Sometimes it seems that we are so busy with magnificent creations and sights that are man-made that we forget that nature also has the power to amaze us every time anew with heart-warming shapes and colors that seem as if they were taken from parallel worlds. What is even more amazing is how nature does this with such wonderful and breathtaking simplicity. The following collection of photographs of the lakes and lagoons is amazing in its beauty not only because of the scenery in the background, but also and especially because of the unique colors of the water that will make you look twice to make sure they are real.

1. Emerald Lake, Yoho Park, Canada

Emerald Lake in Yoho Park, Canada is a popular hiking destination not only because of the dense forests and rocky mountains it overlooks, but also because of its bright turquoise color caused by a combination of glacial sediment particles and the limestone rock that characterizes its bottom.

2. Okama Lake, Japan

Okama Lake rising over 1,800 meters high, Japan’s active volcano Zao is also a beautiful crater with a small lake called Okama. The lake is also known as the “lake of the five colors” and this is due to the frequent change in the water colors depending on the frequent weather changes and the difference in its colors when looking at it from different angles.

3. Laguna Verde (Bolivia)

In western Bolivia you can find some of the most preserved pristine landscapes in the world, and among the prominent attractions in this region is the Verde Lagoon. Beyond the fact that its shores overlook the dormant volcano Likenbekbur, the lagoon’s water is characterized by an intense blue color due to the minerals and salts found in it.

4. Morning Glory Pool, USA

Morning Glory Pool is a hot spring located in Yellowstone Park in the state of Wyoming, United States. The spring got its name due to its close resemblance to the morning glory flower. Its different colors are the result of pigmentation that the thermophilic bacteria that thrive at high temperatures undergo.

5. Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Within the wooded areas of Croatia are located 16 lakes called Plitvice Lakes whose color ranges from light gray to turquoise blue and green. Their amazing color together with their high clarity are the result of the mineral content of the water and the limestone rocks that adorn their bottom with algae.

6. Lake Pukaki, New Zealand

Lake Pukaki is located in the South Island of New Zealand and offers us a unique sight not only due to the fact that on its shores it is almost impossible to find a settlement or city, but also because of its bright blue and turquoise waters. Its unique colors are the result of ice particles floating in it as a result of the snow melting from the surrounding mountains.

7. Lake Hillier, Australia

From a bird’s eye view, Lake Hillier in Australia is a delight to the eye not only because of its pink hues, but also because of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean which emphasizes the contrast between it and its deep blue color. To this magic can be added the fact that scientists have not yet cracked the reason for its color. Currently, the explanation is that the color is the result of the presence of an organism called Dunlaella salina that is also found in carrots and is responsible for its orange color.

8. The three lakes on Mount Kelimutu, Indonesia

These three lakes earned their charm with respect not only because of their different color from lake to lake (blue-green, black and reddish) which gives the place a surreal look, but also because they are located on the summit of the Kelimutu volcano in Indonesia. The water got its color from different minerals coming from the volcano itself!

9. Laguna Colorada, Bolivia

The colorada lagoon in Bolivia got its red color due to the variety of algae and microorganisms that live in its salty waters and together cause a chemical reaction that gives the water its intense color. If that’s not enough, flocks of pink flamingos frequent the lagoon and blend in harmoniously.

10. Five Flower Lake, China

The high clarity of the water of the Lake of the Five Flowers in Jiuzhaigou National Park gives it bright turquoise colors, and this is due to its bottom covered with ancient tree trunks. The entire park is a protected nature reserve that is hardly visited due to its remote location from tourist centers, but that does not mean that its beauty is less breathtaking…

11. Lake Caño, Colombia

The Cano River (Caño Cristales) in Colombia looks like any other river, but all this changes between the months of July and November, during which the lake enjoys a short flowering of a unique plant at its bottom called Macarnia calbigera, a flower characterized mainly by its red and yellow colors.

12. Hot springs in Danakil Depression, Ethiopia

The hot springs of the Danakil desert in eastern Ethiopia are not only unusual for being a source of water in one of the hottest areas in the world with an average annual temperature of 35 Celsius degrees… they are also a geological wonder with yellow and orange hues that get their color due to the presence of sulfur solutions and various salts in the water.

13. Champagne Pool, New Zealand

Champagne Pool is a hot spring located in the northern region of New Zealand. The spring got its name due to the constant flow of carbon dioxide that simulates the bubbling that occurs in a glass of champagne. Due to the various minerals and salts found in it, the waters of the lake are characterized by orange and red colors on its sides and green and dark blue colors in the center.