15 BIZARRE NATURAL WONDERS

I've done several blogs about various travel topics and locations, things of interest and places to visit that present the traveler with unusual experiences.

I recently saw a list of 15 natural wonders considered to be bizarre and definitely unusual.  And since they say a picture is worth 1,000 words, I'll save myself 15,000 words by including pictures. :)

Here, in no particular order, are 15 bizarre natural wonders.

Soleli Desert, Bolivia

Taking a trip across the Soleli Desert has been described as being like taking a trip through a Dr. Seuss book.  Strange rock formations, pink lagoons filled with flamingos, deadly geysers, an abandoned train cemetery, and the totally bizarre Uyuni Salt Flats.

Blood Falls, Antarctica

The Blood Falls emerge from Taylor Glacier and fall into Lake Bonney.  The red color of the waterfall comes from a buried saltwater reservoir containing iron.

Bowling Ball Beach, California

This is one of a very few locations anywhere in the world where you can find boulders of equal shape and size perfectly arranged in nature.

Hell's Gate, New Zealand

It was George Bernard Shaw who gave the Rotorua location its name of Hell's Gate.  You'll find bubbling mud ponds, smoking sulfur pits, and erupting geothermal pools. (Actually, it sounds a lot like areas of Yellowstone)

Great Blue Hole, Belize

The Lighthouse Reef ecosystem is home to this large submarine sinkhole which measures 984 feet across and 394 feet deep.  It is believed to be the world's largest sinkhole and is considered one of the best places in the world to scuba dive.

Snow Monsters, Japan

The so-called snow monsters are frost-covered trees on Japan's Mount Zao.  Heavy, wet snow solidifies to fir trees creating these alien looking creatures.

Wave Rock, Australia

This is one of the most beautiful rock formations in the world.  This tidal wave looking rock is 49 feet high and 328 feet long.

Door To Hell, Turkmenistan

This burning gas crater has been blazing for over 35 years.

Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand

These large boulders, formed from sea floor sediments, are 60 million years old.  The process is similar to the way a pearl forms inside an oyster.  The shape of the boulders is so perfect that they appear to be man-made.

Quinoa Forest, Cuenca

Claiming to be the highest altitude forest in the world, this mythical-looking location contains various Inca legends.  Due to the lack of soil, the twisting roots grow above ground.

Cano Cristales, Colombia

Referred to as "The River Of Five Colors," Cano Cristales is a clear river of vibrant greens, blues, reds, and yellows in many shades.

Tessellated Pavement, Tasmania

This bizarre natural formation in Eaglehawk Neck is made up of fractured stone created from a combination of stress on the Earth's crust, sand, and waves.

Spotted Lake, British Columbia

This 38 acre lake site is a rare natural phenomenon with one of the highest mineral contents in the world, which helps to form the spots on the lake surface.

Fairy Chimneys Of Cappadocia, Turkey

Strange rock formations are sculpted by wind and water and are best viewed from above such as from a hot air balloon.

Fly Geyser, Nevada

In the early 1900s, the owners of the land in the Haulapai Valley of Nevada were searching for water.  While drilling, they hit a geothermal pocket which created the geyser.  In addition to the vibrant colors, the geyser is continually growing in height.

The picture of the geyser totally grabbed my attention because of its similarity to the sight of the fountain in the lake at my mother's house one exceptionally cold winter (1989 to be exact).  The ice built up around the fountain until it reached a towering height with only the path of the water jets clear of ice, making it resemble a geyser.  

The three pictures here show it at its maximum ice, with a person to give it perspective, the fountain without any ice.