DAZZLING

the most astonishing places on our little planet

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Lagoon & Sand Dunes, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Maranhão, Brazil

Seen from the air, the dunes look like white linens hung out to dry on a windy afternoon. In fact, the name of this place, Lençóis Maranhenses, means the "bedsheets of Maranhão," the state in Brazil on the tropical northeastern coast where the half-moon-shaped dunes are found. By any name it is a magical desert, with wave after wave of shimmering white sand. Shoals of silvery fish swim in brilliant blue and green pools left behind by the rains. It is an area of low, flat, occasionally flooded land, overlaid with large, discrete sand dunes. It encompasses roughly 1,500 km2 (580 sq mi), and despite abundant rain, supports almost no vegetation.

If you want a serene Lençóis Maranhenses experience skip Barreirinhas and use it only as a gateway to the region. Atins or Santo Amaro are the best options. Atins is still a very authentic fishing village, with many lagoons nearby but also located directly on the beach. It's got all kinds of accommodation and is a lot more laid back, less touristic and offers many other things nearby, such as trips in the Preguica River and daytrips to Cabure, Canto do Atins and many other places. Futhermore, from Atins there are many amazing daytrips that can be done, to Lagoa Nova, Lagoa Verde or other lagoons, and if anyone wants to go on a hiking trip for a few days, it serves as a good start.

Best time to visit is May - September, after the rains, and before the lakes dry out. The almost constant breeze may fool you into thinking the sun is not getting at you so be super careful and remember to constantly apply sun screen!

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Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Plitvice National Park in Croatia is considered to be one of the most beautiful natural sights in Europe. It is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia. The national park was founded in 1949 and is situated in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia, at the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The important north-south road connection, which passes through the national park area, connects the Croatian inland with the Adriatic coastal region. The protected area extends over 296.85 square kilometres. In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage register among the first natural sites worldwide. Each year, more than 1,200,000 visitors are recorded.

The national park is world famous for its 16 interlinked lakes arranged in cascades with the water exiting from the lowest lake forming the Korana River.  The lakes are a result of the confluence of several small rivers and subterranean karst rivers. The lakes are all interconnected and follow the water flow. They are separated by natural dams of travertine, which is deposited by the action of moss, algae, and bacteria. The particularly sensitive travertine barriers are the result of an interplay between water, air and plants. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm per year.

The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colors, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colors change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight. Through different climatic influences and the large difference in elevation within the protected area, a multifaceted flora and fauna has evolved. The national park is home home to an extremely wide variety of animal and bird species. Rare fauna such as the European brown bear, wolf, eagle, owl, lynx, wild cat and capercaillie can be found there, along with many more common species. At least 126 species of birds have been recorded there, of which 70 have been recorded as breeding there.

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Gorges du Verdon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France

Gorges du Verdon or Verdon Gorge in English in South-Eastern France is an awe-inspiring canyon in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region (sub-region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur). The canyon varies from between 6 and 100m at the bottom, and 200 to 1500m at its rim.  It was formed by the Verdon River, which is named for its startling turquoise-green colour, one of the location's distinguishing characteristics. The most impressive part lies between the towns of Castellane and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, where the river has cut a ravine to a depth of 700 metres through the limestone mass. At the end of the canyon, the Verdon River flows into the artificial lake of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon (in French: Lac de Sainte-Croix).  Because of its proximity to the French Riviera, the gorge is very popular with tourists, who can drive around its rim, rent kayaks to travel on the river, or hike. The limestone walls, which are several hundreds of metres high, attract many rock climbers.

The best way to see this spectacular region in France is by car. The twisting, turning switchbacks would be no fun in a bus anyway. Beware, however, that gas stations are few and far between. Fill up well before approaching the gorge as the towns close to it do not have supplies. Also, while very enjoyable, this is a slow journey on winding roads, both going through the gorge and to reach it. So allow plenty of time.

