Strange and Beautiful Landscapes

A thematic atlas

Strange and Beautiful Landscapes

Some landscapes seem to belong to another planet. The dragon's blood trees of Socotra, the basalt columns of the Faroes, the lunar coast of Lanzarote, the salt flats of Uyuni at dawn — each of them rearranges what a traveller assumes about scale and colour.

This hub is a slow shortlist of the places we have stood in and not quite believed.

From the Atlas

Dispatches from this hub

Plan the journey

A short, practical brief

Plan around the light

Landscapes like these collapse at midday. The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset are usually the entire trip.

Go with a guide once

Even when access is open, a half-day with a local geologist or naturalist transforms the rest of the visit.

Respect fragile ground

Many of these places are protected. Stay on marked tracks and check current visitor rules before you arrive.

For tools and resources we trust — accommodation, experiences, transport, insurance — see Plan the Journey.

Related reading

Continue through the Atlas

The Dispatch

One extraordinary place, every month

Receive one extraordinary place each month — hidden routes, unusual stays, and strange corners worth the journey. One quiet letter. No noise.