Xibalba Belize

Xibalba is a location in Belize which translates to “place of fear.” The Mayans believed that this cave was the entrance to the underworld, and was ruled by the Mayan gods of death.

The cave itself is a place of geological beauty. Dark caves filled with water. Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks are present everywhere. Inside the cave, there are all kinds of stalagtites and stalagmites, as well as great examples, of how the water has helped shape the inside of the cave over the years. It is a hot tourist location and is still closely associated with death and the Mayan legends.

 

Derweze

 

Derweze is a small village in the middle of the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan. Apparently, Soviet geologists discovered this area was full of natural gas. While digging in 1971, the ground caved in below the dig site leaving a huge hole. This hole about 230 feet across. The Soviets were a bit concerned about poisonous discharge from the gas, and determined the best solution was to burn it off. The gas was to fuel the fire, and eventually both the fire would use up all the gas and both would cease to exist. Instead, the fire never stopped burning and still burns to this day! This location is one of the few locations on earth deemed a “door to hell.”