From the giant redwoods of California to the towering bamboo forests of Japan, the earth is full of breathtakingly beautiful forests that everyone should have on their bucket list. Spending time in nature will make you feel whole. Maybe it's to get away from social media, or just to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city but strolling through natural spaces can be a wonderful way to spend your vacation.
Even a short 20-minute walk in nature can go a long way toward boosting one's mental health, but these 6 forests are so beautiful you'll definitely want to stay longer.
1. Sequoia National and State Parks
The tall redwood trees (some approaching 350 feet) in Humboldt Redwoods State Park are the largest contiguous forest of ancient coastal redwoods in the world. The tallest one in the forest, named after the Greek mythological titan " Hyberion ", is nearly 380 feet tall.
2. South America Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon rainforest stretches across Brazil, Colombia and Peru, and the forest covers almost half of the continent. As the largest rainforest on Earth, the Amazon is home to more than 60,000 species of plants and 2,500 species of animals, including 1,300 species of birds. Unfortunately, deforestation, industrialization and fires and climate change put the Amazon (and all the plants and animals in it) at risk of disappearing, devastating for the entire planet, not to mention the forests themselves.
3. Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica
The Monteverde Cloud Forest takes its name from the low-hanging fog that hangs between the upper canopy of the forest. This fog provides much-needed condensation in the forest, allowing many plants to drink a full glass of water each day. The forest is known for its excellent biodiversity, with 3,000 plant species and more than 100 different mammals, 400 bird species and thousands of insect species.
4. Hallebosch Forest, Belgium
The Harebosch Forest is famous for its lush bluebells blooming in spring, making the forest landscape almost like a fairy tale. It's not hard to imagine Sleeping Beauty talking and singing with her animal friends in this place. But it's also a very popular tourist attraction if you visit Brussels in the spring, so chances are you'll meet "lots" of like-minded travelers.
5. Black Forest, Germany
The Black Forest Cake is not named after this beautiful forest. In fact, thousands of pine trees are actually very green, it's not completely black. Because the forest is dense all year round, the canopy blocks a lot of sunlight. So even if it's sunny, you're almost always in the shade when you're there. The most intimate of the forest is that there are also many quaint villages and natural hot springs scattered throughout.
6. Westman Forest, UK
If you've ever dreamed of living in the Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones universe, this forest is very close to your imagination. Located in Dartmoor National Park, the forest has many tangled, mossy trees that look like a fantasy novel. The trees themselves have a long history, with some areas dating back to 7,000 BC, while some of the larger oaks are estimated to be 500 years old.
