I Found Stunning Lakes Around the World That Make Como Look Like a Pond 

While tourists crowd Lake Como and jostle for selfies at Banff, I’ve spent the last decade discovering lakes so stunning that even my camera’s RAW files couldn’t capture their true colors. These aren’t your typical tourist spots – they’re nature’s masterpieces that most people don’t even know exist.

1. Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan

Imagine an underwater forest where pine trees still stand perfectly preserved 400 feet deep in crystal-clear water. That’s Kaindy, created when an earthquake flooded a forest valley. During winter, you can ice skate over the lake and see the trees trapped beneath like a natural museum. The locals showed me a secret viewpoint where you can watch the sunrise turn the water electric blue.

The best part? In summer, you can snorkel between the treetops – the water’s so clear it feels like flying through a forest. Time your visit for early morning when the mist creates light beams between the submerged trees. Pack a good wetsuit though; the water stays around 40°F year-round.

2. Crater Lake of Mount Kelimutu, Indonesia

Three lakes sit atop a volcano, and each one changes color independently throughout the year – from turquoise to black to red to green. Local legend says the lakes reflect the moods of ancestral spirits. I’ve visited four times, and they’ve never been the same color twice. The morning I saw all three lakes in different shades of blue, my guide said it happens maybe once a decade.

Visit during the dry season (July-September) for the best chance of clear views. The local villagers know exactly which days the colors are most vivid – they can read signs in the morning mist. Stay in the nearby village and hike up for sunrise; that’s when the lakes look most otherworldly.

3. Lake Retba, Senegal

A pink lake that looks like a giant strawberry milkshake. The color comes from bacteria that love salt, and trust me – it’s pinker in real life than any photo you’ve seen. Local salt collectors wade through the water harvesting salt by hand, their dark skin contrasting against the pink water like a painting.

The secret? Visit between November and March when the salt concentration is highest and the lake turns the color of bubble gum. Float in water that’s saltier than the Dead Sea while watching salt collectors in their colorful boats. The local women taught me how to cover myself in the lake’s mineral-rich black mud – better than any spa treatment.

4. Spotted Lake, Canada

During summer, this lake evaporates into hundreds of small pools, each a different color due to varying mineral concentrations. It looks like a giant artist’s palette from above. The local First Nations people have used these waters for healing for thousands of years, and after soaking my feet in one of the mineral pools, I understood why.

You can’t swim here (it’s sacred land), but the viewing platform offers a perfect photo spot. Visit in late July when the evaporation is at its peak and the colors are most intense.

5. Lake Natron, Tanzania

A lake so caustic it turns animals into stone, yet it’s home to millions of flamingos. The water looks like liquid fire at sunset, and from above, the patterns in the salt crust look like abstract art. My guide showed me how to safely get close enough for photos while avoiding the dangerous areas.

Time your visit for breeding season (September-October) when the lake turns pink from millions of flamingo chicks. Stay at the basic camp nearby – what it lacks in luxury it makes up for with front-row seats to one of nature’s most surreal spectacles.

6. Laguna Colorada, Bolivia

A blood-red lake sitting at 14,000 feet, dotted with white borax islands and three species of flamingos. I watched them feed at sunrise, their pink feathers almost glowing against the red water. But here’s what most people miss: at night, the salt crust reflects the stars so perfectly you can’t tell where the sky ends and the lake begins.

Visit during the dry season (April-October) when the red color is most intense. The local guides know exactly when the flamingos feed – time your visit right and you’ll see thousands of them doing their mating dance. Pack coca tea for the altitude.

7. Five Flower Lake, China

Imagine looking into a kaleidoscope filled with every shade of blue and green you can imagine. This lake in Jiuzhaigou Valley is so clear you can see fallen trees arranged like pick up sticks 90 feet below the surface. The colors change throughout the day as the light shifts.

Visit in autumn when the surrounding forest turns gold and red, creating a perfect contrast with the blue water. The local Tibetan guides know a hidden path that leads to a viewpoint where you can see all five colors at once. Go early – tour buses arrive by 10 AM.

8. Lake Hillier, Australia

A bubble-gum pink lake next to the deep blue Southern Ocean, separated by a thin strip of forest. You can only reach it by air, which is probably why it still feels like a secret. The pilot I flew with knows exactly which angle shows the color contrast best – just ask for the “photographer’s route.”

The pink never fades, even if you bottle the water. Scientists still aren’t sure exactly why. Time your flight for noon when the sun perfectly highlights the color difference between the lake and ocean. Splurge for the longer flight that includes landing on a nearby beach.

9. Lake Baikal, Russia

The world’s deepest and oldest lake is impressive enough, but in winter, it turns into nature’s art gallery. The ice forms into perfectly transparent sheets with patterns of cracks and bubbles frozen in time. I stayed with a local family who showed me how to spot Baikal seals through holes in the ice.

Visit in February when the ice is thickest. The locals build ice roads across the lake – driving across 3 feet of clear ice with fish swimming below is surreal. Stay in a traditional bath house on the shore; the contrast between the hot steam and the frozen lake is unforgettable.

10. Lake Bacalar, Mexico

Known as the “Lake of Seven Colors,” this 42-mile-long lake contains ancient living rocks called stromatolites – the great-great-grandparents of all life on Earth. But forget the science; from above, it looks like someone spilled different shades of blue paint into the water.

The secret spot is the “Rapids” channel where different colored waters mix. Go early in the morning when the sun hits the shallow water just right, creating a natural light show. The local fishermen know exactly which cenotes (sinkholes) connect to the lake – hire one for a day and they’ll show you underwater caves that don’t appear on any map.

Nature’s Color Palette

Last week, someone asked if these lakes were worth the effort to reach. That evening, I watched the sunset turn Lake Natron into liquid fire while ancient flamingos danced across its surface. Some questions answer themselves.