Offbeat Traveler: Colored earths of Chamarel

Check out the multicolored rolling dunes known as colored earths in Chamarel on the western side of Mauritius, an island nation off the southeastern coast of Africa. The blue, brown, green, orange, purple, red and yellow patterns were formed when volcanic rocks cooled at different temperatures. Rain eventually carved the patterns into an undulating landscape. This strange bit of nature is best seen in the early morning or evening for the best contrasts in the hills and the vegetation in the background. Nearby, the Chamarel Falls can be seen plunging hundreds of feet.

-- Michael Robinson