10 Unusual Places From Around the World

Salar De Uyuni (Photo above)

This is the world’s largest salt flats and is located in southwest Bolivia. It was formed as a result of transformations between several prehistoric lakes. The Salar serves as the major transport route across the Bolivian Altiplano and is a major breeding ground for several species of pink flamingos. (Image Credit: boomsbeat.com)

Badab-e Surt

This natural site is located in Northern Iran. It comprises a range of stepped travertine terrace formations that has been created over thousands of years as flowing water from two mineral hot springs cooled and deposited carbonate minerals on the mountainside.

Badab-e Surt’s springs are two distinct mineral springs with different natural characteristics. The first spring contains very salty water that gathers in a small natural pool; its water is considered to have medicinal properties, especially as a cure for rheumatism and some types of skin diseases and skin conditions. The second spring has a sour taste and is predominately orange mainly due to the large iron oxide sediments at its outlet.

Image Credit: trekearth.com

Waitomo Caves

The Waitomo Caves, located in New Zealand are naturally lightened by bio-luminescent effects that is created by thousands of wonderful tiny glowworms. They are hanged on the caves’ ceilings and produce a stunning blue light.

Image Credit: truefactors.info

Nazca Lines

This mysterious desert drawings are located in Peru. Many of them are running parallel, others intersecting, forming a grand geometric form. There are also trapezoidal zones in and around the lines, as well as some strange symbols, pictures of birds and beasts all etched on a giant scale that can be only appreciated from the sky.

Image Credit: bbxrafting.com

Caño Cristales

This Colombian river is also known as the River of Five Colors or The Liquid Rainbow, and is even referred to as the most beautiful river in the world due to its striking colors. The striking colors are red, yellow, green, blue and black.

Image Credit: openfreak.com

Door To Hell

This is a natural gas field in Turkmenistan. The Door to Hell is noted for its natural gas fire which has been burning continuously since it was lit by Soviet petrochemical engineers in 1971.

Image Credit: huffingtonpost.com

Sigiriya 

It is both an ancient fortress and a former palace in Sri Lanka. Also called the Lion’s Rock, as it stands on top of a gigantic rock of 200 meters high. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.

Image Credit: 8916898.blogspot.com

Machu Picchu

It is an ancient city located in Peru. It is often called ‘the city of heaven’ or ‘the city of light’, as it was built at an altitude of 2450 meters high.

Image Credit: peru-machu-picchu.com

Underwater Waterfall 

About 1,200 miles off the southeast coast of Africa lies an island known as Mauritius that gives off the illusion of an underwater waterfall at the southwestern tip of the island. The visually deceiving impression, created in the water due to the runoff of sand and silt deposits, is especially effective and stunning in aerial shots.

Image Credit: scienceblogs.com

Great Blue Hole

This is a large submarine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It was formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation when sea levels were much lower. This is a popular spot among recreational scuba divers who are lured by the opportunity to dive in sometimes crystal-clear water and meet several species of fish, including Midnight Parrotfish, Caribbean reef shark, and other juvenile fish species.

Image Credit: atlasobscura.com

Sources: unusualplaces.org, topdreamer.com