FAVOURITE SUNSETS- MAGICAL EVENINGS ENJOYING NATURE’S DAILY SHOW
Why are sunsets so great? This is a question I have long pondered. For me, sunsets hold a magical, almost transcendental quality. They don’t last long which means you have to give pause to enjoy them. This limited window of opportunity imparts a real focus to temporarily waver whatever it is we are doing, to savour a moment that is always guaranteed to be fleeting.
Sunsets are a metaphor for the turning pages of our lives. The point in the day where we can put our troubles behind us, take a breather from exertion, and in the Tropics feel a reprieve from the heat. There is relief in knowing that however challenging your day might have been, Mother Nature will continue on her path all the same. This feeling of being insignificant in the grand scheme of our planet is both humbling and strangely comforting. As a result, it is the time in the day when I am most philosophical and contemplative.
Equally, there are few other occasions in nature where you can witness a visible change like this happening. Most processes, such as a flower blooming, ice freezing, things growing, occur far too slowly or are way too subtle for our human eyes to appreciate. The gradual changes involved in a sunset cast well known settings in a new light, drawing your attention to aspects of the landscape otherwise unnoted. For me, this is the key to a sunset’s intrigue and mysticality. It’s ability to transform what is familiar into something so new and different.
The beautiful sunsets I have enjoyed this Autumn in the UK have made me pensive for those I saw on my travels. With this in mind I have decided to share my top twenty sunsets from my trip to Southeast Asia and Australasia. Hope you enjoy and remember never be too busy to take time to glance up at the evening sky!
TOP TWENTY SUNSETS-
“times I was wowed by the sky”
- Koh Chang, Thailand
I visited the island of Koh Chang within the first couple of weeks of flying to Thailand. I splashed out on a few nights of luxury at the Mecure Koh Chang Hideaway Hotel. I had a beautiful suite in a plush resort with gorgeous beachfront location. My travels were months in the planning, afforded after 2 years of hard work and this was my reward to myself for making those dreams a reality and believing in myself. One night I reserved a hot tub and ordered cocktails in time to watch the sun set over Bai Can Bay- it was a moment that had all the feels and make me emosh just thinking about it.
2. Wat Phra That Mae Yen, Pai, Thailand
As many will know, steps are the bane of my existence but our well-timed ascent up the hill to the White Buddha was well worth the sweat for the sunset mountain views over Pai. I really adored the town’s relaxed, chilled out vibe and beautiful countryside scenery. As great as any Thai Island getaway- just without the sandy beaches.
3. Clarkville, Palawan, Philippines
On our first day in Palawan, Karina and I headed to Clarkville beach, a secluded mangrove rich bay a three minute walk from our guesthouse outside Puerto Princessa. We spent the afternoon lazing in the sun, reading our books and catching up on life. The waters were too shallow to swim in but we kept ourselves amused watching the hundreds of crabs that scurried up and down the beach. The day was chorused by the popping of air bubbles made from their retreats as we walked by.
4. Bakers Hill, Puerto Princessa, Palawan, Philippines
On our drive to the Iwahig Firefly Watching Tour we stopped for at local eatery called Baker’s Hill for a bite to eat. I ordered my first serving of Halo-Halo; a popular Fillipino dessert with mixtures of shaved ice and evaporated milk. We laughed at Karina’s disappointing meal of tomato spaghetti (which turned out to be canned spaghetti on toast). I remember feeling elated to be travelling again and excited to see fireflies for the first time.
5. Long Beach, San Vicente, Palawan, Philippines
Karina and I lucked out when we got to stay at Victoria Guesthouse, a B&B in the sleepy fishing village of San Vicente. At the time, the area was completely undeveloped. Victoria was the only guesthouse on the beach and there were no shops or restaurants in the vicinity. We were waited on hand and foot by our attentive hosts, who prepared all our snacks and meals using the freshest fruits, vegetables and seafood. In the morning we’d watch the local fisherman cast out their nets and return again in the late afternoon to reap their rewards. Children would flock to the beach after school to splash about in the sea; jumping off anchored boats and playing around with tattered shuttlecocks and badminton rackets. Our stay was so tranquil and relaxing- a totally blissful getaway.
6. Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines
After a busy couple of weeks exploring the Bacuit Archipelago, we arrived in Moalboal craving some serious down time. We stayed at a guesthouse with a pool and restaurant enjoying beachfront views. One day we dived the coral shelf only metres in front of our resort. The waters were teaming with sardines. We watched local children climb the rocks and fish, eating our evening meals by the sea.
7. Banaue, Luzon, Philippines
Even thinking about our time in Banaue exhausts me! The two days we spent in the region were mostly spent trekking along the ancient irrigated mountains. Each evening we would watch the sun set over the terraces from our balcony- ensuring that both night and day we got our nature fix.
8. Kong Lor, Laos
Located in central Laos, within the Phou Hin Poun NPA (National Protected Area) is the spectacular Kong Lor, famous for it’s network of caves and underground river. It’s very much off the beaten track in a remote jungle setting; surrounded by karst limestone mountains and rice paddies. During our stay we were treated to an electrifying storm. The sheet lightening cast amazing shadows of our rocky surroundings, though made no sound due to our distance from the storm eye. It was like watching an epic silent movie. We were glued to our balcony for over an hour transfixed.
