There is nothing more dazzling than seeing nature’s magic at play all around us. And there are some places where this magic seems to know no bounds. Not only are the places we have listed here breathtakingly beautiful, they are also surreal and actually natural marvels that way. We recommend you scribble these places onto your bucket list to experience the very best of what nature has to offer. 

The Rainbow Mountains
China
Within the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park in China is a range of hills that look like they have been painted over with all shades of colors that make up a rainbow. Called a geographical wonder, The Rainbow Mountains are a World Heritage Site that attracts hordes of visitors every year. Although a multitude of colors are spotted on the mountains, varying shades of red and oranges are more dominant. Formed by siltstones and cretaceous sandstones deposited in China, the colors are a result of silt and sand that contains iron and other minerals. The spot expands over 50 square kilometers but there are sightseeing buses available for you to observe the view in less than two hours. Hikers can also climb the hills. Similar rainbow hills are found all around the world, most notably in Peru and British Columbia but the ones in China are said to be the best.

Tunnel of Love
Ukraine

One cannot pass through the Tunnel of Love in Ukraine and not marvel at the natural forces that helped in its formation. After a railway track from Klevan to Orzhiv was left unused for many years, the trees grew in lengths and their branches joined one another. Eventually, they formed a tunnel with walls and ceilings making a cylindrical opening for trains to pass through. Credit to its magical formation, it soon attracted couples and newlyweds and has been since then tagged as one of the most romantic places on earth. The tunnel is nearly a kilometer long and a wood transporting train runs through the trails three times everyday. Except for that, the tunnel is a relatively quiet trail for a stroll. Summer is the best time to visit this place because this is when the vegetation is green and alive. 

Mud volcanoes
Gobustan, Azerbaijan

Mud volcanoes are very much like lava emitting volcanoes except that they spew out mud instead of lava. They are not activated by magmatic processes but rather by the reaction of gases or slurry/water eruptions. Mud volcanoes are found all around the world but Azerbaijan has more active volcanoes than any other country. 65 kilometers south of Baku (Azerbaijan’s capital) are a cluster of such mud volcanoes that spits out thick gray mud all year long and very regularly. In fact, it is a sight to see because you will find locals lathering themselves in the sticky mud. The mud is said to have healing properties and believed to help with skin diseases. A ride to the volcanoes takes about 30 minutes from the highway and the bumpy roads make the ride itself an experience. Up there, there should be some ten active volcanoes burping mud. 

Manjanggul Lava Tube
South Korea

When pathways for flowing lava are drained of the molten liquid after eruption, the lava flow stops altogether. When the rocks have cooled the pathway turns into a long cave and these are what we call lava tubes. Manjanggul Lava Tube in Jeju Island of South Korea is one of the longest lava tubes in the world. Despite there being longer lava tubes in the country, Manjanggul is remarkable for the way it has been preserved and kept intact even 300,000 years after its formation. Decked with Lava stalactites, stalagmites, lava columns, flowstones, cave coral and the likes, the cave is naturally lit under teal and fluorescent lights. Covering this cave is an hour’s affair but the path is not smooth so one has to be very careful here. The cave is large and wet and when entering you will experience a sharp plunge in temperature. 

Frozen Sea
Sweden

Living above the clouds may be a dream we will never live to see but living above the sea is very much real for the people of Lulea in Sweden. There are many frozen seas around the world but none that has a living and thriving town right above it. What is water in warmer months completely freezes over during winter with three to five meters of frozen ice on the surface. There are streets in Lulea that can only be traveled to in the cold months of winter when the sea is frozen. For the rest of the year, inhabitants take a long detour because they have to navigate the seawater. From December to January, skating rinks, ice biking, and snow trek trails open up all around town making this period a fun time to be in Lulea.

 
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