40+ of the Most Otherworldly Spots on Earth
I LIVE in the mountains of British Columbia. It’s vast, wild, and the scale is hard to grasp. It takes some bizarre looking landscapes to give me a jolt and remind me just how diverse the planet is. If you’re looking to travel to some out-of-this-world destinations without leaving Earth, here are some good places to start.
Note: These are all taken from travelstoke, a trip-planning and trip-sharing app that makes it super easy to connect with locals and other travelers, from anywhere in the world. Are we missing an otherworldly spot here? Add it yourself!
Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada
Located in Alberta’s aptly named Badlands. This looks bad-ass.
Elowah Falls, Oregon, USA
Is anyone else reminded of Star Wars and Ewoks looking at this?
Big Four Ice Caves, Washington, USA
It doesn’t look it, but this hike is accessible to all ages and hiking abilities.
Rio Secreto, Mayan Riviera, Mexico
A cenote is a “natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath.” Yes, and looks alien!
El Potrero Chico, Hidalgo, Mexico
Some of the limestone peaks in this rock-climbing area are 2000 feet high. It’s one of the top places in the world to sport climb.
PotreroHidalgo del Parral, Mexico#extreme #climbing #mountains
Salinas Grandes, Argentina
This is only 2300 square miles. No big deal.
Northern Argentina has so many diverse landscapes. We opted to travel by gravel road to visit more remote communities and visited the salt flats in Jujuy province. You’re only there a short time, and the sun is blinding, but it’s worth it to see such a unique landscape #argentina #jujuy #salinasgrande
Cheltenham Badlands, Ontario, Canada
More Badlands, this time in Ontario, and only an hour away from Toronto.
Pacaya volcano, Guatemala
The volcano was dormant for around 100 years and then blew its top in 1965. It’s been continuously erupting since then.
This active volcano 20 minutes outside of Guatemala city can be hiked round trip in 3-4 hours depending on if you take a jeep up the first half of the hike. Once you reach the petrified lava flow at the base of the volcano, you will surprisingly come across the tiny “Lava Store” where artisans Fernando and David make jewelry out of petrified lava and coconut shells. This world famous store is dangerously perched at the base of Pacaya. Since the store opened in 2010, it has been “relocated” almost a dozen times due to the volcanic activity and lava flows taking it out. From there, it is about an hour hike straight up uneven shifting rocks to the mouth of the crater. You have to be careful, since the volcano is spewing noxious gases and could erupt at any time, but the beauty and views from over 8,000 feet high of the nearby volcanoes and potential danger of this hike has voted it one of the top 20 best hikes in the world by National Geographic.
Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii, USA
Ever walk through a bamboo forest? The sound due to the wind blowing through the bamboo is out of this world.
Kirkjufellsfoss, West Region, Iceland
Wadi Rum, Jordan
Humans have lived in this area since pre-historic times.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
This hike in World Heritage site Tongariro NP is about 12 miles long.
Sossusvlei, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
That cannot be on Earth.
Tegalalang Rice Terrace, Bali, Indonesia
I’ve seen rice terraces in person, but this perspective looks unearthly.
Laguna Roja, Camarones, Chile
Local folklore attributes supernatural powers to the “red lake” — there have been many mysterious disappearances by people who’ve drank the water.
Kakslauttanen Igloo East Village, Finland
The first time you see the Northern Lights in person you might wonder which planet you’re on.
Kakslauttanen Igloo East VillageKakslauttanen, FinlandFive ways to becoming a Solar Storm Hunter
Pamukkale, Denizli Province, Turkey
Its name means “cotton castle” in Turkish.
#hotsprings #relax #nature
Whitehaven Beach, Queensland, Australia
Surely waters that blue and sand that white can’t exist on Earth.
Whitehaven BeachWhitsundays, AustraliaAMAZING!
September 2016
Slickrock, Moab, Utah
Wandering around the slickrock in Moab is like being on another planet.
Fjaðrárgljúfur, Iceland
Valle de la Luna, Atacama desert, Chile
It’s called the Valley of the Moon because it looks like the moon.