he world's largest salt flat is surreal in any season, but it transforms into something truly extraordinary between December and April. During the rainy season, rainwater creates puddles across the salt flats, turning the surface into the famous mirror-like landscape that has made Salar de Uyuni one of the most photographed places on Earth. Stretching across 10,582 square kilometres of the Bolivian Altiplano, it creates a blindingly white expanse that becomes the world's largest natural mirror in the wet season — the kind of image where you genuinely can't tell where the sky ends and the ground begins. For that perfect mirror effect, plan your trip between December and March, and pack waterproof boots, warm layers and patience. The site sits at an elevation of 3,656 metres, so plan two to three days for acclimatisation before visiting.

Few landscapes are as immediately surreal as Cappadocia — a dreamscape of towering fairy chimneys, ancient cave dwellings and underground cities carved into soft volcanic rock. The experience most Indian travellers come for is the hot air balloon ride at sunrise, when dozens of coloured balloons drift over the valleys as the sky turns gold. The best time to visit is spring (April-May) or autumn (September-October), when weather is mild and winds are calm enough for reliable flights. Note that Indian passport holders who hold a valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa are eligible for the Turkish e-visa; those without one will need to apply for a sticker visa through the Turkish consulate.

Already a top holiday destination for backpackers, the Laotian city of Luang Prabang is temptingly close to Kuang Si Falls, a three tier splash spectacular with waters so clear and blue it’ll be hard to resist jumping straight in. Hike the trails around the area to escape the tour groups and find your own secret slice of paradise.

Few places on Earth look quite as dramatic as Torres del Paine. This UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in southern Chile is a wilderness of jagged granite peaks, electric-blue glaciers, turquoise lakes and rolling pampas that stretches as far as the eye can see. The famous W Trek takes hikers past the soaring Torres towers, the Grey Glacier and the Valle del Francés — a multi-day route that rewards every step with views that look almost computer-generated. Even if you're not a serious trekker, the park rewards day visits from Puerto Natales. The best time to go is October to April during the southern hemisphere's spring and summer, when trails are accessible and wildlife — including guanacos, condors and pink flamingos — is most active.

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone's largest hot spring, is 200-330 feet in diameter and more than 121 feet deep U.S. National Park Service — and its rainbow-ringed surface is one of the most genuinely alien-looking sights on the planet. The deep reds and greens, bright yellows and fiery oranges encircling the edges are caused by thermophilic bacteria that thrive on the rich minerals in the water. Views from the boardwalk at ground level are impressive, but the real money shot comes from above. Hike the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail for the best view, especially on sunny mornings when the steam lifts and the full spectrum comes into view. The most popular time to visit is May to September, when the colours are most vivid and all roads in Yellowstone are open — though arrive early to beat the crowds and find parking.

Tucked inside towering sand dunes in the Ica Desert, Huacachina is a natural oasis that looks like it was dreamed up rather than discovered. A small lagoon sits at the centre of this tiny village, fringed with palm trees and surrounded on all sides by dunes that climb as high as 100 metres. Local legend says the lake is watched over by a mermaid — and in this landscape, it's easy to believe. Beyond the Instagram moment, Huacachina is also an adrenaline hub: sandboarding down the giant dunes and dune buggy rides at sunset are the main activities, and they are genuinely thrilling. Peru is also home to Machu Picchu, making it easy to combine both destinations on a single South America trip.

Mount Ijen in East Java is home to one of the rarest natural phenomena on Earth. Kawah Ijen has the largest highly acidic lake on Earth and a phenomenon so rare it only exists in two places worldwide: the mesmerising blue fire, caused by sulphuric gases igniting upon contact with air. To witness it, you trek to the crater rim in the dead of night, the blue flames are only visible in darkness. The crater's bright turquoise lake is strikingly vivid against the yellow sulphur and black rock, and the colour and steam rising from it feels almost surreal compared with most volcano hikes. The hike officially starts from Paltuding basecamp, covers around three kilometres, and takes one and a half to two hours to reach the rim. Ijen is easily combined with a Bali trip, making it highly accessible for Indian travellers already heading to Indonesia.

This isn't a science fiction film set, it actually exists. Zhangjiajie is a landscape of thousands of sandstone pillar mountains rising vertically from the valley floor, draped in mist and thick forest, and looking for all the world like something from another planet. The park famously inspired the floating Hallelujah Mountains in Avatar, and the resemblance is so striking that James Cameron's team visited the site during production. Ascend through the towering rock formations on a cable car for panoramic views from above — the Tianmen Mountain cable car is the longest passenger cable car in the world. The Glass Bridge, suspended between two cliff faces, is not for the faint-hearted but delivers views that are second to none. The best time to visit is April to October for clearer skies.

These 18 remote, windswept volcanic islands located between Iceland and Norway offer some of the most stunning and dramatic cliff-side landscapes on the planet, making them a true adventure for the serious photographer and nature lover. Think cascading waterfalls that tumble directly into the ocean, grass-roofed villages clinging to clifftops, and an eerie, fog-laced silence that makes the place feel completely removed from the modern world. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory of Denmark, and visitors from India require a Schengen visa. The best time to visit is June to August when daylight is at its longest and the landscapes are at their most dramatic.

Patagonia saves one of its most surreal secrets for the middle of a lake. At the centre of General Carrera Lake, one of the deepest lakes in South America, straddling the Chile-Argentina border, you'll find the Marble Caves: a series of naturally sculpted marble formations including the Marble Cathedral and Marble Chapel, named for their sweeping domed ceilings and the reverential hush of the place. The cave walls have been smoothed by thousands of years of wave action into undulating blue and white swirls that mirror the glacial colour of the lake's water perfectly. The caves are only accessible by boat from the small town of Puerto Río Tranquilo, and the experience feels deeply remote