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Summary:
- Multicolored pools in China: Huanglong and its hundreds of five-color pools perched at 3,000 m altitude
- Aquatic cave in Greece: Melissani and its turquoise water lit by natural sunlight
- Gravity-free lake: The Dead Sea where you float like a cork at 430 m below sea level
- Harmless jellyfish in Palau: Millions of golden jellyfish that lost their stinging power
- Icelandic icebergs: Jökulsárlón and its ballet of blue ice on black volcanic sand
- Highest navigable lake: Titicaca at 3,812 m between Bolivia and Peru with its floating reed islands
There are nice lakes for Sunday picnics. And then there are these: bodies of water so spectacular you wonder if someone cheated with Photoshop. Except no, it’s all real. Between pools displaying five different colors, lagoons where you float without moving a toe, and aquatic caves worthy of a mythological film, some corners of the planet play in another league.
From the polar circle to humid tropics, these lakes cross every imaginable climate. But they share one thing: impossible to forget once you’ve seen them. Here’s our selection of aquatic destinations truly worth jumping on a plane for (and sending some well-crafted photos to those stuck at the office).
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In Asia, when water becomes a painter’s palette
Asia hides pools with improbable hues, born from the encounter between capricious geology and well-rooted local legends.
The Five-Color Ponds of Huanglong (China)
Imagine hundreds of small pools perched at 3,000 meters altitude in Sichuan’s mountains, simultaneously displaying sapphire blue, emerald, gold and a whole range of shades in between. That’s Huanglong. This chromatic fireworks comes from the cocktail of mineral water + aquatic plants + sunlight. The local legend? A goddess supposedly spilled her makeup bag here. Hard to imagine a more spectacular cosmetic accident. The water is so clear you can count the pebbles at the bottom, creating a rather hypnotic effect.
West Lake in Hangzhou (China)
This lake has inspired Chinese poets for centuries, and you understand why. Weeping willows bending over the water, pagodas pointing to the sky, hills disappearing into mist… It’s the kind of place where every corner looks like a traditional ink painting. Listed as a UNESCO site, it completely changes atmosphere depending on the time: mysterious in morning mist, golden and warm at sunset. Elegant causeways cross it, islands punctuate it, gardens ornate its shores. A decor that never ages.
Lake Kawaguchiko (Japan)
In the Fuji Five Lakes, Kawaguchiko offers THE postcard view of Japan’s sacred mountain. When cherry blossoms explode in spring or maples turn fiery red in autumn, the perfect reflection of Fuji in calm water reaches an almost annoying level of perfection. You’ll also find onsen (hot springs), some nice museums and a cable car to Mount Tenjo. But let’s admit it: you mainly come for that photo of Fuji mirroring in the lake. And that’s perfectly fine.
Between Greece and Italy, ancient myths and dolce vita
The Mediterranean cultivates the art of lakes that tell a story, whether millennial or just very glamorous.
Lake Melissani in Kefalonia (Greece)
A cave where the ceiling collapsed centuries ago, letting in sunlight rays that transform turquoise water into a true light show. Boats look like they’re floating in emptiness, the water is so transparent. In Greek mythology, it was a sanctuary for nymphs. Today, tourists land with cameras in hand. The freshwater-seawater mix, stalactites, scattered ancient artifacts: the place has kept its mysterious atmosphere. For optimal light show, aim for noon sharp.
Lake Como (Italy)
Como is the lake that looks classy without trying. Nestled at the foot of the Alps with its characteristic Y-shape, it lines up pastel villages, villas costing the price of a small castle, and gardens where you’d think you’re in a Visconti film. Its deep blue waters attracted aristocracy since Roman times. George Clooney has a villa here (yes yes, THE George Clooney). Whether you’re sipping espresso in Bellagio or sailing past neoclassical palaces, Como plunges you straight into dolce vita luxury version.
Aquatic oddities that defy all logic
Some lakes push weirdness so far you wonder if someone inverted gravity or biology settings.
These lakes that bug your brain
| Name | Why it’s weird | What you do there |
| Jökulsárlón (Iceland) | Electric blue icebergs drifting over black volcanic sand | Watch seals lounging on ice, visit „Diamond Beach“ |
| Dead Sea (Israel-Jordan) | Lowest point on the planet (430 m below sea level), insane salinity | Float like a cork effortlessly, coat yourself in miracle mud |
| Jellyfish Lake (Palau) | Millions of golden jellyfish that forgot how to sting | Swim in the middle of a living galaxy that migrates twice daily |
| Thale Noi (Thailand) | Pink lotus carpet exploding every morning | Navigate at sunrise, encounter 280 bird species |
Jökulsárlón: the iceberg ballet
This Icelandic glacial lagoon is a constantly moving painting. Pieces of glacier in an almost unreal blue slowly drift against a black volcanic sand background. It was born from the retreat of Breiðamerkurjökull glacier (good luck pronouncing that) and plunges 284 meters deep. Seals squat on ice floes, arctic terns circle overhead, and the neighboring „Diamond Beach“ sparkles with thousands of stranded ice fragments. Film directors love this place. We understand why.
High-altitude lakes that test your lungs
Some bodies of water settled so high up they put your respiratory system to the test.
Lake Titicaca (Bolivia-Peru)
At 3,812 meters altitude, Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable lake. It straddles the border between Bolivia and Peru, and remains sacred to Inca descendants. Communities still live on floating islands made of woven reeds, an ancestral technique still in use. Altitude might give you a slight headache, but the soul of the place and its millennia-old history are well worth it.
Lake Superior (United States-Canada)
This Great Lakes giant is so immense it creates its own weather. It sprawls between the United States and Canada, with steep shores lined with pine forests as far as the eye can see. Water is freezing even in summer, rarely clear, and the legendary storms that rage here have entered history books. Sunsets? Spectacular. You can hike the wild North Shore or explore shipwrecks underwater. Superior truly lives up to its name.
In the southern hemisphere, between volcanoes and wilderness
Way down on the planet, lakes shaped by fire and ice, often tucked in corners where civilization hasn’t colonized everything yet.
Lake Tarawera (New Zealand)
Volcanic lake in the Rotorua region, dominated by Mount Tarawera watching like an imposing guardian. Lush native vegetation frames waters renowned for trout fishing. The bonus? Geothermal springs bubbling along the shore, offering natural baths with panoramic views. Kayaking on cold water, then dipping in a hot spring: the perfect combo.
Lake St. Clair (Tasmania, Australia)
Australia’s deepest lake rests at the heart of Tasmanian wilderness classified as world heritage. Carved by glaciers, encircled by rainforests that haven’t budged for millennia, it marks the end of the famous Overland Track. Its dark waters reflect the island’s raw spirit. You’ll likely encounter wallabies and wombats. No wifi, no civilization, just pure wilderness.
These lakes prove nature needs no instruction manual to create spectacular stuff. Each has its character, story, quirks. Whether perched at altitude, hidden in caves, populated with improbable creatures or just ridiculously beautiful, they show our planet’s crazy diversity. If you’re looking for destinations that truly stand out, these bodies of water check all the boxes.
