No matter where you are in the world, there are beautiful places to discover. The world is full of incredible natural beauty, and it’s hard to believe that so much of it is hidden right beneath our noses. If you love exploring nature, then these are some of the most surreal sights on Earth:
Tianzi Mountains, China
The Tianzi Mountains are located in China, and are a collection of mountains in the Tianzhu Mountain Range. The range is part of the Hengduan Mountain Range, which also includes other iconic peaks like Mount Everest and K2. The Qinling (also spelled Ch'in Ling) Mountains separate these two ranges from one another--the mountains you see in this photo belong to both the Hengduan and the Qinling.
They're called "tianzi" because locals believe that they resemble deities of heaven and earth who watch over China's people.
Sentinels of the Arctic, Finland
Image Source: KimKim
You may not know it, but there is a place on Earth that is the northernmost point in Europe. It's called the Sentinels of the Arctic, and it's located in Finland near the border with Norway.
Located inside of a national park, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to over 120,000 reindeer and serves as home base for about 8,000 Sami people.
In addition to being one of the most beautiful sites on Earth due to its location in Lapland (that's how far north we're talking), it also has a lot of history behind it: The Sámi Parliament has been meeting here since 1993 when they decided that they needed their own space away from Finnish authorities.
Bigar Waterfall, Romania
The waterfall is located in the Carpathian Mountains, near Bascov, Romania. It is the tallest waterfall in Romania and one of the most beautiful natural places to visit. The tall rocks and trees surround it as if they were protecting it from invaders that would want to destroy such a beautiful sight.
Grand Prismatic Hot Spring, Wyoming
This truly is an amazing sight. The largest hot spring in America and one of the most colorful places on Earth, Grand Prismatic Hot Spring is located in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The vivid colors come from bacteria that live in the water and give this natural wonder its magnificent palette of hues: bright oranges, bright yellows and a deep blue that's hard to believe.
The spring itself measures approximately 370 feet across and 210 feet deep! It's breathtakingly gorgeous—and just one of many wonders you'll find at Yellowstone National Park.
Tunnel of Love, Klevan, Ukraine
The tunnel of love in Klevan, Ukraine, is an attraction that has become popular with tourists.
Located on the Klevan-Zhytomyr highway, it’s only 20 feet long and made of wood with a small platform at the end. It's unclear how old it is but many people believe it was built in the early 2000s.
The tunnel has been featured in several movies including "My Love" by Aleksandr Muratovskiy and "The Tunnel" by Aleksey Filippov.
Yuanyang County, China
Yuanyang County is in the south of Yunnan province, China. The county is famous for its rice terraces and occupies 10% of China’s total paddy land. The rice fields are built on hillsides and slopes that are steep with a gradient ranging between 20° to 60°.
The Yuanyang Rice Terraces have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 due to their unique construction method and the spectacular landscapes they create.
Pamukkale Hot Springs, Turkiye
You may have heard of Pamukkale, a natural site in Turkiye that's been dubbed the "cotton castle." Its name means "cotton castle" in Turkish, and it's an apt description: the site consists of travertine terraces formed by hot springs. It's one of the most surreal natural wonders on Earth—and it's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Pamukkale is popular with tourists because of its stunning beauty, but also because it's relatively easy to access by public transportation. Many travelers visit during their travels through Turkiye; others go specifically for Pamukkale.
Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
The Giant's Causeway is an ancient structure rising from the sea on the North Antrim coast in Northern Ireland. It was formed 60 million years ago when basaltic lava flowed into the sea and then cooled into hexagonal columns. The result: a breathtakingly bizarre landscape of over 40,000 interlocking columns that range in height from 4 to 6 feet tall.
It’s been said that it took only one hour for nature to create this wonder, but a lot longer for humans to discover it—the Giant's Causeway wasn't discovered until 1693!
Fly Geyser, Nevada
Image Source: Cultural Heritage Online
Fly Geyser is a geothermal geyser located in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. It is a cone of silica sinter built up around a well drilled in 1964, which emits hot water at approximately 60 °C (140 °F). The water that sprays from the geyser comes from a hot spring.
The site has been known by several names, including Fly Ranch Geyser and Fly Geyser, but has also been known as “the Matterhorn” because of its shape and appearance.
Naica Mine, Mexico
Image Source: Mexico Business.
The Naica Mine is a former silver mine in Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico that’s filled with enormous crystals of selenite and gypsum. The largest crystal found here was over 12 feet long and likely formed around 250 million years ago. This cave-like environment creates some of the most beautiful mineral formations you’ll ever see in your life!
The world is full of beautiful places to discover.
The world is full of beautiful places to discover. You just have to be willing to get up and go looking for them.
Some of the most amazing sights on Earth are not easy to reach or even see in person, but they're still out there—and they're worth the time, effort, and money you'll spend searching for them.
It’s time to get inspired by these fascinating places on Earth. We hope that they will inspire you to explore the world and be amazed by how beautiful it is!
