Oriented on making people closer

The gas crater The Shine of Karakum, located in Turkmenistan, is included in the list of the most unusual places on Earth, according to the British newspaper Ex-press. Having offered its readers a “journey" through the pictures of tourist photog-raphers, the publication has put together photographs of five incredible locations from across the globe made by experienced travelers, who shared their lasting im-pressions.

The world’s weirdest wonders include The Stairway to Heaven on the island of Oahu Hawaii, Hinatuan Enchanted River, Philippines, The Crooked Forest, Gmina Gryfino, Poland, The Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat, Bolivia, and the crater The Shine of Karakum, Turkmenistan.

Let us look through the list one by one. The Stairway to Heaven on Oahu, Hawaii, also known as Haʻikū Stairs, a foot trail of 3,922 stairs that starts at the southern side of Haʻikū Valley and ascends to the Mount Puʻu Keahiakahoe, a peak above the east valley wall. The staircase is very narrow, it literally goes into the sky, and lost from visual field, making the journey an exciting hike into the sky.

“Staircase into the sky” was erected in 1942 for the workers, who were concerned with the laying of the telephone cable. The U.S. War Navy began construction of the Haʻikū Radio Station on a mountain peak that was to be used to transmit low-frequency radio signals to Navy ships. Originally the path, built in the dangerous mountain slopes, was built of wood. The Naval base was decommissioned in the 1950s, the station and trail were closed, and the wooden stairs were replaced by sections of metal steps and ramps. The stairs were then opened to the public and closed again. In 2020, plans were announced to turn the trail into a paid attraction for tourists.

Hidden in the Philippine jungle is a short stretch of river that seems to pop up out the ground just to send its miraculously clear, blue water out to the sea. The Hinatu-an Enchanted River in Mindanao, Philippines, is a flawless saltwater river that flows into the Pacific Ocean. It is around 24-meter deep, and just barely long enough to be considered a river, yet the flow attracts visitors from around the world who want to experience the beautiful waters that locals have long thought to be miraculous. In fact, no one is sure exactly where the saltwater emanates from, although the prevail-ing theory involves an underground cave system that spits the river out, free

Though this mystical forest of four hundred curved pine trees where looks like something from a fairy tale, it is actually very real. Located in western Poland, the grove of misshapen trees is estimated to be between 70 and 80 years old. Each pine tree bends sharply to the north just above ground level, then curves back upright after a sideways excursion of three to nine feet. Though there is no clear answer as to what happened to the trees, it is thought they were made to form that way using a human tool or technique. Other ideas suggest it is the result of a snowstorm.

The Bolivian The Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat, stretching over 1,000 square kilometres. Some 40,000 years ago, the area was part of a giant pre-historic lake that went dry, leaving behind the desert-like surroundings. It is covered by up to 8 meters of salt crust. Following rain, a thin layer of dead calm water trans-forms the flat into the world’s largest mirror.

And finally, the gas crater The Shine of Karakum, located in the Turkmen desert. The gas crater with a size of a football field is a naturally forming gas field that col-lapsed into an underground cavern in 1971. In a bid to stop the spread of methane gas, geologists set the area on fire. The fire, which was supposed to die out in a few days, has been burning ever since.

Thus, the amazing place 266-kilometers north of Ashgabat has turned into a natural attraction, which travelers from various countries are strived to get from year to year. So far, international tourism is paused due to the coronavirus pandemic, you have chance to discover parts of the world through the photographs of mind-blowing destinations.

Selbi CHARIYEVA