Because the world is so vast, there are many places out there that come in various shapes and sizes. While most of them have come to be associated with the areas that they’re in due to the history of the land and people living there, there are some that stand out beyond their natural area. Whether it’s through years of natural formation or the reputation associated with it, these places are so amazing that they seem unreal. This not only applies to certain elements of the place that don’t seem like they belong on the planet we call Earth, but also the fact that such incredible places are indeed on this planet.

Even then, what exists on Earth is insignificant compared to what’s out there in the Solar System and the universe beyond that. Because we’ve only started exploring other celestial bodies in recent history, let alone able to study their motions from far away, there’s a lot of speculation about whether it’s possible that other planets besides our own can support life. This in turn has led to some interesting discoveries about other worlds that have been obtained through satellite images, probes sent into space, as well as rough illustrations.

25 Only on Earth - Kuang Si Falls

Located near the city of Luang Prabang in Laos, which lies next to Thailand, these waterfalls are a sight to see due to the combination of three things. First, there is the water which is “So clear and blue it’ll be hard to resist jumping straight in” according to Skyscanner’s Travel Blog. Though this is largely due to the three-tiered structure of the waterfall, which creates pools of varying sizes that seem deep enough to plunge straight into. In addition, the green foliage along the sides and along the circumferences of the pools give the falls an exotic atmosphere.

24 Only on Earth - Rio Secreto

Even if one doesn’t know Spanish, it’s easy to discern that the name of this place refers to something secret. Namely, an underground river that is located in Mexico. However, All That’s Interesting states that it “Has become a popular tourist attraction” in recent years making its name not entirely fitting anymore. Yet that doesn’t affect the beauty of this place, as seen in the above picture. This is largely due to the combination of the dark yet clear waters of the river as well as the “Thousands of stalactites and stalagmites along the river’s edge” All That’s Interesting says.

23 On Another Planet - Caloris Basin

Though the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon is not a real ocean, it’s roughly the size of one due to the enormous asteroids that pelted it billions of years ago. Such was the case for many other celestial bodies in the Solar System, including Mercury. This in turn led to the creation of the Caloris Basin, as shown in the above picture, which consists of “High ridges and deep fractures that radiate outward from the center” according to Britannica.com creating quite a beautiful display once color is added to the pictures from the Mercury probes that have visited it.

22 Only on Earth - Danxia Landform

Now here’s something that seems so unreal to the point of being hard to believe. Known as the Danxia Landform Geological Park in China, it consists of “Different colored layers of sandstone and other minerals pressed together” in distinct formations according to All That’s Interesting. The other reason the area looks like this is through natural forces such as erosion created by rain as well as wind. Apart from being a place where people can visit, this was also one of the shooting locations used in The Great Wall movie which was a US/Chinese co-production starring Matt Damon.

21 Only on Earth - The Door to Hell

Like something out of Dante’s Inferno, there is a place on Earth that has this name and was the origin for the above picture. Set in Turkmenistan, which is a country that stands north of Afghanistan, it is located in the Karakum Desert standing out like a raging fire amidst a sea of plain-looking sand and rock. In actuality, though, this so-called “Door to Hell” is nothing more than a “Burning pool of lava” according to Skyscanner’s Travel Blog. Still, that doesn’t make the site any less impressive or intimidating for that matter in combination with the name.

20 On Another Planet - Valles Marineris

One of the most impressive extraterrestrial landmarks in the entire Solar System, this canyon on Mars is so big that it can be seen from space. Compared to the Grand Canyon on Earth which is 280 miles long, Britannica.com states, the Martian Valles Marineris is 2,500 miles long. In other words, several Grand Canyons could theoretically fit inside it. It’s also quite deep, and unusually so in relation to the average canyon on Earth. Thus, there has been much scientific speculation about the Valles Marineris possibly being “A fault system separating two continental plates” as stated by Britannica.com.

19 Only on Earth - Grand Prismatic Spring

Among the places one can go to in Yellowstone National Park, there are some that have become more popular with tourists over the years. Such examples include the Grand Prismatic spring and the Old Faithful geyser. Naturally formed like other hot springs and geysers in this area of Wyoming, the former location does have two distinctions that make it different from the other geothermal formations. For instance, it does have water that reflects many colors of the rainbow (as shown above) giving it an unnatural quality. Also, it’s “The third largest hot spring in the world” Skyscanner’s Travel Blog says.

18 Only on Earth - Mount Rinjani

Like other island nations, Indonesia does have many islands with active volcanoes on them. But one of the most impressive ones is Mount Rinjani which is “The second highest active volcano in Indonesia” Skyscanner’s Travel Blog says. Now that doesn’t mean one can’t go near it, as it’s typically more dangerous when erupting as opposed to simply being active. With that said, it did erupt two years ago and a little bit recently. Yet seeing the spectacular view of the crater lake, known as the “Child of the Sea” according to Skyscanner’s Travel Blog, it might be worth the risk.

17 On Another Planet - Gliese 581 c

While the study of other planets outside our Solar System is relatively new, that hasn’t stopped people from creating artists’ renderings of what these planets would look like such as the one here. Designated as Gliese 581 c, this planet is said to orbit "A red dwarf star" according to Listverse. Compared to our Sun which is a normal-sized star, Red Dwarfs are not only smaller but they also don’t give off as much light. So one would think this planet would be cold, but it’s actually hot on one side and freezing on the other just like Mercury.

