When we think of nature, we probably think of trees, valleys, oceans, maybe some mountains, and clouds as well just for good measure. These things are nice, but they're rather ordinary don't you think? The truth is that the world is bursting with places more incredible than we could possibly imagine - and few people ever get to see them! Unleash your adventurous side as you scroll through these incredible photos of rare places on Earth that are so dazzling, so magical, that you would swear they only exist in some fantasy epic. We promise you though, they are all 100% real!
1. The Mesmerizing Sea Of Stars
On this island in the Maldives, called Vaadhoo Island, the sea sparkles with stars as though it is the night sky itself. The island itself is only populated by 500 lucky souls who have become accustomed to this amazing sight as part of their surroundings. The other people are lucky visitors who come to be able to witness this and keep the memories with them for the rest of their lives.
The cause of this spectacular vision, as explained by scientists, is something called bioluminescence. There are some very small plankton that live in the water who have a cell membrane that reacts to electrical impulses. When the starlight and moonlight hit these membranes, it causes the plankton to light up, giving this effect. That has to be one of the most romantic ways possible to spend a night.
2. Princess-Like Pink Lake In Australia
No, your eyes did not deceive you. This is a lake found in Australia named Lake Hillier that is actually PINK. It's many little girls' absolute dream for everything to be in pink, and in this case, it became a reality. Matthew Flinders discovered this incredible body of not-blue water in 1802, which isn't just a reflection of the sun. Even if you put this water in a bottle, it holds onto its pink color.
Even more magical still is the fact that there isn't a firm and solid explanation as to WHY the lake is actually pink. There are some theories about certain kinds of bacteria that live within the water that causes this effect but there is no one definite answer. It's a bit of a hike to get to this lake but it's worth it because it's actually even safe and fun to swim in. An incredible tourist spot, if ever we saw one.
3. The Terrifying Door To Hell
Not quite as much of a pleasant location as the last two spots we've seen, but equally as breathtaking, is the so-called 'Door To Hell' (otherwise known as Darvaza gas crater) found in Derweze, Turkmenistan. This space was discovered in 1971 when soviet engineers mistook the site for a location filled with oil.
Just as they started preparing to drill, the earth literally fell through and this huge lava-filled crater 'The Door To Hell' appeared. How absolutely terrifying. Scientists decided that leaving the crater active would get rid of poisonous gases nearby, and the Turkmenistan authorities hope that it will become a tourist site. Maybe it will, but it will for sure be a terrifying one.
4. Spouting Fly Geyser
This beauty and wonder of nature is the Fly Geyser found in Nevada Flats. Originally, humans were trying to build a well in this location, but when they realized that the water underneath the well was nearly at the boiling point they decided to abandon the mission. The water didn't care though, since there was now a hole and a clear way out, water started to sprout forth from the top of the Geyser in an incredible dolphin-like way.
Since algae thrive in this kind of setting, the rocks have been changed into these bright colors as a result of the other creatures' help, making the setting all the more magical. Recently the Geyser was sold in a land deal and ended up actually being bought by the people that run the Burning Man festival. We can't wait to see what they're going to do with it.
5. Horrifying Natural Blood Falls
As we said before, Antarctica is surely filled with all kinds of surprises, and this is another example of one. Not something gruesome straight out of a horror movie, although it seems as if it could be, Blood Falls is a result of saltwater with high iron-oxide content. The end result makes it look as though the tip of the Taylor Glacier is bleeding. When you combine this red with the contrasting pure white of the snow, it all seems quite scary.
Although it's shocking to look at, it does remind us how nature is connected and the fact that we're triggered by seeing this shows its own links to humanity. Nature is the same whether it's in humans or in landscapes, and Blood Falls is a dark yet striking reminder of this.
6. Underground Movile Cave Has Inhabitants
This underground cave of wonders was hidden from the world until very recently - in 1986. Before then, no human eye had discovered the beauty of the cave hidden in Romania. Unbelievably, there were species actually living within this cave. Scientists found 48 kinds of species living there, 33 of which can ONLY be found living in this exact cave.
Fewer than 100 people have actually ever visited the cave because of how remote it is, and we don't imagine it's going to become a tourist spot any time soon. It's filled with scorpions, leeches, and other creepy crawlies that are blind as a result of the lack of light. Not the best holiday destination.
