There are some amazing colours to behold on Planet Earth – from beautifully white ice plains to glowing blue glaciers, gorgeous green mountains and even rainbow-ish flower fields. But there are some natural landmarks around the world that have their own distinct and unusual colours. Have you been lucky enough to see any of these?
1. Great Blue Hole, Belize
It’s 310 metres wide, 125 metres deep and it’s majestically blue! The Great Blue Hole is a huge submarine sinkhole – or vertical cave. Located in Lighthouse Reef, which is about 70 kilometres from Belize, it is a world favourite for scuba divers.
The colour of blue holes is generally caused by the transparency of their waters and their white carbonate sand, which reflects blue in the spectrum of light.
2. Pink Lake, Western Australia
If pink is your favourite colour, why not take a trip to the Pink Lake, otherwise known as Lake Hillier, in Western Australia? Resting within the Recherche Archipelago, the rosy colour of this lake is a bit of a mystery, but scientists suspect it has to do with either the lake’s bacteria, algae, sea salt and/or nacholite deposits/reactions. Whatever the cause, it’s definitely a pretty sight to see!
3. Green River, USA
We all know the Colorado River runs through southwest USA and northern Mexico, but did you know that the Green River is one of its tributaries? Running for 1,170 kilometres, this river winds through Wyoming, Utah and Colorado and is a dark, olive green.
4. Yangtze River, China
Many were both baffled and amazed when back in 2012, the Yangtze River suddenly turned into shades of dark orange and blood red. Some thought it might’ve be caused by natural elements, like the ‘red tide’ phenomenon, but scientists instead suggested that it was actually the result of heavy pollution or perhaps suspended silt and sediment.
5. Lagna Colorada, Bolivia
Red also abounds in this incredible salt lake, which sits on the southwestern tip of Bolivia, close to the border or Chile. The redness here is caused both by red sediment and algae pigmentation. Some call it the Red Lagoon – and it’s also famed for being the unique home of the rare species of puna flamingoes.
6. Lake Pukaki, New Zealand
If you ever want to feast your eyes on a beautiful, turquoise body of water, the Mackenzie Basin, next to Aoraki Mt Cook in New Zealand, is the place to be! This glacial lake looks it could be photoshopped, but its gorgeous light blue colours are actually the result of ground minerals found in the waters. Suitably, this location was used to represent the fantastical destination of Lake-Town in the second installment of The Hobbit.
7. Chinoike Jigoku, Japan
Hot springs are popular tourist attractions, loved for their sublime relaxing experiences and their skin and health benefits. In Beppu, Japan, however, the Chinoike Jigoku hot spring is incredibly unique – unlike the other springs in the area, it’s orange! Otherwise known as “Bloody Hell Pond”, the colour of this spring is caused by the iron oxide at its base.
8. Kelimutu Volcano, Indonesia
A colourful lake is one thing, but what about three of them – red, blue and green – all in the same spot?! The Kelimutu Volcano sits on the Island of Flores in Indonesia and gives rise to 3 different crater lakes at its summit. The different colours come from the various salts and oxides in the water. Luckily for all travellers, the lakes are fully visit-able, and can be reached by a simple trek through the national park and the base town of Moni.