November 11 is the official Day of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, taking into account that on November 11, 2011 the 7 names of the natural places most voted by the world public were announced, to become a Wonder.
The project proposed by New 7 Wonders, whose founder is the Swiss Bernard Weber, had in the first instance a total of 454 beautiful places nominated, the second phase passed 261 candidates, of these were 77 places and then a panel of experts chose the 28 finalists who participated in the last stage of the contest, until the 7 winning places were announced.
Thus, chosen by more than 500 million votes from all over the planet, the New 7 Wonders of Nature are: 1) Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), 2) Jeju Island (South Korea), 3) Puerto Princesa Underground River (Philippines), 4) Komodo Island (Indonesia), 5) Table Mountain (South Africa), 6) Ha Long Bay (Vietnam), 7) Amazonia (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela).
Authorities of each of these chosen places, assure that since this election, the aforementioned sites have been better positioned globally, which ensured them not only more visits but also greater investments, more development, more employment and a remarkable greater awareness of environmental care, taking into account that they are “Wonders of Nature”.
The New 7 Wonders of Nature
1) Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil)
The Iguazu Falls are a set of waterfalls that are located in the homonymous river, on the border between the Argentine province of Misiones, and the Brazilian state of Paraná.
The Iguazú Falls are made up of 275 jumps (80% of the Argentine side), among which the Devil’s Throat stands out, which is the highest and highest (80 meters). Added to the jumps, the subtropical forest that surrounds them has more than 2,000 species of vascular plants and is home to the typical wild fauna of the region, where tapirs, giant anteaters, howler monkeys, ocelots, jaguars and alligators coexist.
Each year, on the Brazilian side they receive approximately 2 million tourists, and on the Argentine side just over 1.5 million.
2) Jeju Island (South Korea)
Jeju is the largest volcanic island in South Korea. Officially called the Special Autonomous Province of Jeju, this main tourist destination has a temperate climate along with beaches, waterfalls, cliffs and caves with an incomparable scenic beauty.
Among the most outstanding tourist sites on the island are the Hallasan National Park with a wide variety of species of flora and fauna, the exorbitant views of the Seongsan Ilchulbong peak, and the Manjanggul cave, the longest lava tube in the world that has been registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The island of Jeju receives about 2 million visits every year.
3) Puerto Princesa Underground River (Philippines)
The Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park has a spectacular limestone karst landscape and is located on the island of Palawan, Philippines. One of the distinctive features of this underground river is that it emerges directly into the sea and its lower part is subject to the influences of the tides. Likewise, the area represents an important habitat for the conservation of biodiversity, the site contains a complete “mountain to sea” ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia. The site covers 5,753 hectares and is home to 11 different ecosystems, from a humid jungle of the mountains to the ocean with reefs. There is also a wide variety of endemic animals here.
The Philippines aims to generate 7.7 million arrivals this year after ending 2023 with 5.45 million international visitors. One of the most visited places in the country is the underground river of Puerto Princesa, located in the province of Palawan. For its part, the Provincial Office of Tourism Promotion and Development of Palawan (PTPDO) revealed that a total of 1,527,159 tourists visited Palawan last year.
4) Komodo Island (Indonesia)
These volcanic islands are inhabited by a population of approximately 5,700 giant lizards, whose appearance and aggressive behavior has given them the name of Komodo Dragons.
This unique species does not exist anywhere else in the world and is of great interest to scientists who study the theory of evolution. The steep slopes of the arid savannah and the foci of thorny green vegetation contrast severely with the white sand of the beaches and the blue waters that bathe the corals.
5) Table Mountain (South Africa)
The Montaña de la Mesa National Park, which completely protects the Cape Peninsula, combines spectacular mountains with an oceanic scenery of unique flora and fauna: more than 2,000 plant species make the Cape Flower Kingdom.
There are areas designated for driving with dogs, mountain biking, climbing, hang gliding and paragliding, pick-nick and fishing. Diving and surfing are other activities that can be tried in the park. In addition, visitors can get on the famous cable car to the top of the Table Mountain, where the views are amazing. There are many information centers at the cable car station and at Cabe Point.
The Montaña de la Mesa National Park, which is home to the mountain of the same name, receives more than 2 million tourists per year.
6) Ha Long Bay (Vietnam)
Ha Long Bay, located in the Gulf of Tonkin. It is plagued with numerous limestone rock formations, which create a set of 1,600 islands and islets, like giant teeth, that emerge from the water creating a kind of maze of coves and canals.
Due to their steep nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaltered by man. The exceptional scenic beauty of the place is complemented by its great value for biology.
The waters are crystal clear and emerald, so tourism arrives to dive or take a boat ride through a landscape that seems created for a movie.
On October 21, Ha Long Bay received 3 million tourists, and from the tourism sector of Vietnam, they estimate that 2024 will close with 17 or 18 million tourists.
7) Amazonia (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela)
With an extension of 7 million square kilometers that extend over 9 South American countries, the Amazon represents more than half of the remaining rainforest in the world. Its vegetation extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Andes in the west.
North of the Amazon forest is the Amazon River, the longest river in the world. Flowing over 6,400 kilometers, it contains the largest number of freshwater fish species in the world.
The Amazon is the richest and most diverse biological reservoir on the planet, habitat of millions of species of plants, insects, birds and other forms of life.
In the Amazon, Iquitos is the most important city in the Peruvian Amazon, as is the main port of entry to the region. Iquitos is also the starting point to other incredible destinations that hide in the jungle and, to be able to see them, you can sail the Amazon River with your eyes wide open to experience everything that surrounds the river.