Top we are going on an adventure from pink lakes in Australia to golden temples in India. Check out 25 surreal destinations you need to visit before you die.
Hallerbos, Belgium
Our first destination gives you enough time to sort out your finances and your passport because the Bluebell forest in Belgium only blooms for around two weeks in April. Its also weather dependent but generally it’s the last two weeks of the month. The pretty purple flowers carpet the entire forest and it is breathtaking. It’s roughly a 30-minute drive from Brussels to get there.
Salar De Uyuni, Bolivia
This is one of those destinations that you have to see to believe it. It used to be a prehistoric lake but it’s completely dried up now. When all the remains is an endless landscape of flat white salt. It’s the largest salt flat in the world and during the rainy season, it turns into a gigantic mirror. You can stay at the Palacio de sel a hotel made entirely of salt blogs. The modern GPS technology has confirmed that the area is not flat in fact there are Hills peaks and ridges that are mere millimeters high.
Pammukale Thermal Pools,Turkey
Turkey, in general, is a really cool place to visit but make sure you don’t miss out on seeing the Pamukkale thermal pools located in the southwest region of the country. The travertine terraces hold hot springs as a result of earthquakes that took place 400,000 years ago. It’s earned the nickname the cotton castle and it’s the location of the ancient Greco-roman city known as Hierapolis it’s the UNESCO world heritage site.
Lake Hillier, Australia
If you’re heading to this saline lake in Australia Lake Hillier is pink due to the combination of high saline content in the algae in the water. It spans across one and a half hectares or is 3.7 acres and unlike other pink lakes. This one maintains this pink shade all year round. The reason it’s pink is not a hundred percent confirmed but scientists believe it’s probably because of the presence of Doudna likely Selena microalgae or possibly the red hello philic bacteria in the salt crusts.
Meteora, Greece
Meteora has several meanings middle of the sky suspended in the air or in the heavens above. It’s an important complex of the greek orthodox monasteries and monks of the byzantine era. Believed building their monasteries high on the rocks would bring them closer to God. 24 monasteries were originally built but only six remain today.
Skocjan Caves, Slovenia
If you suffer from claustrophobia than best to skip this spot but if you don’t you’re very fortunate. A trip down into the caves makes you feel like you are entering another realm. There are pathways lit by colorful lamps and they’ll take you to underground lakes, waterfalls, chambers and hidden caves. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to Europe’s largest underground gorge due to the unusual conditions inside the caves a unique ecosystem has developed inside.
Fly Geyser, Nevada
Fly ranch geyser Nevada formerly known as Ward’s hot springs. This geothermal geyser came about accidentally in 1964 when the area wasn’t kept properly by good drillers. The result was an accumulation of minerals rising. A geyser effect of water that is continually spraying. The different colors are from various mineral deposits. Yellow from the sulfur, red from iron and green from algae. Some of the springs in the area can reach temperatures of 219 degrees Fahrenheit and 286 degrees Fahrenheit below the surface.
Devils Tower, Wyoming
You’ll recognize this surreal rock formation if you’ve watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This rock formation is sacred to many Native American tribes and it’s still the site of ceremonial rituals and offerings. If you’re visiting never remove anything from the area as bad luck is sure to follow. This was America’s first official Monument and it’s thought to be an igneous intrusion and underground formation of molten rock or magma that pushed to the surface. It’s estimated to be 50 million years old.
The Wave, Arizona
This incredible Rock is a result of eroded sand tourists who want to visit must play a type of Lottery’s enter as only 20 permits are given out each day. 10 are awarded through an online lottery which opens four months in advance. The other 10 are awarded the day before you want to visit. The colors of the sand are intense and range from red, orange, yellow, pink, green and white. Those that have had the privilege of heading there say the most surreal experiences. After its rained and the puddles are filled with tadpoles and fairy shrimp.
Pig Beach, The Bahamas
The Bahamas is a fabulous travel destination white sand, blue seas, and pigs. If you’re on pig island that’s what you’ll expect to see. There are groups of mural pigs that love the water and are accustomed to receiving treats from tourists in exchange for some quirky unusual photographs. Many theories abound about how the pigs got there. The most popular beings that a ship that dropped them there with the intention of returning and retrieving them never made it back.
Rainbow Mountain, China
Rainbow mountains China Peru actually has a similar mountain range. Its the result of thousands of years of wind and rain beating against the mountain range. Jung Eden Chiya landform is a mix of browns, greens, reds, and yellows and received its official Geopark status in 2011 toast waffle Samoa.even if you’re not a water lover a trip here will still take your breath away. Located in lotta fog a village this big hole is surrounded by greenery and beautiful gardens and sits in the middle of a lava field. There is one ladder that gets you into the watering hole and the hole is filled with seawater. There’s a tunnel underneath that connects it to the ocean.
