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The latest wellness-inspired travel trend, known as “dusking”, encourages people to step outside at the end of the day and simply watch the world slow down as daylight fades and the sun sets.
The idea is simple: no phones, no rushing, no productivity, just taking in the changing colours of the sky and the sounds of the evening.
It’s a practice rooted in the Netherlands and parts of Africa, and encourages people to reconnect with nature, slow down and reject the pressure to be endlessly productive.
Now, new research has ranked the best destinations in the world for the practice, combining atmospheric science, social media demand and travel trends to identify where dusk really delivers.
Tourist internet connectivity company Holafly has released its ‘Global Dusking Index’ and ranked the best places to experience the phenomenon.
What is the Global Dusking Index?
The company’s research mapped the physical science of atmospheric beauty, using four distinct “layers” which ranged from clear skies and light scattering to natural elements and the places travellers are most drawn to.
Each destination received a ranking after scoring in “atmospheric quality”, which is the physical science of what makes a sunset vivid, as well as in the “digital desire signal” category, which used Google Trends to see which locations UK travellers are actively searching for.
Social amplification – cultural momentum and visual desirability on TikTok and Instagram – was a factor, as was examining real travel behaviour to find out where travellers are actually going, not just where they aspire to go.
In the end, these destinations were revealed as the best places to experience dusking.
Santorini, Greece
Santorini is on practically every traveller’s bucket list – and it’s easy to see why.
Atmospheric data reveals that, while the Cycladic island has strong, rather than flawless, skies, much of the pull here is its popularity on Google as well as social media and the number of visitors.
Each year, thousands of people stand on Santorini’s iconic caldera and watch the whitewashed buildings turn moody hues.
It’s a daily ritual which has been experienced by travellers for years, and the study found that the magic here is mostly down to an undeniable, magnetic energy as well as atmospheric superiority.
Bali, Indonesia
The “Island of the Gods” is world-renowned for its stunning sunsets, and the data shows that a huge portion of Bali’s fame comes from viral, online moments.
“Bali golden hour” was found to be the most searched term across all destinations, and while atmospheric conditions were actually moderate in the index, there’s much more to Balinese sunsets than what you see on screen.
To experience the best dusk here, leave the buzzing beach clubs behind and settle on a peaceful stretch of volcanic black sand or a spot overlooking the jungle, and watch the sun sink, stunningly, into the Indian Ocean.
Tenerife, Spain
An enormously popular Canary Island, Tenerife comes alive as the sun goes down.
The data shows that the Atlantic island boasts exceptionally clear skies and an unobstructed solar geometry. It’s also very well searched – and visited – by tourists.
The best place to experience dusk here is far from the coastal resorts and up into Mount Teide.
There, expect one of the most peaceful sunsets of your life.
Amalfi Coast, Italy
The beautiful Amalfi Coast scored consistently highly across the index’s four layers, meaning it is a very strong offering, earning its place in the top five.
One of the most popular holiday spots in Italy, seeing the sun setting over the Tyrrhenian Sea has to be one of the most romantic experiences in the world.
As the sun starts to set, expect long shadows across lemon groves and cliffs turning shades of deep apricot.
Maldives
The Maldives is best known as a honeymoon destination, and perhaps not for its magical sunsets.
However, it rounds out the top five, as the index discovers it “presents the clearest case of social dominance over atmospheric reality”.
In practice, that means it boasts nearly 400 million TikTok views and three-quarters of a million Instagram posts, meaning its cultural presence can’t be underestimated. That’s despite its atmospheric quality ranking scoring the least amongst the top ten.
Nevertheless, the charm of the Maldives is very present – and especially at dusk.
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