A ringside seat, Roman-style
In the hills around Pamukkale, Turkey, you’ll find the ancient ruins of Hierapolis, which thrived here as a holy and healing destination throughout Greek, Roman and Ottoman times. The city was founded as a thermal spa in 190 BCE by Eumenes II, the king of Pergamon, and was probably named after the wife of the legendary founder of the Pergamene dynasty, Hiero.
The amphitheatre in this aerial view was built in the 2nd century AD under Roman Emperor Hadrian. Renovated several times over the next 160 years, it would once have seated about 15,000 people. An earthquake in 1354 finally toppled the ancient city and it was abandoned until excavation work was carried out by German archaeologist Carl Humann in the 19th century. Today, the complex retains some of the best-preserved features of any ancient Roman theatre, with friezes of Roman Emperor Septimus Severus and his family, as well as the Greek gods Dionysus, Artemis, and Apollo.
The amphitheatre in this aerial view was built in the 2nd century AD under Roman Emperor Hadrian. Renovated several times over the next 160 years, it would once have seated about 15,000 people. An earthquake in 1354 finally toppled the ancient city and it was abandoned until excavation work was carried out by German archaeologist Carl Humann in the 19th century. Today, the complex retains some of the best-preserved features of any ancient Roman theatre, with friezes of Roman Emperor Septimus Severus and his family, as well as the Greek gods Dionysus, Artemis, and Apollo.
Salt marsh and Neuland Lighthouse in Behrensdorf, Germany
Several wooden boardwalks stretch from beach sands to the salt marshes and pastures of Behrensdorf’s nature reserve. And within these 250 wetland acres, it’s not only the birds that have free range of the place – wild cattle live here, too. Brought in to hinder the overgrowth of reeds, Scottish Highland cattle graze to their hearts’ content in this scenic spot on the coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Germany. The lighthouse you see in the distance was in active use between 1918 and 1996 and is now only lit to indicate military training operations in progress at a nearby naval base. We’re guessing that Neuland Light also makes this scene just that bit more irresistible to photographers.
An underground universe
By far the world’s largest cave by volume, Sơn Đoòng in Vietnam is big enough to fly a Boeing 747 through. The stalagmites rising from its floor stand 15 storeys high, its main chamber is 650ft (198m) tall, about 500ft (152m) wide and stretches for more than three miles. Inside one of its massive dolines - sunken, sun-exposed sections like that seen in our image - is an entire rainforest ecosystem, and that’s just what we know so far.
Vietnamese farmer Hồ Khanh first stumbled upon this cave in 1991, discovering a huge, dark, untouched chamber, complete with a free-flowing underground river. Lacking the gear to explore the cave further, Khanh wandered back home to tell friends about his discovery. But he was unable to retrace his steps to the cavern and it would remain unexplored for almost two decades, until a team of British cavers caught wind of Khanh's tale.
In 2009, Khanh led them to Sơn Đoòng after a long search, and they discovered that the cave was vast beyond anyone's expectations. 11 years later, we still don’t know it all: Cave divers have yet to fully explore Sơn Đoòng's subterranean river, and more vast passages were discovered as recently as 2019. This enormous underground world is home to many secrets, yet to be revealed.
Vietnamese farmer Hồ Khanh first stumbled upon this cave in 1991, discovering a huge, dark, untouched chamber, complete with a free-flowing underground river. Lacking the gear to explore the cave further, Khanh wandered back home to tell friends about his discovery. But he was unable to retrace his steps to the cavern and it would remain unexplored for almost two decades, until a team of British cavers caught wind of Khanh's tale.
In 2009, Khanh led them to Sơn Đoòng after a long search, and they discovered that the cave was vast beyond anyone's expectations. 11 years later, we still don’t know it all: Cave divers have yet to fully explore Sơn Đoòng's subterranean river, and more vast passages were discovered as recently as 2019. This enormous underground world is home to many secrets, yet to be revealed.
