There’s a reason so many people love to travel. Traveling can open the door to so many new experiences and breathtaking sights.
In fact, you might notice some gorgeous views right as you cross borders from one country to another. These are some of the most stunning and surprising views countries around the world share at their borders.
There’s a reason so many people love to travel. Traveling can open the door to so many new experiences and breathtaking sights. In fact, you might notice some gorgeous views right as you cross borders from one country to another. These are some of the most stunning and surprising views countries around the world share at their borders.
Sweden and Norway
Sweden and Norway are two northern European countries. Unsurprisingly, this comes with a rather chill climate, especially when winter rolls around. This motorcycle rider was right on the border of Norway and Sweden when someone snapped this shot.
More Sweden and Norway
Before moving onto a different border, it’s worth looking at another border between Sweden and Norway. It isn’t all snowy landscapes!
This person snapped a picture on a Sweden and Norway border you could drive right through. The line is even painted on the road with a label to tell you which side you’re on! Alternatively, like this person, you could take the chance to visit both at once.
Argentina and Brazil
Another natural border that really stuns anyone who sees it sits between Argentina and Brazil. You won’t see a painted line on the ground but you’ll see something much more memorable.
The border is made up of the pictured Iguazu Falls. This is more than just a huge waterfall system too — it’s the largest in the world! All in all, the system is made up of more than 275 individual falls. If you stop by this wonder, you won’t forget it anytime soon!
Estonia and Russia
There are a lot of ways countries’ borders can stand out. Some opt for structures to mark the spot. You can recognize the border of Estonia and Russia from some striking structures.
At the end of the day, not every country sports castles on its borders. The border is split by the Narva River and on either side of the river is Ivangorod Fortress and Hermann Castle. Herman Castle is in Estonia while Ivangorod Fortress is in Russia.
Poland and Slovakia
Slovakia and Poland are another set of countries that share a striking natural border. This time, you’ll have to climb a bit to see it. The two countries are broken up by the High Tatras Mountains.
These mountains are in the National Park High Tatras, which is largely situated in Slovakia — although part of the park does share some of its area with Poland as well. The photographer definitely caught a rather stunning image of the border here.
Brazil and Uruguay
If you don’t live near a border, you probably don’t picture them as very nearly unnoticeable if you didn’t know they were there. This border between Brazil and Uruguay is easy to walk right past — or over — if you’re not paying attention.
After all, it’s not often that you can walk across the street after parking your car and end up in another country altogether! It looks like one bird here was wandering between them on its travels.
Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand
Of course, sharing a border isn’t something that happens between just two countries. The world isn’t broken up into perfectly lined-up squares.
For a border where three countries meet, we can look to Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. These three meet and the spot is marked with a triangular marker. The green side marks Myanmar, red for Laos, and yellow for Thailand. You could be in all three at once!
Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay
Another triple-border lies between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. It’s much easier to see it in an aerial shot like this. A river breaks up the continent a bit, carving out the three different landscapes you see in the picture here.
In dividing up these borders, the river provided a clear natural option and now someone could swim from one to another if they really tried but a boat might be an easier choice.
Austria and Germany
Jumping back to Europe, Austria and Germany share a memorable border as well. This one is particularly interesting for its placement.
The two who were in this picture are standing inside the Purtschellerhutte Mountain Cottage, which is already an eye-catching place beneath the peak of Hoher Goell. Once you get inside, the border is marked as well. Walking from one room to the next, you can visit Germany or Austria.
Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands
We’ve seen a few monuments and milestones marking the border at this point. Some of these views are a bit hard to get to and enjoy, though. This border was one they wanted visitors to enjoy.
Outfitted with the flags of all the countries that meet, you can grab a seat at the spot where Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany meet. The spot is close to the city, Aachen.
Argentina and Chile
If you head to the border between Chile and Argentina, you’ll find a small plaque that marks which country you’re in. If you stand on this spot of the border, they have a rather clever double-sided sign.
If you stand on the Chile side, you’ll look to see the sign showing you where to go to get to Argentina. Once you cross over and look back, the sign tells you how to get back to Chile.
Asia-Europe Border in Russia
This one is a little different because it isn’t a border between countries. This border lies within a single country — Russia. However, Russia actually spreads across two continents.
You could stand in Europe or cross over into the parts of Russia that fall within Asia on the map. This photo shows a couple of people standing right on the line where Asia and Europe meet, marked clearly so you can tell.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia
Some borders don’t start where land meets land. Sometimes, the border is a bit wider, making it hard to see both sides at the same time.
At first glance, you might think this is just a beach but you can see the other side of the border off in the distance. These two pieces of land belong to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The body of water between them is the Red Sea.
Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia
This is yet another great spot if you want to see three countries meet at a single border. You can even take a moment to rest here.
The border here is where Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia meet one another and it’s marked with a table. You can sit here and enjoy the scenery or grab a photo of yourself in each country. To tell what’s where the table is marked with the seals of each country.
Kenya and Tanzania
This stone might seem rather uneventful at first glance, even though it sticks out, especially against the flat plain serving as a backdrop here. This person isn’t standing on just any stone.
