It may sound like a funky ‘80s experiment, but the Thurston Lava Tube is actually a natural rock formation in Hawaii. The island is known for its unusual concentration of volcanoes, many of which tend to erupt in a rather out of the blue manner. When that happens, a lava tube may be formed. During an eruption, the viscous surface of the outer lava may cool in the atmosphere and form a hard external layer. This acts as a pipe for the molten lava, which becomes insulated and thus continues to flow for a greater distance. When all the chaos is over, all that remains is the mysterious lava tube.

The Thurston Lava Tube is in fact over 500 years old, and is the perfect specimen of a typical lava tube. Before you even get to the entrance, you’ll be struck by the lush greenery and wildlife that flourishes as a result of the fertile volcanic earth that surrounds the lava tube. The gloomy depths of the tube itself are a great contrast with the expanse of green outside, but are no less beautiful in their own right. The tube glows somewhat eerily with artificial lighting from within, a tantalizing promise of further discoveries that await if you only step inside.