10 Most Beautiful Natural Arches In The World

A natural arch is commonly formed by erosion of soft rock by water. Often natural arches will appear near or on cliffs that are found by the sea or rivers (or where the sea or rivers used to be). Another way natural arches can be formed is erosion by wind. Whether they appear alone or in a group, near the water or in the middle of the desert, natural formed arches are always a big attraction to tourists and travelers (just like man made arches)

1. Arches National Park, Utah, United States

First on the list, without a doubt, is not one arch but an entire national park with over 2000 natural arches! This national park was established in 1929 and receives over a million visitors each year. You can easily spend a day in this 76,679 acres (31,031 ha) park, walking and driving between the arches. The most famous attraction in the park is the famous Delicate Arch

 

2. The Arches of Étretat, France

The small town of Étretat is located in north-western France. It is most famous for its cliffs that include three natural arches called the Porte d’Aval, the Porte d’Amont and the Manneporte. These cliffs attracted famous artists such as Eugène Boudin, Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet. The arches even appear in some paintings of Claude Monet

 

3. Pont d’Arc, France

This large natural arch is located near the town of Vallon-Pont-d’Arc in southern France. The arch is 60 meters wide and 54 meters high, and it was carved by the Ardèche River. The arch itself along with the section of the river around the arch are a popular tourists attraction. Many tourists and locals enjoy kayaking the river and pass underneath the beautiful monument

 

4. El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

This natural arch is located at the southern most point of Baja California Peninsula in Mexico, in the city of Cabo San Lucas. The spot is a popular attraction for tourists, which get to the arch by kayaks, speedboats, jet skis or commercial boats

 

5. La Portada, Chile

This natural arch is located on the coast of Chile and is listed as one of the 15 natural monuments that are protected areas of the country

 

6. Tianmen cave at Tianmen Mountain, China

Located at the summit of Tianmen Mountain in Tianmen Mountain National Park, this natural arch is called Tianmen Cave. It is 100 feet (30 meters) wide and can be reached by either a road (which is one of the most beautiful drives), a cableway, or by foot

 

7. Moon Hill, China

Located outside Yangshuo, this 50 meters tall arch is located on-top of a  230 meters (750 ft) hill. The visitors can reach the arch by a 20 minutes climb, and walk through the arch, or take a longer walk and climb all the way to the top of the arch. The arch offers a wonderful view of the surrounding area

 

8. Durdle Door, England

Located on a privately owned land, but open to the public to visit, this natural limestone arch is located in the district of Dorset

 

9. Azure Window, Malta

A limestone natural arch on Gozo island, part of Malta. The arch is 28 meters (92 ft) high and was created after two limestone caves collapsed by the sea erosion. Rock parts still fall from under the arch, which according to experts might collapse altogether within a few years. Many tourists enjoy swimming and scuba diving around the arch

 

10. The Green Bridge of Wales, Wales

This beautiful rock formation is located inside Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in Wales