This world is uncanny! The more you discover it, the more amazing it turns out to be. And the gems it holds within it, some of them are just so unbelievable, they look like they belong to another planet.
From lunar valleys to underwater caves, below we'll bring to you an album of these miracles we're blessed with. Take a look for yourself, and hopefully, you'll find something for your next traveling destination plans.
Salar De Uyuni, Bolivia: Stretching across 10,582 square kilometers of the Altiplano, Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat. Its otherworldly beauty and surreal nature have made it a hugely popular stop for backpackers and tourists. This incredible Bolivian salt flat is most famous for its jaw-dropping 'mirror effect' and crazy perspective photos. The astonishing mirror effect can be seen on a still day when a thin layer of water covering the salt transforms the salt flat into 'The World's Largest Mirror' reflecting the sky.
Abraham Lake, Canada: An artificial lake on the North Saskatchewan River lining the David Thompson Highway between Saskatchewan River Crossing and Nordegg. It was created in 1972 with the construction of the Bighorn Dam. Although man-made, it still possesses the blue color of other glacial lakes in the Rocky Mountains.
Red Beach, Panjin, China: Red Beach, Panjin is a reed-covered wetland in one of the world's largest reed marsh areas, the Liaohe River Delta. Its colorful, though misleading, the name refers to the striking seasonal hues of its coastline, which is covered with the plant seepweed (suaeda salsa). The Red Beach is located in Dawa County, about 18 miles southwest of Panjin City, in the northeast province of Liaoning, China.
Antelope Canyon, USA: Few geological formations are as picturesque and awe-inspiring as Antelope Canyon, a magnificent slot canyon just east of Page in Northern Arizona. Antelope Canyon is the product of millions of years of water erosion. In fact, the Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is "Tse' bighanilini," which means "the place where water runs through rocks." Once home to herds of pronghorn antelope, the canyon now lies within the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation.
Naica Mine, Mexico: Naica began operations in 1794 and was taken over by Grupo Peñoles in 1952. The underground mine is serviced by a number of shafts, declines, and spiral ramps. The mine is situated on a structural dome measuring about 12 km by 7 km. Country rock is a thickly bedded Cretaceous limestone.
Cave In Algarve, Portugal: It is undoubtedly the most popular cave in the Algarve. Benagil Cave is world-famous and has appeared on several lists of the best caves in the world. The cave is located on Benagil Beach, which is located very close to the town of Lagoa.
Glowing Beach In Maldives: The beach is a part of Vaadhoo Island, which is one of the islands of Raa Atoll in Maldives. It's actually a small island with not more than 500 people. However, the island has earned itself a place on the global tourism map owing to its Sea of Stars phenomenon. For a long time, this island was Maldives' one of the best-kept secrets, but now it has become one of the most sought-after places to visit in Maldives.
Socotra, Yemen: With UFO-like dragon's blood trees as its most notable feature, the island of Socotra looks like it was transported to earth from a distant planet.
Grand Prismatic Spring, Wyoming, USA: As its name suggests, the largest hot spring in the United States is essentially a rainbow ring of vibrant colors. Extremely hot water travels 121 feet from a crack in the Earth to reach the surface of the spring. The third largest spring in the world, the Grand Prismatic is bigger than a football field at 370 feet in diameter. A gridiron is 360 feet long and 160 feet wide.
Giants Causeway In Northern Ireland: The Giant's Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. The dramatic sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland. Geological studies of these formations over the last 300 years have greatly contributed to the development of the earth sciences, and show that this striking landscape was caused by volcanic activity during the Tertiary, some 50–60 million years ago. (UNESCO)
Son Doong Cave, Vietnam: The biggest cave on the planet when measured by cross-section. Discovered and explored for the first time in 2009. Only open to the public since 2013. Unique for the two enormous dolines (cave roof collapses) and underground rainforests. Home to the "Great Wall of Vietnam," a 90m high calcite barrier.
Monte Roraima – Venezuela: Roraima is an interesting mountain located in the Guiana Highlands. The peak actually shares the border with Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana, but the mountain is almost always approached from the Venezuela side. The Brazil and Guyana sides are much more difficult. The mountain's highest point is Maverick Rock which is at and on the Venezuela side.
Zhangye Danxia Landform In Gansu, China: Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park is in the eastern foothills of the Qilian Mountains in Gansu Province, China. The geological park has a spectacular Danxia (/dan-sshyaa/ 'red cloud') landform area that covers about 50 square kilometers (19 square miles). The danxia landforms are a masterpiece of nature. The colorful mountain ridges are just like an overturned palette from heaven.
Emerald Ice On Baikal Lake, Russia: Lake Baikal in southern Siberia, remains covered with ice for almost five months a year. Every winter as the temperature plummets below zero, the surface of the world's largest freshwater lake freezes. But ice doesn't begin to form until the middle of winter, long after the beginning of severe Siberian frosts. When other rivers and lakes froze long before in the year, Baikal still resists ice formation.
Pamukkale, Turkey: Pamukkale is a town in western Turkey known for the mineral-rich thermal waters flowing down white travertine terraces on a nearby hillside. It neighbors Hierapolis, an ancient Roman spa city founded around 190 B.C. Ruins there include a well-preserved theater and a necropolis with sarcophagi that stretch for 2km. The Antique Pool is famous for its submerged Roman columns, the result of an earthquake.
Fly Geyser, Nevada, USA: Fly Geyser was accidentally created when scalding water began erupting through a man-made well in 1964. Dissolved minerals developed the mount and terraces that now surround the geyser, which continues to grow and release water up to five feet in the air. And as for those alien-like colors? You can thank algae for that.
Tianzi Mountains, China: Located at Wulingyuan District of Zhangjiajie city, Tianzi Mountain Natural Reserve is a part of Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, the natural heritage of the world. Tianzi Mountain has the highest peak of Wulingyuan. What's the most important is that Tianzi Mountain has the most stunning peaks in Wulingyuan, and it is well-known for the four wonders – the Sea of Clouds, the Radiance of the Moonlight, Rays of Sunshine and the Snow in winter.
The Wave, Arizona, USA: The Wave is the premier photographic destination in the US Southwest. It is located in the Coyote Buttes North area of the Utah Arizona border. In addition to The Wave Coyote Buttes North contains many other spectacular rock formations. These include The Second Wave, The Alcove, Top Rock Arch, Melody Arch and the Grotto, Sand Cove, and Fatali's Boneyard.
Dallol Volcano, Ethiopia: Dallol volcano is located in the Danakil Depression in NE Ethiopia, in a remote area subject to the highest average temperatures on the planet. The volcano encompasses Dallol mountain (which rises 50-60m above the surrounding salt plains and has approximate dimensions of 1.5 x 3 km) and several other features in the vicinity, such as the 1926 crater near the "Black Mountain" about 1.5 km to the SW. Dallol is nested on top of an at least 1000m thick layer of quaternary evaporates including large potash (potassium salt) reserves.