“Every man dies, but not every man really lives.”
-William Ross Wallace (American Poet)
Isn’t it the bitter truth of life? We all have a bucket list – somewhere in our conscious mind or somewhere written on an old yellowish paper. But how many of those wishes get ticked off from the list, maybe a few, maybe none. However, having a bucket list reminds you of what really matters to you. And for some, travelling means the world to them. Their bucket lists have places where they want to set their foot on. Good news for them!
If you are searching for places to start an extraordinary adventure and if you are not really an Eiffel tower or Empire building person, then you are in for a treat. These unusual stunning destinations will certainly inspire you to leave your blurred day-to-day life circle and move towards the unexplored. Keep your pen and paper ready because your bucket list is about to get bigger. Here are 25 incredible spots that you probably never have laid your eyes on – until now. Put on your explorer hat and let’s begin with our little adventure.
1. Hinatuan River, Mindanao, Philippines
If you are a fan of serene beauty, this place will surely take your breath away. Dream-like blue water, its unique shape and its mysterious nature make it more appealing. But not many know about this. So forget about the crowded tourist places and give this perfect blue river a try.
Image by Lawrence Craft via Flickr
2. The Pink Lake of Senegal, Africa
It could be a typical girly adventure – swimming or taking a sunbath in the pink-coloured water. It seems that someone accidentally dropped some food colour in the water. But this distinct hue is caused by the bacteria, which produce a red pigment that absorbs the sunlight and make the water appear pink in colour.
Image by jbdodane via Flickr
3. Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada
The moment you lay your eyes on this lake, you start to wonder what these bubbles are for? They are created by bacteria feeding off dead matter on the sea bottom. It might sound obscene, but its uniqueness lies in those millions of bubbles trapped in the ice.
Image by Fred Dunn via Flickr
4. Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia
This is home to one of the world’s most spectacular cave system. It is also noted for its Deer Cave (which is the ranked among biggest cave passages existing in the world). But the main attraction of this spot is the wrinkle-lipped bats which can be seen every evening at dusk.
Image by Paul White via Flickr
5. Kuelap, Peru
Already been to Machu Pichu? We present a new ‘Machu Pichu’ to you. Similar to Machu Pichu, this place is also situated on a 3000m hilltop and surrounded by a cloud forest; the huge walled site deserves a visit. If that’s not enough, this place is also called ‘Peru’s Machu Pichu of the north’.
Image by Dan From Indiana via Flickr
6. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
In the rainy season, this salt flat transforms into a giant sky reflecting mirror. But if you visit in winter, this place will be frozen in the depths. So the best time is during the monsoon when the lake creates a shimmering, illusory horizon. It can be the best place for taking photos and selfies.
7. Kuang Si Falls, Luang Prabang, Laos
No one can resist the serene beauty of this lake. The crystal clear water pouring down from the three-tier slope make you go for a swimming immediately. Many people are not really aware of this spectacular place, so you can make this your own secret slice of paradise.
8. The blue walls of Chefchaouen, Morocco
Since the 1930s, the old town of Chefchaouen has been painted blue. The purpose of it was to match the hue of the sky and heaven. The trend got on fire when people realized that blue color actually repels mosquitoes. And the best time to visit this is spring when the country is lush and green.
9. Cueva de Los Cristales, Chihuahua, Mexico
In 2000, when two brothers were drilling for silver, they accidentally found this place. This place is full of translucent, 30ft crystals, some of them are nearly half a million years’ old. If you can take the risk of bearing triple-digit temperature, 90% humidity (due to the magma field underneath it), then you can surely take a tour through this mine shaft.
Image by Paul Williams via Flickr
10. Fish River Canyon, Namibia
This is the largest canyon in Africa with 549m depth, 161km length and 27km width. Being the second largest natural canyon in the world, it boasts Africa’s most incredible geological features. If you are a big fan of short hiking trips, this place can be an ideal option for you because it can be hiked within 5 days.
11. Kakheti, Georgia
If you see yourself as a sommelier or claim to be a wine connoisseur, you will definitely love this place. This is the birthplace of wine. The Georgians have been making wine for 8000 years now. If you want to indulge some historic experiences along with some finest wine tasting, you can check out the meticulous viticulture records kept by Orthodox priests.
Image by World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) via Flickr
12. Grand Prismatic Spring, Wyoming, USA
After pink tinted water, we have rainbow color water for you. This is a natural pool with, of course, multicolored water streaming out from it. As this is the third largest hot spring in the world, this has become the center of attraction in Yellowstone National Park.
13. The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan
Definitely, no one wants to go in there by seeing the name. But there’s no harm to take a sneak peek at the door to the hell which it isn’t in reality. This is actually burning pool of lava in the middle of the Kakarum dessert. This may not be the gateway to the hell, but it clearly gives an insight how the underworld would look like.
