Our planet Earth is truly fascinating! The more we explore, the more astonishing discoveries we make. Some of the precious stones found on Earth are so unbelievable that they seem like they come from another world.

In the album below, you’ll see a collection of these miraculous gems, ranging from undersea caverns to lunar-like valleys. It’s a reminder of how lucky we are to have such extraordinary wonders. Take a look and discover a potential destination for your next travel adventure!

1. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

The world’s largest salt flat covers an area of 10,582 square kilometers on the Altiplano. It has gained immense popularity among backpackers and tourists because of its incredible and otherworldly landscape. One of the most remarkable features of this Bolivian salt flat is the mesmerizing “mirror effect” it creates in photos, offering a unique and surreal perspective. This magical mirror effect occurs on days when a thin layer of water covers the salt flat, transforming it into the world’s largest mirror by reflecting the sky.

2. Abraham Lake, Canada

The David Thompson highway, running between Saskatchewan River Crossing and Nordegg, is flanked by an artificial lake created along the North Saskatchewan River. This lake came into existence in 1972 with the construction of Bighorn Dam. Although man-made, it maintains the same striking blue color found in other glacial lakes throughout the Rocky Mountains.

3. Red Beach, Panjin, China

The Red Beach of Liaohe River Delta, situated in Panjin City, is a wetland covered with reeds and is known as one of the largest reed marsh areas on Earth. Despite its name being misleading, it actually refers to the stunning seasonal colors of its coastline, which is covered in the plant Suaeda Salsa. This striking red beach is located in Dawa County, around 18 miles southwest of Panjin City, in the northeastern province of Liaoning, China.

4. Antelope Canyon, USA

Antelope Canyon is an awe-inspiring slot canyon situated east of Page in Northern Arizona, and it stands as one of the most beautiful natural formations on Earth. The canyon was shaped over millions of years through water erosion. The Upper Antelope Canyon, known as Navajo Tse Bighanilini, translates to “the place where water runs through rocks” in Navajo language. Once home to herds of pronghorn, the canyon is now a part of the Lechee Chapter of the Navajo community.

5. Naica Mine, Mexico

The Naica mine, which started operating in 1794, came under the ownership of Grupo Penoles in 1952. The mine has various shafts, declines, and spiral ramps used for underground operations. It sits atop a structural dome measuring approximately 12 kilometers by 7 kilometers in size. The surrounding rock is primarily made up of Cretaceous limestone with significant bedding.

6. Cave In Algarve, Portugal

The Bengali cave is the most popular cave in the Algarve region. It has gained worldwide fame and is often listed as one of the top caves globally. You can easily locate this cave near the town of Lagoa, close to Benagil Beach.

7. Glowing Beach In Maldives

The Glowing beach is located on one of the islands in the Maldives called Raa Atoll. It’s a part of Vaadhoo Island, which is relatively small with around 500 residents. The island has become a significant tourist attraction because of its fascinating natural phenomenon called the Sea of Stars. This secret treasure of the Maldives was hidden for a long time, but now it has gained popularity as one of the top tourism destinations.

8. Socotra, Yemen

Socotra is famous for its UFO-like Dragons blood trees because of how they look. These trees appear as if they were brought to Earth from another planet.

9. Grand Prismatic Spring, Wyoming, USA

The largest hot spring in the United States is appropriately named due to its vivid and colorful rainbow ring. The extremely hot water travels 121 feet from an underground fracture to reach the surface of the spring. The Grand Prismatic Spring, the world’s third-largest spring, is even bigger than a football field, with a diameter of 370 feet, a length of 360 feet, and a width of 160 feet.

10. Giant’s Causeway In Northern Ireland

Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland sits at the bottom of basalt sea cliffs on the edge of the Antrim Plateau. The sight is truly remarkable, with around 40,000 massive black basalt columns jutting out of the sea. Legends say that these columns were formed by giants crossing the sea to reach Scotland.

