These bizarre landforms are unlike any other on the planet. From Spain’s blood-red river to Turkey’s legendary underground rock cities and fairy chimneys, one after another, these extraordinary formations seem less like works of nature and more like direct copies from science fiction novels and films, adding an air of mystery to our planet. Here are the 15 most bizarre landforms:
1. The Giant’s Causeway, Ireland
Standing atop the Giant’s Causeway, gazing at the strange hexagonal basalt columns before you, visitors may feel as though they’ve arrived on another planet.
The Giant’s Causeway is located along the Causeway Coast in Ireland. The first historical mention of this bizarre landform dates back to 1693. Standing atop the Giant’s Causeway, gazing at the strange hexagonal basalt columns before you, visitors may feel as though they’ve arrived on another planet. The basalt columns, similar to ancient paving stones, were originally part of a lava plateau formed between 50 and 60 million years ago.
2. The Wave, Arizona, USA
With a history of nearly 190 million years, The Wave is composed of Jurassic-era Navajo Sandstone, formed by the calcification of vertical and horizontal layers of sand dunes.
The Wave is a sandstone formation located in Arizona, USA. Its incredibly surreal appearance often leads internet images of it to be labeled as “photoshopped.” It almost seems as if someone deliberately carved out The Wave’s strange, wavy structure, giving it the look of a natural skate park. With a history of nearly 190 million years, The Wave is composed of Jurassic-era Navajo Sandstone, formed by the calcification of vertical and horizontal layers of sand dunes.
3. The Dry Valleys, Antarctica
The Dry Valleys feature vast expanses of sand dotted with seal bones, while rocks have been sculpted into bizarre shapes by the wind.
Antarctica also has areas that receive almost no snowfall, which seems almost unbelievable. Located in Victoria Land on the western side of McMurdo Sound, the Dry Valleys are an extremely desolate place, but that very desolation makes them an ideal location for film shoots. The Dry Valleys feature vast expanses of sand dotted with seal bones, while rocks have been sculpted into bizarre shapes by the wind. In addition, steaming ice fumaroles (volcanic vents) add to the mystery of this bizarre landscape. All of this combines to make the Dry Valleys a world that seems almost impossible to exist in reality.
4. The Río Tinto, Spain
The Río Tinto originates in the Sierra Morena mountains of Andalusia, Spain, and its unusual blood-red color is due to high iron content.
The Río Tinto originates in the Sierra Morena mountains of Andalusia, Spain, and its unusual blood-red color is due to high iron content. It is said that copper, silver, gold, and other metal ores have been mined in the Río Tinto basin for over 5,000 years. While the river presents an eerie kind of beauty, it is also an environmental disaster due to heavy metal pollution and mining accidents. Mining in the Río Tinto basin was halted ten years ago, but the recent rise in copper prices has refocused attention on the area, with plans to reopen mining operations in early 2010.
5. The Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
Nevada’s Black Rock Desert is a mysterious place, home to colorful geysers, dried-up ancient lake beds, and highly dynamic mountain ranges.
Nevada’s Black Rock Desert is a mysterious place, home to colorful geysers, dried-up ancient lake beds, and highly dynamic mountain ranges. Given these natural wonders, it’s no surprise that the Black Rock Desert is the site of the Burning Man festival, an annual event known for its otherworldly atmosphere.
6. The Crystal Caves of Mexico
The Crystal Caves of Mexico are home to some of the world’s most famous natural crystals, with the longest reaching up to 36 feet (approximately 11 meters).
At first glance, it might seem like a microscopic photo of crystals—until you notice the person standing and admiring them in the image, realizing that these are the crystals as seen by the naked eye. The Crystal Caves of Mexico are home to some of the world’s most famous natural crystals, with the longest reaching up to 36 feet (approximately 11 meters). Geologist Juan Manuel García-Ruiz states that these crystals have existed in this extraordinary environment for thousands of years, with the cave maintaining a constant temperature of around 136 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Spotted Lake, Canada
In summer, the lake transforms into a mosaic of white, green, and yellow pools.
Approximately one mile (about 1.6 kilometers) north of the border between Washington State, USA, and British Columbia, Canada, you’ll find one of the strangest bodies of water you’ve ever seen—Spotted Lake. Known locally as “Klikuk,” in summer, the lake becomes a mosaic of white, green, and yellow pools. The “pathways” between the pools are made up of salts, titanium, calcium, sulfates, and other minerals.
8. The Tessellated Pavement, Australia
The Tessellated Pavement is a natural phenomenon, a rare form of erosion that occurs when waterlogged sedimentary rock fractures under tectonic pressure.
