Ecuador; (6) Waterbirds, Danube Delta, Romania; (7) Bald Eagle, Alaska, USA; (8) Big Six, Kruger National Park, South Africa; (9) Birds of Paradise, Papua New Guinea; (10) Flamingos, Rift Valley, Kenya.

Most Breathtaking Viewing Platforms: (1) Pulpit Rock, Norway; (2) Sky Tower, Auckland, NZ; (3) Illawarra Fly Treetop Walk, Australia; (4) Grand Canyon Skywalk, Arizona, USA; (5) Knife-Edge Point, Victoria Falls, Zambia; (6) Waterfall Trail, Iguacu Falls, Brazil; (7) Il Binocolo, Merano, Italy; (8) Dachstein Sky Walk, Austria; (9) Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix, France; (10) Petronas Towers Skybridge, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Underwater Sights: (1) Underwater Pyramids, Japan; (2) Navy Pier, Western Australia; (3) Manta Ray Village, Hawaii; (4) Battleships in Chuuk Lagoon, Federated States of Micronesia; (5) Cristobal Colon, Cuba; (6) Rainbow Warrior, NZ; (7) Great Blue Hole, Belize; (8) Turtle Tomb, Malaysia; (9) Red Sea Star, Eilat, Israel; (10) Taman Pura (Temple Garden), Indonesia.

Greatest Geysers: (1) El Tatio Geysers, Chile; (2) Andernach Geyser, Germany; (3) Shikabe Geyser, Japan; (4) Triton Moon, Neptune; (5) Pohutu Geyser, Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley, NZ; (6) Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka, Russia; (7) Lake Bogoria, Kenya; (8) Geysir & Strokkur, Haukadalur, Iceland; (9) Pangalu Geothermal Field, New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea; (10) Steamboat, Yellowstone National Park, California, USA.

Best Natural Springs: (1) Rift Valley, Ethiopia; (2) Oymyakon, Siberia, Russia; (3) Deception Island, Antarctica; (4) Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Rotorua, NZ; (5) Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, USA; (6) Jigokudani Monkey Park, Yamanouchi, Japan; (7) Troll & Jotun Hot Springs, Svalbard, Norway; (8) Pamukkale Terraces, Turkey; (9) Landmannalaugar, Iceland; (10) Blood Pond Hot Spring, Beppu, Japan.

Most Iconic Trees: (1) Chene Chapelle, Allouville-Bellefosse, France; (2) Cedars of God, Lebanon; (3) Jomon Sugi, Yakushima, Japan; (4) Tane Mahuta (ʻLord of the Forest’), Waipoua Forest, NZ, (5) Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar; (6) General Sherman, Sequoia National Park, California, USA; (7) Sri Maha Bodhi, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka; (8) Cotton Tree, Freetown, Sierra Leone; (9) El Arbol del Tule, Santa Maria del Tule, Mexico; (10) Major Oak, Sherwood Forest, England.

Best Sights From Above: (1) The World Archipelago, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; (2) Forbidden City, Beijing, China; (3) Dean’s Blue Hole, Bahamas; (4) Purnululu National Park, Australia; (5) Franz Josef Glacier, NZ; (6) ‘Spiral Jetty’, Utah, USA; (7) Bagan, Myanmar; (8) Cappadocia, Turkey; (9) Piazza San Pietro, Vatican City; (10) Uffington White Horse, England.

Best Rock Formations: (1) Torres del Paine, Chile; (2) Cappadocia, Turkey; (3) Moeraki Boulders, NZ; (4) Mt Augustus, Australia; (5) Shilin (Stone Forest), China; (6) Twelve Apostles, Australia; (7) Half Dome, California, USA; (8) Wave Rock, Australia; (9) Balanced Rock, Utah, USA; (10) Petra, Jordan.

Mightiest Rivers: (1) River Ganges during Kumbh Mela, India; (2) Kenai River Salmon Run, Alaska, USA; (3) Confluence of Nile River, Khartoum, Sudan; (4) Rafting the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA; (5) Zanskar River Ice Trekking, Chadar, India; (6) Yangtze River & Three Gorges Dam, China; (7) Shotover River by speedboat, Queenstown, NZ; (8) River Mersey Ferry, Liverpool, England; (9) Great River Amazon Raft Race, Iquitos, Peru; (10) Sumida River Fireworks Festival, Tokyo, Japan.

Most Classic Art Deco Buildings: (1) Palacio Salvo, Montevideo, Uruguay; (2) Biltmore Hotel, Miami, Florida, USA; (3) Radio City Music Hall, New York, USA; (4) Chrysler Building, New York, USA; (5) Municipal Theatre, Napier, NZ; (6) Bacardi Building, Havana, Cuba; (7) Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles, California, USA; (8) Regal Cinema, Mumbai, India; (9) Maison Guerlain, Paris, France; (10) Hotel Locarno, Rome, Italy.

1000 Ultimate Sights is the second volume in Lonely Planet’s 1000 Ultimate… series, which also includes 1000 Ultimate Experiences (in-stores now) and 1000 Ultimate Adventures (published in August this year).

LONELY PLANET’S 1000 ULTIMATE SIGHTS
352pp, full-colour, 165mm x 210mm, paperback
RRP: NZ$44.99
Available now from Whitcoulls

NOTES TO EDITORS
« Want to know what we say about a particular NZ sight? We can email you the relevant page(s).
« Free extracts & selected images are available with permission.
« Review copies are available on request.

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