Most magical/unbelievable looking forests …

Forests, like no other place, are shrouded in mystery. They are liked not only by nature lovers, but also by all those who want to take a break from the everyday hustle and bustle and find themselves in the heart of nature. But there are Forrest and forests.  Some of them looks like taken out of fantasy story. With truly magical looks, full of unbelievable and truly breathtaking views. Those forest looks like nothing you will see in Central Park, or upstate.

You can see the most beautiful forests in the world. Those well-recognized as well those less known, but probably equally wonderful. It may be that  you have  a magical forest several miles from your home. The peace that we will certainly find there will help us relax and regenerate. To the amazing kingdom of trees, to see exactly what’s Mother Nature has to offer!  Let us take a backpack and … go!

Avenue of the Baobabs  in Madagascar

There is a reason why the baobab is sometimes called the tree of life – it is not only a refuge for many animals, but also a valuable source of water. During the dry season, the baobab sheds its leaves, which is why its crown looks rather like twisted roots for most of the year. According to tribal legends, long, long ago, this mighty tree angered God by constantly moving and offending smaller plants. As punishment, the Creator pulled them out of the ground and planted them upside down. In Madagascar, we have a chance to observe baobabs in an unusual cluster. Nobody knows how so many trees ended up in one place, creating a strange avenue. It would be difficult to decipher this mystery of nature, as the exact age of baobabs is almost impossible to estimate due to the lack of rings. Man has only paved a path between the mighty trunks, making it possible to move among these amazing giants.

Sequoia National Park  in California, USA

Compared to other trees, the sequoia is like a giant among miniatures. Its crown is difficult to see, and a dozen or so adults are needed  holding hands to surround  its trunk. These giants, currently are the tallest trees in the world, can be admired in national parks in California. It is hard to imagine their magnitude, while standing at the bottom of the tree trunk. The scale may be the fact that tunnels were cut in several trunks so that passenger cars would not have to deviate from the route to avoid trees. The most famous “drivable” sequoia is the Chandelier Tree.

Bamboo Forest  in Kyoto, Japan

On the outskirts of Kyoto, in the Arashiyama district, there is the remarkable Sagano bamboo forest, which grows around 50 different species of bamboo. Entering into the forest, you see a truly magical landscape – in close proximity to each other there are clusters of huge bamboo stems. Some of them are even 131 feet ( 40 meters) long – looking up you cannot see their end. Bamboo trees swaying in the wind produce a sound characteristic of this place, which… The Japanese Ministry of Environment has entered the list of 100 sounds of Japan.

Krzywy Las  in Nowe Czarnowo, Poland

In the Crooked Forest pines have a deformed trunk, which curves 90 degrees just above the ground and then arches upwards in a wide arc. Interestingly, all trunks bend towards the north – so a compass is not needed here. The trees were planted around 1930. Some believe that special tools or techniques were used then to create this one-of-a-kind forest of freaks. There are several theories as to what caused trees to buckle. Some researchers believe that the current appearance of trees is due to gravity changes, and others argue that they were deliberately grown this way. However, it was probably not about creating a surreal land – No one quite knows how this mysterious quirk of nature came about but one thing is for sure – the sight of the peculiar and identically-buckled form of the 400 or so pine trees is a surreal one.

Hoh rainforest  in Washington State, USA

The word “Hoh” undoubtedly comes from Native American languages; possibly the Quileute word “Ohalet” which means “fast moving water” or “ snow water”.  Located in the valley of the river of the same name is part of the Olympic National Park. Its area is considered to be the largest in the United States without roads. One of the biggest attractions is the so-called The Hall of Mosses – a fairly easy walking route, 1.3 km long. During a short walk you can admire the old trees covered with green and brown mosses, which look really amazing.

Rainbow Eucalyptus Forest in Hawaii

Native to the Philippines, rainbow eucalyptus trees can be identified by their eye-catching bark that looks like it has been painted. The tree’s inner bark layer revealed when the outer layer peels away, is a vibrant green that fades over time to produce a magical range of bright colors. The forest of rainbow eucalyptus is located, among others, in Hawaii. The majestic trees, which reach even 75 meters in height, sparkle with many colors – their bark looks as if it was painted by children. The colored bark can only be seen after the outer, vivid green layer has been torn off. After some time, the green color fades, and the colors of the rainbow appear on the top layer of the bark. This place is sure to delight both large and small tourists.

