Jordanian Desert Ranked World's Best Location for Watching Sunsets
A new international study by Kuoni and British Weather Services has ranked Wadi Rum in Jordan as the world's best destination for watching sunsets, followed by locations in Namibia, Chile, and Oman.
A new international study ranking the world's best sunset locations has placed a desert in neighboring Jordan at the very top of the list.
Conducted by travel company Kuoni in collaboration with senior meteorologist Jim Dale from British Weather Services, the research evaluated 165 global destinations to identify where optimal conditions exist for viewing the golden hour. Unlike rankings based on social media photos or traveler reviews, this assessment examined six criteria, including cloud cover, light pollution, artificial brightness, precipitation levels, wind speed, and sunset duration.
Wadi Rum Claims the Top Spot
With a near-perfect score of 95.92, the Wadi Rum desert in southern Jordan was crowned the world's best sunset viewing spot. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and dubbed the "Valley of the Moon," the location features dramatic red sand dunes and sandstone rock formations that have frequently served as a backdrop for Hollywood blockbusters like Dune.
Beyond its striking scenery, Wadi Rum's primary advantage is its climate. The study revealed that cloud cover in the area stands at just 15.3%, while precipitation is exceptionally low at 0.1 millimeters. The combination of clear skies, wide-open spaces, and minimal light pollution creates an ideal setting for observing both sunsets and nighttime stargazing.
Namibia and Global Desert Dominance
Sossusvlei in Namibia secured second place with a score of 94.93, boasting the lowest cloud cover among top-tier locations at 14.8%. Damaraland, another Namibian destination, claimed third place with 91.83 points, offering a rugged mountainous landscape alongside unique desert wildlife.
The Atacama Desert in Chile ranked fourth with a score of 91.23, followed by the Wahiba Sands in Oman in fifth place with 89.89 points. A key finding of the study is the absolute dominance of desert environments, which benefit from limited cloud cover, expansive horizons, and freedom from artificial light.
