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Liquid Wonders: World's Weirdest Waterfalls and Bodies of Water (PHOTOS)

Due to the immense volume of water covering its surface, the Earth is known as the "blue planet," but its oceans, rivers, springs and lakes actually come in a range of colors—and shapes and sizes and other unique features. From a rainbow-colored river and a spring that bubbles like champagne to a waterfall that "glows" like fire, the world is home to weird—and amazing—watery wonders. View the slideshow above to see some of the planet's strangest waterfalls and bodies of water.

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In the Kazakhstan portion of the Tien Shan mountains, one lake is so surreal, it looks straight out of a fairy tale. Lake Kaindy features a "sunken forest," with massive spruce trees rising out of its sparkling turquoise waters. But the lake's origins are less fairytale-esque. The 1,300ft-long Lake Kaindy was created as the result of an enormous limestone landslide, triggered by the 1911 Kebin earthquake, which killed more than 450 people. The landslide blocked the gorge and formed a natural dam, with rainwater filling the valley to create a lake, according to the Herald Sun. Today, visitors and divers flock to Lake Kaindy to enjoy the mysterious but stunning views above water and to discover equally amazing scenery under water. The water is reportedly so cold (temperatures don't exceed 42 degrees F in the summer), that the foliage remains on the trees even after 100 years.

Just as spectacular and alluring, but more hidden than Lake Kaindy, the Puerto Princesa Underground River in the Philippines winds its way underneath a mountain range, through the St. Paul Underground River Cave, and then goes out into the South China Sea. The river, surrounded by stunning limestone karst landscape, is said to be the longest navigable underground river in the world, but in 2010, a group of environmentalists and geologists discovered that the underground river has a second floor, which means that there are small waterfalls inside the cave. The area around the river is also home to incredible biodiversity. More than 800 plant species, including almost 300 trees, 195 bird species, 30 mammals, 19 reptiles, and eight bat species call this area home.

Click through the slideshow above to explore the world's other strange liquid wonders.

This article was originally published on April 18, 2016 and updated on July 26, 2016.

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