Boiling mud, chocolate mountains and colourful sand dunes — just a few characteristics of some of the world’s most unique places. Keep reading to discover 10 of the most unusual places on the planet.
Beppu, Japan
Located on the island of Kyushu, Japan, Beppu is a city smack in the middle of the sea and mountains. Beppu is known for its hot springs, called onsen in Japanese. Here you will find eight different geothermal hot spots, often dubbed the “eight hells of Beppu.” This unusual amount of hot springs, condensed in one small region, is what makes Beppu so unique in comparison to the rest of Japan and the rest of the world. It continues to be a popular tourist attraction for visitors every year.
Mount Roraima, South America
With 400-metre tall cliffs on all sides, Mount Roraima is a truly remarkable creation. It is the tallest of the Pakaraima Chain in South America and borders Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana. Many of the plant species atop this mountain are found nowhere else on earth. Only very experienced rock climbers have been known to make the extremely challenging climb.
Lake Nakuru, Kenya
Due to vast amounts of algae in the water, Lake Nakuru is known for attracting one of the largest flamingo populations in the world. At any given moment, there can be anywhere from thousands to millions of flamingos lining the shore. Nowhere else in the world can this most unusual site of herds of flamingos be seen.
Racetrack Playa, Death Valley, California, U.S.A.
As if they have moved on their own, huge boulders weighing hundreds of pounds leave imprints as they slide along the flat ground at Racetrack Playa. Dry most of the year, with no vegetation, the Racetrack is home to these sailing stones, which are a geological phenomenon. It has been discovered that the boulders only move once every two to four years, leaving a distinct trail behind. How? The boulders are most likely pushed by winds exceeding 145 km/h when temperatures fall below freezing. The ice formation on the ground, due to the drop in temperature, causes the solid ground to take on a clay-like texture. This allows the rocks to slide easily. However, several theories are still being contemplated and there is no general consensus on how these rocks move exactly.
Pamukkale, Turkey
For thousands of years, visitors have bathed in the lavish pools at Pamukkale, which translates as “Cotton Castle.” The ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine city of Hieropolis was once atop the majestic hot springs of Pamukkale. Since then, hotels were built over the ruins of the ancient city, causing severe damage to the landmark. Now a World Heritage Site, this beautiful and unique place is open to visitors, making it one of the top unusual tourist destinations in the world.
Seven Coloured Earths, Mauritius
Found in the Charamel Plain in Mauritius, the Seven Coloured Earth geological formation is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mauritius. The sand is divided into seven colours: blue, purple, yellow, red, brown, violet and green. The truly remarkable part of the formation is that the colours seem to settle on their own in layers. Even if you were to pick up some sand and mix all the colours together in your hands, it would still settle into a layered formation, one layer for each colour. The phenomenon behind this distinct formation still remains a mystery.
Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina
Located in Los Glaciares National Park in southwest Santa Cruz, this massive glacier is one of only three Patagonian glaciers that is actually growing. Glaciologists have not yet been able to agree on the cause for the growth. The glacier is 250 km2 and remains one of the most popular tourist attractions in Argentina. Visitors can sign up for a trek tour to walk across the massive glacier, located only two hours away from the city of El Calafate by bus.
Rotorua, New Zealand
A most unique location, Rotorua City is just north of New Zealand. It is known for its geothermal activity, resulting in geysers, like the Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa, and mud pools. These unique boiling mud pools attract the attention of tourists from across the globe every year. The city is also known for smelling very much like rotten eggs, a result of the geothermal activity in the area, which causes sulphur to be released into the atmosphere.
Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
One of the first locations in the world to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Plitvice Lakes, located in Plitvice Lakes National Park, is a remarkable and unique sight to see. Ever year, over 1.2 million tourists from all over the world travel to Croatia to see its cascading lakes. What makes these cascades so amazing is that they are all interconnected and follow the same flow. Sixteen of these lakes can be seen from above. The lakes are also well known for their gorgeous colours, ranging from deep blues to vivid greens.
Chocolate Hills in Bohol, Philippines
When the grass atop this collection of over 1,200 mountains dries, it turns brown, giving the hills the look of chocolate. A famous tourist attraction in the Philippines, the Chocolate Hills are unique and remarkable due to their almost symmetrical shape and the abundance of them. It is still a mystery among geologists as to how these almost perfectly shaped mounds were created in the first place.
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