10 Most Unusual Places on Earth
If you're new here, you may want to sign up for email alerts or to subscribe to my RSS feed. Enjoy Life in the Fast Lane!
We’re lucky enough to live on a planet where there are so many extremes that it can make one’s head spin. From the Arctic Tundra to the plains of Africa, the world is truly a diverse place. Amongst more common parts of the world lay places that are quite unusual, and are considered by many to be mysterious and ethereal. That said, here are 10 unusual places on Earth.
1. The Door to Hell
Truly one of the most unusual and magnificent places in the world, The Door to Hell is a constantly burning crater located in Turkmenistan. For over 35 years, it has enthused scientists and the general public alike.
Discovered initially by exploring geologists, the Door to Hell was a large cavern full of poisonous natural gas that collapsed into a crater under the weight of the scientists’ equipment. Hoping to burn off the excess gas underground, they set it alight — and it’s been burning ever since.
Photo Flydime
Photo Flydime
2. Arizona Meteor Crater
Outside of Flagstaff, Arizona sits a meteor crater that is truly a sight to behold. Stretching 4,000 feet across, it is one of the largest natural formations in the country.
It is also known as the Barringer Crater, named after Daniel Barringer, who first suggested that it might have been caused by a large impact. As one of the best preserved craters of its kind, it’s been designated a National Natural Landmark.
Photo Ph-stop
Photo Clint Steeds
3. Rotorua, New Zealand
A seaside city in New Zealand, Rotorua is famous for the geothermic activity that happens in the area. Bubbling pools of mud and geysers can be seen all around the city.
Rotorua is known for it’s distinct smell of sulfur. Lake Rotorua is the North Island’s second largest lake, and was formed when the gigantic magma chamber of a volcano collapsed into what is known as a caldera, which later filled with water.
Photo Stuck in Customs
Photo Mark Veraant
4. Don Juan Pond
Don Juan Pond, located in Antarctica, has the highest salinity level of any body of water in the world, at 42%. Due to its amazing chemistry, it rarely if ever freezes — even in temperatures far below zero.
Its extreme conditions make it a subject of great interest to scientists, who hope to learn how to detect similar brine pools on Mars through research at Don Juan.
Photo ASOC Pictures
Photo NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
5. Great Dune of Pyla
The Great Dune of Pyla may be one of France’s most interesting geographic formations. A desert in Europe? Indeed. Surrounded by forest, it is Europe’s largest dune.
Like all sand dunes, it is also moving — up to 3 or 4 meters a year, according to the French authorities. The sand is moving inland remorselessly, and it swallows up trees, roads, and even houses as it does so.
Photo Epeigne37
Photo Twak
6. Mount Roraima
One of the most unusual looking mountains in the world, Brazil’s Mount Roraima is completely flat on top and vertical on all sides.
With some of the most incredible waterfalls in the world, Mount Roraima is an incredible formation of land and an inspiration for such stories as “The Lost World” by Arthur Conan Doyle, and even appeared in films such as ‘Up’, by Pixar.
The plateau itself is composed of rock formations more than 2 billion years old, making it one of the oldest mountains in the world.
Photo Adalbertop
The steep rock wall of Monte Roraima. Photo Jeff Johnson
7. Roswell, New Mexico
Between Area 51 and what has come to be known as “The Roswell Incident,” this sleepy little town in New Mexico has gained quite a bit of publicity for its unusual association with alien activity.
It shot to fame in 1947 when a UFO allegedly crash-landed nearby — and although the US government maintains it was nothing more than an experimental high-altitude balloon, Roswell has been synonymous with aliens ever since and a favourite topic for conspiracy theorists.
Photo Rob Sheridan
Roswell Museum. Photo Frank Pierson
8. North Pole
The North Pole is an unusual place specifically for its distinct association with Aurora Borealis. One of the most majestic and beautiful light spectacles one could ever imagine, the Aurora Borealis is a truly unique wonder of life.
The same aurora effect also happens in the southern hemisphere, but it’s called the Aurora Australis. Both effects are caused by ionized nitrogen and oxygen in the upper atmosphere.
Photo Beverly & Pack
The Aurora Australis. Photo Nick Russel
9. Bermuda Triangle
Perhaps nowhere on Earth is surrounded by more lore than the Bermuda Triangle. Famous as an area where ships just up and disappear, it is feared by many and mysterious to all — except the agencies who insist that the number of lost vessels is not all that different to any other patch of the ocean!
The triangle itself is said to cover the area between Miami, Puerto Rico, and the island of Bermuda in the mid-Atlantic, and it’s actually one of the most busy shipping lanes in the world.
Photo Raybanbro66
Photo Fantasydesign.com wallpapers
10. Kauai, Hawaii
One of the most beautiful places on the planet, Kauai is a Garden of Eden in comparison to the mainland US. Its high, knife-edged cliffs and gorges, and spectacular views, are such a huge tourist attraction that visitors contribute a third of Kauai’s economy.
Photo Jeff Kubina
Kauai view by Helicopter. Video Jimg944
This article is a Guest post written by Louise Baker, who ranks online degrees for Zen College Life. She most recently wrote about the best colleges online.
