Top 5 Colourful Waterways

Laguna Colorada
Bolivia

You’d be forgiven for thinking this expanse of red water was a mirage if you were travelling in any sort of altered state through Bolivia’s southwest altiplano. You’re not seeing things though. This shallow salt lake, covering 6000 hectares, rests at about 4250 metres above sea level and is a neighbour to the famous Salar de Uyuni. The unusual colour of the water comes from a surfeit of red algae and other microorganisms. White patches are also not a visual illusion – just massive borax deposits on the lake’s surface. The other attractions at Laguna Colorada are the flamingos that can be seen wading in the shallows. One of the three species is the rare James’s flamingo – also known as the puna flamingo – which is native to the region but was thought extinct until a small population was discovered in 1956. While they’re still considered endangered, the abundant plankton in the water keeps them coming back in hefty numbers for food. They’re naturally white, by the way; it’s the algae that stains them this glorious shade of pink

Erawan waterfall
Thailand

Located near the border of Myanmar, Erawan National Park plays host to a range of natural attractions. There’s a handful of caves, including Ta Duang Cave, which features examples of ancient rock art, and wildlife including elephants and deer. But most people who visit this part of western Thailand come for Erawan Waterfall, with its seven tiers and incredible emerald-hued pools. (Erawan, if you were wondering, is the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology the falls are said to resemble.) Set deep in the forest, the seven different levels are accessed by an ever-steeper path. The rewards are excellent though, with several of the pools home to schools of fish. The best time to visit is early in the morning – it’s a popular spot for tour groups and the pools become more muddy than miraculous when lots of people get in to swim – and during or just after rainy season (May to October).

Lake Hillier
Australia

Lakes of bubble-gum pink seem to be something of an Australian phenomenon.
Apart from the Insta-famous pond in Melbourne’s Westgate Park that turns pink when salt levels peak, the rest can be found in Western Australia. Lake Hillier is one of the most famous, and the only one that remains pink all year long. The colour is caused by a microalgae called Dunaliella salina, which is found in water that’s highly saline. It’s located on Middle Island in the Recherche Archipelago, near Esperance, and is best enjoyed on a scenic flight with Goldfields Air Services. That way you can truly appreciate the juxtaposition of the lake, which is the same shade as Pepto-Bismol, and the deep blue of the ocean, separated only by a thin stretch of scrub and white sand.
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Blue Hole
Egypt

Slightly north of the town of Dahab, you’ll come across this popular dive site in the Red Sea. Even if there wasn’t a cluster of buildings on the stretch of beach that meets the desert announcing you’d arrived, you’d still notice it on approach. Just metres off the shore and surrounded by a shallow reef, this is one patch of seriously royal blue. The reason for the eye-catching change of colour is an underwater sinkhole more than a hundred metres deep. There’s an abundance of coral and marine life on the walls of the hole, making it a very inviting spot for divers and snorkellers. But don’t be fooled by the calm conditions if you’ve strapped a tank to your back. Plenty of divers have come unstuck here, trying to go far deeper than they should to find the underwater arch that leads to the open ocean.

Five Flowers Lake
China

So impressive is the nature reserve and national park of Jiuzhaigou, located in the Sichuan province in China’s southwest, it’s been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and World Biosphere Reserve. Covering more than 72,000 hectares it’s renowned for its incredible beauty – tiered waterfalls, snow-topped mountains, colourful autumn leaves – and has seen a steady increase in visitors since it opened to the public in 1982. Rather than boasting just one vibrant colour, Five Flower Lake changes depending on the weather and surroundings. Sometimes it’s turquoise, other times jade, deep blue and even amber. Most of the time it’s vivid aqua, but the best time to visit is when the leaves of the surrounding forest are starting to change and the mirrored surface takes on the varied shades of the foliage.

Learn to survive in the jungle

Think you could survive in the jungle better than Tarzan? Find out what it takes on an adventure into the Amazon. Fly by light aircraft from Georgetown, Guyana’s capital, to the village of Surama, where you’ll be kitted out with specialist equipment by a survival instructor and two local guides.

As you venture deep into the wilderness you’ll begin honing skills to keep you alive, including how to find water, build a fire, hunt game with a bow and arrow and signal rescuers. Once your training is complete, it’s time to go solo (or with a buddy, if you choose) with your newly acquired knowledge. Don’t fret if the situation gets a bit hairy – instructors are on standby to help out.

Learn to outwit, outplay and outlast in the jungle.

Keeping it in the family at Lake Titicaca

Long believed to be the birthplace of the Incas, your exploration of the mesmerizing Lake Titicaca is one that will see you completely immersed in the local indigenous cultures. Home to a cluster of floating islands, you’ll get the opportunity to visit the Uros Islands (constructed entirely by the local Uru people using the Totura reeds that grow in Lake Titicaca), Amantaní Island and Taquile – a place where 350 Quechua-speaking families exist completely unchanged by modern society.

Your overnight home-stay experience will take place on Amantaní Island, and it’s here a local family will welcome you with open arms and homes to share their unique lifestyles. Witnessing first-hand their revered traditions and long-preserved customs is a privilege you won’t soon forget.

