Inspiring Otherworldly Landscapes

Tucked away in the relatively remote corners of the world, or situated near famous mountains are gorgeous natural wonders and national parks that inspires not just us travellers, but also the filmmaking wizards of Hollywood.

- Kimberly Tan

BLUE LAGOON : BRAZIL

Freshwater collects in the valleys between sand dunes, forming pools of turquoise, green and blue lagoons amidst desert-like sand in the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in north-eastern Brazil. The landscape has been featured in several films such as The House of Sand and most recently, the planet Vormir in Avengers: Infinity War. One of the best ways to get to the park is a stay in Barreirinhas, which has better amenities and a wider range of hotels. Tour the area in 4x4s or on horseback for the more adventurous amongst us, and be sure to stay for the gorgeous sunsets. The best time to visit is from June to September. Photograph by Ksenia Ragozina

SPECTACULAR COLUMNS: CHINA

For scenery that is unexpected and rather out of this world, travel to China’s Zhangjiajie National Forest Park’s Southern Sky Column. This mountain range greatly inspired the scenery in Avatar, and the Southern Sky Column has even been officially renamed the Avatar Hallelujah Mountain. The UNESCO global geopark sits in the Hunan province and is part of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Take in a panoramic view of the canyons from the world’s tallest outdoor lift, and the longest and highest pedestrian glass bridge in the world—the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge. Not for the faint of heart. Photograph by Erwin Hsu

FORESTED HIDEAWAY: CHINA