[FACT OR FAKE #24] The Photos In The Viral List of 35 Clearest Waters. Real Or Not?
The skeptic in us couldn't help but to question the authenticity of a recent circulating story depicting the "35 Clearest Waters In The World To Swim In Before You Die." Are they really as clear? We look at traveler photos and compare!
35. Mystery spot? We couldn't figure out where this was.
Another unidentified location that would be perfect for a swim. Anyone have an idea? Photo from Imgur.
Image via dailynewsdig.com34. Dog Island, San Blas, Panama
Another from Scott Sporleder, here is a shot from one of Panama’s San Blas Islands, the largest of the politically autonomous reservations of the Kuna Indians. Photo from Scott Sporleder.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo of Dog Island, where "The water wasn't very clear but we could see many fish living in the large open cavities."
"On the beach there's a sign that says the charge for using the beach is $2. Well, we only wanted to walk on it to see what was there since there were several tourists on the island and in the water." - Photo from I Go Sailing.
Image via igosailing.com33. Lake Marjorie, California
Lakes in the High Sierra come in a number of colors, this particular one has an aquamarine “swimming pool” tint. Crater Mountain dominates the skyline, with Pinchot Pass to the south. Photo from SteveD.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo of Lake Marjorie on Blogspot
"Our camp at Lake Marjorie, at 11,000 feet, was both beautiful and stark, with torrential rain that cleared up to a foggy landscape." - Photo from Blogspot.
Image via blogspot.com31. Belo Sur Mer, Madagascar
Belo Sur Mer is a super-isolated section of coastline known for diving, fishing and the fact that almost no one makes the trip down there for a swim. Photo from Ross Borden.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo from Blogspot
"Belo sur Mer is a three to four hour pirogue ride south of Morondava. The ocean can get kind of rough later in the day." - Photo from Blogspot.
Image via blogspot.com31. Tioman Island, Malaysia
This photo comes from the town of Kampung Genting on Tioman Island, off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. Away from its beaches, there’s significant rainforest terrain in the interior, where you can see the endemic soft-shelled turtle and the Tioman walking catfish.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo on Tumblr
"Tioman Island is a fantastic place to visit. Named as one of the most beautiful islands in the world by Time Magazine in the 1970s, Tioman will surely leave you speechless." - Photo from Tumblr.
Image via tumblr.com30. Valle Verzasca, Switzerland
The clear waters of the Verzasca River run for 30km through this rocky valley in southern Switzerland. A dam of the same name, featured in the James Bond movie GoldenEye, blocks the river’s flow and forms Lago di Vogorno. Just downstream from it, the river empties into Lake Maggiore. Photo from Imgur.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo on Blogspot
"The Verzasca River forms the artificial Lago di Vogorno near the entrance of the valley, formed by the Verzasca Dam before joining the Ticino River in the Magadino plain. The Verzasca Dam is also well known for its 220 m height jump, which is one of the highest jumps in the world and also the most famous bungy jump, as it was used in the James Bond film Golden Eye." Photo from Blogspot
Image via blogspot.com29. Königssee, Bavaria, Germany
This one’s made the rounds on the internet, but no one really seems to know where it was taken, or by whom. The best guess I found was the Königssee, a lake in southern Bavaria, near the border with Austria. If you have any info, clue us in. Photo, unknown.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo on Trip Advisor
While some called it simply "breathtaking", others commented "Little overrated."
Image via tripadvisor.com28. Blue Lake, New Zealand
One of many bodies of water in this list that someone or other has claimed has the clearest water in the world, Blue Lake is located in Nelson Lakes National Park, in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Photo from Kathrin & Stefan.
Image via dailynewsdig.com27. Playa Blanca, Colombia
This is a 45-minute boat ride from Cartagena and well worth the trip. In between swims in that crystal-clear blue water, be sure to snag some fresh ceviche from one of the vendors walking up and down the beach. Photo from Ross Borden.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo from Blogspot
"Playa Blanca is one of the best beaches at Punta Cana Club & Resort. I think these beaches are also among the best in the Caribbean." - Photo from Blogspot.
Image via blogspot.com26. Koh Phi Phi Don, Thailand
Made famous when its smaller neighbor, Koh Phi Phi Leh, was used as the filming location for The Beach, the main island sees a lot of traffic from both backpackers and luxury travelers these days. Water like this is a big part of the draw. Photo from mynameisharsha.