This marker is set to mark the border between Kenya and Tanzania. The person posing is positioned with Kenya to their left while their right hand is in Tanzania. It makes for a must-stop spot if you like to grab photos that are technically in two countries at once.
China and Vietnam
Making up another natural border is the line between China and Vietnam. One of the landmarks between these two countries is a set of beautiful waterfalls.
The falls belong to the Ban Gioc Waterfall on the Quay Son River, which straddles the border between the countries but mostly falls in Vietnam. As such, they have a reputation as Vietnam’s widest waterfall at a full 300 meters across with three distinct levels the falls tumble down.
Spain and Portugal
We’ve seen a few types of borders so far. Some are easy enough to just walk across and visit — or you can pose with a marker to commemorate the line.
Between Spain and Portugal, they decided to make things a little bit more fun. Instead of simply walking across, you can hop on a zipline to visit one side of the border or the other. Of course, it does take a little bravery.
Hungary and Slovakia
There are quite a few borders around the world that rely on natural water features to break up the land. This is true for Hungary and Slovakia, too.
You won’t have to get wet to jump from one locale to the next. In this picture, you can see Hungary on the left and Slovakia on the right. If you want to jump from one to the other, all you have to do is drive across the bridge.
Austria and Slovenia
If you don’t have any water features around the border, other landmarks work just fine. Mountain ranges are often noticeable dividers. The mountain range pictured here is none other than the Alps.
If you look closely, you’ll notice that the Austrian side is a lot snowier than the Slovenian side. You can thank the sun for this effect and it’s easy to see why some note Slovenia for being on the “sunny side of the Alps.”
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
If you have a fear of bridges, this might be breathtaking for all the wrong reasons. Still, it’s a striking feat of engineering. The body of water here separates Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
The long bridge connects the two countries and it’s stunningly long — at a little over 15 and a half miles. It’s an impressive way to promote movement over the water breaking up this border.
France and Germany
A lot of the borders we’ve seen here are clearly marked although a few break the mold. France and Germany have one area of their border that’s hard to miss.
The only thing to tell you that you’re somewhere new is a sign telling them the locale they’re in. If you drove past this sign that said “Leiding” without noticing, you might just miss that you crossed the border between Germany and France.
Belgium and the Netherlands
You don’t need a lot of pomp and circumstance to mark every part of the border. Sometimes, it’s a little inconvenient to do so.
At this place where Belgium and France intersect, at least in the section shown in the photo, you could easily step across into the other country whenever you wanted. In fact, if you sat in one of these seats, you could stick your arm out and reach into Belgium!
Guatemala and Mexico
Guatemala shares one side of its border with Mexico. So, there’s a lot to see along the border here when you’re taking in the sights.
One that really took our breath away is Lake Yichen, also known as “International Lake,” named for the shared border. The photo here paints a rather serene picture, complete with some atmospheric fog to give us a sense of the border lake in the early morning.
Belize and Guatemala
Before we step away from Guatemala yet, they have another beautiful border spot that’s stunning. This one they share with Belize. If you don’t know where it is or just aren’t feeling very adventurous, you might miss this one altogether.
That’s because it runs through the jungle and rather than a painted street or man-made marker, it seems like nature rules for at least the section of the border pictured here.
Czech, Germany, and Poland
Another triple-sided border in Europe is this border dividing up Czech, Polish, and German land. It’s not hard to see which one you’re in either.
Each one is marked with a banner flag of the country they represent, all tied together nicely with the flag of the European Union in the middle. Well, roughly the middle, given that Germany is separated from the other two by a narrow body of water which is why you can’t see it here.
Germany and Poland
Beyond where the three countries we just looked at share a border, Poland and Germany continue a border beyond that as well. That’s exactly what you can see here — a section of it, at least.
Instead of banners or flags, each side of this beachside boardwalk is decorated in accordance with each country’s flag’s colors. Plus, it seems like a nice trip to the beach no matter what side you’re on!
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Macau and China
This isn’t quite a border between countries — Macau is still technically a part of China. However, it operates as its own special administrative region or SAR. One difference between Macau and mainland China is the side of the road they drive on.
If you drive in Macau, you’ll be on the left side of the road. Coming from the rest of China, you’ll be on the right side. This is how the roads converge to accommodate the change.
Canada and the U.S.
Canada and the United States share a pretty long border. With that in mind, it makes sense that there are a few different sights to see along the way.
Sometimes, not all of the sights are all that striking. Still, this aerial view of the border shows a striking divide. The United States is on the left in this picture while Canada is on the right. The path running down the center marks the border between the two.
U.S. and Canada – Another Take
This is another spot that marks the transition from the U.S. to Canada. Once again, this one doesn’t have too much fanfare behind it.
The only thing marking the difference here is a painted line on the ground. It’s interesting to see where it’s placed, though. It seems like you could leave your apartment in the United States and pull right into Canada even to just run down the road.
The Haskell Public Library
What if you didn’t even have to cross the street to go to another country, though? What if you could just grab a few books in one country and check them out in another?
