Katie Lockhart

Choosing the world’s most beautiful places is no easy task. After all, how can you compare a thundering waterfall to a lantern-lit city? Or a rainbow-coloured hill to a gleaming white mosque? The good news is that the planet isn’t held to the same rigid beauty standards as humans are. Whether it’s a tiny island, an entire country or a Buddhist temple, anything goes on our list of the most beautiful places on earth. Spanning every continent, you’ll find some of the usual suspects (what’s a list of beautiful places without Bolivia’s salt flats, after all?) alongside some of the world’s lesser-known beauty spots – all chosen by our network of globetrotting travel writers, who've personally experienced the beauty of every place on this list IRL.  Grace Beard is Time Out’s deputy travel editor, based in London. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines and check out our latest travel guides written by local experts.RECOMMENDED:⛰️ The most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites🗺 The most underrated travel destinations🧭 The best places to travel solo🏝 The best beaches in the world

A bonafide honeymoon haven, Asia’s resorts have long been a go-to for newlyweds and couples on the hunt for some R&R. Now, the word is out on Asia’s next-level resort scene, bringing families and solo travellers to its silica shores and lush rainforests. From a remote Indonesian outpost to an oasis in the Cambodian jungle, these resorts are worth pining (and saving) for. Treat yourself to an afternoon massage followed by a Mai Tai or three at any one of our picks for the best resorts in Asia. READ MORE: The absolute best hotels in Asia and The best bars in Asia Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Asia newsletter for the best travel inspiration, straight to your inbox.  

There’s a lot of monkeying around at this resort—literally. Situated on Monkey Mountain, you’ll likely get a few curious primates testing out your private pool, plus fun monkey motifs decorating your glammed-out villa. A Central Vietnam stalwart since it opened in 2012, it arguably has the country’s best design (courtesy of the famous Bill Bensley) along with a pristine bay beach. One of the many fun, kitschy touches here is the resort’s funicular, taking you from the clifftop “Heaven” level down to “Sea.”

If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation—the kind you fantasise about at work—book a villa at Soneva Fushi. The OG barefoot luxury brand, this private island paradise is a playground for adults and kids. Soneva Fushi’s myriad dining options are truly out of this world, including a zip-line dining experience, a breakfast buffet with multiple rooms (think separate chocolate, ice cream and cheese rooms) and an overwater sushi extravaganza. It’s home to one of the continent’s biggest kid’s clubs, with a pirate ship and waterslide you’ll have to drag the little ones away from. And while the kids run wild, butlers can arrange everything from a private movie screening under the stars to snorkelling with manta rays.