Mirror of the Sky The Magical Face of the Dreamlike Uyuni Salt Flats

By the MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Department

Uyuni Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni), the world’s largest salt flat, is located in Bolivia. Its vast expanse of nearly 4,000 square kilometers of white terrain makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into a fairyland. The entire surface of the flats acts like a mirror and is also known as the “Mirror of the Sky,” making it hard to tell whether you’re walking on clouds or on water. For travelers who love to explore the farthest corners of the world, it is definitely a must-experience attraction.

Uyuni Salt Flats is situated in the mountainous region at an altitude of 3,700 meters. The scenery of the salt flats changes with the weather and light, offering a variety of unique and mysterious faces. Visitors will encounter different sights at different times, making the experience truly unforgettable. From July to October each year is the dry season of the Uyuni Salt Flats, when large areas of the salt pan surface are dried up, presenting an endless stretch of pure white “hexagonal tiles.”

The Uyuni Salt Flats were formed during the uplift of the Andes Mountains. After experiencing some large-scale geological activities, it rose from the seabed, and in the process, numerous lakes filled with seawater were formed. Natural salt fields were also created, becoming an important part of the local economy. During the salt-harvesting season, piles of salt in various sizes are stacked on the surface of the flats, creating a rather adorable sight.

In addition to being sent to factories to be processed into salt, the salt produced here is also used by locals as building material for houses. The landscape of many white-walled buildings in the area originates from this. The White Salt Hotel (Hotel de Sal) is one such building—its structure, as well as the beds, tables, and chairs, are all made of salt. There is also a rather upscale Palacio de Sal that offers saltwater baths and steam baths, allowing visitors to have a full-on “salt journey.”