Salar de Uyuni – World's Largest Salt Flat

Nature is always vibrant, with things that seem to belong only in fairy tales but still manifest in the real world. In the Andes mountain range, at an altitude exceeding 3650m, there lies an exposed salt mine, and that is Salar de Uyuni!

Salar de Uyuni – World's Largest Salt Flat

Located in the southwest of Bolivia, Salar de Uyuni is the most magnificent gift that Mother Nature has bestowed upon this country. The expanse of this salt flat is 15 times the size of Singapore. Over 40,000 years ago, this area was part of a prehistoric lake, and over time, as the lake dried up, it left behind this salt-rich landscape.

Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat on the planet, surpassing the well-known Bonneville Salt Flats in the United States by 25 times. Local residents harvest salt in the traditional way, forming piles and waiting for the water to evaporate, then drying and adding iodine before packaging.

Miners extract about 25,000 tons of salt annually, a small fraction of the 10 billion tons stored here. Local artisans also demonstrate the salt production process to tourists, creating small souvenir salt packages and adding a touch of good luck.

Especially when visiting Salar de Uyuni, you can find unique salt-made guesthouses and hotels for a relaxing stay after your tour.

Exploring the salt flat, you witness the enchanting and surreal natural scenery, with flat fields that reflect everything like a magical mirror. Additionally, this place is home to flamingos, massive cactus fields, surrounded by the majestic Andes mountain range.

Beyond its marvelous landscapes, Salar de Uyuni contributes significantly to Bolivia's economy. Notably, it holds a large reserve of lithium, a crucial element for battery production. Moreover, the salt flat serves as a site for NASA's measurements using orbiting satellites.

A must-mention at Salar de Uyuni is the world's first salt hotel named El Palacio de Sal, meaning the 'Salt Palace.' Located on the edge of the salt flat, it's an ideal stop for anyone visiting. The hotel is constructed from 10,500 tons of salt. Due to its unique structure, it requires renovations each rainy season and additional reinforcement in winter.

Salt is a vital part of life, culture, and cuisine worldwide, considered a precious commodity since Roman times. In the Mediterranean, archaeologists have found traces of ancient salt production. Ancient Chinese knew how to boil seawater to produce salt. Ancient Thais used saltwater in wells to separate salt crystals.

In Vietnam, there are many salt fields like Cà Ná, Hải Hậu Diêm Điền, Sa Huỳnh, Hòn Khói, Ba Tri, Long Điền, but the tourism industry around salt fields has not yet flourished. Hopefully, in the near future, these salt fields will also become attractive tourist destinations.

According to Mytour

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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide