When you live in a super-sunny place like Yuma, Arizona, where the sun’s out more than 90 percent of daylight hours, sunglasses are just a part of life.
Residents buy a whole bunch of shades for all different occasions, because with 300-plus days of sunshine per year—or 4,000 hours in a single year like in Yuma—sunglasses are an appendage necessary from morning until night.
High-altitude locations, where the sun’s rays are more intense and can lead quickly to burned pupils, or places where the sun regularly shines 11 hours a day, can throw unsuspecting visitors for a loop.
When you head on vacation, it’s worth checking into just how sunny your destination really is or when the rainy season comes (if ever), so you can plan ahead—and pack all the styles and options you need for adventure.
Whatever you do, don’t forget your shades if you plan on visiting these locales, which take the cake for the sunniest places on the planet:
American Southwest: Pack your eye protection in Arizona, Nevada and Texas, but watch out for states like Colorado, too. While vacationing at a mile high is stunningly scenic, it’s not exactly healthy for uncovered eyeballs. Besides Yuma, just 30 miles from the Mexico border, the sunniest cities in the Southwest are Phoenix, Las Vegas, Tucson and El Paso, according to rankings by the World Meteorological Organization.
Northeast Africa: Watch yourself in any places around southern Egypt or the northern parts of Sudan and Chad, too. The Nile Valley and western deserts in the top half of Africa are unforgiving when it comes to sunshine. The most sun-drenched cities in this part of the world include Aswan and Kharga in Egypt; Dongola and Abu Hamad in Sudan; and Faya in Chad.