New Zealand's lofty beacon

Even from relatively nearby spots in Oceania, this nation of islands is a long trip by boat, so New Zealand's 23 lighthouses are welcome sights for sailors. Though from base to top it's not the tallest of the 23, Castle Point Lighthouse stands above all on its high cliffside perch, rising 170 feet over waves that conceal hazardous reefs off the North Island's east coast. Activated in 1913—before which the area was notorious for shipwrecks—it was staffed by full-time keepers until 1988, when it became one of the last New Zealand lighthouses to be automated.