You know how here at 10awesome we love to explore the darker side of the world, and by that we mean mysterious places. These are areas surrounded by legends and myths, natural landscape that looks surreal and sometimes even extraterrestrial. This also includes everything from haunted houses and mansions to scary abandoned structures where time seems to have stood still. Simply put, we like to explore everything that has the potential to give us the chills in a good way. Acting like Indiana Jones once again, we scooped around and found even more interesting places on the planet that beg further research and definitely some visits, where is possible. Today, we will once again roam free and present you with 10 lesser known mysterious places on Earth. Hopefully, this will excite you to explore, day dream, and even visit these sites.
1. Erta Ale Volcano, Etiopia
When you look at the pictures you can’t shake the feeling you are watching Hell’s door itself opening in front of your eyes. Erta Ale is a continuously active basaltic shield volcano which erupted last in 2008, but by the looks of it, it is still full of surprises. Sometimes called the Lake of Fire or associated with the unseen face of Hell, it is one of those less known mysterious places on Earth that still ignites peoples’ imagination.
2. Cusco Pools of Water, Peru
Peru is an amazing place on Earth, full of ancient history, culture and true wonders. Among the many miracles you can see there, the Cusco Pools of Water is something that you won’t see in other places. In the Inca Sacred Valley, a few kilometers away from Cusco, an old salt mine is now a landscape from another world: small pools of water gathered in the mining complex, taking every visitor’s breath away.
3. Manchac Swamp, Lousiana, U.S.A
If you believe the myths and the legends surrounding this place you will never want to see it with your own eyes ever. Manchac Swamp is a very interesting place to explore if you aren’t scared of some folk tales including the waters being populated with some local version of werewolves or the area being haunted by a voodoo priestess. But if you’re in for a chill down your spine, this swamp is one of the most amazing places to see.
4. The Skeleton Lake of Roopkund, Uttarakhand, India
Many mysteries are still under rigorous research in the Himalayas, but Roopkund, also known as the Skeleton Lake is one of the most fascinating places to discover in a lifetime. Imagine a glacial lake set at an altitude of 5,029 meters which rarely melts. But when it does, the amazed eye can see human skulls piling up. Do they belong to modern men? Soldiers who tried to reach foreign grounds in WWI perhaps? Science said no as the skulls date back to people living around 850 AD.
5. Fly Ranch Geyser, Nevada, U.S.A
This is a small, man made geyser which would go unnoticed by the less curious mind, if it didn’t have a particularity that is amazing. In comparison to other geysers in the area, this one continuously expands. If you look at it in the proper light you would swear it is extraterrestrial too!
6. The Eye of Sahara, Mauritania
It was first noticed from space and we bet the ones seeing it for the first time took a few moments to wrap their minds around the discovery. Researchers have been attracted to this place for years, as first they believed it was created after a meteorite impacted the Earth’s soil. However, a dome shaped mountain formation, a natural phenomenon, is behind this incredible sight. Interestingly enough, the blue shades in the Eye of Sahara are something to see at least once in a lifetime.
7. Socotra Archipelago, Indian Ocean
They say that in Australia or Madagascar, present species of plants and animals are unique to those places and sometimes don’t resemble anything you’ve seen or imagined before. Well, the Socotra Archipelago, set in the Indian Ocean somewhere between Cape Horn and Arabian Peninsula, is the home of some very bizarre trees that look more alien than Earthly. A paradise for explorers, this patch of land has a lot of surprises to offer to researchers.
8. Leshan Giant Buddha, Leshan, China
China is another amazing country with many mysterious places, legends, and folk tales surroundings some areas or archaeological sites, one can spend a lifetime documenting them all. But the Giant Buddha in Leshan is more than a place, is an experience altogether. It almost looks out of this world and it is by far one unique sculpture, as it considered the tallest pre-modern statue in the world.
9. Tinto River, Spain
Spain is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe and the world. It doesn’t lack anything, from culture and history, to fun and relaxation, visitors have many reasons to come back for more. But Spain also has something that interests not only the travelers, but NASA itself. It has the Tinto River, a stream of water containing so much iron, the water color is rather…rusty. Why is NASA interested? According to the sources,
The extreme conditions in the river may be analogous to other locations in the solar system thought to contain liquid water, such as subterranean Mars. NASA scientists have also directly compared the chemistry of the water in which the rocks of Meridiani Planum were deposited in the past with the Río Tinto.
10. Rotorua Island, New Zealand
When nature decides to leave us in awe, it does its best and never disappoints. New Zealand is a place that still needs a lot of visiting and a lot of research, as it is amazing at every step. So among some less known mysterious places on Earth, Rotorua Island looks amazing, a bit scary and a bit confusing. Geothermal pools and rivers here present a yellowish, milky water that looks suspicious to say the least. Until you find out that the color is determined by the high concentrations of sulfur in the water.
If among these less known places on Earth you find some you already visited, please let us know if they are as spectacular as they look! And if you have your own list of mysterious places, don’t be shy in sharing, we all love a good mystery and a challenge!
Leave a Reply