people hiking up a dune in the Sossusvlei area of Namibia
a motorcycle crossing rumble strips in Malaysia
an aurora above Bergsbotn, Norway
sunset near the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
super trees lit at night at the Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
a sharks near a bait ball seen underwater near Port Saint Johns, South Africa
lightning above the Sydney Opera House at night, Australia
a women looking at architecture in Bikaner, India
a view from a car in the rain in Havana, Cuba
people celebrating during a Holi festival in Vrindavan, India
Aerial picture of pink lights seen in an alleyway in Ningbo, China
people drying cloths in Bangladesh
a lava explosion on Mt. Stromboli, Italy
Aerial picture of a dirt road near the water in Paia, Hawaii
a kingfisher bird resting on a branch near the river in Karnataka, India
a gondola at Les Gets ski resort, France
a greenery on eco-friendly balconies at the Park Royal Hotel, Singapore
a diver underwater in the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, New Zealand
boys playing soccer in an alley in Chefchaouen, Morocco
people sharing food to celebrate Rakher upobash in Dhaka, Bangladesh
a farmer watering flower fields in Sa Dec, Vietnam
Aerial picture of a river in Iceland
fog rolling over hills in West Marin County, California
a couple photographing plum trees in Inabe, Japan
hikers on Rainbow Mountain, Peru
flamingos at rest in Kalochori Lagoon, Greece
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Pacific Coast Highway, California"Sometimes you need to get off the road to enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Coast Highway. I've been to this highway many times for its unbeatable view. There is no place to park, so my friend dropped me off. The marine fog quickly merged with the cliff after sunset, and I was lucky enough to capture this shot. I love California!"
Photograph and caption by Jiawei L., 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest

Here are some of the world's most colorful places

From California to Iceland to India: a kaleidoscope of vivid images shared by photographers.

BySarah Polger
May 20, 2019
See more photos from the 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest and check back for the winners annoucement on June 12.

So many of our travel memories are infused with color: soft-blue velvet skylines, tangerine soaked dusky horizons, and crisp snowy, white mountain mornings. Long after they’ve returned home, travelers recall vivid memories, and photographers look back at the colors they captured in a single frame. (See more colorful travel photos from last year’s contest.) Explore these vibrant entries to the 2019 Travel Photo Contest for inspiration for your next destination and start planning a rainbow-themed itinerary for your next trip.

Captions were written and submitted by the photographers.

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