Beautiful lakes worth seeing
Amazing, beautiful, and sometimes dangerous lakes located in different parts of the planet arouse the curiosity of thousands of travelers who are ready to rush to the most exotic country just to see with their own eyes what the whole world is talking about. Since ancient times, lakes have been attributed with mysterious powers and miraculous properties beyond the control of the human mind; they invariably attract people with tranquility and grandeur. Emerald, blue, indigo and even poisonous pink - we know everything about them and know nothing. In this article we will try to at least lift that veil of secrets and talk about some of the secrets and features of the world's greatest lakes.
Lake Hillier 
Even those tourists Those who have never visited Australia have probably heard about an unusual body of water located on the very edge of the island on the country’s West Coast. What is so remarkable about this lake?
Here you will not find unusual water properties or rare aquatic inhabitants; in addition, the lake is considered shallow and very small compared to other beautiful bodies of water. The highlight of Hiller is its color - it is bright pink, the shade of the lake is especially striking when you look at it from above, because the blue ocean is located nearby.
Until now, scientists cannot determine what exactly gives the lake its pink color, but most of them are inclined to one option - it’s all about the microorganisms that populate the reservoir, they secrete a special pigment (it is also found in carrots), but there is no evidence for this hypothesis yet.
Someone prefers not to look for the real reason, but to believe the ancient legend, according to which a sailor, finding himself on an island, suffered for a long time from hunger and thirst and begged the devil to save him at any cost. Soon a strange man appeared and poured a jug of milk and blood into the lake, causing Hiller to turn pink. After this, the sailor swam in the water and was saved.
Salt Lake Hiller was discovered in the 19th century; an English navigator, moving to Sydney, noticed an unusual body of water and took a sample. At the beginning of the 20th century, salt began to be mined here, however, after 6 years the activity ceased.
Now the lake is one of the wonderful tourist places, surrounded by eucalyptus forest, it is completely safe and suitable for swimming, but due to its shallow depth, this will be difficult. The easiest way to get to Hiller is by helicopter.
Lake Baikal 
Without a doubt, not only all residents know about this majestic lake Russia, but also most people abroad. Its size is amazing, we all studied its unique properties in geography textbooks, but no film or book can convey all the beauty of Father Baikal, as Russians affectionately call it.
Baikal stretches like an azure crescent in the south of Eastern Siberia, everyone talks about its uniqueness, but what does it consist of?
Firstly, this is the oldest lake in the whole world, its age is approximately 25-35 million years. Not a single lake of glacial origin can boast of such a respectable age, because usually after a few thousand years, reservoirs like Baikal turn into a swamp, becoming polluted with silt.
Secondly, Baikal is one of the ten largest lakes (about 31,700 square kilometers), is the largest reservoir of fresh water and surpasses any body of water in depth - any schoolchild knows this. Tourists from abroad often compare Baikal to the sea; this is not surprising, since its area is equal to a small European state.
Well, of course, we cannot mention the unique properties of water. The lucky ones who have been there claim that in some parts of the lake you can see an object at a depth of 40 meters, the water of Baikal is so crystal clear. And the absence of any organic impurities and maximum oxygen enrichment ensures a huge diversity of the natural world in the depths of the lake and on the coast.
Of course, it is difficult to convey the grandeur of Baikal with dry numbers and statements of facts, and this becomes an excellent reason to go on an exciting journey.
Crater Lake 
A national park was created more than a century ago specifically to protect Crater Lake, which is located in southern Oregon (USA). This body of water is unique in its kind, including due to its poisonous blue hue. This is explained quite simply - the lake is deep (almost 600 meters deep), this makes it one of the record holders for this indicator, and the water itself has a high degree of transparency, so it absorbs all shades of the color spectrum.
Annually thousands of tourists people come to the state to admire this natural phenomenon. Both because of the wonderful shade of indigo, and because of the unusual location of the Crater - in the long-extinct crater of the Mount Mazama volcano. According to researchers, the last eruption occurred about 7,700 years ago, when the crater began to be pressed under its own weight and over time was filled with rainwater and melted snow, which explains its crystal clarity and transparency. In addition, the Crater has no inflows or outflows of rivers.
The nature of the appearance of the lake determined the peculiarity of the existence of fauna in it - initially there were no fish there and could not have been there. But over time, several species of fish were introduced into the Crater, and fishing for them by tourists is not prohibited here.
Plitvice Lakes 
Croatian miracle of nature or the eighth wonder of the world, as the Croats themselves say. All this is about the world-famous Plitvice Lakes National Park. In the late 70s of the 20th century, scientists discovered an unusually beautiful cascading reservoir on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was later included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Once you have been here, it will be impossible to forget this fabulous picture - among the coniferous and beech thickets of the “Devil’s Forest”, 16 Plitvice lakes lie in a mountain valley, shining and shimmering in the sun’s rays. Each of them passes into the other, forming a foamy waterfall and filling almost the entire valley, because over the millennia of its existence the waters have dissolved limestone rocks.