National Forest Park, China
When a province in China is home to this surreal National Park that boasts 243 peaks and over 3,000 quartzite sandstone pillars and spires. These formations are what inspired the hallelujah mountain range setting in Avatar. One of the quartz sandstone pillars has been renamed avatar hallelujah Mountain. It was believed that the formations were caused by chemical erosion. Its been confirmed that it’s the result of physical erosion weather in the area is wet which makes it lush and green year-round.
The Golden Temple, India
This iconic temple is an Emirates R and it provides meals and shelter to pilgrims regardless of race, religion or creed. Each day a hundred thousand people are given a meal from here. The meals are prepared by volunteers and experience you will never forget is eating on the floor amongst thousands of other pilgrims. The top of the temple is made from pure gold and you can enter from any side of the building to show that they are all accepting.
Red Beach, China
Don’t expect to sink your feet into red soft sand at pensions red beach because the red is a species of seaweed called Sueda. It’s not always red and is green most of the year. It changes color when autumn arrives. The area has over 260 species of birds and around 400 types of animals making this an intriguing the ecosystem to explore. It’s also one of the biggest wetlands and reed marsh areas in the world.
Leshan Giant Buddha, China
While you’re in China, take a trip to Sichuan province to view the Leshan giant buddha statue. It was commissioned in 7:13 and took thousands of workers 90 years to complete. The buddha has over 1,000 buns in his hair and he must be continually maintained throughout the year.
Tsingy De Bemaraha, Madagascar
Madagascar covering an area of 1520 square kilometers or just under 600 square miles. This World Heritage Site is roughly half rock formations and half forest. The pointy rock formations are called Tsingy De and the ecosystem here is also unique. You’ll find 140 different types of birds and 650 plant species. It’s not easy to reach this destination as it is so isolated it’s definitely worth the effort to get there.
Trolltunga, Norway
Trolltunga Norway translated it means trolls tongue and it’s a precarious rock formation that hangs over a lake. Brave visitors crawl to the edge to soak in the surreal views of the Norwegian landscape. It’s 2,300 feet high and in 2010 only 800 people hiked to the top but now more than 80,000 people head there each year. The hike has been classed as quote/unquote challenging so make sure you’re fit and wearing the right gear to complete it.
Hvitserkur, North Iceland
You can decide what you think it looks like a dragon or a monster regardless. This rock formation is a must-see it’s on the northern tip of the Vuitton’s Ness Peninsula in Iceland and is 15 meters or 49 feet high. It is streaked with white bird dropping which is why it is called if it’s a core meaning white shirt.
Marble Caves, Patagonia
This surreal spot boasts an abundance of beautiful marble caves located in the middle of the general Carrera lake in Patagonia. You can only enter in a small boat and there are plenty of tour companies taking people on 30-minute tours of the caves. The caves were formed with the constant waves crash against calcium carbonate for over six thousand years. The weight of the marble caves is estimated at five billion tons. Although it’s mainly blue and grey you do find a little pink here and there.
Matera, Italy
This is one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns in the world and has been inhabited since the Neolithic period. The place was said to be an embarrassment to Italy that was until the 1950s when a resettlement plan was put in place. When the area was properly explored they then realized just how old it really was. A 150 thousand-year-old hominid skeleton was discovered and now it’s a Unesco world heritage site attracting huge numbers of tourists every year.
Jiuzhai Valley National Park, China
Jiuzhaigou Valley China it means Valley of nine villages. This is a revered area by the local Tibetan people. The area spans across 72 thousand hectares and boasts crystal-clear lakes, waterfalls, thousands of higher plant species and forests that look like they’re from a fairy tale. It’s a World Biosphere Reserve and roughly 7,000 people visit this area every day.
Tunnel of Love, Ukraine
It’s hard to believe this is real and it’s a must-see any crane described as the most romantic place in the world. Lovers who make a wish will see it come to reality but only if their love is real. Trains still use the tunnel so make sure you know the schedule before making your wish.
Huacachina, Peru
You have heard the saying an oasis in the desert well this is true that it’s called the Oasis of the Americas. It’s as if the Oasis is not aware of the harsh environment surrounding it. Tourists have been visiting this spot for more than 70 years but its future is uncertain. Water levels have dropped dramatically and locals have been pumping water from external sources just to maintain it. Finances are a problem though and the longevity of such a massive task is unclear. Have you ever visited any of these surreal destinations?
Pink Forest, Ireland
This beautiful spot has seen a few online arguments arise as to whether it’s real or not. Some have claimed it to be a heavily guarded secret by the fairies and leprechauns. While others claim that there are algae in the water which change everything to this beautiful pink color. It seems the forest does exist but maybe it’s not as pink and comes in regular green and brown colors of what you might expect from forests. Its located in Bridges Park Co Meath Ireland and this was done by someone who clearly has too much time on their hands. It still is a real spot to visit even though it may not always be pink.