Tsingy de Bemaraha in Madagascar

Tsingy, Madagascar’s “stone forest”,  offers one of the most unique landscapes in the world — rugged terrain characterized by karst formations, porous limestone that was carved over time by rainfall. A karst limestone formation, known as Tsingy in Malagasy language (The word “Tsingy” is derived from a local word meaning “the place where one cannot walk barefoot”.)  is first one of the precious elements of the island.  Almost alien looking limestone, sharp peaks, above cliffs over the Manambolo River. The incredibly sharp limestone formations can cut through equipment and flesh easily, which makes traversing them extremely difficult. Madagascar undisturbed forests, lakes and mangrove swamps are the habitat for rare and endangered lemurs and birds. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Tsingy is also home to a number of rare and threatened animals, including 11 lemur species and several species endemic only to the reserve, such as the lowland red forest rat.

Waipoua Forest in New Zealand

The ghostly forest of Waipoua at the tip of New Zealand’s North Island is a natural wonderland. With  soaring kauri trees and rare wildlife. They all are stunningly looking, with one of them being the  sacred native trees, Tane Mahuta, also known as “ the Lord of the Forest” , is the country’s largest kauri tree and is believed to be 2,000 years-old and still growing. Another, “Te Matua Ngahere”, or “Father of the Forest”, is thought to be between 2,500 and 3,000 years old.

Apricot Valley in China

In the Xinyuan County of Yili, in an area of 5,000 acres, there is an oasis with countless flowering fruit trees. It is most beautiful there in April, when the apricot trees bloom in pink. Staying in this place pleases not only the eyes, but also you can enjoy the amazing scent of flowering trees. The county has the largest apricot forest in Xinjiang. Peak season runs from the start of June until the end of September. Do not  forget to leave room for plenty of apricots.

Hayedo de Otzarreta in Basque country ,  Spain

Natural Park in Spain’s Basque Country.  It is well known for its otherworldly forests. Hayedo de Otzaretta ( the word  means in Spanish  –  “beech tree”) is a really ghostly place. The peculiar formation that the hundred-year-old beech trees recreate and the meandering course of the river that runs through it (Zubizabala), turn the Hayedo de Otzarreta into a natural space that leaves us absorbed, breathless. A visual spectacle, to which we must add the auditory spectacle that is the murmur of the water of the stream that runs through it, the noise produced when walking on the mantle of fallen leaves during autumn or the singing of the birds that inhabit it.

Caddo Lake in USA

The lake located on the Texas-Louisiana border was used as hideout for outlaws in the 19th century. Spanish-moss-draped cypresses reflected in its water; Caddo Lake is a spooky yet mesmerizing sight. The bayou (swampy lake) is not only visually spectacular, but an important habitat too. As one of the US’ largest flooded cypress forests, it supports several species of plants and animals living both within the lake and the upland forest.

Spiny forests in Madagascar

The extraordinarily diverse island of Madagascar, when it comes to all typed of fauna and flora,  has a range of amazing native forests, including the surreal spiny forests that extend across its southern and southwestern part. Around 95% of the plant species in this weird and wonderful drought-resistant world are common to the  secluded eco-region. The dense and sharp maze of foliage is also home to some curious creatures, including some regionally endemic species of lemur, Grandidier’s mongoose and the Madagascar radiated tortoise. Sadly, the spiny forests are under threat from deforestation and climate change.

Dragon blood forest in Yemen

At first glimpse, you might take Yemen’s Dragon’s Blood Forest, situated on the islands of the Socotra archipelago ( separated from mainland Arabia 34 million years ago), for an extraterrestrial landscape. In fact, 37% of Socotra’s flora are not found anywhere else in the world. Among the rich vegetation of Socotra, the following deserve attention: a desert rose (adenium fat), which resembles a small baobab, and a dragon dracaena commonly known as the dragon tree. The spreading crown of the dracaena is covered with leaves only from above, and the branches underneath are bare. The dracaena secrete a red resin called dragon’s blood. The legend that circulates around the island says that it was once inhabited by mammoths and dragons. During one of the fights between the dragon and the mammoth, the former was to be fatally stabbed – then a huge amount of blood poured from his body, turning the earth a blood-red color. After a few years, the now famous dragon trees began to grow out of this land.

