Natural: the view of Nanga Parbat from the plane out of Gilgit. The mountain's 8,000 m: the plane's cruising altitude is 4,000.

Man-made. Angkor knocks Venice into a cocked hat. Venice beats everywhere else by several miles.

WOW to me was the scenery in Alaska and also the Swiss Alps. Can you tell I like mountains!

Bora Bora.

Many good candidates listed here already.

The only place I have seen yet where the whole group said "wow!" was in the Swiss Alps. We had taken a cable car down from Schilthorn to Murren, so we had the feeling we were at the bottom; when we got in the next cable car and it went over the edge of the cliff, everyone but the operator said "wow".

There's nothing on this earth to compare to the Pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx -I was rendered speechless when I first saw them-the Pyramids are 5-8,000 years old--the word awesome does not in any way encompass their majesty or mystery. You can view them 100 times on the Discovery channel, yet be struck dumb when you see them in person.

By contrast, Angkor Wat left me relatively cold. Angkor Wat was built sometime around the 9-13th century-so in terms of the world's antiquities, they're relatively new-as I've said before, I think the Mayan ruins in Mexico are just as spectacular, if not more so.

Not one I would ever wish on anyone, nor would I wish to repeat it...

the eye of Hurrican Andrew...

OK, back to good WOW's...

Standing on top of the Hill of Tara at sunrise, and feeling the mystical power of the island course through me. Yes, it was an incredible, subtle experience, and it WOWed me (still does!).

Since my travels (so far) have been pretty much limited to the UK and parts of the US, that's it for me... but the Great Wall, Pyramids and Taj Mahal are all on my lifetime list! (so was Stonehenge, but that's done already... not a huge WOW but a small wow)

Well, if you're going to the Great Wall-see our thread on where to pick it up on the Asia board-the Great Wall is anything but "Great" at Badaling....

Iguazu Falls, especially the Devil`s throat. What a lot of rushing water!

So many WOWs! Standing in the Nuns' Quadrangle, looking through the arch to the Governor's Palace in Uxmal, Mexico.

My first look at Waimea Canyon in Hawaii.

The Pont du Gard in France. The Unicorn tapestries at the Cluny in Paris.

Sitting on the terrace of our hotel in Sorrento and seeing Vesuvius across the Bay of Naples for the first time.

The four rivers fountain in Piazza Navona in Rome.

These are a few that come to mind, but isn't it terrific there are so many WOWs in this old world of ours? So many we have seen and so many more to look forward to seeing.

Stonehenge

The Berner Oberland knocked me out.
The Grand Canyon makes an impression as well,
And let's include Paris, without a doubt,
that Louvre is impressive as hell.

My first sight of Venice made my heart skip a beat,
And St. Peter's made me say, "Oh boy!"
But if you really want a superlative treat...
Two words: Batavia, Illinois!

(pardon the shameless boosterism, if not the tortured verse)

Two major 'WOWS' come to mind:

First step onto the Campo in Siena, Italy. I cried. (Thought seriously about adding a vowel to the end of my last name so I could claim to be a part of this unbelievably wonderful, rich and fascinating Italian heritage...)

Sitting on the balcony of the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (Zimbabwe, Africa) at sunset watching the watering hole as the animals came in. Can't remember the exact order but they all have their 'rank' and pecking order and each group gave way to the next. So seemingly civilized for wild animals! I think it was the baboons first, gave way to the water buffalo, gave way to the elephants. Incredible...

Mr-go, great minds think alike..I was going to say the same...
However, I want to add another Wow to the above list..
I can still remember the first time that I visited the mysterious Orient..It was amazing..

I would have to say, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland! Very unusual, one of a kind.

The view from the trail above Vernazza

Climbing to Vernal Falls in Yosemite with the mist in your face

Cape Flattery, the most NW point in the Continental U.S., and not tumbling to our deaths

The Eiffel Tower at night

The Alps from our hotel in Grindelwald

That perfect bottle of Brunello in Montalcino
((H))

The beach at Zandvoort an Zee, Netherlands, on a warm Sunday afternoon would satisfy about half of your criteria.

Westbound on a troop ship -- The Statue of Liberty. I never thought I would see her again.

I have to agree with maitaitom about the "wow" view from the trail above Vernazza.

Also rating "wows" from me: the Grand Canyon, the Cliffs of Moher, St. Peter's Basicila and the view of Paris from the Eiffel Tower.

USNR: Your post brought tears to my eyes - literally. God bless our troops and those who are willing to lay down their lives for our freedom. All these other sites mentioned are awesome but pale in comparison.

Welcome home...and thank you!

Venice during Carneval