When you think of crystal clear waters, the pictures that normally come to mind are of
the Maldives, some Caribbean or Mediterranean islands with endless beaches, and my bathtub.
Yeah I keep it really clean. Now these other places can, indeed, boast super clean waters,
but there are less expected locations where you can see through the water down to the
bottom. Let’s tour them right now! Counting down from:
13. Melissani Lake, Greece
Melissani Lake goes through a cave that has the same name. There are at least 3 reasons
to visit this natural landmark in Kefalonia, Greece. First, it’s crystal clear water,
second, it’s 20 thousand of years of history, and third – the legends that surround it.
On a sunny day, the sea green waters of Melissani Lake are filled with dazzling light. It used
to be completely underground, but thanks to an earthquake, it was opened up and is now
60 feet below the surface of the ground. The cave serves as a natural filter for the sea
water the lake is filled with, and it makes it even more transparent. As you sail around
in a boat, admiring the beauty of local stalactites, you’ll also enjoy the Greek myths swirling
around the place. According to them, it used to be home to nymphs, and it’s even named
after one of them – beautiful heartbroken Melissanthi.
12. Crater Lake, USA
Crater Lake is the true gem of Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. It was formed 7,700
years ago when the volcano, Mount Mazama, collapsed. It’s the deepest lake in the
United States. While many lakes get their waters from rivers, Crater Lake is fed only
by rain and snowfall, and the water in it gets completely replaced every 250 years.
Maybe that’s what makes the lake so spotlessly blue. There’s a fun sight inside the lake
– the so-called “Old Man of the Lake” that’s a vertically floating hemlock, first
recorded in 1896.
11. Flathead Lake, USA
Montana’s Flathead Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the western part of the country. It’s
home to many types of fish: yellow perch, trout, whitefish, sturgeon, and what not.
Fishing, swimming, waterskiing, and picnicking are some of the popular activities here, but
nothing can compare to taking a boat trip on the lake. Its waters are so clear it looks
like boats aren’t sailing, but flying over the bottom. In fact, Flathead is what’s
left of the huge glacial Lake Missoula, that was here 13,000 years ago. The water that
fills Flathead Lake comes from the Rocky Mountains and is mostly pure snow that melts into crystal
clear water.
10. Five-Color Pond in Jiuzhaigou Valley, China
Now you’ve seen crystal clear lakes, but can you imagine a multi-colored one? It’s
real, and it’s located in the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve that’s part of the Minshan
mountain range in China. Five-Color Pond, a UNESCO world heritage site, has an unusual
chemical composition with hydrophytes and calcium carbonates in it, calcareous sediment
at the bottom, and plenty of algae. All this, plus the beautiful forests surrounding the
lake and reflecting in it make the water look green, azure blue, yellow, orange and even
purple! It looks especially gorgeous in the fall.
9. Grüner See, Austria
Speaking of waters with unusual colors, how would you like a crystal clear lake that looks
completely green (hence its name)? Another mountain lake, it’s at its deepest in the
summer time, reaching 39 ft because it feeds from snowmelt. Grüner See used to be popular
with divers, and someone even installed a bridge and a bench for them underwater. However,
in 2016, local authorities prohibited any activity inside the lake. They feared that
divers could stir up the sediment from the lake bottom and it would lose its unique clear
greenness. At the moment, the best you can do is hike around the lake.
8. Peyto Lake, Canada
Peyto Lake is a must see for tourists hiking in Banff National Park, in the Rocky Mountains.
When you look at it from above, it seems unnatural because of its bright, somewhat neon turquoise
color. It seems especially radiant in the summer, when melting glacial waters flow into
it, bringing rock flour. Peyto Lake doesn’t only look different from season to season,
but also seemingly changes color during the day, depending on the sun’s activity. The
best view of the lake is from Bow Summit, which is the highest point on the Icefields
Parkway.
7. The Blue River, Greenland Anyone who’s ever crossed the Atlantic Ocean
by plane has seen a huge patch of snow covered lands in between Europe and America. Despite
what many people think, Greenland actually has its own population and attracts tourists.
One of the reasons to go would be to see the stunning Blue River. Unlike most rivers you
know, this one doesn’t have a permanent streambed – it looks different and new every
year. Understandably, its feeding source is a glacier, and in spring, as it starts to
melt intensively, millions of puddles and pools unite and turn into lakes and streams
that form the colorful ribbon of the Blue River. With global warming, the melting has
become more active in the past years. 6. Lake Baikal, Russia
Lake Baikal is the deepest and oldest lake in the world, with 20% of all fresh water
on the planet and 25 million years of age. The water here is so clean and clear, you
can see to a depth of 130 ft inside the lake. A lot of people come here in the summer, but
winter is the time when things get magical. Don’t forget Baikal is in Siberia, which
means it freezes, and the layer of ice is so thick, small vehicles are allowed to drive
on it. And because the water is so clear, the ice is also see through, and you can observe
the underwater life with no special equipment needed. Multiple weird cracks appear on the
ice to let oxygen inside and help its inhabitants survive the winter.
5. Lake Mashū, Japan It’s basically impossible to tell the sky
from the ground when you’re looking at Lake Mashū on Japan’s Hokkaido Island. When
its transparency was measured in 1931, it even beat Lake Baikal, with a result of 136
feet. It’s a crater lake that lies in the caldera of a potentially active volcano. Unlike
most other lakes, it doesn’t have regular shores, but is surrounded by crater walls
660 feet high. Mashū was formed as a result of volcanic activity 32,000 years ago. Even
though tourists aren’t allowed down to the lake, there are some really good observation
decks around it.
4. Lake McKenzie, Australia Lake McKenzie is situated on Fraser Island
in Queensland, the largest sand island in the world. McKenzie is a perched lake filled
with fresh rainwater that’s 320 feet above the ground. The acid content in the lake is
so high, no living creatures inhabit it. It looks so bright it seems unnatural. The heart-shaped
trees surrounding it make the landscape look even more surreal. The local indigenous Butchulla
people believed the lake is actually the eyes of a transformed deity, K’gari, and that’s
why it’s so unbelievably beautiful. 3. Hoh Rainforest, USA
Hoh Rainforest is one of the Seven Wonders of Washington State. It’s located on the
Olympic Peninsula and follows the Hoh River. The river flows out of a glacier on Mount
Olympus. Fine glacial flour is what gives the river its crystal clear greenish shade.
This makes the area a perfect place for hiking, and even outdoor clothing manufacturer ads,
since you can walk through the river like a real adventurer.
2. Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Though Maranhão state national park might look like a desert at first glance, it’s
actually not, since it receives way more water than a desert does, by definition. Maranhenses
means “bedsheets” in Portuguese, and the place does look covered with smooth white
bed sheets of sand. During the rainy season, mainly between January and June, the dunes
get filled up with clear water and turn into a fantastic pattern of beautiful lagoons that
are perfect for swimming.
1. The Blue Lake, New Zealand New Zealand’s Nelson Lakes National Park
is home to the clearest lake in the world. The Māori believe this place to be sacred,
and no one is allowed to swim in it or even enter it. The only exceptions are made for
scientific purposes, for example, to measure its transparency. The last time they did,
it turned out to be a striking 260 ft, and it’s also basically as clear as distilled
water. It never gets warm, staying between 41°F-46°F, since it’s located at an elevation
of ¾ of a mile. Hiking, camping, and fishing, as well as helicopter tours are all allowed,
though, so you still have a good chance to see this natural wonder.
How about you? Which of these places would you want to visit most of all? Let me know
down in the comments! If you learned something new today, then give this video a like and
share it with a friend. But – hey! – don’t go running off to see the clear water just
yet! We have over 2,000 cool videos for you to check out. All you have to do is pick the
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