The World's Most Unusual Landscapes

Tucked inside Göreme National Park in Cappadocia, Turkey, visitors can explore a few rock formations filled with a touch of magic. Over thousands of years, the rock formations, made out of basalt, eroded and revealed cone-shaped hills towering around 130-feet high. During the Roman Empire, persecuted Christians found the city of Göreme along with the fairy chimneys and quickly discovered the porous material could easily be chiseled into a unique home. Soon enough, those same humans excavated the land below, creating towns in the hollow land below. Now the entire area is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. However, that doesn't mean you can't visit. In fact, you can stay right in the caves at the Fairy Chimney Inn. Just watch your step for any tiny sparkling fairies inside.

The Great Blue Hole, located off the coast of Belize, is one of those places that has to be seen to be believed. At more than 1,000 feet in diameter and more than 400 feet deep, it's the largest sinkhole on Earth. According to Belize.com, the hole initially formed during the last ice age as a limestone cave. As the ocean began to rise, the cave flooded. Eventually, the cave collapsed, creating the Blue Hole we see today. The hole is teeming with wildlife, making it a rather popular destination for scuba divers. To get to the Blue Hole with ease, book a stay with Turneffe Island Resort. Not only does the resort offer scuba tours to the island, but, if you book the Presidential Suite, it will throw in a helicopter ride over the hole as well.

Located about a five-hour drive east of Los Angeles sits the lowest point in North America; the Badwater Basin in Death Valley. Though the basin—which sits 282 feet below sea level—is uninhabitable for plants and animals, it is home to one of the latest protected salt flats in the world. According to the National Parks Service, the area formed over thousands of years as fault lines in the Earth's crust shifted and dropped the land to such low levels. The salt flats then formed thanks to the extremely arid environment of Death Valley, where it only rains an average of two inches per year. The flat is rather fragile and can break up with a mere step, so all vehicles are strictly prohibited from driving over the region. But, visitors can walk over the flats to snap a selfie or two for posterity. 

If you're looking to find the end of a rainbow, it's apparently located in Peru. Nestled in the Andes travelers can find Vinicunca, also known as the Montaña de Siete Colores, or Mountain of Seven Colors. And honestly, its a sight to behold as the mountain appears to be a technicolor dream. As Travel+Leisure explained, the mountain gained its stunning colors after ice in the region began to melt thousands of years ago. It mixed with the minerals buried deep in the hillside, turning it the bright colors we know today. The best time to visit the mountain is during a bright sunny day when the colors appear at their most vibrant.

In the Western Sahara Desert in Mauritania travelers may be able to stumble upon one of the greatest landscape mysteries known to man: The Eye of the Sahara. The landmass is a perfect bullseye stretching some 25 miles in diameter. The origins of the bullseye remain quite the mystery. According to New Scientist, the beautiful blue-green eye could have formed following a meteor strike or a volcanic eruption. However, with scientific evidence still lacking experts can't really be sure. However, before booking tickets to see the eye, visitors should beware of one critical point—it's only visible from an airplane and space. But, if you find yourself flying over, or boarding Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic trips one day, you may be able to spot it.

Located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan, sits the ski resort known as Zao Onsen. Thanks to its position some 800 meters above sea level, the mountain tends to get buried in snow by mid-winter. That not only makes it a haven for skiers but a prime place for a few "snow monsters" as well. You see, each year the mountains massive fir trees transform into the snow-covered "monsters" that appear to be looming over the ski trails. To see the beautiful monsters for yourself head to the mountain between January and March when the snowfall tends to peak. Guests can either ski by or view them from an observation deck at the top of the mountain. And, while you're there, also try to catch a glimpse of them at night when they are lit up from below by the mountain guides. 

All of Yellowstone National Park is stunning, but no visit would be complete without a viewing of the Grand Prismatic Spring. Located in the western region of Wyoming, tourists can gaze upon the hot spring, which is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third-largest hot spring in the world. According to Yellowstone, the brightly-colored spring is deeper than a 10-story building and is wider than a football field. Yellowstone added it gets its beautiful yellow, orange, and blue bands from the different species of thermophilic bacteria living in and around spring. The spring gains its deep blue hue at the center because water scatters the blue wavelengths of light more than others. To get the best viewing of the spring try to arrive as early as possible as foot and car traffic tends to heat up later in the day.

Giant's Causeway, located along the coast of Northern Ireland, is a geometry lovers dream. Some 60 million years ago, during the volcanic age, thousands of basalt columns formed into stunning hexagonal shapes. While we know there was at least a little bit of natural science involved in the area's creation, many believe there was a little myth and magic thrown in too. According to Visit Ireland, legend has it that Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool), an Irish giant, picked a fight with a Scottish giant named Benandonner. After "enduring insults from Benandonner," Fionn built a path to use as stepping-stones to reach Scotland. However, Benandonner ripped up the steps, creating the Giant's Causeway we know today. 

For an Instagram-worthy destination look no further than Lake Hillier. Located in Western Australia, just next to the Pacific Ocean, sits the lake that somehow formed into a bright pink color. According to the lake's official website, scientists aren't quite certain how the lake gets its famous hue, However, they theorize it's due to the presence of Dunaliella salina microalgae. It noted the algae produce carotenoids, a pigment also found in carrots. Though the lake is perfectly safe for humans, you can't swim in it as it's impossible to visit. But, travelers can see the lake by boat, or for a more spectacular view, by air as well.