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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