Laurisilva of Madeira in Portugal

Thanks to its mild climate, Madeira is a breeding ground of endemic and exotic plants. The fertile isle also has the largest laurel forest left in the world. The ancient forest covered large parts of southern Europe some 15–40 million years ago, but now only patches remain on Madeira, the Azores, the Canaries and Cape Verde. Madeira’s indigenous Laurissilva forest covers 15,000 hectares in the north of the isle, and the endemic Madeiran long-toed pigeon is among its inhabitants. It is part of the Madeira Natural Park which covers nearly two-thirds of the isle.

Valle de Cocora (Cocoa Valley)  in Colombia 

According to many travelers, the Cocora Valley is one of the unique and quite interesting places in Colombia. The world’s tallest palm trees (the so-called wax palms, up to 197 feet (60 meters)) grow  tall on an area of almost 232 square miles ( 600 square kilometers). Due to the high  altitude 1.11 to 1.61 miles (1,800 to 2,600 meters) above sea level and the western winds coming  from the Pacific Ocean,  the climate is extremely humid and  basically,  it’s raining every day.

Pahang’s Mossy Forest in Malaysia

Located about 1.26 mile (2,030 meters) above sea level, Malaysia’s mythical Mossy Forest is believed to be around 200 million years old. It is definitely advertised as one of the oldest forests in the country. It is notorious among local and international visitors equally for its exotic flora and lush ground covered with a mossy carpet. The forest is damp, dark, and chilly. Walking through it, all kinds of feelings emerge, from appreciating its beautiful landscape to feeling spooked at times.

Sherwood Forest in England

Immersed in myths and legends (most notably  as a home and hideout of Robin Hood). Nottinghamshire’s Sherwood Forest still fascinates walkers with its surrounds of ancient birch and knotted oak trees. The undisputed star of the woods is the enormous Major Oak, which according to folklore tales  was Robin Hood’s shelter. It is assumed to be England’s largest oak tree and could be anywhere between 800 and 1,100 years old. The 450-acre park has over a thousand veteran oak trees in all, many of which are over 500 years-old.

Schwarzwald forest in Germany

The vast Schwarzwald (Black Forest) stretches across the mountainous Baden-Württemberg region in southwest Germany. With its pretty lakes, shady valleys, mountain villages and, of course, thick timeless forests filled with gorgeously green fir and pine trees, it is a magnificent scene. Even Though with such dense foliage, the area can be a little dark and spooky at times. Famous story writers, the Grimm Brothers  were so enchanted with the place, so they set so many of their fairy tales in this bewitching  deeps of the forest.

Yakushima Island in  Japan

Located on the island off the southern coast of Kyushu.  Untouched and ancient forests of Yakushima, a subtropical mountainous, are  truly  an otherworldly place. Covered in 1,000-year-old Japanese cedar trees and interspersed with clear rivers, hot springs and dramatic waterfalls, the island is one of Japan’s most beautiful natural wonders. The UNESCO World Heritage Site forest  is a shelter to the Yakushima macaque and the Yaku deer.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park in USA

Most people recognize Redwood as home to the tallest trees on Earth. Over 53,000 acres, and the largest old growth contiguous redwood forest in the world! Avenue of the Giants actually runs right through the park. The park itself is a popular hiking ground so you can easily turn off to explore on a variety of loop trails, like the 7.5-mile/12-km Bull Creek Loop, which lets you get a mini-glimpse of the remarkable Rockefeller Forest, home to the world’s 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th tallest trees.

Lake Kaindy Forest in  Kazakhstan

This unreal underwater forest can be found in Kazakhstan’s Tian Shan Mountains. An earthquake in the early 20th century sparked a landslide. The natural dam was formed in the area, flooding the valley with water, and submerging the spruce forest. These dead trees are  Schrenk spruce (Picea schrenkiana) native to the mountains. They are standing strong, make a haunting sight sticking out of the pretty lake which is surrounded by densely forested hills.

