It’s a big strange world out there, but it might be stranger than you give it credit for! Sure, there are plenty of travel destinations you’ve had your eyes on that offer stunning vistas and grand views, but there are places that are even stranger than those! In fact, that are some places you can visit on this globe that look as if they exist on another planet!
On this list, you’re going to see some truly strange stuff. There are geysers that spew sulfur dioxide, there are sweeping dunes of pure-white sand, and then there are even mountains that look like something that came from a surrealist painting. And, all of that’s just the tip of the iceberg. When you look at some of these destinations, you might think you’re looking at NASA photos of Mars or The Moon!
So, if you’ve got a yen for travel destinations that are outside of the box, then you’ve come to the right place! Let’s take a look at 20 out-of-this world travel destinations that happen to actually exist (improbably) on our little blue dot.
1. White Desert (Farafra, Egypt)
Once the site of a massive lake, this dry stretch of desert is now home to strangely colored sand and bizarre rock formations.
2. Goblin Valley (Green River, Utah)
If you’ve ever wanted to experience what it might be like to walk on the surface of Mars, then this is where you want to go.
3. Kawah Ijen Sulfur Mine (East Java, Indonesia)
Located at the site of a volcano, there is a lake that’s literally filled with hydrochloric acid, and there are geysers that spew sulfur dioxide.
4. Door to Hell (Derweze, Turkmenistan)
When Soviet scientists attempt to contain a poisonous gas leak by setting it on fire, they created a doorway to hell – one that’s been burning for over four decades.
5. Huanglong Valley (Sichuan, China)
This stunning collection of varied landscapes, from high mountains to stunning waterfalls, is like something out of a Disney movie.
6. Socotra (Yemen)
This isolated island is located in the Indian ocean, with many one-of-a-kind examples of flora and fauna calling it home.
7. Drumheller (Alberta, Canada)
These grasslands are an amazing place for hiking, and there are even some amazing places to golf during the warmer months.
8. Marble Caves (Patagonia, Chile)
The name of this travel destination describes things perfectly, but the sights are even more impressive when you’re there in person.
9. White Sands National Monument (New Mexico)
What else is there to say about a massive stretch of desert that’s covered in white sand and gypsum weed?
10. Yehliu Geopark (New Taipei City, Taiwan)
The oceans of the world that no longer exist are responsible for the extraterrestrial-looking rock formations of this stunning travel destination.
11. Zhanyge Danxia Landform (Gansu, China)
Without a doubt this is one of the prettiest places on the planet, with multi-colored mountains looking like something out of a surrealist painting.
12. Mono Lake (California)
This massive salt lake that’s located beneath the Sierra Nevada Mountains is dotted with out-of-this-world limestone formations.
13. Pamukkale (Denizili, Turkey)
This amazing stretch of land, which is comprised of white mineral deposits, is dotted with hot springs and adjacent to a Roman ruin.
14. Dallol Hydrothermal Field (Danakil Desert, Africa)
This amazing place is covered in salt deposits and hot springs, which give the terrain a multi-colored appearance that looks impossible!
15. Painted Dunes (California)
A nearby active volcano adds strange and bizarre colors to the sand dunes that dot this landscape.
16. Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia)
There are few experiences that you can have on this planet that are more alien than walking across the world’s biggest salt flat.
17. Giant’s Causeway (Antrim, Northern Ireland)
An ancient volcano that erupted tens of millions of years ago is responsible for the rectangular columns you see up above.
18. Vale de Lua (Chapada Dos Veadeiros, Brazil)
The name means Valley of the Moon and perfectly describes the bizarre curvy terrains that’s covered in quartz crystals.
19. The Wave (Arizona)
Arizona is home to some of truly extraterrestrial-looking landscapes, none more exotic than the sandstone formations of the Wave.
20. The Spotted Lake (British Columbia)
During the summer months this lake dries up, revealing circular deposits of various minerals and chemicals.
