From volcanic peaks to plunging valleys, golden beaches to underground caves, New Zealand is full of breathtaking landscapes and unforgettable natural wonders. In addition, the country has relatively mild weather all year-round, according to Ari Sarasalari, meteorologist for The Weather Channel. “There’s really not a bad time to visit,” he says, though in summer “they have a bit less rain and temperatures are warmer.” Travelers looking to relax by a New Zealand beach during the summer have lots of options,...

Constructed between 1631 and 1648 on the banks of Agra's Jamuna River, the Taj Mahal was built for the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth. It is said that it took 20,000 stone carvers, masons and artists from across India, Turkey and Iraq, to design and build the stunning white marble monument, reports National Geographic. The mausoleaum was designated aUNESCO World Heritage sitein 1983, and for years it has remained...

Sitting on the ground, the metal cage seen in the video above looks rickety and dangerous. Now imagine it swinging 1,500 feet above the ground, being used as a cable car to transport people! Located in central China's Hubei province, passengers cross the 3,000 foot wide ravine on little more than a zip line with a diesel engine. The alternative is walking several days through the mountains. So this the fastest way, by far, for people to go back and...

Former movie stuntman Pascal Whelan is the lone resident of Omey Island, a tidal island situated near Claddaghduff on the western edge of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. (Kevin Griffin) Some people dream of living on an island they call their own. Former movie stuntman Pascal Whelan is living that dream. Whelan is currently the only resident of Omey Island, a tiny tidal island located near Claddaghduff on the western edge of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. His solitary life...

Is it night or day? To capture these stunning photos of landscapes, illuminated only by the light of the full moon, British artist Darren Almond kept the shutter open for a quarter of an hour to soak up the moonlight and light up the landscapes as if it was daybreak. The long exposure time produces a haunting quality and a mild glow that reveals details such as star-lines across the sky, a misty froth-like blanket of water, and even a...

Americans don't have to venture halfway around the world for vacation destinations that are almost always sunny. Of the 10 cities that average the sunniest weather per year, five can be found in the United States. In the gallery at the top of this page, you can see all 10 cities that topped the World Meteorological Organization's list of the sunniest towns in the world. (MORE: These Are the Laziest Cities in America) The list was compiled by the WMO,...

From a bloodied polar bear fresh from a kill in the Arctic to pilgrims on an all-night vigil in the Peruvian Andes, the Travel Photographer of the Year 2014 competition showcases the wild, awe-inspiring moments and beautifully diverse people of the Earth. UK photographer Philip Lee Harvey took the highest prize and title of 2014 Travel Photographer of the Year with his richly detailed images of the rock churches of Lalibela in Ethiopia and the Himba tribe of Namibia. Although...

If your car is keeping you from going on off-road adventures, or even preventing you from getting to the grocery store in a snowstorm, then this is the car of your dreams. It is called the EarthRoamer, and it's one of the craziest things you've ever seen on four wheels. The camper looks tough on the outside, but it's the inside that has people stopping in their tracks. For $500,000 you can go off-roading in style with a kitchen, luxury...

The Philippines are filled with exquisite sites, from majesticwaterfalls tothe vibrant Tubbataha Reef. The country's tropical climate lends to beautiful views and fun-filled vacations. Thousands of tourists take hundreds of photos of the beautiful scenes the country has to offer, however, Jason Godfrey came home with a video a bit different than what we usually see. Godfrey didn't take photos of the sandy beaches or one of the country's volcanoes, instead, he took a video of a Shell gas station...

This photo provided by Rithvik Reddy shows passengers aboard Etihad Airways Flight EY 183 who where stuck on the tarmac for 12 hours. Hundreds of air travelers landed in San Francisco, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, safe but irritated after a 28-hour overseas flight they say included 12 hours on a tarmac in the Middle East without food or accurate flight information. (AP Photo/Rithvik Reddy) Many of us have experienced flight delays and airplane inconveniences but imagine being stuck in a...

Cruise ships represent represent a luxurious vacation away from everyday life, where voyagers can enjoy extravagant amenities aboard massive, floating resorts on the seas. And cruise lines are going bigger: currently, there are more than 50 cruise ships with a gross tonnage exceeding 100,000. But cruise ships are also getting "smarter." In 2014, Royal Caribbean International launched Quantum of the Seas, a ship packed with so many high-tech amenities (robot bartenders, virtual balconies in windowless rooms) that it was Many...

Gas prices are plunging, and euphoric drivers have responded accordingly. It's estimated that the average household due to a decline in prices, GasBuddy.com senior analyst Patrick DeHaan told CNBC. The dramatic plunge is expected to continue, and 2015 gas prices could be down a dollar from the 2014 average, the report added. That might not seem like much, but for the first time in more than 5 years, it has drivers excited to hit the roads. (PHOTOS:) Chart via GasBuddy.com...