Tessellated Pavement

　　  As we all know, the chessboards we use for playing chess are square-shaped and perfectly flat. But aside from those used in the game, there is a magical landform in Australia that looks like a chessboard and is truly awe-inspiring. It’s known as the Tessellated Pavement. Located at Eaglehawk Neck in Tasmania, this unique Australian landform looks from afar like a flat chessboard made up of neat rectangular sections — a truly marvelous sight.

　　  Many people assume that the Tessellated Pavement was man-made, but that’s not the case. It’s actually a rare erosional landform formed when tectonic plates were compressed and fractured. During low tide, the water evaporates from the sedimentary rock, leaving behind salt crystals. These crystals create cracks on the surface, forming the rectangular patterns we see. Visitors to Tasmania often come here to witness this incredible natural wonder and enjoy the breathtaking views of the vast ocean while standing on the Tessellated Pavement.

　　  Tessellated Pavement   Reason to visit: The world’s most fascinating natural chessboard-like landform   Continent: Oceania   Country/Region: Australia   State/Province: Tasmania