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Son Doong cave, Laos-Vietnam border, Vietnam

Son Doong cave(Vietnamese: Hang Son Doong) is world's largest cave, located in Quang Binh province, Vietnam. Sơn Đoòng Cave was found by a local man named Hồ-Khanh in 1991. The local men were afraid of the cave for the whistling sound caused by an underground river. It was not until 2009 when a group of British scientists led by Howard and Deb Limbert explored the cave, that it became public knowledge. The name "Son Doong" cave means "mountain river cave", It was created 2-5 million years ago by river water eroding away the limestone underneath the mountain Where the limestone was weak, the ceiling collapsed creating huge skylights.

According to the Limberts, the cave is five times larger than the Phong Nha Cave, previously considered the biggest cave in Vietnam. The biggest chamber of Sơn Đoòng is more than five kilometres long, 200 metres high and 150 metres wide. With these dimensions, Sơn Đoòng overtakes Deer Cave in Malaysia to take the title of the world's largest cave.

As of August 2013 the first guided tours explored Hang So Doong, and numbers are restricted to only 84 tourists per year. There are a few spaces available on the 7 day trek to the cave. Before you go and buy a ticket to Vietnam to visit this amazing cave, you'll be informed that costs for participation in the guided tours are very steep at $3000 per person.Please note: Many of the caving tours are very weather dependent, so please inquire before booking.

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Stromboli Volcano, north of Sicily, Italy

Stromboli is a very small Italian volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea just north of Sicily. It is one of the Aeolian Islands. The island is actually the tip of a vast underwater volcano and is Europe’s only permanently active volcano. The fully active volcano is in a constant state of mild activity, punctuated by occasional larger and more violent eruptions. The most recent violent eruption was a brief event in March 2007 that has caused the closure of the summit area.

There are hike-tours going up the active volcano looking down on the three craters. Tours up the Stromboli aren't easy walks. You should be well-equipped, healthy and in good physical condition when going there. Though the "normal" small eruptions of lava are not dangerous, you should be aware of the possible danger. The local authorities are very aware of Stromboli's state, you should listen to them. If paths to the craters are closed, don't go there. Never climb up the volcano without a local guide and don't leave the paths. Bring a flashlight (torchlight) along with you, as the streets are not illuminated.

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Galapagos Islands, Equador

The Galapagos Islands are a small archipelago of islands located 1000km west from the coast of Ecuador on the South American mainland and have become legendary because of one man -Charles Darwin. Darwin’s famous visit to the Galapagos Islands is indelibly marked in the history books. These volcanic islands of Ecuador are home to many unique marine animals and wildlife species and fascinate visitors as much today as they did Charles Darwin in 1835. The volcanic Galapagos Islands' wildlife developed and remained relatively protected until the 1800s. Charles Darwin visited the islands in 1835 and his studies here helped form his Theory of Evolution. Since then, although the influence of mankind has increased, the islands isolation has kept them remarkably unspoilt with some of the tamest wildlife you will ever encounter.

The Galapagos archipelago consists of 13 main islands and 6 smaller isles, which together embrace some 50,000 square km of ocean. The land of the islands was declared a National Park in 1959, subsequently listed as a World Heritage Site in 1978 and the surrounding seas was declared a marine biosphere in 1986. Strict controls on tourist access are maintained in an effort to protect the natural habitats and all visitors must be accompanied by a national park-certified naturalist tour guide.

The Galapagos has many great diving spots and for experienced divers there's even the possibility to swim with whale sharks at Shark Point, a dive site off of Wolf Island. However, this site is only accessible by taking part in a Liveaboard Expedition.

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Preikestolen, Forsand, Norway

Preikestolen, also known in English by Pulpit Rock or Preachers Rock is a massive 600 metres vertical cliff that sits on the edge of the Lysefjord. Its top is a natural lookout of several hundred square metres (25 by 25 metres), almost flat, and the rock is the region's main tourist attraction, and one of the nation's landmarks. The cliff was formed during the ice age, approximately 10,000 years ago, when the edges of the glacier reached the cliff. The water from the glacier froze in the crevices of the mountain and eventually broke off large, angular blocks, which were later carried away with the glacier. This is the cause of the angular shape of the plateau. The cliff overlooks the densely and colorful green valleys of the Ryfylke region. The mountains surrounding the cliff reach heights of up to 843 meters. Some of the hilltops have plains which are interspersed with lakes.  The nearby mountain Kjerag (which reaches the height of 1,110 meters, near the bottom of the Lysefjord) is also a very popular hiking destination, and some actually rather go there due to the increasing popularity Preikestolen has gained, which has led to it becoming more crowded in comparison to Kjerag.

