Water soothes the soul. Be it the sensation of gentle waves rushing over my feet on a beach, listening to the splashing sounds of a fountain or being mesmerised by its colour, water never fails to instill a sense of calm. When I’m not revelling in its tranquility, I often find myself quietly fascinated by its many forms and colours. During my travels, I’ve taken countless photos of water, from tropical lagoons in Mauritius and some of the world’s greatest waterfalls to icy glaciers in Patagonia and icebergs in Alaska. To celebrate the wonders of water, I’ve curated a collection of 25 photos of water in various forms taken around the world. Sit back and enjoy!
Crystal-clear water
The waters off Whitehaven Beach on the Whitsunday Islands are some of the clearest I’ve ever seen. The Whitsunday Islands are located in Queensland, Australia and are part of the Great Barrier Reef. Read about my Whitsunday Islands sailing trip which included a visit to Whitehaven Beach.
The Perhentian Islands of Malaysia are famous for their blinding white beaches, crystal-clear water and marine life. Read about my holiday on the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia, one of my favourite islands in Malaysia to visit.
Barbados is one of my favourite islands in the Caribbean to visit. One of my trip highlights was snorkelling in the crystalline water and watching wild turtles. Check out my suggestions for things to do in Barbados.
Mauritius is a paradise island in the Indian Ocean that’s perhaps most famous for its luxurious resorts. Whenever I’m there, I’m always awestruck by its breathtaking lagoons. Check out my photos of Mauritius or read about things to do in Mauritius.
Another destination with an incredible lagoon is Bora Bora, an atoll in French Polynesia in the South Pacific. That lagoon, with its spectrum of blue and green hues, is absolutely mesmerising! Read about my trip to Bora Bora,
Waterfalls
The Petrohue Hue waterfall can be found in the Lake District of central Chile. Read about how I crossed the Andes mountains by boat through the Lake District.
Réunion Island is a spectacular island in the Indian Ocean with impressive peaks and countless waterfalls. Read about things to do in Reunion Island or check out my Reunion Island travel guide.
The Iguassu Falls are one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Located on the border between Argentina and Brazil, the sheer volume of water that tumbles off the cliffs is absolutely mind-blowing. Read about things to do at the Iguassu Falls.
Situated on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe in southern Africa, the Victoria Falls are another of the world’s great waterfalls.
Iceland is a land of volcanoes, lava flows, glaciers and waterfalls. The Gullfoss waterfall is the most visited waterfall in Iceland and plunges deeper into the ravine in three steps.
The soothing effect of water
Barbados sure has a terrific array of white, sandy beaches with stunning blue water. Pebble Beach, with its calm, crystal-clear water, is my favourite.
Water plays a central role in many religious or spiritual rituals around the world. In Bali, it’s an integral part of rituals to cleanse and purify the soul. While out on a day trip in Bali, I visited the beautiful Sacred Water Temple and found locals engaging in this bathing ritual.
I found a similar scene in Cambodia when I visited the Angkor Wat temples.
One of my most memorable travel moments was this scene in Jordan of people floating in the Dead Sea at sunset. It’s one of the top things to do in Jordan, and it’s truly a magical experience during sunset.
One of my quirkiest, most serene travel experiences was definitely ice-floating in Finnish Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle.
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Water in its different forms
The El Tatio geyser field is situated high up in the Andes mountains of northern Chile. It’s one of the most fascinating day trips from San Pedro de Atacama.
On a small-ship Alaska cruise, I was just blown away by the massive fjords, imposing mountains, glaciers and icebergs. It always feels surreal whenever I look back at my Alaska cruise photos.
Another surreal experience was my stay at the Snow Village in Finnish Lapland. Each year, massive blocks of ice, carved out of a nearby river are used to create this icy wonder!
My tour of Patagonia in Chile and Argentina was full of awe-inspiring moments. Seeing the Perito Moreno glacier was definitely one of the highlights.
Reflections in water
It rained a lot during my visit to Gdansk in Poland and I found myself getting inspired by the reflections in the puddles. I took so many photos of the reflections in the water! I also learned why Gdansk architecture is similar to Amsterdam. Read more about things to do in Gdansk.
One of my favourite medieval towns in Costa Brava to visit is Besalú. Check out my guide to the ultimate road trip in Costa Brava.
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is the driest area on Earth, which makes these salt pans an extraordinary place to visit.
One of the many reasons I love living in Amsterdam is the abundance of water. The canals of Amsterdam are famous around the world, and going on a stroll along them never fails to lift my spirits. Read more about my favourite things to do in Amsterdam.
I hope you enjoyed my photos of water. Please treasure this precious natural resource and find ways to conserve water in your daily activities.
Velvet escape one of the finest luxury travel blogs which guides you and gives you the best adventure and unique travel tips and places. What I liked the best in this article was the bar in Finland’s snow village made of solid ice and Jordan’s floating dead sea , People floating and chatting in the Dead Sea at sunset.
I’ve read a lot about Raja Ampat! Definitely on my bucket list. Thanks for your lovely comment!
Cheers,
Keith
Amazing pictures.. feel like in paradise. I have been to Raja Ampat in West Papua Indonesia last year.. is very very amazing. Try it