When traveling abroad it’s not uncommon to see roaming hills suddenly transform into huge expenses of flat land and vice versa. Today we are going to take a look at seven countries that offer a surprisingly diverse landscape.
Diverse Landscape Countries
Peru
Peru certainly isn’t a country that’ll instantly jump to the forefront of your mind when it comes to a holiday away – with the only world-renowned feature in the South American country being one of the eight wonders of the world, Machu Picchu.
However, while this area of immense natural beauty stands out as the top destination, the reality is the nation offers up one of the most diverse landscapes on Earth.
From sandy beaches that wouldn’t look out of place on a summer holiday in Marbella, to dusty plains more akin to a Spaghetti western, and even jungle landscapes which you might expect Tarzan to roam – Peru is without question an area of immense diversity.
New Zealand
New Zealand is well known for its natural beauty, but it’s the surprising differences between its regions that see it earn a spot on this list.
While cities like Christchurch offer an incredibly industrial image – far more akin to some of the larger provinces in Australia –these are juxtaposed by the sort of naturally beautiful locations which saw the Australasian nation chosen as the landscape for most of Middle Earth in The Lord of the Rings franchise.
Whether you want to check out the Franz Josef Range or take a trip to the Golden Bay, you’ll find an amazing natural escape on any afternoon when you don’t want to put up with the hustle and bustle of city life.
Bolivia
This is the second of the South American countries on this list – with the continent standing out as one of the most surprisingly diverse landscapes on the globe.
La Paz is debatably the over-arching hub of culture in the region, but even this city is connected to a somewhat extraordinary landscape, with a massive slopping part of the Andes Mountain Range attached directly to it.
Other impressive locales within the nation include the Uyuni Salt Lake, Lake Titicaca, and even patches of the Amazon rainforest. Suffice to say there’s a lot to see in Bolivia.
Vietnam
Vietnam is the first Asian nation to make an appearance on our list – but it won’t be the last. The country has recovered significantly since the war which raged through it in the 1970s and now stands out as one of the top tourist destinations in Asia.
Like practically any hotspot tourist locale, Vietnam has a bevy of beaches – with their selection of sand stretching out over a whopping 2,025 miles.
Unlike a lot of places, however, the picturesque red sand beaches of Mui Ne make for a scene out of a science fiction film, while lush green paddy fields in Sapaprovide another beautiful image to soak in.
Ireland
The Irish are a people who generally seem to get a lot of love when it comes to their public image on a global scale – and their natural terrain more than upholds that portrayal, with the landscape of the Emerald Isles a fairly spectacular one.
Owing to the popularity of a recent franchise, Ireland has been coined as representing ’40 shades of green’, with beautiful valleys and fields making up a huge proportion of the region.
It would be totally inaccurate to suggest that’s all the place has, however, with winding aqua lakes proving to be popular spots for tourists, while sandy beaches of gold also serve to act as a peaceful retreat for visitors.
One of the highlights of the island nation comes in the form of the Mourne Mountains – which are said to have inspired CS Lewis to write his Narnia series.
China
China is slowly becoming something of a global powerhouse on an economic front, but it’s the somewhat quaint and naturally beautiful aesthetics which see it earn a spot here.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to refer to this Asian nation as something of a magical place, with the Zhangye Danxia rainbow mountains, the rural village of Wuyuan (coated in hundreds of thousands of bright yellow flowers), and the Zhangjijaji precipitous pillars all looking like something out of a fairy-tale.
In a nation with a population of over 1 billion people, it’s hard to find somewhere where you can get peace and quiet. By traveling to one of China’s many different spots of diverse landscape beauty you have a great chance of doing that, however.
Scotland
Scotland might not be a nation which instantly springs to mind when it comes to diversity, but the reality is the landscape in the British nation sees it stand out as one of the most versatile when it comes to scenery.
Away to the north of noisy cities like Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh, you’ll find vast areas of near-untouched land – the Scottish Highlands.
Wide glossy lakes lie in ravines which are surrounded by mountain ranges, in a vast area of land that has been completely unspoiled by humanity. Given how industrial Scotland is as a nation, this area of beautiful greenery is a contrast you might not have expected.
These are just seven countries that offer a surprisingly diverse landscape. Why not see it for yourself by visiting one on your next holiday?