Legendary tales claim that these sites are haunted by paranormal activity
This is not a picture from Mars! This Jordanian desert is real and unedited, despite its striking red look.
The Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon, is a geographical formation carved into sandstone and granite rock.
The icy hues of this glacial lake make it look like part of a landscape on Krypton.
The frozen beach has black volcanic sand that contrasts beautifully with the shimmering chunks of ice that wash ashore.
The minerals in the water of this lake in British Columbia are responsible for the formation of yellow 'spots' on the surface.
The strange-looking yellow patches in the lake are caused by dense deposits of magnesium sulfate, calcium, and sodium sulfates.
The graceful, flowing shapes of the sandstone are a product of the water erosion that has created this unique formation.
This slot canyon in Arizona, located in Navajo territory, has become a popular tourist spot in the USA.
This peculiar formation near the Black Rock Desert in Nevada was created when a geothermic company drilled at the site and then abandoned it.
Over the past 40 years, minerals from the geothermal water have formed an algae-covered mound on the desert surface near the geyser, giving it a colorful hue.
The Vajolet Towers consist of six peaks and are located in the Val di Fassa in the Dolomites mountain range.
The towers not only attract many climbers, but are also a photogenic destination.
The lake is located in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies and its striking blue color is reminiscent of a Neptune landscape.
The unique color of the water is due to the glacial silt carried by the streams flowing from the glacier.
This breathtaking panorama is located in the largest salt flatland in the world.
An estimated 10 billion tons of salt are stored in these salt flats, which cover an area of 4,000 sq mi (10,360 sq km).
This active volcano in East Java offers breathtaking views, for those willing to make the hike from the village of Cemoro Lawang.
The stunning sunsets are the main attraction of this otherwordly landscape.
Approximately 10 % of the area of this western Canadian province consists of fresh water, which includes rivers, reservoirs, and around 100,000 lakes.
The thundering sky in Saskatchewan gives you the feeling that a UFO could fly by at any moment.
There is a group of 21 odd-looking islands with caves, beaches, and trails located in Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin.
During winter, the shoreline looks like an alien world with its icicles and frozen waterfalls in the caves and on the rocky coast.
This mind-blowing lake is proof that beauty can be misleading. With its extremely high temperatures and deadly pH levels, this place is closer to Hell than to Earth.
On the positive side, the harsh conditions in this area lead to an abundance of reddish algae that attract millions of flamingos.
These caves found in Waitomo are actually in our world, even if at first glance they appear to be part of the Milky Way.
This amazing phenomenon is generated by numerous bioluminescent larvae that produce long strands of glowing mucus. Disgusting? Maybe. Amazing? Without a doubt.
The landscape of this park is striking with its red sand dunes and bare trees.
This is as close as we'll get to the Red Planet until we send humans to Mars!
There are no goblins in this valley, but the park has such a unique landscape that it is hard to believe it's on Earth.
At night, this is a great place to admire the stars and pretend you’re in another part of the universe.
Zhangjiajie is home to this 100-square-mile attraction with thousands of sandstone pillars.
The peaks of quartz and sandstone are the most spectacular feature in Wulingyuan. These formations are like natural skyscrapers.
This breathtaking national park in Canada's Northwest Territories is a perfect specimen of an otherworldly polar desert.
This place in Nunavut could easily be the setting for a 'Star Trek' episode.
Mt. Thor on Baffin Island, also known as Thor Peak, is one of the Seven Wonders of Canada. The mountain is also a popular place for climbing.
Volcanoes do not only exist on Earth. In fact, Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanically active place in our solar system. Interestingly, it resembles a place on Earth...
NASA researchers have discovered that the Prometheus volcano on Io looks strikingly similar to the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.
This cave is the largest in the world, with room for an entire block of Manhattan, including 40-story skyscrapers. It is home to some of the tallest known stalagmites in the world, up to 70 m (230 ft) high.
In mid-2019, it was discovered that the cave is connected to a nearby cave called Hang Thung by an underground river. A whole ecosystem of its own thrives in the depths of this cave.
Here is proof that Death Valley has extraterrestrial potential: NASA used the national park as a test site before landing the 'Curiosity' rover on Mars in 2012.
In this place, there are sand dunes, rocky surfaces, rugged hills, and a crusty desert floor with textured patterns and cracks.
These unusual-looking trees, also known as dragon's blood trees, are found on the Socotra archipelago and are endemic to the region.
Its characteristic red sap is said to represent the blood of the ancient dragons. It is still used today for painting and varnishing purposes.
This place is so unique that it was featured in a documentary called 'Journey Into Amazing Caves' (2001) and on Discovery Channel's 'Planet Earth.'
The name Dos Ojos (two eyes) refers to two neighboring cenotes that connect to form a huge common cave zone.
The famous hot spring in Yellowstone National Park has a bizarre, colorful appearance due to pigmented bacteria and microbes that colonize the warm mineral waters.
The center of the pool is filled with crystal clear blue water, heated by the boiling hot spring that rises from underground. The water is so hot that it makes the area completely sterile.
Dallol has the eerie appearance of a ghost town due to salt formations, acidic hot springs, and gas geysers.
With average summer temperatures of up to 45°C (114°F), this scorching hydrothermal area is one of the hottest places on earth.
These vast, rugged, and rocky mountain peaks are a magical part of an out-of-this-world landscape.
Erosion has shaped these rock formations, a natural process that is constantly sculpting the Badlands' peaks.
If traveling to the moon isn't on your agenda, you might want to consider the Moon Valley as an alternative destination.
This valley in the Atacama Desert has been shaped by years of erosion, leaving jagged peaks, dry riverbeds, and an impressive landscape that is well worth a visit.
The valleys between the curved sand dunes of the national park fill with water every year during the rainy season, giving this place its distinctive features.
The landscape looks like a flooded desert or a sandy body of water. It all depends on how you choose to see it.
The most remarkable feature of this desert is the wind-sculpted chalk cliffs that resemble giant frozen mushrooms.
These alien-like formations are caused by the occasional sandstorms in the region.
The Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve was created by volcanic activity.
The fact that it is designated as an International Dark Sky Park makes it seem even more like another planet.
The Haleakala crater on Maui, Hawaii, is an impressive sight with a landscape of cinder cones and a huge crater filled by lava flows.
Sources: (Condé Nast Traveller) (Insider)
See also: 30 stunning natural wonders of the world
Space travel may be out of reach for most people, but there are still many fascinating landscapes on our planet waiting to be explored. Earth itself offers a multitude of strange and otherworldly sights that you don't need a spaceship to experience.
Curious? Check out the gallery and take a virtual tour through some of the most incredible alien-looking landscapes on Earth.
Mystical landscapes on Earth that are out of this world
Otherworldly planes found on our planet
TRAVEL Nature
Space travel may be out of reach for most people, but there are still many fascinating landscapes on our planet waiting to be explored. Earth itself offers a multitude of strange and otherworldly sights that you don't need a spaceship to experience.
Curious? Check out the gallery and take a virtual tour through some of the most incredible alien-looking landscapes on Earth.