The Six Most Beautiful Lakes In The World

Published November 1, 2011
Updated February 1, 2024

Who knew so much beauty existed in our planet's lakes? A beautiful photographic journey through the most beautiful lakes in the world!

World’s Most Beautiful Lakes: Five-Flower Lake, China

Five Flower Lake Photograph

The pristine water of Wuhua Hai, or Five-Flower Lake, is the pride of Jiuzhaigon National Park in China. The shallow lake glistens different shades of turquoise and its floor is littered with fallen ancient tree trunks. Wuhua Hai is one in the legendary 108 haizi, or multicolored lakes, in the national park that according to legend, were created after an ancient Goddess dropped a mirror that her lover had given her, smashing it into 108 pieces.

The amazing colors make it one of the world’s most beautiful lakes:

Beautiful Lakes Five-Flower Lake China width=

Five-Flower Beautiful Lake

Five-Flower Lake Photo

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Beautiful Lakes Plitvic Lakes of Croatia

In any given day, the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia can emit hues ranging from green and grey to blue and azure.

Minerals and organisms residing in the series of sixteen interconnected lakes in combination with shifting sunlight provide this spectacular rainbow dance several times a day. Add to that the waterfall connecting the separate lakes and the surrounding woodland populated by deer, bears, wolves, and birds, and the Plitvice Lakes are something out of a fairytale.

Plitvic Lakes Photograph

Plitvic Lakes

Beautiful Lakes Plitvic Croatia

World’s Most Beautiful Lakes: Yucatan Cave Lake, Mexico

Yucatan Cave Lake Picture

The Yucatan Cave Lake in the Yucatan Peninsula is Mexico’s prized possession. Aside from the overwhelming beauty emitted by the secret waterhole, the lake is revered as a gift from the Mayan god. Unfortunately for visitors, this means that aside from physically being hard to get to, locals and visitors are actually banned from frolicking in its waters.

Yucatan Mexico Picture

Beautiful Yucatan Lake Photograph

Reed Flute Cave Lake, China

The World's Six Most Beautiful Lakes

The Reed Flute Cave is a natural limestone cave located in Guilin, Guangxi of China. The cave is over 180 million years old and is covered in historical inscriptions dating back to the Tang Dynasty in 792 AD. Though it was an attraction for thousands of year’s prior, it was only rediscovered by a group of refugees in the 1940s. Today, the cave and its multicolored lake are renowned the world over.

Reed Flute Lake Picture

Reed Flute Lake

Beautiful Lakes Reed Flute Cave

World’s Beautiful Lakes: Melissani Cave Lake, Greece

Melissani Cave Lake

The Melissani Cave Lake, located near Kefalonia, Greece, was a hidden treasure up until the roof of the cave collapsed after an earthquake in 1953. The mystical sky-blue lake, surrounded by a thick forest, is its most charming in July and August when sunlight pervades the area, changing the color of the water and reflecting it on the surrounding walls. Melissani is named after a nymph, Melissanthe, who, according to Greek mythology, resided in the cave and drowned herself when the god, Pan, rejected her romantic advances.

Melissani Cave

Most Beautiful Lakes Melissani Greece Picture

Lake Matheson, New Zealand

Lake Matheson Photograph

Lake Matheson

In every season, from dawn to dusk, Lake Matheson is a splendor of color, immaculately reflecting the surrounding, towering mountains in its pristine waters.

Beautiful Lakes Lake Matheson

Lake Matheson In New Zealand


If you enjoyed seeing the most beautiful lakes in the world, be sure to see our article on bizarre and beautiful natural phenomena and our post on interesting facts!

author
All That's Interesting
author
A New York-based publisher established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science to share stories that illuminate our world.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.