Written by our professional Digital Nomad, David Heiling. (Yes! he lives the life!)

Over three years ago, I decided to quit my job to travel the world full time…

I found a remote job and booked a one-way ticket to Croatia and haven't looked back since.

These are the 10 most beautiful places, as seen through my eyes, in my three-plus years traveling full time:

10 - Jambiani Beach, Zanzibar

The island of Zanzibar is tucked off the Tanzanian coast in the Indian Ocean.

Home to crystal blue waters and an array of plant and animal life, Zanzibar had been high up my to-do list for many years.

When I got there, I was utterly blown away.

The island is made up of one large town (Stone Town, the capital) and various villages. It is a jarringly poor island and 98 percent Muslim. In the middle of the island, men and women harvested plants from watered-down fields.

Then I got to Jambiani.

Rubbish and dirt turned into pure white sand and clear waters as far as the eye could see. The combination of the pure shock I got from the island, along with the beauty of the ocean, made for a wildly remarkable experience.

9 - Taj Mahal, India

I woke up at 5 a.m. and got in line amongst the hundreds of other weary travelers and locals going into the Taj Mahal grounds.

It was pitch black when I arrived in the line.

Barely able to keep my eyes open as the line moseyed forward, I finally got to the entrance of the Taj Mahal courtyard.

Around the corner I went, and as if looking through a keyhole, the Taj Mahal itself came into view. I audibly gasped. Centuries of history was standing before me.

The unique architecture, domed figure, and accompanying courtyard made me wonder if I was still alive witnessing the impressive structure before me or if I was still in my hostel bed dreaming.

8 - Oia, Santorini, Greece

The boat ride from Athens to the isle of Santorini was unlike anything I had ever encountered before. Sailing through the Aegean Sea en route to one of the top bucket list destinations globally, I realized what a fantastic life I could lead because of remote work.

I arrived and checked into my hotel and got a free upgrade. My jaw dropped when I saw my room was complete with an infinity pool overlooking the volcanic caldera.

As the sun revolved over the following week, it seemed like all colors imaginable were on display: from bright pink sunsets to purple dawns.

7 - Blue Mosque, Istanbul

I went to Istanbul from Athens, and after a lengthy layover, I met up with a friend at the Istanbul Airport.

Once we got off the metro, we walked along the Bosphorus Strait and onto a ferry. We got on the ferry in Europe and got off in Asia. Along our journey, we were able to see the fantastic sights of Istanbul's old skyline all around us.

There was something majestic about the whole scenario. There was a perfect blue sky and a touch of winter. Seagulls flew above as the Blue Mosque towered above the multitude of markets, people, individual merchants, and houses below.

Completed in 1616, the mosque has six minarets and is considered one of the world's largest. It has a capacity of 10,000 people, which is more than my entire hometown in rural Wisconsin.

It's even more beautiful from the inside.

6 - Merzouga, Morocco

Before I left for my trip around the world, I bought a journal. In the middle two pages of that journal, I made a bucket list. Cliche, perhaps, yes, but I wanted to make sure I had goals to set out and achieve.

No. 2 on my bucket list was to spend a night in the Sahara Desert, underneath the stars. In December of 2018, I did just that. On a four-night group tour with other beautiful people from my hostel, we departed Marrakesh and climbed over the snowy Atlas mountains. On the other side were gigantic dunes hundreds of meters high, just waiting to be explored.

We set out with our Berbere guide and went three kilometers into the desert.

Silence.

I've never seen a more beautiful Milky Way Galaxy than I did that night.

5 - Ponte Piedade, Lagos, Portugal

I rented a car for the first time on my crazy journey in Portugal. I saw Lisbon, Porto, the chapel of skulls in Evora, and drove all along the Atlantic Coast.

The best spot? Ponte Piedade.

The sandstone monoliths jutting out of the water and from the side of the adjacent cliffs made it seem otherworldly. The turquoise waters contrasted with the orange color of sandstone made for a fantastic contrast of photos.

It was December when I was in Portugal. I had the whole area to myself, and the soothing sound of the water mixed in with the gentle cooing of the birds made this a place near and dear to my heart.

4 - Vik, Iceland

Black sand beaches.

Harsh, intense weather.

The southern coast of Iceland in the spring months can be unforgiving. That's why it was such a wonderful experience.

The white water of the Atlantic Ocean contrasted heavily with black sand, making the natural scenery almost alien.

Sharp sea stacks rise out of the ocean, piercing the gray clouds with a jagged fist. The only color splashing the scene was the fluorescent blue of my rainproof jacket and accompanying winter hat.

An hour northeast of Vik is Diamond Beach, a spot gaining popularity for its clear and glistening miniature icebergs dotting the region's black sand beaches.

I would go back here tomorrow if I could.

I love Iceland.

3 - Okavango Delta, Botswana

My first time on the African continent was for a safari in the Okavango Delta in late 2017.

It was the first time I had been on the African savanna, and this experience made sure it wouldn't be the last.

On the first game drive of my life, my group and I piled into the open-top Land Rover and headed out into the morning.

My first animal sighting? A lazy leopard mother and her two cubs were lying lazily in a tree. I sat in awe as I peered at the giant and notoriously elusive cat through my extended camera lens.

Just then, a herd of antelope bachelors sprinted past our vehicle and into the adjacent field.

The next thing I heard was both terribly frightening and wonderfully exquisite: a male bull elephant in rut trumpeting with his giant trunk.

The aggressive beast fake charged at us, pulling up 10 meters from our truck.

Moments later, we were able to find a pod of hippos fighting for position in the muddy water.

I found my peace on Earth in the Okavango.

2 - Berg Lake, British Columbia, Canada

Before I set off across the Atlantic Ocean to embark on my new lifestyle, and after I quit my job in Washington state in the United States, I took a detour over the US/Canada border to Banff and Jasper National Parks in British Columbia.

At the time, I was in the best physical shape of my life and regularly went on intense hikes through the Pacific Northwest forests on the weekends.

I decided to challenge myself and do a 30-mile round trip hike from the base of Mount Robson to Berg Lake.

I was rewarded with untouched alpine wilderness, freezing and fluorescent white rivers, countless glaciers, and one of the most beautiful glacial lakes I had ever seen. Berg Lake.

1 - Masai Mara, Kenya

It's hard to put into words what the Masai Mara in Kenya means to me as a human being. Growing up, I watched a show called Big Cat Diaries with Jonathan Scott on Animal Planet. The show followed Scott and his team through a year on the Masai Mara plains.

The stars of the show? The big cats - leopards, cheetahs, and lions.

I stayed at a 100 percent eco-friendly and sustainable safari camp just outside of the Mara Triangle National Game Reserve.

Our camp was situated directly on the Mara River, and we had a constant wildlife show right outside our front stoop.

Sun rays pierced the camp through the surrounding trees. The African plains tell a constant story of life, death, survival, and triumph.

Animals never yet seen by my eyes sprinted in front of, next to, and behind me.

The Masai people herded their livestock in the middle of it all.

Not only is the Masai Mara the most beautiful place I have ever been, but it's also the place that most often follows me in my memories.

All because I can work remotely.