16 Only on Earth - Torres del Paine

Because the Andes Mountains in South America go pretty far south, it is possible to explore regions that have glacier-like formations in them. Known as Torres del Paine National Park, this place lies on the Chilean side of the southern region of South America known as Patagonia. Considered to be “One of South America’s most beautiful National Parks” as stated by Skyscanner’s Travel Blog, it’s easy to see why. As the above picture shows, Torres del Paine mainly consists of snow rock and glaciers. Now that may not sound exciting to some, but it might for those who like exploring.

15 Only on Earth - Huacachina

Though these Peruvian sand dunes look impressive, but not worth exploring for obvious reasons, there is an oasis that lies here with a small village surrounding it. But interestingly enough, it was not entirely formed through natural means. According to Skyscanner’s Travel Blog, the oasis was “Built in the 1930s around an existing watering hole” which isn’t visible in the above picture but it’s out there in those imposing sand dunes. Another thing that makes this place worth visiting is the possibility of seeing a mermaid, which stems from a local legend about a princess who fled from a hunter.

14 On Another Planet - Gliese 436 b

Because Gliese 581 c is in a tide-locked orbit with its dwarf-sized star, that means one side always faces the star hence the extreme temperatures on this planet. But it’s not the only strange planet in this system as there is another one designated as Gliese 436 b. Made “Entirely out of ice,” Listverse states, it also has a surface temperature of “439 degrees Celsius” or roughly 822 degrees Fahrenheit. How is that possible? Well, due to the planet’s large volume of water it gravitates to the core and keeps the water molecules from evaporating according to Listverse.

13 Only on Earth - The Giant’s Causeway

Like the monolithic stones at Stonehenge in Britain, these rocks along the northern coast of Ireland look like they were artificially made by an ancient race long ago. In actuality, though, they were formed from “A volcanic eruption” according to All That’s Interesting. Yet it’s probably because of their strangely consistent quality as a natural formation that draws many tourists to this place each year. In fact, All That’s Interesting states that the causeway was voted as “The fourth greatest wonder of the United Kingdom”. So with that kind of honor, this place is undeniably special and for good reason.

12 Only on Earth - Salar de Uyuni

In the country of Bolivia, which has a multitude of different landscapes in general, there is one place that has become extremely popular among today’s Internet-savvy generation. Known locally as Salar de Uyuni, it’s a salt flat that stretches for thousands of miles which becomes “A giant sky-reflecting mirror during rainy season” when enough water accumulates on the ground according to Skyscanner’s Travel Blog. But even when it’s dry, this place is so vast to the point of being surreal that it allows people to photograph themselves in unique and interesting ways which become optical illusions in turn.

11 Only on Earth - Pamukkale

Though the white stuff around the edges of the ponds in the above picture looks like solid ice, it’s actually not. In the southwestern part of Turkey, this area is known for having hot springs as well as travertines. As described by All That’s Interesting, they are “Terraces of carbonate minerals left by flowing water”. So essentially, it’s a series of light-colored rocks made from calcium that are created by hot springs which are jam-packed with minerals. As a result, we get the structure known as Pamukkale which means “Cotton Castle” in Turkish according to All That’s Interesting.

10 Only on Earth - Northern Lake Baikal

At a glance, the landscape in the above picture appears to be large pieces of turquoise-colored glass or crystal that’s been covered in snow for many miles. However, those blocks of crystal/glass are real ice that’s been frozen to the point of taking on a turquoise hue. Located in the Siberian part of Russia, this place is known for being one of the world’s largest freshwater lakes due to its enormous depth. Yet as the above picture shows, it gets pretty cold in this region as “Temperatures can plummet to -19°C” as stated by Skyscanner’s Travel Blog.

9 Only on Earth - Marble Cathedral

As spectacular as the Rio Secreto is with its impressive caverns and eerily pristine water, it may seem bland when compared to this place. In order to get here, All That’s Interesting claims that one must go “200 miles on challenging dirt roads from the city of Coyhaique” that lies in the country of Chile. Then at General Carrera Lake, there is a freestanding rock that one may swim or boat to. Beneath it lie these caverns, as shown in the above picture, which have impressive ceilings that come in various shades of blue with equally blue-colored lake water.

8 Only on Earth - Bryce Canyon

While we may take national parks for granted, there’s a reason why they exist. Because land gets used for a variety of reasons, either for housing or business purposes, that does put places with unique geography or historical significance in jeopardy. Hence, we have places like Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah that still exist today. Despite being labeled a canyon, it’s actually a series of “Giant natural amphitheaters” that contain structures called hoodoos according to All That’s Interesting. Not to be confused with the term for witchcraft, a hoodoo is a column of rock that’s been eroded for centuries.

7 Only on Earth - Fly Geyser

While Old Faithful may be impressive for having one of the longest geyser spouts in terms of length, it has nothing on the natural beauty of the Nevada Fly Geyser despite its relatively small size. But it wasn’t naturally formed compared to Old Faithful, which had always been at Yellowstone since it was turned into a caldera following a volcanic eruption. The story goes, according to All That’s Interesting, was that some drilling had been going on in the area for some time until it was abandoned in 1964. Then due to the accumulation of minerals, it became the current formation.

6 On Another Planet - Sea of Tranquility

If the landscape on this picture seems familiar, that’s because it’s the surface of the Moon. While technically not a planet, it is a significant celestial body that orbits the Earth and has so far been the only place that humans have actually set foot on. At least, until those planned expeditions to Mars become a reality like in The Martian (another movie that stars Matt Damon). Now one might recall that Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 crew landed in a place called the Sea of Tranquility, which is shown in the above picture where their footprints still stand.