The Water Crater of Turkmenistan
Located in the Karakum Desert, the Water Crater is a natural sinkhole formed when an underground gas chamber collapsed. Unlike the nearby Darvaza Gas Crater, which burns continuously, this one filled with groundwater, creating a deep turquoise lake about 70 meters wide. The water’s temperature can be unusually warm due to underground gas activity, and its color shifts with sunlight. The crater’s layered walls reveal Turkmenistan’s rich geological past, making it a rare and lesser-known counterpart to the country’s fiery “Gates of Hell.”