Image via dailynewsdig.com25. Aitutaki, Cook Islands
Aitutaki is one of 15 islands that make up the Cook Islands. It has a population of approximately 2,000. and is the second most visited island of the Cook Islands. Photo from Ross Borden.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo, from Blogspot, where she suggests "spending some time in Aitutaki"
"So if your visiting the beautiful Cook Islands (which I highly recommend), I suggest spending some time in Aitutaki." - Photo from Around The World With Rebecca, Blogspot.
Image via blogspot.com25. Corfu, Greece
Corfu sits in the Ionian Sea, off the northwest coast of Greece. Prior to the 1900s, most of the tourists that visited were European royalty. Today, its crystal clear waters draw a lot of package-tours to swim in the waters. Photo from Smlp.co.uk.
Image via dailynewsdig.com23. Rio Azul, Argentina
The entire Rio Azul waters come from the glaciers and snowfields of the Andes and the water is so incredibly clear and pure that its possible to drink. Photo by David Miller.
Image via dailynewsdig.com22. Calanque d'En-Vau, France
Another calanque on the southern coast of France, d’En-Vau has a narrower, steeper channel than Sormiou, giving a real feeling of seclusion and emphasizing the clarity of the water in this cove. Photo from afer92.
Image via dailynewsdig.com21. Pupu Springs, New Zealand
At the very top of the South Island, on Golden Bay, the photographer says: “14000 liters of crystal clear water comes out of these springs per second!” - Photo from pie4dan
Image via dailynewsdig.comAnd here's a Traveler photo of Pupu Springs
"Waikoropupu Springs is the clearest waters I have ever seen. It's of significance to the Maori people."
Image via blogspot.com20. Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii
Visit on a weekend during high season and you’ll be surrounded by busloads of tourists. Best to visit on a slow day with clear conditions, it’s some of the best snorkeling in Hawaii. Photo from Thomas Of Norway.
Image via dailynewsdig.com19. St. George, Bermuda
The oldest continuously inhabited English settlement in the New World features many historic forts, like the small Gates Fort pictured above. Also: some damn clear water that calls out for you to take a swim. Photo from JoshuaDavis Photography.
Image via dailynewsdig.comPhotos from a cruise diary
"When you sail into Bermuda, you enter at the east end of the island near St. George, then take a right, and cruise through one the island's channels across the top of Bermuda to the other end (west end). Then you sail left and head into the channel that takes you to Hamilton, Bermuda's capital."
Image via hollandamericablog.com18. Primosten, Croatia
Primosten is most famous for its vineyards, in addition to beaches that have been voted the best in the country. Photo from Mike Le Gray Photography.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo from Blogspot, along with comment, "Primosten is interesting to wander around."
"Primosten is interesting to wander around...one innovative taverna offers tables in shallow water to 'cool your heels' but there seemed to be no takers." - Photo from Blogspot.
Image via blogspot.com17. Cayos Cochinos, Honduras
The Cayos Cochinos is a unique retreat for travelers looking to escape urban landscapes and crowded tourism centers. The islands have no roads, thus no cars or bikes and all areas are accessed by hiking. The perfect place for a secluded swim. Photo from Scott Sporleder.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo on Blogspot
"Cayos Cochinos is supposed to be some of the best snorkeling in all of Central America and we would definitely have to agree!" - Photo from Blogspot.
Image via blogspot.com16. Lake Tahoe, Nevada
The photo above was taken in the Bonsai Rock area, on the east shore of the lake, which apparently flies under the radar. Photo from SteveD.
Image via dailynewsdig.comBlogger photo of the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park (TLNSP)
The specific area is called the Marlette-Hobart Backcountry recreational area. Here you will find an extensive system of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails that spans some 13000 acres of backcountry.
Image via blogspot.com15. Puerto Ayora, Galapagos
The most populous town in the Galapagos still sits right up next to some amazingly clear ocean water. Even here in Academy Bay, you can see pelicans, iguanas, sea lions, herons, rays, and other iconic wildlife. Photo from Bill Bouton.
Image via dailynewsdig.com14. Panari Island, Okinawa, Japan
Panari, also called Aragusuku, is one of the Yaeyama Islands, the most remote area of Japan. The islands are also known as one of the world’s best diving destinations, having a number of coral species and marine lives as large as those in the Great Barrier Reef. (Over 400 types of corals, 5 types of sea turtles, manta rays, whale sharks and all kinds of tropical fish species all live around Okinawa.) Photo from Ippei + Janine.
