Zlatini Rat, or Golden Cape, is one of Croatia’s most unique and popular beach destinations. It’s not hard to see why.
The magnificent horn-shaped beach resides on the southern coast of the Croatian island of Brac, outside the resort town of Bol.
The 1700-foot white-pebble beach formed by the collision of two currents also runs perpendicularly out like a tongue stretching into the Adriatic sea.
Strong winds and waves constantly modify the beach’s tip, but the overall spit of land stays intact. The soft sand and blue seas of the famous Zlatni rat beach make it one of the best windsurfing and diving spots in the Mediterranean. And no, there are no rats!
Zlatini Rat, or Golden Cape, is one of Croatia’s most unique and popular beach destinations. It’s not hard to see why. The magnificent horn-shaped beach resides on the southern coast of the Croatian island of Brac, outside the resort town of Bol. The 1700-foot white-pebble beach formed by the collision of two currents also runs […]
The Wave is a sandstone rock formation located in North Coyote Buttes of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on the Arizona and Utah borders.
The swirling stone waves combine water and wind eroded sandstone dunes, calcified vertically and horizontally, and fossilized over 190 million years. The rich red-vermilion rocks get their colors from iron oxide pigments.
Only 20 people can visit The Wave in Vermilion Cliffs daily, reachable exclusively by foot through a challenging 6.5 mil round-trip terrain. The distinct rock formation rests 3,000 feet above the benchland below.
The scene offers some of the best photography of public lands in the United States.
The Wave is a sandstone rock formation located in North Coyote Buttes of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on the Arizona and Utah borders. The swirling stone waves combine water and wind eroded sandstone dunes, calcified vertically and horizontally, and fossilized over 190 million years. The rich red-vermilion rocks get their colors from iron oxide pigments. Only […]
The Devil’s Bridge (Rakotzbrücke) is a 19th-century stone bridge located in the 200-acre Rhododendron Park in Kromlau, Saxony, Germany.
Legend says that not only did the devil build the structure, but Satan himself should be the only one to cross it. After all, it looks like a passageway to another world or, even more mysteriously, a massive serpent’s eye. With a perfect parabola and basalt spires, no wonder Hollywood decided to use the legendary bridge in the 2021 film Matrix Resurrections.
The arched bridge reflects a perfect circle over the water of Lake Rakotzsee below. The resulting optical illusion makes the bridge fit flawlessly into the surrounding picturesque nature. Perhaps they should rename the ancient bridge “fairy-tale bridge.”
No one’s allowed to walk the bridge, nor even touch it. But it doesn’t hurt to look if the gigantic diabolical eye isn’t already staring at you.
The Devil’s Bridge (Rakotzbrücke) is a 19th-century stone bridge located in the 200-acre Rhododendron Park in Kromlau, Saxony, Germany. Legend says that not only did the devil build the structure, but Satan himself should be the only one to cross it. After all, it looks like a passageway to another world or, even more mysteriously, a massive […]
Located in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada is a small Geothermal geyser that looks like an alien-form bursting with life.
The Fly Geyser resulted from a man-made drilling accident in 1916 when someone went drilling for a water source. Instead, they penetrated a pool that spewed 200°F of scalding hot water that flowed from a group of conical rocks.
A marvel born of multiple human errors
Another nearby drilling incident in 1964 created the multiple fountain cones today. Calcium carbonate and silica deposits built up over time to give the sprout its imaginary shape with psychedelic green and red colored thermophilic algae.
The conic openings are about 6 feet high, buttressed on a 12-foot wide mound.
Tours for the Fly Geyser operate on private land owned by the Burning Man Project. Be reassured that boiling water still shoots over 5 ft into the air.
Located in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada is a small Geothermal geyser that looks like an alien-form bursting with life. The Fly Geyser resulted from a man-made drilling accident in 1916 when someone went drilling for a water source. Instead, they penetrated a pool that spewed 200°F of scalding hot water that flowed from […]
The tallest single drop waterfall in the world is tucked away deep in the Amazon rainforests.
Kaieteur Falls in Guyana is four and half times the height of Niagara Falls and double the height of Victoria Falls. But what makes this 741-foot cliff-face unique is the massive volume of water that pours over the edge.
