The town of Kolmanskop, in southern Namibia, was once home to hundreds of German diamond miners. After the mine ran dry, everyone scattered, leaving behind an abandoned desert oasis.
As you can probably imagine, over time, nature ran its course — covering everything in sand.
Relentless winds and the harsh environment turned this once thriving settlement into a ghost town. Today, people come from all over the world to photograph the remnants of the buildings and the effects of the powerful forces of Mother Nature.
One day, this entire place may be hidden from view by the dunes. So, if you don’t want to miss your opportunity to see this eerily beautiful ghost town in person, you better go now. In the meantime, you can scroll through the amazing photos of this beautiful ghost town in our slide show above.
Images: Álvaro Sánchez-Montañés
10 Photos of Amazing Places in the World We Can’t Believe Exist
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- Cherry Blossom Street in Bonn, Germany
Cherry Blossom Street in Bonn, Germany
This street, Heerstrasse, is bound to stop traffic with cherry blossoms aligning both sides.
- Naica Mine, Mexico
Naica Mine, Mexico
Located in Chihuahua, Mexico, these caves of giant crystals can lead one to believe they’re in Superman’s celestial Arctic lair. It lies almost 900 feet below the surface of the Earth and contains, by far, the largest crystals in the world.
- Zhangye Danxia Landform, China
Zhangye Danxia Landform, China
The mountains of this landform are hidden in the Chinese frontier of Gansu province. The brilliantly colored mountains are a result of decades of tectonic activity and erosion and are completely free of vegetation.
- Hitachi Seaside Park, Japan
Hitachi Seaside Park, Japan
Hitachi Seaside Park, located in Hitachinaka, Japan, attracts tourists with its 8.6 acres of beautiful flowers. Annual visitors can enjoy a different variety of blossoming flowers each time.
- Mendenhall Ice Caves, Alaska
Mendenhall Ice Caves, Alaska
The famous glacier melts of Mendenhall are 12 miles long, 150 feet deep and half a mile wide. However, its real beauty is beneath, where a world of majestically colored ice caves is hidden.
- Lake Hillier, Australia
Lake Hillier, Australia
This bubble-gum pink lake can be seen on Middle Island in Western Australia. It’s about 600 meters long and surrounded by a rim of sand and eucalyptus trees.
- Salar de Uyuni: One of the World’s Largest Mirrors, Bolivia
Salar de Uyuni: One of the World’s Largest Mirrors, Bolivia
Salar de Uyuni (salt flat of Uyuni) is both the world’s largest salt flat and largest mirror. The 6,575 square mile flat reflects the gorgeous skies and animals of Bolivia.
- Tulip Fields, Netherlands
Tulip Fields, Netherlands
Each year from March till May the Dutch countryside transforms into rows of breathtaking flowers resembling the inside of a Crayola box. The first tulip was planted in 1593 and has been a national symbol ever since.
- Tunnel of Love, Ukraine
Tunnel of Love, Ukraine
This long and luscious leafy tunnel, found deep in the forest of the Ukraine, provides passage for a train that brings wood to a local factory. At about 1.8 miles long, this green tunnel received its name for being a popular spot for lovers’ promises.
- Wisteria Flower Tunnel, Japan
Wisteria Flower Tunnel, Japan
This tunnel serves as the main attraction to Kawachi Fuji Garden in Kitakyushu, Japan. Here, visitors walk through the tunnel and enjoy their enchanting and colorful surroundings.
