Sunsets have a way of making even the most unexciting destination become alive. The captivating hues over a coast or skyline can elicit such warm and upbeat feelings. It’s an enthralling moment I try to take advantage of as often and in as many destinations as possible.
I’ve gathered some of the most memorable sunset moments from my journeys around the globe including Budapest, Greece, and Thailand. Check them out and let me know where you’d prefer to capture the sunset.
Phuket, Thailand
Beach lovers, water sports and pink sunsets reign supreme in Phuket. Watching the sky’s vibrant fiery red and bright orange colors turn boats into silhouettes was just subtly beautiful.
Venice Beach, California
We were strolling along the Venice Beach Boardwalk as we watched the glowing sun descended over the Pacific Ocean. I’m in awe of all the beauty radiating from this shot… the beaming sun, contrasting sky, magnificent silhouettes. Just mesmerizing!
Long Island City, New York
Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Gantry Plaza State Park, along the East River is one of the most relaxing ways to bring an evening to close.
Santorini, Greece
It was all too easy to capture images of the sun sinking into the Aegean Sea from picturesque Santorini, known for being one of the best places in the world to catch the sunset.

Sunset over Santorini’s Volcanic Caldera

Cliffs near popular sunset watching spot – the town of Oia

Sunset over Santorini’s first fortress – Skaros Rock
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Mesmerized by the muted tones of this magical Fort Lauderdale sunset. Exquisite!
Pebble Beach, California
Another dazzling California sunset! This one was captured at the Lone Cypress stop along the scenic Pebble Beach 17-Mile Drive.
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio is a unique hillside destination surrounded by mountains, jungle, and beaches — a setting for truly exceptional sunsets. Watching the beautiful backdrop (while enjoying dinner) high above the hilly landscape was the perfect end to a beautiful day.
Troy, New York
This image comes courtesy of avid traveler and Coastlines to Skylines subscriber Yasmine L. This technically isn’t from one of my travels, but it was too gorgeous to pass up. I love the soft pink, blue and purple hues reflecting from the calm river below. What a beauty!
Somewhere over the Pacific
Not quite a sunset, but I couldn’t resist sharing this sunrise captured mid-air over the Pacific Ocean. I’m in awe of how the dazzling array of soft pinks, blues, and purple hues form a beautiful backdrop among the shroud of darkness.
Cancun, Mexico
It’s no secret I’m partial to sunsets, especially over water. While heading ashore from an excursion in Cancan, I captured this magnificent shot of the sun fading away leaving behind its golden hues. It’s the perfect combination: water, sunset and ensuing beauty.
Key West, Florida
Sunset in Key West’s Mallory Square is a nightly tradition with tourists and locals alike. The crowds all assemble into the square as the sun descends into the Gulf of Mexico. I’ll let the fiery bright orange colors in this photo speak for itself.
Dana Point, California
As we hike toward the Dana Point sea caves, we slowly watched the sky transitioned from soft blues to pink and finally bright red and orange hues.

Walking path toward the sea caves
Watching the final rays of subtle pinks and oranges hues within the sea cave. It was riveting!
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is filled with character, charm, and history. Buda and Pest are two districts split by the Danube River connected by the Chain Bridge. We captured this amazing sunset while touring the hilly Buda side.
San Juan, Puerto Rico 
Puerto Rico is a natural beauty with lovely beaches, vast rainforest, and of course majestic sunsets.
Pacific Coast Highway, California
With miles of gorgeous coastlines and landscapes, there’s no shortage of places to capture the sun setting on the California coast. This subtle sunset surprised us along the Malibu stretch of our Pacific Coast Highway road trip.
Paros, Greece
The stunning sunset, gorgeous hills and whitewashed houses highlight the breathtaking beauty of Paros.
Miami, Florida
Sunsets are almost a guaranteed nightly gift in your own backyard. This one was captured during an evening walk in the village of Miami Shores.
Greenville, North Carolina 
And sometimes, the best sunsets appear when you’re not even looking for them. While visiting a dear friend on her North Carolina farm, sitting out, talking and appreciating the outdoors and suddenly this beauty appeared. It was epic!
4 comments
I love sunsets! They’re one of my favourite things, and I’m absolutely desperate to go to Santorini and see one there. That said, all of these are gorgeous and may need to be added to my list. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks! Sunsets in Santorini are magical! The village of Oia is the most popular place to watch the sun set, but Imerovigli has some of the best views of the caldera at sunset. The Fira-Oia hiking trail is another great place to watch the sunset.
Wow, what a beautiful collection of sunsets! My favourite photo is definitely the one of Venice Beach, it’s stunning. I was lucky enough to visit the Galapagos Islands earlier this year and saw some cracking sunsets there. Definitely one for the bucket list! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Sheree. While I clearly have a bias for all the sunsets featured, I’m particularly found of the Venice Beach one as well. I just love the contrasting sky with the silhouettes captured. Oh wow, the Galapagos? That must have been quite a treat. It’s definitely on my bucket list, but prioritizing it is another thing. Thanks for checking our the site.