Marble Caves, General Carrera Lake, Chile-Argentina
Slate.com
General Carrera is a glacier lake between the borders of Chile and Argentina. Over the last 6000 years, the erosive action of the waves lapping against the shore have carve deep caves in the marble rocks that surround the lakes. The end result looks something like this:
27. Perito Moreno Glacier, Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
Wikimedia
The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of Argentina’s most important tourist landmarks, a cold, hard expanse of dull blue eyes that looks like something straight from Hoth.
Google+
28. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
If you thought the Bonneville Flats were flat, wait till you see this. Salar de Uyuni is one of the flattest landforms in the world, located nearly 12,000 feet above sea level in the Andes.
If that wasn’t interesting enough, Salar de Uyuni is also covered in a thick layer of salt (around 10 billion tons of the stuff). When it rains, a thin film of water covers the flats, turning it into the world’s largest (and most surreal) mirror.
29. Mount Roraima, Venezuela
imgur.com
Mount Roraima is actually part of a chain of plateaus in South America. The plateau rises 1,300 feet above the surrounding landscapes, with sheer cliffs that are mostly covered in a blanket of clouds. The dramatic sight of the plateur has inspired many myths and legends. As per one local Indian myth, the mountain is the stump of a tree that once held all the fruits and tuberous vegetables in the world
Mount Roraima was also the inspiration for the mountain in Pixar’s Up.
imgur.com
30. Iguazu Falls, Argentina-Brazil
2li.org
If you thought the Niagra Falls is neat, wait till you see this. The Iguazu Falls is one of the largest curtains of water in the world, a stunning torrent that spills over cliffs 270 feet high at a rate of 1,756 cubic meters per second.
Little wonder that Eleanor Roosevelt sighed “Poor Niagra!” upon sighting these falls.
The best part is that you can walk right up to the falls on walkways and observation platforms.
Wikimedia
31. Huacochina Oasis, Ica Region, Peru
umpfenbach.de
Like the Crescent Oasis in China, the Huacochina Oasis is a natural lake in the middle of a desert – a surreal, mirage-like sight.
Wikimedia
32. Cano Cristales River, Meta, Colombia
This river looks like it swallowed a rainbow whole. Often called “The World’s Most Beautiful River”, the river gets its brilliant colors from the presence minerals and riverweed.
33. Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Sand dunes and water aren’t two things that really go together, but in the Lencois Maranhenses National Park, sand and water mix together as far as the eye can see.
Often mistakenly called a “desert”, this region actually gets plenty of rainfall. This results in pockets of water getting trapped in between dunes, leading to the creation of these stunning lagoons.
34. Ischigualasto / Talampaya Natural Parks, Argentina
This park is famous for two things: its stunning ‘Submarines’ or wind-eroded rock formations, and the fact that its rocks hold the world’s most well-preserved collection of Triassic Period fossils.
35. Los Roques archipelago, Venezuela
Pristine coral reef, white sands, and turqouise blue waters make this little collection of 350 islands one of the most surreal places in South America.
36. Valley of the Moon, Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, Brazil
Chapada dos Veadeiros is one of the oldest rock formations in the world with an estimated age of 1.8 billion years. Over millions of years, the rocks in this plateau have eroded into some pretty surreal shapes, none more so than the Valley of the Moon, which, as it name implies, looks pretty otherworldly.
37. Valley of the Moon, Atacama Desert, Chile
This isn’t a typo; there is more than one “Valley of the Moon” in South America. This one is high up in the Atacama Desert in Chile and counts among the driest places on Earth. Many parts of this valley haven’t received a single drop of rain in hundreds of years!
The harshness of the surface makes the region look not unlike a lunar landscape. In fact, NASA even sent its Mars rover to traverse this region to test its durability on Martian soil.
As dry and forbidding as it might be, it is also very beautiful, with sunsets in brilliant hues of pink and purple, and surreal gray-white rocks dotting the surface. Just make sure to carry plenty of supplies though – there is no human habitation for hundreds of miles.
38. Wave Rock, Hyden, Australia
What looks like a wave frozen solid is actually a natural rock formation carved into this peculiar shape over centuries of erosion.
