Mendenhall Ice Caves, Juneau, Alaska.
Located only 12 miles from downtown Juneau in Southeast Alaska is a magical site where water runs over rocks under blue ceilings. This partially hollow glacier is federally protected as part of the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area. The glacier originally had two names Sitaantaagu (“Glacier Behind the Town”) and Aak’wtaaksit (“Glacier Behind the Little Lake”). The Ice Caves are inside the glacier, accessible only to those willing to kayak to, and then ice climb over the glacier. Also this magical site, this surreal glacier is retreating fast as global warming heats the oceans and temperatures rise.
Naica Mine, Mexico.
Located in Naica in the municipality of Saucillo, the Naica Mine is a lead, zinc and silver mine that contains extremely large selenite crystals. Operations at the mine were indefinitely suspended in October 2015. Currently, there is a risk of asphyxiation as the temperature is 58° C with 99% humidity which interferes with breathing.
Wisteria Flower Tunnel, Japan.
Found in the city of Kitakyushu, Japan, the Wisteria tunnel is the main attraction of the Kawachi Fuji Garden. The garden itself is home to a staggering 150 Wisteria flowering plants spanning 20 different species. Wisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, that includes ten species of woody climbing vines native to the Eastern United States and to China, Korea, and Japan. Wisteria vines climb by twining their stems either clockwise or counterclockwise round any available support.The Wisteria Tunnel itself allows visitors to walk down an enchating, surreal tunnel that explodes with color.
Lake Hillier, Australia.
A saline lake located on the edge of Middle Island. Lake Hillier delights your eye with its pink colour and due to the fact that it lies just next to the Pacific Ocean when viewed from above the contrast between the mellow pink of the lake and the blue of the ocean is quite striking. It is not yet fully understood why this lake has such a unique color though most suspect it has to do with the presence of the Dunaliella salina microalgae which produces carotenoids, a pigment found in carrots as well. Other explanations are the presence of halophilic bacteria in the salt crusts or a reaction between the salt and the sodium bicarbonate that is found in the waters.
Tianzi Mountains, China.
The Tianzi Mountains takes it's name from a man, Xiang Dakun who led a revolution and avowed himself as Tianzi which means Son of Heaven. The mountain is located in Zhangjiajie in the Hunan Province of China. It provides stunning views of peaks which rise one after another over an area of 67 square kilometers. From the top of the mountain, visitors can see the full extent of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Visitors can also take a cable car to see these charming peaks. The aerial tramway is 2,084 meters in length and the minimum running time is six minutes and twenty-two seconds for a single trip during which visitors can keep the wonderful scenery of the Tianzi Mountain in view.
