The Petrifying Well isn’t quite as scary as the name suggests – unless, of course, you’re threatened with being turned to stone by the mineral-rich waters.
Just as nature throws up many strange surprises, so do the endeavors of humans. The charmingly ramshackle Mystery Castle was constructed, stone by stone, by Boyce Luther Gully.
Anyone doubting the wonders of nature should take a look at this milky pink lake. That's right – a pink lake. On Middle Island, part of Western Australia’s Recherche Archipelago.
This still-operational Air Force facility, known as Area 51, drew attention during its Cold War-era aircraft testing, spawning rumours of sinister experiments, a staged moon landing and a lab run by aliens.
There are some incredible manmade pools around the world, but surely even the most imaginative and talented architect couldn’t match beauty like this.
But the 13th-century castle also has another scary claim to fame: according to folklore, it was deliberately placed above a portal to hell in order to trap the demons below.
Dogs beware: you are not welcome on Aoshima or ‘Cat Island’, one of several places in Japan where felines far outnumber human residents.
Also known as the Black Fortress, this area of lava fields near Lake Mývatn might just hold a portal to the underworld. It might also be home to the Yule Lads.
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