To get to the top of Preikstolen, follow the marked 3.8 km path for 2 - 2,5 hours from the Preikestolhytta, where food and accommodation is available. Be aware that this is a very popular attraction, and that even if you're quite fit your speed will be hindered by the crowded trail. Ferries typically (but not always!) correspond with buses here; total traveling time one way (less the climb) from Stavanger harbour is 1 hour 10 minutes. Ferry from Stavanger to Tau (NOK 46, each way), then bus (NOK 160, round trip) via Tide Reiser or via Boreal Transport (NOK 140, round trip). Be aware that these are two separate bus companies, and that if you buy a return ticket you will need to travel back to Tau via the same company. It will cost a bit more, but one should consider buying single tickets each way so you can travel back via the next bus back once you finish instead of having to wait for the other company's bus. If you opt to go by your own car, there is a NOK 100 parking fee.

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Heaven Lake, Chinese-North Korean Border, China

On the border between China and North Korea within lies the beautiful Heaven Lake also called Chonji or Cheonji which means "Lake of Heaven" in Korean. The crater lake lies within a caldera atop the volcanic Baekdu Mountain, a part of the Baekdudaegan mountain range and the Changbai mountain range. It is located partly in Ryanggang Province, North Korea and partly in Jilin Province, northeastern China.

The caldera which contains Heaven Lake was created by a major eruption in 969 AD. The lake has a surface elevation of 2,189 m. The lake covers an area of 9.82 km² with a south-north length of 4.85 km and east-west length of 3.35 kilometres. The average depth of the lake is 213 m and maximum depth of 384 m. From mid-October to mid-June, it is typically covered with ice. It is one of the worlds deepest and coldest alpine lakes in the world.  The Chinese side of the mountain, which occupies half of the caldera lake as well, is a lot more accessible and much more inexpensive to visit than North Korean side.

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Salar de Uyuni, South West Bolivia

is the world's largest salt flat at 10,582 square kilometers. It is located in the Potosí and Oruro departments in southwest Bolivia, near the crest of the Andes and is at an elevation of 3,656 meters above mean sea level. The Salar was formed as a result of transformations between several prehistoric lakes. It is covered by a few meters of salt crust, which has an extraordinary flatness with the average altitude variations within one meter over the entire area of the Salar. The salt in the center over 10 meters thick. The crust serves as a source of salt and covers a pool of brine, which is exceptionally rich in lithium. It contains 50 to 70% of the world's lithium reserves, which is in the process of being extracted. The large area, clear skies, and the exceptional flatness of the surface make the Salar an ideal object for calibrating the altimeters of Earth observation satellites. The Salar serves as the major transport route across the Bolivian Altiplano and is a major breeding ground for several species of pink flamingos. Salar de Uyuni is also a climatological transitional zone since the towering tropical cumulus congestus and cumulus incus clouds that form in the eastern part of the salt flat during the summer cannot permeate beyond its drier western edges, near the Chilean border and the Atacama Desert.  Photographers flock here to capture the unique landscape. In the dry season, the salt plains are a completely flat expanse of dry salt, but in the wet season, it is covered with a thin sheet of water that is still drivable. It is often visited as part of a 3 or 4 day tour of South West Bolivia. The main starting point of tours to the Salar de Uyuni is Uyuni. For budget travelers, there is also the option to just catch the local bus to Colchani (leaves from the street with all the bus company offices) for 10BOBS. Ask the driver (ayudante) to let you off at the salt flats and you can hike around for free to get a sense of the place. It takes about two hours to reach an old salt hotel.

