Shell Beach, Australia

There’s a unique beach located 45 km south east of Denham, covered shells for 60km stretch to a depth of 7 to 10m. Shell Beach is a beach in the Shark Bay region of Western Australia, on the northeastern side of the Taillefer Isthmus along the L'Haridon Bight. Shell beach is one of only two beaches in the world made entirely from shells. The beach name derived because of great abundance of the shells of the cockle species Fragum erugatum. The shells have formed a limestone that is acknowledged as coquina. However, before Shark Bay became a World Heritage Site, the coquina was mined and used for the construction of a number of buildings in Denham. Shark Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, unique marine life found in and near its waters including dugongs, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, various whales and whale sharks, and the largest seagrass bank in the world, contributed to the formation of Shell Beach.

The sea-water in the L'Haridon Bight has a high salinity due to both the geomorphology and local weather of the area. The high salinity has allowed the cockle to thrive unchecked, since its natural predators have not adapted well to this environment. The shells were once used to build the office walls of buildings in the area, some of which can still be seen today. This beautiful snow-white beach is made up of millions of tiny shells transforms into a palette of the most intense greens and blues - and the water is very salty (hyper-saline), making it easy to float for those who aren’t solid swimmers. Therefore, L’Haridon Bight has been a veritable cockle paradise for thousands of years, letting the little bivalves to propagate, flourish, die, and have their shells wash up on shore over and over and over and over again, enough times to create a dazzling snow white beach. Nowadays, special licenses are still granted to mine the shells as a source of calcium for mulch and poultry feed. However, hypersalinity of L’Haridon Bight keeps out predators of humans as well as cockles, making Shell Beach a popular place to go for a swim. Also See: Cleft Island, A Granite Island of Wilsons Promontory in Australia

Chan D Ya Cliff, China

In South Western of Chinese Autonomous Region of Guizhou province, there’s a cliff named “Chan D Ya”, producing the smooth and rounded eggs shaped stones falling to the grounds. This is a 30 years process as per local people have observed for years as the eggs ‘incubate’ in hollow overhangs on the cliff and eventually fall to the ground. The Chan D Ya, meaning “Cliff to Lay Eggs”, formed more than 500 million years ago, contains a certain part of calcareous rocks. It has an uneven surface but every three decades it emits these odd-shaped rocks. The peoples of nearby village Gulu have been scratching their heads over several years as they keep finding impeccably smooth rocks.

The geologists believe the egg-shaped stones are in result of different erosion of each stone, to destroy each type of rock and led to the exclusive formation of stone eggs. However, not sure about smoothness and rounded stones, why the site is composed of limestone. However, the specific section of cliff, which is part of Mount Gandeng, is made of calcareous rock that is common in many regions on Earth.

Such formations are considered good luck premises and those who can get or take the 'eggs' from the stone. Or may collect from the ground, as they fall with a positive frequency over the years and carry to their house, they get an amulet. The “eggs” arise in a time-spaced period; it is about 30 years between the appearances of new oval forms on the cliff. Chan D Ya, cliff is 19 ft high and 65ft long. The local peoples have different superstitions, and collect eggs to take home because they thought; these stones bring good luck and blessing. This is reason, only 70 stones are preserved, however the others may have been sold or stolen.

 

 

 

 

In The Wash, a squarish estuary on the East coast of England, where Norfolk meets Lincolnshire, there is a strange island, flawlessly circular, with a dimple in the middle similar to a huge doughnut. This doughnut famously recognized as the “Outer Trial Bank”. This is one of two islands built during the 1970s to study the feasibility of converting the entire estuary into a fresh water reservoir. The other trial bank, built before the Outer Trial Bank, is connected to Norfolk by a causeway on Terrington Marsh.

