One thing I regret not doing when I was younger, free and single, is travelling more. Now I have a house, kids and responsibilities, which makes spontaneous trips a little harder - but my two, now 14 and 11, are at an age where family travel has become much more enjoyable and straightforward.

We've been doing more of it as a family in recent years, and I hope we'll continue to. But even when I can't be somewhere in person, I love researching the most extraordinary places in the world - the ones that look like they belong on another planet, the ones that make you question everything you thought you knew about geography. One day, when Ben and I retire, I'd love to travel as widely as possible - perhaps in an RV, seeing as much of the world as we can.

Until then, here are seven of the most fascinating geographical wonders on Earth. I haven't been to any of these yet - they're very much on the bucket list - but the science and spectacle behind each one is extraordinary.

1. The Eye of the Sahara - Mauritania

If you're looking for geography so dramatic it can be seen from space, the Eye of the Sahara - officially known as the Richat Structure - is extraordinary. Located in the Sahara Desert in Mauritania, this enormous circular formation of concentric rings of sedimentary and metamorphic rock stretches nearly 50 kilometres across. 

Scientists originally thought it was an impact crater, but the current theory is that it formed through a combination of geological uplift and erosion over millions of years. From above, it looks almost too perfect to be natural - a giant bullseye drawn into the desert floor.

It's not the easiest place to reach, but for anyone willing to make the journey, it remains one of the most remarkable geological sights on Earth. Worth adding to your travel bucket list if you're drawn to the unusual.

2. Florida Red Tides - USA

Florida is well known for its beaches, sunshine and theme parks, but it's also home to one of nature's more surreal natural phenomena - the Florida red tides.

These occur when marine phytoplankton algae accumulate in large concentrations in the water, producing vivid red and orange discolouration across stretches of the ocean. They're both beautiful and unsettling at the same time - the kind of sight that makes you feel simultaneously amazed and slightly unnerved by the natural world. 

They're not predictable events you can schedule a trip around, but if you happen to encounter one, it's something you won't forget. Florida is a fascinating destination beyond the usual tourist trail, and well worth exploring if you enjoy geography and natural wonders alongside the more conventional sights.

3. The Tectonic Plate Meeting Point - Thingvellir, Iceland 

Iceland sits at one of the most geologically active points on Earth, and nowhere demonstrates this more vividly than Thingvellir National Park - specifically the point where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet and slowly pull apart.

Standing at Thingvellir, you can actually see the rift between two of the world's largest tectonic plates. They're moving apart at a rate of around 2.5 centimetres a year - which sounds slow, but when you're standing between them it feels astonishing. It's one of the very few places in the world where you can see this happening above the surface rather than at the bottom of the ocean.

Iceland's dramatic volcanic landscape means many of the most spectacular locations are only accessible by off-road vehicle - for a Golden Circle road trip that takes in Thingvellir and beyond, Iceland 4x4 rental gives you the freedom to reach remote spots that most visitors never see. Or for a more relaxed way to explore, reserve the coziest campervan in Iceland through Cozy Campers and take in the scenery at your own pace.

4. The Blue Grotto - Capri, Italy

The island of Capri is beautiful by any measure, but its most famous natural wonder is something else entirely. The Blue Grotto - or Grotta Azzurra - is a sea cave accessible only by small rowing boat through a low entrance in the rock face.

Inside, the water glows an extraordinary electric blue. The effect is caused by sunlight passing through an underwater cavity in the cave wall and refracting upwards through the water. The light is diffused in such a way that the entire cave appears to be lit from below - a genuinely otherworldly experience.

It's a favourite of Italian visitors themselves, which says a great deal. Capri is one of those places that rewards slow travel - travelling in luxury for less is entirely possible in Italy if you plan carefully and travel outside peak season.

5. Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef - Australia

Australia is one of the most geographically extraordinary countries on Earth, and it would take a lifetime to see everything it has to offer.

Uluru - also known as Ayers Rock - is a vast sandstone monolith rising dramatically from the flat red desert of the Northern Territory. It holds deep spiritual significance for the indigenous Anangu people, and standing at its base you get a sense of just how ancient and immovable the landscape feels. It changes colour throughout the day as the light shifts - from deep ochre at noon to vivid red at sunset.

The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland, is the world's largest coral reef system and one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. Sadly it is under significant threat from climate change and bleaching events, which makes visiting now - and contributing to conservation efforts - all the more meaningful. Either of these alone would justify a trip to Australia; together they make it one of the great geographical bucket list destinations.

6. The Door to Hell - Derweze, Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is not on most people's travel radar, but it is home to one of the strangest sights anywhere on Earth - a natural gas crater in the Karakum Desert near the village of Derweze that has been burning continuously since 1971.

The Darvaza gas crater - nicknamed the Door to Hell - measures around 70 metres across and 20 metres deep. Soviet geologists drilling for natural gas caused the ground to collapse into an underground cavern, and rather than risk a methane leak, they set it alight expecting it to burn out within weeks. It hasn't stopped burning since.

At night, the glow is visible from miles away and the crater radiates intense heat. It's one of those sights that sounds unbelievable until you see it - genuinely unlike anything else on Earth.

7. The Crystal Cave of Giants - Naica, Mexico

Mexico is home to one of the most breathtaking underground discoveries ever made - the Cave of Crystals in Naica, in the northern state of Chihuahua. This extraordinary natural cave contains some of the largest natural crystals ever found on Earth - selenite beams up to 12 metres long and weighing as much as 55 tonnes.

The crystals formed over hundreds of thousands of years, growing slowly in superheated, mineral-rich water deep underground. The cave sits about 300 metres below the surface and reaches temperatures of up to 58 degrees Celsius with near 100% humidity - which makes it extremely difficult for humans to explore without specialised equipment and protective gear.

It was only discovered in 2000 when miners broke through into the cave, and access has been extremely limited ever since. Whether you ever get to see it in person or only in photographs, it remains one of the most astonishing geological discoveries of the modern era.

Check out the images on Google here for these mindblowing caves with GIANT crystals like you've never seen!

The world never stops surprising

These seven destinations are just a tiny fraction of the geological and geographical wonders our planet has to offer. Whether it's tectonic plates you can stand between, crystals the size of tree trunks, or a crater that has been on fire for over fifty years - nature consistently produces things that no human imagination could have invented.

Before you go...

If travel is on your mind but budget is a consideration, 10 money saving travel tips is worth a read before you start planning. And if you're dreaming of somewhere closer to home first, 5 things you must do before a family holiday covers the practical side of getting away with a family.

If unusual destinations appeal to you, obscure travel destinations you must add to your bucket list is worth a read - some brilliant off-the-beaten-track ideas in there. And for tips on making travel more affordable, how to save money when you travel abroad has plenty of practical advice.

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