What Makes Places Like Rainbow Mountains or Red Beach Unique?
This section highlights some of the world's most visually stunning and scientifically fascinating natural locations — such as Rainbow Mountains and Red Beach — and explains what makes them stand out. These places are shaped by rare combinations of minerals, plants, and weather conditions over millions of years.
1. Rainbow Mountains – Zhangye Danxia, China
- Location: Gansu Province, China
- Appearance: Colourful stripes in red, yellow, orange, green, and blue across the mountains
- How It Formed: Layers of sandstone and minerals were pressed together over millions of years, then shaped by wind and rain
- What Makes It Unique: One of the very few naturally multicoloured mountain formations in the world
2. Red Beach – Panjin, China
- Location: Liaoning Province, northeastern China
- Appearance: A bright red landscape created by a plant called Suaeda salsa
- How It Happens: The plant turns red in autumn and covers the wetland areas like a carpet
- What Makes It Unique: It is not made of red sand — the colour comes from plants, and it is also a rare bird sanctuary
3. Cano Cristales – The River of Five Colours, Colombia
- Location: Serrania de la Macarena National Park, Colombia
- Appearance: A river that glows red, yellow, green, blue, and black
- How It Happens: A water plant called Macarenia clavigera changes colour based on water level and sunlight
- What Makes It Unique: Known as the most beautiful river in the world — visible only during a short rainy-season window
4. Salar de Uyuni – Bolivia
- Location: Southwest Bolivia
- Appearance: The world’s largest salt flat; during rains, it turns into a giant mirror reflecting the sky
- How It Formed: Created from dried-up prehistoric lakes rich in salt minerals
- What Makes It Unique: Looks like a white desert when dry and like glass when wet — also a major source of lithium
5. Grand Prismatic Spring – Yellowstone, USA
- Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
- Appearance: A hot spring with vibrant rings of blue, green, yellow, and red
- How It Happens: The colours come from heat-loving bacteria and mineral-rich waters
- What Makes It Unique: The third-largest hot spring in the world and a naturally rainbow-coloured pool
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