Top 7 Natural Wonders in the U.S.A.

The following is my list of the top seven natural wonders of the U.S.A. Although I have yet to visit any - these are the top seven I want to visit.

Number One:

Niagara Falls. Three large waterfalls falling 61 meters with large amounts of water pouring over. A must see. The power of the water, the sound, the mist, the boat ride, the romance.

Number Two:

The Grand Canyon. Whether you believe it took millions of years or whether you believe its an obvious result of a great flood, its become irrelevant when you see the scale. The facts and figures as well as the photos look impressive. I'm sure in the flesh words do it no justice.

Number Three:

Yosemite National Park. The View of El Capitan the worlds largest piece of exposed granite alone would be worth the visit. The rivers, streams and animals just add to the beauty.

Number Four:

Redwood National Park. Having seen the beautiful Redwoods in Rotorua, New Zealand which are just over 100 years old, how much better to see ones over a thousand. The size and beauty of these trees is only bettered by having them all in one place creating the perfect cool environment with lots of fresh air. Living up to 2000 years old and reaching 105 meters in height is all impressive, but it is their width that really inspires.

Number Five:

Yellowstone National Park. I love Geothermal Wonders and Yellowstone has plenty over 10,000 hot springs and geysers. Throw in trees and a swim in hot pools and I'm in heaven. Seeing Bison in their natural setting would also be a reminder of America's past. Watching a bear - from a very safe distance - would also be a treat.

Number Six:

The Black Hills country. OK, you've got me here, Mount Rushmore is hardly natural, but still worth a visit. The fact that Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Deadwood are all nearby gives a taste of the great plains and the wild west.

Number Seven:

Hawaii - the Volcanoes, Wailua Falls, the beaches, the towering cliffs, waterfalls and forests - all good reasons to visit.

Some will complain I haven't include Alaska in this list, but to be honest Alaska would make a list all on its own.

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Explore the Natural Wonders of Philippines - From White Sand Beaches to Tropical Islands

1. Explore Natural Wonders

The Chocolate Hills of Bohol are another of the Philippines' natural wonders. Of uniform shape and rising from 40 to 120 meters, the 1268 hills look like a giant array of pregnant women. Others claim they are the solidified teardrops of a lovelorn giant.

El Nido Marine Reserve occupies 96,000 hectares and boasts diverse ecosystems such as rainforest, mangroves, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone cliffs. It is now one of the country's premier tourist destination.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean Underground River National Park is the world's longest underground river measuring 8.2 km and has recently been nominated for The New 7 wonders of the World.

You will find the entrance at the mouth of a cave in a beautiful lagoon about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. From here the river winds through formations of stalactites and stalagmites and several large chambers before flowing directly into the South China Sea.

The Hundred Islands National Park is composed of 123 islands (124 at low tide) and covers an area of 1,844 hectares. The islands lie at the south west corner of the Lingayan Gulf, just off Alaminos City in the province of Pangasinan.

Over the years the islands have inspired countless legends -- some tell of mermaids that once mystified fishermen; others tell of a primeval giant who lost his lady love.

2. Engage in Mountain Climbing and Nature Trekking

The Philippines with its large forests, pristine wilderness, and rugged mountains, is an ideal spot for mountain climbing and nature trekking.

On Luzon the Sierra Madre mountains form the longest range of the Philippines, extending along the island's eastern coast for 210 miles.

The Cordillera Central Ranges to the west contain Luzon's highest peak, Mount Pulog, 9,613 feet.

And of course, don't forget the  volcanoes. There are 37 volcanoes in the Philippines, of which 18 are still active. Many of these, like Mt. Pinatubo, have become popular trekking sites.

In 1991 the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo was the most destructive volcanic event of the 20th century. Today, surrounded by a vast expanse of lahar-filled valleys and boulders the size of cars, Mount Pinatubo offers a breathtaking view of a hidden lake inside its crater -- an enchanting reward for intrepid explorers and trekkers.

Taal Volcano is the smallest active volcano in the world. You will find it about 70km south of Manila on "volcano island" inside a lake called Taal Lake.

This is a popular trekking destination and, compared with other mountains, the climb is relatively easy. The view from the top is awe-inspiring.