The Tessellated Pavement is located at Eaglehawk Neck on the Tasman Peninsula in Tasmania. It’s hard to believe that this pavement-like formation of rectangles isn’t man-made, but the evidence is undeniable. The Tessellated Pavement is a natural phenomenon, a rare form of erosion that occurs when waterlogged sedimentary rock fractures under tectonic pressure. As the sedimentary rock dries and loses moisture during low tide, salt crystals form on the surface. Under the influence of these salt crystals, the ground develops cracks, creating the rectangular patterns we see.
9. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Driving across the salt flat, you feel as though you’re disappearing into nothingness. The vast expanse of the salt flat reflects the sunlight, blending the sky and ground into one seamless entity.
Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat. Driving across the salt flat, you feel as though you’re disappearing into nothingness. The vast expanse of the salt flat reflects the sunlight, blending the sky and ground into one seamless entity. The cone-shaped salt piles in the image, which look like they’re from another planet, are stacked by workers and await collection and processing. All of this reinforces the impression that this is truly a unique place. The Salar de Uyuni contains about 10 billion tons of salt, but only about 25,000 tons are mined each year.
10. Cappadocia, Turkey
Everyone dreams of walking and exploring on the moon. Though that dream is hard to fulfill, the moon-like landscape of Cappadocia in Turkey offers a similar experience.
Everyone dreams of walking and exploring on the moon. Though that dream is hard to fulfill, the moon-like landscape of Cappadocia in Turkey offers a similar experience. This place features winding, trap-laden tunnels and vast underground cities, all carved out by the Hittites 3,000 years ago. In Cappadocia, you feel as if you’ve entered a world full of bizarre charm—houses hewn from massive rocks and the so-called fairy chimney rock formations adorn this unique land made of volcanic tuff. Located about 200 miles (approximately 322 kilometers) south of Ankara, some believe this region has magical magnetic healing properties.
11. Moon Valley, Brazil
Moon Valley is located in the Chapada Diamantina National Park and is the park’s most captivating attraction. The Chapada Diamantina is believed to be around 1.8 billion years old.
When visiting Brazil’s Moon Valley, it’s easy to feel as though you’ve left Earth and arrived on another planet. Moon Valley is situated in the Chapada Diamantina National Park and is the park’s most popular site. The Chapada Diamantina is believed to be around 1.8 billion years old. The valley’s rock formations, eroded by the waters of the São Miguel River, are among the oldest on Earth.
12. White Desert, Egypt
Towering chalk rock formations rise like giant mushrooms over the White Desert, these strange structures formed by sandstorms that have swept the area for thousands of years.
Towering chalk rock formations rise like giant mushrooms over the White Desert, these strange structures formed by sandstorms that have swept the area for thousands of years. The White Desert is located in the Farafra Oasis in western Egypt, and this surreal landscape has become a major draw for tourists from around the world.
13. Blood Pond Hot Spring, Japan
Blood Pond Hot Spring is located in Beppu, Japan, and its Japanese name literally means “Hell.”
Blood Pond Hot Spring is located in Beppu, Japan, and its Japanese name literally means “Hell.” As the name suggests, a visit to Blood Pond Hot Spring feels a bit like a journey into horror. The high iron content turns the water an unsettling deep red, and the eerie feeling is amplified if you take a boat ride through the pool, creating a spine-chilling sensation.
14. Stone Forest, Yunnan, China
The area where the Stone Forest is located was once covered by the sea. As the seawater gradually receded and eroded the bedrock over millennia, it eventually formed the Stone Forest we see today.
“If you visit Yunnan, China, without seeing the Stone Forest, you’re wasting your time.” This saying clearly implies the immense appeal of the Yunnan Stone Forest. In this 400-square-kilometer fantastical world made of stone, some towering rock formations tower so high they dwarf the surrounding trees. The area where the Stone Forest is located was once covered by the sea. As the seawater gradually receded and eroded the bedrock over millennia, it eventually formed the Stone Forest we see today.
15. Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave, Werfen, Austria
The Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave is located in Werfen, Austria. Its entrance looks no different from any other mountain cave opening. But once you step inside, you’ll feel as if you’ve entered another world.
The Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave is located in Werfen, Austria. Its entrance looks no different from any other mountain cave opening. But once you step inside, you’ll feel as if you’ve entered another world. The caves near the entrance are aligned in a row, with ice up to 65 feet (approximately 20 meters) thick. The cave’s stalactites, stalagmites, frozen waterfalls, and other ice formations captivate visitors.