ibcarlene's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Zhangye Shi, China

Zhangye National Geopark

These layered sandstone mountains in China look like they are made of pressed crayons.
Puerto Río Tranquilo, Chile

Marble Caves of Chile Chico

Mother Nature outdoes herself with this stunningly beautiful set of caves carved into marble.
Zhangjiajie, China

Avatar Hallelujah Mountain

This vertical pinnacle in China was the inspiration for the floating mountains in the movie “Avatar.”
Qurayyat, Oman

Bimmah Sinkhole

A sinkhole and now a swimming hole, too, full of dazzling turquoise water.
Xcalacoop, Mexico

Cenote Ik-Kil

A magical sinkhole on the Yucatán Peninsula is adorned with mini waterfalls and hanging vines.
Municipiul Sebeș, Romania

Râpa Roșie

Romania's "Red Ravine" is a little-known natural wonder that bears a resemblance to the Grand Canyon.
Qatar

Musfur Sinkhole

Climb down into the largest sinkhole in Qatar.
Ehlanzeni, South Africa

Bourke's Luck Potholes

Raging waters have created a strange geological site that looks like something off of a progressive rock album cover.
Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Brazil

Vale da Lua

After millennia of erosion by sand and churning water this Brazilian valley now looks like a lunar fantasy.
Stazzema, Italy

Monte Forato

A massive natural rock arch gives the Tuscan mountain its own window to the sky.
North Yorkshire, England

Gordale Scar

A long, winding trek rewards you with a gorge so captivating it inspired a painting in the Tate.
Isle of Skye, Scotland

The Old Man of Storr

An ancient Scottish rock formation said to be the gravesite of a giant remains ensconced in legend and intrigue.
Iceland

Fjaðrárgljúfur

Strange rock formations tower above the river that snakes through this enchanting Icelandic canyon.
Logan, Ohio

The Caves of Hocking Hills State Park

Rare recess caves fill this unbelievably beautiful Ohio park.
Eaglehawk Neck, Australia

Eaglehawk Neck Tessellated Pavement

This extraordinary geological oddity resembles human-made pavement.
Isle of Skye, Scotland

The Quiraing

Islanders once used this dramatic, otherworldly landscape to hide their cattle from Viking raiders.
Bloomfield, New Mexico

Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness Study Area

The land is full of geologic eye candy, such as otherworldly spires, mushroom-shaped hoodoos, and prehistoric fossils.
Turner, Oregon

Enchanted Forest

This charmingly homemade amusement park has been growing for 40 years.
Madrid, Spain

Caja de las Letras

A vault of safe-deposit boxes in an old bank has been repurposed as a time capsule of Hispanic culture.
Tallinn, Estonia

Seaplane Harbour

Disused seaplane hangar gets a second life as the jaw-dropping home of Estonia's museum of maritime history.
Mexico City, Mexico

Plaza Loreto

One of the world's richest men bought this former paper factory and transformed it into a mall.
Millvale, Pennsylvania

Mr. Small's Funhouse

An 18th-century Catholic church converted into an eccentric temple of music and bacchanalia.
Ramla, Israel

Pool of Arches

You can row a boat through this ancient underground reservoir.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Church Brew Works

A restored Pittsburgh house of God has been converted to a marvelous house of suds.