If you visit the Haskell Public Library, you have the chance to do just that. The library is split between the United States and Canada with part of it in Derby Line, Vermont, and another part in Stanstead, Québec, Canada.
Finland, Norway, and Sweden
This border does cross over a body of water but that doesn’t mean these three countries weren’t ready to mark the spot anyways.
If you follow this narrow path out to the pedestal, you can talk a short walk around it to visit three different countries. Given that these countries are Finland, Norway, and Sweden, you might want to bring a sweater for your waterside walks.
The Czech Republic and Poland
The view of these two towns is beautiful, to say the least. Separated by a waterway, the two towns on either side of the water actually belong to different countries.
On the left, you can see Poland, specifically the town of Cieszyn. If you cross the water and visit the town on the right in this photo, you’ll be in Český Těšín which sits in the Czech Republic.
Poland and Ukraine
A lot of countries go for go-to signals of their borders. For instance, maybe you’ll see a sign or a line painted on the road.
At this border, they got a little more artistic and it’s definitely eye-catching if you get an aerial view like this photographer did! The giant fish here — along with the line dividing them in half — marks the border between Poland and Ukraine in a way that’s hard to miss.
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Slovakia and Ukraine
Ukraine shares another part of its border with Slovakia. Some parts of this border are largely natural as this picture here shows.
If you’re up for a hike along a trail, you could follow the border between Slovakia and Ukraine for a while to see both countries at one. The left side of the photo shows Slovakia while the right side of the photo is in Ukraine. This person is standing right in between!
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Portugal and Spain
There are some places around the world where your easiest choice to get from one country to another is to grab a ticket to fly from one place to another.
If you live close to the border, you might have a few easier — or at least more convenient — options to get from one place to another. If you drive down this stretch of road, you can hop between Spain and Portugal. The vehicle pictured here is heading out of Portugal and into Spain.
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Estonia and Russia
Some settings are so picturesque that you don’t expect to see them in real life. However, some sights will surprise you.
This picture would be fitting in brushstrokes too and the ramparts pictured here seem like something from a painting too! Yet, this is a real scene and it’s actually the border between Estonia and Russia. Russia is shown on the left side of this body of water with Estonia on the right.
Belarus and Russia
Another Russian border is marked by a much more unassuming stretch of land. You could drive right past if you aren’t paying attention. Well, to be fair, there is a marker off to the right side of this photo but it’s not fully featured in the image the photographer snapped.
On the side closer to the photographer is Russia but if you follow the road from where the photographer is standing, you’ll quickly find yourself in Belarus.
France and Spain
A lot of people love to bike. Even if you don’t use it as a mode of transportation, it can be a fun past-time or a bit of exercise. These two are biking in a spot with a picturesque view.
Instead of going around the block, they can bike from one country to another! The spot they’ve stopped to rest at is actually the border between France and Spain.
Denmark and Sweden
If you look at a map, you might not think of Denmark and Sweden sharing a border. They do, it just isn’t a land border you can stand on.
Still, they’ve found a way to connect the two without requiring the help of a ride on a plane or boat if people want to visit the neighboring country. This picture shows an impressive bridge connecting the two countries. This bridge is called the Øresund Bridge and it’s Europe’s longest rail and road bridge.
France, Germany, and Switzerland
The picture here was taken in Basel, a city in Switzerland. However, the monument in the middle marks the border of the three countries connecting.
As you might have noticed from the zoomed-in image in the corner, each side of the statue is decorated with an emblem matching the country’s flag. The border here connects Switzerland with both Germany and France. You could walk around the statue to visit all three!
Moldova and Romania
This picture really gives us a bird’s eye view. Well, technically the view from a plane but it’s still a pretty clear view of the border.
Not to mention, you usually can’t see so much of the border at once when you’re standing directly on it. This image shows the border of Romania and Moldova. You can even see the border physically this time, thanks to its definition by the river.
France and Italy
There are some borders you could walk right over and miss. Others have markers that make it hard to miss them as you walk past. While made with a natural material, it’s easy to see why this stone block would stand out against the rest of the scenery here.
After all, most stones don’t have such a perfectly-sculpted shape and they would stand out against the flatter stones behind them, right on the edge of Italy and France.
Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine
If you’re willing to take a hike to the top of Mount Krzemieniec, you can take another photo at an intersection of borders. At the peak of the mountain, you’ll find the monument pictured here.
The statue marks the point where the borders of Poland, Ukraine, and Slovakia meet. It’s a short walk around the statue to stop by all three but, of course, you do have to make it to the peak first. A trail makes that much easier than it sounds, though!
Italy and Switzerland
For those willing to take on an even higher climb, there’s another stunning border to see. This particular picture isn’t a tourist destination, though. You’d have to climb pretty high in the Alps to reach this research center on the Italian and Swiss border.
It’s not anything new either. The research hut was first set up all the way back in 1893 when the Queen of Italy ordered it built but it’s still functional more than a century later.
This article appeared in Bigglobaltravel and has been published here with permission.