Tags:amazing earth exceptional extraordinary features photos places planet remarkable travel unusual world
Hello ! I couldn’t nothing to say, because this article contains really useful info. I would love to read other your article keep working. you should wrote something about inismona.us
wow thats amazing
Azmaing pics and wonderful article you made!I wish I could go these unusual places all someday.Good luck to me.
Great! I was starstruck by this picture. I have only seen them now except for the Roswell and it amazes me still.
I say this every time I visit your blog. I continue to be amazed at your graphics and photos. I enjoy this blog very much. Having spent most of my life in Arizona, the Meteor Crater is the only place I have visited and it is nice but I suppose having been there so often it doesn’t seem to compare with some of the other places you have on here. I had never heard of the Door to Hell. That is amazing and it was collapsed by scientific equipment? Incredible. I had no idea that the scenes from the movie Up (a great movie by the way) were inspired by a real place. What wonderful new information. Thank you.
amazing. who can tell me what happened in penultimate picture?
——
Share you travel in travelmanana
wow!! amazing pictures, I am lucky enough to visit island of Hawaii few years ago and witnessed an active volcano – its an unforgettable experience!
destin wedding
destin wedding blog
what a amazing picture.thanks for sharing.I like these pictures.
WOW, i love those amazing photos, especially north pole.
Thanks
Cool! but this is the place what we called the “Other side of Earth”
I want to see those pictures in person
Earth is a place to discover
Mount Roraima is still very virgin and we want to keep it that way. Going on guided tours not only helps the native Pemon Indians local economy, but also prevents pollution in the sense that the tours provide all the necessary items for waste disposal.
Loving looking at this kind of stuff! Found out about The Door to Hell a while ago and would love to go, I went to Rotorua in NZ last year, amazing – but it absolutely stinks of Sulphur, everyone calls it Rotten-rua!
Nice, thanks for the pics. While I’m not the biggest photographer, I do like looking at this sort of stuff to inspire me to create some of my best techno remixes.
Amazing article and pictures that show how wonderful is our planet, specially the areas that have been preserved so far from man’s destructive action.
These are all amazing places but I’d like to experience and see the Aurora Borealis in the North pole. Nice pictures by the way
Wow, those picture were truly amazing and I learned a few more spots I had never heard of before. That sulphur lake and doorway to hell pictures truly are inspiring and eerie at the same time, excellent job.
Really very very informative post. Never ever heard of such places on earth b4. Having a strong desire to visit these places, especially the door to hell!
I am empress, love to watch those pictures
keep working add some if it.
These are amazing pictures and discoveries. I would be so scared to stand next to the open fire hole
[...] Blog life-in-the-fast-lane-1 [...]
Great!! My favorites here are that place in New Zealand the north pole, and roswell
Wow!What an extraordinary pictures.It’s really fascinating,a highly useful information and I love this new photography exhibition.
Keep it up.
Thank you for the chance, for the comment:
Stupendous!!! Your blog draw readers in and youimparted knowledge in a very exciting way.
After reading this, one should realize:
- that wonders are not only seen in pyramids or skyscrapers;
- that wonders are not all made by men, mostly are seen in nature;
- that someone ought to be out the house, and start seeing the world;
- that there is more to the world, more than we know;
- that there are still unexplored places in this world;
- that man vs. nature, will never be a fair fight;
- that this world, indeed, is unique and remarkable;
- that whether you’re in the driest, hottest or coldest of places. . .still, there are wonders to see!
- that i should be calling my travel agent now and reserve tickets for this places before they run out!
hoping for more exciting blogs,
- Nemesis
I have never seen place like that !! this so fantastic ….. and I love to watch amazing picture ..
Thank
These are amazing pictures
Unusual indeed. Of all these places, I wish I will never be on the volcano. But these places are a beauty, a real masterpiece of nature.
Thank you so much for discussing all these amazing places. After reading this I would love to visit all 10 places before I die. Traveling expands our horizons in so many ways….words can’t explain.
The Don Juan Pond is amazing. Great pics!
This is probably the most amazing blogs i’ve ever read..^_^ keep it up!nice post..;)
amazing….need to plan to go there soon
hi
the above published pictures are very amazing to me.there is something mysterious look in all photos.
wow,,, Mount Roraima i had read few articles about this while back surely interesting on how old ALL these special places are. Nice pics and articles here! thanx!
hey its is very amazing pics and it symbolized a nature’s power..god is very creative he is master mind that create a wonderful earth and these picture’s the only example of god’s creativity.
Wow! Spectacular, indeed! Actually, I never heard some of the info above. Thanks for reminding me again how truly perfect God is. Upon seeing those pictures, I really want to experience being in that place especially in North Pole with that perfect scene. Those matters prompted me that we should also take care of all the creations since we never know how strong were the powers of nature to take vengeance if we are too abusive. We are also God’s perfect creation, that’s why we should take care of them as how we take of ourselves.
the above published pictures are very amazing to me.there is something mysterious look in all photos.
hey its is identical amazing pics and it symbolized a nature’s power..god is selfsame creative he is primary judgement that create a marvelous land and these picture’s the solely illustration of god’s creativity.