Image by Tormod Sandtorv via Flickr
14. Aogashima, Japan
By looking at it, you could easily mistake as an island. This is an island but with a twist. This is a volcanic island. This stunning-looking island is situated a hundred miles away from the mainland of Japan. Few people around 200 inhabit the land. And the best part is the volcano is still active. However, the last activity was recorded in the 1700s.
Image by Charly W. Karl via Flickr
15. The glowing Luminous Lagoon, Jamaica
The magic happens at night when any object in the water moves or the water itself, it lights up in glowing blue color. This luminous lagoon is the largest and most brilliant lagoons in the world. The science behind this phenomenon is that when microscopic organisms come alive at night, it starts producing an eerie glow around everything that moves in the water.
Image by Daniel Gillaspia via Flickr
16. Dean’s Blue Hole, Long Island, Bahamas
Nothing can match its spectacular breathtaking view. This can look like any other stunning Caribbean beaches. But it is actually a cenote and it is said to be the largest blue hole in the world. The beautiful white sand beach and its limestone walls single-handedly make it to this list, but underwater cenote makes it more special.
Image by Lwp Kommunikáció via Flickr
17. Socotra, Yemen
The speciality of this place is that this has been cut off the outside world. This place is also home to one of third of plant species exist in the world. This includes the evocatively named dragon’s blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari) and cucumber tree (Dendrosicyos socotranus). Sadly, there are only a few roads in Socotra, but you can make your way to by foot.
Image by Rod Waddington via Flickr
18. Ogasawara Islands, Japan
If you like being in spying on endemic species, then this can be an ideal destination for you. If you have already visited Galapagos, this should be your next destination. The reason is, it is home to many sub-tropical and tropical species that have undergone the unique revolutionary process as it was never being connected to the continent.
Image by pha pha via Flickr
19. Zanskar, India
Between Kashmir and Ladakh, Zanskar is situated on the high plateau of Tibet. This is one of the most isolated and beautiful places in India. On your visit to this place, you can take a look around monasteries, ruined fortresses, palaces and amazingly preserved petroglyphs. Again, this is a good place for hiking lovers. Mass tourism is yet to reach this valley, so make your way when no one knows about it.
Image by pat.demassy via Flickr
20. Kamchatka, Russia
This is a hub of volcanoes with nearly 300 of them of which 20 are active. This is said to be the natural museum of volcanology. This place is a pristine wilderness because this is home to world’s largest concentration of brown bears, fox, lynx, wolverine, reindeer and moose. Not many people reside in this area with very little civilian infrastructure. This has become a contributing factor.
21. Cerro De Los Siete Colores, Argentina
This place is noted for its unique rainbow color rocks. It is the result of the interplay of numerous marine sediment layers and tectonic movement over the past 400 million years. Though the local says ancient children painted these rocks. The rocks are at their most vibrant color in the hours after dawn. And the best way to explore the area is by foot. You cannot go by car. So if you like rocky and colors painted on it, that’s your travel destination.
Image by Mariano Mantel via Flickr
22. Gardens of Las Pozas in Xilitla, Mexico
By looking at it, it might seem like a piece of fallen heaven – fantastic sculptures, winding staircases, luscious greenery, waterfalls filling in the pools. Combining all make its a serene beauty. People can freely wander off the beautifully sculptured monuments, fascinating structures and trees surrounding it. You can visit this place all year.
Image by Lucy Nieto via Flickr
23. Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Already visited Great barrier reef in Australia? But you have not seen Raja Ampat. If you are in love with colorful coral, you better head to this place because the diving site of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef can get ridiculously crowded. On the other hand, not many people know about this place, so your trip would be joyful and interesting. You can explore more than 1400 varieties of reef fish with three-quarters of the world’s coral species in this place.
24. The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland
If you are one of those Game of Thrones buffs, this sure should be on your bucket list. You might have seen this place as the Kingsroad on the show. But it is actually in the Northern Ireland, Ballymoney. This stunning tree-lined road is the best to get some thinking done or get inspired to do something. The ‘best’ can be best enjoyed when you walk down the road on a sunny day.
25. Crooked Forest, West Pomerania, Poland
Like eerie places? This place can surely creep you out. This forest got its name from the oddly shaped pine trees. There’ no clear explanation behind why trees in this forest have been curved. But these trees make a spectacular view for the tourists, whoever visit this place.
Now you have a never-ending bucket list. Try and fulfill it in this lifetime only. Who knows you may not be a human in your next lifetime. So pack your bags and put on your travel shoes. Let the journey begins!
Author Bio:
Alyne Bennett is an Australian travel blogger. Apart from journeying through the world and recording those experiences in travelogues, she is also associated with Assignment Help to help students with academic difficulties. She simultaneously handles students’ requests to write assignments and her passion for exploring the known and the unknown.