At an average flow rate of 23,400 cubic feet per second — a rush of 30,000 gallons of water — Kaieteur Falls takes the cake as the tallest single drop waterfall in the world.
The steep drop and ferocious waterfall are something to marvel at for a primarily flat country with nearly 100% of its rainforest intact.
Tourists who want to feel like they’re living on the edge of the world can visit the waterfall in a day’s trip by booking a flight from one of the two Georgetown airports and then taking a guided hike. There’s also a more intensive hiking and Potaro River route.
The tallest single drop waterfall in the world is tucked away deep in the Amazon rainforests. Kaieteur Falls in Guyana is four and half times the height of Niagara Falls and double the height of Victoria Falls. But what makes this 741-foot cliff-face unique is the massive volume of water that pours over the edge. […]
The Blue Lake in Nelson, New Zealand, or Rotomairewhenua (“land of peaceful waters” in Māori name), contains the clearest natural body of fresh water on Earth. The water is so lucid, as visually transparent as distilled water, that one can see down up to 262 feet down into the lake.
The beautiful Southern Alps surrounding the remote lake amplify its distinct natural colors of blue and green as given by the algae and plant life.
To maintain the lake’s purity, the Nelson Lakes National Park prohibits visitors from swimming or bathing items in the lake to avoid contamination. After all, the lake is considered sacred to the Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō people.
The Blue Lake in Nelson, New Zealand, or Rotomairewhenua (“land of peaceful waters” in Māori name), contains the clearest natural body of fresh water on Earth. The water is so lucid, as visually transparent as distilled water, that one can see down up to 262 feet down into the lake. The beautiful Southern Alps surrounding […]
The Hopewell Rocks is a series of sandstone pillars along the coast of the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada.
The unique-looking rock formations, cliffs, and coves result from centuries of tidal erosion, yet another reminder of how nature crafts its own beauty.
Home to the highest tides in the world
The tides at the Hopewell Rocks are actually the highest globally, reaching nearly 50 feet tall and washing ashore 100 billion tons of water twice a day. The inlet’s ebb and flow of waves create a ‘bathtub effect.’
Amazingly, the inlet is still walkable at low tide. During the summer season, tourists can walk the ocean floor in the morning and even kayak on the same day.
Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick. 45 foot swing between low and high tides. Cool place. pic.twitter.com/624ADao7e4
The Hopewell Rocks is a series of sandstone pillars along the coast of the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada. The unique-looking rock formations, cliffs, and coves result from centuries of tidal erosion, yet another reminder of how nature crafts its own beauty. Home to the highest tides in the world The tides at the […]
Mount Roraima is a tabletop mountain located in the deep rainforest of Venezuela’s Canaima National Park. It serves as the tripoint of Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil.
Mount Roraima forms the highest peak of the Pakaraima chain of Tepuis plateaus in South America, standing 9,200 feet with a 12-square-mile summit area with 1,300-foot tall cliffs. It’s no wonder that Roraima and the surrounding highlands look like islands floating in the sky on a cloudy day.
A roaring beauty that dates back two billion years to the Precambrian era, Mount Roraima is often referred to as the lost world. Dinosaurs likely roamed this high and flat land, which remains rich in unusual species of plants and animals.
At the top of the mountain are rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and caves, looking like a picturesque scene out of Jurassic Park.
Mount Roraima is a tabletop mountain located in the deep rainforest of Venezuela’s Canaima National Park. It serves as the tripoint of Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil. Mount Roraima forms the highest peak of the Pakaraima chain of Tepuis plateaus in South America, standing 9,200 feet with a 12-square-mile summit area with 1,300-foot tall cliffs. It’s no wonder […]
Are you searching for your next getaway? There’s a lighthouse off the coast of southern Iceland that sits 120 feet upward on the highest of three steep rocks. It is one of the most remote lighthouses in the world.
Constructed in 1939, the Thridrangar (Þrídrangar) Lighthouse, Þrídrangar means “three rock pillars,” is undoubtedly one of the most challenging lighthouses ever built.
