Stunning Views From Around The World That You Can Reach On Foot

Todd Neikirk
(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

There are few things that could take a tourist’s breath away quite like a spectacular view. And destinations of all different types are famous for the aerial views they provide. Here are some of the very best views in the world that you can experience without getting into an aircraft. That’s right, these are all accessible on foot, by bike, and through other means of ground transportation.

The Dragon’s Spine, Longji, China

The terraced rice fields in Longji, China resemble a dragon's spine
The terraced rice fields in Longji, China resemble a dragon’s spine (Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The people of Longji, China mainly make their living by growing and selling rice. But thanks to the spectacular way the rice is planted, the town also relies heavily on tourism. In the fields of Longji, the rice is planted in a terraced fashion resembling a dragon’s spine.

The Dragon Spine, Longji China
A section of the spectacular Longji – Dragons Backbone Rice Terraces at PingAn, Longshen County. (Photo by Leisa Tyler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Visitors come each year to see the fields. Tourists can make an 880-meter hike up to the top. Once there, they can take in breathtaking views.

The Skywalk at the Grand Canyon

The skywalk at the Grand Canyon allows visitors to take in breathtaking views
The skywalk at the Grand Canyon allows visitors to take in breathtaking views (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

More than 5 million people visit the Grand Canyon each year. Not all of them, though, have the same experience. One of the coolest experiences, one could have when visiting the park is taking in the view from the skywalk.

Grand Canyon Skywalk
The sun sets on the evening of the first official walk on the Skywalk (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

Constructed in 2007, the structure allows visitors to go over the cliffs and get an incredible view of the canyon. There is a North Rim and a South Rim. While the North Rim is 1,000 feet higher than the South, it is also closed over the winter and spring due to snowfall.

The Shard in London

Shard In London
The City of London financial district, as seen from the Shard’s viewing platform on January 9, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

The Shard was designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano. Once completed in 2012, it became an enormously popular site for tourists to visit. It also became popular among moviemakers, appearing in the film Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Diners take in the sights from one of the Shard's Restaurants
(Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Once tourists make it all the way up to the 72nd floor, they can take in some astonishing sites. The skyscraper allows visitors to see the city of London from a unique perspective. The elevation makes landmarks like London Bridge and the London Eye stand out even more than usual.

Machu Pichu View
The Inca citadel had between 2,000 to 3,000 visitors a day, in high times they reached 5,000, now it will only receive 675 tourists daily. (Photo by Percy Hurtado / AFP)

Visitors can take a long and winding hike up a lot of stairs that are carved into the area. Along the way, tourists get glimpses of palaces, storehouses, and terraces. And when the visitors reach the top of the hike, they then receive an incredible view of the entire city.

The Peak, Hong Kong

The Peak in Hong Kong offers visitors spectacular views of the city
The Peak in Hong Kong offers visitors spectacular views of the city (Image via Mk2010/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain)

The island of Hong Kong has many amazing features to offer travelers. Few things are better, though than The Peak. The Peak, a mountain that stands at 552 meters, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Hong Kong.

The Peak at Hong Kong
The Lady Liberty of Hong Kong seen on the peak of Lion Rock on October 13, 2019 in Hong Kong, China.  (Photo by Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images)

The Peak is home to giant mansions, home to some of the richest people on the island, as well as fashionable shops and hip restaurants. In addition, the mountain gives visitors incredible views of the buildings below. It’s not often you can receive a view of a major metropolitan area without getting into a helicopter or flying over a city in an airplane.

The Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

An aerial view of Ireland's Cliffs of Moher
An aerial view of Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher (Image via Andoman/Wikimedia Commons)

Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher offer some of the most spectacular views that one can experience. The views are so fantastic that they’ve been featured in movies such as The Princess Bride, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Leap Year.

While the cliffs feature great views and incredible hiking trails, they can also be quite dangerous. A number of visitors have died over the years after straying from the course and falling while trying to get closer to the edge.

 

toddneikirk

Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com, politicususa.com and hillreporter.com. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and anything that has to do with history.

When he is not sitting in front of a laptop, Todd enjoys soaking up everything the Jersey Shore has to offer with his wife, two sons and American Foxhound, Wally.