When we decided to pick our TOP 10 favourite sunrises from around the world, we quickly realized that we can't narrow it down to the top ten, so we decided to limit it to fifteen and even that wasn't sufficient so we ended up listing 21 of them. What's worse is that beyond the top 3 sunrises, we couldn't agree on the order of preference for the next 12. So despite some attempt at ordering the sunrises in our order of preference, beyond the top three any order would be just as accurate. Our criteria for choosing the top sunrises from around the world includes scenery, nature and/or landscape, serenity, beauty and the emotion experienced while witnessing it. The photos corresponding to each of these sunrises are at the bottom of this article.
Sagada, Northern Luzon, Philippines. There is a great viewpoint near the town of Sagada that's rarely visited by tourist, especially at sunrise. The viewpoint is located about a 30-minute jog (or 60-minute walk) from the jeepney terminal in Sagada town. Here you can find peace and pleasure of watching the sunrise over the rice terraces, clouds, mountains and towns in the valleys below and because of this we think this is one of the best places to watch the sunrise on earth. If you are in the area, don't miss this unique opportunity. This photo was taken on February 9 at 6:54AM.
Paniman, Caramoan, Philippines. Although this area is become increasingly popular with tourists due to the filming of several SURVIVOR television show seasons in this area in recent years, the small supply of accommodation options makes this area relatively void of tourists, especially at sunrise. It is for that reason that if you wake up early enough, you can watch one of the most beautiful sunrises on earth here. The sun rises directly over the ocean between a few small islands that lie off shore. This photo was taken on February 28 at 6:20AM.
Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. At the right time of the year, the warm lakes steam due to the surrounding cooler air and only stop as the sun's rays provide the extra heat to break up the morning fog. As such, this natural phenomenon provides the perfect environment for viewing beautiful sunrises. The lack of people awake that early make this a beautiful and peaceful experience. If you are lucky, you can spot a bear, moose or other wildlife at sunrise as they visit lakes for a drink. This photo was taken on September 2 at 5:59AM.
South Goa, India. Although the sun does not rise directly over the Indian Ocean at many of the beaches in South Goa, it does rise at an angle that provides a beautiful setting and lights up the sand and the ocean. Many people take the opportunity to do Yoga on the beach as the sun rises in the background, while others simply enjoy the serenity of the moment in this area. This photo was taken on January 30 at 7:32AM.
Cappadocia, Turkey. A hot air balloon ride at sunrise over the odd rock formation in the central region of Turkey called Cappadocia is simply spectacular. We'll just leave it at that. This photo was taken at August 21 at 5:37AM.
Krabi, Thailand. As the sun rises from behind the limestone cliffs it lights up the beach and ocean in front of it. Since this time often coincides with low tide, you can see many birds feeding off the exposed ocean floor and locals collecting washed up sea shells. This photo was taken on January 18 at 7:25AM.
Humayun's Tomb, New Delhi, India. As chaotic and busy as New Delhi is, we were pleasantly surprised to find this beautiful and peaceful park to enjoy the sunrise before the arrival of any other tourist. There are many areas in this complex that provide a beautiful and peaceful place to watch the sunrise and enjoy breakfast (if you brought some). This photo was taken on January 26 at 8:50AM.
Nkuringo, Uganda. This area is beautiful and peaceful at any time of the day, but to watch the sun rise over the Nyiragongo volcano in the DR Congo from 2160 meters above sea level in Uganda is an amazing experience. The isolated location of this community allows you enjoy the sunrise in peace and void of crowds as you listen to the roars of wildlife in the jungles below. This photo was taken on September 5 at 6:20AM.
Caye Caulker, Belize. A small island where you can walk from one end to the other allows you to find a really scenic location to watch the sun rise directly over ocean. The only things you will run into at this time of the day are the crabs and birds roaming the area this early. This photo was taken on December 22 at 6:33AM.
