3 Breathtaking Spots to Watch the Sunset

1. Maui, Hawaii

Wailea Beach

When Arizona-based newspaper reporter, freelance travel writer, and travel bloggerCindy Barks thinks of sunsets, she thinks of Maui. She refers to Hawaii’s tropical Valley Isle as “a veritable sunset machine.” Barks says, “When I met my son and daughter-in-law in Maui in October 2019 for a weeklong stay, the sunsets (and sunrises) were outstanding wherever we happened to be. Whether we were having a cocktail at the Hotel Wailea or spending the evening in the forested area near Haiku, the sunsets did not disappoint.”

2. Santorini, Greece

A retired elementary school teacher, Jeanine Consoli is a freelance travel writer, photographer, and foodie. She describes her favorite sunset in the Greek Isles on a catamaran cruise in Santorini last month.

“This was a delayed COVID celebration for our daughters’ graduation from college and a family trip. Probably not the last, but it would be difficult going forward. With jobs and commitments, the four of us would find it hard to get time to travel like this again, and we cherished the opportunity. We spent the late afternoon sailing around the beaches, snorkeling, and admiring the volcanic landmass from the sea. As we sailed around the caldera, the actual crater of the ancient volcano, to the city at the very end, Oia, nothing blocked our view of the setting sun. The wide-open Aegean Sea spread out as the bright orange ball began to slowly dip into the deep azure water as the orange, purple, and blues spread out across the open sky. We all cheered and clapped at the sun dipped into the water and hugged tightly, savoring the beauty and the incredible moment,” says Consoli, who says she will cherish the memory forever.

3. Bandon, Oregon

““The heart of Bandon is still a funky village, where you can walk on the beach, stroll on the Old Town boardwalk, eat clam chowder, visit art galleries, and buy souvenirs,” according to Rogers, who returns annually to meet up with nearby family. “Last month, after we walked on the beach, admired rock formations, and paddled on the Coquille River, we enjoyed my cousin’s pasta in our van. We capped off the evening by watching this sunset,” says Rogers..”

Bandon is also home to Circles in the Sand, which Rogers describes as “a labyrinth in the sand designed by artist Denny Dyke, who first created one in 2011 for his own walking meditation. Since then it has grown to become a popular community experience.”

Brandon, Oregon with Louisa Rogers

Louisa Rogers is a self-described writer, leadership coach, trainer, ex-pat, hiker, cook, and paddleboarder. She and her husband Barry discovered the sleepy town of Bandon while bicycling down the Oregon coast in the early ’80s. “We were so charmed by this tiny hippie village, located about halfway down the coast, that after a week of hard-core camping, we splurged and stayed in a hostel,” Rogers explains. “Since then, Bandon has grown enormously, with many developments and a famous golf course with what are considered the best links outside Scotland.”