Given the swirling winds and crashing waves, climbing the precarious pillar to build the lighthouse must have been one Herculean task. The mountaineers climbed on top of each other’s backs to reach the cliff’s perch. There were no helicopters at the time.
Today, Thridrangar lighthouse is only accessible by helicopter for service needs. The helipad sits on top of a jagged rock that sticks out to the North Atlantic ocean.
Are you searching for your next getaway? There’s a lighthouse off the coast of southern Iceland that sits 120 feet upward on the highest of three steep rocks. It is one of the most remote lighthouses in the world. Constructed in 1939, the Thridrangar (Þrídrangar) Lighthouse, Þrídrangar means “three rock pillars,” is undoubtedly one of […]
The Grandidier’s Baobabs (Palmate adansonia) are giant trees indigenous to Africa. Nicknamed the “mother of the forest,” this species of Baobab trees are predominantly found off Africa’s mainland in the island country of Madagascar.
Baobabs can live up to 800 to 1000 years with their unique ability to act as a water storage tank. The trees can store up to 32 gallons of water in their thick trunks.
Both the animals and locals tap the trees for H20 during the dry season. The heart of many African remedies and folklore, the iconic Baobab is often referred to as the “Tree of Life.” The resilient trees are also resistant to termites and fire.
19th-century photo of Baobab Tree, Madagascar
The 80-plus foot trees average a circumference of 108 feet and appear “upside down” since the tops of the trees look like roots. They also feature on a 250-meter path called the Avenue of the Baobabs in Madagascar’s Menabe region. The tree is famous for producing surreal white, bat-pollinated flowers as well.
“A Caliban of a tree, grizzled, distorted old goblin with the girth of a giant, the hide of a rhinoceros, twiggy fingers clutching at empty air and the disposition of a guardian angel,” once wrote the Australian novelist Ernestine Hill about the Baobab’s immensity.
Unfortunately, baobab trees are at risk of extinction due to climate change, with more than ten thousand disappearing each year.
The Grandidier’s Baobabs (Palmate adansonia) are giant trees indigenous to Africa. Nicknamed the “mother of the forest,” this species of Baobab trees are predominantly found off Africa’s mainland in the island country of Madagascar. Baobabs can live up to 800 to 1000 years with their unique ability to act as a water storage tank. The […]
Lake Hillier located off the south coast of Western Australia (Middle Island) is an iconic lake known for its vivid pink color.
Scientists postulate that the lake’s solid bubblegum color results from the intermixing of Halobacteria and a salt-tolerant algae species called Dunaliella Salina.
When mixed with salt-tolerant microalgae, the bacteria produce red pigments that create a stunning strawberry milkshake color. The chemical reactions between the salt and the microorganisms also make the lake ten times saltier than the ocean nearby. But the lake is still safe to swim in.
There are 29 other pink lakes in the world. But unlike other pink lakes that morph into different colors, Lake Hillier — 2,000 feet long and 660 feet wide — retains its pink hue all year round. The contrast between the bright pink and dark blue ocean water is stunning.
Lake Hillier located off the south coast of Western Australia (Middle Island) is an iconic lake known for its vivid pink color. Scientists postulate that the lake’s solid bubblegum color results from the intermixing of Halobacteria and a salt-tolerant algae species called Dunaliella Salina. When mixed with salt-tolerant microalgae, the bacteria produce red pigments that […]
Bred Island is a small tear-shaped island floating in the middle of Lake Bled in northwestern Slovenia.
On the island sits Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, a Baroque church established in 1534.
The mountains and forests surrounding the lake add to the picturesque view of the church. During the winter, the frost over the island looks like a scene from a Disney movie. Tourists enjoy hiking around the lake and rowing in its peaceful waters during the summer.
Bred island is the only natural island in Slovenia. It’s also the country’s most popular destination. Straight out of a fairy-tale, we can all see why this little island is a real treasure.
Bred Island is a small tear-shaped island floating in the middle of Lake Bled in northwestern Slovenia. On the island sits Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, a Baroque church established in 1534. The mountains and forests surrounding the lake add to the picturesque view of the church. During the winter, the frost over […]
