15 stunning places for which nature has spared no colors

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Amazing natural landscapes, as if painted by a surrealist artist.

1. Bioluminescent waters off the coast of Tasmania

The ocean waters off the coast of the island of Tasmania (this is that small piece of land south of Australia) are full of microscopic bioluminescent algae - dinoflagellates. And when these tiny creatures sense danger, they begin to emit a bluish light. It looks especially impressive under the starry night sky, and even if the polar lights flare up … It's just breathtaking!

2. Rainbow eucalyptus groves in Maui, Hawaii

As you might guess, rainbow eucalyptus got this name due to the extraordinary color of their trunk. Pieces of their old bark fall off over time, and new layers grow in return. And gradually they change their color from bright green to blue, orange, yellow, purple and burgundy.

3. Rainbow Mountain in the Andes, Peru

Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain is so named by the Quechua Indians. Her name literally translates as "rainbow-colored mountain." The slopes are formed of red sandstone, which has turned yellow, green, turquoise, white and other colors over millions of years. It is not easy for tourists to get to this mountain as there are no roads, the route is rather difficult and the weather conditions are changeable. However, for the sake of this miracle of nature, it is worth enduring such inconveniences.

4. Mendenhall Ice Caves, Alaska

Hidden under the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska are fantastic ice caves. The melting water is slowly but surely transforming the underground terrain, and they gradually grow and become more and more impressive. Getting into the caves is difficult, but worth it. After all, it is quite possible that future generations simply will not be able to see this beauty, since the glacier is subject to the influence of global warming.

5. Great Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, USA

There are many different natural wonders in Yellowstone, but the most impressive of them is the Great Prismatic Spring. This is a lake filled with hot underground waters escaping outward. It is inhabited by many thermophilic bacteria that color the water yellow, green and orange. Shades change depending on the season and the activity of microorganisms. The center of the lake is colorless because it is sterile: the water there is heated to 76 ºС.

6. Pink Lake Hillier, Australia

This lake in the southwest of Australia is surrounded by a magnificent eucalyptus forest, its coast is strewn with white sand, and it itself is a wonderful pink color. At first it was assumed that the water is so colored due to salts and minerals, but later the real reason for this phenomenon was discovered - a large number of algae living here called dunaliella brackish. Unfortunately, it is not easy to get to the lake by land or water, so if you do not have the money to rent a plane, you can only see Hillier in the photo.

7. Seven-colored lands in Chamarel, Mauritius

Volcanic activity on the island of Mauritius off the coast of Africa has led to the formation of unusually colored sand dunes - red, yellow, purple, green. The French, for whom this land used to serve as a colony, called it Terres de Sept Colores, which means, in fact, "seven-colored lands." The dunes are especially good at sunrise.

8. Colorful mountains in Zhangye Danxia, China

Before the discovery of Mount Vinicunca in Peru, the Zhangye Danxia slopes were the most famous multi-colored mountain range in the world. They are located in the geological park of the same name and consist of chalk sandstones and siltstones. Mineral deposits give such an unusual coloring to the slopes. The mountains are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

nine. Colored river Caño Cristales, Colombia

The waters of this river are inhabited by several different types of algae, which color the streams in shades of red and green. Add to this the yellow and black sand at the bottom and the turquoise of the reflecting sky and you will understand why the locals call Caño Cristales “the river of five colors”.

10. Cold surroundings of Tromsø, Norway

Northern lights can be found not only at the pole. It can also be seen in Alaska, Iceland, Canada and Greenland. But perhaps the best place to observe this magnificent natural phenomenon is Northern Norway, near the city of Tromsø. Between September and March, streaks of glowing green, pink and purple flare up in the night sky, caused by the collision of solar wind particles with the Earth's magnetosphere.

11. Petrified Forest Petrified Forest, USA

The northern part of Petrified Forest Park is occupied by large rock massifs, badlands formed from sandstone, clay, volcanic ash and other geological materials. This composition makes the dead hills very spectacular - they are layered in lavender, red, orange and pink colors. And in the south of the park you can see the petrified trunks dating back to the Triassic period. It was they who gave the name Petrified Forest, which means "stone forest".

12. Pink beach of Sardinia, Italy

The coast of the beautiful Italian island of Budelli is covered with pink sand. Hence the name "pink beach" - Spiaggia Rosa. You can only admire this beauty from afar: the authorities of the island have forbidden to approach the beach, since every tourist strove to take some sand for himself as a keepsake. At this rate, the entire beach would very soon be taken away for souvenirs.

13. Boiling lake in Ijen volcano, Indonesia

In the crater of Ijen there is a sulfurous lake Kawah, painted in a turquoise hue. Swimming in it is not recommended - it could be your last swim. The lake is so acidic that it dissolves a piece of aluminum in half an hour. The water temperature in it is 170–245 ºС.

14. Triple Fly Geyser in Nevada, USA

Strictly speaking, this is not exactly a creation of nature - a person had a hand in the appearance of Fly. The geyser turned out by accident when in 1916 they tried to drill a well for a well. Minerals and algae paint its waters and walls in psychedelic colors, and it also constantly spews three jets of liquid and steam.

15. Demonic volcano Dallol, Ethiopia

Officially, this is the hottest place on Earth, where an absolute record for the average annual temperature was set. Dallol Volcano is active and erupts with sulfur and andesite. A beautiful and at the same time infernal landscape has formed around it, impressive in shades of neon yellow and green. And there is also a hot purple-yellow lake nearby.