Mayon Volcano is the most active volcano in the Philippines, having erupted over 47 times in the past 400 years. It is also considered to be the world's most perfectly formed volcano for its symmetrical cone. It reaches 2,460 meters and is the central feature of the Albay Province, about 300km southeast of Manila.

Climbing Mayon is possible but can be dangerous. Some organized treks are planned over a 4-day schedule.

The best time for mountaineering in the Philippines is either during the summer months from March to June, or during the monsoon season from November to February. It is best to avoid mountaineering activities during the wet season when strong typhoons buffet the provinces.

3. Feast on Filipino mouth-watering delicacies.

In the Philippines you cannot escape the temptations of food; you are literally surrounded by it. Take a stroll down a beach and the chances are you will find vendors selling everything from barbecue sticks to balut -- boiled, unhatched chicken or duck eggs.

When it comes to food the Philippines has it all -- a fabulous mix of foreign cuisine plus its own mouth-watering delicacies.

Well, there you have it -- more reasons to visit the Philippines.

But of course there are more reasons than I have listed here. For example, festivals that bring out the culture of the people, historic churches that date back to the Spanish era, the exciting night life of Manila, Angeles City, and Cebu, or play golf on courses designed by some of the best golf celebrities in the world, and more ... come and enjoy!

Allan E Miller is a retired Airline Pilot who has lived in Asia for over 44 years and has traveled extensively all over the world. He has been a freelance travel writer for 19 years and specializes in articles about the Philippines and other Asian countries. He also maintains the web site for the Bali Hai Beach Resort in La Union, Philippines.

Bali Hai provides easy access to many of the attractions mentioned above. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently opened The Cliffs Golf Course, a nine-hole, par 72 all-weather championship golf course. The course features a unique ocean hole that is undoubtedly one of the best Par 3 holes in Asia. Nearby Baguio City also has two excellent golf courses.

Global Vote For "New 7 Wonders of Nature"

On July 21, the New 7 Wonders Foundation announced that the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef with 26 other spectacular natural landmarks entered into the final phase, for the global polling to choose the "New 7 Wonders of Nature".

Bernard Weber, the initiator of the New 7 Wonders Foundation, said that over 1 billion people are expected to join in the voting via phone, short message and internet.

During different stages of human society, "7 Wonders of Nature" has been voted several times. The earliest one was initiated in the 3rd century BC. The "7 Wonders of Nature" put forward by Lowell Thomas is familiar to most of us. In that vote, Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls and Mount Qomolangma were on the final list.

The slogan of the "New 7 Wonders of Nature" is "If we want to save anything, we first need to truly appreciate it!"
According to the requirements, the nominated landscapes should be nature landscapes or remains without human creation or reform, including reserve areas, canyons, caves, coast cliffs, forests, glaciers, volcanoes, natural conservation areas, etc.

Mr. Weber said he was pleased to see some cross-border landscapes entering into the final phase, such as the Dead Sea and the Amazon Rainforest.

There are 4 phase of the whole vote of "New 7 Wonders of Nature". First, participants all over the world nominate 261 landscapes as candidates. Second, expert team of the New 7 Wonders Foundation pick out the top 77 landscapes having the greatest number of votes. Third, the expert team finalizes 28 entrants to the final phase. And in the final phase, the "New 7 Wonders of Nature" will be voted by worldwide participants.

People all over the world could join in the voting by calling, sending short message, or logging in the website of the New 7 Wonders (www.new7wonders.com). The final result will be released in the year of 2011.

Online participants could vote 7 landscapes after logging in new7wonders.com, but for each email address, you have only one chance. However, it is difficult for the organizer to prevent participants from voting more than once via using multiple email addresses or calling several times.

As Associated Press reported, the "New 7 Wonders of Nature" attracted global attention at its first phase. The enthusiasm of people from Asia countries such as Indonesia, India, Bangladesh and Vietnam runs high. Also, there are a large number of participants in Africa, and most of them use cell phone to join the vote.

To seek more support for their prefer landscapes, some participants are propagating in multiple ways. For instance, publish articles on those landscapes online to let people known more about them. And in the real life, it is also recommended that to wear silicone wristbands with messages about landscapes you support to call people around to join in. With bright colors but low cost, it would be a useful way to show your support and draw people's attention. Which will be the "New 7 Wonders of Nature", the answer is on your wrists. Let's get going.