Mysterious places on Earth you won’t believe actually exist

There aren’t many corners of our planet left untouched by humanity. However, Mother Earth has its fair share of beautiful  mysteries. These are some of the enigmatic spots in the world you won’t believe actually exist:

The Darvaz gas crater, in Turkmenistan, also known as the Gates of Inferno or the Shining of Karakum, is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern located in the Karakum desert, that has been burning non-stop for an unknown amount of time.

Located in the middle of the Nazca desert, in Southern Peru, the Nazca Lines are a collection of hundreds of geoglyphs made by the civilization of the same name and which can be better appreciated from the air.

The lines make figurative designs of animals and plants. Recent research suggests theirpurpose was related to water; not as an irrigation system, but rather as part of a ritual to the gods: an effort to bring much-needed rain.

This cromlech from the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age is near Amesbury (in England) and is believed to have had a funerary function. However, the reality is that it is not known for sure why it was built or the reasons that led to it being forgotten 1,500 years after its construction.

The Chilean island located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, known in the indigenous language as Rapa Nui, is a fascinating destination because of the moais:  gigantic stone human figures.

Many archaeologists believe that the statues were symbols of authority and power, both religious and political, as well as a representation of the ancient Polynesians' ancestors. This is why the moai statues face away from the ocean and towards the villages, as if to watch over the people.

There are all kinds of theories and legends about them. It is now known that they were gigantic-sized funerary items, but there are many stories about what they contain and how they were built. Many popular culture theories about aliens building them are still going around.

Another mystical place that has given way to alien theories, is Chichen Itzá. Believed by historians to be one of the largest Maya cities, the archeological site’s Kukulcán temple (pictured) was built as a temple for the deity with that same name.

It’s one of the least recommended places to live, with temperatures that can reach 55ºC (131ºF). Located in the Mojave desert in eastern California, this place’s particularity is that stones move on their own, something that remained a mystery until 2014 when scientists discovered it’s part of a geological phenomenon.

From one American desert to another, in Nevada, this military base has given way to lots of  conspiracy theories about aliens being hidden there by the US army.

And more deserts, but now across the Atlantic, to Africa. This surreal image is in the Namib desert, in Namibia. It’s called  Sossusvlei salt pan and it’s one of the country’s most famous tourist attractions.

Located on Middle Island, the largest island in La Recherche archipelago, in the western part of Australia, Lake Hillier stands out because of its pink water. Scientists believe that their color may come from a pigment created by bacteria, but it's not really clear why.

Probably the most famous urban legend, The Bermuda Triangle  focuses on a loosely defined region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Danakil is a geographical depression where life is practically impossible due to its extreme conditions (heat, toxicity, etc.). Its yellow colors are due to sulfates and its red ones to iron oxide.

Also known as 'The Eye of the Sahara', the Richat Structure is a landform with a diameter of about 50 km (31 miles) that can only be seen from space. Many theories have been made around how it formed. Could it be a meteorite Scientists attribute it to the passage of time and erosion.

Located at the base of Mount Fuji, the Aokigahara forest is known by the nickname of Jukai, or "sea of trees", but also as the "suicide forest", because of the high number of this cause of death here. So much so, that there is a sign on the entrance encouraging visitors thinking of taking their own lives to seek help.

Since they were discovered by an Australian explorer in 1911, it has not been possible to explain why the so-called 'Blood Falls' in Antarctica have water of that characteristic red color. It has been thought that it may be due to the fact that its oxide particles, when in contact with the air, take on that tone.

Probably the most famous lake in the world. Located in the Highlands of Scotland, it has always gone hand in hand with the legend of a mysterious water monster that many witnesses have claimed to see.

Located in the Sacred Valley of the Inca civilization in Peru, experts believe these ruins could have been an agricultural research center. Soil samples have shown that soils were brought in from different regions to be used in helping grow crops at the different levels of the terraces.

A 5,200 year old construction, Newgrange was first described by archeologists as a passage tomb, however it is now recognised to be much more than that. More like a temple of astrological, spiritual, religious and ceremonial importance, much as present day cathedrals.

The Stone Spheres of Costa Rica are an assortment of over 300 “stone balls”, as they are locally called. Attributed to the extinct Diquís culture, historians think they were placed in lines along the houses of chiefs, but their exact significance remains uncertain.