Gliding through the Chilean glaciers

If global warming has taught us anything, it’s the realisation that some of the world’s most incredible natural wonders probably won’t be around for much longer. Which makes a voyage on the MV Skorpios III with Skorpios Cruises all the more important. The three-night Kaweskar route sets sail from Puerto Natales for the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, bypassing 15 glaciers, including Amalia, El Brujo, and Bernal, along with others located in the Fiordo Calvo area.

You’ll be able to admire the immense size of these melting marvels up close, and there’s also the option to sail through multi-coloured ice-floes on the smaller expedition boats. We don’t know how long these glaciers will last so we’d recommend taking this trip sooner rather than later.

Test your physical limits in Chile

If you want non-stop action – hiking, kayaking, bike riding, whitewater rafting – G Adventures’ Argentina and Chile Multisport tour is designed to push you to your physical limits. For 20 days you’ll cycle through the vineyards of Mendoza, raft your way down rapids on the Chilean border and hike Aconcagua (the highest peak outside of the Himalayas), Glacier National Park and the renowned W Trek in Torres del Paine National Park. Phew!

Downtime comes in the form of wine and chocolate tastings, which you’ll have definitely earned, and a few free days to explore the local towns. Trust us when we tell you that time to recuperate will be much needed. This is one voyage that definitely isn’t for the faint of heart.

Bolivia’s red lagoon is no illusion

You’d be forgiven for thinking this expanse of red water was a mirage if you were travelling in any sort of altered state through Bolivia’s southwest altiplano. You’re not seeing things though. This shallow salt lake, covering 6,000 hectares, rests at about 4,250 metres above sea level and is a neighbour to the famous Salar de Uyuni. The unusual colour of the water comes from a surfeit of red algae and other microorganisms. White patches are also not a visual illusion – just massive borax deposits on the lake’s surface.

The other attractions at Laguna Colorada are the flamingos that can be seen wading in the shallows. One of the three species is the rare James’s flamingo – also known as the puna flamingo – which is native to the region but was thought extinct until a small population was discovered in 1956. While they’re still considered endangered, the abundant plankton in the water keeps them coming back in hefty numbers for food. They’re naturally white, by the way; it’s the algae that stains them this glorious shade of pink.

Head for Chile’s coast

There’s no doubt Chile is one long, thin nation, so there’s no better way to discover its wonders than on a cruise. With Hapag-Lloyd, you’ll join one of its luxury expedition ships in Callao, Peru’s largest seaport, before setting sail south.

Jump in a Zodiac and watch out for pelicans and Humboldt penguins off Isla Pan de Azucar, head to shore to check out the colourful city of Valparaíso then get set for one of the journey’s highlights. In Chile’s south you’ll sail its fjords searching for whales, and explore the Torres del Paine National Park and Magallanes National Reserve.

The final stop is Ushuaia in Argentina, the world’s southernmost city. The 18-day cruise is a great way to see the Chilean coastline with its volcanoes, glaciers and the remnants of ancient civilisations. And the cherry on top? You get to see it all from the comfort of a luxurious expedition vessel.

Chill out with South Georgia’s penguins of South Georgia

We bet you’ve never had a welcome party of 300,000 king penguins before, but that’s exactly what you can expect when you reach St Andrew’s Bay, in the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia.

Your arrival via Zodiac® means you can get up close to these magnificent creatures, who blanket the black sand beaches of the south-Atlantic Ocean island every November to begin their breeding and nesting season.

As the second largest species of penguin in the world, king penguins stand nearly one metre in height and are easily identifiable thanks to their glistening white chests (which they love to puff out during mating season) and striking orange-yellow plumage. And it’s not just penguins that reside on South Georgia, with black-browed albatrosses and humpback whales, plus fur and southern elephant seals all calling the island home.

Exploring this remarkable landscape with you will be a team of experienced naturalist guides, whose knowledge and expertise on the region ensures no question – no matter how tricky – will go unanswered.

The best way to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for yourself is to jump aboard a polar voyage with National Geographic Expeditions. They run a number of explorations between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula, including the upcoming Beyond the Polar Circle cruise, departing 15 January 2020.

Bubble Sky Glamping without the bugs

Immersing yourself in nature without the sacrifice of comfort is exactly what you’ll get in a BubbleSky ‘tent’. The transparent dome, hidden within El Retiro, Antioquia, keeps a close eye on its carbon footprint with each room inflated by an air compressor using the same amount of energy as a 55 watt light bulb.

A comfortable semiorthopedic queen-size bed, private bathroom and hot Jacuzzi deck out the fittings trimmed with nature-inspired décor. Completely self-contained, guests will need to bring their own food, which can be cooked atop the gas grill and enjoyed on the deck, overlooking the surrounds. This is camping, without worrying about cheeky wildlife. Sleep under the stars without the bugs!

Surrounded by history in San Jose

Hidden behind an unsuspecting façade in the heart of San Jose’s oldest historical district, Barrio Amon, this turn-of-the-century French Victorian mansion houses an affordable and stylish hotel. Cues to its coffee-plantation history are scattered throughout with dazzling handmade tile floors, high ceilings and Victorian-era furnishings.

Each morning you’ll enjoy your free freshly cooked breakfast in the restaurant, which overlooks the swimming pool and Jacuzzi, both connected via a slide, and the adjacent gym. The hotel also has a wellness centre, offering anti-ageing, dental, IV vitamin bar, osteopathy and massages.