Jambiani, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Another beautiful area where the sun rises directly over the ocean. Most tourists are sound asleep at this time of the day allowing you to find the perfect location on a long and wide beach to fully appreciate the beginning of a new day. The low tide provides the perfect environment for local people to collect the washed up seaweeds. This photo was taken on September 17 at 5:56AM.
11. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. On a clear day you can watch the sunrise over Lake Ontario and the city from the lakeshore, west of the downtown core. The reason we like this sunrise is because it provides the prefect contrast on a weekday to the busy highway right behind you as you watch the sunrise over a city that appears to be slow and peaceful. As you leave the lake shore, you quickly realize the city is far from slow moving and peaceful. This photo was taken on April 1 at 7:16 AM.
12. Passopisciaro, Sicily, Italy. North of Mount Etna, you can watch the sunrise over the vineyards and distant hills. The lack of tourists make this a perfect area to watch the sunrise in peace. This photo was taken on July 19 at 5:18AM.
13. Lamai Beach, Koh Samui, Thailand. Similar to Jambiani Beach in Zanzibar, Tanzania and Caye Caulker, Belize the sunrises directly over the ocean. As touristy as this area is, you won't find too many people roaming the beach on January 8 at 7:00AM when this picture was taken.
14. Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. Another northern Ontario location where the morning fog, lakes and forest make for an attractive and peaceful sunrise. If you can handle waking up early and hiking in a northern Ontario park in the dark, you can really find a beautiful and isolated location to watch the sunrise in peace. This photo was taken on October 10 at 7:25AM.
15. Ochos Rios, Jamaica. Watching the sunrise over the ocean at your resort in Jamaica can be a rewarding experience as you may see a side a side of the country that you won't otherwise have a chance to see. As is the case at most resorts, there are very few people that wake up before the light is shining but if you are one of the few that do, you can really get to know the local staff as you watch the sunrise over the ocean.
Other than the top 15 sunrises that we listed above, we think the following 6 sunrises also deserve a mention, whether for good or bad.
16. Tikal, Guatemala. The location of this ancient Mayan city in a rainforest often makes it difficult to watch the sunrise on a clear morning. Nevertheless the experience of walking through the jungle at night to climb a temple that towers over the jungle is a surreal experience. If you can't see the sunrise due to cloud cover, you can still enjoy the sounds of the animals in the jungle below as they wake up. The toucans start to sing and the howler monkeys start to howl as the sun rises in this location. This photo was taken on December 17 at 6:41AM.
17. Hagar Qim, Malta. The Megalithic Temples of Malta are amongst the most ancient religious sites on Earth and are described by the World Heritage Sites committee as "unique architectural masterpieces". On the spring equinox the sun's rays directly penetrate the east facing opening. Despite limitation on how many people can enter the temple on this day, there are still too many people there to really appreciate how spectacular this really is. This photo was taken on March 20 at 5:53AM.
18. Machu Picchu, Peru. The environmental factors provide cloud cover at sunrise which only dissipates after the sun has risen high enough to break up the clouds. Nevertheless, being at this location before the tourist trains arrive at around 11AM really lets you enjoy this area without the crowds. This area is spectacular and to be there before the clouds break up and mass influx of tourists arrive is unique and shouldn't be missed. This photo was taken on December 25 at 7:03AM.
19. Hong Kong. The pollution, mist, water and cityscape make the sunrise in HK unique. Although we really didn't find a good location to watch the sunrise from other than our hotel window, it was still beautiful to see. You won't find solitude at this time of the day in Hong Kong, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the sunrise. This photo was taken on December 26 at 7:25AM.
20. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia. Another magnificent ancient site where you can witness the sunrise from behind it. Unfortunately, you won't be the only one witnessing the event as literally hundreds of other people will have the same goal. This photo was taken on December 30 at 6:23AM.
21. Amboseli National Park, Kenya. Watching the sunrise over the barren Amboseli National Park with Tanzania's Kilimanjaro volcano in the distance is pretty peaceful and relaxing. The locals won't want you to wander too far on your own, but if you can escape their warnings your experience might be really rewarding. This photo was taken on October 1 at 5:40AM.
