Some of nature's creations are truly impressive and breathtaking. Yet, others are astonishing and scary at the same time. You might think they are incredible at first, but once you find out what hides behind them, that may change. Some scary yet impressive places are nature's work, while others are co-created by people. Either way, they deserve a spot on our natural wonders of the world list. So, be prepared to get amazed!
10. The Shaft (Australia)
Entering the Shaft can be tricky. Just remember that's also the only way out!
Located in the Mount Gambier region, known for its sinkholes, The Shaft is unique for its beauty but is also a dangerous place for diving. The entrance, located in the middle of the field, is a tiny maintenance hole, so the divers must enroll separately from their equipment. What waits underneath is a dark place with two winding cave tunnels.
The first one goes down to 287 feet (88 m), while the other is around 400 feet (122 m) deep. The divers can easily get lost in the tunnels or not save enough oxygen for the return. There were several deadly accidents, so today, the Cave Divers Association of Australia oversees diving to prevent future misfortunes.
9. Boiling Lake (Dominica)
The Boiling Lake looks like a cooking pot steaming on a stove
The stunning Caribbean island of Dominica is the home of the fascinating and dangerous Boiling Lake. The water around the edges is colder than the one in the lake's center, as it reaches between 180 and 197ᴼ Fahrenheit. The heat comes through the cracks and the holes at the lake's bottom, originating from the magma underneath.
The greyish-blue lake's water is boiling, causing the air around the area to be steamy, hot, moist, and smelling of sulfur. Therefore, the lake's very unsafe because it can start boiling at any time. Also, it releases high amounts of harmful gases such as carbon dioxide.
8. Kilauea Volcano (Hawaii, USA)
Getting face to face with hot lava for sure is an unforgettable experience
We all know that Hawaii islands are volcanic and have beautiful nature and stunning beaches. However, they also possess active volcanoes. One of them is Kilauea Volcano, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, located on the Big Island. This is the most active one among Hawaii's volcanoes.
Moreover, the longest, almost continuous eruption lasted from 1983 to 2018, listing it as the most dangerous for humans and infrastructure. Yet, this is one of the few and far between places where you can see the lava up close but also the Upside Down Waterfall. However, the melting lava pouring into the ocean water causes toxic white smoke. Still, Kilauea remains highly visited by tourists.
7. Temple of Doom (Tulum, Mexico)
From the diver's point of view, cenotes are stunning. Just don't get lost!
Cenotes are deep sinkholes in the limestone with a pool at the bottom, specific for Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. They are filled in with rainwater slowly filtered through the ground. Exploring cenotes, researchers discovered a seawater layer underneath the freshwater, as the border is well visible because saltine liquid is denser and blurrier. The cenote's unique beauty, clear water, and numerous tunnels attract many cave divers.
Cenote Esqueleto, aka Temple of Doom, also known as Cenote Calavera (skull), is a dangerous diving place. The underwater network of tight passageways can be confusing in dark waters, so the divers can easily get lost and run out of oxygen. Still, it's less hostile than Naica Mine.
6. The Blue Hole (Egypt)
Luckily, your access to the Arch of the Blue Hole will be denied without a suitable permit
There are a few underwater sinkholes worldwide, so why is the Blue Hole in Egypt, near Dahar, so unique and exciting? Well, while the coral reef and marine life are fascinating to explore, the Hole has one more thing attracting divers, the Arch.
The underwater tunnel connecting the Hole with the open sea is on many passionate divers' bucket lists. The Arch ceiling is at a depth of 181 feet (55 m), the bottom is 394 feet (120 m), and the tunnel is 85 feet (26 m) long. This is very dangerous for inexperienced divers, as the visibility is abysmal. Additionally, nitrogen narcosis kicks in at some point causing poor judgment. Therefore, the Hole has taken its share of lives.
5. Fly Geyser (Nevada, USA)
Beautiful, colorful, and we can say impressive Fly Geyser
Also known as Fly Ranch Geyser, Fly Geyser is located in the middle of the Nevada desert. Its origin is partially a man-made mistake, and the rest was due to natural geothermal pressure. More than 100 years ago, while drilling for the well, the workers found the 200ᴼ Fahrenheit (93°C) water source. Later, one more dig repeated the results.
Both geysers have been left with no purpose, as the third one has a natural origin. Therefore, today we have a beautiful and colorful three-cone geyser shooting hot water 5 feet (1,5 m) in the air, surrounded by 30 to 40 travertine pools on 74 acres. Radiant red and green colors come from thermophilic algae.
4. Lake Natron (Tanzania)
Lake water turning animals into stone at notorious Lake Natron
The exquisite reddish and rusty colors of Natron Lake in Tanzania are quite appealing, with the red coming from the algae. However, there are by far more interesting facts regarding this lake. One of them is that it turns animals into stone as the water temperatures are above 104º F (40°C) and a pH level reaches 12pH.
Therefore, it burns the skin of the unadapted animals. Moreover, the high level of sodium carbonate preserves the dead creatures, leaving them mummified. Despite this, some animal species call it home, like cute flamingos. They use the lake as a safe place and protection from predators.
3. Danakil Depression (Ethiopia)
Colorful beaches at Danakil Depression are not the place for sunbathing, just for watching
The surreal beauty of the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia will blow everybody's mind. Green, yellow, red, blue, and other colors of depression take turns from one side to another, changing with the water levels. This 410 feet below sea level depression lies on the junction of three tectonic plates, causing unique geological formations. But we won't bother you with that.
On a year-round average, this is the hottest place on Earth, and high amounts of acid cause its vivid, colorful beaches. Nevertheless, rainbow beaches are gorgeous and unique. They draw curious visitors from all over the world to this harsh but spectacular desert region.
2. The Door to Hell (Darvaza, Turkmenistan)
Door to Hell sounds quite scary, as it should sound since it burns from the 1970s
In the 1970s, near Darvaza city (Turkmenistan), scientists tried to drill the soil throughout the oil search. The giant sinkhole opened up during the process, and the natural gas started to leak. Since the leakage was causing problems in nearby villages (even a few people died from gas poisoning), the scientists decided to light up the gas.
It was supposed to burn briefly, but the gas is still leaking, and the fire keeps burning. Therefore, this is considered to be the largest source of natural gas. The burning Door to Hell, also known as Gate to Hell, is 225 feet (70 m) wide, 99 feet (30 m) deep, and is quite a scary-looking place.
1. Kawah Ijen Volcano (Java, Indonesia)
Eclectic blue lava pouring down the Kawah Ijen Volcano forms a stunning view
One of the top natural attractions on the Indonesian island of Java is the Kawah Ijen volcano. The volcano looks magnificent during the night when it spews blue lava consisting of sulfuric gases that burn when they reach the surface. Afterward, the liquid sulfur creates a stream looking like electric blue lava on the volcano's sides.
During the day, the blue lava can't be seen, but the turquoise lake inside the crater is also stunning. The lake contains large amounts of acid, and it's very toxic to humans, as are the sulfuric gases. Nevertheless, sulfuric exploitation is still present around the volcano, causing lung disease to the workers operating without essential equipment.
To conclude, there are many exciting wonders of nature worldwide; you just need to explore them. Some of them can even be a potential danger, yet they are still mesmerizing.
Have you ever visited some of these places in our top ten? What was the most thrilling wonder of nature that you have come upon? Please write to us in the comment section, as we would like to hear your thoughts.
Cover photo: TopTens.fun/Midjourney