The Blue Lagoon, United Kingdom<\/h2>\n![\"Flickr](\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/blue-lagoon.jpg\")
Flickr Creative Commons – Simon Harrod<\/p><\/div>\n
With a name like \u201cThe Blue Lagoon\u201d you would think this is the spot to go for a swim while in Buxton, Derbyshire. However, swimming in the infamous Blue Lagoon is akin to taking a dip in a giant vat of bleach! The Blue Lagoon<\/a> came into being as the old Far Hill Quarry was closed. The quarry was flooded with its surrounding limestone rocks giving the water a pretty blue color. With a pH level of 11.3, the Blue Lagoon is on a similar pH level to bleach and ammonia. In addition to harboring toxic chemicals from the surrounding rocks, the body of water boasts trash, dead animals, and excrement. While you would think no one would want to swim here, the enticing blue color still brings in swimmers who ignore the many warning signs.<\/p>\nSwim Here Instead:<\/strong>\u00a0If you still want to satisfy an urge to swim in a quarry in the United Kingdom<\/a>, try the Goldiggins Quarry<\/a> in Minions, Cornwall. The spring fed quarry lake boasts crystal clear waters and loads of flat rock ledges making for ideal perches for big splashes and dives. Goldiggins Quarry is famous in the U.K. \u201cwild swimming\u201d scene and a fantastic spot for anyone wanting to try the natural swimming\u00a0 experience. <\/span><\/p>\nLake Karachay, Russia<\/h2>\n
![\"Lake](\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Lake-Karachay.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Set in the Ural Mountains in Russia, Lake Karachay<\/a> is often deemed the most polluted place on Earth. In fact, it’s so polluted that the lake is radioactive. Lake Karachay can thank the neighboring Mayak Production Association for its deadliness. The nuclear waste storage and processing facility has been dumping nuclear material into the area\u2019s lakes and rivers for decades. Even just standing on shore can be deadly: If a human were to hang out on Lake Karachay for an hour, they would be exposed to a lethal dose of radiation.<\/p>\nSwim Here Instead:\u00a0<\/strong>Set in southeastern Siberia, you will find the oldest and deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal<\/a>. Not only is this Russian lake safe to swim in but it also boasts some of the most pure water in the world. Lake Baikal lines with resorts and towns catering to those who want to get out on the water, making it a perfect destination for anyone looking to swim in and relax along the shores of the “Pearl of Siberia.”<\/p>\nLake Natron, Tanzania<\/h2>\n
![\"Lake](\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Lake-Natron-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
If turning to stone sounds like something so impossible that it only belongs in a science fiction novel or a\u00a0Game of Thrones<\/em> episode, think again. Lake Natron<\/a> in northern Tanzania gives the appearance of a beautiful lake. Its blood red color is due to the high levels of bacteria that inhabit it. Water temperatures can get boiling hot here, with recorded temperatures hovering around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Lake Natron holds extremely high alkaline content, which in turn causes animals that get near it to calcify. These animals tend to look as if they’ve turned to stone after lapping up the lake’s waters. The lake’s inhabitable composition can be blamed on a neighboring volcano.<\/p>\nSwim Here Instead:\u00a0<\/strong>If you don\u2019t want to turn to stone, you can instead paddle on over to Tanzania<\/a>\u2019s famous archipelago, Zanzibar. Composed of two main islands, Zanzibar boasts countless powdery soft sands lapping up impeccably turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, making for prime swimming conditions. It’s also a spot known for its aquatic wildlife, including reef diving, so come ready to share the water with some critters.<\/p>\nCitarum River, Indonesia<\/h2>\n![\"Flickr](\"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Citarum-River-1.jpg\")
Flickr Creative Commons – James Chen<\/p><\/div>\n
Swimming in a river can be a fun activity in some parts of the world. However in Indonesia, you definitely wouldn’t want to take a dip in the Citarum River<\/a>. Considered one of the world\u2019s most polluted rivers, the Citarum River sits just 40 miles east of Jakarta. It runs nearly 200 miles from the Wayang Mountain to the Java Sea. Given that over 200 textile factories have lined up on the river, dumping lead, arsenic, and mercury into its waters, the river is extremely toxic. Toss in the fact that the surface is almost always carpeted with trash and you have the makings for one of the world\u2019s most horrifying rivers.<\/p>\n