7. Methane Bubbles In Abraham Lake
At first glance, you'd be forgiven for thinking that these big blobs floating around in Abraham Lake, Canada, were actually jellyfish. But that's not the case. Actually, the water in the lake isn't water at all, but solid ice. And the jellyfish? Methane bubbles, trapped in between the thick icy sheets. Incredible stuff.
These crystallized bubbles have made this lake very famous, as many people want to come and witness this amazing natural phenomenon. However, as a result of global warming, the ice is melting and methane is being released into the atmosphere. This is damaging, as methane is a greenhouse gas and it is contributing to the global warming problem even further.
8. Incredible Hessdalen Lights
This amazing ball of light, the size of a car, can be found in the sky in Norway, in incredibly rare sightings. The Hessdalen Valley is home to this amazing orb of light, spotted most prominently between 1930 and 1980, that looks like something out of a fantasy film.
Since 2010 there have only been between 10 to 20 sightings a year, so it's becoming a rare phenomenon, but something definitely worth trying to see. The light can be bright yellow, orange, or red and can last anywhere between a few seconds to an hour.
9. Mountain Vs Waterfall At Tumpak Sewu
Tumpak Sewu volcano in Indonesia is incredibly unique and one of a kind. Whilst standing at the base of a huge (still active) volcano, there is still further down to go. That's right, the base of a mountain can be found directly tumbling down into a gigantic waterfall.
Who could possibly imagine that a volcano would be directly above a waterfall, it's like all the forces of nature pushing up and pushing down are tangled in together. Despite this setting seeming prehistoric, it actually exists today and shows how powerful and unique nature can be.
10. Gruner See The Accidental Underwater Park
Gruner See is a lake located in Styria, Austria, which for most of the year seems like a perfectly normal, albeit beautiful, park in the Austrian mountains. However, once a year in the month of June the park performs a magic trick where it becomes completely flooded with 36 feet of water.
This happens as all of the snow from the surrounding alpine trees melts and channels down into the river, which results in it becoming a huge water park. Tourists would come to see this phenomenon, as it's not something you find every day.
11. The Incredible Tianzi Mountains Actually Exist
No, this is not a still from a scene of James Cameron's smash movie Avatar, this is the real-life Tianzi mountains that ACTUALLY exist. Millions of years of rock formations have come together to create this mountain range in China which James Cameron actually used as the inspiration for the planet, Pandora, in his film.
Looking like huge skyscrapers made out of natural rocks composed of different vegetation, flowers, and wildlife. The combination of these tall mountain-like natural rocks and the life that flows through them truly makes this site an incredible wonder of nature.
12. Kawah Ijen Lava River
This crater located in Indonesia gives the impression that it holds a river filled with blue flowing blue lava. The truth is, it is actually rivers of light rather than rivers of lava but the effect still looks amazing. There is a layer of smoke that flows over the top of the crater that gives it an even more magical effect.
Sulphuric gases emerge from the crater from the volcano nearby, which can send flames and smoke up to 16 feet high. Some gases turn into liquid when they reach the surface, and some stay as gas rolling the whole way down, which is why they look like an incredible lava flow.
13. The Double Tree Of Casorzo
This tree found in Italy is an amazing unique exception of nature. It is a cherry tree growing directly on top of a mulberry tree. Usually, this doesn't happen because of the trees' two separate needs for sun, water, and space.
Scientists have speculated that a bird dropped a seed on top of one tree which led to the other being created, but this really is a rarity and people come from around to enjoy sitting under the two stacked up trees.
14. Huge Electric Beacon Of Maracaibo
Over the Maracaibo peninsula of Venezuela, the area is exposed to 1.2 million lightning strikes per year. That's a lot. As a result, it's a huge generator of electricity, and the sky is absolutely filled with these incredible lightning strikes.
Another amazing thing about this is the fact that the storm is silent, so you can only see the lightning but not actually hear anything. The location has made history in various poems and historical events, and we can see why - it is really something truly breathtaking.
15. The Creepy Crooked Forest
This Crooked Forest in Poland is a section of trees where, in this one small patch, all of the trees are weirdly crooked.
Nobody knows why this is the case. Maybe it's because of a snowstorm thousands of years ago, or maybe it's because old civilizations wanted the trees to be crooked in order to make things from their wood. Either way, it has turned out as an incredibly weird and different phenomenon still found today.
