AMAZING NATURAL WONDERS OF THE WORLD – 10 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE
1. Ha Long Bay
Located in the Quang Ninh province of Vietnam, this bay is one incredible sight that runs along the coastline. What makes it so amazing? The thousands of limestone islands, karsts and isles that are completely covered in jungle vegetation.
2. The Great Blue Hole
This incredible underwater sinkhole measures 984 feet across and plunges 394 feet deep. It’s one of the top 10 best scuba diving spots in the world. You’ll find it off the coast of Belize.
3. Salar de Uyuni
From first glance it looks like a huge white ocean, but the truth is this flat is thought to contain over ten billion tons of salt. It’s the largest salt flat in the world and spans 4,086 square miles in southwest Bolivia. As part of the Andes, it is located 11,995 feet above sea level.
4. The Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights
People travel far and wide to Norway, Alaska and Yellowknife to view this magnificent sight! Legend has it that the Northern Lights aka Aurora Borealis occur when the spirits of those who’ve died pass over the heavens while the whistling crackling noise that tends to accompany the lights are the voices of those spirits. The scientific explanation: when highly charged electrons from the solar system meet elements such as oxygen and nitrogen from earth’s atmosphere, various colors burst forth. The color of the lights depend on the individual atoms struck and at which altitude. The dance or shift, flow and movement of the lights is caused by the constant shift of magnetic and electrical forces reacting to each other.
5. Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth in any land mass and has the highest concentration of salt in the world. It’s called “dead” because living creatures and plants are unable to survive thanks to its high salinity and yet it provides all sorts of health properties to those who swim…er float in it.
6. The Blue Grotto
There is an intense blue light that floods this famous cave in Capri, Italy. The brilliant blue color is caused by two tiny holes in the cave wall that are barely visible to those you look for it. If you place your hand underwater it will “glow” mysteriously thanks to the cave conditions and nature of the light.
7. Paria Canyon, Arizona
Paria Canyon spans across Utah and Arizona and just happens to be one of the most unique hiking locations in the southwest. In addition to the amazing natural red sandstone structures, The Wave is an exceptional formation that tourists flock to, thanks to the red streaks and wave patterns.
8. Lac Rose
Lake Retba aka Lac Rose is located in Senegal, just north of the Cap Vert peninsula. As you can tell by the photo and its name, the lake is completely pink! The shade is caused by the Dunaliella salina algae in the water which produces a red pigment that turns the waters a shade of rose. Like the Dead Sea, this lake is full of salt, so those who swim in it float easily.
9. Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 19,341 feet above sea level. It is also the highest mountain in Africa and although dormant, this stratovolcano could very well erupt again as the last major eruption occurred between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago.
10. Eye of the Sahara
The Eye of the Sahara aka Richat Structure is located in the Sahara desert of west-central Mauritania. It’s an incredible structure consisting of volcanic rocks, lava flows and carbonatites. Scientists once thought the dome was created by an asteroid impact, but now they say it is a deeply eroded geologic dome. Regardless of the exact cause of this natural wonder, it is certainly an incredible sight to behold!
