People around the world will come together to celebrate Earth Day this April 22. Earth Day serves as an annual celebration of this amazing planet that we call home, as well as a day of support for environmental protection.

Earth is full of rich and diverse ecosystems that create some truly breathtaking scenery. From well protected and maintained national parks to powerful forces of nature like volcanoes and waterfalls, there’s no end to the surprises and sites around the world. Here are 10 of the planet’s most beautiful places to get you in the Earth Day spirit.

1. Yellowstone National Park: Yellowstone, Wyoming

Among the United States’ most beautiful national parks is its first: Yellowstone National Park. located in Yellowstone Wyoming and encompassing a staggering 2.2 million acres, Yellowstone provides an amazing environment full of wildlife and natural phenomena. One of those natural phenomena is Grand Prismatic Springs. This unique hot spring gives off an amazing glow of rainbow-like color. The color comes from the trillions of microscopic organisms called thermophiles that call it home. These organisms are far too small to be seen by the naked eye, but give off an astonishing glow depending on the spring’s temperature.

2. Denali National Park: Alaska

In the northernmost area of the United States sits Denali National Park. The park stretches for over six million acres and reaches over 20,000 feet at the summit of its primary attraction, the Denali Mountain. Previously known as Mount McKinley, Denali is the highest peak in all of North America. In addition to the vast wilderness that surrounds the mountain, an abundance of animals call the park home – including moose, caribou and grizzly bears. Whether you’re driving in, flying over, or standing within Denali National Park, you’re sure to experience some of the most incredible views on Earth. 

3. Cliffs of Moher: Ireland

If you’re making your way through the mostly flat and vast Irish countryside, you’d better pay attention to what’s ahead before you reach the Cliffs of Moher. These entirely vertical cliffs have an abrupt drop-off that comes out of nowhere. Towering over the West Clare Coast, the Cliffs of Moher create an unbeatable view of the vast crashing waves of the Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. These staggering cliffs provide one of the planet’s best spots to watch the sunset. 

4. The Great Barrier Reef: Australia

Located on the northeast shores of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef isn’t just one of the world’s most stunning sites, it’s also the largest living structure on Earth. Within the nearly 1,500 miles of crystal-clear water, the reef consists of 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish, and 4,000 types of mollusk. There’s no bad spot to view the Great Barrier Reef from – whether you’re one of the many people swimming and snorkeling through it each year or one of the people taking in the stunning site from the comfort of the beach.

5. Salar de Uyuni: Bolivia

The Salar de Uyuni in Southwest Bolivia is the world’s largest salt flat, covering nearly 10,000 square kilometers and consisting of an estimated 10 billion tons of salt. The stunning landscape is incredible to witness throughout the year, but the real spectacle comes in the spring. During the rainy season, water accumulates over the area’s flat surface, creating a shallow pool that forms what’s known as a “mirror effect.” This optical illusion casts a perfect reflection of the sky on the still water that is especially breathtaking during sunrise and sunset.

6. Svalbard: Norway

Svalbard, Norway, provides such stunning visuals that one could be forgiven for thinking they’ve stepped directly into an Arctic fairy tale. The landscape is dominated by tundra, mountains, and glaciers as well as exciting wildlife. Svalbard completely transforms during the “Polar Night,” the roughly four-month stretch between October and January. During this time, the sky above Svalbard comes to life with nature’s greatest light show – the aurora borealis – better known as the Northern Lights. It’s hard to believe this dazzling display of color is real, and seeing it in person makes it even more mind-blowing. 

7. Victoria Falls: Zambia & Zimbabwe

The border between Zambia and Zimbabwe in south-central Africa is unlike any other border of nations in the entire world. The two countries are separated by the Victoria Falls, an awe-inspiring collection of massive waterfalls. This is a site that you can’t just see, you have to listen to the sound of over 500 million cubic meters of water falling over 300 feet below into a massive gorge, which creates a crashing sound that forms the area’s iconic noise. The impact of the water sends massive columns of spray into the air, which can create rainbows that provide a site unlike anything else on Earth. 

8. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park: Hunan Province, China

The Zhangjiajie National Forest is located within the Central Eastern area of China and encompasses nearly 19 miles. The park consists of forests, ravines, and canyons, but the star of the show is the pillar-like rock formations spread throughout. More than 3,000 of these quartzite sandstone pillars throughout the park can reach up to 650 feet in the air. Often a layer of fog will blanket the area just below the pillars’ peaks, creating the illusion of floating mountains, an image that inspired the iconic floating mountain landscape in the 2009 film Avatar.

9. Mount Etna: Sicily, Italy

One of Europe’s most incredible natural phenomena, Mount Etna, is the highest Mediterranean island mountain. This isn’t just any other mountain though, Mount Etna is the most active stratovolcano on Earth. There are over 2,700 years worth of documented activity from this volcano that continues to this day. While staring up at this massive marvel, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of its volcanic vortex rings, a truly spectacular and rare phenomenon in which rapid gas is released, spewing out smoke rings into the Sicily sky.

10. Redwood National Forest, Northern California

The Redwood National Forest – one of the most well-known and iconic images of nature within the United States – is something you almost need to see to believe. This vast area in California is home to prairies and wild rivers, but its most stunning inhabitants are the tallest trees on Earth. Some of the largest trees within the park reach up to 370 feet in height, a staggering five stories taller than the Statue of Liberty. It’s an amazing site to view the Redwoods from a distance or photos, but you can’t fully grasp the majesty of these massive trees until they surround you.