16. Dazzling Mendenhall Ice Caves
The Mendenhall Ice Caves found in Alaska are one of nature's real finest natural beauties. Hidden inside a 12-mile long glacier are incredible blue ice caves that look straight out of a film set. Water flows through the crater, which helps to ultimately create a dazzling, long corridor.
The cave has been around for 3,000 years and is a huge tourist destination spot, and it's not hard to understand why. Walking through these caves would definitely feel like being in an underwater wonderland.
17. Stunning Blue Pond Of Hokkaido
These sparkling blue turquoise waters seem too good to be true, but they actually exist in the mountains of Japan. It has become a popular Japanese tourist spot, as people found it hard to believe that something so stunning could be real.
The water is so blue as a result of high aluminum hydroxide in the water which means that it's not suitable or safe for swimming in, but it is possible to admire from a distance and we're sure that everyone very much enjoys doing this.
18. Rainbow Mountain Of Dreams
The Rainbow Mountain of Peru, also known as Vinicunca, is an incredible display of geology and natural rock formation. Happening over years as a result of sedimentation and sand formation, this mountain can only be reached if you go on a difficult few-day trek, but the end result is incredible.
Truly looking like something out of a fairytale story, this mountain is now used for daily worship. Erosion, water, and nature have come together to create this spectacle that surely is something on many peoples' bucket lists.
19. Ah-she-sle-pa Alien Mushroom Landscape
In many myths and legends it is stated that if aliens ever do decide to come to earth and grace us with their presence, New Mexico will be their first point of call. This incredible alien mushroom-like landscape called Ah-she-sle-pa doesn't do much to disprove this theory. In fact, it seems pretty clear how this could be the case.
The landscape formation of weird mushroom cloud rocks seems to go against nature and create the most bizarre-looking scene in the valley. What's more, there are no explanations available as to why the rocks have come out like this, or as to why there are so many of them all in one place. Pretty wild stuff.
20. Lake Karachay In Russia Isn't As Beautiful As It Looks
This spot unfortunately isn't a magical natural place, but rather it is a lake based in the Ural mountains of Russia, which is the most polluted place on earth. Standing near this lake for even an hour would kill you, and swimming in this lake would result in almost instant death.
Russia dumped toxic waste from a nuclear power plant nearby into the lake, resulting in huge cases of people with cancer, leukemia, and other illnesses. Nowadays nobody lives nearby or goes anywhere near the lake, and we can see why.
21. Shanay-Timpishka The Boiling River
The Shanay-Timpishka River, found deep in the Amazon hills in Peru, is a completely unexplainable boiling river. There is no volcano or water source around, so it is a mystery how this river, used as a sacred healing site, even exists.
The river is part of the sacred healing site of Mayantuyacu which is controlled by a powerful shaman. Now a healing sanctuary for those who need it, the water is believed to be hot from a giant serpent spirit who can decide the temperature of the water.
22. Vanishing Waterfall Beauty
The Devils Kettle, as this waterfall is known, is found in Minnesota, USA. The amazing phenomenon shows a huge powerful waterfall splitting in two, and one-half of the waterfall disappearing completely. But to where? Nobody knows.
People have come to drop all kinds of things into the disappearing half of the waterfall and they simply don't reappear. Everyone loves to witness the mystery of the vanishing waterfall.
23. Mother Shipton's Petrifying Well
This well, also known as the Dripping or Dropping well, is found in Yorkshire, north England. The well has been a tourist attraction in England since 1630 because whenever someone leaves something in the well it will turn to stone.
Mother Shipton had a reputation for witchcraft and black magic, so the well was named after her reputation. Nobody knows what it is about the water of the cave that has the ability to turn things into stone, but it's definitely cool and spooky stuff. People come from all over to see if it's true, and what will happen to their things too.
24. Going Loopy Over The Circles Of Namibia
This crazy vision known as the Circles of Namibia, otherwise known as fairy circles, can be found in a remote corner of the world in the Namibia Desert, South Africa. Yes, we know it looks like it could be found on Mars but it's not. These circles in the ground can only be seen from a bird's-eye view, but look absolutely stunning.
Crazily enough, these circles also happen to be magnetically charged. Scientists have long been trying to figure out what caused these circles and their bizarre reactions, and have narrowed the reasons down to either a toxic bush or some crazy termites. To be honest, neither of those things makes this seem any more normal to us.
