Our planet is full of amazing and beautiful places that can take our breath away. Some of them are natural wonders, while others are man-made marvels. Some of them are well-known, while others are hidden gems. But all of them are real and worth visiting. In this article, we will introduce you to 10 places you won’t believe actually exist, and why you should add them to your bucket list.
1. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world, covering over 4,000 square miles in the Bolivian Altiplano. It contains an astounding 10 billion tons of salt and looks like a giant mirror when covered with water. It is also home to pink flamingos, rare cacti, and colorful lagoons. Salar de Uyuni is a surreal and stunning place that will make you feel like you are in another dimension.
2. Lake Retba, Senegal
Lake Retba, or Lac Rose, is a naturally pink lake that lies near the Atlantic coast of Senegal. The lake gets its distinctive color from a bacteria that produces a red pigment in order to absorb the sunlight. The lake is also very salty, with a salinity level comparable to that of the Dead Sea. The salt is harvested by local workers who coat their skin with shea butter to protect it from the harsh conditions.
3. Antelope Canyon, Arizona
Antelope Canyon is a spectacular slot canyon in the American Southwest, carved by water and wind over millions of years. The canyon consists of two sections: the Upper Antelope Canyon and the Lower Antelope Canyon. The narrow, undulating spaces between the sandstone walls allow for vivid patterns when sunlight filters through the striated stone. The canyon is a sacred site for the Navajo people, who call it “the place where water runs through rocks”.
4. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is a vast landscape of towering, pointy mountains that look like they belong in a fantasy movie. In fact, this park was used as a prototype for the landscape of Pandora in James Cameron’s Avatar. The park is part of the South China Karst, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features some of the most spectacular karst formations in the world. The park also has glass bridges, cable cars, and hiking trails for adventurous visitors.
5. Apostle Islands Sea Caves, Wisconsin
The Apostle Islands are a group of 22 islands in Lake Superior, off the coast of Wisconsin. The islands are known for their sea caves, which are formed by the erosion of sandstone cliffs by waves and ice. In winter, the caves become even more magical, as they are adorned with icicles and frozen waterfalls. Visitors can explore the caves by kayak in summer or by foot in winter, but they have to be careful of falling ice and changing weather conditions.
6. Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany
Neuschwanstein Castle is a fairy-tale castle that was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the late 19th century. The castle was inspired by medieval architecture and romantic legends, and features turrets, towers, frescoes, and a throne room. The castle was also the inspiration for the castle in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. The castle is surrounded by scenic mountains and forests, and offers panoramic views of the countryside.
7. Trøllanes cliffs, Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are a remote archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean, between Iceland and Norway. The islands are known for their rugged beauty and rich culture. One of the most stunning places on the islands is Trøllanes, a village on the northern tip of Kalsoy island. The village is perched on a narrow strip of land between towering cliffs and the sea. The cliffs are home to thousands of seabirds, including puffins and gannets.
8. Red Sea Star Bar, Israel
The Red Sea Star Bar is an underwater lounge that is anchored 16 feet below the Red Sea in Eilat, Israel. The bar has 62 windows that offer views of the coral reef and marine life that inhabit the sea. The bar also has eccentric decor that mimics the underwater environment, such as jellyfish-shaped chairs and sea cucumber-inspired pillars.
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