The island is composed of dredged sand and braced by limestone gabions, or cages filled with rocks, and have a 2.5-acre central reservoir. It’s rarely included on maps even though it stands out as one of the highest points on the otherwise flat, marshy coast of the Wash. It seems various people are inquisitive to what these structures are? What this peculiar structure is out in the Wash - whether a meteor's landed in the Wash or aliens have landed or something! The numerous thoughts come in mind. The concept of constructed Outer Trial Bank was to build a tidal barrage across half of the Wash to capture freshwater from rivers flowing into the estuary. However, the plan was failed hugely because the banks were built using mud dredged from the salt marsh, which was saline anyway. This is salinated the stored fresh water.

Moreover, the plan was shelved but not after £3 million were spent in unsuccessful. There’re no systematized tours or trips to the island, but you can see online videos which will reveal that it can be reached by some experienced kayakers with knowledge of the tidal conditions in The Wash. They're very significant as they're major landforms in the area. They're the only hills in the Wash. Now these artificial islands have gained novel importance as a breeding bird colony, with around more than 3,000 pairs of sea birds using it as their nest. They're declining in a lot of their breeding habitats but here they're doing very well.

Stone Trees of Bolivia

There are so many huge rocks in special shapes in of Sur Lípez Province, Bolivia. The force of water and wind cannot be underestimated, because Mother Nature is a great artist and can shape any surface into his own will. Similarly, Árbol de Piedra also called "stone tree" is an isolated rock formation in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve of Sur Lípez Province. The Siloli Desert, one of the driest places in the world, features a rocky outcropping with one formation in particular getting all the attention. The much photographed, it projects out of the altiplano sand dunes of Siloli in the Potosí Department, about 18km north of Laguna Colorada.

Siloli Desert has been whittled down into the exclusive shape of stone trees over time by sand and 120km/h winds that whip across 4,000m high Bolivian Altiplano in the colder months. Much looking like wind, sand, and water can sculpt out of the earth! This particular Bolivian reserve and arid, stark desert horizon coupled with strange rock formations strike a strong resemblance to the famous surrealist’s work. Moreover, the base of the rock has been weathered away by wind and time, while the top remained intact.

The seemingly incredible structure stands about 23 feet tall and casts its shadow even longer across the flat sandy desert. The "Stone Tree," shaped like a stunted tree about 7 m high, particularly the thin stem, are due to strong winds carrying sand and eroding the soft sandstone. This is Bolivia most famous natural places look like the head of dinosaur in the middle of arid desert which is unbelievable and especially interesting to see how the colors changing during one hour that you’d have been there. The more attraction adjacent to Árbol de Piedra are the salt flats portion, incredible scenery, Red lagoons, green lagoons, white lagoons, volcanoes, beautiful rock formations, hot springs, geothermal geyser fields and colorful, rainbow mountain ranges.

Hoba Meteorite, Namibia

The Hoba meteorite has this name because it is lies on the farm "Hoba West" not far from Grootfontein, in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. It has been exposed due to its large mass, has never been moved from where it fell. The Hoba meteorite is believed to have fallen more than 80,000 years ago. In 1920 a farmer, Jacobus Hermanus Brits discovered Hoba meteorite, when he encountered object while ploughing one of his fields with an ox when his plow suddenly screeched to a halt. During this chore, he heard a loud metallic scratching sound and the plough came to an abrupt halt. He was curious about what he had run into. The obstruction was excavated, and Brits notified local authorities about the find, it was quickly determined that this was a meteorite. The site was declared a National Monument in 1955, though you couldn't visit it until 1985.

The main mass is assessed at more than 60 tonnes, making it the largest known meteorite "as a single piece. Moreover Hoba meteo is most massive naturally occurring piece of iron known at the Earth's surface. It is inferred that the Earth's atmosphere slowed the object to the point that it fell to the surface at terminal velocity, thereby remaining intact and causing little excavation. Hoba meteorite is a tabloid body of metal, measuring 2.7×2.7×0.9 meters, composed of about 84% iron and 16% nickel and 0.76% cobalt. Due to the presence of a rare radioactive nickel isotope, experts have been able to determine the age of the Hoba meteorite, which is estimated at in-between 190 million and 410 million years.

