This is part 8 of a 10 part series that focuses on 100 unusual and fascinating tourist attractions from around the globe.

Some we have been lucky enough to visit, yet some we yearn to set foot. From the weird and wacky, freaky to wondrous… Take a stroll through the series

Spotted Lake, Canada

Spotted Lake, Canada

During the summer, peculiar white, green and yellow spots appear on this salty lake in British Columbia.

The explanation: When the lake water evaporates during the summer, natural walkways form on the lake from crystallized mineral deposits. The spots, made up mostly of magnesium sulfate, vary from white to green based on the mineral composition. The Okanagan Indians considered the lake sacred for its therapeutic qualities.

The Okanagan nation owns the lake, which is closed to visitors, but the spots can easily be viewed and photographed from Highway 3, which runs next to it.

Darwin Falls, Death Valley

Darwin Falls, Death Valley, Calif.

Death Valley sounds like an unlikely place for waterfalls, but near Panamint Springs at the western edge of the national park, Darwin Falls flows year-round. The spring-fed falls consist of two main drops, an upper and a lower falls. In between is a grotto with a few small waterfalls.

Kadir's Tree House, Olympos, Turkey

Kadir’s Tree House, Olympos, Turkey

Built as an actual tree house, Kadir’s offers treehouse rooms, dormitories and private bungalows for two or three people. Breakfast and dinner are included, and Kadir’s has two bars that open at lunch and close after the last guest leaves.

Guests can play volleyball, ping-pong or enjoy a picnic outdoors at Kadir’s. The hostel is close to the beach and ancient ruins

There are 300 beds plus camping grounds.

Angel Falls, Venezuela

Angel Falls, Venezuela

Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall plunges 3,212 feet from the top of Auyan-Tepui (Devil’s Mountain) to the Churun River in eastern Venezuela. The waterfall, located in Canaima National Park, is named after James Angel, an American aviator who flew over the falls in 1933.

Hostel Celica, Slovenia

Hostel Celica, Slovenia

Up until 1991 Hostel Celica was a military prison. Now, 20 renovated prison cells serve as hostel cells, each with a different design. For travelers not looking to sleep in a former jail cell, there are eight rooms with ensuite bathrooms.

The hostel has several themed get-togethers throughout the week, ranging from barbecues to jam sessions. On the ground floor of the former prison is an art gallery, Srecisce, that plays host to some international art exhibitions.

Waitomo Glowworm Cave, New Zealand

Waitomo Glowworm Cave, New Zealand

Having visited this place many times as a child, it just has to be on the list. This cave is known for the thousands of bioluminescent worms, Arachnocampa luminosa, that live inside its depths. These worms, found only in New Zealand, emit a slight glow from their rear ends to attract food. They also hang silk threads to trap prey that add to their glow. In large groups, the worms create a glow noticeable even from afar.

The cave is on New Zealand’s North Island. Visitors can access the cave through a 45-minute guided tour.

More info: http://www.waitomo.com/waitomo-glowworm-caves.aspx

Tiger's Nest monastery, Bhutan

Tiger’s Nest monastery, Bhutan

Taktsang Monastery, also known as the Tiger’s Nest, clings to the slide of a cliff about 10,000 feet above ground in Bhutan’s Paro district. The monastery was built in the 17th century and damaged in a fire in 1998.

Visitors can reach the monastery by mule ride or by foot. Walking takes about two hours from the base of the trail. The monastery is still used, and entry is restricted.

Fly-Geyser-Black-Rock-Desert-Nevada

Black Rock Desert, Nevada

This Nevada desert’s picturesque mountains and sparkling geysers are well-known backgrounds for the annual radical arts Burning Man festival.

Fly Geyser (pictured), which is on a private ranch, is one of the strangest and most beautiful parts of the desert, spouting groundwater from a vivid orange and green calcium carbonate deposit base. The “geyser” is actually a man-made accident that began when a geothermal power company drilled a test well and improperly plugged the hole.

Despite its alluring mystic appeal, the desert is still unforgiving. Visitors are advised to stay away from geysers (which can reach deathly hot temperatures) and to carry enough supplies to ensure survival if they get lost.

Lombard Street, San Francisco

Lombard Street, San FranciscoLombard Street is known for its one-block stretch that features Candyland-like twists and turns. Between Hyde and Leavenworth streets in San Francisco’s Russian Hill neighbourhood, Lombard winds down a steep hill in eight tight switchbacks. Motorists are free to drive down Lombard’s one-way curves. Pedestrians can navigate the street using two sets of stairs that run along both sides of the road.

Rio Tinto, Spain

Rio Tinto, Spain

The waters of the Rio Tinto, Spanish for “painted river,” are an eerie and beautiful reddish brown, but the real story behind the rich colours is not so pretty.

Since ancient times, the river area has been a site of mining activity for its valuable copper, iron, silver and gold; metal run-off from the mines has long contaminated the river, and dissolved iron gives the waters its red colour.