There are few other things more magical than visiting a place with magical blue waters. Waters that are so clear that it looks like no being has ever set foot in them before. However, to find out these places are teeming with native wildlife makes the clear waters even more impressive. These crystal clear waters that rival even the sky with their beautiful blue color may not be around forever though. Visiting these natural wonders that host the bluest waters in the world is a can’t miss moment for any traveler.

The Maldives

The Maldives are a world famous vacation destination, and it is not hard to see why—there is sun a plenty, surf, white sand beaches and what is considered the singularly bluest water on Earth. This is due to the island practically springing up from the water itself in a series of 26 atolls. These ring-shaped islands lie within the Indian Ocean about 400 kilometers southwest of the Indian subcontinent.

These days the Maldives are very much a resort hotspot rather than a marvel of sheer nature. Guests can lounge on small sand beaches, hop between the atolls seeing what sort of adventure they can dig up. However, for those so enchanted with the water there is much swimming and scuba diving to be done in the Maldives, though one scarcely needs scuba gear to be able to see the ocean floor. All one needs to do is peek over the edge of the boat.

Crater Lake, Oregon, USA

Around seven thousand years ago, visitors at Crater Lake in Oregon would not have had neither a crater nor a lake to visit. In fact, anyone who had happened to lay eyes on the area would have ran face first into the volcano Mount Mazama. After a devastating eruption, the volcano collapsed in on itself and became a crater. After several smaller eruptions, a path to the water table was opened and the crater filled in into a lake.

Today, Crater Lake stands as a beautiful example of a natural freshwater lake when it is left untouched by human hands. The surroundings of this lake protect it from many who would seek to ruin it. There is only one trail to Crater Lake and it is a steep and tiring mile hike, making many rethink a simple swim. Looking closely into the crystal blue water, visitors can easily see the volcanic rock the lines the bottom from the long defunct volcano.

Panari Island, Okinawa, Japan

Panari Island, also known as Aragusuku Island is one of the Yaeyama Islands in the Okinawa, Japan area. Like many island chains, Panari Island is not just known for its luxurious and near secluded beaches, but for its aqua blue water that is very much akin to swimming in liquid glass rather than water.

Aside from beach time antics, Panari Island is regarded as one of the best diving destinations in the world. Its varied number of coral and sea life is only bested by that of the Great Barrier Reef. Okinawa and all of its various islands are home to four hundred different types of coral, whale sharks, manta rays, thousands of tropical fish and five species of sea turtles.

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, USA

Hanauma Bay is rather famous around Hawaii for having the best snorkeling on the island state, because of this it is actually quite the tourist attraction. It does indeed have some of the bluest and clearest waters in the world, but because it is so accessible and well known, it is almost always crowded with visitors.

However, for guests that do not mind the crowds or manage to go on an off day it is a great place to go for a swim or a snorkel. In Hanauma Bay one can always see what sort of sea life they are swimming around with.

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia is world famous as the best scuba diving area in the world. It is the world’s largest coral reef and it is home to thousands of species of wildlife. Stretching over 2,600 kilometers, scuba enthusiasts come from all over the world to explore the endless possibilities. However, if the Great Barrier Reef was not also the home of some of the clearest water in the world, it may not be quite as popular or accessible to scuba enthusiasts.

To Sua Ocean Trench, Samoa

For those who happen to find themselves wandering through the forest outside of Lotofaga village in Western Samoa, you very well may find the To Sua Ocean Trench by accident and wind up regretting it. To Sua means ‘big hole’ in Samoan, which is quite the fitting name considering it is a giant swimming hole in the middle of the jungle. However, it is located quite deeply in the ground. Guests jump from the cliff above and use the ladder to climb out of the water.

While visitors may seem skeptical of the jump at first, since the bottom can clearly be seen. However, the waters in the To Sua trench are actually 30 meters deep. This makes them more than deep enough for the massive dive into it. This natural wonder proves that some of the bluest waters in the world are often those that are hidden from the rest of the world.

Five Flower Lake, Sichuan, China

In the Jiuzhaigou Valley located in the northern Sichuan province of China lies Five Flower Lake, on the bottom of this crystal clear lake lies a patchwork of ancient trees, However the blue waters showing the ancient fallen trees is just a small natural wonder of this nature preserve and UNESCO World Heritage site. Five Flower Lake hosts dozens of exotic animal species, seventeen waterfalls and steep valleys untouched by human hands. While the Five Flowers Lake is wondrous, it is just a small portion of this nature preserve that holds over one hundred magnificent multicolored lakes due to the various stones making up the lake bed. This is truly a must see for those not only interested in seeing pure blue water, but pure water of any color.