Cedar forests in Lebanon

Some of Lebanon’s sacred cedrus libani trees are thought to be up to 3,000 years old.  They are mentioned in the Bible and grow mainly here and in parts of Turkey.  The trees  itself, once flourished throughout the country’s cool northern highlands.  Nowadays only scattered woods exist, including  the most famous, “the Cedars of God”, which is part of an UNESCO site. The thickest cedar forest is the Tannourine Cedars Forest Nature Reserve.  Unfortunately, the longevity of the ancient giants’ may be numbered due to centuries of deforestation and now the impact of global warming.

Cathedral Grove in  Canada

There is nothing like Moher Nature to make you feel irrelevant. Standing under the old giants in Vancouver Island’s Cathedral Grove, which is a part of MacMillan Provincial Park, undoubtedly will  put things in perspective. The remnants of the giant Douglas Fir trees, the inhabitants of the giant forest that once dominated the isle, are more than 800 years old. The south of this seaside forest is a home to the largest specimens, with one  examples measuring more than 29.5 feet (9 meters) in perimeter. On the northern side there are  woods full  of ancient Western red cedar trees. Hiking trails circle around this old-growth forest, where deer, elk, black bear, and cougar are known to lurk under the tree cover.

Wistman’s Wood in England

There is something distinctly mystical about this place. Tangled forest of knobby dwarf oak trees and moss-covered boulders near the River Dart in Dartmoor National Park. It is a part of an ancient forest that covered the moorland  since  7,000 BC; even before the Mesolithic era. The location has a sacred ceremonial meaning to the local cultures. It was believed to have been used as a sacred grove by Druids. The oaks are about  500 years old. This mysterious forest is also home to a healthy population of one of Britain’s few native snakes.

Hallerbos Forest in Belgium

The ancient Belgian forest is beautiful all year-round, but it really springs to life in April. Hallerbos is a forest located in Belgium, 30 minutes south of Brussels in the neighborhood of the town of Halle. Hallerbos is a nature reserve and its common name is “blue forest”. Why? Well, from early spring to early summer, beautiful bluebells grow between the trees. The seasonal display sweeps across the forest like a gorgeous natural purple carpet Flowers usually bloom around mid-April and you can admire their full bloom for 10 days. But the forest is a home not only to the blue flowers, is also a place where you will encounter  graceful beech trees and giant sequoia trees.

Dancing Forest in Russia

Dancing Forest – or the Drunken Forest, as it is known by locals – has mystified visitors for years. The peculiar shape of the trees has not been explained till this day. Why have the trunks of these pine trees taken on such an unusual shape?  There are many legends and myths surrounding their mysterious twists, rings, and loops. It is said  they will bring luck to anyone, who will climb through one of the rings; supposedly  it will guarantee an extra year of life or a wish.

Tarkine in Australia

Tasmanian Aboriginal Tarkiner people for  were  inhabiting these lands for over 40,000 years.  The barely visited Tarkine Forest Reserve in northwest Tasmania, with its immense forests of moss-covered myrtle beech, leatherwood, and pine trees, it is the greatest expanse of cool temperate rainforest in Australia. It is the second largest in the world. This mature-old forest is a  home to species that  branch out , from  the time when Australia was part of the ancient supercontinent Gondwanaland.  It is a refuge for endangered native creatures including the last disease-free population of Tasmanian devils.

Monteverde Cloud Forest in  Costa Rica

Monteverde Cloud Forest is beautiful and intriguing at the same time. With hazy mist clinging to its treetops, it is one of the world’s rare cloud forests – habitats that can only be found in tropical or subtropical mountainous landscapes. Monteverde is renowned for its biodiversity. Flora and fauna. There are over 400 species of birds and 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles living throughout the reserve. Walkways bridges,   hangs  through parts of the forest’s canopy, as do ziplines – an extra high-adrenaline way to explore the rich vegetation.

Oulanka National Park in Finland

It is no doubt, Finland is a top spot for tree-lovers. Oulanka National Park is one of the most stunning  forest-and-lake-dotted wildernesses. In the vicinity of the Arctic circle and on the border with Russia. Autumn is a lovely time here when the Scotch pines, spruces and silver birches are painted with mellow colors and a variety of mushrooms spring up on the forest floor. Although when snow falls, the scenery  turns into pure magical winter wonderland.  Reindeer find a home here, in this remote place, as do wolves, lynx, bears, wolverines, pine martens and elk.