25. Unbelievable Nazca Lines Of Peru
It's hard to really properly conceive of how the earth looked and felt like hundreds of millions of years ago. Our ancient ancestors lived such a different reality to us, and it's always humbling and awesome when we have evidence of their presence. This is what can be found in the Nazca lines of Peru, created sometime between 500 B.C. and 500 A.D.
This collection of geoglyphs found in Peru show different animals and plants and can only be seen from above in the sky. These lines probably have to do with the Nazca peoples' roots in astrology.
26. The Famous Mystery Of The Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle is a patch of sea, well known in mythology and contemporary culture as a place where people will go across the sea and simply go missing. This triangle of the sea, also known as The Devil's Triangle, is 500,000 square meters where many ships and people mysteriously go missing once they enter.
The sea is near Florida, and it is often avoided or feared because of its known capacity to take humans' lives both in ships and in planes. There are no real explanations for this, many people believe that there are definitely some paranormal forces at play. Who knows, they could even be right.
27. Weirdly Warm Sargasso Sea
The Sargasso Sea is found on the Atlantic ocean, completely surrounded by harsh, fierce, cold ocean currents from both sides. The weird thing? This sea is somehow warm. This makes no sense, and there is no reason for it.
What's even weirder, is the amount of seaweed that can be found simply laying on top of the water, something we don't see happening very often. Usually, seaweed lays at the bottom of the ocean, and as a result of this seaweed, the sea has become home to a number of sea turtles and other sea animals that love this kind of environment.
28. The Lesser-Known Michigan Triangle
We've all heard of the Bermuda Triangle, but what about the Michigan Triangle? This is another TRIANGLE shaped patch of water, this time located in Lake Michigan, which again is known to swallow up humans, ships, and planes and cause them to disappear entirely.
The first case happened in 1891, where one boat disappeared there and the boat and its passengers were never found again. Since then, more boats have disappeared and there is absolutely no explanation for it. With no scientific explanation, people have even claimed that there have been UFOs or strange lights surrounding the specific area. Weird stuff, for sure.
29. What Is The Baltic Sea Anomaly
The Baltic Sea anomaly was something that was found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, and there is simply no explanation as to what it actually is. In 2011 divers went down to the bottom of the sea to find a sunken ship, and instead found this, the anomaly which looks more like a UFO than anything else.
Using technology to take pictures of what they found, the divers were shocked at what they saw. The appearance of railings, staircases, and lamps seemed to indicate that it couldn't be natural. At the same time, how could it be something humans have made? Truly a mystery, this is why it is now known as the anomaly.
30. Screeching Julia Sound
Another noise that is impossible to be explained is the so-called Julia Sound or The Julia. This was picked up by the Equatorial Pacific Ocean hydrophone in 1999 and lasted for about 15 seconds. It sounded like a horrible wail or human screech that was incredibly unpleasant to listen to.
People are terrified by the sound of the audio recording, as it really does sound like someone who is in a lot of pain. There is no explanation for the cause of this sound, but some people have theorized that it could have been the sound of an iceberg breaking. Either way, it definitely does not sound good.
31. Musical Ringing Rocks Of Pennsylvania
This is an incredible collection of rocks found on TOP of a hill (usually rocks are found at the bottom as a result of an avalanche) which make a metallic ringing noise when you hit them. Since they are rocks, this is crazy, it sounds like they're some kind of metal drum.
Scientists have figured out that the rocks make this noise because they're composed of a volcanic material called diabase that is made up of iron and other hard minerals. Ringing Rocks County Park is composed of eight acres of these musical beauties, definitely a fun place to have a camping trip.
32. The Murderous Devil's Pool In Australia
Yet another location named after the devil, this pool found in Brisbane, Australia has earned its name by claiming the lives of so many innocent people. That's right, more than 17 people have died in this rocky pool on the east coast of Australia.
There is a myth that a bride fell into the pool on her wedding day, and remains to haunt the pool and claim the lives of other people who come too close as her revenge. Either way, we don't think that we would be venturing too near to this pool any time soon. The slippery conditions and jagged rocks don't seem the most inviting thing in the world, to us anyway.
