10 best travel photos of 2018

The National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 competition has just announced its results. 13,000 entries were submitted from around the world to compete for the grand prize of $10,000. The competition is divided into three categories: Nature, Cities, and People.

The photo that won the special prize and first prize in the Nature category was taken by photographer Reiko Takahashi (Japan), who captured the tail of a humpback whale off the coast of Kumejima Island. Takahashi titled the photoMermaid.

The second prize winning photo in the Nature category is calledFlamingos flyingPhotographed by Hao J. The photo was taken from a helicopter flying over Lake Natron (Tanzania) and captured thousands of flamingos preparing to take off.

Marsis the name of the third prize winning photo in the Nature category taken by photographer Marco Grassi. "These are natural sand towers topped by large boulders in a nature reserve in Italy. They were formed centuries ago after storms and landslides. This place looks like an extraterrestrial landscape and constantly changes over the years and seasons," the author shared.

First prize in the Cities category is the photoAnother rainy day in Nagasaki, Kyushuby Hiro Kurashina. A photo of a main street in Nagasaki taken through the window of a train car. The train car has a classic appearance but has been equipped with a fare collection machine. There are no ticket inspectors anymore, only the train driver. The image of the empty street shows the contrast of Nagasaki with Japanese cities such as Tokyo and Osaka.

Pyramid of the Sunis the second prize winner in the Cities category, taken by Enrico Pescantini at Teotihuacan, an archaeological site in Mexico. Teotihuacan in the local language means "the place created by God". Enrico shared that he arrived at this place at dawn to take advantage of the early light, the layers of shadows, and used a flycam to shoot from above.

Third prize winning photo in the Cities categoryReflectionby photographer Gaanesh Prasad. Gaanesh wanted to capture the mist, a prominent phenomenon in Dubai that lasts from December to January and attracts photographers from all over the world. Unable to get to the top of the building, Gaanesh managed to shoot through a glass window on a lower floor and was overwhelmed by the beauty of the city.

Honorable Mention in the Cities category goes to the workAlone in the crowdby Gary Cummins. Photo taken at soccer fields sandwiched between skyscrapers in Hong Kong.

First prize in the People category went to photographer Alessandra Menicozi and her workTea culture. Alessandra was fascinated by the Mongolian way of life and eagle training. In early 2018, he visited a Mongolian family, following them from their winter camp to their spring camp. According to him, tea in Kazakh culture is a way of showing hospitality. Tea is not only for drinking but also intertwined with tradition, culture, leisure activities and festivals.

PictureI will lift you upTaiti Itat's photo won second place in the People category. The two girls in the photo are twin sisters Leida and Laelle, whom Taiti met and befriended while studying refugee life in the city of Estrela, Brazil.

Third prize winner in the People are photos categoryJourney of challengesby MD Tanveer Hassan Rohan. Photo taken at a train station in Dhaka, Bangladesh during the Muslim holiday of Eid.