What place in the world is the "BIGGEST WOW?"
 

I am looking to visit the place in the world with the biggest WOW! I am talking about a place that an American visitor would just say- "this place is incredible!" It may be super exotic, beautiful, different, unusual, shocking, insane, wonderous, etc. A place where you would be thinking about it for months afterwords. A place that would really make you think and maybe change how you look about life.

This magical place does not have to be in Europe-- I am just posting on this board because it gets alot of readers.

You say?

I'd still choose Paris for 'biggest wow' factor.

It's tough to beat Santorini -- especially from an infinity view pool on the caldera -- in my book.

Venice has a huge Wow factor.

I must vote for Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

Hands down the Great Pyramids in Giza, Egypt.

I'll never have a "WOW" like that again.

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and the Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii. I've been to more than 20 countries and nothing has taken my breath away like those two places. An out of body experience.

New Zealand, both islands. Incredible vistas, from glaciers and their gorgeous glacier lakes and rivers to active volcanoes to beautiful forests and the absolutely stunning Milford Sound and Park. People are just so nice there too. An astounding range of activities offered: jet-boating over 6 inches of water, highest bungee jump, hang-gliding, abseiling, spleunking, long-track hiking, skiing. You name it, they have it, often with a little unique addition.

I know it's not in Europe but it's the best "WOW" place to me. Still thinking about my trip there and hoping to return soon.

One of the greatest Fodors threads of all, called "What took your breath away?" has now sadly been banished to the ether. It had well over a hundred contributions. Pity.

The Canadian Rockies takes my breath away. The whole drive from Kootenay to Jasper. But best of all are the mountain hikes. The best I ever experienced was the Iceline Hike in Yoho National Park. Really, really WOW!

I found it hard to imagine this creation without a Creator. And it makes my little worries melt right away.

Having just responded to a thread about Santorini, I'll have to admit sitting on a terrace in Fira watching the sunset over the caldera every night is a major WOW. Any time I stand atop one of the Swiss Alps, I let out a gasp. It never fails to WOW me. Niblette, I'll have to admit bungee jumping off the Kawarau Bridge in NZ, was a big WOW.
Scuba diving for several days off a small "sporting" boat in the Great Barrier Reef was more than a WOW.
And staying up all night in our glass walled room at the Regent Hotel staring out onto Hong Kong Harbor was still one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen -- and ususual because it was so much more "man made" that nature, which is normally what I'd prefer.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia
No contest IMHO.

Santorini is the first place that popped into my mind. When I'm stressed, I close my eyes and envision the white washed buildings and the ocean, listen to Greek music (at least in my mind), and ten minutes later I feel quite calm.

Venice also falls into that category.

venice; grand teton national park;
keukenhof tulip gardens outside amsterdam in may; milford sound and/or fox glacier;
barrier reef corals

i can't really choose between these.. blown away in all of these places..

Have to agree with Venice. Also the inside of St. Peters and the old city in Jerusalem. Seville is gorgeous and Prague is certainly the stuff fairy tales are made of. A little closer to home Big Sur is a pretty big WOW for me.

Another vote for the Pyramids of Giza.

Wow, Santorini is awesome...But India is pretty Wow too, regarding all of the traffic, animals, people, etc!! I think these 2 place got my biggest wow..

It's a toss up; trekking in the Himalayas in Nepal or Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Both were spectacular and 180 degrees from anything we experience here in the US. Both changed how I look at the world. For me, probably Nepal more than Cambodia, but only because I went there first.