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Fox Glacier, South Island, New Zealand

The Fox Glacier (Te Moeka o Tuawe in Māori) is a 13 km long glacier located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It was named in 1872 after a visit by the then Prime Minister of New Zealand, Sir William Fox.

Fed by four alpine glaciers, Fox Glacier falls 2,600 m  on its 13 km journey from the Southern Alps down to the coast, with it having the distinction of being one of the few glaciers to end among lush rainforest only 300 metres above sea level. Although retreating throughout most of the last 100 years, it has been advancing since 1985. In 2006 the average rate of advance was about a metre a week. In January 2009, the terminal face of the glacier was still advancing and had vertical or overhanging faces which were continually collapsing. The outflow of the glacier forms the Fox River. During the last ice age, its ice reached beyond the present coastline, and the glacier left behind many moraines during its retreat. Lake Matheson formed as a kettle lake within one of these.

Fox Glacier Township is quieter than the area near the Franz Josef Glacier. Like the nearby Franz Josef Glacier, it is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world, with its terminal face an easy walk from Fox Glacier village/Weheka. It is a major tourist attraction and about 1000 people daily visit it during high tourist season.

When you arrive at Fox Glacier you immediately feel relaxed in its intimate, village atmosphere. It has a stunning outlook across surrounding farms and offers breathtaking views of New Zealand’s highest peaks Aoraki (Mt Cook) and Mt Tasman. Tucked discreetly into the rainforest-clad foothills of the Southern Alps, the town was founded when gold was discovered. The township is small and all accommodation is within walking distance to the town centre.

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Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States

The Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park is the largest hot spring in the United States, and the third largest in the world, after Frying Pan Lake in New Zealand and Boiling Lake in Dominica. It is located in the Midway Geyser Basin. Grand Prismatic Spring was noted by geologists working in the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871, and named by them for its striking coloration. Its colors match the rainbow dispersion of white light by an optical prism: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue. This large hot spring is 112 m in diameter and more than 36 m in depth. There is a trail that goes around the back of the spring which has a small turn-off that lets intrepid climbers rise about 121 m above the spring, and capture beauty of the entire basin in one view.

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Longji rice terraces, Longsheng, North-Guanxi, China

The Longji terraces area is famous for the excessively large number of terraced rice paddy fields on its mountain, which have created an intricate pattern on the hillsides. Set amongst the villages of the minorities Zhuang and Yao, the area allows for easy to moderate walking/hiking possibilities along and up hillsides to view the panoramas of the terraced rice fields, as well as glimpse the rural life and style of architecture found in the forest-fringed villages. Longji means 'Dragon Backed Mountain'. When the paddies are full of water in spring, it is said to resemble the scales on the back of a dragon. The fields are beautiful all year round, in the early stages when filled with water, and as the rice grows and matures, changing colours as it does so.

The Longji terraces are comprised of two separate but closely located areas: the Ping'An terrace fields, and the JinKeng terrace fields, each with their own villages and hamlets within easy walking distance. Ping'An terrace fields are comprised of Ping'An village, and two smaller hamlets, and is a Zhuang minority inhabited area. JinKeng terrace fields comprise DaZhai village, as well as 5 smaller hamlets, including TianTou village higher up the mountain. JinKeng is predominantly or completely Yao minority inhabited.

From Guilin to Longsheng town is about a two hours drive to the north through twisty mountain roads. It is also possible to get to Longsheng on public transport from Guilin. From Longsheng, the Longji terraces are a further hour or so by local bus. Arrive near the end of May till early June, and witness the fields full of water as the first stage of growing rice begins. Dawns and dusks are heightened by the effect of the water-cloaked hillsides mirroring the sun's rays.

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Travertine Pools, Pamukkale, Denizli Province, Turkey

Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey. The city contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. It is located in Turkey's Inner Aegean region, in the River Menderes valley, which has a temperate climate for most of the year. Pamukkale has been used as a spa since the second century BC. The ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine city of Hierapolis was built on top of the white "castle" which is in total about 2,700 metres long, 600 metres wide and 160 metres high. It can be seen from the hills on the opposite side of the valley in the town of Denizli, 20 km away.