One mystical though sinister place, is the Sedlec Ossuary, a small Catholic chapel located under the church of the All Saints Cemetery in the city of Sedlec, decorated with approximately 40,000 human skeletons, artistically arranged.

Another peculiar place is the Island of the Dolls, in the channels of Xochimilco, in the south of Mexico City. The former owner of the island placed and hung dolls all over it to drive away the spirit of a girl who drowned there, according to a New York Post interview.

The Sacro Bosco (sacred grove), also known as Monster Park in Lazio, Italy, is a garden created in the 16th century by an artist who was coping with his grief after his wife died. It is full of mythical and fantastic huge beings carved in stone.

It is a monolith carved in the shape of an arch, made as a gateway that is found at the site of Tihuanaco (Bolivia). According to the Aymara legend, the door keeps a secret that the ancient Aymara left hidden in Lakaqullu to help a future humanity in distress.

This former gold-mining town located in California, can be considered a proper ghost town. According to its webpage, it looks much the same as it did over 50 years ago when the last residents left and there are no facilities whatsoever except for the museum.

Located near Braşov in Transylvania (Romania) it is considered by popular belief to be the residence of Vlad the Impaler, one of the most important rulers in the history of Wallachia and, for many, the most terrible vampire: Count Dracula.

It is the largest underwater military cemetery in the world and more than 60 ships and about 400 planes lie there. A lagoon located in the state of Chuuk, also called Truk (Micronesia). Whoever dares, can dive in it to try and uncover its secrets.

This incredible architectural monument (the largest in Buddhist culture) consists of 6 square platforms topped by 3 circular platforms and is decorated with 504 Buddha statues and 2,672 relief panels. Local cultures spoke of it as a cursed temple.

It is one of the largest Hindu sanctuaries in India and one of only two free-standing buildings on the site. And it has something in common with the Egyptian pyramids: many doubt whether it was made by humans or by aliens.

One of the great megalithic monuments, it has 1,099 menhirs placed in eleven rows that span 100 meters wide and 1,200 meters long. Many experts say that it could be related to different telluric cults, that is, related to the forces of nature.

It is one of the great tourist attractions of the Chinese capital, but, apart from a colossal and spectacular work for the enjoyment of the royalty that existed in that country, it is a place surrounded by mystery, or at least it has been for centuries, since few were able to access it and learn its secrets.

This ranch located Utah is said to be the source of numerous paranormal events, according to witnesses in the area. Netflix recently made a documentary about it called 'Skinwalker: The Cursed Ranch'.

Image: Netflix series poster

Another of those great vestiges of the indigenous cultures of America. It is considered one of the most amazing tourist destinations, as well as mysterious. The Inca citadel captivates millions of visitors and archaeologists from all over the world.

A true treasure of colors in the middle of Yellowstone National Park. Its “great prismatic spring” is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest in the world, but its distinguishing characteristic are the bright colors that pigmented bacteria generate when they come into contact with the minerals on its shores.

Also known as the 'Valley of the Moon', this spectacular setting is formed by the sand of the desert and the rocks of its mountainous formations. A place that seems fictional but is very real.

Talking about Iceland is talking about glaciers, but among all the glaciers on the island, the Vatnajökull glacier is the most impressive. And not only because of its size (8,000 square meters of surface area), but also because of the light found inside. Blue flashes give it an air of fantasy.

Walking through these New Zealand limestone caves can feel like walking under the Milky Way. The roofs of the Glowworm cave, is full of firefly larvae of the Arachnocampa luminosa species, which create what looks like a starry night firmament.

Uyuni Salt Flat is the largest salt desert in the world with more than 10,500 square kilometers of surface. At certain times of the year, the nearby lakes overflow and a thin layer of water transforms this plain into a mirror where the sky is reflected.

It may seem like a desert, but the difference is that throughout its 156,500 hectares, sand dunes coexist with blue and light green lagoons that make it look like a landscape from another planet.

One of the most active volcanoes on Earth, located on the island of Hawaii, the Kilauea can be seen very frequently expelling rivers of lava, but also semi-precious stones. Yes, some bright green (sometimes black) stones, called olvino, made up of iron and magnesium.

The list finalizes with the cenotes of Yucatán (Mexico). Hollows carved into rock, flooded and semi-open, cenotes are dreamlike places that the Mayans considered an entrance to the underworld.