9. Otres Beach, Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Having spent the last few weeks inland, our arrival at Sihanoukville was a welcome change of pace and awakened my inner sun-sloth soul. This photo was taken after a day spent snorkelling and island hopping with friends. I remember enjoying a few cocktails on our return to Otres and drawing pictures in the sand with a local Cambodian girl as the sun went down.
10. Koh Phi Phi Don, Thailand
Our stay in Phi Phi was short but sweet. There was a fair measure of partying but a lot of relaxation too. We enjoyed infinite pool views looking over the beach, which as you can see below was incredibly beautiful.
11. Koh Lanta, Thailand
I had heard tales of the majestic sunsets that graced the island of Koh Lanta but even with the heads up they surpassed my wildest expectations. There was a magical moment each twilight when every colour on the beach became electrified- like a fiery spell had been cast on the sky. It became the highlight our day to grab a drink and see what Mother Nature had in store for us. We’d spend the evenings relaxing on the sandy dunes by our bungalow, eating great food and making the most of happy hour! Squid boats would pepper the horizon on the sea line and lanterns would be released nightly into the sky. Days spent with my friends in Koh Lanta were some of the most enjoyable of my travels.
12. Gardens By The Bay, Singapore
I visited Singapore in December so got to see the Christmas Wonderland display at the splendid Gardens By the Bay; complete with choir performances, festive market, fake blizzard, ice rink and Santa’s Grotto. I grazed on a fancy cheese platter as I watched the lights twinkle along to Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You. The festive spirit tangible.
13. NYE Sydney Harbour, Australia
What can I say, being able to witness the famous NYE display in Sydney Harbour with my best friend was an extraordinary moment in my life. We arrived early afternoon at Kirribilli (located next to the Bridge), armed with a hefty picnic and our contraband prosecco! We lazed in the sun and reminisced about our travels, watching the Red Arrows and Harbour of Light Parade before the epic firework crescendo. I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to tick this off my bucket list as it was truly magical experience. A NYE I am sure never to forget.
14.Corindi Beach, NSW, Australia
Lauren and I stayed at Corindi Beach near Coff’s Harbour at the beginning of our two week East Coast adventure. It was our first time using Airbnb; an introduction that couldn’t have been any more wonderful. It was through our hosts, Ian and Val, that we were able to gain such an insiders view of the Dorrigo area, thanks to their personalised self-drive itinerary. When we first arrived a mob of kangaroos skipped across the road and grazed by our parked car. Each evening we headed down to the beach to enjoy the sunset with nibbles and wine.
15. Hot Water Beach, North Island, NZ
Lauren and I used Kiwi Experience as a means to explore NZ. At the time of our travels, the buses were over capacitated and the company was in pure panic mode. When we reached Cathedral Cove logistical mishaps began to significantly impact our enjoyment of the trip and threatened to derail our carefully planned itinerary. One evening, after some choicely worded phone calls to head office, we decided, in true Frozen style to let that bad energy go! We ordered fish and chips, grabbed some goon and headed to the beach. Watching the waves crash against the rocks and the hazy spray cloud the skyline provided the fresh perspective we needed to get ours heads back in the game again.
16. Polynesian Spa, Rotorua, North Island, NZ
A great memory from Rotorua was the evening we spent visiting the hot mineral pools of the world-leading Polynesian Spa. People have flocked there since the 1800’s to benefit from the well documented healing properties of it’s natural geothermal springs. We spent the afternoon bathing in it’s many outdoor pools, relaxing our aching muscles and enjoying the gorgeous Lake Rotorua views. Unfortunately we lost track of time and Lauren ended up becoming sick from prolonged exposure to all the sulphur fumes!
17. Lake Taupo, North Island, NZ
Taking a scenic evening boat cruise with Sail Barbary on Lake Taupo resulted in one of the most sensational sunsets of my entire travels. We spent the afternoon cruising on lake, eating pizza, drinking wine and listening to gangsta tunes (we might have got rather drunk too!) The boat journey offered breath-taking panoramics of Great Lake Taupo, the famous Maori rock carvings and surrounding mountains. The sky looked like candy floss for the most part before bursting into a vision of magnificent bright burnt yellow- that was so, SO beautiful.
18. Wellington Waterfront, North Island, NZ
Wellington harbour is a delightful waterfront location, excellent for people watching and partaking in a few social beverages as the sun goes down. Both times we visited, we witnessed fabulous sunsets by the harbour. I definitely want to go back there- my favourite city in NZ!
Melbourne well and truly stole my heart and is one of my most-loved places on the planet. In the 5 months we lived there, we witnessed some amazing sunsets where the sky was painted all kinds of dreamy pinks, yellow and orange. My beautiful home from home!
20. Smithfield, Cairns, Australia
A last minute vacay to Queensland marked an emotional final hoorah for myself and Lauren, having travelled for nearly 10 months together since meeting each other in Thailand. We chose to splash out on a few nights at a luxury treehouse nestled in the Smithfield rainforest. There was an outdoor shower, hammock and private balcony overlooking the Cairns beaches. One evening we made ourselves smoked salmon and cream cheese bilinis. We sat on the balcony sipping prosecco, reminiscing about the fantastic journey we had shared, feeling incredibly lucky and blessed to have had such a phenomenal experience. Friends for life!