No one can count how many waterfalls and streams exist at the moment, because every year, thanks to plants that can absorb calcium from lakes, dams and rapids are formed. Hardened trees and bushes cover a certain area and new waterfalls are born.
Tourists move along special wooden platforms; routes are selected depending on complexity and duration; it will take two days to get around even the largest lakes.
Kelimutu 
Here is another striking example of lakes of volcanic origin, formed after an eruption in the crater on Mount Kelimutu. The Indonesian volcano last showed signs of activity back in the 60s of the last century, but the most interesting thing is at its top - these are three small but deep lakes that differ significantly from each other in color. Perhaps this is the only example of reservoirs of such different shades, and the colors change over time. Scientists explain this phenomenon by a chemical reaction between gases and various mineral rocks.
The lakes on Kelimutu are covered with many ancient legends; local residents are sure that the souls of deceased ancestors live in the depths; each of the reservoirs, depending on its shade (the mood of the ancestors), is given its own name. One of them, bright blue, Lake of Old Men, is located one and a half kilometers from the other two. As the legend says, after death the souls of elderly people who led a righteous lifestyle find their final refuge there. The other two are located nearby, separated only by the crater wall, which symbolizes the thin line between good and evil. The emerald-colored reservoir is called the Lake of Young Men and Girls, it is believed that pure innocent souls go there, and very close by is the Enchanted Lake, in which the souls of sinners, murderers and criminals live, regardless of gender and age, it usually takes on a brown and even bright red hue, often a cloud of steam rises above the Lake of Evil Souls.
Despite the fact that Kelimutu is little known outside Indonesia, those who have visited here at least once tourists, they agree - this is another miracle of nature, because you will never guess what color the lakes will be in the next hour. The pre-dawn rays give this place a special charm, after which the volcano is covered with fog, which dissipates only closer to noon.
Nakuru 
When you first arrive in Kenya National Park, where the famous Lake Nakuru is located, you may be disappointed not to see the pleasing crystal clear waters or picturesque surroundings. At first glance, this is a completely ordinary body of water, shallow, in some places turning into a swamp (it’s not for nothing that the name of the lake means “dusty place”). In addition, for most species of animals and birds, the lake is not a source of recreation or food. But after some time, Nakuru magically transforms, everything around is filled with the cry of a thousand birds, and the water surface acquires a pink tint, this is especially noticeable when viewed from above. The thing is that Nakuru is home to the most beautiful birds in the world, pink flamingos.
Experts say that on the black continent there once existed a huge fresh reservoir, but over time the climate and landscape have changed significantly, in such difficult natural conditions only three small lakes remained, which for centuries were saturated with salt and soda from volcanic rocks in the depths of Nakuru. As a result, now only a few species of plankton, one species of fish and algae have taken root in the reservoir, which colors the water green and makes it thicker. They attract not only graceful flamingos, but also many other birds. Scientists believe that this is the most grandiose ornithological spectacle on the entire planet.
Havasu 
Havasu Falls and local mini-lakes are considered almost the most important landmark Grand Canyon (USA, Arizona). Photos of this area can be seen on gift calendars, guidebooks and maps. Tourists who are lucky enough to get here may get the impression that they are in a paradise somewhere in Hawaii, and all thanks to the bright turquoise water and picturesque landscapes. The secret to Havasu's blueness is its high magnesium content, which is leached out of the rock. The lake looks unusual and attractive in contrast to the red walls of the Grand Canyon. Nearby you can sunbathe on the sandy shore or relax in the shade of spreading trees.
An interesting fact is that just 100 years ago there was a completely different waterfall in the Canyon called “Wedding Veil” - stormy and wide. Due to severe flooding, the waterfall was literally demolished, and in its place another one was born - Havasu. Since then, it has changed little, and thousands of travelers around the world flock to Arizona to enjoy being in this paradise on earth.
Moiraine 
A lake of glacial origin called Moraine is located in Banff National Park in the southwest and is the main pride of the inhabitants of Canada.
Having first discovered a reservoir of extraordinary beauty at the end of the 19th century, Walter Wilcox recalls that for half an hour he could not recover from the shock, he was so struck by the greatness of Moraine, which seemed to be painted by the hand of a great artist. And this is not an exaggeration, the lake is truly amazingly picturesque, it is surrounded by coniferous forests and ten snow-capped mountain peaks, their height reaches approximately 3 thousand above sea level, and the Moraine water is like crystal, an unreal turquoise hue, in which the local landscape is reflected like a mirror.
How can we explain the fabulous, unnaturally blue hue of the lake? In fact, everything is simple - particles and small deposits of glaciers give a similar effect; they settle on the bottom and thus “illuminate” the Moraine from the inside.
Tourists Those who come to the National Park can enjoy scenic views, fishing and canoeing, and see some species of animals and birds.
