Some wonders aren’t found on land — they’re hiding just below the waves. Off the western coast of Thailand, in the balmy embrace of the Andaman Sea, there’s a scattering of islands that hold the keys to an underwater paradise. This isn’t just another tropical destination. This is the Similan Islands — a dreamscape of coral cathedrals, white sand crescents, and electric-blue waters.

Some lakes invite swimming. Some invite photography. But Lake Usori? It whispers. It beckons. It waits. Nestled in the caldera of an ancient volcano at the foot of Mount Osore in Aomori, this eerie, otherworldly lake has long been believed to be a gateway to the afterlife.