Through geological investigations over the past 300 years, earth sciences have made significant progress. It’s now clear that the cause of this phenomenon was volcanic activity during the tertiary period, which occurred about 50 to 60 million years ago. (UNESCO)

11. Son Doong Cave, Vietnam

This cave holds the title of being the largest on Earth when considering its cross-section. It was initially discovered in 2009 but became open for visitors in 2013. The cave is truly unique due to its enormous dolines, which are cave roof collapses, and its hidden underground jungles. Notably, it features a magnificent 90-meter-high calcite wall known as “The Great Wall of Vietnam.”

12. Monte Roraima – Venezuela

Roraima is a captivating mountain situated in the Highlands of Guyana. Although the mountain shares borders with Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana, most people approach it from Venezuela because the other two sides are quite challenging to reach. The highest point of the mountain, known as Maverick Rock, is located on the Venezuelan side.

13. Zhangye Danxia Landform In Gansu, China

In the Gansu province of China, you’ll find the Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park situated on the eastern foothills of the Cuillin Mountains. This incredible park showcases the breathtaking Danxia landform, covering an area of more than 50 square kilometers. Danxia landforms are a natural masterpiece, and the vibrant mountain slopes here resemble an upside-down palette, as if painted by the heavens themselves.

14. Emerald Ice On Baikal Lake, Russia

Lake Baikal, located in Southern Siberia, remains completely covered in snow for nearly half of the year. As the largest freshwater lake in the world, it experiences a frozen surface every winter when temperatures drop below zero. Surprisingly, despite the onset of harsh Siberian frosts many weeks prior, the ice doesn’t begin to form until the middle of winter. River Baikal, unlike other rivers and lakes, resists the formation of ice, remaining unfrozen for a longer period.

15. Pamukkale, Turkey

Pamukkale is a town in Western Turkey, famous for its thermal water enriched with minerals flowing along white travertine terraces. It’s located near the ancient Roman spa city of Hierapolis, which was founded around 190 B.C. In Pamukkale, you’ll find well-preserved ruins such as a theater and a necropolis with sarcophagi stretching for 2 kilometers. Another popular spot is the Antique Pool, known for its submerged Roman columns formed as a result of an earthquake.

16. Fly Geyser, Nevada, USA

Fly Geyser is a unique creation formed when scalding water erupted from a man-made well back in 1964. Over time, the minerals dissolved in the water have shaped the mount and surrounding terraces. Surprisingly, the geyser continues to grow and shoots water up to five feet in the air. The alien-like colors you see are a result of algae present in the geyser.

17. Tianzi Mountains, China

These mountains are situated in the Wulingyuan District of Zhangjiajie city. They are famous for being a scenic and historically significant area and have been recognized as a natural world heritage site. Among the Wulingyuan peaks, the Tianzi Mountains boast the highest peak. Moreover, these mountains are known for their appealing peaks and are celebrated for four remarkable phenomena – Snow in winter, the Sea of Clouds, Rays of Sunshine, and the Radiance of Moonlight.

18. Glowworms Cave, New Zealand

This cave is one of New Zealand’s finest natural attractions, where it feels like time and space stand still. It’s a result of a process that has taken an astonishing 30 million years to form.

19. The Wave, Arizona, USA

The Wave is a highly sought-after spot for photographers in the US Southwest, and you can find it at the Utah-Arizona border in the Coyote Buttes North area. Besides The Wave, Coyote Buttes North offers a plethora of incredible rock formations like The Alcove, The Grotto, Fatalis Boneyard, Second Wave, Top Rock Arch, Melody Arch, and The Sand Cove.

20. Dallol Volcano, Ethiopia

Dallol volcano is an intriguing location found in the Danakil Depression in northeastern Ethiopia, a remote area known for experiencing some of the highest average temperatures on Earth. In the vicinity of this volcano, you’ll find several features, including the 1926 crater near the “Black Mountain” and Dallol mountain. The Dallol Mountain rises about 50-60 meters above the surrounding salt plains and has approximate dimensions of 1.5 x 3 kilometers, while the crater near the “Black Mountain” is located about 1.5 kilometers to the southwest. It is believed that the Dallol Mountain is situated on top of a layer of quaternary evaporates, which is at least 1000 meters thick and includes significant reserves of potash (potassium salt).