Looking for the fanciest destinations to visit in the world for a honeymoon, vacation or a group retreat?
Our planet has been around for millions of years, and it never ceases to amaze us. There are many places around the world that still leave us awestruck and wondering if what we’re seeing is real. And every day we discover more of such places.
It’s no surprise that there are still a lot of places that are difficult to believe exist. If you’re planning a trip and you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, here are seven places that will amaze you:
- Mountain of Seven Colors, Peru
The Mountain of Seven Colors, also known as Vivicunca or Rainbow mountains by the indigenes, is located in the Andes mountains in the Cusco region of Peru. The spectacular multicolored mountains have become relatively popular among tourists worldwide and provide beautiful scenery for pictures and a fantastic landscape.
But how did these mountains get this beautiful array of colors? The mountains, which were discovered in 2015, were covered with ice many years ago when the ice melted to reveal beautiful rocks underneath. The mountains’ colors are believed to be a result of their mineral compositions, which created a marbling effect of seven colors due to weathering and other environmental conditions.
Hence, the pink color of the mountains is due to the red clay deposit, mud, and sand. The brown color is due to rocks composed of magnesium, the green color due to the phyllites, the whitish color due to quartzose and sandstone, the red color due to iron, and the yellowish color due to the sandstones rich in sulfurous minerals.
- Pink Lake, Senegal
The famous Pink Lake, locally known in Senegal as Lake Retba or Las Rose, is one of the world’s most toured destinations. The lake, located at the Cap-Vert Peninsula in Dakar, is famous for its pink color and white beaches.
The lake’s pink color is caused by Dunaliella salina algae, which produces red pigments that absorb light from the sun and give the lake its pink hue. The lake is one of the saltiest lakes in the world, with a salinity content of about 40%. This makes it impossible for many organisms to live in the lake except the Dunaliella salina algae, which can survive the high salt content.
The color of the lake doesn’t remain pink throughout the year. It fades away slightly during the rainy season as the rainwater dilutes the salinity. However, the pink color becomes more prominent during the dry season from November to June.
- Underwater Waterfall, Mauritius
If this isn’t one of the most baffling things you’ve heard, I don’t know what is. But to clear your doubts, no, it isn’t an actual waterfall. Instead, it’s an optical illusion created by sediments of sand and silt on the ocean floor sliding down a slope in a way that makes it seem like they’re dropping down a waterfall.
This spectacular view can only be seen from the top and is located on the southwestern coast of the island known as the Le Morne Peninsula in Mauritius. The crystal blue waters make it easy to see the phenomenon. It’s one of the top destinations to visit in the world.
- Ambuluwawa Tower, Sri Lanka
If you’re ever in Sri Lanka and you’re looking for some excitement, the Ambuluwawa Tower is a must-see sight. This tall tower, standing at over 48 meters high with its narrow spiraling stairs, is located on the peak of the Ambuluwawa mountain. The mountains is over 3560 feet above sea level in Gampola Town.
The height, coupled with the fact that it gets narrower the higher you go, might make it a bit difficult to climb, especially if you have a fear of heights. But what’s that saying about the most challenging climbs having the best views?
What’s fascinating about this tower is that it is Sri Lanka’s first multi-religious center that houses a Church, Mosque, Buddhist temple, and Hindu Temple, making it a symbol of harmony among the Sri Lankans. It also houses over 200 plants from about 80 species, some of which are highly medicinal. A few fascinating places to visit on the mountain include the water park, the garden of herbs, and the sacred Bodhi tree.
- Blue Lagoon, Iceland
The most popular attraction in Iceland is hands down the blue lagoon, a geothermal water spa located in southern Iceland. The lagoon is not natural as it’s formed as a by-product of a nearby geothermal power plant that is still in operation, so the water renews every two days. The blue milky color of the lagoon is due tos its silica content that forms a soft white mud on the bottom.
Apart from its blue color, the water is believed to have some healing and regenerative properties due to silica and sulfur. The pool is the perfect spot for a relaxing and enjoyable getaway by yourself or with family and friends as it boasts of notable restaurants such as the LAVA café, Blue café, the Lagoon Spa, and hotels surrounding it.
- Door to Hell, Turkmenistan
Door to hell, also known as the Darvaza Gas Crater, has quickly made Turkmenistan a favorite tourist destination. The gate is a large hole in the Karakum desert about 30 meters deep and 70 meters wide and has been burning since 1971. Many tourists come from around the world to camp in the desert near the crater and experience its fiery glory.
The pit was created when a drilling rig owned by the Soviets collapsed after they punctured a natural gas cavity. This caused harmful gases to begin to leak at a rapid rate. In an attempt to prevent an environmental disaster, the Soviets set the hole on fire, hoping it’ll burn out after a few weeks. However, over 50 years later, the pit is still burning strong with no end to its flames. It’s one of the top destinations to visit in the world.
- Northern Lights, Finland
Known as the Aurora Borealis, the Northern lights are a spectacular show of lights that occurs in Finland for about 20 nights every year. To maximize your chances of seeing the lights, you would want to head to areas in Finland such as Lapland, Levi, Muonio, Ivalo, or Saariselka.
For a more adventurous experience, you can contact local Scandinavian tour guides to put you up in village glass cabins or igloos or organize snowmobiling or dogsledding activities so that you can see the lights in the wilderness. Some tour guides have even gone as far as creating Northern Lights Alarms that notify you once the lights begin to appear, so you never miss it.
Your chances of seeing the lights are higher anytime between autumn and spring (September – March). Because to see the lights correctly, the atmosphere must be cold, dark, and cloudless. However, you would need to put in a little extra effort to catch the show of lights as the display can last for just a few minutes on some nights or for hours on end on other nights.
CONCLUSION
Now that you know 7 destinations to visit in the world, are you ready to backpack and jet off? I hope you do.
AUTHOR’S BIO – Naomi Oseni is an irreverent freelance writer who covers lifestyle and tech-related topics. When she isn’t using her words to help people live a stress-free life, she’s serving as an event assistant with Tix Africa.
Contact Naomi for content-related gigs and projects via email – naomioshoke@gmail.com
