Get the camera ready; these are the best places in the world to see the sky lit up – naturally.
Missed out on witnessing the recent auroras? With parts of Australia treated to a rare glimpse of the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis), and simultaneously the UK the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), these natural phenomena, which are as elusive as they are breathtaking, are the hot topic on everyone's tongue.
Even if you missed out this time, you can still go in search for them at one of the world's hotspots. For the pinky-purple Southern Lights, you’re in with a good shot during winter at the southern islands of Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica. If you’re chasing the green and white glow of the Northern Lights, countries like Finland, Norway, Scandinavia, and Canada boast frequent sightings between October to April.
Read on for the best places to see the auroras.
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Where can I see the Southern Lights?
Bruny Island, Tasmania
This island off the southeast coast of Tasmania offers the best viewpoint for the Aurora Australis when and if it returns. Just a 30-minute drive and a short ferry ride from Hobart, this scenic island is relatively free of city light pollution – making it easier to view the Southern Lights. Stay at the cosy Cloudy Bay Beach House and drive to The Neck, climb the stairs, and look south for some of the best views of the vast sky.
Stewart Island, New Zealand
Take a ferry from Bluff on the South Island to Stewart Island – New Zealand’s home of the best Aurora Australis sightings. Meaning ‘glowing skies’ in Maori, Rakiura National Park has been internationally recognised as a Dark Sky Sanctuary, meaning the night sky over this remote island makes for exceptional viewing. Because of this, it’s also a favourite spot for stargazers.
Antarctica
The intrepid explorer reaps the greatest rewards: what this destination lacks in accessibility, it makes up for in sheer isolated beauty and pristine night skies. Join a luxury expedition on a small-group voyage or a private fly-over adventure to the ‘Last Continent’ in search of the bold pinks and deep purples of the Aurora Australis.
Where can I see the Northern Lights?
Finland, Norway, Scandinavia
When it comes to the Northern Lights, Finland and Norway are the first two destinations that come to mind. Take your best shot at viewing this cosmic green and pink light show on this luxury guided tour to the heart of Lapland. Zoom through the snow aboard a snowmobile and husky, sleep underneath the stars in a spectacular glass-domed igloo, and glide along the fjord postal route through the Norwegian Sea - all in the hopes of witnessing nature’s best light show.
Alternatively, see the lights while scaling Scandinavia’s breathtaking mountain tops on an exhilarating Northern Lights of Scandinavia tour. Chart your way through Finnish Lapland to cosy up in a cabin in Aurora Village and peer out the glass roofing as vivid colours paint the night sky.
Canada
Due to the country’s north sitting under the Auroral Oval – the area surrounding the North Pole – there is a variety of countryside, coastal and mountaintop destinations to see the lights in Canada. Make your way to the rugged Northwest Territories as part of this wilderness tour, finding a lakeside base in Yellowknife with high hopes of catching the spectacular Northern Lights. Over your three-night stay, search high above for the elusive aurora, hopefully seeing vibrant greens, blues, and purples shift in the sky as you sip hot chocolate at Aurora Village.
Feature image: Lightscape on Unsplash.
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