In 1954 the curator of the American Museum of Natural History in New York tried to purchase the Hoba Meteorite. It was only owing to transportation problems owing to its weight that the meteorite remained in Namibia. Immediately following this matter a group of concerned locals brought the 'near calamity' to light and the following year it was proclaimed a National Monument. Thus, almost 5 % of the total numbers of meteorite pieces that fall on Earth are same in their composition to the Hoba one. They are also huge, but not like this one, at least, not for now.

It is amazing that this meteorite is not surrounded by a crater. The objects of this size should punch through the atmosphere at a very high rate of speed and hit earth with ample force to blast a momentous crater, but no crater is present around the site of the meteorite. This could be recommends that it fell to earth at a lower rate of speed than expected. Therefore few scientists’ believed that the flat shape of the thing may be responsible for its low velocity at impact. The site has now been much improved and a decent chance to get close up. Even though anyone can touch it and stand upon. A small tourist center and is visited by thousands of people each year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bimmah Sinkhole, Oman

The Bimmah Sinkhole, located in Hawiyat Najm Park, actually meaning “Meteor Fall” Park in Arabic, is a sinkhole in Muscat Oman. Bimah sinkhole is beautiful natural landmark, the best place see in Muscat for refreshment at the long coastal road of Oman. This exclusive sinkhole is so exquisite, as limestone hollow, in Bimmah, boasts the kind of clear waters normally only seen on holiday postcards. It is approximately 50 by 70 m large, 20 to 30 m deep. The crystal-clear waters provide one of the most picturesque swims in Oman.

It formed so close to the sea because of the increased subterranean water flow that occurred down-gradient. The sinkhole was formed with limestone by a collapse of large cave chamber. However many believed that this sinkhole was formed by meteorite ("piece of Moon"). Moroever, at the bottom of sinkhole, one can see deep blue-green water with a heap of rock and remnants of the collapse. When the roof of one of these caverns collapses, the land above it falls in too, leaving giant holes. When groundwater flows through these rocks, it eats away at the rock, leaving behind subterranean holes and caverns.

The government has developed a park around the sinkhole, built concrete stairway leading to the lake. It’s a refreshing lake to take bath for Locals and tourists. It is well thought, that sinkhole is connected to the 600 m distant sea. Because the top layer of lake is crystal clear, but at the depth of some 8 m water has sulphuric taste due to sulphur oxidizing bacteria and is less clear. Though similar holes engulf residential streets or open up in front of despairing home owners, the Bimmah sinkhole has long been attracting tourists eager for a picturesque swim.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swaik Lake: Pakistan

 

Pakistan is a natural tourist’s destination, and majestic beauty is not only bound to the locations in the northern areas of the country. But, it is also home to some unexplored gems like the stunning, mystic “Swaik lake” just waiting to be explored. Swaik Lake is also called “Khandowa Lake” “کھنڈوعہ جھیل” around 10 km from the Tehsil Kallar Kahar, Chakwal District and 30 kilometers southwest of Chakwal along the motorway. It is famous for natural scenes, crystal clear water with tiny fishes, cliff diving, swimming, and trekking. Swaik Lake is approached with 45 minutes of hiking after the drive of 10 Km by taking an exit from Kallar Kahar interchange at Lahore-Islamabad Motorway. Swaik Lake is also called “Narumi Dhan” by local peoples.

It is a beautiful place and very similar to Neela Wahan pond. The hike to the Swaik Lake is quite similar to the hike to Neela Wahan although the level of difficulty is a bit higher. In Swaik Lake, you can enjoy with family, friends and also other activities like Cliff diving, Treking all along. The lake area consist of variable size filled with water, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land, apart from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are also larger and deeper than ponds. The trail that leads to the breath-taking beauty is quite wide and narrows down at some parts, and steeply declines towards the gorge that encapsulates the lake.  The lake has become quite a popular place in recent times, as it’s hard to believe that it’s right here in Pakistan! A fresh, clear lake is all you can fantasize about on a beautiful day, the lush green waters just glistening in the broad daylight the cascading waterfall situated at the lake, you might spot tiny little fish scurrying in the water.