In addition to the name Cano Cristales given by explorer Andres Hurtado in 1980, the river is also known by tourists with many different names such as “rainbow river” or “river of five colors”. (Photo: Unsual Palace) (Photo: RCN Radio) At the time of the change of seasons of the year, this river will bring different colors such as red, yellow, green, blue, black, creating a magical and rare scene in the land of South America. These colors stand out against the yellow background of the sand in the riverbed, the green of the moss, the water and the dark patches from the rock holes that have given this river its beautiful name. This unique color is produced during the reproduction of aquatic plants in the river, scientifically known as Macarenia Clavigera, a species of river algae Podostemaceae. (Photo: El Tiempo) (Photo: Wiki Travel) This aquatic plant is the reason why the river is sometimes green, sometimes it turns bright red, orange yellow and even dark brown. The outstanding colors have created an interesting picture of nature that makes those who come here and witness this scene first-hand, surprised and admire the magic of nature. Locals say the best time to observe aquatic species is after a storm, when their colors are at their most vibrant. (Photo: Time of India) (Image: Getty Images) The Cano Cristales River is located in a rather remote area and is almost completely isolated from the outside. Therefore, this river still retains its wild and poetic beauty. (Photo: Zen.yandex) (Photo: Traveler) Besides admiring the strange scenery of the river, visitors here are also attracted by the rich flora and fauna. Serrania de la Macarena National Park is home to more than 400 species of birds and many rare animals such as turtles, iguanas and aguilas – birds are the national symbol of Colombia. Every year, this place welcomes millions of visitors. However, the Cano Cristales River only accepts visitors from June to December. From January to May, this area will be closed to let the ecosystem here “rest” and preserve.

“The river that escaped from heaven” Cano Cristal. Cano Cristal (Colombia) The Canõ Cristal is a natural river located in the Sierra de La Macarena National Park, in the La Macarena region (Colombia). It is world famous as the river of five colors, possessing 5 colors: pink, red, yellow, orange and banana green. The Canò Cristal River originates from the 1.7 billion-year-old peak of the Guiana Shield, one of the oldest rocky mountains on the planet. It flows to the south, winding and winding, downhill, 100km downhill. Colombia has a two-season climate, the rainy season and the dry season. During the rainy season, this South American country is soggy. Cano Cristal rolls a torrential, turbid flood, simply a violent stream. But in the dry season, the sun has just turned to make the water recede, it immediately changes its appearance, becoming the most beautiful river on the planet. The dry season in Colombia begins in June and lasts until November. The sun is so intense that the air is on fire. No more silt due to rainwater washing in, Canõ Cristal is clear to the bottom. The entire Canò Cristal riverbed is covered with ancient rocks billions of years old. They are very rich in phosphorus, iron, quartz… suitable for the growth of moss Macarenia clavigera. Macarenia clavigera is a moss endemic to the La Macarena region. It differs from normal aquatic algae in that it changes color according to the intensity of sunlight. When the sun in the dry season is more intense and the water level of Cano Cristal is shallower, they race to change color. Although the same type of moss, each cluster “blooms” a different color. And yet, Macarenia clavigera also changes color randomly. Cano Cristal is always changing its appearance. It is so beautiful that Colombians have to call it “the river that escaped from heaven”. Lac Rose (Senegal) Lac Rose is most gorgeous when it’s sunny. There is no place in the world that is more “fairytale” than Hong Lake – Lac Rose in Cap Vert Peninsula, Senegal. It lies close to the Atlantic Ocean, just a narrow strip of land apart, so close that the waves hit the ocean, salt water has flooded into the lake. True to the name Hong Lake, Lac Rose is bright pink. It stands out in the setting between the green forest and the azure sea. The area of ​​Lac Rose is about 3 square kilometers. The closer to noon, when the temperature reaches 37oC, the sun is fierce and the dry wind is hottest, the more brilliant it is. As in Canò Cristal, the agents responsible for this color are plants. It is the red microalgae Dunaliella salina. Dunaliella salina is one of the common salt-loving microalgae, found all over the world. They possess the ability to synthesize Beta-Carotene, a superior protective organic substance. This substance has the effect of preventing sunburn, increasing the rate of photosynthesis and bringing warm colors. The more sunny it is, the more actively Dunaliella salina produces Beta-Carotene, turning the whole body into a bright pink color like strawberry milk. The water in Lac Rose is 10 times saltier than the Atlantic Ocean. It is the result of receiving water, evaporating, and settling salt year after year. Yuncheng (China) Yuncheng is like a giant paint palette. Similar to Lac Rose, Yuncheng (Shanxi, China) is a salt lake. Different in that, it is divided into compartments, each compartment has a color. Summer has just arrived, the layer of salt-loving microalgae races to produce Beta-Carotene sunscreen. They form a multicolored Yuncheng that looks like a giant paint palette. Of course, Yuncheng did not divide the compartment by himself, but by human intervention. With an area of ​​up to 132 km2, it was soon divided into different large and small fields, convenient for salt harvesting. From about 6,000 years ago, the Han people knew how to take advantage of the salt in the lake bed. In the 6th Century, Yuncheng also acted as a major salt supplier, responsible for a quarter of China’s total salt production. Today, Yuncheng is still one of the important salt producing regions. Since 1980, Yuncheng has turned to salt production according to modern technological lines. Dallol (Ethiopia) Dallol is beautiful but extremely poisonous, lifeless. Dallol is an area of ​​poor water in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. It consists only of small puddles of water, exposed to magical shimmering colors. However, the water here is not really water. If Canõ Cristal, Lac Rose, Yuncheng are living heavens, Dallol is truly hell. All its puddles are concentrated acid, not even bacteria can survive. The temperature in Dallol is extremely hot, always at 40oC, sometimes soaring to 73oC. Beneath these lifeless puddles lies a boiling volcano. Just standing on the ground here for a moment, the soles of the shoes melted. The miracle is that it is in this “gate to hell” that the Afar people find a rich source of life: salt. For thousands of years, Dallol salt has played a role in the livelihood of the Afar people. Every night, when the temperature in “hell’s gate” drops to the lowest, the Afar people light torches to light the way in to get salt. They sell to merchants, earn extra income, improve their dependents on livestock. Grand Prismatic (USA) Grand Prismatic burns the fields, but is still densely populated with microalgae. Grand Prismatic is a hot spring located in Yellowstone National Park, USA. It boils at 70oC, evaporating 2,100 liters of water/min. Although boiling, Grand Prismatic water is full of minerals. It is favorable for many heat-tolerant microalgae to grow. The diameter of the Grand Prismatic is about 110m, with a depth of 50m. Except the center of the lake is too hot, no microalgae can grow, it is dense with micro-organisms. They come in all sorts of hot colors, the most popular being orange and yellow. Like most waters that glow with moss and algae, the Grand Prismatic is just as gorgeous in the summer. The heat of the sun and the boiling of the microbial plant juices produce natural protectors at full capacity. The color of chlorophyll disappears, replaced by bright colors, challenging the burning sun.