15 Places That Look Like They’re from Another Planet
These otherworldly destinations are so surreal, they’ll make you wonder if you’ve stepped off Earth entirely.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Some areas across the world defy logic, with colors, textures, and vistas straight out of a science fiction film. Our world contains amazing vistas that resemble alien worlds rather than regular countryside. From illuminating caves to rainbow-colored mountains, these destinations will pique your interest and imagination.
1. Salar de Uyuni – Bolivia
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The world’s largest salt flat transforms into a giant mirror during the rainy season. The sky reflects perfectly off the ground, creating a dreamlike illusion of walking on water.
2. Zhangye Danxia Landform – China
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These rainbow-colored mountains look hand-painted, but they’re real. Layers of mineral deposits created vibrant stripes across the rock formations.
3. The Wave – Arizona, USA
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Swirling sandstone in fiery reds and oranges creates wave-like curves across the desert. Erosion and time sculpted these smooth, alien-looking formations.
4. Mount Roraima – Venezuela
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This flat-topped mountain towers above the clouds with sheer cliffs on all sides. Often shrouded in mist, it’s said to have inspired “The Lost World” by Arthur Conan Doyle.
5. Waitomo Glowworm Caves – New Zealand
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Thousands of glowworms light up these underground caverns like a starlit galaxy. The soft blue glow gives the illusion of drifting through space.
6. Dallol Volcano – Ethiopia
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Boiling pools, neon green acid lakes, and sulfuric steam vents dominate this bizarre landscape. It’s one of the hottest, most acidic places on Earth — totally uninhabitable and hauntingly beautiful.
7. Antelope Canyon – Arizona, USA
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Narrow, winding passageways lit by beams of sunlight create a magical play of shadow and color. The sculpted rock walls seem to shift and ripple like flowing silk.
8. Lake Natron – Tanzania
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This bright red lake gets its color from salt-loving microorganisms. It’s so alkaline it can calcify animals that fall in, preserving them like statues.
9. Pamukkale – Turkey
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White terraces made of travertine mineral deposits spill down the hillside like a frozen waterfall. Thermal springs feed these surreal pools, which shimmer under the sun.
10. Socotra Island – Yemen
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This remote island is home to bizarre plants found nowhere else, like dragon blood trees with umbrella-like tops. The entire ecosystem feels prehistoric and untouched.
11. Champagne Pool – New Zealand
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Due to its mineral content, this hot spring features a deep orange rim and a vibrant green center. Bubbles constantly rise like they’re fizzing, giving it its name.
12. Marble Caves – Chile
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Carved by water over thousands of years, these marble caves glow blue and turquoise as light reflects off the lake. The patterns in the stone resemble swirls of ice cream.
13. Giant’s Causeway – Northern Ireland
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Thousands of hexagonal basalt columns line the coast, looking like a road built by giants. Formed by volcanic activity, the site feels geometric and supernatural.
14. Lençóis Maranhenses – Brazil
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Rolling sand dunes stretch for miles, but during the rainy season, crystal-clear lagoons form between them. The result is a desert scattered with hidden pools.
15. Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon – Iceland
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Chunks of glowing blue ice float across this icy lagoon, drifting out to sea. Seals lounge on the bergs while the northern lights sometimes dance overhead.