Image via dailynewsdig.com13. Calanque de Sormiou, France
Calanques are steep-walled coves, and there’s a series of them along the 20km stretch of coast between Marseille and Cassis. Sormiou is one of the largest of these, and it’s popular for its nearby climbing routes as well as its beach. Photo from Paspog.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo on Blogspot
"The Calanques of Marseille are an area of outstanding beauty that run along the coast from Marseille. They are made of limestone and were created by a tectonic vertical thrust 1.5million years ago creating hills and caves - some of which were filled with water at the end of the last ice age." - Photo from Blogspot
Image via blogspot.com12. Rio Sucuri, Brazil
Located in the Pantanal region of Brazil, Rio Sucuri is a spring-fed river that has some of the measurably clearest water on Earth. Multiple tour outfits run trips that let you snorkel the river. Photo from Luiz Felipe Sahd.
Image via dailynewsdig.comTraveler photo on Wordpress
"To protect this amazing ecological system, all tourists have to follow the local tour guide. Only 9 people are allowed in a group." - Photo from Wordpress
Image via wordpress.com11. Jenny Lake, Wyoming
Jenny Lake sits right below the peak of Grand Teton and is a landmark for many hiking trails, backcountry trails, and climbing routes. Despite the fact that motorboats are allowed on the lake, its waters are still considered pristine. Photo from Jeff Clow.
Image via dailynewsdig.comUser photo from Blogspot
Blogger Daven Kathy, "Arriving lakeside, we got a beautiful morning view of Mount Teewinot to the south of the lake." - Photo from Blogspot.
Image via blogspot.com10. Sabah, Malaysia
Another one from the remote Malaysian state, which covers the northern portion of Borneo and is ringed by reef-rich islands. This photo was taken near Semporna, which is a hub for people who come to dive Malaysian Borneo. Photo from Zahriel.
Image via dailynewsdig.com9. Jiuzhaigou Valley, Sichuan, China
In the north of Sichuan province, the Jiuzhaigou Valley is a national park, nature reserve, and UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to several crystal-clear lakes, it’s a region of multi-tiered waterfalls and snowy mountains. Tourism arrived late but is growing strong, and while swimming isn’t allowed…there’s always nighttime skinny dipping. Photo from Who is taking pictures?
Image via dailynewsdig.com8. Bak Bak Beach, Borneo
This unique beach is made up of mostly stone and you can find some interesting sea life here. Photo from Bearnerd Bondly.
Image via dailynewsdig.com7. Crater Lake, Oregon
Visibility in Crater Lake has been measured at 43.3m — among the highest in the world. There is only one access point down to the lake — a steep, mile-long trail. It is easy enough to get down but the climb back can be tiring. So best decide if it’s worth the swim before venturing down. Photo from Grant Montgomery.
Image via dailynewsdig.com6. To Sua Ocean Trench, Samoa
To Sua Ocean Trench is a clear water pool located in Lotofaga village. To Sua means ‘big hole’ and has been converted into a large swimming area. A ladder is installed on side for visitors to access this 30 meters deep pool. Photo from To Sua Ocean Trench.
Image via dailynewsdig.com5. Cala Macarelleta, Menorca, Spain
At the south end of the Mediterranean island of Menorca, the beach at Cala Macarelleta can only be reached on foot or by boat — probably one of the least-crowded beaches you’ll find in Spain and perfect if like to take a swim alone. Photo from visualpanic.
Image via dailynewsdig.com4. Cayo Coco, Cuba
A resort island on Cuba’s north coast, Cayo Coco is linked to the mainland by a 27km causeway. The adjacent reef and clear waters have earned international recognition as a diving destination. Photo from O.Taillon.
Image via dailynewsdig.com3. Bordum, Turkey
Along the southern coast of the peninsula of the same name, Bodrum has an ancient history and was the site of one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World (the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus). It also has some amazingly clear water. Photo from Oky – Space Ranger.
Image via imgur.com2. The Maldives
The 26 atolls that make up the Maldives sit in the Indian Ocean about 400km southwest of the tip of the subcontinent. Abundant reef wildlife (including whale sharks) + incredibly clear waters bring in a lot of tourists (Photo from Richy).
Image via dailynewsdig.comStumbled upon BBC's Simon Reeve's visit to the "what you don't see" side of the Maldives; and of course, some user photos off Trip Advisor
1. Linapacan Island, Palawan, Philippines
This island is in a remote province and home to many beaches with super clear water. The island has a population of just 14,180 people.
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