It can get quite hot in summer, a hat and especially sunglasses will certainly be very helpful against the sun and the reflecting sun rays from the chalky cascades. On the other hand, the cold winter climate could make the experience slightly uncomfortable. Climbing up the cascades barefoot, with cold water running downstream will be a tough task.

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Hitachi Seaside Park, Hitachinaka, Japan

Beautiful and colorful nature is found at the Hitachi Seaside Park. Located in the Ibaraki prefecture of Japan this park features blooming flowers around the year covering an area of 190 hectares. Each season is a vibrant pallet of colors, from baby blue in spring, green and red in summer and orange in the fall.

The park has become known for its baby blue-eyes flowers, with the blooming of 4.5 million of the translucent-petaled blue flowers in the spring. The park features a million daffodils, 170 varieties of tulips, and many other flowers. You can walk or go bicycling over the cycling trails. In addition there is a small amusement park with a Ferris wheel. The park is the location for the annual Rock in Japan Festival in August.

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Marble Caves, General Carrera Lake, Chile

General Carrera Lake lies on the border of Chile and Argentina in Patagonia, South America (the Argentinian part of the lake is called Lake Buenos Aires). On the Chilean side of the beautiful emerald-green to turquoise-blue waters, there are breathtakingly beautiful marble caves (Cavernas de Mármol) carved into passageways and caverns, formed by wave action over the last 6,200 years. These amazing marble formations were sculpted by erosion into three main marble formations: La Capilla (the Chapel), El Catedral (the Cathedral), and La Cueva (the Cave). The impressive labyrinth of marble caves are large enough for a small boat to glide into.

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Segara Anak, Mount Rinjani Crater Lake, Lombok, Indonesia

Mount Rinjani or Gunung Rinjani is an active volcano in Indonesia on the island of Lombok. At 3,726 m, Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia, second only to Mount Kerinci on Sumatra, and it dominates the landscape of the relatively small island of Lombok. Within its huge 50 km² caldera sits the crater lake Segara Anak (Child of the Sea). This lake is approximately 2,000 metres above sea level and estimated to be about 200 metres deep. Eruptions within the caldera have formed a new small cone called appropriately enough, Gunung Baru (New Mountain). In addition the caldera also contains hot springs.

Gunung Rinjani National Park lies within the major transition zone (Wallacea) where the flora and fauna of South East Asia makes a dramatic transition into that which is typical of Australasia. The Park has a rich variety of plants and animals, although they can be hard to spot due to the terrain and rainforest cover. Sometimes seen early in the mornings is the rare black Ebony leaf monkey, known locally as Lutung.  The Long tailed grey macaque or Kera is common in Lombok and older males are seen on the crater rim.  Rusa deer are forest dwellers and are occasionally seen along the Rinjani trek trail.  The smaller Barking deer or Kijang has an alarm call with a distinct dog-like bark. Look for the disturbed ground where the Wild pig or Babi hutan has been foraging. Also found in the forest is the Leopard cat or Bodok alas, Palm civet or Ujat and Porcupine or Landak.  A variety of colourful birds live in the forests of the Park. Perhaps the best-known icon of the Park is the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo that is not found any further west of Lombok.

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Benagil sea caves, Algarve, Portugal

Benagil is a small Portuguese village on the Atlantic Ocean in the concelho of Lagoa and the Freguesia of Carvoeiro (Lagoa). Up to the late 20th century, the village's economy was based on ocean fishing. Now it is a tourist area with a widely used beach, Praia de Benagil. The sea caves are located near Praia de Benagil. At Benagil Beach you can rent a boat to access the caves and isolated beaches in this area.

The Benagil sea caves, also known as a littoral caves are a type of cave formed primarily by the wave action of the sea. The primary process involved is erosion. Sea caves are found throughout the world, actively forming along present coastlines and as relict sea caves on former coastlines.