A new study has used meteorological data and social media popularity to reveal the most beautiful parts of the world to watch the sun go down.

Travel insurance specialists AllClear have unveiled the best sunset destinations, using a range of meteorological conditions as well as social media popularity to determine where you can find the most vivid sunset of all.

The study created a “Sunset Score” for 100 different destinations, by analysing key factors that influence sunset quality, encompassing cloud cover, wind, humidity and rainfall. It also considered the number of times each location’s sunsets have been shared on the photo sharing platform Instagram, before normalising and weighting the results to create a “Sunset Score” out of 100.

Cappadocia Named the Ultimate Sunset Spot

The serene landscapes of Cappadocia in Turkey take the crown – offering tourists a magical experience (often via hot air balloon) with a blend of vibrant colours set against the unique backdrop of the region’s fairy chimneys. With a Sunset Score of 86.1 out of 100, Cappadocia offers a golden hour that few other places on Earth can match.

Waikiki in Hawaii follows in second place, its unobstructed ocean vistas and palm trees beautifully framing the deep red and light pink hues of an iconic Hawaiian sunset and scoring 79.8 out of 100, while the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona completes the top three. Another golden hour hotspot, the sun setting on the vast, layered rock formations of the Grand Canyon scores it an impressive sunset score of 79.6 out of 100.

Other notable destinations to watch the sun go down include Ayers Rock in fourth place (79.6/100), one of Australia’s most iconic and pristine landmarks, Edinburgh, a Scottish city renowned for its dramatic displays of colour in the sky which takes 10th place, and Uluwatu - just a stone’s throw from Australia, the key holiday destination for Australians takes 11th place.