DESPITE being terrifying natural phenomena, volcanoes are also fascinating — we never know when the fiery power contained deep within the Earth will manifest itself, but we know the spectacle will be formidable. We selected some beautiful photographs of volcanoes from around the world that we hope will inspire you to go see them in person.

Guatemala

Volcán de Fuego

Photo: Christian Hartmann/Shutterstock

Volcán de Fuego is a highly active volcano. If you’re lucky, you can see its full fury.

Indonesia

Mount Sinabung

Photo: FootageLab/Shutterstock

Mount Sinabung’s last eruption was in May 2016.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Nyiragongo Volcano

Photo: Grace Wangui/Shutterstock

Nyiragongo Volcano contains the world’s most active and largest lava lake.

Hawai’i

Kīlauea, The Big Island of Hawai’i

Photo: jo Crebbin/Shutterstock

You can take boat tours to check out Kīlauea’s lava pouring into the Pacific Ocean up close.

Haleakalā, Māui

Photo: Evan Austen/Shutterstock

Haleakalā volcano is currently dormant, but the Haleakalā National Park on the Hawaiian island of Māui is still a great place to check out craters. Note: Once a volcano has been dormant for more than 10 000 years, it is termed extinct.

Ecuador

Tungurahua Volcano

Photo: Ammit Jack/Shutterstock

Ethiopia

Erta Ale Volcano

Photo: Tatyana Druzhinina/Shutterstock

Erta Ale is a continuously active shield volcano. It last erupted in January 2017.

Iceland

Holuhraun Lava Field

Photo: Pedro Carrilho/Shutterstock

Eyjafjallajökull

Photo: Dominik Robellaz/Shutterstock

Eyjafjallajökull’s eruption in the spring of 2010 threw volcanic ash several kilometers up in the atmosphere, which led to air travel disruption in Europe for several days.

Bolivia

Volcán Licancabur

Photo: Delpixel/Shutterstock

Volcán Licancabur stands 19,400ft in southwestern Bolivia, fronted by the minerally colored Laguna Verde. It can be reached and climbed in conjunction with tours to the nearby Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. Volcán Licancabur is dormant.

Italy

Mount Etna

Photo: Alberto Masnovo/Shutterstock

Mount Etna is Europe’s largest active volcano.

Russia

Volcano Gorely

Photo: Ravil Sayfullin/Shutterstock

Volcano Gorely consists of five overlapping stratovolcanoes and is one of the most active in southern Kamchatka. It last erupted in June 2010.

Volcano Vilyuchinsky

Photo: Olga Gavrilova/Shutterstock

Volcano Vilychinsky seen from volcano Gorely on a misty morning.

Papua New Guinea

Tavurvur Volcano

Photo: Wayne Via/Shutterstock

Tavurvur Volcano last erupted in 2010.