Yuzhnaya Glubokaya Bay, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
Though situated within the same latitudes as Great Britain, the Siberian winds and sea currents keep the Kamchatka Peninsula snowbound for more than half the year. This land is so remote that until relatively recently it was the rare explorer who visited its tundra, forests, rivers and colossal volcanoes. Kamchatka packs a lot of geothermal activity into its nearly 800-mile-long peninsula: With roughly 160 volcanoes it’s considered the Eurasian continent’s most volcanic area.
Following World War II, the Soviet Union closed the Kamchatka Peninsula region to travel, so ordinary Soviet citizens weren’t allowed to visit until 1989. These days, its sparse population, few foreign visitors and modest industrial development mean that the wilderness here is pristine and the ecosystem healthy. Brown bears are especially abundant, as are their favourite snacks – salmon. It’s been estimated that a fifth of the world’s Pacific salmon come from the chilly waters of Kamchatka
Following World War II, the Soviet Union closed the Kamchatka Peninsula region to travel, so ordinary Soviet citizens weren’t allowed to visit until 1989. These days, its sparse population, few foreign visitors and modest industrial development mean that the wilderness here is pristine and the ecosystem healthy. Brown bears are especially abundant, as are their favourite snacks – salmon. It’s been estimated that a fifth of the world’s Pacific salmon come from the chilly waters of Kamchatka
Lakes in the Salzkammergut region of Austria
The Salzkammergut is revered for its idyllic Alpine beauty, sparkling lakes and quaint villages. It’s a mountainous region spanning the Austrian states of Upper Austria, Salzburg and Styria. The Salzkammergut (Estate of the Salt Chamber) is not only dotted with lakes, but salt mines honeycomb the mountains and were once one of the Habsburg Empire’s biggest industries. Some of the mines are still in operation. The cavernous interiors of the Salzkammergut are just as grand in their way as the soaring scenery above ground.
Waterfall in Khuean Srinagarindra National Park, Thailand
The core of this large nature park in western Thailand is Srinagarind Reservoir, a lake formed when the Khwae Yai River was dammed in 1980. A year later, nearly 600 square miles of surrounding wilderness was named a national park. The new park joined a network of adjoining nature reserves that form the vast Western Forest Complex, one of South East Asia's largest biodiversity conservation corridors. Khuean Srinagarindra National Park brims with lush landscapes, and the idyllic waterfall in our image may well be its most spectacular. Huay Mae Khamin flows over seven rock tiers, forming pools of jade green water on its way down.
Sailing on thick ice
This photograph was taken in the winter of 2014 on the Hudson River in the US state of New York. That year, temperatures were so cold for so long that antique wooden ice yachts were taken out of storage and onto the river to sail down a 20-mile stretch of thick ice. It had been years since the Hudson River had frozen sufficiently for safe ice sailing, due to global warming.
But back in the 1850s, right up to the early 20th century, average winter temperatures were cooler and the Hudson River was the ice sailing capital of the world. Supported by metal blades (runners), like skates, an ice yacht encounters little forward resistance, gliding over the ice at thrilling speeds. In iceboating's heyday, wealthy yachtsmen raced over the frozen Hudson in front of thousands of spectators. In 1885, John Aspinwall Roosevelt, uncle to future US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, founded the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club, which still exists today. It maintains these beautiful antique wooden iceboats, and if the area is lucky enough to have another long, cold winter, they'll take to the ice again.
But back in the 1850s, right up to the early 20th century, average winter temperatures were cooler and the Hudson River was the ice sailing capital of the world. Supported by metal blades (runners), like skates, an ice yacht encounters little forward resistance, gliding over the ice at thrilling speeds. In iceboating's heyday, wealthy yachtsmen raced over the frozen Hudson in front of thousands of spectators. In 1885, John Aspinwall Roosevelt, uncle to future US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, founded the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club, which still exists today. It maintains these beautiful antique wooden iceboats, and if the area is lucky enough to have another long, cold winter, they'll take to the ice again.
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