6 of the Most Beautiful Places You Never Knew Existed

Planet earth is a magnificent place chock full of wondrous destinations that you might not even know exists! Sure, a getaway to the blue waters of Bora-Bora sounds amazing, but have a look at these little-known world wonders that might just shoot to the top of your bucket list!

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Considering it is more than 4,000 square miles big, it is quite surprising that this entry is still so unknown. The Bolivian Salt Flats stretch as far as the eye can see and when a thin layer of moisture covers the otherwise salt-covered earth, the planes are transformed into a mirror-like reflection of the sky. In the dry season the polygonal patterns of the salt are clearly visible and as the night sky engulfs you the terrain turns a haunting blue hue. It is a combination of the harsh elements, vast expanses, and otherworldly nature of this site that attracts visitors. 

The Great Blue Hole, Belize

There are plenty of magical places in the Caribbean but none as striking as the Great Blue Hole in Belize. Around 60-miles off the coast of Belize, you will find a near-perfect circle with an imposing dark blue hue located in the turquoise waters of the lighthouse reef. The hole is an underwater sinkhole and the largest of its kind on the planet. Inside, divers can marvel at the café formations like stalagmites and stalactites but it is also home to sharks like black-tipped sharks, nurse sharks, hammerheads, and more. This is seen as one of the top diving spots in the world as you are able to experience a unique natural phenomenon and explore the nearby reefs that are teeming with life. If you prefer to keep your feet dry, you can also book a helicopter flight over the spectacle to get a bird’s eye view. 

Waitomo Glowworm Caves, New Zealand

This is one of those places that you will need to see to believe. The Waitomo caves in New Zealand have been around for nearly 30million years but in the last 100-years humans have discovered the most magical attribute of the caves. Millions of glowworms (Arachnocampa Luminosa) illuminate the café roof and walls when the sun goes down and transforms the dimly lit system into a display akin to the milky way. Hop on a boat and float gently down the river inside the cave to experience this marvel up close without disturbing the tranquility of the surroundings. 

Travertine Pools of Pamukkale, Turkey

How would you like to bathe in healing waters where Cleopatra once bathed? This can now be a reality! In the southwest of Turkey is the town of Pamukkale that is surrounded by magnificent ancient Roman ruins. But the main attraction here is the healing pools formed by mineral deposits over millions of years. The white pools case a cascading effect and the contrasting blue water is said to have healing effects for everything from chronic illnesses to skin diseases and digestive problems. The name Pamukkale means “cotton castle” in ~Turkish and there is no better way to describe the ethereal nature of these pools. 

Lake Baikal, Russia (Siberia)

Large bodies of water are usually mysterious and intriguing and as the deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal has certainly amped up the intrigue factor! The lake gets 1 mile deep at some points and even though it is stunning in the summer, it is in the winter when the lake truly becomes magnificent. Methane bubbles that rise up from the deep are trapped in the thick clear ice and create strings of white ice bubbles. This phenomenon has visitors scratching their heads as the white bubble columns seem suspended in the water rather than in the ice. Strong winds that blast across the frozen surface carve away at sheets of ice creating mindboggling formations on the surface of the ice too. The shoreline is equally fantastic with ice-covered trees, glistening frozen pebbles, ice crystals covering the land, and ice caves dotted around. 

Son Doong Cave, Vietnam

This is the world’s largest cave and images of Son Doong look more like fantasy paintings than a real-life location. The cave is so big that it has its own micro-climate, weather system, and unique fauna and flora. It is so remote that it was only discovered in 2009 and the number of visitors to this extraordinary place is highly restricted. There is an underground rainforest and you get to camp inside this monstrous formation. It is located in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park which also holds various other record-breaking caves. You will swim through cracks in the rock, explore millennia-old geological formations, and get up close with parts of the rainforest that has been untouched by human interference. It is a land lost in time and one of the most beautiful places you must see!