Perfect place for taking that obligatory surfing photo
39. Uluru, Northern Territory, Australia
Also called “Ayers Rock”, Uluru is an instantly recognizable Australian landmark – a huge hunk of rock rising dramatically in the middle of vast flatlands. The rock appears to change color depending on the direction and intensity of sunlight. Local aborigines hold the rock sacred and ascribe many of their origin myths to this strange and surreal landform.
40. Hillier Lake, Western Australia, Australia
What looks like bad Photoshop is actually a naturally occurring lake that gets its characteristic pink shade due to the presence of certain microorganisms in the water. The lake appears a bright bubble-gum pink when seen from above, though up close, the waters are close to light pink.
Don’t let the color bother you though; the lake is perfectly safe for humans. Though we can’t promise your friends won’t be jealous when they see pictures of you frolicking about in its pink waters!
41. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Australia
White sand, blue ocean and aqua-green lagoon come together in this surreal 4 mile stretch of heaven.
42. The Pinnacles, Nambung National Park, Australia
Jagged limestone rocks called “The Pinnacles” rise from the desert in this surreal formation in Western Australia. Like nature’s own Stonehenge, but only prettier.
43. Bungle Bungles, Western Australia, Australia
Don’t let the comically absurd name deter you – Bungle Bungles is one of the most striking land features in the Australian continent: a beehive shaped stretch of sedimentary rocks that look like bubbles of earth and stone bursting forth from the Earth.
44. Twelve Apostles, Victoria, Australia
The Twelve Apostles is a collection of eight limestone stacks rising from the ocean. Their proximity to each other makes them a surreal sight, like fingers of earth reaching out from the ocean floor.
Best of all, the Apostles are located along the Great Ocean Road, one of the most beautiful roads in the world.
45. Sutherland Falls, New Zealand
A large reservoir nestled deep within jagged mountain peaks drops a couple of thousand feet to the ocean floor – like a torrent of tears from the blue eyes of the mountain itself. A breathtaking sight made all the more surreal by the beauty of the surrounding mountains.
46. Nugget Point Lighthouse, New Zealand
Standing at the edge of the viewing platform atop the Nugget Point Lighthouse feels not unlike standing at the edge of the Earth and staring at the endless blue of the Pacific beyond. As surreal an experience as any.
47. Waitomo Glowworm Caves, North Island, New Zealand
The glow worm is a species of insect unique to New Zealand. This insect radiates a tiny blob of luminescence. Glow worms can be found all over New Zealand, though no place boasts a populatio as heavy as the Waitomo caves. Glow worms line the walls of the cave, bathing it in surreal bio-luminescence – truly, the experience of a lifetime.
48. Mount John University Observatory, Mackenzie Basin, New Zealand
The Mackenzie Basin looks like any other part of New Zealand – until you look up.
Millions upon millions of stars shine down upon you at one of the finest astronomical observation points on the planet. The sky over the Mackenzie Basin is completely devoid of light pollution, giving you breathtaking views of the stars and the Milky Way Galaxy. The sight is surreal and warrants a trek all the way up to the Mount John University Observatory.
49. Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
Mordor!
Yup, this vast stretch of volcanoes and ash and crater lakes was where Peter Jackson based his fictional Mordor in the Lord of the Rings movies. You can see why: the earth here is dark, smoke bellows from volcanoes, and not a living thing grows for miles upon miles. Easily one of the most forbidding – and surreal – landscapes on this planet.
50. Bora Bora Island, French Polynesia
This tiny island in the society Islands of French Polynesia is beautiful with a capital B. The sand is white, the interior lush and green, and the beach folded between lagoons and coral reef. Throw in two extinct volcano peaks rising from the heart of the island and you have the quintessential island paradise.
51. Tosua Pool, Samoa
Tosua Pool, Samoa, is the most beautiful natural swimming pool you’ll ever swim in.
We’ll just let these pictures do justice to this place:
52. Ice Canyon, Greenland
The ocean courses its way through sheer cliffs of ice in this stunning Greeland landform. The deep blue of the ocean against the stark white of the ice is a sight you can never forget.
53. Frozen Ice Waves, Antarctica
Often incorrectly attributed to waves freezing instantly upon contact with the Antarctic cold, this beautiful ice formation is actually the result of glaciation, which compacts the ice and lifts it upwards. Over the years, the elements erode the ice, giving it its unique wave-like shape.
No comments:
Post a Comment