Turkmenistan, The Door to Hell
Turkmenistan’s Darvaza Crater, nicknamed the Door to Hell, is a huge gas-filled depression in the Karakum Desert. It began burning after the ground collapsed during Soviet drilling operations, creating an astonishing fire-lit landscape that has burned for decades.
Yemen, An Island Full of Alien-Looking Trees
Socotra, part of Yemen, has been isolated long enough for extraordinary species to evolve there. Its famous dragon’s blood trees have umbrella-shaped crowns and produce a vivid red resin, making the island’s landscapes look almost completely unlike elsewhere.
Namibia, Where the Desert Drinks Fog
Namibia’s Namib Sand Sea is the world’s only coastal desert with extensive dune fields shaped by fog. The enormous orange dunes, gravel plains, rocky formations, and sparse vegetation create a landscape that looks starkly alien, especially around Deadvlei.
Philippines, The Chocolate Hills
The Philippines’ Chocolate Hills are a huge collection of unusually uniform, cone-shaped mounds on Bohol. There are roughly 1,776 of them, and their grass-covered surfaces turn brown during the dry season, giving the geological formation its memorable name.
Turkey, A Mountain Made of Cotton
Turkey’s Pamukkale is covered with dazzling white travertine terraces formed by mineral-rich hot spring water. Cascading pools and petrified waterfalls climb the hillside, while the nearby ancient ruins of Hierapolis add another layer to this extraordinary landscape.
China, Mountains Painted by Nature
China’s Danxia landscapes feature spectacular red cliffs, pillars, towers, ravines, valleys, and waterfalls carved from reddish sandstone and conglomerate. The striking contrast between crimson rock, green vegetation, and blue water makes these formations particularly photogenic.