There is no one such place. For this reason, you need to travel as much as you can.
The following links do not constitute a recommendation of any particular provider, but just a way to see what I am talking about. The "Cruce de Lagos" between Puerto Montt, Chile and Bariloche Argentina
(or vice versa) http://www.crucedelagos.cl/index_flash.htm
The "redrock country" of southern Utah: http://www.utahredrocks.com/
Iguazú Falls (at the corner of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay): http://www.greatestplaces.org/book_pages/iguazu2.htm
Milford Sound, New Zealand: http://www.heli-flights.co.nz/milford.asp
I love Rome and would live there in a heartbeat if I won the lottery. Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay http://wcph.smugmug.com/gallery/128113 is the prettiest town I have ever seen (and yes, I have been to the south of France). The entire nation of Costa Rica is incredible. In México alone, Barra de Navidad in Jalisco state is lovely (and the city of Guadalajara amazing) . But for sheer "wow" the Cruce de Lagos, Iguazú Falls, southern Utah and Milford Sound are really incredible (if not necessarily all that livable)

India so many riches of the eye.

The Samarian Gorge.

A hillside north of Todos Santos in Baja in 1991, watching the seven-minute total eclipse roll through.

For me it's a tie - The South Island of New Zealand and the Berner Oberland in Switzerland.

Colosseum in Rome and Eiffel Tower in Paris

Assissi,Italy in December. Lack of tourist made it the most tranquil and peaceful place I've been. Also there is a tiny church about mid village that was previously a pagean temple or pantheon at one time. I thought this church was even more beautiful than St. Peters or the Vatican.

Man-made it's got to be the pyramids - however many facts and figures you may already know, it doesn't prepare you for how BIG they realy are.

As for natural, I'd have to agree with the caldera at Santorini - it must have been some explosion when that went up!

For me, standing on the Great Wall of China was a life-changing moment.

The Grand Canyon

Walking out of the modernist Venice train station to the Grand Canal..one of my big WOW moments.

I wouldn't like to answer this for someone I knew well or who had an unusually similar background and upbringing for me let alone for someone with very different cultural and societal expectations but...

In terms of what has taken my breath away:

A good game drive or walk in one of Africa's many excelletn safari destinations...

Deserts - the Namib Desert was my first but I'd like to visit the Sahara and others too

India - my family are from there originally but I visit it through the eyes of a Brit and it's just wonderful in so many ways. It has many problems but those don't reduce the Wow factor for me

France - always a favourite... not an obvious WOW but... I always feel good in myself during my trips there

Walking through a stone archway...and there it is...all spread before you -- Machu Picchu.

Yes, Ira, I agree. The Grand Canyon - awesome.

For me, the "biggest wow" was my first time looking at Mount Vesuvious, the Bay of Naples, and the coast stretching from Naples to the Sorrentine Peninsula.

Arriving in Venice via water taxi and having the whole city before my eyes on an exquisite day; flying over the Alps on a cloudy day and seeing the snow covered peaks above the clouds; the Grand Canyon - WOW!

"Jaw Dropping Site" with 192 responses:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1307609

My vote would be for St. Peters, although I have to agree with the Grand Canyon as well. Actually, there are quite a few places that made me stop and say "wow" during my travels, but those are the two that top my list.

Just returning from Rome I have to say I found it awesome because I enjoy the art so much. There is so much to see there. Around every corner there is something different. It was Paris until I visited Rome.

Driving into Yosemite Valley, going through the tunnel and coming out and being hit with the vista of Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls. Truly awesome, and in our own backyard.

Last week I was in Paris. It was a beautiful evening so I took a walk on the Seine from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower. Just as I reached the base of the tower, it started twinkling. I stood and watched in awe, wishing I could capture that moment and keep it forever.

Another place that wow'ed me was the first time I saw Red Square in Moscow. It was around 10pm and I couldn't wait until morning to see it. I walked into the square, and WOW!! It was fully lit and very quiet, as few people were around. I was amazed at all of the colors. I'll never forget the feeling of finally realizing my dream to see this part of the world which at one time had seemed so off limits.

Hmmm. LOYL, you just reminded me of coming throught the tunnel and seeing the faces of Mt. Rushmore perfectly framed by the end of the tunnel. That was a big wow.

The Grand Canyon - especially subsonic, below the rim in an F-14.
M