OUR WONDERFUL, WEIRD WORLD

Bizarre and beautiful spots exist off the well-worn tourist paths that criss-cross our precious planet

- JANICE BECKETT-MSIZA

THE SEA OF STARS MALDIVES

Vaadhoo Island in this archipelagic state has become a popular destination for tourists eager to experience its magical glowing water. Close up the water looks like it has little stars in it, hence its name. The natural phenomenon occurs when waves push tiny bioluminescent plankton closer to the beach, causing them to emit a blue light.

This natural wonder can be witnessed at other spots in the Maldives but it’s more intense around Vaadhoo Island because of the water temperature, movement of the waves and other environmental factors.

EARTH is a vast and wondrous place, filled with breathtaking landscapes and fascinating cultures.

But in the midst of all the beauty are things so bizarrely unexpected they wouldn’t be out of place in a sci-fi movie.

From deadly blood-red lakes to underground waterfalls and a crooked forest, we take a whirlwind trip to some of our world’s weirdest locations.

CONFLUENCE OF RHÔNE AND ARVE RIVERS SWITZERLAND

A confluence is a geographical term to describe the meeting of the waters. In this case it’s the mighty Rhône and the gentle Arve – and when they meet the difference between the two rivers is visible to the naked eye.

The Rhône, which starts in the Swiss Alps and flows through Switzerland and France, is a deep blue body of water while the Arve is a short mountain stream. When the two meet in the city of Geneva, they never completely mix because of their difference in density, creating a breathtaking contrast.

LAKE NATRON TANZANIA

Not many people are brave enough to venture to the shores of this lake because it’s one of the most inhospitable places on Earth.