Places that make you feel like you’re on Pandora

Be honest, don’t you wish you could visit the water realms of the people of Mytkyina after watching “Avatar – The Way of Water”? The world that director James Cameron created on the fictional planet Pandora is truly unique and visually stunning.

We have good news for all the fans: there are also places on our Earth that are very close to the ones on Pandora. We have hand-picked places for you to dream away towards Pandora.

The luminous waters of Puerto Rico

Many kayaks are moved through the mangrove forests by people of different ages. We got to the lake, we have to wait. until it gets dark. Then the magic happens once you move your hand back and forth a bit in the water. Small white lightning flashed across the water, becoming light around the hand.

Bioluminescence is the name for this natural phenomenon that visitors to the Great Lake in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, can observe. This sea light can be enjoyed in different parts of the world, also in Australia or Jamaica.

This glow is generated by a variety of bioluminescent flagella. These are single-celled organisms that can emit light. A well-known example here is the glowing buttocks of glow worms, which I certainly managed to notice in the summer.

Even when it gets dark on Pandora, the animals, plants, and even the Na’vi, the indigenous people, begin to glow. So it is something in common between fantasy and reality.

Palau Islands

Palau is a true South Pacific paradise and is very reminiscent of Metkayina’s home on Pandora. The island country in the Pacific Ocean consists of about 350 small islands and is part of Micronesia, which in turn includes more than 3,000 islands. It is a dream for fans of the underwater world.

Although you won’t meet the fictional sea creatures from the movie “Avatar” here, the underwater world could hardly be more colorful and diverse than on the islands of Palau. You have to plan a lot of time for the trip. Getting to Palau’s only international airport, Roman Tmetuchl International Airport, can take 25 hours.

But once you’re there, you won’t be able to stop feeling amazed, just like in a cinema seat…

White beaches in the Philippines

Not too far from Palau and a little west is another place reminiscent of Pandora: the Philippines. To be more precise, the white sandy beaches where half of all postcards in the world were created.

The light blue sea that mixes with the very light beige color of the beach is especially beautiful here. A trip to the Philippines is not only worthwhile because of the resemblance to the home of Metkayina: we’ve written here what you can experience in the archipelago.

Red Woods California

Warning, spoilers for those who haven’t seen the first Avatar part: the moment humans destroyed the Na’vi’s home tree was heartbreaking. On our planet too, we feel enough that the beauty of nature is ignored due to greed for raw materials.

In the second part of “Avatar” director James Cameron nevertheless allows us to look at the mighty trees, which are many times higher than the rest of the jungle.

Stunningly tall specimens are also found on our planet, for example, the California redwood. A few people are needed to hug a tree here, and the majestic tree trunks are very strong and thick. They belong to the cypress family, and even their thick and fibrous bark protects them from forest fires. Very powerful stuff!

California has many parks called “Red Wood Parks” where you can see red forests. These national parks include Sequoia and Kings Canyon.

Glowworm Cave in New Zealand

In the so-called Waitomo Caves in Auckland, New Zealand, you can feel like you are in Pandora at night. This became possible thanks to the thousands of fireflies that live in caves. They are hung on the walls and give you the feeling after dark that you are standing under a starry sky.

In fact, the glow worms that live there have nothing to do with our piranhas. These are the larvae of the fungus mosquito. It does not glow itself, but rather sheds tiny sticky threads, which in turn glow to attract insects. You can visit the cave as part of a hiking excursion or boat tour.

Zhangjiajie Mountains in China

It was a highlight of the first part of “Avatar”: Pandora’s Hallelujah Flying Mountains. You can find the earthly inspiration for this in China, more precisely in the Zhangjiajie Mountains. The very thin, high sandstone cliffs look out of this world and yet they are there.

The rest of the mountains in China are also reminiscent of the forests in Pandora: impenetrable jungle, high waterfalls and immaculate jungle.

And the Zhangjiajie Mountains have another distinctive feature: here you have the world’s highest outdoor elevator, which takes you directly to Avatar Rock! You could hardly get more of a Pandora feeling, right?

Jumping whales in the Caribbean

There is no doubt that whales are intelligent animals. But the samples on Pandora go even further: director James Cameron gave the tulkunen, as the whale-like animals in the movie “Avatar” are called, many human characteristics.

You can compose songs, connect with natives and become soul mates. When they return to the shores, they leap in droves from the waters of Pandora’s oceans.

You can also see such a scene with your own eyes on our Earth, even if it is a matter of a little luck. Because not every whale jumps out of the water all the time. But even mighty humpback whales feel it from time to time.

If you want to try your luck against a tropical backdrop, whale watching is recommended on the island of Dominica in the Caribbean. The animals live here from March to November before heading north again.