Flickr Creative Commons – Simon Harrod<\/p><\/div>\n
With a name like \u201cThe Blue Lagoon\u201d you would think this is the spot to go for a swim while in Buxton, Derbyshire. However, swimming in the infamous Blue Lagoon is akin to taking a dip in a giant vat of bleach! The Blue Lagoon<\/a> came into being as the old Far Hill Quarry was closed. The quarry was flooded with its surrounding limestone rocks giving the water a pretty blue color. With a pH level of 11.3, the Blue Lagoon is on a similar pH level to bleach and ammonia. In addition to harboring toxic chemicals from the surrounding rocks, the body of water boasts trash, dead animals, and excrement. While you would think no one would want to swim here, the enticing blue color still brings in swimmers who ignore the many warning signs.<\/p>\n Swim Here Instead:<\/strong>\u00a0If you still want to satisfy an urge to swim in a quarry in the United Kingdom<\/a>, try the Goldiggins Quarry<\/a> in Minions, Cornwall. The spring fed quarry lake boasts crystal clear waters and loads of flat rock ledges making for ideal perches for big splashes and dives. Goldiggins Quarry is famous in the U.K. \u201cwild swimming\u201d scene and a fantastic spot for anyone wanting to try the natural swimming\u00a0 experience. <\/span><\/p>\n Set in the Ural Mountains in Russia, Lake Karachay<\/a> is often deemed the most polluted place on Earth. In fact, it’s so polluted that the lake is radioactive. Lake Karachay can thank the neighboring Mayak Production Association for its deadliness. The nuclear waste storage and processing facility has been dumping nuclear material into the area\u2019s lakes and rivers for decades. Even just standing on shore can be deadly: If a human were to hang out on Lake Karachay for an hour, they would be exposed to a lethal dose of radiation.<\/p>\n Swim Here Instead:\u00a0<\/strong>Set in southeastern Siberia, you will find the oldest and deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal<\/a>. Not only is this Russian lake safe to swim in but it also boasts some of the most pure water in the world. Lake Baikal lines with resorts and towns catering to those who want to get out on the water, making it a perfect destination for anyone looking to swim in and relax along the shores of the “Pearl of Siberia.”<\/p>\n If turning to stone sounds like something so impossible that it only belongs in a science fiction novel or a\u00a0Game of Thrones<\/em> episode, think again. Lake Natron<\/a> in northern Tanzania gives the appearance of a beautiful lake. Its blood red color is due to the high levels of bacteria that inhabit it. Water temperatures can get boiling hot here, with recorded temperatures hovering around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Lake Natron holds extremely high alkaline content, which in turn causes animals that get near it to calcify. These animals tend to look as if they’ve turned to stone after lapping up the lake’s waters. The lake’s inhabitable composition can be blamed on a neighboring volcano.<\/p>\n Swim Here Instead:\u00a0<\/strong>If you don\u2019t want to turn to stone, you can instead paddle on over to Tanzania<\/a>\u2019s famous archipelago, Zanzibar. Composed of two main islands, Zanzibar boasts countless powdery soft sands lapping up impeccably turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, making for prime swimming conditions. It’s also a spot known for its aquatic wildlife, including reef diving, so come ready to share the water with some critters.<\/p>\n Flickr Creative Commons – James Chen<\/p><\/div>\n Swimming in a river can be a fun activity in some parts of the world. However in Indonesia, you definitely wouldn’t want to take a dip in the Citarum River<\/a>. Considered one of the world\u2019s most polluted rivers, the Citarum River sits just 40 miles east of Jakarta. It runs nearly 200 miles from the Wayang Mountain to the Java Sea. Given that over 200 textile factories have lined up on the river, dumping lead, arsenic, and mercury into its waters, the river is extremely toxic. Toss in the fact that the surface is almost always carpeted with trash and you have the makings for one of the world\u2019s most horrifying rivers.<\/p>\nLake Karachay, Russia<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\nLake Natron, Tanzania<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\nCitarum River, Indonesia<\/h2>\n