Omijima Island, Kita-Nagato Kaigan Quasi-National Park, Japan

© Sean Pavone Photo/Adobe Stoc

Omijima Island, Japan

The striking coastline of Omijima Island has earned it the nickname The Alps of the Sea. Its sheer cliffs and dramatic angles certainly resemble the skyscraping peaks in that European mountain range. But a visit to Omijimi Island will take you to the other side of the world, to Kita-Nagato Kaigan Quasi-National Park, in Yamaguchi, Japan. If the roughly 40 kilometres of dramatic coastline ever tempt you to visit, there are plenty of ways to enjoy this natural art museum. Take, for instance, Omijima Island Nature Research Road which stretches for 1,900 metres, offering sunset views of the natural rock formations rising from the bay. Or if you’d rather experience thrills that aren’t available on land, year-round scuba diving adventures reveal a world under the waves just as beautiful as the one above the surface.