What places look like they come from another planet?

Dallol, Ethiopia

Dallol, located in Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression, is a geothermal site that looks like hell on Earth. Scorching temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius create an inhospitable environment. Colorful salt plains, bubbling hot springs and extravagant tufa formations make Dallol one of the hottest and strangest places on the planet.

Tuff structures at Mono Lake, USA

Lake Mono is adorned with tuff structures that defy the imagination. These rock formations are the result of the interaction between mineral-rich groundwater and arid air. The vivid colors and fantastic shapes of the tufa structures create a landscape worthy of a dream.

China‘s floating mountains

In China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region, floating mountains intrigue travellers with their unreal appearance. Created by wind erosion, these rock formations seem to float above the Gobi Desert. Together, they create an extraordinary landscape that seems to come straight from another planet.

White Sands National Park, Mexico

White Sands National Park in Mexico offers a spectacle that evokes the surface of another planet. Its white gypsum dunes reflect the sunlight dazzlingly, creating an almost lunar landscape. This vast expanse of white sand is one of a kind.

Naica Crystal Cave, Mexico

Beneath the surface of the Earth, Mexico’s Naica Crystal Cave hides an incredible secret. This cave is home to giant gypsum crystals, some reaching over 10 metres in length. The extremely hot and humid conditions inside the cave allowed these spectacular crystals to form, creating an underground landscape of extraordinary beauty.

Socotra, Yemen

Socotra, a small, isolated island in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, is often referred to as the “alien Garden of Eden” because of its unique flora and fauna. Blood dragon trees, socotrans and other rare species give this island an exotic appearance that seems to have come straight from another planet.

Rainbow Island, Hormuz, Iran

Rainbow Island, located off the Iranian island of Hormuz, owes its name to its incredibly colorful geological formations. The mineral-rich sediment layers create a palette of colors ranging from red to violet, offering a striking visual experience.

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

Brazil’s Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is a unique place where desert meets water. This park is made up of white sand dunes interspersed with freshwater lagoons, creating a fascinating, contrasting landscape that seems unreal.

Pink Lake, France

Pink Lake in France, also known as Lac Retba in Senegal, is famous for its striking pink color due to the presence of algae and bacteria. The surface of this lake resembles an alien, almost supernatural landscape, in contrast to traditional lakescapes.

Svalbard, Norway

The Svalbard archipelago in Norway is famous for its spectacular northern lights. The dancing lights in the night sky create a magical, unreal atmosphere, giving the impression of being on another planet.

Marble Cathedral, Chile

This picturesque town is set in a green valley and is an ideal starting point for hikes in the surrounding mountains.