33. The Mysterious Humming Sound Of Taos
This surprising natural phenomenon can't be seen, as much as it can be heard. In the peaceful town of Taos, New Mexico, some people started to become bothered by a humming noise they reported hearing and were unable to get out of their heads. When scientists started to research further, they found out that about 2% of people in Taos could also hear this noise.
People describe the noise like a humming, or a buzzing, and they were passionate that this is true. Others however simply couldn't hear anything at all, and it remains a mystery where the origins of this noise actually come from. Definitely makes us want to visit to know if we're one of the ones with a supernatural listening ability too.
34. The Black Forest Which Isn't Black
The Black Forest is found in Germany, and although the Forest isn't actually black, it is still very magical. Walking through the forest makes you feel as though you're walking in a fairytale, and that any moment a fantastical creature might jump out from in between the trees.
The Black Forest is huge and encompasses the Feldberg mountains, so you can find different levels and terrains within the beautiful trees. It is understandably another spot that tourists love to flock to, and since it is so big it is possible to spend long periods of time walking through nature without having to encounter anyone else. Just make sure you don't get lost, though. Maybe a trail of breadcrumbs left behind you as you walk could be a good idea, for example...
35. Giant Blue Ice Monolith Antarctica
To be honest, the whole of Antarctica is a mystery to us, and a wonder of nature. The fact that there is so much land there that has been unseen by humans is already incredible. We're sure if we explored deeper into it, we'd find loads of amazing things such as this icy blue monolith. This structure sticks out of the rock as though it was always meant to be there.
Glaciologists call this blue ice, and it occurs as a result of thick ice that stops the flow from moving through to the other side. The ice reflects nothing back but blue, and red light is naturally filtered out. The end result? This huge structure would make the perfect setting for a scene in Ice Age and probably pretty scary to stand in front of in real life.
36. Gigantic Uyuni Salt Flats In Bolivia
As a result of an absolutely enormous salty pre-historic lake drying up, Bolivia is home to the world's largest salt flats in Uyuni. These flats are several miles deep, which means it's even possible to drive a car over the top of them- they are that darn sturdy.
The end result of this lake means it looks so magical it has actually been used in fantasy films like Star Wars because it seems like there is no way this is actually real life, but it is. When the light is reflecting off the surface, it also gives it a reflective illusion which makes it hard to know where the flats end and the sky begins. Now that is something we've GOT to see.
37. Crooked Slopes of Svartifloss
As a result of the mixture of hot and cold temperatures that can be found in Iceland, there are plenty of cool and amazing natural phenomena to be found. Svartifloss waterfall is one of them, yet another location that looks like it could be plucked straight out of a fantasy movie film.
Usually, when water runs over rocks it turns them smooth, but these rocks have remained as jagged as they can get. The volcanic nature of Iceland's core, contrasted with how north of the equator Iceland is, is what helps to create this kind of striking scenery. Definitely worth visiting Iceland to check this out.
38. Psychedelic Looking Antelope Canyon
This canyon, colored with some gorgeous red and orange tones, resembling some kind of sugar candy sweet, actually exists. Antelope Canyon is filled with weird and wonderful wall shapes that make it seem as though it's not even solid, but actually it is as a result of water flowing down from the top to the bottom that has led it to end up this way.
Most canyons are formed by steady flowing water, but this one has been affected by huge downpours of rain from the monsoon season and this is the outcome. The way the light travels through the canyon makes it seem as though the caves are telling you which way to go.
39. Lencois Marahenses Desert Sand And Sea Combination
In Brazil, the impossible occurs. The dryness of a sandy desert somehow ends up merging with the coolness and refreshing nature of water. In a really rare phenomenon, Brazil's Lencois Marahenses National Park sees the almost layered, blanketed effect coming through.
The sandy terrain is filled with gorgeous blue turquoise lagoons, and it is open for visitors to come and see for themselves. Spending a few hours in a landscape as stunning as this would surely make any trip to Brazil absolutely worthwhile.
40. Shining Blue Catedral De Marmol
Not a man-made cathedral, but one sculpted by the water through time. This Catedral De Marmol found in Chile seems like it could be something straight out of a dream. But it's not, in actual fact it is a series of caves poised just over the water. Especially when you look at the caves from a distance, it seems strange how they even manage to hold themselves up.
Not only do the caves look stunning, but it's possible to visit inside of them in a boat, floating through the incredible swirling vision. What's more, once inside there is a huge echo which makes the experience even more memorable, also having that added sound element.