Natural phenomena are plentiful throughout the world, and depending on where you live, there are some you might experience more than others. Have you always been fascinated by topics such as earthquakes, geology, fog, or lightning, just to name a few? We here at Tripmasters are bringing you travel inspiration, and I’ve taken the time to sort some of the most popular natural phenomena by category — nine in total! In this blog I will tell you about a sampling of the world’s natural phenomena and how you can experience all of them for yourself on your very own vacation.
The world’s land and oceans sit on over a dozen tectonic plates, and areas on the edges of these plates are particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. Kobe, Japan (pictured) suffered a devastating earthquake in 1995, and during the rebuilding process municipal leaders chose not to restore a small portion of the city, for the purpose of opening a memorial park.
Earthquake memorials and museums can be found all over the world, especially in areas that tend to be heavily impacted by earthquakes, such as the Pacific Rim, which is given the nickname “the Ring of Fire”. (Note: The years in each picture caption denote the years powerful local earthquakes took place.)
east of Anchorage, AK (1964)
Christchurch, New Zealand (2011)
(has since been rebuilt)
Some people are entranced by it. Others are scared down to their bones. The natural phenomenon known as lightning can occur as a blast of electricity between clouds, in the atmosphere, and from cloud to ground. Cloud-to-ground lightning is referred to as a “lightning strike” and some places in the world are more known for them than others, such as the coastal city of Darwin in Australia (pictured). The Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa is the lightning capital of the world. (Did you know that the U.S.‘s lightning capital is a corridor between Tampa and Orlando, Florida?)
Why are some places more known for fog than others? First off, fog occurs when two moisture-filled air masses of different temperatures meet, settling together as a low-ceiling cloud. Many things can “trap” fog in an area, such as mountains, or a naturally wet climate on the verge of a dry season. That’s why London, England (pictured) has always had a reputation for bad fog, although most of what was once called “fog” was actually pollution! You can rest assured that “London fog” today is more or less the real thing!
Volcanoes erupt worldwide at a rate of roughly 80 per year. Of the approximately 1,350 active volcanoes worldwide, about 500 of them have had an historic eruption at one point in time. Mount Etna (pictured in gallery at the end of the first row) on the island of Sicily in Italy has erupted dozens of times since the 17th century. In February 2022, the volcano erupted for the first time in 30 years! The majestic Mount Sangay in central Ecuador (pictured at right) last erupted in May 2021. Remember to stay safe and enjoy any potential eruptions at a distance!
We all know that the sun and the moon are important components in learning about low and high tides. But what happens when the tides deviate from the standard? The Bay of Fundy between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada is known for having the highest tides in the world, sometimes as high as dozens of feet…on a regular basis!
Saint-Malo in France‘s Brittany region (pictured) wins the award for highest tides in Europe. It is not uncommon to see 40-foot waves crashing against the city walls! On the other hand, some locations in the gallery are known for their particularly low tides!
(day trip from Torres del Paine, Chile)
In the wintertime, the northern latitudes (particularly north of the Arctic Circle) are known for a beautiful natural phenomenon called auroras. These auroras can manifest themselves in different shapes, such as light pillars, light swirls, and thin clouds illuminating the nighttime sky. Scandinavia is particularly well-known for its “Northern lights” displays. The major northern Norwegian city of Tromsø (pictured) is one of the best places in the world to experience wintertime auroras. If you can’t fly overseas, there are places in North America where you can see breathtaking auroras for yourself. For more recommendations, check out our in-depth blog on auroras’ worldwide presence.
The northern latitudes are known for their long, dark winters where auroras are present, and conversely, the summertime is known as a time of continuous sunlight. To give you an idea of how much sunlight the Arctic gets in the summer, let me tell you about Kirkenes, Norway (pictured), the last city before the Russian border. The sun rises on May 17, and will not set again until July 26. That’s TEN WEEKS! Norway is a very popular tourist destination during the “Midnight Sun” months, but other areas above or close to the Arctic Circle are known for their uninterrupted sunlight as well.
(closest major city is Whitehorse, YT, 700 miles away)
You may have seen pictures like the one to the right before, but didn’t understand how the water could get a shocking blue hue. Algae and plankton set off chemical reactions when disturbed, and nighttime waves are enough to do just that. Some areas are better known for concentrations of matter like algae and plankton than others, but the phenomenon of bioluminescence is pretty evenly spread throughout the world. One of the most beautiful examples in the world is the beach in the picture to the right. Take note: It is Jervis Bay in New South Wales, Australia, south of Wollongong.
near Copenhagen
The Maldives
near Bangkok
Now we come to the wondrous phenomena that make you ask yourself if you stepped into a storybook. Places like Spotted Lake (pictured), south of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, which looks otherworldly but is easily explainable. (The different “bubbles” are mineral deposits, such as magnesium, calcium, and sodium.) Sodium can turn water fun colors, such as pink on the Yucatán coast of Mexico (pictured below), and through the process of erosion, it can also help carve cool textures into the land, like with the marble caves in Chilean Patagonia. (Don’t forget about the Hawaiian beach known for its green sand!)
(day trip from Isla Holbox)
Finally, there’s other natural phenomena that are harder to categorize. There are many destinations worldwide that posit questions about the world, evolution, and geology. For example, how were the “sailing stones” of Death Valley, California (pictured), near Las Vegas, Nevada, dragged to their positions in the middle of the desert, complete with trails? You know about rainbows, but why is Kauai known for moonbows (pictured below) and what is a moonbow? Did you know Fishlake National Forest in Utah is home to one of the world’s largest masses of…tree? The world is so fascinating and the destinations below won’t fail to amaze.
Fishlake National Forest, UT
Northern Ireland (UK)
Otago, New Zealand
(north of Dunedin)
A lot of research goes into finding destinations that are tailored to your needs and letting you know what you can see and do when you get there. Head over to Tripmasters.com and you can look at our custom-built itineraries for thousands of exciting vacation destinations in over 120 countries and territories throughout the world.
