The most vivid-colored lakes on planet Earth

Stef Zisovska

Planet Earth is a great place to be! It’s not like we know too much about other planets, but we surely know what’s going on with nature around us. Intense colors in the wilderness fascinate people because they are unexpected, and they are a surprise for our eyes among all the greenery. Many of us who like exploring and hiking in nature are used to seeing vivid-colored lizards, birds, frogs, and butterflies, but what about colored lakes? Our world is abundant in fresh-water bodies in different colors. A lake doesn’t always mean blue, it can also be pink, green, and even red. The colors of the different colored lakes around the world are not artificial. They come from microorganisms, algae blooming, and other underwater reactions that cause a color change.

Here are some of the most vivid-colored lakes on planet Earth that you might want to visit one day.

Laguna Colorada, Bolivia

Andean Flamingos (Phoenicopterus andinus), Laguna Colorada, Bolivia – Author: Luca Galuzzi – CC BY-SA 2.5
Andean Flamingos (Phoenicopterus andinus), Laguna Colorada, Bolivia – Author: Luca Galuzzi – CC BY-SA 2.5

Laguna Colorada is located in Bolivia, close to the border with Chile. It’s a salted water lake with orange-reddish hue, depending on the time of the day. Its salted waters sometimes turn bright orange and sometimes intense red, due to the microorganism movement in the water. The lake is a home of a huge number of pink flamingos who feed on the microorganisms and give the lake a spectacular look. Other cool attractions in Laguna Colorada are the white borax islands, which add a contrast to the scenery.

Lake Hillier, Australia

The Lake Hillier, Middle Island, Recherche Archipelago Nature Reserve, in Western Australia, is a saline lake notable for its pink color – Author: Aussie Oc – CC BY-SA 4.0
The Lake Hillier, Middle Island, Recherche Archipelago Nature Reserve, in Western Australia, is a saline lake notable for its pink color – Author: Aussie Oc – CC BY-SA 4.0

The south coast of Western Australia is famous among the other things for the unique lake with pink water called Lake Hillier. The water of the lake is ten times saltier than the ocean, and it has a bright pink color that looks totally unreal. In fact, Lake Hillier looks like a giant strawberry-pudding bawl. The only living organisms in the lake are microorganisms that are responsible for the color of the water. Although it’s extremely salty, Lake Hillier is safe for swimming.

Kelimutu Lakes, Indonesia

Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia, Location: Flores (Indonesia) – Author: Rosino – CC BY-SA 2.0
Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia, Location: Flores (Indonesia) – Author: Rosino – CC BY-SA 2.0

The Kelimutu lakes in Indonesia are three crater lakes with the weirdest natural colors ever due to oxidations of minerals in the water, supported by underwater fumaroles. The three lakes are right next to each other, but they all have different colors which make the site one of the most unique on planet Earth. The most western lake is always blue, and it’s called The lake of Old People. The Lake of Young Men and Maidens and the Enchanted Lake share the same crater wall, and their colors are red and green.

Okama Lake, Mt. Zao, Japan

Okama Crater – Author: Crown of Lenten rose – CC BY 3.0
Okama Crater – Author: Crown of Lenten rose – CC BY 3.0

Mount Zao is a complex volcano on the northern side of Honshu in Japan. The Okama Lake is the biggest attraction in the are because of the color changing water depending on the season. Okama Lake’s lake most popular color is emerald that appears most of the times.

Lake Retba, Senegal

worker, is digging the salt in the lake – Author: 林戈亮 – CC BY-SA 4.0
worker, is digging the salt in the lake – Author: 林戈亮 – CC BY-SA 4.0

Lake Retba is another pink, slated lake, but this one is in Senegal. The pink color of its water comes from the Dunaliella salina algae that live there and the salinity is more than 40%. Lake Retba is only separated by the Atlantic Ocean with a narrow line of sand dunes. The pink color is most intense in November.

Our planet is full of incredibly beautiful spots that we’ve never heard of. Therefore, it’s very important to go out there, explore, and share experiences with other adventurers. Vivid-colored lakes exist in places where there is a minimal human impact and where nature drive its course without interruptions. If you are a fan of intense colored lakes, then think about visiting some of these incredible places around the world. Good luck!

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stef-zisovska

stef-zisovska is one of the authors writing for Outdoor Revival