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.
