8 surreal places you have to see for yourself

Have you ever seen a picture and thought to yourself, “Does this place really exist?” The world is full of jaw-dropping landscapes and places that will leave you in awe. We’ve put together a list of 8 surreal places to stoke your wanderlust.

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The view of Peyto Lake, worth every step! | Photo by GettingStamped

1. Banff, Canada

Banff National Park is over 2,500 square miles of some the most surreal landscapes in all of Canada. Once you think you’ve seen the most gorgeous turquoise colored lake ever, you’ll drive down the road only to find another ridiculously gorgeous lake surrounded by impressive mountains.  Just take a drive down Icefields Parkway and you’ll see what we mean. Must-see surreal lakes in Banff include Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Peyto Lake.
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Every morning hundreds of hot air balloons fill the skies over Cappadocia | Photo by GettingStamped.com

2. Cappadocia, Turkey

Wake up early in the morning and take a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the surreal looking fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. Every morning over 100 hot air balloons sail through the skies above the bizarre rock formations in central Turkey. Hot air balloons in Cappadocia fly year round, but weather cancellations are frequent October through March. Take surreal to another level and stay in a cave hotel like the unique Kale Konak, which is partially built in an ancient cave. For hot air balloon information, contact Voyager Balloons.

Do not attempt to adjust the colors on your screen, this lake is actually PINK! | Photo by GettingStamped.com

3. Las Coloradas, Mexico 

Just a few hours from Playa del Carmen lies an unbelievably bubblegum pink lake that looks straight out of a children’s book. Las Coloradas is a pink salt lake that lies between the Gulf of Mexico and Ría Lagartos. The color is natural and comes from the dye emitted by a crustacean called artemia salina, something similar to super tiny shrimp. Fun fact: When flamingos come to Las Coloradas and feed on the artemia salina they also get some of this pink pigment. Make sure to head to the nearby fishing village of Río Lagartos for an extra dose of pink! Thousands of flamingos flock here during April to nest in the waters. A visit to the pink lake is one of the best day trips from Playa del Carmen.

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The mesmerizing Whitehaven Beach | Photo by GettingStamped.com

4. Whitehaven, Australia 

From high above, the swirling sand and waters of Whitehaven Beach look like a giant took a stick and dragged it through the sand creating this otherworldly landscape. Adding to the beauty of this surreal landscape in Queensland’s Whitsunday Coast is the brilliantly white sand on the beach. Scientists say that it is some of the purest sand in the entire world. So pure that it was used to make the optics for the Hubble telescope, now that’s out of this world! The only way to get to Whitehaven is by boat from Hamilton Island or Airlie Beach. For some of the most epic views, take to the skies with a scenic flight over Whitehaven, which is often included with flights over the Great Barrier Reef.

Prepare to be blown away in Lower Antelope Canyon outside of Page, AZ | Photo by GettingStamped.com

5. Upper & Lower Antelope Canyons, Arizona

Hidden in the dusty, rocky desert outside of Page, Arizona are some of the most surreal places in America. Unassuming and unremarkable from above, the real magic lies in the slot carved in the rocks. When you drop down into the narrow canyon called Antelope Canyon, it’s like stepping into an artist’s dream world. Flash floods have eroded these very narrow (less than a few feet in most places) canyons into the soft sandstone walls. The walls are tall and sweeping resembling a flowing amber-colored liquid. Everywhere you point your camera in the Antelope canyons is another interesting and surreal composition.

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Here for a limited time only: This island is only here during low tide | Photo by: GettingStamped.com

6. Maldives

There are 1,190 coral islands in the Maldives, of which only 200 are inhabited. No matter which island you choose, you’ll have an amazing time. Some of the best views are from seaplanes, which double as transportation to several Maldives resorts. If the Maldives are on your bucket list, you’d better go soon. With climate change and sea levels rising from melting glaciers and icebergs it’s suggested the Maldives, the lowest country in the world, will be submerged within 30 years.

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Step back 700 yeas into time to one of the most surreal places on earth in the deserts of Namibia | Photo by GettingStamped.com

7. Deadvlei, Namibia 

Around 700 years ago water used to flow through the dry, barren desert of Namibia giving life to plants, animals, and most importantly, trees. Through the movement of the massive sand dunes, giant piles of sand choked off the water and therefore life. The trees now stand as they have for hundreds of years, dead, but not decaying because it is so dry. The entire scene is full of surreal elements. Crisp blue dry desert sky meets the red sands of the tallest dunes in the world, and in between the dunes are blackened trees stuck into weathered soil for eternity.

RELATED: Want to make these getaways more affordable? Sign up here for Orbitz Rewards!

If that isn’t one of the creepiest things you have ever seen… |\ Photo by Tormod Sandtorv | Flickr

8. The Doorway to Hell: Turkmenistan

In 1971 Soviet engineers discovered oil in central Turkmenistan and shortly after they started to explore with drills. Soon after the drilling began, the ground collapsed swallowing the equipment and leaving a giant hole in the earth. Natural gas started to flow out of the hole so the engineers decided to burn the gas off which they thought would last a few days. 40 years later the massive hole in the ground is still burning. The Doorway to Hell is about as surreal as landscapes get with a burning hole in the ground about the size of a football field.

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