A beautiful turquoise lake that is a popular selfie spot has been revealed to be a toxic waste dump.

The man-made lake in the city of Novosibirsk, Russia, has attracted hundreds of Instagram users thanks to its vibrant blue hue.

But, according to the Siberian Generating Company, which owns the lake, it’s actually an ash dump from a local coal plant and contact with the water should be avoided at all costs.

The bright colour of the water, which has led some to dub it the “Siberian Maldives”, comes from calcium salts and metal oxides dissolved in it which gives it a high alkaline content.

In a social media post, the company warned visitors not to get into the water in pursuit of a selfie.

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Although the water isn’t poisonous, the bottom of the lake was muddy and “almost impossible” to get out of alone, it said.

Thanks to its social media star status, the lake even has its own Instagram account: @maldives_nsk.

Posts show Instagrammers posing by the lake’s edge or paddleboarding in the azure water.

One user is even pictured riding an inflatable swan.

One user commented: “Enjoy that toxic water.”

This week, it was revealed that a popular Instagram destination in Bali was not quite as impressive in real life.

Tourists expressed their disappointment after visiting Lempuyang Temple in Karangasem, often referred to as the “Gates of Heaven”. Many of these tourists come to recreate pictures they’ve seen on Instagram of people standing in the middle of the temple, with water mirroring their reflection back at them.