7 Lakes That Will Blow Your Mind

There are around 117 million lakes on Planet Earth, which cover almost 4% of the world’s land surface, excluding glaciers. From Lake Baikal in Siberia, which holds more than 20% of the globe’s unfrozen freshwater and is the world’s deepest lake at approximately 3,893 ft, to the Laguna Colorada, Bolivia’s “red” lagoon, here’s our round-up of some of the planet’s most stunning lakes.

March 24, 2021

By: Lucy Sherriff

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Lake Bacalar, Mexico

Situated in the far south of Quintana Roo near the Belize border, the brilliant turquoise, aquamarine green, and white limestone bottom makes you feel as if you’re visiting the Caribbean. The lake, with its seven shades of blue, is surrounded by dense jungle and Mayan archaeological zones, and is perfect for snorkeling, kayaking and swimming. Take a once-in-a-lifetime diving trip into the Cenote Azul, which offers stunning illuminated caverns.

Lake Baikal, Russia

This Southern Siberian lake appears to be from another planet: in winter, when the lake freezes over, fissures and methane bubbles form in the ice, making it feel as if you are walking on air. In the summer, you can see up to 130 ft below the surface, thanks to the clear and clean quality of the water that runs off from the Siberian mountains. The lake is not only the world’s oldest at 25 million years, but also the deepest, and is known as the Galapagos of Russia thanks to its isolation having produced some of the world’s most unusual freshwater faunas.

Laguna Colorada, Bolivia

This Latin American body, three hours drive north of Chile’s San Pedro de Atacama, of shallow saltwater gets its otherworldly colour from red algae. The bright hue is interspersed with white pools that are made up of borax deposits which sit on the surface of the water. Folklore, however attributes the color to spilled blood of the gods. Perhaps even more famous are the flamingo that flock to the water to feast on the plankton that live in the lagoon.

Lake Atitlán, Guatemala

Shrouded in local legends, this lake, ringed by mountains, flanked by volcanoes and Mayan villages, is a hotspot for spiritualists wishing to commune with nature. The color varies from deep blue to green, and is more than 4,900,ft above sea level. Surrounded by “The Three Giants”, the name for the Atitlán, Tolimán, and San Pedro volcanoes, the lake offers stunning hiking as well as a variety of bird-watching opportunities. Even more fascinating are the tales that surround the lake. According to some Mayan legends, this lake is where the world was born, and has been the site of sacred ceremonies since 200BC, while another story relates to a secret, sunken city hidden under the lake.

Crater Lake, Oregon

One of the most stunning lakes in the US is also the deepest in the country, reaching depths of 1,949 ft. It’s a four-hour-long drive of Portland, and it’s fed by glacial runoff, giving the lake its intense blue.

Lake Kawaguchiko, Japan

One of the Fuji five lakes, Lake Kawaguchiko, has breathtaking views of snow-capped Mount Fuji, and is particularly pretty during cherry blossom season in April and with autumnal colors in the first half of September. Visitors can enjoy hot spring baths and marvel at the tranquil lake, which perfectly reflects the mountain in its glassy water.