Heart-Shaped Natural Wonders
In honor of St. Valentine’s Day, we’re sharing these lovely
locations with fascinating heart-shaped natural wonders that would be great
places to visit for a romantic getaway. Even if you can’t travel at the moment,
you can still create sentimental surroundings at home with a little bit of
imagination and creativity. Temporarily rearrange the living room furniture to
form a heart shape, plaster the walls with heart-shaped cut-outs, cover various
surfaces with heart-themed fabrics, make a homemade heart-shaped pizza complete
with that oh-so-romantic, ooey-gooey, stretchy, melty, mozzalicious cheese... Sorry, I seem to have gotten distracted. Dreamy
decorations and delicious delectables aside, simply cuddling on the couch while
sharing these pictures with your special someone could be your perfectly ideal
Valentine’s Day.
Piuqué Huapi, Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina

The lake region of northern Patagonia in Argentina, where
Nahuel Huapi Lake is located, used to be wholly occupied by a glacier. As the ice
melted and began flowing into streams, rivulets, and rivers, it carved its way
through the terrain and eventually created the lake that surrounds the beautifully
shaped land mass called Piuqué Huapi, which literally translates to “Heart
Island”.
Heart Lake, Ontario, Canada

The 418-acre Heart Lake Conservation Area is home to the
aptly-named Heart Lake, a gorgeous kettle lake in the middle of a lush forest
to which local elementary school students add new trees annually. Kettle lakes
are formed by enormous blocks of ice that were left behind from retreating
glaciers. The ice blocks became surrounded by sediment and buried, then eventually
melted, leaving large water-filled depressions up to 10 meters deep. Although
there is a dirt road leading to the lake, it is technically not a public road
and the County of Frontenac does ask people to be aware of local wildlife and cautiously
respect the various hunting seasons throughout the year.
Lac du Montagnon, France

France’s Pyrénées National Park boasts over 45,000 hectares,
or 176 square miles, of scenic mountains and valleys, diverse flora and fauna, lush
forests and rocky formations, as well as numerous picturesque waterfalls and
lakes. High up in the “heart” of the park, Lac du Montagnon rests at an
elevation of just over 2,000 meters. Best seen in early spring when full from
the melted winter snow, the view from Montagnon d’Iseye just above the lake is
simply breathtaking.
Makepeace Island, Queensland, Australia

This private island on the Noosa River is home to an
exclusive high-end luxurious retreat that is focused on preserving the
environment from the wildlife to the water, and even to the very air that
surrounds it. All products and amenities are sourced regionally to support
local communities and the owners are committed to only enacting and practicing
measures that ensure long-term sustainability.
Lough Ouler, Wicklow Mountains, Ireland
On the side of Tonelagee Mountain, amongst uneven terrain
and windblown wildflowers, lies the massive heart-shaped Lough Ouler, a
beautifully picturesque and romantic spot for a picnic or a proposal. Though a
beautiful sight and worth the effort, keep in mind the trek to reach it isn’t
easy and includes marshy bogs, squelchy mud, and the occasional slippery rock.
Despite the difficulties, however, the site is quite popular for daytrippers as
a full hike around the lake only takes about four hours and the view from any
angle is néal álainn, or “stunningly beautiful”.
Lago di Scanno, Apennines Mountains, Abruzzo, Italy

Hidden in Abruzzo’s Marsicane mountains amongst several
man-made artificial lakes is a massive natural beauty that was formed sometime
near the end of the last ice age when a landslide on Mount Genzana blocked the
Tasso River and flooded the surrounding valley. Over time, the waters pooled
naturally into the sight we behold today as the heart-shaped Lago di Scanno in
the Sagittario Valley. The largest natural lake in Abruzzo, Lago di Scanno has
a recorded depth of 32 meters so locals and tourists alike enjoy gathering on
its beachy edges and going boating, swimming, fishing, and even windsurfing.
Tupai Island, Bora Bora, Tahiti

Ten miles north of Bora Bora, the islet of Tupai idles
leisurely in the tropical climate, hosting a broad coral reef surrounded by a
double lagoon. Sea turtles take advantage of the uninhabited island and use its
sandy white shores to lay their eggs while a plethora of exotic birds take
shelter in the branches of coconut trees. While the island has no amenities and
no permanent residents, it is possible to visit the island for a day and sip
champagne while enjoying the soft breeze and lounging under the shade of broad
coconut palms.
Dhumba Lake, Himalayan Mountains, Mustang, Nepal

“Small but mighty” are the words to describe Dhumba Lake, a diminutive
hidden body of water at the base of Mount Nilgiri in the Mustang region of
Nepal. The lake holds great religious and natural significance to the local
municipality and is considered a sacred Buddhist lake. As such, the crystal-clear
blue and emerald waters are fenced with prayer flags, swimming is prohibited, and
fish from the lake is never consumed. Only about 150 meters long and 100 meters
wide, the entire lake can be circumnavigated by foot in 30 minutes or less.
Ozero Lyubvi, Arkhyz Mountains, Russia

Only accessible via a walking route, the Ozero Lyubvi, or
“Lake of Love”, is located a few miles outside the village of Arkhyz and is
quite a sight to behold – if you look at it from the right angle. The heart
shape is really only apparent when the lake is viewed from above, but the rest
of the landscape doesn’t disappoint either. Rolling hills saturated in green
surround the lake in a simple but beautiful valley. Fresh mountain air helps
cleanse both body and mind while spectacular views calm and soothe the spirit.
Coeur de Voh, New Caledonia

A mangrove swamp in New Caledonia gained fame years ago when
renowned photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand captured an image unlike any seen
before. A natural clearing in the swamp covering about 4 hectares just happened
to form an almost perfect heart shape surrounded by verdant trees, turquoise
waters, and majestic mountains. New Caledonia’s unique confluence of vegetation
and geography resulted in this age-old symbol of love emanating from Mother
Nature herself. The Coeur de Voh, or “Heart of Voh” centers on a bed of porous
limestone, over underground river channels and riverine silt which, with the
ebb and flow of the tide, overflows with seawater and leaches the soil away.
Over years and years of the seawater “salting” the area, the affected
vegetation has grown into the beloved shape we see today.
Ready for your next
escape?