Ethereal Places Hidden Around the World
Every travel destination has something exciting to offer its visitors, from unique cuisines to outdoor thrills and iconic architectures. But if you’re like us, lately you’ve been dreaming of places that have the power to transport you through reality with their mystical, unearthly atmospheres. These mysterious sites have a certain, inexplicable energy that makes you feel as if you’ve entered a different world. It could be historic ties to crumbling ruins, or splendidly odd landscapes, or just a certain feeling evoked by remote areas—we don’t know why, exactly, but we are enchanted while roaming across these magical planes.
Whether you’re a fantasy lover looking to be folded into the setting of your favorite novel or an adventurous traveller looking for extraordinary locations to add to your bucket list, read on for a list of distant islands, towering forests, bizarre geological formations, and more.
Isle of Skye, Scotland
Named Skuy (or “misty isle”) by its Norse settlers, Scotland’s Isle of Skye is an extraordinary place of epic proportions. The drama of the landscape here—all jagged peaks and pinnacles, where shimmering lochs and pools are hidden high up in mountain ranges amid secret gullies—seems otherworldly, impossible even. Skye has fired imaginations for generations, with tales of fairies, sprites, and kelpies passed down through folklore to help explain the unexplainable.
The quaint cottages and craggy castles can feel plucked out of a storybook, but this island is interwoven with very real history, from clan rivalries to Jacobite risings. Travelers will feel like they’ve stepping into an oil painting, with heather-clad hills, glistening lakes, and mighty mountains as far as the eye can see.
White Desert, Egypt
The White Desert is a national park perched between oases in Egypt’s Western Desert. It’s a bizarre landscape where mushroom-shaped rocks spring out of snow-white waves of limestone, evoking the feeling of being on another planet entirely. Wander among the wind-carved formations that decorate this lunar patch of earth with an expert guide who will take you across miles of dramatic desert.
For especially adventurous travelers, we recommend camping here as it’s the best way to experience the views—enjoy both sunset and sunrise when the changing light illuminates the chalky white figures in golden hues, and the darkness of night reveals a star-speckled sky. Among frozen ripples of stone and rocks that look like craggy dollops of meringue, this is the perfect place for quiet contemplation and meditation.
Rapa Nui (or “Easter Island”), Chile
Of course Rapa Nui, or “Easter Island,” feels other-worldly, as it sits thousands of miles off the coast of mainland Chile and is one of the most remote locations in the world. Visit this enigmatic island and wander among the mysterious moai, the famed stone monoliths populating the coasts, soaking in the stunning view and intriguing history that surrounds you.
Stroll through restored villages and volcano craters, or watch dramatic sunrises crest over ceremonial platforms—no matter how you choose to spend you time here, you’ll feel the influence of an isolated, bygone society. For those seeking mystical, inexplicable sites; staring into the stoic faces of these massive stone statues should be at the very top of your list.
Hoh Rainforest, Washington State
Tucked into a corner of Washington’s Olympic National Park is the striking Hoh Rain Forest. With its lush understory of ferns and majestic canopy of old-growth trees, the area has a hypnotic beauty to it. Walk through this stunning ecosystem where moss clings to towering tree boughs and sunshine streams through the tops of the spruces and cedars.
Since the Hoh is relatively isolated compared to other parts of the park, there is a sense of solitude when wandering its quiet trails—in fact it’s been dubbed the quietest place in America by some conservationists. Making a trip here is well worth the effort for anyone seeking a peaceful, timeless journey.
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Japan
For a once-in-a-lifetime sight, look no further than the atmospheric Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. Just west of Kyoto proper, strolling through this forest feels like passing into another realm, where shoots reach skyward and extend in all directions—some more than 130 feet high!
There is an incandescence to the light in this singular grove, which takes on an increasingly ethereal glow as dusk begins to fall. The area is also dotted with Bhuddist temples and traditional gardens for you to weave through, a perfect place to take a mindful break while listening to the gentle rushing sounds of the nearby Katsura River.
Waitomo Caves, New Zealand
New Zealand must be represented on any list of ethereal places, with its misty forests and dramatic coastlines, just being here feels like stepping into a fantasy novel (no wonder it made the perfect setting for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy). But there’s another magical experience awaiting travelers who make their way to Aotearoa: the famed Waitomo Caves.
Nestled in the King Country region of Waikato, this legendary limestone labyrinth of caves cradles vast colonies of bioluminescent glowworms that make their homes on the ceilings. Gently sail or raft along the tranquil underground rivers that carve through these tunnels and marvel at the sparkling glowworms overhead, casting the dark caverns in an eerie blue-green light.
Fanal Forest, Madeira
Find another magical destination on the colorful archipelago of Madeira, a region of Portugal that’s located off the coast of western Africa. This small chain of remote islands hides a fantastical secret: the majestic, haunting Fanal Forest. Perched in the northern part of the island, this centuries-old laurel forest is often swathed in dense, white fog that creates ghostly silhouettes of the trees’ gnarled boughs.
Drift through this eerie place and watch as shadowy trees suddenly loom out of the mist as you approach, only to disappear behind as you continue on. With its crooked angles and ancient-feeling energy, a hike through this secluded wood is as peaceful as it is spooky.
Sedona, Arizona
Many journey to Sedona, Arizona seeking spiritual beauty and internal truth by relaxing, exploring, or meditating among the town’s iconic red-rock formations, which some claim hold mystic powers. These mysterious forces have been dubbed “vortexes” and are said to be invisible, spiraling centers of cosmic energy that can lead to heightened self-awareness.
Some embrace their spiritual side and go hunting through Sedona’s evocative terrain for these supposed funnels of power. But if you’re a skeptic have no fear, even the most logical minds will boggle with just one glimpse of the spectacular red-rock walls and spires dominating the horizon. When surrounded by sunlit arched formations and delicate towers that seem to defy gravity, you’ll feel like you’ve left the real world behind.
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